Harrison's Reports (1943)

Entered as second-class matter January i, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879. HARRISON'S Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by United States $15.00 Rrt^m 1 «1 9 Harrison's Reports, Inc., U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 rvuom ioi^ Publisher Canada 16.50 New York, N. Y. P. S. HARRISON, Editor Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 t-, * -a ■ ■ c • r^roat Rrifnin Ti?!; A Motion Picture Reviewing Service Australia New' Zea^^^^^ Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Established July 1, 1919 India, Europe, Asia 17.50 Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorisil Circle 7-4622 ii>c a copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XXV SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1943 No. 52 THE QUESTION OF A UNIFIED EXHIBITOR ORGANIZATION At a luncheon given by him to the trade press at the Hotel Astor on December 2, Mr. William F. Rodgers, vice president and general sales manager of MGM, deplored the lack of a unified exhibitor organization for he believes that a unified exhibitor body can accomplish more than a disunited one. He deplored also the lack of exhibitor leadership. Commenting on Mr. Rodgers' statement Mo Wax, Editor and Publisher of Film Bulletin, of Philadelphia, stated that he takes issue with Mr. Rodgers and expresses the opinion that it has not been lack of leadership in independent exhibitor ranks, but the producer support of "Quislings." Harrison's Reports agrees with Mo Wax. There is no lack of leadership among the real independent exhibitors. Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors has done a fine job in protecting the interests not only of every independent exhibitor in the land, but also the entire industry. At no time has Allied refused to cooperate with the industry members from the other side of the fence when the industry was, either attacked, or threatened with taxation. In the present tax fight, it is the opinion of Harrison's Reports that it has done an effective fight. If the Senate Committee has been induced to change the original plan of taxing twenty per cent of the gross receipts, it is owed largely to the fight this organization has made. Left to the producers and distributors, a twenty and even higher per cent tax would have been imposed on the theatres. Allied enjoys the confidence of all the exhibitors and most of the genuinely independent regional units. In appearing before the Senate Committee, Abram F. Myers, general counsel and chairman of the board of directors of Allied, represented, not only all the Allied units, but also a large number of non-Allied regional organizations. They entrusted the protection of their interests to the Allied leaders. As Mr. Wax states, the inability of Allied to take in all the exhibitor units in its ranks is owed, not to lack of impressive leadership, but to the appointment of "Quislings" by the producer-distributors with the intent of dividing exhibitor membership for their own purpose. If they want a unified national exhibitor organization why do they continue subsidizing the national MPTOA? The writer has often called to the attention of Mr. Rodgers the harm that the producers are doing to the interests of the entire industry by supporting "Quislings" and by using them to appear before legislative committees, local as well as national, to speak for them against the interests of the independent exhibitors. An organization is strong and commands respect only if its membership consists of persons with identical interests. The interests of the main factors in MPTOA are not identical with those of the independent exhibitors, by reason of the fact that the former operate circuits of theatres owned by producer-distributors. How can anyone unite these into one organization? It has been tried and has failed. What we really need to protect the interests of the industry from attacks is, not one national exhibitor body, taking in all the exhibitors, regardless of affiliations, but a national body whose membership consists only of independent exhibitors. Such a body will, Harrison's Reports feels sure, cooperate with the distributor organizations whenever there is a threat to the interests of the entire industry. There is no use asking the independent exhibitors to give up their efforts at reforms, either through legislation or through an appeal to the public, when the producers refuse to effect reforms for the removal of rank abuses. THE FOURTH WAR LOAN DRIVE Organization for the Fourth War Loan Drive, under the national chairmanship of Charles P. Skouras, has already been effected, and the plans are set up. At a luncheon given by Mr. Skouras at the St. Moritz Hotel, in New York, in honor of the trade press, he put forward the slogan of one bond for every theatre seat in the country. Prizes will be offered to those exhibitors who sell a bond for every one of their seats. During the luncheon, B. V. Sturdivant, campaign director, emphasized the importance of the trade press in the bond campaigns and stated that the present drive must have the same and even greater support from the press in order that it may succeed fully. And needless to say that every one of the editors present pledged his whole-hearted support. Frank H. Ricketson, vice president of Fox Intermountain Theatres, of Denver, has been appointed vice chairman, and Andrew Krappman and Fred Stein, assistant directors. Mr. Skouras is visiting some of the big cities to lay the foundations for the drive. In describing the industry's goal at the luncheon Mr. Skouras said that, in the Third War Loan, many theatres far exceeded the number of their seats in Bond sales, but this time the sales must exceed the theatre seats in every theatre in the country. It is not impossible that this be done. But even if it were, he felt that the picture industry would do it, for it has behind it a fine record of accomplishments. He expressed the belief that every man, woman and child will help to make the Fourth War Loan Drive as good a success as the last drive. Advisory committees in the different zones have already been chosen. Harrison's Reports has no doubt that every theatre owner in the country will do his best to make the Fourth War Loan a success. It is the best way for them to support the soldiers fighting for the preservation of our liberties and of our way of living.