Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1951)

JVetvs and Opinion A. F. MYERS "Mr. Allied" (Continued from Preceding Page) ture". TOA has been spearheading the arbitration drive, including a ''general conference" by all industry members involved to work out a satisfactory arbitration system.) A new film rental committee was named to take up the increased rentals problem with the film companies on individual pictures, and with 20th CenturyFox particularly on "general complaints." All officers were re-elected, including Trueman T. Rembusch, president; Charles Niles, treasurer; Irving Dollinger, secretary and Stanley D. Kane, recording secretary. Col. H. A. Cole was renamed chairman of the Caravan Committee. The eight men named to represent Allied on COMPO's executive committee are Benjamin Berger, Abe Berenson, Ray Branch, Jack Kirsch, Wilbur Snaper, Nathan Yamins, Rembusch and Cole. New York City was selected as the site for Allied's 1951 convention next October. Allied Theatres of New Jersey will sponsor the national confab. WARNER QUARTERLY NET DIPS AFTER BIG GROSS DROP A drop of almost five million dollars in gross during the quarter ended Nov. 25, 1950, sent the Warner consolidated net profit down to $1,813,000 after Federal taxes and all charges, compared with $3,189,000 for the corresponding quarter the year before. Gross income from film rentals, theatre admissions, etc., during the most recent quarter came to $27,926,000 as compared with $32,712,000 for the first quarter last year. The report was a combined financial statement for both production-distribution and exhibition subsidiaries, with no breakdown indicating whether the film division or the theatre chain had suffered most in the gross and net dip. The net for the quarter ended Nov. 25, 1950 is equivalent to 26 cents per share on the 6,821,600 shares of common stock outstanding as of that date. Net for the corresponding period last year was equiv. alent to 43 cents per share on the 7,295,000 shares of outstanding common. Provision of $2,000,000 for federal in come taxes and $200,000 for contingent liabilities was estimated for the last quarter, compared with $2,200,000 for taxes and $250,000 for contingent liabilities in the corresponding period last year. It was also reported that between June 22, 1950 and the close of the last fiscal year, August 31, 1950, the company ac quired a total of 297,700 shares of common stock at a cost of $3,739,000. During the quarter ended Nov. 25 last, the company purchased 175,700 shares at $2,309.000, and an additional 49,600 shares at $618,000 between Nov. 25 and Jan. 11, 1951. PICKMAN NAMED ACTING HEAD OF PARA AD-PUBLICITY Less than two years ago, Jerome Pickman joined Paramount as Director of Exhibitor Relations. On February 13th, the 34-year-old Pickman assumed charge of ail Paramount advertising, publicity and exploitation. Pickman's appointment as acting national director of the company s ad-publicity department came immediately after the .resignation of Max E. Youngstein, vice-president in charge of ad-publicityexploitation. Although it was known that Youngstein had been approached by the new United Artists setup for a vice-presidency, the executive's decision to resign the Paramount post came suddenly, after a frank discussion with president Barney Balaban, despite the fact that final terms in the proposed UA pact had not been set. The youngest major film company ad-puOlicity director, Pickman moves up from the post of assistant national ad-publicityexploitation director, a position he assumed in August, 1949, after Youngstein followed Pickman from Eagle Lion to Paramount to head the department. The new Paramount ad-publicity topper entered the industry in 1944 as executive administrator to Hal Home at 20th Century-Fox. He has since held executive promotion posts with the David O. Selznick organization and with Eagle Lion. A native New Yorker, and a law school graduate, Pickman's show business experience includes representation for some of the top names in the entertainment field, including Ted Lewis, Eddie Cantor, Larry Clinton and Tommy Dorsey. Sid Blumenstock, Paramount advertising manager, was expected to take over additional duties in the new alignment. TRUEMAN T. REMBUSCH Second-Termer GOLDEN TO CALL IN EXHIBS IF FILM CUT SLICES PRINTS Dupont's action in rescinding the 25% cutback in production of raw film stock sent a ray of hope into the looming print shortage clouds to dispel them. Dupont's shortage c.ouds but failed to dispel them. Dupont's action followed a huddle between Joyce O'Hara, MPAA acting president; Nathan D. Golden, chief of the National Production Authority's film equipment division, and Dupont film executive R. P. Molen. The NPA film head gave assurance to exhibitors in Washington last week that they will be consulted before the Authority takes any action on the raw stock situation that might affect them. Thej statement was made in reply to com-, plaints registered during the National. Allied board of directors' meeting that alii NPA conferences to that point involved only distributors, producers and film manufacturers. "There have been no exhibitors at ar.y' of the conferences so far because there has been no need for them," Golden de-| (Continued on Page 27) MESSRS. O'SHEA, SCHWALBERG, PICKMAN, ZUKOR, RAIBOURN A Handsliake For The Neio Ad-Publicity Director 20 FILM BULLETIN