Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1951)

News a ml Opinion •shown for three days, alternating the times 4, 7, and 9 p. m. The balance of the features for the 90-day test in 300 Chicago homes were not revea'ed in the announcement by Zenith president E. F. McDonald, Jr. 1 Four companies, 20th-Fox, Republic, Universal and Columbia have indicated, either by statement or by ignoring Department of Justice inquiries concerning availabilities of films for the test, that they do not plan to supply any features to PV, at least for the test. Remembering how he had been burned before when the Federal Communications Commission cracked down on Zenith for implying in news releases and in advertising that Phonevision had received official approval, McDonald emphasized that the PV broadcasts were i "a test only." He also stressed that Zenith does not propose PV as "a sub I stitute for any of the established or po I tential uses of regular television broadcasting, radio, motion pictures or other extant communications and art forms.'' i He saw it rather as a "new and distinct service" to distribute entertainment and education for which people are accustomed to pay an admission charge or a tuition fee. EXCHANGE EMPLOYES GAIN MILLION-PER-YEAR WAGE HIKE Some 5000 film exchange employes will receive a wage increase of more than $2,000,000 in the next two years. This was determined after an impending wagefreeze order in line with the President's emergency declaration speeded up negotiations between IATSE and distributors that resulted in contracts assuring a $4 weekly boost for mployes of eight film companies. Four more are expected to sign the new pacts. The wage hike, retroactive to December 1, date of expiration of the previous pact, applies to employes of Columbia, Loew's, Paramount, RKO Radio, Republic, 20th Century-Fox, Universal-International and Warners. Remaining contracts a.re due to be signed with Eagle Lion Classics, Monogram, National Screen Service and United Artists. The new minimum established under the pact is $38 per week. Both front office and back room exchange employes are included in the agreement. AT LONG LAST, DECREE IN GRIFFITH CASE FINALIZED The curtain was rung down on another long-pending industry anti-trust suit when the final decree in the Griffith case was handed down in Oklahoma City Federal District Court. Judge Edgar S. Vaught's decision was an exposition of future behavior, but, in the light of revision of the circuit since 1946, ordered no drastic divestiture. Judge Vaught's decree was based on a Supreme Court decision two years ago which found Griffith guilty, ' reversing the original District Court edict absolving the defendants of anti-trust violations. Since then, three of the four circuits cited in the original suit, filed in 1939, have changed ownership. Vaught, however, pointed out in an opinion accompanying the decree that the firms now operating the theatres held by the defendants, will come under the jurisdiction of the decision. REPUBLIC'S YATES $2,000,000 Worth of Faith PARAMOUNT TO EXPLOIT NEW FACES, SAYS YOUNGSTEIN Recognition of the need for new faces in the top ranks of stardom was pointed up last week when Max E. Youngstein, Paramount ad-publicity-exploitation vicepresident, announced that the company would intensify and accelerate its program to develop and popularize new stars. Pointing out that Paramount was wellheeled with popular established stars, such as Crosby, Hope, Hutton and Ladd, Youngstein named several newcomers destined fcr all-out promotion to lift them to stellar proportions. Among these were Thelma Ritter ("the most human and lovable actress to hit the screen since the heyday of Marie Dressier"), Jan Sterling, Charlton Heston, Lyle Bettger, Nancy Olson, Barbara Rush and Peter Hanson. "These are all new names," Youngstein said, "young actors and actresses which first caught the public imagination during 1950. We're going to do our best in the coming year to see that the natural talent of these new personalities gets the full benefit of expert exploitation." LESIEUR REPLACES BRANDT AS ELC AD-PUBLICITY CHIEF Howard LeSieur, long associated with United Artists, moved over to Eagle Lion to head the advertising-publicity department following the .resignation of Leon Brandt. Brandt steps out January 1 and LeSieur, who ended his 15-year tenure with UA on December 22, comes in the following day. LeSieur reached the top spot with UA in a steady succession of promotions dating from 1935, when he joined the company as production manager. He became successively trade paper copy writer, sales promotion manager, advertising manager, assistant director of ad-publicity and finally took over the key executive post in 1948. YATES SETS $2,000,000 REPUBLIC EXPANSION PLAN Republic will spend two mi. lion dollars to expand its North Hollywood stutios, its physical properties in exchange centers and in Great Britain and Eire Some $500,000 will be expended in the British Isles, where on January 1st, Republic assumed all control of sales and distribution of its product. A new British home office building and ten branch offices will be set up in ten cities in the British fsles. Yates made the announcement of the expansion program after completing a personal six-month survey of business conditions, here and overseas. Convinced that the future of the industry is "sound ", Yates told an executive conference at the studio, "Competition from TV and other counter attractions has levelled off and with the present high quality of product, people are finding their way back to the theatres realizing the self-evident truth that motion pictures still are and always will be their cheapest and best form of entertainment." He evidenced his conviction that "on? of the moving; features for the mounting return of ticket buyers is the powerful concentration on the 'point-of-purchase' exploitation which has been generated by producers." Yates promrcd that Republic will "positively" film its announced program of 52 pictures for the current yea.?. 20th FOX WALKS OFF WITH N. Y. CRITICS AWARDS The first clean sweep by a film company in the 15-year history of the New York Film Critics awards was registered in 1950. The company to make the grand slam — best picture, direction, actor and actress — was 20th Century-Fox. The highly touted "All About Eve" took the best English language picture on the first ballot. Two more honors were attached to the film— Joseph Mankiewicz for his direction of "Eve" and Bette Davis for her performance in the picture. Rounding out the quartet of the Fox sweep was Gregory Peck as best actor for his role in "Twelve O'Clock High." Runners-up to "Eve" were "Sunset Boulevard" (Paramount), "Asphalt Jungle" and "Devil's Doorway" (both M-G-M). Mankiewicz triumphed over John Huston ("Asphalt Jungle") and Billy Wilder ("Sunset Boulevard") on the fourth ballot. Stiffest competition was registered in the best actor battle. Peck was tied with Jose Ferrer ("Cyrano de Bergerac") and Alec Guinness ("Kind Hearts and Coronets") with three each with six other actors receiving votes. He won out on the sixth and final ballot, with nine votes, followed by Ferrer (6) and Guinness (1). Actress honors were fought out in a three-way battle, Miss Davis finally topping Judy Holliday ("Born Yesterday") and Gloria Swanson ("Sunset Boulevard") on the sixth ballot. Best foreign language film was "Ways of Love," distributed by Joseph Burstyn. Other contenders included "Bitter Rice," "Difficult Years," "L'Affaire," "Jofroi" and "Cossacks of Kouban." JANUARY 1, 1951 23