The Exhibitor (Nov 1942-May 1943)

5 GOVERNMENT ISSUES ORDER ON 25% SLASH Allotments Divided Into Two Classes mmirni .A BUFFALO FILM MEN HOLD WAC SESSION Harmon, Cohen Heard By Exhibs Buffalo, N. Y. — At a luncheon in the Statler, Francis S. Harmon, national co¬ ordinator, War Activities Committee — Mo¬ tion Picture Industry, and Max Cohen, state chairman, addressed a meeting of showmen called together by Vincent R. McFaul, United Nations Week Buffalo chairman, this week. Among the exhibitors, theatre man¬ agers, and exchange officials scheduled to be present were: A. C. Hayman, general chairman, local War Activities Committee; Nicholas Basil, Stanley Kozanowski, George Gammell, Robert T. Murphy, Max Yellen, George McKenna, George A. Mason, Edward Mil¬ ler, William Brett, Kenneth Cooley, Nel¬ son Martin, Charles McKernan, Max and George Rosing, George Holl, James Stubbe, Frank McCann, and Harris Lumberg, Niagara Falls; George Hanny, Jr., Andrew Gibson, Harry Goldsmith, Spen¬ cer Balser, Harry Yette, Menno Dykstra, Dewey Michaels, Harry Dixon, Jack Gold¬ stein, Lester Pollock, Jay Golden, Frank Murphy, and Harry Unterfort, Roches¬ ter; Tom Walsh, Binghamton; Ralph E. Crabill, Elmira; Ken Rockwell, Dan Gilhula, Jamestown; Joseph Schwartzwalder, Auburn; M. Lafayette, Olean; Deane Emley, Dunkirk; A1 Newhall, Batavia; Mor¬ ris Rosen, Hornell; W. Johnson, Medina; and W. Tallman, Wellsville. Paramount Deals Progress New York — Charles M. Reagan, assist¬ ant general sales manager, Paramount, an¬ nounced last week that every important theatre circuit in the country has now bought Paramount’s 1942-43 product. Despite the holiday season the Para¬ mount sales staff during the week ac¬ counted for 1,147 contracts. This compares with 304 sold holiday week last year. Skouras Canteen Opens Jersey City, N. J. The Skouras cir¬ cuit last week opened in the State what is believed to be the first canteen for service men in a motion picture theatre. The canteen is serviced by members of the Civil Volunteers Corps headed by Mrs. J. Albert Dear, Jr., and Mrs. Althea O’Hanlon with Notis Komnenos, man¬ ager, serving as canteen director. Laudy Lawrence Resigns New York — Laudy Lawrence, foreign distribution head of 20th Century-Fox, re¬ signed last week. January 6, 1943 Paramount News Scores NEW YORK — Paramount did some¬ thing new last week when it placed 600-line ads in three local dailies ad¬ vertising that Paramount News had important war shots in a current newsreel. The company claims it got a splen¬ did reaction. UA THEATRE CIRCUIT SHOWS BIGGER PROFIT New York — United Artists Theatre Cir¬ cuit last week showed a net profit for the year ended on Aug. 31, 1942, of $325,892, compared with $153,220 during the pre¬ vious year. In addition to its interests in other cir¬ cuits, UATC is financially interested in the following theatres, according to a let¬ ter to stockholders by William P. Philips, vice-president: United Artists, Chicago, 50 per cent; United Artists, Detroit, 50 per cent; Rivoli, New York, 100 per cent; Loews and UA Century, Baltimore, 50 per cent; Loews and UA Valencia, Baltimore, 50 per cent; Parkway, Baltimore, 50 per cent; Loew’s and UA Penn, Pittsburgh, Pa., 47.53 per cent; and 50 per cent in the following: Loew’s and UA Broad and Loew’s and UA Ohio, Columbus, O.; Loew’s and UA State, Louisville, Ky.; United Artists, Port¬ land, Ore.; Chinese, Hollywood; Loew’s State, Four Star, and United Artists, Los Angeles. UATC is the owner of 100 per cent of the outstanding capital of United Artists Theatres of California, Ltd., which owned or had an interest in 63 theatres on Aug. 31. The company also is the owner of 50 per cent of the “A” stock and 37.84 per cent of the Class “B” stock of the Metro¬ politan Playhouses, Inc., which owned or had an interest in 142 theatres in and around the metropolitan district of New York on Aug. 31. UATC is the owner of 100 per cent of the outstanding capital stock of United Artists of Texas, Inc., which owns 50 per cent interest in the Robb & Rowley United, Inc., of 93 theatres, of which 69 are in Texas, nine in Ar¬ kansas, and 15 in Oklahoma. "Commandos" French Version New York — Dubbing of French titles on the French-language version of Lester Cowan’s Columbia production, “Com¬ mandos Strike At Dawn,” is being rushed at the studio so that prints may be re¬ ceived in Allied-occupied North Africa at the earliest possible moment, it was an¬ nounced last week by Columbia execu¬ tives. the exhibitor Washington — WPB’s revised order L-178 cutting film 25 per cent from footage used in 1941, went into effect last week. The cut applies to the major producers, with cuts of 12 per cent for smaller industrial companies. No restrictions are applicable as to what the film may be used for. The cuts will save about 400,000,000 linear feet of 35 mm. film during 1943, which is needed because of military demands and shortage of raw materials. Actual film allotments are stipulated for two classes of distributors. Class A pro¬ ducers and distributors and their allow¬ ances for the first quarter follow: Columbia: 30,168,738 linear feet; Loew’s, Inc., 51,237,490; Paramount, 40,664,557; RKO, 32,005,224; 20th Century-Fox, 41,282,295; Universal, 32,950,754; Warners, 33,152,212; Republic, 17,653,771. Under Class B distributors Monogram was allowed 5,617,180 feet for the first three months of 1943, Producers’ Releasing Corporation, 3,052,332, and United Artists, 14,234,304. Class B producers are defined for the purposes of this order as any producers who had one or more entertainment features in 1941 for exhibi¬ tion and distribution through a Class A or B distributor. They need specific authorization from WPB for any film except what they get through Class A or B distributors. Class C producers or distributors, not fall¬ ing within the definitions of A or B, are limited to 22 per cent of the total film they used in 1941. The new allocation means an average cut of a little more than six per cent over the final quar¬ ter of 1941. The original cuts were made on a basis of individual authorization to use the film, since L-178, when issued last August, was merely a freeze order. The new revision continues the freeze, but no authorization is required for labor¬ atories to transfer film to A or B distributors, as well as to the army navy or office of strategic services. WPB also takes control over “factual” and “special” films for Government agencies and the military. Orders for the army, the navy and the OSS are not affected by restrictions on exposure, as has been the case for several months. Special per¬ mission must be obtained from WPB, however, for “outside quota” film, with not more than 57,000,000 linear feet to be authorized during the first six months of 1943. In each three-month period distributors can ob¬ tain the film they turned over to the army dur¬ ing the preceding quarter, and 100 per cent of the film in positive prints of entertainment pic¬ tures turned over to the navy. It was also stated that Class A and B producers may apply to WPB on a PD-763 form for authorization to obtain and use picture negative and sound recording stock. Flood Hurts Business Pittsburgh — The worst winter flood in years threatened last week to close many theatres in the valleys near the Allegheny, Ohio, and Schuylkill Rivers. Following continuing rain and melting snow, floods were threatened to damage many houses, and seriously effect patron¬ age in other spots. One of the first houses to close was the Warners’ Stanley here. Film deliveries presented another prob¬ lem. Holt Named Liaison New York — Nat Holt was appointed last week as liaison between RKO theatres and the RKO studio. In addition to his new duties, Holt will retain his position as head of RKO’s western division but will headquarter at the studio. QUIN.