Harrison's Reports (1951)

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Entered as second-ciass matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1819. Harrison’s Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: United States $15.00 U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.60 Canada 16.50 Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.60 Great Britain 17.50 Australia, New Zealand, India, Europe, Asia .... 17.50 35c a Copy 1270 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS (Formerly Sixth Avenue) New York 20, N. Y. A Motion Picture Reviewing Service Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Published Weekly by Harrison’s Reports, Inc., Publisher P. S. HARRISON, Editor Established July 1, 1919 Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Circle 7-4622 Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XXXIII SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1951 No. 10 NEW UNITED ARTISTS SETUP A BOON TO INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION Now that William J. Heineman has taken over as vice' president in charge of distribution, and Max E. Youngstein has assumed his post as vice-president and national director of advertising, publicity and exploitation, the new United Artists regime, headed by Arthur B. Krim, is going full speed ahead in an effort to again make the company one of the most important in the industry. The independent producers are particularly happy about the revised UA setup, and many of them, according to Heineman, are now rallying around the UA banner, pledging top independent product. Indicative of how the independent producers feel are the sentiments expressed at a recent trade press conference by Sam Spiegel, the veteran independent producer, who sometimes produces under the name of S. P. Eagle. He said that the new UA management is "the answer to the prayers of many independent producers in Hollywood,” and that the absence of a strong organization such as UA had caused many of them to defer their long range plans. He added that, if UA had not righted itself, its failure “would have been a death blow to all of us.” Similar remarks were made by Robert Stillman, producer of “Sound of Fury,” who, at another trade press meeting, stated that he was highly gratified to see UA in the hands of people who will make it work. He, too, observed that there was now “a definite feeling of security” among independent producers as a result of the new UA setup. A source of new satisfaction for the independent producers will be found in the announcement made this week by Krim that, henceforth, rentals due producers releasing through UA will be kept “in trust.” Pointing out that this move was designed to strengthen the confidence of banks and of other financial institutions in independent production, and to provide greater security for active UA producers, Krim said: “It is a matter of primary importance to the management of United Artists that its producers feel secure in the cus^ todianship of the funds received from exhibitors which are due to producers. Accordingly, we have asked Walter E. Heller and Company, as a part of the financial arrangement we have entered into with that company, to receive and deposit the producers' share of collections in a special bank account." Krim added that disbursements will be made only with countersignature by a representative of both companies, insuring the producers' share of the rentals from being used for any other purpose. Still another source of satisfaction for the independent producers is Max Youngstein’s declaration that he will set up a permanent field exploitation force, parallel to the one he had at Paramount, and that UA will gladly spend money with exhibitors on cooperative advertising of UA releases. An official release schedule had not yet been set by the company at this writing, but the plan is to release approximately twenty-five pictures from now until the end of the year. Insofar as the independent exhibitors are concerned, they, too, should derive much satisfaction from the new UA setup, for it will mean a new source of steady flowing product, which will in turn make distributor competition for their play-dates all the more keener. But if United Artists is to succeed, proper support for its independent producers must come from the independent exhibitors in order to enable them to continue in business and to keep improving their product. The prosperity of the independent producers should be of as great concern to the independent exhibitors as it is to the independent producers themselves, for a substantial number of prosperous independent producers cannot help but serve as an incentive to the major producers to make better pictures. A greater number of successful independent producers will add up to healthful competition that makes for improvement, and such a condition cannot help but benefit the independent exhibitors. ABRAM F. MYERS’ ANNUAL REPORT (Continued from last wee\q “5. Rational Allied’s part in the tax campaign and in COMPO. As 1950 opened the desire foremost in the minds of the exhibitors was to secure the total repeal of the Federal tax on admissions. I had already accepted the chairmanship of COMPO’s Committee on Taxation and by the time of our last Annual Meeting the campaign to repeal the tax was well under way. There is no need again to describe the sweeping nature of that all-industry, nation-wide campaign. It was in the nature of an experiment in industry-wide cooperation and, on the whole, it was a satisfactory experience. There should be recorded, for all time, the important part which Allied played in this great undertaking. Allied contributed for more than six months virtually the full-time services of its General Counsel and its national headquarters. It advanced $2,000.00 to defray the expenses of the Committee which was twice as much as any other exhibitor body advanced. And while some Allied regionals turned in a better job than others, depending on their internal strength and the experience of the leaders in legislative work, the record on the whole was one to be proud of and I again express my deep appreciation of your loyal support. “The progress made and our high hopes for total success made all the more bitter out disappointment when the Korean outbreak and the threat of a full-scale war forced a halt to our efforts. While the goal was not reached there is ample reason for thinking that the campaign was justified by the favorable impression made and good will engendered while it was in progress. I am pleased to believe, and this belief is shared by many, that the omission of any increase in the admission tax in Secretary Snyder’s recent recommendations, and the inclusion therein of increased taxes for rival forms of entertainment which now enjoy an advantage over the movies in this particular, are the delayed but none-the-less welcome by-products of the efforts put forth a year ago. “While in this connection the General Counsel probably has devoted more man-hours to COMPO than any other person, that was not by any means Allied’s only contribution to the movement. In May Messrs. Rembusch, Yamins, Kirsch and I attended the Chicago meeting at which COMPO finally took shape. Messrs. Rembusch, Yamins, Smith, Berger, Allen (Md.) and Snaper have attended special committee meetings and meetings of the Executive Board. At the Executive Board meeting in New York in January Messrs. Rembusch, Yamins, Snaper and I played a prominent part in gathering up the pieces and rebuilding COMPO after it had splintered on the rock of TOA’s opposition. The facts concerning these activities have been fully reported to the directors and it is hoped that they have met with your approval. Allied’s record on COMPO has been straight-forward and honorable and has gained for it much prestige and good will in the industry at large. “6 Allied’s great year. Exhibitors appreciate their organizations most when they need them most and the difficulties and anxieties of 1951 brought about an extraordinary revival of interest in association work. Not only was the Pittsburgh National Convention, so ably staged and managed by Bill Finkel, Morris Finkel, Wally Allen and their associates a stand-out affair, but many of the regional conventions— notably those in Boston, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Milwaukee — were record breakers. There are ( Continued on bac\ page )