The Film Daily (1947)

Cr *\ DAiiy Wednesday, April 9, 1947 Para. Toppers Meet On Decree May 6-9 (Continued from Page 1) sions of all phases of the decree. Leonard H. Goldenson, vice-president in charge of theater operations, announced the meetings for May 6-9. Home office executives scheduled to attend include Goldenson, Barney Balaban, president; Austin C. Keough, vice-president in charge of legal affairs; Edward L. Hyman, Leon D. Netter and Robert Weitman, vice-presidents of Paramount Theaters Service Corp.; Montague Gowthorpe, its treasurer; Walter Gross of the legal staff; Max Fellerman, J. J. Deitch and Hal Pereira. United Amusement Profit Increases to $254,899 Montreal — United Amusement Corp. yesterday reported a net profit for 1946 of $254,899, equal to $3.15 per share on the combined A and B stock. Figure compares with $140,673, or $1.74 per share reported for the previous year. Total income in 1946 was $1,535,099, against $1,329,413 in 1945. Dividends of $1.25 per share were paid last year as well as in 1945. Ernest A. Cousins, president of United, reported that during the past year the circuit acquired substantial interests in two Quebec City theaters and three in the Montreal area. Trade Practices Section Stayed Excepts 20ffi-Fox, National Theaters (Continued from Page 11 tional Theaters to stipulate minimum admissions prices for pix, to maintain a clearance system, to grant clearance between theaters in substantial competition, to perform under the terms of existing franchises or to make any new franchises or formula deals, to make the booking of any feature conditional upon the booking of one or more other features or to refuse to recognize the right of an exhibitor to any feature when he is not in competition with a National Theater stand may be claimed Judge Stanley Reed's signature on the stay order makes it a virtual certainty that the U. S. Supreme Court will accept jurisdiction in the New York equity case, with a possibility of argument this Fall. to be in contempt of court. Contempt may be charged against the other defendants only in the event that they violate the ban on franchises. In his order, Justice Reed declared that the stays will be terminated on May 20 in the event any defendant has failed to docket his appeal from the New York decision by that date. Effect of the order will be to leave any competitive bidding arrangement a completely voluntary thing pending a decision from the court on the SPECIAL TRAIN INFORMATION for VARIETY CLUB INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION to be held at AMBASSADOR HOTEL IN LOS ANGELES May 14th to 17th The National Tent in co-operation with the Los Angeles Tent will operate special trains to this important convention and industry gathering. The New York through cars will leave on Friday, May 9th, arriving in Los Angeles on Monday morning, May 12th. For Pullman space on these special trains, please communicate with: "CHICK" LEWIS 1313 Paramount Bldg. New York City Tel: LOngacre 3-0121 entire case. In view of the voluntary agreement by distributors more than three years ago, however, the terms of the 1940 consent decree are still held applicable pending the high tribunal's decision. Reed's signature was a disappointment to the Department of Justice, which had hoped to confine the stay to those sections dealing with block booking and competitive bidding. Since the defendants have until the end of 1948 to dispose of their theater holdings of between five and 95 per cent, this section is not now of immediate importance because it is anticipated that the Supreme Court will have ruled on the entire case by then. Department of Justice objections to the stay request of the eight defendants in the motion picture antitrust suit centered on the following points: 1. Section V would restore the consent decree. 2. The pooling provisions of the Statutory decree, which were not requested stayed, are incompatible with the consent decree. The D of J concluded that the stay should be restricted to Par. 7, 8 and 9 of Section II (blockbooking, competitive bidding, arbitrary refusal of license or run) and should be contingent upon the defendants' docking their cases by May 10. High Speed Video Film Process Demonstrated (Continued from Page 1) Eastman Kodak during the war for the Army, was demonstrated here for the press by EK, American Broadcasting Co. which used the result in a telecast, and Philco. The process can, in its present stage, process eight feet of film per minute. Complete processing of a single frame of 16 mm. film takes 45 seconds. This compares with normal time of 40 minutes. Telecast over the Philco outlet in Wyndmoor, Pa., WPTZ, the demonstration snowed scenes made from an airplane which flew to Atlantic City. On its return the rapidly finished films were rushed to the station and picked up by a receiver at the Germantown Cricket Club. It was stated the new process, a forerunner of large screen television, is a technique which may eventually complement methods in television and film fields. Dennis Bids High for Eight 20th-Fox Pix Gainesville, Tex. — L. C. Dennis will inaugurate a first-run policy for his Dennis Theater following the awarding of contracts for eight 20th; Fox releases. Dennis bid in the films in opposition to WadeTex Theaters which formerly had first-run here for its State Theater. Dennis seats 500, compared with the State's 800 seats. Fla. Tax Enjoined On Discrimination Claim (Continued from Page 1) criminatory and unfair, FST officials maintained that they were i^m, *ied in opposing the legislation iS?;ery legitimate manner and brought an action to enjoin the execution of the tax levy on the basis of it being discriminatory, unreasonable and not within the powers granted to the city in the language of their charter. The Circuit Court granted a preliminary injunction last week and unless a protest is filed by the municipal authorities here, the present restraining order will become permanent. Exhibitor organizations in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia, it is reported, have been watching the action here closely and it is likely that similar tactics will be employed in the fight against similarly proposed tax legislation in those areas. Del., Ore., Kans. Solons Quit; No Pic Bills Passed mmm bells Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Washington — Three more state legislatures have adjourned without passing any measures aimed directly at the motion picture industry, it was revealed yesterday. They include legislatures of Delaware, Oregon and Kansas. This brings to a total of 20, the number of legislatures which have adjourned. Bills for an admissions tax and censorship died with the adjournment of the Delaware Legislature. In Oregon, however, a bill calling for a general three per cent sales tax was passed. This tax includes tickets. Before the measure becomes effective, however, it must be submitted to a state-wide referendum sometime next Fall. A tax bill similar to the one passed in New York was defeated in Kansas. The industry thus far has a nearperfect record in ist battle against restrictive legislation. O'Bryan-Gordon Detroit — Engagement of Laurence S. Gordon, president of Butterfield Circuit, and Beryl O 'Bryan, switchboard operator at circuit headquarters, has been announced. The wedding is scheduled for June. Dumas-Haglung Atlanta — Thema Dumas, Universal booker, was married Sunday to Stanley Haglung. Hill-Rcmson Indianapolis — Bertha L. Hill, National Screen Service, will be married Thursday to James H. Ranson of Hartford, Conn.