Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1947)

4 Motion Picture daily Thursday, March 6, 1947 There are 136 minutes of the world's greatest musical artists and the world's greatest music in Gross Level Takes Dip (Continued from page 1) Madeleine" and "Sinbad the Salior." Also coming through as weekly leaders in a number of situations were : "Open City," "California," "Lady in the Lake," "Dead Reckoning," "Strange Voyage," "San Quentin," "Henry V," "It's a Wonderful Average' No. of Total Per Theatres Gross Theatre Life," "The Angel and the Badman," "The Razor's Edge" and "The Best Years of Our Lives." Composite key-city box-office reports for 1947 to date, compared with the corresponding weeks of 1946, follow : 1947 Week Ending Jan. 3-4 167 $3,678,100 $22,024 Jan. 10-11 173 3,363,200 19,440 Jan. 17-18 173 3,007,300 17,383 Jan. 24-2S 176 3,043,700 17,294 Jan. 31— Feb. 1... 181 3,293,600 18,197 Feb. 7-S 177 3,089,600 17,495 Feb. 14-15 177 2,767,900 15,638 Feb. 21-22 182 3,042.700 16,718 Feb. 28— Mar. 1.. 150 2,800.300 18.668 1946 Week Ending* No. of Total Theatres Gross Average Per Theatre Jan. 4-5 142 $3,304,300 $23,270 Jan. 11-12 144 2,940,100 20,417 Tan. 18-19 150 2,706,300 18,040 Jan. 25-26 158 2,800,100 17,722 Feb. 1-2 157 2.227,000 18,390 Feb. 8-9 158 2,798,300 17,756 Feb. 15-16 159 2,755,400 17,330 Feb. 22-23 156 2,638,200 16,918 Mar. 1-2 164 3,106,000 18,939 Seeks Accord (Continued from page 1) vulnerable to court action in the event of a suit by a disappointed exhibitorbidder. On the basis of his assertion that all procedure and differences between RKO and the producers for whom it distributes have been amicably resolved in the past, and the insistence by producers' representatives here that they would insist upon the right to determine the best bed, the signs point to continuation of the policy of review and final authorization by the independent. Last week distribution representatives of producers releasing through United Artists declined to accede to Gradwell L. Sears' request for a waiver of their bidding approval authority in favor of UA. It was recalled that Department of Justice interpretations of the New York court decree maintained that while independent producers are not directly bound by the decree because they were not parties to the anti-trust suit, they cannot commit an act declared illegal without placing themselves in a position of being subject tc prosecution under the anti-trust laws. Executives of several of the producers releasing through RKO, which include Walt Disney, Liberty Films Samuel Goldwyn. Argosy and Independent Artists, have indicated that, unpressed by early release dates, they are in a position to "sit back and watch" development of competitive bidding. Liberty's "It's a Wonderful Life !" and Goldwyn's "The Best Years of Our Lives" have been placed on the block for competitive negotiations wherever requests have come in. and Disney's "Song of the South," which has played most of its bookings already and has received several bids only in the past week from some "limited and smaller" situations, according to a Disney spokesman, comprise the only independent product currently available through RKO. Since Argosy and IA have films in production, Disney and Goldwyn slated to have new product for release after the summer, and Liberty, expecting to release "State of the Union" by fall, it appears that these companies are not confronted with any immediate problem concerning bidding and procedure. Mason -Rose (Continued from page 1) judgment in New York Supreme Court. Rose, who said he expected to re main in New York for a week before going to California, has until March 25 to respond to the charges raised by Mason who is acting through Schwartz and Frohlich, attorneys. The British actor, now in Princeton, N. J., for try-outs of the stage production, "Bathsheba," in which he and his wife will appear on Broadway, was negotiating last spring with Rose for the formation of a joint film-producing venture on a partnership basis. Insistent upon his avowed intent to "maintain his position of independence and control over his own destiny" and to be half-owner of any company which produces pictures starring him henceforth, the British actor cites negotiations allegedly conducted by Rose with Paramount under which Mason vould receive $100,00 a picture as an advance on 25 per cent of profits after recoupment of twice the production :osts by Paramount. The Paramount "leal, slated to start next May 1, vould have been for 10 pictures expending over five years. Papers in Rose's suit against Mason 'eportedly were never served, while Mason has been mentioned as having signed a picture deal with Sir Alexander Korda. Rose reported that the Odeon circuit which formerly gave 90 per cent >f its time to American pictures is now reserving 31 per cent of its time cor British product. Other arrivals on the Queen Elisabeth were : Frank Launder, co-prolucer and director of J. Arthur Rank's "The Adventuress," and George Ivan Smith, associate producer and literary xlitor of Rank's "This Modern Age" series, who is on a four-months' leave •;o_ devote himself to his position as -hief of program planning for the United Nations' international radio network. Mirisch Syndicate Planning Circuit A New York syndicate headed by j Harold J. Mirisch, until recently film buyer here for RKO Theatres, has its sights on the development of a national circuit with negotiations now on for the acquisition of two theatre | companies holding six and eight ! houses, respectively, according to 1 Maurice Maurer, theatre operator for City Investing Co., who figures in the I plan. /ds Trust Suit Answers (Continued from page 1) have incurred in the operation of the Riverside, asking a total of $1,750,000. In the Minneapolis suit, Middle States alone asks $900,000 for losses allegedly suffered in operating the Minnesota. Both suits were filed in U. S. District Court here on Jan. 20, by John Mulder and Abraham Brussell, local attorneys, who asked for jury trials. The Minnesota suit was assigned to Judge Michael L. Igoe, known in motion picture circles for his verdicts on the Jackson Park Theatre case. The Riverside suit was handed to Judge Philip L. Sullivan, who is also the judge on the Schoenstadt Circuit's $6,750,000 suit on behalf of its Piccadilly Theatre. Another Postponement of Schoenstadt Trust Suit Chicago, March 5. — Attorneys for both sides have agreed upon still another postponement on the Schoenstadt Circuit's $6,750,000 triple damage antitrust suit on behalf of its southside, Piccadilly Theatre which was scheduled to get underway before Special Master-in-Chancery Charles A. McDonald tomorrow. According to Aaron Stein of Rosenberg, Stein and Rosenberg, law firm, who is representing the Schoenstadts, the new date will be "in about three weeks or a month." Kelly in UA (Continued from page 1) New Film Effects Firm C. and G. Film-Effects has been established here by Milton M. Gottlieb, a veteran of 25 years in the industry, and Hugo A. Casolaro, formerly of Sound Masters, Inc. a "very thorough examination" of facilities he came to the conclusion that production is possible, although it would not be 100 per cent efficient. The basic problem hampering smooth production is the replacement of parts worn out during the war years, he observed. Kelly also declared that the ^rench and Italian governments are mxious to have American companies produce in their respective countries. ATA's Year Ahead ( Continued from page 1 ) revenue by less than 10 per cent, it was explained. Moreover, RKO and Loew's are expected to return to the association after final settlement of the industry anti-trust suit, having dropped out on what is understood to be a temporary basis when ATA sought to intervene in the case because of widespread exhibitor objections to the competitive bidding system set up by the New York Federal District Court. Of the other three theatre-owning defendants in the suit, National Theatres has remained in the association and many of Paramount's affiliates belong, while Warner Theatres never joined. Only the problem of obtaining ade. quate hotel facilities in Washington or Chicago has held up final plans for ATA's forthcoming annual convention, which will take place on a date "to be selected between April 19 and May 1, according to the association spokesman. Released thru < REEVES SOUND STUDIOS, INC. 1600 BROADWAY, N. Y. 19 Circle 6-6686 Complete Film and Disc Recording Facilities