Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1946)

Motion Picture daily Thursday, November 14, 1946 t'n s 3re Hall Baetz, Theatres, Montana atif the terriDvement to experienc to the war, it was estiwar, that n loss that ist of it to hutdown of ; population mining and arger cities d Ogden in ition do not iontana has, i gross tax, of the legis xes mailer comrising costs departments leads to atsing amusewever, there >re equitable by installaers. ' further insays Baetz. ases in the "junior ad between the •es. ioks like the : also looks 'ovements in government > are already ins for altering theatres, es, is held in y to further program. Iding :nt and geniin Theatres, Tice will be at least for in this localtier fortunate arp. plant reing sold the }ard of gov)f Commerce, iJnited States Northwest Seen Holding For a Big Business Era Minneapolis, Nov. 13. — Theatre business is heading for one of its most prosperous periods in history regardless of the trend of other business providing the industry can avoid internal strife, in the opinion of Ben Berger, president of Berger Amusement Co. and of the North Central Allied Independent Theatres, Inc. Berger, whose company operates 10 theatres in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, believes the present policies of the companies toward the independent operators "have brought about strained relations." "Unless a more intelligent sales policy is adopted by the producers, whereby they stop discriminatory and unfair percentage policies, the independents will, in self-defense, be compelled to introduce retaliatory measures," Berger states. Such a situation, he adds, undoubtedly would prove harmful to the entire industry and certainly is not one to be desired by the independents, but it is a matter of self preservation. Berger based his views on his belief that entertainment has been established as a necessity for Americans, and present-day films offer the most inexpensive type of entertainment. Enhancing the favorable outlook, Berger pointed out, are the amiable relations existing between the operators and the unions in this area. "There has been no strife for a long time, nor is there prospect of any." But he sees one disturbing sign on the horizon in the coming session of the Minnesota state legislature, in January. A proposal will be placed before the legisla ture, Berger says, that would permit levying of a municipal tax on motion picture houses. "The measure," he avers, "is being pro moted by communities in need of additional funds for municipal operations. Theatre owners of the state already are well organized to fight the proposal, but it is still too early to predict that we will be successful. Another thorn in the side of exhibitors in this area is the matter of taxation by Ascap in his view. "We regard it as a form of extortion," Berger states, and we now are waging a court battle against it with the hope of eventually getting relief. It is just an additional operating cost for which there is no excuse." Berger declines to predict the .future of admission prices, other than to say they probably "will fluctuate in line wjth general business conditions." He points out the average admission price increase in this territory has been only about 25 per cent in the last five years. He also has a word of praise for the film producers as far as the current run of pictures is concerned. "While we can always stand improvement, it is a fact pictures now are generally superior to those of the past and also are smarter from a business standpoint." Along the line of improvement, he declares theatres of this area now are undergoing considerable remodelling and several new ones are being built, or at least are on the planning boards. Many of these are replacements for antiquated houses, but others are new ones in the field. Ties Future To Economics Chicago, Nov. 13. — Admitting the thetre business has for some time now been enjoying a boom, Edwin Silverman, head of the Essaness Circuit, states there is no telling exactly how long it might last. "It depends entirely on national and world economic conditions." Silverman thinks "runaway" production costs are causing trepidation among exhibitors throughout the country. "While we (exhibitors) can understand what is causing increased costs that does not mean the exhibitors can absorb them. Producers must justify these increases by better product. On the other hand, any thinking exhibitor realizes he has to support production of good pictures and give their producers the proper encouragement. While Silverman advocates longer runs in first runs he does not view them as feasble for neighborhood runs unless "the horse and buggy set-up which has been in r Finds Scale Tilts Are Modest Albany, N. Y., Nov. 13.— "No other industry has held prices down as the motion picture theatre has." So states Saul J. Ullman, who supervises 12 Fabian theatres in the Albany area. Recent increases in admissions were small when compared with the rising costs of house operation, in his opinion. Ullman also believes theatre business will continue strong "because of the fine product the studios are turning out" and thinks the new season should compare favorably with last. He is opposed to auction selling as proposed originally by the New York statutory court sitting in the Government case on the ground this portion of the decision "seeks to accomplish, without legislation, a legislative function." Independent subsequent runs have not yet drawn any patronage away from the A houses, but if the current liquidation of Says Prices Cannot Be Undermined San Francisco, Nov. 13. — "Admission scales must remain at the present level and it is essential to keep them so until ^ other costs lessen," declares Roy Coope: the Golden State Circuit. He also thinks this: "Attendance which has taken an almost radical decline in recent months probably will continue to decline for an indefinite period. It is an inevitable condition resulting from a number of things, chiefly the increased cost of living. Business in neighborhood houses has held up far better than in the downtown theatre. This, however, may be due to traffic congestion in the downtown area. "One thing is certain. Boom times are gone for good. The bubble has burst. The reaction inevitably will result in writing 'finis' to grind houses which sprang up virtually overnight to cash in on the lush boxoffice receipts. It will mean the survival of theatre business operated by intelligent theatremen who look towards the future in building their business and who have catered to the public by endeavoring to adhere to good taste in their programs. Double billing will also continue, at least for the present." Adverse Statutes Nil George Nasser, of Nasser Bros. Theatres and president of California Theatres and Affiliated Industries, Inc., finds Northern California houses fortunate in averting enactment of regulatory legislation sought by labor and government. "Although labor has been both active and vigilant in the furtherance of its legislative programs — with very, very few exceptions the theatres here have enjoyed constructively pleasant relations with labor," he states. "But national extravagance is blunting the public's sense of the red and black sides of the ledger. Mounting costs of state and local government, together with a Federal indebtedness in California, which is three times the assessed valuation of property, is forcing politicans to frantically survey all fields for added revenue. Theatres loom as fertile fields to plow." Oregon Attendance Expected to Hold Portland, Ore., Nov. 13. — M. M. Mesher, assistant manager of HamrickEvergreen Theatres in the Oregon trade, foresees no appreciable drop in attendance. However, many of the current features do not show the strength of releases of former