Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1943)

4 Motion Picture Daily Monday, January 11, 1943 Clearance Decision On Upstate House Reversed on Appeal The arbitration appeal board, in its first decision since the appointment of George W. Alger as chairman and Robert McCurdy Marsh as a member, reversed an award by John C. Pemberton, arbitrator at the New York tribunal, dismissing the clearance complaint of Thornton Theatres on behalf of its Orpheum at Saugerties, N. Y. Pemberton had ruled that the 14 days' clearance granted the Broadway and Kingston, Kingston, N. Y., over the Orpheum by the five consenting companies was reasonable because the three houses are in competition. Paramount was dismissed because of its ownership of interests in the intervening theatres. Asked Cut to One Day The award was appealed by the plaintiff, who asked that the clearance over the Orpheum be reduced to one day and that Paramount be reinstated in the action. The appeal board held that while some competition existed between the theatres involved it was not sufficient to warrant a 14 days' clearance for Kingston. Accordingly, the board reversed the arbitrator and reduced the Orpheum's clearance to seven days after the Kingston theatre which first plays Loew's, RKO, 20th Century-Fox or Warner pictures. Paramount was not reinstated in the action. N. W. Allied Won't Appeal Anti-5 Law (Continued from page 1) faction with the present selling methods has been the increasing tendency of distributors who are signatories of the consent decree to sell country accounts several blocks of pictures at a time, largely because of the need for reducing motor traveling by film salesmen. Instead of calling on distant accounts with the release of each block of five, salesmen now wait on many accounts until they have several blocks to offer at one time. The exhibitors also feel that M-G-M's practice of releasing blocks of 10 to 12 features at a time, together with the full line offerings of non-decree companies have answered their requirements. New Release Dates On Autry Reissues A revised schedule of Gene Autry reissue releases has been set by Republic in order to bring those productions in which Mary Lee appears nearer to the campaign on her forthcoming starring vehicle, "Shantytown." The new schedule of Autry reissue releases is as follows : "Boots and Saddles," Jan. 15; "South of the Border," March 1 ; "Gaucho Serenade," April 15 ; "Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride," June 1 ; "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," July 15; "Mexicali Rose," Sept. 1; "In Old Monterey," Oct. 15, and "The Old Barn Dance." Dec. 1. Report New York Houses Unaffected by Gas Ban (.Continued from page 1) dance halls and bingo resorts on Long Island, in Westchester and Northern New Jersey had been forced to close when pleasure driving was ended and that theatres throughout the entire metropolitan area are absorbing a large part of that patronage. The consensus of managers was that theatres convenient to good public transportation or to heavily populated neighborhoods will be more likely to benefit from the ban on pleasure driving than hurt by it. It was frequently suggested, as well, that the fuel oil shortage may swell theatre attendance more as other places of amusement, dependent upon this type of fuel for their heating, are forced to shorten operating hours or to close. Sharp drops in attendance because of the ban on pleasure driving were reported over the weekend by many theatres in Westchester County, N. Y., Long Island and suburban New Jersey areas. New York City police began seizing gasoline ration books over the weekend from violators of the ban on pleasure driving. Other communities reported violations of the ban, but no seizure of books has been reported. New York exchange managers, questioned at the weekend, stated without exception that they knew of no theatre in the metropolitan area which has had to close or decrease operating hours because of the fuel crisis. It was estimated that only slightly more than 10 per cent of the 1,100 metropolitan theatres are dependent upon fuel oil for their heating and that many of these either are in process of conversion to coal or will convert as soon as the necessary materials are available to them. Branch managers, however, predicted that within the next week or two, many of those in the latter category either may have to close or reduce operations. The RKO circuit reported 100 per cent conversion of its metropolitan and national circuits, releasing 750,000 gallons of fuel oil for other users. Loew's and Skouras circuits also are entirely independent of fuel oil for heat. All but seven of Randforce's 40 houses have been converted and six of the seven are awaiting conversion. All of Century Circuit's 37 houses are using coal, and 90 of the Brandt Circuit's 118 are coal-burners. Theatre operators in the Northeastern area were concerned over reports that coal supplies are dwindling rapidly under the strain of the increased demand from the numerous new users of the fuel. The New York metropolitan area's coal supply was described as ample for the time being in the sizes and type of coal used by theatres and by the New York Steam Co., which supplies heat to the Broadway houses. However, it was said, continuation or extension of the Pennsylvania anthracite miners' strike, which had made 14,000 miners idle at the weekend, would create a serious supply situation throughout the entire East in less than a month. The strike is not an employers'-employes' dispute. It was started by an increase of 50 cents in union dues. Its prompt settlement, together with action by the Office of Price Administration recently in raising the ceiling price 50 cents per ton at the mines, will increase production by 20 per cent and remove all causes of worry over a shortage, it was said. In addition, there is said to be no shortage of transportation facilities, railroad officials being quoted as saying that they could handle much more coal than they now are. Gas Ban, Blackout Hit Rochester Gross Rochester, Jan. 10. — The ban on pleasure driving and a blackout last Thursday combined here to slash Dusiness at the box-office, but theatre managers are still of divergent opinions on the effect of attendance due to private car use restrictions. Attendance at one downtown house was reported only half what it would be normally on opening night of a new picture, and a parking lot adjacent to the house had only three cars in it all evening. Seek Bus Stops A move to have busses stop directly in front of downtown theatres is underway by all managers here as a result of the ban on pleasure driving. The theatres are planning to ask the transit companies jointly for these ari angements. v Meanwhile, it was found that no local theatre will suffer from the fuel oil slash. Loew's Rochester and most of the neighborhood theatres heat with coal, while the Palace, Century, Regent, Temple and Capitol are heated by steam. 'Share-a-Ride' Aids Iowa Houses Des Moines, Jan. 10. — "Share-aride" campaigns are lessening the shock to theatres of gasoline rationing in some sections of the state where merchants and business men are joining in promoting the idea in rural communities. Theatre men in smaller towns are cooperating by holding Saturday afternoon shows so that rural people who do not wish to remain for the evening show may attend the theatre when they come to town for their weekly shopping. Cobian-PRC Close Deal Producers Releasing announced that it has closed a deal with Cobian Theatres, Inc., for distribution of PRC product for 1942 and three subsequent years in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. WB Military Department A department to keep military records and maintain contact with Warner Bros, employes in the service has been set up at the home office by Ralph W. Budd, personnel manager, it was announced. There are almost 1,700 former Warner employes on active duty, it was said. 5 Rallies to Launch United NationsWeek In 1,200 N.Y. Houses (Continued from page 1) lead the demonstrations. James A. Burke, of Queens, will be principal speaker at the rally which will take place at the court house in Jamaica. In Brooklyn, John Cashmore will preside on the steps of Borough Ha" In the Bronx, James J. Lyons speak at a ceremony at Fordham Rl. i and the Grand Concourse, while Joseph A. Palma will speak at the Staten Island Borough Hall. A salute to United Nations Week will be broadcast over the Mutual network from Hollywood tomorrow night at 8 :30, featuring James Cagney, Don Ameche, Nelson Eddy, Irene Manning and Jean Hersholt, it was announced by Edward L. Alperson, national chairman for the United Nations Week celebration. The program will be re-broadcast locally over WOR at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday by transcription. HVC Producing Show Ameche will be master of ceremonies and Robert Armbruster will have charge of the music. James Bloodworth will be producer of the show under the supervision of Kenneth Thomson and Paul Price of the Hollywood Victory Committee. Station WOV has been selected by the New York division of the War Activities committee to choose "Miss United Nations" as a part of the celebration. The winner will be introduced by Jimmy Dorsey on the stage of the Strand. Bibo Sues Ascap for Damages of $100,000 Los Angeles, Jan. 10. — Irving Bibo, music publisher, late last week filed a $100,000 damage suit against Ascap in Federal district court here, charging violation of the Sherman anti-trust Act. Bibo alleged that Ascap restricted its membership to those approved by the board of directors and that the board arbitrarily and without right rejected the membership applications of many small publishers, including himself. The complaint also charged Ascap with unfairly eliminating competition by pooling individual copyrights. Envoy Seeks Deal On U. S.-Soviet Films (Continued from page 1) films, "A Day at War," which was filmed at the front by 140 cameramen, is reported to have been acquired for release here by March of Time, which distributes through 20th Century-Fox. This picture, it is said, will be renamed "Russia Marches On." Last October, Republic Pictures acquired the U. S. releasing rights from Artkino to "Moscow Strikes Back." To Release French Film "The Last Will of Dr. Mabuse," a French film directed by Fritz Lang, is being edited for release in this countyr, S. S. Krellberg announced. The picture was made several years ago.