Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1948)

4 Motion Picture Daily Friday, April 23, 1948 Strausberg at Helm Of UJA Theatre Unit Sol Strausberg of the Interboro Circuit here has been appointed chairman of the exhibitors committee for the United Jewish Appeal campaign in Greater New York by S. H. Fabian, head of the drive in the amusement industry. Members of the exhibitors committee are: Harry Brandt, William Brandt, Leo Brecher, Max A. Cohen, Edward Fabian, Emanuel Frisch, Philip F. Hading, Julius Joelson, Harry M. Kalmine, Malcolm Kingsberg, Arthur L. Mayer, Dan Michalove, Samuel Rinzler, Samuel Rosen, Edward Rugoff, Walter Reade, Jr., Fred J. Schwartz, Joseph M. Seider and David Weinstock. U. K. Split (Continued from page 1) 16 from Para. (Continued from page 1) is not the sole factor in determining that. He implied that he could not foretell individual picture grosses but that reduced costs on quality pictures improved the chances of the objective being attained. Adolph Zukor, Paramount board chairman, back in New York after more than two months on the West Coast, paid tribute to the studio organization and its success in making good pictures at reasonable costs. Forthcoming Paramount product, he said, is the best he has seen at the studio in the past 15 years. Zukor opened a discussion of the industry role of the trade press, commending it for its accomplishments and influence and suggesting further contributions which he believes it can make to industry welfare. He urged better industry support of the trade press, asserting that current and forthcoming product requires sustained campaigns, primarily in the trade press, to establish the proper "impact." Paul Raibourn, Paramount vicepresident in charge of television, replying to a question, said the company would make pictures especially for television when the market is there. He added subsequently, in paying tribute to the company's studio organization, that when it requires quality product for television Paramount will look to its own studio. nually under the agreement. Further meetings will be held on this subject. The remittable division agreed upon will be at monthly .intervals adjusted subsequently on the basis of annual British billings of each participant. Shupert, Dickinson, Balaban Promoted George T. Shupert, executive assistant to Paul Raibourn, Paramount Pictures television vice-president, has been named director of commercial television operations. Raibourn has also advanced John Dickinson, in the same company division, to national sales representative of video station KTIA, Los Angeles, and Eastern representative of WBKB, Chicago. At the same time he promoted Burt Halaban to manager of the television film department. Arch Replica in Parade When the children's parade starts along Broadway this morning to open the American Overseas Aid-United Nations Appeal for Children, six children who arrived here yesterday from France will accompany an eight-ton replica of the Arch of Triumph mounted on a truck along the line of march. The replica is the one used in Enterprise's production of that name which, at a benefit premiere Monday at the Globe Theatre, yielded approximately $15,000 for the AOA-UNAC drive. Johnston Reelected MPAA Head; Yates, Black, Ritchey on Board Officers of the Motion Picture Association of America, including Eric Johnston, president, were reelected at the annual board meeting here yesterday. Fred W. DuVall, assistant treasurer, was elected treasurer and Sidney Schreiber, general counsel, was elected secretary. Retirement of George Borthwick was announced at the meeting. The board adopted a resolution commending Borthwick, who had been on a leave of absence, for his long service. Additional officers named by the board are Stanley Weber, assistant treasurer ; John McCarthy, assistant secretary, and James S. Howie, assistant treasurer and assistant secretary in the Hollywood office. Herbert J. Yates and Theodore R. Black of Republic and Norton V. Ritchey, Allied Artists, were elected to the board. Two changes were made in standing committee chairmanships : John J. O'Connor, Universal, succeeded Barney Balaban, Paramount, as head of the solicitations committee, and Stewart McDonald, Warners, replaced Donald Henderson, 20th-Fox, as chairman of the research unit. BOT Plans (Continued from page 1) granted to American exporters until each individual exporter signs an agreement with the Board of Trade binding him to adhere to the present tax agreement and any subsequent modification thereof. This agreement may be signed under power of attorney by the exporters' representatives here or, presumably, executed in America before the local British Consul, although the latter method is not yet fully determined. The Board of Trade is currently preparing the text of this agreement. British Pact Critics (Continued from page 1) reassured by Wilson that the government would veto the use of blocked sterling by U. S. film companies to acquire studios in the United Kingdom that might prove prejudicial to the interests of British production. Carpenters' Appeal (Continued from page 1) right in throwing out the suit for lack of jurisdiction. They asked, therefore, that the carpenters' petition for Supreme Court review be denied. A brief was submitted by Homer I. Mitchell for Loew's, Paramount, Warners, Columbia, Samuel Goldwyn, Republic, Hal Roach Studios, Technicolor, 20th Century-Fox, RKO, Universal and the Motion Picture Producers Association. IATSE still has not submitted its answer. Bogeaus Plans 2 in UK Hollywood, April 22. — Benedict Bogeaus plans to sail for England on June 2 to prepare for the production of two features there. Answer Critics at ANFA Meet Today The 16mm. industry will answer its critics today in the second session of the annual convention of the Allied Non-Theatrical Film Association at the Hotel New Yorker. Taking part will be representatives of film libraries, distributors, and others. Chairman will be S. C. Atkinson of Canada's General Films. Others will include : Jacques Kopfstein, Astor Pictures; Ellis Smith, DeLuxe Laboratories; Saul Jeffee, Movielab Laboratories, and Fletcher Smith, Lee Jones, Bertram Willoughby, J. P. Lilley, V. J. Middleton, Bert Abrams and R. V. Haile. 20th-Fox Realigns (Continued from page 1) ager in Dallas. Tom Gilliam resumes as branch manager in Chicago. In Minneapolis, M. A. Levy becomes branch manager and J. S. Cohan, formerly manager, remains on the staff. In the Western division, Buck Stoner has been promoted to assistant division manager under Herman Wobber, at San Francisco. Charles Walker, formerly district manager in Salt Lake, becomes branch manager there, and Clyde Blasius, formerly manager, remains on the staff. In Milwaukee, Joe Woodward has resigned, and will be replaced by Joe Neger. Neger returns as branch manager in Milwaukee, from a similar post in Chicago. Yesterday Motion Picture Daily reported Neger would remain in Chicago as a salesman. In Seattle, Chilton Robinett, who has been acting branch manager in place of Frank Drew, who has been ill, now is officially manager in that city. 16,880 Open Theatres (Continued from page 1) eral months. Eric Johnston, president of the MPAA, set up the research department under Robert Chambers for the purpose of assembling reliable statistics for the industry. This represents the completion of the first major statistical research by the reorganized association. Other reports and studies, extending into lands overseas, are projected. 1,023 N. Y. Theatres (Continued from page 1) seating 723,243, an average of 1,228 per house. Of the total number of 1,108 theatres in the territory (the higher figure includes closed houses), 710, or 64.1 per cent, are circuit-operated ( a circuit being defined as four or more theatres under the same management). With a capacity of 946,451, circuit theatres account for 75.9 per cent of the total capacity of the area. Newark and Jersey City currently have 60 in operation, with 76,916 seats, an average of 1,282 per theatre. Wage Increases for DuMont Workers Wage increases for DuMont production and clerical workers were announced here yesterday by Allen B. DuMont, president. Company policy, stated DuMont, is "to establish wage rates as high or higher than the average for the area or the industry." Key City Grosses tp OLLOWING are estimated picM/ ture grosses for current engagements in key cities as reported by Motion Picture Daily correspondents. Estimates omit admission tax. BOSTON 4 B.&K. Apollo Goes on 2 -Weeks Basis May 6 Chicago, April 22. — Balaban and Katz's Apollo Theatre will join seven other Loop houses already limited to two-week engagements under the decree in the Jackson Park case when "Gentleman's Agreement" terminates a 25-week run there on May 6. Its next attraction has not been set. "Agreement" is being offered to outlying houses for immediate bookings following the Apollo run. 'Years9 Opens Big at Regular Scales in Hub Boston, April 22. — Samuel Goldwyn's "Best Years of Our Lives" opened its regular release run at popular prices at the Astor Theatre here today with a gross of $3,000 and long waiting lines all day. Price scale ranged from 50 cents at the opening to 85 cents at night. Favorite Opens H. O. Home offices have been opened here by Favorite Films Corp., headed by Moe Kerman. YOU CAN'T BEAT THE BEST/ Drive home your selling ideas effectively, inexpensively and quickly with Continued fair but cool weather helped keep most grosses well up to average, except hold-overs, the fourth week of "I Remember Mama" and the second week of "The Big Clock" falling below average. Estimated receipts for the week ended April 21 : ALBUQUERQUE (Para.) and CAGED FURY (Para.) — FENWAY (1,700) (4Oc-80c) , Gross: $5,200. (Average: $5,300) ALBUQUERQUE (Para.) and CAGED FURY (Para.) — PARAMOUNT (1,700) (40c-80c). Gross: $14,100. (Average: $14,500) ARE YOU WITH IT? (U-I) — BOSTON (2,900) (50c-$1.10). With a stage show. Gross: $26,000. (Average: $28,500) THE BIG CLOCK (Para.)— METROPOLITAN (4,736) (40c-80c). Gross: $26,500. (Average: $28,500) HIGH WALL (M-G-M) and ALIAS A GENTLEMAN (M-G-M)— ORPHEUM (3,9001'(40c-80c). Gross: $21,000. (Average; $24, 200) HIGH WALL (M-G-M) and ALIAS A GENTLEMAN (M-G-M) — STATE (2,900) (35c-80c). Gross: $14,000. (Average: $14,500) I REMEMBER MAMA (RKO RadSo)— MEMORIAL (2,900) (40c-80c). Gross: $19,000. (Average: $27,000) 245 WEST ^ '— ^-i^-j'V^-^i^J^^^^J 55 STREET ^TT^^VvTEosriTrrcc^oT , Los Angeles 1574 WWosh-J gfon st.