The Film Daily (1946)

Tuesday, S^'^^st 20, 194 Would Limit Ciiicago First-Runs to 2 WeeJcs (Continued from Page 1) Connell, counsel for the plaintiffs in the case. Judge Igoe today is scheduled to rule on the decree. Do Away With "Dead" Time The defendants further would be prevented from creating dead or waiting time between the conclusion of the first-run and the next run and from permitting moveovers in the same run in theaters operated by the defendants. As to the Jackson Park Theater itself the defendants would be enjoined from restricting interstate trade in films distributed by them in Chicago's South Side to theaters controlled by the defendants. The defendants could not prevent the plaintiff's from contracting for and securing films suitable for first-run on the South Side. They further would be restrained from holding product back from the Jackson Park until after the pictures had lost their value in theaters operated by the defendants. Other Restraints Demanded The decree would prevent the defendants from granting clearance to their own houses over the Jackson Park and would restrain them from preventing the plaintiffs from negotiating for a run at the same time as the defendant exhibitors. They would be enjoined from preventing the plaintiffs from buying a run one week in advance of the Maryland Theater at a rental not to exceed the average annual film rental paid by the Jeffrey Theater during the five years prior to the suit. Fixing of admission prices would be barred. Defendants in the case were RKO, Loew's, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., B & K, and War ner Theaters. Coast Unions May Create Council of M. P. Unions West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Representatives of a large number of AFL unions in Hollywood have started a program to create a Council of Motion Picture Unions which would work within the framework of the Los Angeles Central Labor Council. At a meeting of AFL studio unionists it was agreed to submit a plan in the form of a formal resolution to the Labor Council and to their various international unions. Included in the group that is expected to sponsor the resolution for merger in the Central Labor Council are International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, Screen Actors Guild, Screen Extras Guild, Teamsters, Studio Utility Employes, Studio Plasterers, Culinary Alliance and AFL crafts. Seletsky To Movietime Herbert Seletsky, formerly with Columbia, has joined the sales promotion department of Movietime, Inc. No Theaier Okays Lasi Week CPA Also Turned Down IRepair Applications (Continued approval had at first been given, then reconsideration ordered, on the application of Colonial Pictures for a $300,000 studio building to be erected in Yonkers, N. Y. It was learned here yesterday also that CPA head. Jack Small, has offered to turn over the entire administration of the housing order to the National Housing Agency. The offer was made because Small is angry over criticisms of the alleged lenient policy of the CPA in permitting nonhousing construction. Housing Administrator Wilson W. VVyatt has been one of the critics. It is known, too, that responsibility for priorities, necessary to obtain scarce building materials, was curned over to NHA last week by OPA. It is not likely, however, that the Wyatt office will rush to accept Small's latest offer. Approvals Granted The approvals granted in the first week of August included one for a $60,000 project in Shenandoah, Pa., where Morris Oppenheimer will be permitted to repair fire damage to a olock containing a theater, stores and apartments. Also approved were the following applications: J. C. Smock, Bridgeport, Okla., for an $8,500 theater and apartment building (there is no theater in the town.) ; Victor M. Walker, Santa Ana, Calif., for a $10,000 Quonset hut theater for civilians and military personnel stationed nearby; John N. White, Cleveland, 0., for a concrete block theater to cost $20,012 (approval was apparently because the operators are two veterans with their life savings already invested); New Plymouth Theater, New Plymouth, Idaho, for construction valued at $22,000 to replace fire loss; Robert F. Zielke, Hawkins, Wis., for a $12,000 theater (Zielke faced bankruptcy because of commitments for land and theater equipment); Daniel T. Cramer, a war veteran of Menona, ni., for an $18,000 theater; and E. D. Nash, Sioux -Falls, S. D., for new from Page 1 ) fire doors and exits and other safety repairs valued at $6,000. The denials reported ranged from repair or construction projects costing only $5,000 to a quarter million dollar theater sought by the Minnesota Amusement Co. in Minot, N. D. A list of the denials follows: Lincoln Investment Corp., Minkins, Ky., $180,000 including stores and apartments; J. W. Wofford, Union, -Miss., $5,000 for alterations and enlarging; Commonwealth Theaters, Great Bend, Kan., $70,000 for alterations; Israel Roth Pennsylvania Theaters, Pittsburgh, Pa., $5,000 for remodeling; P. M. Rangel, Mingsville, Tex., $10,000; W. C. Taylor, Baldwin, Fla., theater, $3,50(); Byrne Communities, Inc., Glen Burnie, Md., $100,000; S. L. Thomson, Hansted, Md., $30,000; Archer P. Lassiter, Conway, S. C, $12,000; F. and H. Schweppe Co., Elmira Heights, N. Y., $70,000; Bessie Grimes, Arcadia Park, Tex., $22,000; Minnesota Amusement Co., Minot, N. D., $250,000; Park-in-Theaters, Mt. Healthy, 0., $30,000; John A. Hensel, David City, Neb., $22,500; Mrs. E. E. Edwards, Decatur, Ala., $91,000; Dr. J. H. Balsiger, Mars, Pa., $25,000, and Westland Theaters, Inc., Grand Junction, Colo., $100,000; Mabel Wiley, Walla Walla, Wash., $45,000 ; Milton Course, Knoxville, Tenn., $35,000; Milton Pickus, Beckley, W. Va., $23,000; Mike Horner, Bethalto, 111., $20,000; A. W. Castro, Key West, Fla., $18,000; Tri-State Theaters, Idabel, Okla., $35,000; Pastime Amusement Co., Charleston, S. C, $25,000; Ivey Amusement Co., Roanoke Rapids, Va., $15,000; Commonwealth Theaters, Mountain Home, Ark., $40,000; Charles Mancuso & Son, Batavia, N. Y., $240,000; Bernie Wylie, Johnson City, Tenn., $13,900; Sam Komm, St. Louis Mo., $25,000; Emil Biljan, Hartland, Wis., $17,200; Wallace (Strong, Merrick Co., Neb., $20,000; A. E. Garansson, Wamego, Kans., $30,000; C. J. Miller, Decatur, 111., $5,250; Malverne Center, Inc., Malverne, L. I., $8,000. "Claudia and David" Sets Two Roxy Records Irving Lesser, managing director of the Roxy Theater, announced last night that "Claudia and David" has broken two all-time non-holiday records thus far this week and is on its way of establishing another record. Opening day, Wednesday, established a new opening record both in dollars and number of people. Saturday and Sunday also broke alltime records in attendance and money. Over 50,000 people were handled Saturday and Sunday. "With business thus far," Lesser said, "the first week is destined to establish a new non-holiday record." Rodgers Announces Metro Sales Policy in Chi. Today Chicago — William F. Rodgers, Metro sales chief, will announce the company's sales policy at today's meeting, he told conventioneers yesterday. The court's opinion in the New York equity case was the main topic of discussion at yesterday's session. Tomorrow home office executives will hold individual meetings with district and local managers. Walter Bennin represented Frank Willingham, St. Louis exchange manager, who is critically ill, and Bill Devaney represented "Doc" Banford, Chicago exchange manager, who is ill with pneumonia at St. Luke's Hospital. Cliina Renegotiation OutJoolc on Pix Dim Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAIL Washington — Hopes for a fav able settlement of the difference American companies with the Cctral Bank of China received anai> blow over the week-end whe^l j official exchange rate of the Cffj'r: dollars was upped from 2,020 to oi. U. S. dollar to 3,350 to one. It was revealed yesterday in thi paper that the Bank of China ha reneged on its agreement of a yea ago to permit conversion of 15 pe cent of Chinese earnings by Amer ican pix companies in 1945, at : rate of 20 to 1. This ratio wa observed for six months of 194r but no conversion is permitted no\ pending a new agreement. MPEA Not in China It was erroneously stated her yesterday that the Motion Pictur Export Association was involved i^ the Chinese squeeze. This is not sc Involved are members of the Motioi Picture Association of America operating individually in China MPEA has no Chinese operation. The MPAA foreign division vdl' hold a session in New York this wee! to determine what steps to take fo recovery of dollar profits fron China. It is estimated that the bal ance due for 1945 on the basis o the repudiated agreement was mor> than $3,500,000. Renegotiation Outlook Dim ' While last week it appeared ex tremely unlikely that there would b( any renegotiation of a remittanci agreement on terms as favorable a 20 to 1, there was hope that thi agreement could be reinstated at ; somewhat higher ratio but one whicl would still permit American com panies to withdraw sizeable profits The week-end announcement, how ever, makes the prospects for favor able renegotiation very dim. \ Power Flying to So. America West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY. Hollywood — Tyrone Power lef' Hollywood in his own plane Fridaj on a two-month good-will tour t(j| every cormtry in South America His first stop will be in Mexico. A passenger in his plane is Cesa^ Romero. i I NEW THEATERS ^!l Jacobs Opens the Jean Baltimore — George Jacobs, ownei and operator of the Goldfield, openec the Jean Theater, a new nabe this week. Lee Bows in Joliet ; Joliet, 111.— The Lee Theater, recently opened under the management of Eddie Code, who also owns the Rio, has a seating capacity oi 500 and costs about $87,500.