Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

News and Opinion (Continued from Page 7) contained subversive propaganda and ttie industry's eagerness to screen any film the committee wanted to see. The committee in 1947 and since has not named a single picture, he added, and "as there is no un-Americanism in our pictures, the committee should do the fair and honorable thing and stop this accusation.'' Allen Rivkin, president of the .Motion Piclure Industry Council, pointed out that tl e Committee's condemnation came on "virtually the very day" a Los Angeles Federal fury ruled that a producer cannot lire an employee for unpopular political activity. He referred to the verdict in favor of two ol Hollywood's "unfriendly ten". Ring Lardner, lr. and Adrian Scott, against RK< » and 20th Century-Fox, which cancelled their contracts after their appearance in 1947 before the House Committee. Rivkin said it was "doubly ironical in view of the fact that the Hollywood producers appear to be the only management group in America that risked legal consequences as far back as 1947 by discharging men regarded by the House Committee as C( immunists." Further contradiction to the Committee's findings was noted in recalling Chairman lohn S. Wood's insertion into the record on May 17, 1951, in which he stated that he had "gone to some considerable pains personally to advise myself as to the attitude of responsible producers in the motion picture industry, and I know at this time they are spending literally thousands and thousands of dollars undertaking; to screen the backgrounds of all persons now employed in essential positions in the industry, and they are exercising a great deal of diligence in that respect. 1 think it is only fair that that be placed in the record at this time." UA-TV Expands Operations To Cover Nat'l Video Field United Artists television department snapped back into revived activity last week as UA-TV director John H. Mitchell left on a cross-country survey of television markets. The UA subsidiary, distributor of non-theatrical films, expects to have sales representatives, on a city-by-city basis, in 30 top television markets by March 1. Within the next two months, according to Mitchell, the company will complete its plan for sales representation through company-controlled employees in every key TV market in the country. Six new sales representatives have already signed contracts with the company. The extensive expansion program, Mitchell said, will necessitate a reorganization of the company's sales operations. The program also calls for the addition of a few "selected program series" for release through UA-TV. Mitchell expectfl to be in Hollywood about March 10 to conclude producer-distributor pacts with top TV producers. FRANCIS M. WINIKUS Winikus Named Ad-Pub Head As UA Launches Int'l Setup United Artists vice-president Max E. Youngstein underlined the new expansion and reorganization of the company's promotion-merchandising service with the appointment of Francis M. Winikus as national director of advertising, publicity and exploitation, Roger H. Lewis as advertising manager, and a series of promotions in the department. Winikus, with UA since 1946, moved up from copywriter to copy chief, ad manager and was named assistant ad-publicity director in 1951. Before joining LTA, he was with Warner Brothers and was a top writer with all four national radio networks. Other promotions saw Al Tamarin named as assistant ad-publicity director; Mort Nathanson as publicity manager, and Leon Roth as assistant publicity head. ROGER H. LEWIS 870 Sold, UPT Asks Two More Years For 198 Theatres Having rid itself of some 870 theatres in the three years stipulated by Paramount's consent decree with the Government requiring divestiture of 1072 theatres, United Paramount Theatres asked the New York Federal District Court for an additional two years to complete the sale of 198 theatres. Deadline tor the sale is March 3, 1952. Pleading that unforeseen circumstances had delayed the sale of the remaining theatres, Leonard Goldenson, UPT president, declared that negotiations were constantly in progress, but that there was no chance for consummation of the deals by deadline. UPT's request, filed in a show-cause order directing the Government to give sufficient reasons why the delay should not be granted, was expected to be fought by the Department of Justice during the hearing, probably early next month. TNT Planning Extended Program For Theatre TV Net The first reasonably concrete programming schedule for a theatre television network to begin next month was worked up, at least tentatively, by Theatre Network Television Corp. The setup includes a Broadway show, an opera, boxing and basketball. It also includes a lot of "if's" before it can be finalized. Clearances with a multitude of unions, ability to use the transcontinental cable, and the number of theatres ready, willing and able to meet the costs were just a few. TNT head Nathan Halpern said that some of1 these obstacles have been hurdled, others an currently being tackled. Due for the exclusive telecasts — if the "if's" can be ironed out — were "Two on the Aisle" from the stage of the Hellinger Theatre on Broadway; the opera, "Carmen", fromi the Metropolitan Opera House; the middleweight championship fight between Sugar1 Ray Robinson and Bobo Olsen; a pending! deal with Madison Square Garden for the] National Invitational Tournament final games and the National Golden Gloves finals | FCC Hearings To Stretch Into Fall As List Grows The FCC-Paramount hearings have enter! cd a new phase, the scope of which will in| volve past trade practices with independen, exhibitors. Meanwhile, a further expansion of the already crowded witness list for pendj ing theatre TV hearings indicate these pro cecdings will drag on for months. It wil probably be late fall before there is even ; decision in the Paramount bid, where th anti-trust issue is a prime factor. (Continued on Page 21 20 FILM BULLETIN