The Independent Film Journal (1953)

EXHIBITS MPAA Discriminates Against Ads Of UA: Youngstein To Johnston Exhib Complains About Telemeter An exhibitor complaint written on behalf of Ben Bronstein, operator of the Sunair Drive-In near Palm Springs, Calif., has been lodged against the Telemeter Palm Spi’ings experiment in a letter sent to the Depart¬ ment of Justice. Bronstein claims he can not bid for Paramount pictures unless he agrees to play them day-and-date or following Tele¬ meter showings. Crux of the charge, written last week by Bronstein’s attorney, Herbert S. Nusbaum, is that Paramount, which has a 50 percent in¬ terest. in Telemeter, is once more “in the position of making the pictures, distributing the pictures and is also acting as the exhibi¬ tor in the guise of the Telemeter Corp.” Nusbaum argued that the government has been fig-hting to prevent this situation for more than 10 years. He stated that it is “the very thing for which divorcement of theatres from distribution and production was ordered.” Although Bronstein cannot make regular profits on films that have already been shown via subscription television, he is “being hard pressed to keep from exhibiting” such prod¬ ucts because of the product shortage, Nus¬ baum stated. Even when requesting secondrun films, he is required to play either dayand date or after Telemeter, the attorney an¬ nounced. Nusbaum wrote that “if Telemeter is to become a part of the method of exhibiting motion pictures ... it should bid for the right to exhibit them in the open market.” He demanded that the company “be con¬ sidered as any other exhibitor” and requested additionally that Earl Strebe and Paramount be required to divest themselves of Telemeter stock. Strebe, a Palm Springs exhibitor, is operating the experiment with Telemeter. The attorney also stated that the subscrip¬ tion video system may “well spread across the nation,” and he feels the underlying prin¬ ciples “are so basic and vital” that the Jus¬ tice Department should immediately conduct an investigation. He asked that it “take steps to obtain the injunctive relief that is called for by this situation.” A copy of the letter was sent to all distributors and the FCC. While disclosing that Benagoss Produc¬ tions is taking “an official position of defy¬ ing the Advertising Code Administration” on several of its ads for the United Artists release, “Act of Love,” Myer P. Beck, film’s publicity representative, also released a let¬ ter sent by Max E. Youngstein, UA vicepresident, to Eric Johnston, MPAA presi¬ dent, charging discrimination against the releasing company. The UA executive wrote that he had com¬ plained before to Gordon White, ad code administrator, that a “different yardstick” is applied to UA advertising than to that of other companies. United Artists is the one big releasing company that is not a member of Johnston’s group. Youngstein stated that the adverse decision on the “Act of Love” ads re-affirms his belief. Objection found by the advertising code administrator to several of the film’s ads is not to the words themselves but to the re¬ lationship they bear to the title. Using this point, Youngstein cited ad campaigns for films being released, by other companies which White had approved. Ads had ap¬ peared in pressbooks, magazines and trade papers. Studies Film Campaigns A major part of the letter was given over to a detailed analysis of the campaign cre¬ ated for Columbia’s “Miss Sadie Thompson.” Other pictures to which Youngstein referred include “From Here to Eternity,” “The Glass Web,” “Forbidden,” “Pickup on South Street,” “Mogambo,” “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” “Paris Model,” “How to Marry a Millionaire,” “One Girl’s Confession,” “Prob¬ lem Girls” and “The Big Heat.” The official wrote that he has always tried to co-operate with the advertising code ad¬ ministrator while at the same time fulfilling his obligations to his producers. He explained that he has “a very definite responsibility to every producer who releases pictures through UA to develop a campaign which will bring in the maximum gross at the box office.” Youngstein added that he cannot continue “to disregard these recent applications of the code to pictures from competing companies.” He declared that pressure from many inde¬ pendent producers is daily increasing and he has little ammunition with which to de¬ fend his position of continuing co-operation.” Print Shortage Accented The print shortage “has become more acute” instead of better, complained Wilbur Snaper, National Allied president, in a group bulletin. Snaper stated that the com¬ bination of print and product shortage “is bringing a critical situation to the exhibitor.” The exhibitor leader said he “hoped distribu¬ tion will recognize the seriousness of this situation and correct it immediately.” Amusement Tax Halved McKeesport, Pa. — This city’s amusement tax was halved from 10 to five percent this week. The City Council voted three-to-two to cut the levy “to give theatre operators some badly needed relief,” according to Mayor Andrew J. Jakomas. The tax has reportedly brought in an average of $40,000 annually from the town’s four theatres, of which two are Stanley Warner houses and two independent. National Theatres Profits Profit of $2,515,000, or 91 cents per share, was earned by National Theatres, Inc., in its first year of operation as an independent cor¬ poration. Net compares with the previous figure of $1,877,000, or 68 cents per share. Earnings were estimated at 34 percent higher than for the previous comparable period by Charles P. Skouras, prexy, who labelled the net as the first increase over a previous year’s figure since 1946. 3-D Version Excels The Wyandotte Theatre, Detroit, Mich., possessing two auditoriums but only one box office, presents a house uniquely suited for tests of the relative merits of different pro¬ jection techniques, according to a North Cen¬ tral Allied bulletin. House recently tested “The Stranger Wore A Gun” by playing the 3-D version in one auditorium and the 2-D in the other. Seven out of every 10 patrons paid an extra dime to see the 3-D print, the thea¬ tre reported. Skouras Accepts Post Spyros S. Skouras, executive vice-presi¬ dent of the Skouras Theatres Corp., has ac¬ cepted the chairmanship of the national ex¬ hibitors committee for the film industry’s 1954 Brotherhood Week campaign, it was ) announced last week by Emanuel Frisch, industry national drive chairman. Campaign, f running from Feb. 21-28, will be sparked by a Brotherhood Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, N.Y.C., Febuary 4. Younger Men Recommended Maurice Seidlitz, division manager for Loew’s N. Y. Theatres, has requested a lesser assignment in order to clear the way for the promotions of several younger men, accord¬ ing to a company report. Joseph R. Vo*?el Loew’s vice-president in charge of theatre operations, hailed the gesture as one reflect¬ ing a “spirt of conscientious loyalty.” Seid¬ litz has been with the company for 26 years. COMPO To Launch Ad Campaign, Increase Staffs The COMPO governing committee voted last week to engage a Washington press con¬ tact, another man for the group’s New York office and to begin as soon as possible an advertising campaign in “Editor and Pub¬ lisher.” These actions resulted from the com¬ mittee’s decision to expand the organiza¬ tion’s press relations set-up in an effort to get a better press for the industry’s tax re¬ peal campaign, according to a COMPO report. The steering group deferred another rec¬ ommendation of the press relations commit¬ tee that a press contact be hired in Holly¬ wood because it decided to devote its efforts exclusively to the tax drive. Attending the meeting were Samuel Pinanski, who presid¬ ed; Wilbur Snaper; William C. Gehring, who substituted for A1 Lichtman ; Robert W. Coyne, and Charles E. McCarthy, COMPO information director. The press relations committee was ex¬ panded this week by the appointment of Jerry Pickman, advertising-publicity vicepresident for Paramount, and Kenneth Clark, MPAA vice-president, to the group. Appointments follow the resignation of Maurice Bergman, of Universal, who was serving as committee chairman, according to Coyne. Disney Nets $510,426 Walt Disney Productions earned a con¬ solidated net of $510,426, or 79 cents per share, for the fiscal year ended Oct. 3, com¬ pared with a respective $451,809, or 69 cents per share, for the preceding year. 8 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— January 23. 1954