The Film Daily (1942)

Wednesday, June 3, 1942 DAILY lalls for Localized Cental Adjustments 1 I It is unfair and impractical to exbeet a reduction in film prices by "ormula or by a uniform agreement o cut down film rentals, according rr&d Kuykendall, MPTOA presi. *■ who, in a general bulletin, mikes a plea for small town their ers in distress. Speaking for theaters that have ered from population shifts, Kuydall said that "if the distributor I K>lds out for past price levels reI »ardless of a big drop in possible -office receipts, the theater can-:ay open." Continuing, he said, I "The distributors must adjust their ■i icinands to fit the changed condins in these spots or they will id up getting no revenue at all h om these towns and with the rensibility of depriving the people iiese small towns of motion picentertainment at the time when is most needed." Kuykendall said each situation st be handled on its merits and a fair adjustment can be made inly with full knowledge of the par ticular situation, and that the ex or has to make a case for his i theater if he expects to get the ' treatment he deserves. On the other X hand, he declared, theaters whose business holds up or increases should not be permitted to get in adjustments necessary in distress iities by misrepresenting or udulent complaining. b The acid test of necessity for ad <nent is the actual business done the box-office, Kuykendall said, i»: whatever the theoretical reasons may If the need is genuine, no situa : tion should be difficult to analyze -' bv anvone who wants to be fair and JSt. Kuykendall asserted that most :in theaters play the top price pictures i] at no profit and buy the others on i which they can make a profit even though the gross receipts are less. The point is, he asked, why should . , the less pretentious pictures be B forced to carry the high-cost "superJb: dupers" ,on their backs in the theaters that show them? The excessive film rental paid by the exhibi',. tor may cause the high-cost picture £ to show a profit to the producer, but ig]j in reality the lesser priced pictures i'( are what makes this possible, Kuykendall concluded. J. H. Hoffberg E. M. Orowitz • • • FROM deep in the heart ol Texas, the first issue of Interstate Circuit's publication. "Wartime Interstater." came to our desk yes'day Mag was devised by Karl Hoblitzelle and Bob O'Donnell sc's close contact can be maintained 'twixt the chain and some 200 former employes now in the armed forces Swell idea, and it's but a phase of the six-point program bearing on circuit's relationship with its men who go into the services John Q. Adams and William Mitchell are the co-ordinators, and mag is edited by Ray Beall. with William Elliott as art editor Karl and Bob realize that the mag will go far toward maintaining the high spirits of the Interstate boys now in uniform, 'cause manna lrom heaven is news from home and about the home town scene ▼ ▼ ▼ • • • FILL under the war's greatest insult (we quote from page I of ///c New York Times of yes'day): "General Ludwig Cruewell, a commander .0/ the German Africa Corps, who was captured May 26, Said Inflight thai he hud been taken prisoner because his pilot had landed in the midst 0} British desert troops in the mistaken belief thai they were Italians". ... • Next British air raid will use 3,000 planes instead »/ lh< I .'-'">() employed on the Cologne bombing.— which nooze moved one of our Paramount gents to remind us thai -when the raiders become sufficiently colossal in numbers, DeMille will take over. . . . 0 I win from Cincinnati sez thai yes'day the friends of Maury While. prexy of United Theaters and associate of Isaat Libson, staged a big celebration in honor of Maury's 25th wedding anniversary iffau was held at the Crest Hills Country Club T T ▼ • • • LOCAL Film Row Book Drive moves merrily onward, thanks to our waTm-heaTted and patriotic pic folks hereabouts Bill Ornstein of Box Office has just donated a flock of books, as have the boys and gals o'er at Superman. Inc.— licensors of the famed Superman shorts released by Paramount Two Warner execs., the Messrs. Albert Howson and Jack Wilk, both flaming enthusiasts for the drive, have given additional volumes, and latest Warner Club donors announced by Prexy I. H. Birnbaum aTe Harry Lee, Leonard Beier, Milton Skolsky, Hy Carnow, Tony Gablik, Bob Fels, and Jess Gourlay Loew's Oscar Doob and this li'l ole trade paper's Larry Mitchell are virtually daily contributors Oscar has a neat book-transportation system He tucks volumes under his arms each morn at home and lugs 'em to his office at 1540 Broadway, without tax on tires or gasoline New contributors at Universal are Frances Levin, Marion Orford, Jack Huber, Larney Goodkind, Joan Sinclair, and Bill Goggin National Screen Service-ites continue to support the drive up to the hilt, most recent gifts coming from Jacques Freedman, Louis Weinzimer, Lou Semels, Tessie Resnick, Kathleen Bradley, Al Guffanti, Sylvia Klotzko, Betty Krieger, Leo Abrams, and Madeline Muir Keep 'Em Rolling! ▼ ▼ T • « • THAT luas quite a luncheon which was tendered yester noontide to George Raft in recognition ofjiis Spoils Caravan (Boxing) which has been louring through Coast Army camps Venue of the testimonial jeedbag session, feature of which was presentation to Georgic of the Service Sportsmen's Scroll at the hands of James J. Walker, was Toots Shot's famed food emporium The oratorical fireworks were provided by Jimmy, Georgie, and Bill Stern, and the speeches went out on the air waves via Station WNEW On the dais, in addition to the aforementioned, were Stanton Griffis, Bob Weitman, Jack Dempsey, fack Lait, Danton Walker, Nick Kenny, Lieut. Huggins, U.S.N. , Ted Husing, and John Krimsky The guest of honor is in Pa Knickerbocker's realm to attend the premiere of his new opus, "Broadway," at the Capitol Theater tomorrow • • • AVENGE PEARL HARBOR! Tradeshow All Pix, Is Plea of the SIMPP (Continued from Page 1) ly vulnerable position. Their individual operations identify them as entrepreneurs, or originators and creators of entertainment. As the marketing of films is an indispensable function of their activities, their very existence is dependent upon the maintenance of free competition within the motion picture industry. "It was the contention of the Government when it filed the bill of complaint that the indulgence of blockbooking was the root of all evil in the motion picture industry. There is available unlimited expert testimony and opinion to substantiate this point. From time to time, during the past 20 years, congressional committees, the Federal Trade Commission and other Governmental bodies, including the Courts, have compiled a voluminous official confirmation of this fact. Outstanding leaders of public welfare groups, educators and enlightened motion picture showmen for years have contested intelligently for abolishment of block-booking. Assails Retrogressive Scheme "It is incredible that the Department of Justice, having already achieved signal success in abolishment of certain phases of blockbooking and having in mind the public interest, will subscribe to any rerogressive, substitution sales scheme that incorporates any of the objectionable features of the present fivepicture group plan, or countenances the revival of licensing feature films in advance of their completion. "On the contrary, the protection of the public, the exhibitor and the producer against any kind of group selling is what the situation demands. Let each feature picture be sold on its individual merits, after its content is known to the prospective buyer through obligatory trade showings." Honoring Three 20th-Fox Vets A luncheon marking their 25th year with 20th-Fox will be given tomorrow for three home-office employes, Morris Goodman, Julia Wolpin and John O'Connor. Perfect Timing A "Mrs. Miniver" preview audience enjoyed a thrilling experience during a screening at the Film Center when the pic suddenly was halted and an unscheduled air raid drill announced. Spectators hurried with grim calmness to the building's designated shelters. Reason for the tension: Drill was called at the very height of one of the sensationally realistic air raid sequences in the production. m