Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1944)

First in Flu*. MOTION PICTURE DAILY Picture Industry |L. 55. NO. 13 NEW YORK, U. S. A., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1944 TEN CENTS 1AGREE TO SUSPEND SCHINE TRUST SUIT Settlement of Theatre Divorcement Issue to Determine Action a: ii By BERTRAM F. LINZ Washington, Jan. 18. — The Government's suit against the Schine Circuit will be suspended until a decision is reached with respect to the divorcement of theatres owned by the five consent decree companies, it was learned here today. Recent conversations between representatives of the company and Department of Justice officials have resulted in an agreement that the proceedings in the case shall follow any line which is adopted with respect to the five major companies. The question of theatre holdings of those companies is due to be clarified in the near future, either in the consent decree revision or by court proceedings. The decision to suspend action in the Schine anti-trust suit, which is pending in Federal Court at Buffalo, (Continued on page 8) Wolff Is Named RKO British Head London, Jan. 18. — Phil Reisman, RKO foreign director, announced here today the appointment of Robert Wolff as BrjJi s h managing d i r e c tor for RKO and also as a personal assistant to Reisman in Europe. Motion Picture Daily on Sept. 2, 1943, said that Wolff "is reliably reported to be in line for the appointment as the c o m p a n y's managing d i Robert Wolff rector for Great Britain." Ernest Simon, acting managing director, will remain here as RKO sales manager. Reisman immediately contacted the Ministry of Information soliciting the latter's collaboration on work for the Inter-American Affairs Coordinator. WarBondPremieres For 4th War Loan Already Total 1,227 Exhibitors all over the country have already set 1,227 Bond Premieres with the campaign having opened only yesterday. This compares with 1,473 Bond Premieres held altogether in the 3rd War Loan Drive, indicating a heavy opening day impetus which is expected to soon put the industry over the bond premiere quota. Several territories have exceeded last year's quota already. Leading the list is Denver with 207 War Bond Premieres as against 60 in the 3rd War Loan Drive. Minneapolis has (Continued on page 9) Lipton of Columbia Inducted Into Army David A. Lipton, director of advertising, publicity and exploitation for Columbia Pictures, was inducted into the Army here yesterday. He will report to Camp Upton on Feb. 8. No successor has as yet been named by Columbia. Lipton was also vicechairman of the national public relations division of the War Activities Committee. Before joining Columbia three years ago, Lipton was publicity director at Universal Studios and was previously a press-relations counsel for Columbia Broadcasting. He also spent 13 years in the advertising department of Balaban and Katz Theatres in Chicago. U. S. CHECKUP ON TICKETS STARTS Columbia Officers, Board Re-elected; $480,000 Net Seen Stockholders of Columbia Pictures held their annual meeting at the home office here yesterday, re-elected all board members, who, in turn, re-elected all officers ; restored former salary cuts taken by Harry and Jack Cohn and voted"a note of appreciation" for the management. The following members of the board were re elected to serve for the ensuing year : Harry Cohn, Harry Oohn Jack Cohn, A. Schneider, A. Mon(Continued on page 8) 600 Attend M. P. Associates Induction More than 600 attended the installation luncheon of the following officers of Motion Picture Associates held at the Hotel Astor here yesterday: Morris Sanders, president; Jack Ellis, vice-president; Matthew Cahan, second vice-president; Saul Trauner, (Continued on page 9) Senate Rejects Mead Fight Against Tax Increase; Votes New Amendment Washington, Jan. 18. — By a voice vote, the Senate today defeated an effort of Senator Mead of New York to prevent any increase in the present admission tax rate, but adopted an amendment offered by Senator George, on behalf of Senator Wilson to have the finance committee rate of one cent for each five cents "or fraction thereof changed to one cent for each five cents "or major fraction thereof." Immediately after disposing of these two amendments the Senate quit for the day, leaving hanging in the air amendments proposed by Senators Revercomb seeking a rate of one cent on 10 for motion picture theatres, and Wilson for exemption from the tax for theatres in communities of less than 10,000 persons. Senator George, chairman of the finance committee and in charge of the bill, assured Revercomb that if he desired to reopen the matter to secure consideration of his amendment he would be permitted to do so. Revenue Bureau Asks Wisconsin Theatres For Records Washington, Jan. 18. — Periodic checks on theatre admissions are to be made in many sections of the country at intervals in the future by the Internal Revenue Service, it was learned here today. The checkups will be made by Federal deputy collectors' offices in the field and are believed to be the result of general instructions issued by the Internal Revenue Department here to regional offices calling for a tightening up of collection procedure in the theatre field. Theatres in the Wisconsin district will be among the first to witness the new checking-up process, it was learned. The office of the deputy collector for the Wisconsin district already has notified theatre operators there by mail of the new plan. In letters addressed "To All Theatre Managers" it was stated that: "In the near future a periodic check (Continued on page 8) RCA Will Release Limited Equipment A limited quantity of RCA theatre equipment will be made available .for exhibitors during the first half of this year, according to Homer B. Snook, manager of RCA's theatre equipment sales here. Means for obtaining WPB approval of such purchases are provided under WPB limitation order' No. L-325._ The equipment will include small (Continued on page 8) E. T. Carr Slated For Post With Rank London, Jan. 18. — Appointment of E. T. Carr, recently resigned as United Artists' British managing director, to J. Arthur Rank's organization is only awaiting formal announcement and is anticipated on Thursday, it was learned here today. David H. CopIan, who has been announced as his successor, will leave Canada for London in a few days to take charge in a temporary capacity at UA's London office. Arthur W. Kelly, who recently re(Continued on page 9)