Harrison's Reports (1960)

148 HARRISON'S REPORTS September 10, 1960 WARNER BROS. WINS SUIT ON FILMS TO TELEVISION Warner Bros. Pictures has won its court fight with the American Federation of Musicians over the right to sell 122 films made from 1948 to 1958 to a Canadian TV distributor for more than $11,000,000. The union announced it would repeal. Federal Judge William B. Herlands, in an oral argument dismissing the union complaint, said that "the federation doesn't have a leg to stand on." The AFM brought the action to restrain Warner Bros, from selling the films to Creative Telefilm and Artists, Ltd., of Toronto. The sale called for a minimum down payment of $11,000,000 plus a 50 per cent participation in profits after Creative recovered all costs and distribution fees. The union argued that a contract called for prior consent with the federation. Warner Brothers held that this agreement had ended in 1958 when the Musicians Guild of America became bargaining agent for Hollywood musicians who compose and play the scores for the films' soundtracks. | Judge Herlands, noting that the contract in dis' pute contained the word "thereafter," indicating the right in perpetuity on the use of soundtracks, observed that if this were given a literal interpretation it violated the Labor Management Relations Act. 5-YEAR "OSCAR" SHOW RADIO-TV RIGHTS GO TO ABC NETWORK Exclusive radio and TV rights to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' annual "Oscar" presentations for the next five years have been secured by ABC-TV, it was announced by Thomas W. Moore, the video network's vice-president in charge of programming, and B. B. Kahane, president of the Academy. ABC's bid for $561,000 a year for five years for the U.S. and Canadian rights was accepted by the Academy after receipt of proposals from all three major U.S. networks. The first "Oscar" show on ABC will be presented in Spring, 1961. ABC now will seek a sponsor for the presentation. Little hope is held for the major motion picture distributors reversing their stand and sponsoring the show as a group. Thus a tremendous opportunity of utilising the biggest viewer-getter of all TV offerings — the "Oscarcast"— to its fullest degree to promote the industry, is being bypassed. Now the "Oscar" show viewer will walk away from his set filled with impressions of not only of Hollywood and motion pictures, but of a cigarette, auto, or some other product being advertised on television's top-rated program. "THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN" TO HAVE SATURATED BOOKING CAMPAIGN United Artists will release "The Magnificent Seven," a top-budgeted Western in color, starring Yul Brynner, on a saturation booking basis in key domestic territories. James R. Velde, UA vice-president in charge of domestic sales, announced that the first wave of saturation bookings of the Minsch Co. production will take place Oct. 12 in the South and Southwest, utilizing from 250 to 300 prints. Other area saturation dates will follow, each territory employing the same number of prints. The plan calls for 80 per cent of all important situations to be played off during the first three months of the film's release. By the first of the year, "Seven" will have played saturation dates in the majority of key regional areas in the U.S. and Canada. Exhibitors, showing the film at different times, will not lose out on the picture's national advertising schedule, since no national ads will be utilized. The idea is to build up word-of -mouth in each territory, starting in the key cities. UA says it will send in special exploitation teams to work on each area opening. HOUTZ ELECTED PRESIDENT OF IOWA-NEBRASKA ALLIED Neal Houtz of New Hampton, Iowa, was elected president of Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Iowa-Nebraska, at the group's annual convention at Sioux City last week. Mr. Houtz, who operates the Firemen's Theatre in New Hampton and the Palace in Vinton, Iowa, succeeds Al Myrick, who was named chairman of the board. Mr. Myrick is president of National Allied. He operates the State in Lake Park, Iowa. Harrison Wolcott of Eldora, Iowa, was re-elected secretary-treasurer. He and Jim Watts of Osage, Iowa, were designted as national directors. Newcomers to the board are Jim Harriman, Mr. Houtz, A. J. Backer, John Rentlfle, Mel Kruse, Jack March, Eddie Osipowicz, Lloyd Herstine and Leonard Smith. Re-elected to the board were Harry Hummel, Lloyd Kingsbury, Leonard Leise, Wes Mansfield, Mr. Myrick, Mr. Watts, R. M. Kuhl, Lester Versteeg, Mr. Wolcott, Keith Milner, Tim J. Evans and Esco Lund. Mr. Myrick was given a standing ovation and a vote of confidence by the convention. UA EXPLOITATION MEN TO SHARE DRIVE PRIZES WITH SALESMEN United Artists, in an unprecedented action, made known that it would allow its field exploitation men to share in $60,000 worth of prizes with regular sales personnel in the company's forthcoming 22week Max Youngstein Sales Drive. Prizes will be awarded to the field exploitation men and regional field supervisors in the 33 competing branches in the U.S. and Canada on the basis of exploitation campaigns developed for the drive. Previously, prize money has been confined to the sales force. This move by United Artists underlines that company's belief in the importance of its drumbeating division. DORIS DAY TOA STAR OF YEAR Doris Day has been selected by Theater Owners of America to receive its "Star of the Year" award Sept. 16 in Los Angeles, at the banquet concluding the exhibitor group's annual convention. The Award, initiated seven years ago, is given by TOA, to the actor, or actress, who, in its opinion, has not only starred in successful films, but has also brought credit to the industry.