Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1948)

FIRST IN FILM NEWS OF CTURE •2,1 * NO. 73 NEW YORK, U. S. A., THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1948 TEN CENTS Average Adult Ticket Price Is 50.4 Cents 57.7 Cents in the West Is High; 45.3 in South Hollywood, April 14. — Average adult evening admission price to the nation's theatres is 50.4 cents, Audience Research Institute reports. The average was pegged as of early March, and represented an increase of 1.4 cents over that of November, the Institute informs clients in the first of a series of reports, derived from a check covering all locations, types and sizes of theatres and including Federal, state and local taxes. A breakdown of the current report shows the highest average is in the West, at 57.7 cents, the East is next with 52.8 cents, followed by the Midwest, at 47.8 cents, and the South, 45.3 cents. All divisions show an in (Continued on page 4) 'Red' Tie Query Is Held 'Pertinent' Washington', April 14. — The question asked screen writer John Howard Lawson by the House Un-American Activities Committee as to whether he is or was a Communist was ruled "pertinent"' by Justice Edward M. Curran today in Lawson's trial on charges of contempt. RKO Radio production chief Dore Schary will be called to the stand tomorrow. Ben Margolis, defense counsel, cross-examined committee chairman J. Parnell Thomas, first Government (.Continued on page 2) Consummate N. Y. Rialto Sale to Mage Sale of the Rialto Theatre here by Arthur Mayer and associates to James Mage, Laffmovie Circuit owner and distributor of foreign films in the U. S., has been completed. Sam Dembow was one of Mayer's partners in the Rialto. Mage, who owns Laffmovie houses in Boston, Baltimore and Xew York, is expected to set a foreign-film policy for the Rialto. He also owns, in conjunction with Samuel Goldwyn, the Astor in Boston. Rank and U. S. Reels In Olympics Accord J. Arthur Rank yesterday agreed not to charge American newsreels for filming the Olympic Games in England this summer. At a conference with representatives of the five U. S. newsreels, the British film leader, who had exclusive rights to film the games, deferred to the wishes of the newsreels in recognition of the fact that "the American Newsreel is opposed in principle to the practice of paying for the privilege of filming news events." It was understood that the American and British newsreels would share footage from a joint pool. Representing the American Newsreel Association was a committee comprising A. J. Richard, Paramount chairman ; Thomas Mead, Universal Walton C. Ament, Warner Pathe M. D. Clofine, News of the Day Jack Haney, Movietone ; E. P. Genock, Paramount. US May Guarantee Film Costs in Japan Washington, April 14. — War Department officials are working out a scheme to guarantee U. S. films and other information media production and distribution costs for activities in Japan and Korea. The program would be similar to that included in the European Recovery Program for activities in Marshall Plan nations. N. Y. Para. Theatre In Video Surprise; Patrons Enthused By MANDEL HERBSTMAN In an unannounced move here last night Paramount unveiled its theatre television system before a surprised audience in the Paramount Theatre, thus marking the first time theatre television has been utilized in the East on a full-sized screen. As the event, amateur boxing bouts, flashed across the 18-foot by 24-foot screen, the audience responded enthusiastically. In a press interview that followed, Paul Raibourn, Paramount vice-president in charge of television, declared that "if the public wants theatre television it can have it." Raibourn asserted that the company hopes "for a couple of shows a week," shortly and added that he didn't see (.Continued on page 5) Coyne Touches Off Loan Drive in N. Y. Security Loan Bonds are the "tools" and "weapons" through which "we can hope to keep things right" in the U. S., Robert W. Coyne, executive director of the Theatre Owners of America, told a Winter Garden audience here last night during loan drive ceremonies which preceded the premiere of Universal-International's (Continued on page 2) Secretary Marshall Wins '48 Variety Clubs Award To Campaign Against Molesters in Theatres Indianapolis, April 14. — Tightening of laws dealing with sex offenders were proposed by the Neighborhood Theatre Owners Association at a meeting here with Mayor L. G. Feeney following an attack on an eight-yearold girl who was kidnapped while waiting to attend a matinee. Earl Cunningham, NT OA associate president, proposed more severe sentences for offenders. Theatremen, he charged, are handicapped in attempts to eliminate undesirables from houses by the failure of victims to cooperate by reporting offenses. The association has agreed to run notices on screens urging patrons molested in any way to report at once to the management. It was also suggested that members of the Parent-Teachers Association be allowed to attend shows with children in supervisory capacities. By RED KANN M iami Beach, April 14.— Secretary of State George C. Marshall is the winner of Variety Clubs International's Humanitarian Award for 1948, the selection having been made by 34 publishers and editors of daily newspapers in keeping with established formula. In making the announcement, International Chief Barker Robert J. O'Donnell told the convention this morning that Marshall will be unable to attend the climaxing dinner Saturday evening to accept the award in person because he is attending the Inter-American Conference at Bogota, Colombia. This circumstance will make Harold Stassen the chief public figure and speaker of the dinner. Probability now is that Marshall will be presented with bis signifying plaque at Variety Clubs' mid-winter meeting, originally set for New York (Continued on page 2) Argentine Ban On 75% of all Film Imports Will Allow Remittances On Those Films Imported By JAMES CUNNINGHAM The Argentine government has decreed that American and other foreign film distributors shall henceforth be permitted to import the numerical equivalent of only 25 per cent of their 1947 imports, according to cables reaching private sources here yesterday from Buenos Aires. Considered in foreign film circles here to be one of the severest restrictions to be imposed by a foreign government on outside films, principally Hollywood's, the banning of 75 per cent of imports dashed the hopes of some in the U. S. industry who had been expecting a reasonable break in the film import regulations which Argentina had been promulgating since it temporarily froze all film import permits and remittances last July. Only bright spot in the new order (Continued on page 5) Agnew to Preside at SROMeetTomorrow Selznick Releasing Organization will hold a sales meeting here tomorrow at the New York Athletic Club, presided over by Neil F. Agnew, president. Home office executives who will attend include : Milton Kramer, Milton S. Kusell, Sidney Deneau, Leonard R. Case, Robert M. Gillham, and Ted Baldwin. The following division managers will attend : J. E. Fontaine, Henry G. Krumm, Sam Horowitz, Charles M. Weiner, John T. Howard, and the following district managers : Thomas F. Duane. Joseph J. Oulahan and Saul J. Krugman. Four at Six Millions From USP for WB Hollywood, April 14. — Four pictures, to cost approximately $6,000,000, will be produced by United States Pictures this year for Warner release, Milton Sperling, USP president, announces. They are : "Distant Drums," "Sacramento Sal," "The Gentle Sin" and either "Dream Street" or "The Long Way."