Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1947)

Tuesday, March 4, 1947 Motion Picture Daily 5 Theatres Clear of New Tennessee Tax Memphis, March 3. — The State's two per cent sales tax does not apply to theatre or other amusement admission tickets, Assistant State Attorney General William Barry, said today, explaining that entertainment is not a "tangible personal property." However, a measure may be introduced taxing admission tickets. Such a measure was introduced by the Knox delegation as a local act applyj Tir111^ t0 arnusements in Knoxville if 7 Knox County. The Knox Act levies a one-cent tax on each 20 cents of admission fee. The act taxes all forms of amusement admission fees and specifically states that a cover charge will be considered an admission. Some doubt as to the constitutionality of the local Knox Act has been raised on grounds that it would be class legislation, applying a tax burden to the residents of one community and not to residents of others. The Knox Act has not yet been signed by the governor. Minneapolis Again Seeks License Rise Minneapolis, March 3. — Local members of North Central Allied, met at luncheon today at the Dyckman Hotel to discuss their position and map moves to oppose a rise in theatre license fees, proposed by the city council. Stanley Kane, executive director, presided in the absence of president Ben Berger, who will not return from Florida until March .8. Kane will appear before the city council at an open hearing scheduled for March 7, the council's opening move to increase annual fees for theatres. Fees in the city now range from $50 to $500 annually, depending on their location. Seek Voice in N. Y. State Tax Hearings The Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Association will request permission to appear at any New York State Senate hearing on new taxation. This was decided at a meeting here presided over by Rodney Smith, executive director. The group is concerned at present over a newly-introduced measure which would give blanket authorization to New York cities and towns to draw additional tax revenue from any source, including theatres. Wisconsin Considers Local Tax Measure Milwaukee, March 3. — A bill allowing cities and villages of the state to levy admission taxes on film theatres and other entertainment places has been introduced in the Wisconsin Senate. Theatre Exemption Stays in ASCAP Bill Indianapolis, March 3. — A State Legislature conference committee today rejected the radio amendment to Indiana's Anti-ASCAP Bill, which would have freed broadcasters from its provisions, but accepted the theatre amendment, which would make distributors and producers liable for any damages assessed against exhibitors for unlicensed performances. The bill was sent to conference after the Senate failed to concur in House amendments. It is now up for final passage in both houses. South Dakota Faces 10% Admission Levy Pierre, S. D., March 3.— A 10-per cent tax on admissions to theatres and ballrooms is proposed in House bill No. 257 introduced in the South Dakota legislature. Proceeds would be earmarked for municipalities of township general funds. Milwaukee Facing Strict Censorship Milwaukee, March 3. — Mayor Bohn, the chief of police, and city councilmen are studying Chicago's motion picture censorship ordinance with a view to adopting a similar plan, following the recent controversy in which the city's motion picture commission recommended a ban on "The Outlaw" and the common council threatened to revoke the Towne Theatre's license if it did not halt the picture's exhibition. The Chicago censorship ordinance is considered one of the toughest in the country, giving absolute power to mayor over film exhibition in the city. Permits are issued by the police chief before a film can be shown and violators may be fined $10 to $100. It also provides for an exhibition fee, which costs local exhibitors hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. The Chicago ordinance bars immortal pictures, as well as films which ridicule any race or creed and pictures involving hanging, lynching or burning of a human being. Chester To Produce 5 Films This Year Hollywood, March 3. — Hal E. Chester, Allied Artists and Monogram producer, has five films slated for completion this year. First picture, to begin March 15, will be "A Guy Named Joe Palooka." The Constance Bennett Production for Allied Artists, "Smart Woman," will start on June 1. "The Big Story," Craig Rice mystery, is scheduled to start Aug. 1, followed by the second Joe Palooka film on Sept. 15. "Masterpiece," the Victor Pahlen novel, is set to start Nov. 14. Bernard W. Burton will be associate producer on all films except "Smart Woman." Jack Kirsch* s Father, 80 Chicago, March 3. — Funeral services for Benjamin Kirsch, 80, father of_ National Allied president Jack Kirsch, will be held tomorrow at the Jaffee and Albert funeral chapel, with burial at Jewish Waldheim Cemetery. Kirsch died Saturday in Miami, following a lengthy illness. Brennan Memorial Mass A memorial mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick's Cathedral, here, on Thursday for the late James M. Brennan, RKO Theatres executive, who died one year ago. Warren Conner, 50 Cincinnati, March 3. — Warren Conner, district manager for Altec Service Corp., died here on his 50th birthday. 20th-Fox Leads Tax Refund List Washington, March 3.— Twentieth Century-Fox received the largest tax refund from the Government for overpayment during 1946, according to figures released by the Bureau of Internal Revenue today. The company was credited with an $821,348 refund. Second on the list were Warner Brothers officials, who received a total of $178,023. Other industry refunds listed were: Columbia Pictures Corp., $5,173 ; Columbia Pictures of Brazil, $1,632; Columbia Pictures of Puerto Rico, $3,512; Columbia Pictures of West Indies, $588; Columbia Pictures of Near East, $7,493; International Newsreel Corp., $5,787; Loew's, $25,000; Loew's Theatre and Realty Corp., $6,875; Paramount Pictures of South America, $1,016; Paramount Films of India, $843. Also: Paramount Land Corp $700; Universal, $59,826; Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp., $942; Warner Bros. Theatres of Pennsylvania, $684; United Artists Theatre Co. of Michigan, $762United Booking Office, $3,373; Arnold Productions, Inc., $2,130; Samuel Goldwyn Studios, $6,710; Monogram Pictures, $38,230; National Theatres Corp., $6,638; National Picture Corp. of Califor nia, $1,011 ; Principal Theatres, Inc. of Arizona, $550; Sherman Oaks Theatre Corp' $3,315; United Artists, $21,145. Also, Albert Warner Trust, $27,385; Harry M. Warner Trust, $17,'898; Jack L. Warner Trust, $13,808Jack M. Warner, $24,000; Milton ~B. Warner (deceased), $830; Rea E. Warner, $14,666; Doris Warner Leroy, $65,280; and Jean Warner Sprague, $21,530. Refunds to film stars included : Canada Lee, $1,200; Brian Aherne, $16,923; Louise Albritton, $859; June Allyson, $1,241; Thomas Mitchell, $14,654; Harry James, $18,586; John Wayne, $16,514; Ann Harding, $1,595; Sabu Dastagir, $15,014; Gracie Fields, $7,090. Producer Joseph Pasternak received $9,437. General Aniline and Film Corp. received $461,072 (excess profits tax). Radio industry refunds included : Columbia Broadcasting, $2,072; National Broadcasting, $430,866; and Radio Corp. of America, $811,860 (excess profits tax) and $12,584 (income.) Mrs. Cliff Almy Dead Hollywood, March 3. — Mrs. Cliff Almy, wife of the Warner supervisor for Philippines and Japan, died in her sleep at her home here last Thursday, after a long illness brought on by confinement in a Japanese prison camp during the war. Burial plans await word from Almy, who recently returned to Manila. Universal Stock Meeting Next Week Universal's annual Stockholders' meeting will be held in Wilmington on March 12, the company reported yesterday. Preparatory to the meeting, president Nate J. Blumberg has returned here from the Coast, and Charles D. Prutzman, vice-president and general counsel, has returned from Nassau. Final UA Meeting Begins on Thursday United Artists' -final four-day sales meeting in its current series will get under way in Chicago on Thursday. Gradwell L. Sears, vice-president in charge of distribution; Maury Orr, Western sales manager, and George Raftery of the legal department, have left El Paso, where the third meeting was concluded, for Chicago, and today J. J. Unger, general sales manager, and Paul N. Lazarus, Jr., advertisingpublicity director, will leave New York for the final meeting. The Chicago meeting, like its predecessors, will be devoted to discussions of sales policy and the screening of nine pictures. At the third meeting, delegates were briefed on the new provisions of the New York decree by Raftery. Sears presented a review of the company's current production status and cited the UA backlog of 29 pictures already completed and awaiting release. The negative cost to date he said, amounts to $41,000,000. The meeting was conducted by Orr. ' Harry Thomas Drive' Will Begin April 23 Producers Releasing Corp. will launch on April 23, birthday of PRC president Harry H. Thomas, a "Harry Thomas Drive," which will run through Aug. 30, Ralph H. Clark, the company's new sales manager, announced yesterday. The followingfilms will establish the drive's nucleus : "Born to Speed," "Devil on Wheels," "Untamed Fury" and current Philo Vance releases. Clark said forthcoming PRC product will receive advertising-publicityexploitation campaigns of vastly increased scope, with special emphasis to be placed on direct-to-exhibitor campaigns. "Higher budgets and more coordinated effort in production" will be evidenced by PRC, he added. Loew's Enterprise Party Loew's International, which will handle foreign distribution for Enterprise Prod., will be host at a cocktail party today to David Lewis, Enterprise producer, and Erich Maria Remarque, author of "Arch of Triumph" and "The Other Love." ITS TIME! It's time you learned about Filmack's NEW Prevue Trailer Service. It's READY NOW! For full information write Filmack, 1 32 1 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago 5, 111. HLHXCK gives QUICKEST SERVICE on SPECIAL TRAILERS