Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

Xvivs and Opinion (Continued from Page 3) effort to secure reparations. Myers discounted the "spectre spokesman" against arbitrating film rentals, noting that its proponents have been "encouraged by the chief executive of one of the major film companies to believe that arbitration of film rentals is feasible." He felt that the number of such cases have been greatly overestimated, but that in any event, as a safeguard against a flood of film rental disputes, the condition might be applied only in distress cases, where the exhibitor can prove that he has been refused a license except on terms which will not cover his expenses plus a fair profit, will film rental cases come under the system. In addition to Snaper, Ben Marcus, Wisconsin Allied, was named treasurer and John Wolfberg, Rocky Mountain Allied, secretary. Re-elected were Myers as general counsel and board chairman; and Stanley Kane, as recording secretary. Charles Niles was chosen to succeed Col. H. A. Cole as chairman of the Caravan Committee, with other members of the committee, Rembusch, Rubin Shor and Leo Jones. A new unit member, Allied Theatre Owners of Oklahoma, was approved by the board, bringing the total of individual organizations in Allied to 20, without Eastern Pa. Allied, which is currently on suspension. No action was taken on reinstatement of the Philadelphia territory unit, and it was seen likely that the cleavage will remain until Sidney E. Samuelson, head of the unit, accepts the national board's terms for return to the fold. TOA Board Takes Action On Beefs, Arbitration, Taxes (Continued from Page 3) tickets. A 65-page manual, "Fighting Unfair Taxes", will be sent to theatremen for their individual efforts, based on the experience gained in the previous tax battles. T< ).\'-; lone-wolf approach, however, was seen as a questionable one. Many observers, including Allied toppers, believe that a successful tax fight can be waged only by a united front of all factions of the industry under COMPO's auspices. S. H. Fabian, extolling the prospects of theatre television, foresaw a theatre hookup that could involve between 500 and 1000 theatres within 12 months if the FCC acts favorable at the hearings on industry channels next month. He warned that there would be considerable opposition to industry allocations, principally from the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. and the broadcasting stations, and that theatremen should back the National Fxhibitors Theatre Television Committee to the hilt, both morally and financially. As a basis for contribution, Fabian suggested 25 cents per seat for over 1000-scat theatres and 17}4 cents per scat for the smaller houses. HOFF AND KIRSCH Make ( invention History Allied To Hold Joint Convention With TESMA— TEDA The importance of equipment developments to the theatreman was pointed up with the announcement that National Allied's convention will be combined with that of the Theatre Equipment and Supply Manufacturers' Association and Theatre Equipment Dealers' Association in a giant joint trade show in Chicago next November. The occasion will mark the first joint meeting of a national exhibitor association and TESMA and TEDA in industry history. Two entire floors of the Morrison Hotel will be required to house the proceedings. Arrangements were concluded between Jack Kirsch, 1952 convention chairman for Allied and J. Robert Hoff, president of TESMA. Kirsch expected a new mark for attendance at a convention, noting that while each organization will hold separate business sessions, the trade show will be a joint venture. "It is expected that many others, including the motion picture producers, will enter exhibits, thus adding color and interest to the show." He said Allied proposed to make it a "veritable Motion Picture Exposition, furnishing inspiration to the industry and demonstrating publicly that the movie business is very much alive." REVISED U NET UP A revised consolidated earnings for the fiscal year ended November 3, 1951, brought the already solid $2,092,000 net up to $2,267,000. Difference came from the overestimation on Federal taxes, originally $3,300,000, but revised to $3,125,000. Hut the stockholders don't mind. Earnings amount to $2.10 per share of common stock, compared with $1.14 per share for the preceding fiscal year. Supreme Court Finally To Rule On Film Censorship The long-deferred ruling on city and state censorship of motion pictures came a couple of steps nearer with two decisions in the I past fortnight. One was the U. S. Supreme I Court's agreement to hear the appeal on | "The Miracle", which was refused a New j York State Regents license on the grounds it was sacreligious; the other, on the surface a defeat for the movie industry's battle against local censorship, brought the fame! "Pinky" case in Austin, Texas, closer to the high court's decision when the State's Court j of Criminal Appeals upheld the fine against I a Marshall theatre manager for defying I city censorship board order against the I showing. The Texas court's ruling refused to accept I the movie industry's request for equal rights I with the press and radio under the First and i Fourteenth Amendments. "We cannot con I cede that the motion picture industry has I emerged from the business of amusement I and become the propaganders of ideas en | titling it to freedom of speech," Judge Tom j L. Beauchamp declared in his decision. The Supreme Court's decision to hear I "The Miracle" case came as a surprise, since , it had turned down several previous requests J for film censorship hearings. Joseph Burstyn, Inc., film distributor, appealed on the grounds that it was not sacreligious and that the N. Y. State Board had violated the Constitution in banning the picture. No date was set for the hearing, but it was expected y that the Supreme Court would not take J action before late Spring. Court OK's Loew's Decree; At Least 24 To Be Divested I The New York Statutory Court put tinperiod in the industry anti-trust action as it! approved the consent decree between then Government and Loew's, the last of thel majors to succumb to divorcement and di-f vestiture. Previous agreements had separated RKO, Paramount, 20th Century-FoxB and Warner Bros, from their theatre hold-B ings, and required divestiture of all theatresB held to be conducive to monopoly by t lit j affiliated exhibition chains. In the case of Loew's, the decree was, b\K and large, similar to the others, with onhi the number and locations of theatres to b(l divested varying. In an agreement workecB out between the Department of Justice ancM Loew's, the exhibition division will be re jl quired to rid itself of at least 24 theatres, l(ff. of these in New York, within two yearsH Divorcement of the production-distributioi J company from the theatre company is aIs<H allotted the same time. Decree stipulates that in New York, amB purchase of more than one of the Locw'.M /Continued on Page 13\ 12 FILM BULLETIN