Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1946)

Thursday, November 14, 1946 Motion Picture Daily 3 Williams Elected {Continued from page 1) Henry Reeve, president of the ! Texas Theatre Owners, spoke at today's session telling of a state legislative bill now pending in his state that would levy a 10 per cent amusement tax on theatre admissions for the state and cities if and when the Federal Government decides to reduce the present federal tax. He warned the exhibitors that such r jes might be attempted in their ■ states. rred Wehrenberg, national president of the MPTOA, St. Louis,_ spoke in favor of clean, family-type pictures instead of salacious pictures and said ■ progress was being made in this direction. Wehrenberg said the 16mm. business was progressing by leaps and bounds and constituted a major threat to the motion picture industry. He paid tribute to the late Ed Kuykendall, Columbus, Miss., former MPTOA president, and said one of Kuykendall's last requests to the inI dustry was to change over to a fireproof film system. Lightman spoke against divorcement of film exchanges and theatre ownership at length and Wehrenberg reI plied that the MPTOA was not recommending divorcement. Officers Elected Besides President Williams, the following officers were elected : W. E. J Malin, Lura Theatre, Augusta, Ark., vice-president for Arkansas ; Arthur Rush, Houston Theatre, Houston, Miss., vice-president for Mississippi ; | W. F. Ruffin, Jr., Ruffin Amusement Co., Covington, Tenn., vice-president I for Tennessee. Orris Collins, Paragould, was named secretary-treasurer ; W. F. Ruffin, Sr., president of Ruffin Amusements Co., Covington, was elected chairman of the board of directors. B. V. McDougal, Monticello; Claude Mundo, Little Rock; L. F. Haven, Sr., Forrest City ; Jack Rhodes, West Memphis, and Miss Emma Cox, Osceola, were named to the board of directors from Arkansas. D. F. Blisser, Okolona; Ramond Goodman, Starkville ; Earl Elkin, Aberdeen, and Sank Taylor, were named directors from Mississippi. Dave Flexer, Memphis ; M. A. Lightman, Jr., Memphis, and Miss "•Louise Mask, Bolivar, were elected directors from Tennessee. W. F. Ruffin, Sr., president of Ruffin Amusements Co., Covington, 1 was named representative to the national MPTOA board of directors. Porter May Go to FCC Washington, Nov. 13. — President Truman refused to comment on the report that Paul Porter will return to the Federal Communications Commission. The president told newsmen at his first post-election con Iference that they would have to ask Porter, who is expected to leave what is left of the Office of Price Administration within 30 days. Rogers-Skirball Luncheon Cleveland, Nov. 13. — -Ginger Rogers and Jack Skirball, who arrived here for the opening of Universal's "Magnificent Doll," tonight, were guests of honor today at a luncheonreception which was attended by representatives of the Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, Columbus and Dayton press. Powell Declines to Slant Films to US Stressing his "deep admiration for Hollywood film craftsmen," Michael Powell, British producer-director, who arrived here Monday on the Queen Elisabeth, yesterday, asserted that he would not slant his pictures to the American market since that would destroy "our own — British — flavor." He added that he regards the rivalry between American and British production as a stimulus for the industries of both countries. Powell, whose latest film, "A Matter of Life and Death," starring David Niven, Raymond Massey and Kim Hunter, had its premiere on Nov. 1 in London for the King and Queen, also revealed that he had been experimenting with various color processes. The film, release of which has not yet been set for American exhibition, is a product of his experiments with a di-monochrome process, he added. The British producer, who is associated with Emeric Pressburger in Archer Productions, a member of the J. Arthur Rank production organization known as Independent Producers, Ltd., also said that he has a new theory of design for two pictures slated for 1947, "The Red Shoes" and "The Small Back Room," with which he expects to cut production costs. However, he observed, it is "only a theory as yet and remains to be proved." His production plans for 1947, he said, include an Anglo-American musical about the set-up of "The Stars and . Stripes," the Army newspaper overseas. Charlotte Variety Elects New Crew Charlotte, Nov. 13. — The Charlotte Variety club, Tent no. 24, has elected 11 crew members for 1947 and voted to sponsor a 1947 March of Dimes campaign in this county. Elected were : Byron Adams, Roy H. Bradley, Cy Dillon, Harry Haas, H. F. Kincey, Tom Little, Olin Mock, B. A. Slaughter, Jr., John H. Vickers, Ralph Iannuzzi, and George Roscoe. John H. Bachman was elected national canvasman, with Frank H. Beddingfield as alternate. Cy Dillon and George Roscoe were appointed delegates to the national convention, with Al Burks and Ralph Iannuzzi as alternates. Toledo Receives a Variety Charter Toledo, Nov. 13. — The film industry in this city has received a Variety Club charter from Robert J. O'Donnell, national Variety chief barker. First officers follow : Jack Lykes, chief barker ; Jack O'Connell, first assistant ; Marvis Harris, second assistant ; Milt Karloff , property master ; Burt Schoonmaker, dough guy. The first six canvasmen are : Jack Armstrong, Jiles Robb, Steve Toth, James Dempsey, Paul Heuter and "Curly" Posen. The inaugural dinner will be held about the middle of December. Exhibitors Honor Morin Hartford, Nov. 13. — Theatre managers from all parts of Connecticut gathered at the Fairfield Inn, Fairfield, "yesterday to honor Earl R. Morin, of Fairfield, who has retired as an inspector of motion picture theatres for the state police. Rochester Theatre Tax Rise Up to $900 Rochester, N. Y., Nov. 13. — Rochester theatre managers today protested what they termed unfair taxation, following the surprise passage by the City Council of an ordinance which raises annual municipal licensing fees from $50 to $900 in the case of houses seating more than 2,000. The new schedule of fees, effective Jan. 1, is as follows : houses seating 500 or less, $5 per performance, or $100 annually; seating up to 1,000, $10 per performance, or $200 annually; up to 1,500, $15 per performance, $400 annually; up to 2,000, $20 per performance, or $600 annually ; over 2,000. $25 per performance, $900 annually. Managers are now studying possible ways of effecting a curtailment of the new licensing fees which they say are out of all proportion to those charged in other cities of comparable size. City Manager Louis B. Cartwright said the increase was made necessary by increased costs of inspection by the municipal building and fire bureaus. 'Let Films Alone/ Ramsay e Urges "The motion picture as it is, the property of the people, the whole people, who pay for it, can do with some letting alone as a democratic product," Terry Ramsaye, Motion Picture Herald editor, told the Tcwn Club at its autumn meeting at the Park Central, here, yesterday. He urged that "pressure groups and 'highbrow' critics represent special interests and points of view which can properly expect to be served only in the ratio of their importance as elements of the audience." The Town Club is an organization of several hundred clubwomen and social leaders from suburban communities surrounding New York City. It includes many who are members of local community motion picture organizations. The speaker was introduced by Mrs. Alice C. Massa, program chairman and a member of the Staten Island Better Films Council. 'Best Years* To Open As Benefit for Blind A $10-per-ticket opening of Samuel Goldwyn's "The Best Years of Our Lives" at the Astor Theatre, here, on Nov. 21, will be for the benefit of The Lighthouse of The New York Association for the Blind, which serves 4,000 blind persons. Mrs. George F. Baker heads the committee in charge of the event. Mrs. Howard Cullman and Mrs. Marshall Field are co-chairmen. Goldwyn, director William Wyler, and a number of the film's players, including Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Virginia Mayo, Hoagy Carmichael and Cathy O'Donnell, will attend. Two CBS Dividends The Board of directors of Cloumbia Broadcasting has declared a cash dividend of $1.00 per share on the present class "A" and "B" stocks of $2.50 par value. The dividend is payable on Dec. 6 to stockholders of record at the close of business on Nov. 22. Gov't Appeal (Continued from page 1) Independent Exhibitor Associations, which includes National Allied and the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Exhibitors. It is believed that the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America and the American Theatres Association will be opposed to theatre divestiture and will not take part in the Government's appeal. 'Fluid' Price Policy For New York Roxy The Roxy Theatre, here, will raise its top box-office admission price to $1.80, from $1.50, beginning with "The Razor's Edge," next week, and will maintain a "flexible scale" thereafter, A. J. Balaban, operator of the theatre, declared yesterday. Claiming that the new scale will enable the theatre to step up its showmanship because it will fluctuate with the stage and film presentations, Balaban said the adoption of "such a fluid policy" is needed for all top theatres. Balaban said he has been investigating the possibility of making the Roxy the only motion picture theatre to present an ice show along with a regular, though shortened, stage presentation, with a film. Installing an ice rink on the stage will probably take until Easter, he said. Roxy Drops Stage Show For 'Razor' Premiere Departing from its usual policy, the Roxy Theatre will not present a stage show for the premiere performance next Tuesday evening of "The Razor's Edge," A. J. Balaban, general manager, said here yesterday. Huge Broadway Sign Hails 'Razor's Edge' Heralding the Nov. 19 world premiere of Darryl F. Zanuck's "The Razor's Edge" at the Roxy Theatre, here, what was described as the largest sign on New York's "Great White Way" was illuminated last night atop the Schrafft Building at 43rd and Broadway. The occasion was marked with ceremonies atop the building, as 20th-Fox director Edmund Goulding threw the switch in the presence of City Council president Vincent R. Impellitteri, 20th-Fox advertising-publicity director Charles Schlaifer, Roxy assistant general manager Irving Lesser, the Roxy's Gae Foster girls, and others. The sign, electrically animated, is 150 feet long and 92 feet high. A total of 3,300,000 watts of electricity are used for illumination, which requires 200,000 light bulbs, 3,000 feet of neon, and 40 floodlights. MP A UN Film Pact To Be Set Today A cooperative film program agreement between the Motion Picture Association and the United Nations' Visual Information Division, Department of Public Information, will be outlined for the trade today by Glendon Allvine of the MPA and Jean Benoit-Levy, director of the UN division, at a conference at BenoitLevy's headquarters, here.