The Exhibitor (1950)

16 EXHIBITOR Mel Konecoff's NEW YORK HUNDREDS of industryites gathered at the annual Picture Pioneers’ dinner-meet¬ ing at the Waldorf-Astoria to pay tribute to Spyros Skouras, president, 20th Cen¬ tury-Fox, who was voted “Pioneer of the Year,” and to witness the in¬ duction of the largest group of applicants in the organization to date. Membership is limited to those with 25 years of service in the business. The proceedings were opened by Jack Cohn, founder and president, and the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Charles L. Giblin paid respect for those who died during the last year. Si Fabian acted as master of ceremonies, introducing Judge Ferdinand Pecora, who inducted the new candidates, as is his custom. Before turning the microphone over to George Jessel, who acted as toast¬ master, Cohn announced that the organ¬ ization’s welfare fund was ready to func¬ tion, and that donations from the mem¬ bership would be in order to care for needy industry members. It seems as though Jessel, too, was to be honored for his many perfonnances as toastmaster, for Fabian presented him with a special gavel to be used at all such future occasions. From then on such people as Eric Johnston, Herbert Bayard Swope, the Greek Ambassador, and Ber¬ nard Baruch paid tribute to Skouras as a fellow industryite, humanitarian, and citi¬ zen of the United States. A special plaque was presented the guest of honor by his two brothers, Charles and George. Skouras was touched deeply, and thanked all for the honors bestowed upon him. Aboard the dais, in addition to those al¬ ready mentioned, were: Barney Balaban, Ned Depinet, A1 Lichtman, Gus Eyssell, Bob O’Donnell, Adolph Zukor, Jack Ali-’ coate. Major Albert Warner, Sam Pinanski, Abel Green, Johnny O’Connor, Ted Gamble, Joe Vogel, Herman Robbins, Harry Brandt, Sam Rinzler, and Sam Dembow. The dinner working committee consisted of Cohn, Fabian, Hal Home, Bernie Estes, Harry Takiff, Marvin Kirsch, and Gil Josephson. DRIVE: The entertainment industry’s Christmas Salute to the Will Rogers Me¬ morial Hospital on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the institution at Saranac Lake, N, Y., was launched with the unveiling of a life-size portrait of Will Rogers painted by Clarence C. Allen, Oklahoma artist and friend of the late stage and screen star. Spyros Skouras unveiled the portrait for the benefit of newsreel cameramen, and Robert Mochrie, national chairman, fund¬ raising drive, also spoke. The unveiling was also the signal to start the nation¬ wide drive to collect signatures and dona¬ tions for a five-mile long Christmas card to go to the hospital. The campaign ends in January, and it Company Leaders Asked To TOA Arbitration Meeting NEW YORK — TOA president, Sam Pinanski, and TOA distributor-exhibi¬ tor relations chairman, Walter Reade, Jr., announced last week that in ac¬ cordance with a resolution adopted at the Houston, Tex., convention, the presidents of all distributing and pro¬ ducing companies had been invited to attend a conference today (Nov. 29) to discuss the formation of an industry arbitration system. starts a five-year program to raise a mil¬ lion dollars a year with which to provide new buildings, expand research facilities, and equipment for the famous institution, where treatment for tuberculosis is free to any member in the entertainment industry unable to pay the high cost of care, PRODUCTION: Erich Pommer, pro¬ ducer-director, left last week for Europe, and Berlin in particular, to survey loca¬ tions, etc., for a forthcoming film he will co-produce with Sol Lesser, “The Sixth Column,” a tale of international counter¬ feiting by Upton Sinclair. An American star, director, writer, and several tech¬ nicians will follow upon the return of Pommer, and actual shooting will get under way in May. Funds will come from both America and frozen German marks, with about 350,000 of the former and one million of the latter being earmarked. He emphasized that frozen money was not the main consideration in producing the film in the American zone of Berlin and other spots in Europe, but, rather it was because the plot called for such onthe-spot production. A German language version will be shot simultaneously, and it is expected that cooperation will be forthcoming from American authorities both here and abroad. A release has not been set as yet but inasmuch as most of Lesser’s films are released by RKO, it would not be sur¬ prising if this, too, followed the pattern. Pommer may perhaps be remembered for “The Blue Angel,” “Beachcomber,” “Jamaica Inn,’^ “They Knew What They Wanted,” etc. THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: A. J. Balaban, executive director, Roxy, played host at a cocktail party to honor Mrs. Dorothy Silverstone, producer of the short in Cinecolor, “The Magnetic Tide,” de¬ voted to the Holy Land. In addition to the press, there were many distinguished guests of honor. Total receipts from the subject’s rental will go to a non -sectarian organization in Palestine. . . . The New York Paramount celebrated its 24th birth¬ day simultaneously with “Let’s Dance.” The premiere attraction was “God Gave .Me .Twenty Cents.” . . . ELC was cele¬ brating the moveover of “The Red Shoes” for a popular price engagement, continu¬ ous run at the Victoria just as though it had not already played the area for two years. . . . Paramount’s Max Youngstein is instituting a more “common -sense” layout in pressbooks to make things easier for -theatre managers. . . . The newly established Louise Baer Memorial Fund of the New York Heart Association will be launched with the world premiere of “Harvey” on Dec. 20 at the Astor when B'way Grosses Hit By Storm New York — With business generally ad¬ versely affected by the wind and rain¬ storm over the weekend. Radio City Music Hall, the Roxy, and the Victoria led in grosses in the Broadway first-run sector. According to usually reliable sources reaching Exhibitor, the breakdown was as follows: “BREAKTHROUGH” (WB). Strand, with stage show, had $20,000 for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with the second week heading toward $40,000. “COPPER CANYON” (Para.). Para¬ mount, with stage show, expected a $47,000 second week. “NEVER A DULL MOMENT” (RKO). Rivoli anticipated the opening at $18,000. “THE JACKPOT” (20th-Fox). Roxy, with stage show, gamered $62,500 for Wednesday through Sunday, with the opening week sure to top $75,000. “KING SOLOMON’S MINES” (MGM). Radio City Music Hall, with stage show, had $93,000 for Thursday through Sunday, with the third week sure to tally $133,000. “RIGHT CROSS” (MGM) . Criterion had a $9,000 second week. “TRIPOLI” (Para.). Globe claimed $10,000 for the third week. “RIO GRANDE” (Rep.). Mayfair ex¬ pected the second week to hit $20,000. “THE RED SHOES” (ELC). Victoria where this opened for a continuous show¬ ing, popular-priced run, claimed $29,000 for the first week. “AMERICAN GUERILLA IN THE PHILIPPINES” (20th-Fox) . Astor reported $15,000 for the third week. “HARRIET CRAIG” (Col.). Loew’s State claimed $13,000 for the fourth week. “TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE” (MGM). Capitol, with stage show, opened to a $54,000 first week. the entire proceeds will be turned over to the institution. . . . Rugoff and Becker’s Clem Perry reports that clubs, schools, and organizations want to hold benefit theatre parties at the Sutton, art house, in the fashion of legitimate theatres. . . . Scholastic magazine and Coronet jumped on the “Cyrano de Bergerac” bandwagon by naming it, “Picture of the Month.’’ ... . UA foreign department’s Sam Cohen forcefully called our attention to his house organ’s headline^ “UA Foreign Operations in Black.” It’s all due to upsurge in sdles, aggressive promotion, operating economies, and an improved foreign situation. . . . U-I studio was mailing out a fine ad piece on “Harvey,” which gets the nod from Look in the Dec. 5 issue. Oregon Exhibitors Sued Portland — Loew’s and 20th-Fox each filed a percentage action last fortnight in the U. S. District Court for Oregon. Frank X. Buckmiller, Freeman Geddes, and Baker Theatres Company, Inc., were named as defendants. The theatres in¬ volved in each suit are the Eltrym, Em¬ pire, and the Orpheum,. Baker, Ore. James J. Kennedy and Robert F. Maguire appear as the attorneys for each plaintiff, with Sargoy and Stein, New York, counsel. Para. Declares On Common New York — The board of directors of Paramount Pictures Corporation last week voted a quarterly dividend of 50 cents per sharo on the common stock. Konecoff November 29, 1950