The Exhibitor (1952)

24 EXHIBITOR PEOPLE New York — Ben Kalmenson, Warners’ vice-president in charge of distribution, last week announced the promotion of Art Anderson, acting prairie district manager, to the post of midwest district manager, succeeding Harry A. Seed, granted an in¬ definite leave of absence due to ill health. Anderson will make his headquarters in Chicago. The Minneapolis branch office returns to the midwest district, which will now comprise the Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis branches. Kalmenson also announces that Hall Walsh has returned from a leave of absence to resume his duties as the company’s prairie district manager, with headquarters in St. Louis. The prairie district will com¬ prise the Des Moines, Kansas City, Omaha, and St. Louis branches. Hollywood — Norman Loveless, of the legal firm of Mitchell, Silberberg, and Knupp, was last week appointed assist¬ ant resident counsel in the RKO studio legal department. He replaces Peter Knecht, whose elevation to the post of executive assistant to Ross Hastings, RKO executive in charge of contract negotia¬ tions and administration, was announced by studio head C. J. Tevlin. Loveless will function under Sidney Lipsitch, head, studio legal department. New York — Richard de Rochemont, former executive producer, “The March of Time”, and Transfilm, Inc., business films producer, have joined forces, it was announced last fortnight by William Burnham, Transfilm vice-president, de Rochemont will bring his current and future business films accounts to Trans¬ film. At Transfilm, he will act as producer as well as consultant on business. New York — Milton Silver, director of advertising-publicity, Souvaine Selective Pictures, for the past year, has completed his 10-picture special assignment, and will leave the company on July 11. During his stay with Souvaine, Silver organized the complete advertising-publicity setup for the company. Des Moines — Dale H. McFarland, as¬ sistant to the president, Tri-States Theatre Corporation, resigned last week to be¬ come Greater Indianapolis Amusement Company general manager. He had been with Tri-States since 1941. New York — Phil Reisman, RKO vicepresident in charge of foreign distribu¬ tion, last week announced appointment of Morton Siegel as administrative executive and aide to Robert K. Hawkinson, assist¬ ant foreign manager. New York — William Zimmerman, sales executive, was last week appointed assist¬ ant to Robert Mochrie, RKO vice-presi¬ dent and general sales manager. Zimmer¬ man has been with RKO for 18 years. OUTDOOR REFRESHMENT, SERVICE from Coast to Coast > ovor '/« Century Refreshment Service for DRIVE IN THEATRES SPORTSERVICE CORP. SPOOt^fRvtCI BLDG. • BUFFALO. N. Y. MA. 5014 Organization Bulletins The natives of Anchorage, Alaska, jammed the Fourth Avenue there recently for the first world premiere of a Hollywood film ever held in the Alaskan Territory when U-I's "The World In His Arms" opened. Seen are co-managers Dick Pea¬ cock and Sid Raynor with the stars who made personal appearances as part of the junket for the armed forces stationed in Alaska. Left to right are Kathleen Hughes, Lori Nelson, Raynor, Ann Blythe, Peacock, J. Cooper, and J. Holden. UPT-ABC Request Opposed Washington — The Federal Communica¬ tion Commission’s broadcast bureau last week filed an objection with the Commis¬ sion to the UPT-ABC requests that the proposed merger be separated from the Commission’s current consolidated Para¬ mount hearings, and be quickly acted upon. The bureau’s attorneys contended that severance would result in further complications. The FCC examiner hearings into the eligibility of Paramount to hold additional TV broadcast licenses were highlighted by a return of Arthur Levey to the wit¬ ness stand. Now president of Skiatron, Levey testified on his relations with Para¬ mount in the 1930’s and 1940’s when he was president of Scophony Corporation of America. Levey said that he had negotiated with “others” but had tied in with Paramount on the assumption that it had the most to gain from TV research, hence would be “cooperative.” The 1941 installation of TV in the Rialto, New York City, came to the fore with Levey testifying that the installation was used but one day, not because of any technical defects but due to objections of one of the “major TV broadcasters.” Paramount Offers Common Washington — The Securities and Ex¬ change Commission revealed last fort¬ night that Paramount had filed a registra¬ tion statement for the public offering of 38,500 shares of the firm’s common. The shares are to be offered from time to time on the New York Stock Exchange by Barney Balaban and his wife. The shares are believed to be part of an original block of 40,000' shares ac¬ quired by Balaban several years ago through exercise of option warrants at $12.50 per share issued to him as part of an ensuing arrangement by which the company liquidated $2,000,000 of its con¬ vertible notes held by Balaban. New York — Columbia last week an¬ nounced the appointment of Everett Walsh to executive art director, a position last held by Jack Meyer, who died early in 1951. Hollywood — Dan Thomas last week was elected president, Screen Publicists Guild, succeeding Kenneth Carter. ( Highlights of current exhibitor organ¬ ization bulletins are presented in this column. — Ed.) United Theatre Owners of Illinois: Urges exhibitor cooperation with the Illinois State Highway Police in running Illinois Safety Council’s one-minute trailer on traffic safety. The trailers are furnished free, and the Highway Police takes care of distribution, circulation, and pick-up. All the exhibitor has to do is run them as a public service. Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Eastern Pennsylvania, Inc.: Asks if the boxoffice is down 40 per cent, compared to 1948, how long will it take the distributors to price pictures so that the exhibitors can stay in business? Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana: Says there is a crying need for pic¬ tures that make people laugh. . . . Believes patrons will be interested in cartoon transparencies for lobby displays. Passbook Hearing July 15 Washington — The Federal Trade Com¬ mission last fortnight issued a complaint against D. Phillip Robinson and LaRue Wright, Los Angeles, formerly co-partners, Metropolitan Pass Book Company, New York, and Harry Schooler, New Or¬ leans, general manager. The FTC claims as misleading and de¬ ceptive a “pass book advertising scheme” designed to bring new customers to busi¬ ness establishments, including theatres. It is also claimed that the pass books were sold to the public at $1.98 each, and were represented as being good without any qualification or limitation, but that ad¬ vertisers did not honor the pass books or certificates on that basis. A hearing before Examiner Everett F. Hay craft is sched¬ uled in New York on July 15. U-l Profit Increases New York — According to a prelimin¬ ary report issued last week, U-I’s con¬ solidated net earnings for the 26 weeks ended on May 3 were $1,220,440, after provision of $1,550,000 for income and excess profits taxes. This profit compares with $608,565 in the same period of the previous fiscal year, after provision of $800,000 for taxes and $200,000 for con¬ tingent liabilities. Earnings after preferred stock divi¬ dends are equivalent to $1.14 per com¬ mon share, as against 50 cents in the com¬ parable 26 weeks of last year. Brand-Ballantyne Omaha — Joyce Ballantyne, daughter of R. S. Ballantyne, president and founder, The Ballantyne Company, was married to Jack Brand, vice-president, American Broadcasting Company, last week in the First Presbyterian Church, Dr. W. James Niven officiating. J. R. “Bob” Hoff, sales manager, The Ballantyne Company, was best man, and Mrs. Beverly Hoff, sister of the bride, was matron of honor. The bride is a well-known Chicago commer¬ cial artist. July 9, 1952