Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1948)

2 Motion Picture Daily Monday, April 12, 1948 Tradewise . . . By SHERWIN KANE Personal Mention PHIL REISMAN, RKO Radio foreign distribution chief, will sail for Europe on Wednesday on the 5"^" America. • Janet Carol Sachson, daughter of Arthur Sachson, Samuel Goldwyn Productions general sales manager, and Marvin Zuckerman were married yesterday at Woodmere, N. Y. • A. M. Cane, Paramount assistant Eastern division manager, and Edward Ruff, Albany branch manager, were in Gloversville, N. Y., at the weekend. • Maurice Bergman, Universal-International Eastern advertising-publicity director, has left New York for a rest. • Robert W. Coyne, Theatre Owners of America executive director, is due back in New York today from Sandusky, O. • P. J. Wood, ITO of Ohio secretary, has returned to his Columbus office following a Florida vacation. • Sam Shirley, special M-G-M sales representative in Los Angeles, is in New York. • Mitchell Rawson of M-G-M's publicity department has returned to New York from Washington. • Harry Rapf, M-G-M producer, and his wife are due here next Monday from Hollywood. • Budd Rogers, Realart distribution vice-president, has been named to the board of directors. • Jacques Kopfstein, Astor Pictures executive vice-president, has returned to New York from the Coast. Hail Reade Drive as Public Relations Aid Walter Reade Theatres' six-week 40th anniversary jubilee provided an advance idea of the joint public relations drive planned by the Theatre Owners of America and the Motion Picture Association of America, Walter Reade, Jr., told the circuit's district and city managers at their monthly meeting here. Reade said that the campaign proved successful in combatting the public feeling that films are not as good as they used to be. During the jubilee, the circuit promoted the theme that "Movies are still your cheapest and best form of entertainment" and that current product is the best in the circuit's history. Gerard Joins U-I Here Phil Gerard has resigned from the M-G-M exploitation department to join Universal-International's publicity department here effective today. Paul Kamey of the M-G-M publicity staff takes over Gerard's duties. I"1 HE double defeat of the • Lewis Bill, the Allied States measure designed to transfer the Ascap theatre music tax to producers (who assert they would re-transfer it to theatres as part of film rentals), carries with it yet another lesson in the need for exhibitor unity and cooperation on matters affecting all of exhibition and those affecting the industry as a whole. Members of the House judiciary sub-committee who voted to report the bill adversely attributed their action almost wholly to the lack of solid exhibitor support of the measure. The Lewis Bill was opposed by Theatre Owners of America. The subcommittee obviously was anxious to help theatre owners in their fight against Ascap but the split in exhibitor ranks convinced it that the Lewis Bill was not the way to do it. Committeemen concluded they would be doing exhibition no service by foisting upon exhibitors an unwelcome law. • There was ample opportunity to achieve exhibitor unity on a progcam of action, legislative or otherwise, against Ascap. Several months intervened between Ascap's announcement of its intent to seek higher music tax rates from theatres and the first organized exhibitor reaction. TOA, convening in Washington last September, invited all other interested exhibitor organizations to confer on a program of action against Ascap. The response, or lack of it, was discouraging to all interested in seeing exhibitor unity achieved at least on those problems affecting all of exhibition. Thereafter, TOA, acting upon the mandate of its convention, proceeded to negotiate with Ascap and succeeded in winning the existing reasonable rate increases of a few cents per seat, in place of the 300 per cent increase originally sought by Ascap. Allied pursued its own course, without, insofar as the record shows, asking the participation or cooperation of any other organization. The introduction of the Lewis Bill was the major culmination of that policy. Preparation of the bill was unaccompanied by any fanfare whatever and its existence became generally known only when its introduction was reported by trade press correspondents. TOA's convention policy with respect to Ascap did not restrict that organization to negotiation of lower rates. That course was decided upon as the best way of meeting the immediate problem. A long range program consisting of legislation, litigation or both also was authorized. Thus, had any serious attempt been made to attain exhibitor unity on the long-range Ascap problem, TOA would not have been barred by its convention mandate from participating. It is apparent now that had there been such an effort, and if it had succeeded, the Lewis Bill could not have been the result. Too many exhibitors saw no solution of the problem in the hiding of the music tax within an increased film rental. The joint exhibitor effort, therefore, must have produced a more fortunate legislative result, which in the light of recent happenings would have been all to the good. Even Rep. Lewis, following the second defeat of the bill which bears his name, could say only that he was sure "similar" (not the same) legislation eventually would be accepted by exhibitors. • • There is now another opportunity for exhibition to profit by past mistakes, to benefit from experience. Many segments of the industry are presently engaged in the shaping of an all-industry public relations program. It has no other aim but to counteract an accumulation of several months of bad publicity for the industry and its product which has had and continues to have effect on theatre attendance. It will endeavor to repair the damage done to ticket sales. The program, it appears, will revolve mainly about "accentuation of the positive." For example, outstanding product, than which there is no better industry ambassador, will be called to the attention of theatre patrons everywhere. It is hoped that the good word about the industry will be spread principally on the local level and by exhibitors. TOA already is making a major contribution to this all-industry project. Other exhibitor organizations and exhibitors who are not members of any organization can play an equal role in the all-embracing program. It is a bright opportunity for all those who are not averse to helping their industry while benefiting themselves. Newsreel Parade HH HE Harold Stassen primary victory is a current newsreel highlight. Also reviewed is the tense international situation, as well as important national news. Complete contents follow. MOVIETONE NEWS, No. 2S^Harold Stassen sweeps G.O'.P. primary in_. Wisconsin. Twenty-one Western h ( Jf^iere nations meet. Military parade vjrorae. Paul Hoffman heads ERP. Mrs. K^oevelt meets Royal Family. Prince Regent Charles here. Baby elephant. Sports: water skiing, horse racing. NEWS OF THE DAY, No. 263— Gen. Eisenhower in plea for strong U. S>. Army Day parade in nation's capital. Harold Stassen victory livens G.O.P. presidential race. Paul Hoffman heads recovery plan. Conference at Bogota. Fashions. Water ski champ. PARAMOUNT NEWS, No. 66— Water classics: skiing. Paul Hoffman heads ERP. Secretary Marshall leads U. S. at parley of the Americas. Primary upset in Wisconsin. Pictures of SovietBritish plane crash in Berlin. UNIVERSAL NEWS, No. 133— Harold Stassen wins Wisconsin primary. President Truman reviews Army Day parade. U. S. warships visit Greece. Conference opens at Bogota. Belgium's Regent visits Capital. Paul Hoffman heads aid program. Fiftyone dead in Jap railroad wreck. Royal Family greets Mrs. FDR. Bird migration. Water skiing. WARNER PATHE NEWS, No. 68^ Harold Stassen wins Wisconsin primary. Plane crash heightens tension in Berlin. Paul Hoffman heads foreign aid program. Mrs. FDR visits Royal Family in England. President Truman welcomes Belgium's Regent Prince Charles. Critics Elect Santucci Rome, April 7 (By Airmail).— Dr. Argeo Santucci, Motion Picture Daily and Motion Picture Herald correspondent in Italy, has been elected to the steering committee of the board of the Sindacato Giornalisti Cinematografici, organization of film journalists. The election, one of many in Italian trade and union organizations, was another illustration of the trend away from Communist domination. FILM OPTICALS, INC. formerly at 630 Ninth Avenue. Now in new and larger quarters at — 421 W. 54th STREET PLAZA 7*7720 FOR RENT 10 minutes from Times Square. Immediate possession. 2 floors. Total: 50,000 square feet. Exclusive use elevator. Loading platform. Heat, maintenance supplied. Exceptional light. Low priced. Box 413, Motion Picture Daily, 1270 Sixth Ave., New York 20, N. Y. MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; Martin Quigley, Jr., Associate Editor. Published daily, except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, N. Y. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address: "Quigpubco, New York." Martin Quigley, President; Red Kann, Vice-President; Martin Quigley, Jr. Vice-President; Theo J. 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