Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1949)

MOTION PICTURE FIRST Accurate Concise IN FILM Tfc A ¥ ¥ V UJ\r L, I and NEWS u__ ■ i Impartial ! VOL. 66. NO. 11 NEW YORK, U. S. A., MONDAY, JULY 18, 1949 TEN CENTS Key Grosses Are Off, But Decline Halts 'Jones,' 'Barkleys' and 'Home of Brave' Score Mild weather and competing outdoor attractions took their toll at many first-runs in some 176 situations in key cities during May and June. Grosses, while showing a decline, were steady, however, and made no sharp dips, according to reports from Motion Picture Daily correspondents in the field. Average weekly income for May and June fell to $12,800 from April's $14,222. Weekly average per theatre for May and June last year was $14,189. "Sorrowful Jones," not set for national release until July 4, made such an excellent showing in its prerelease appearances during the latter half of June that it became top grosser for the two-month period. Second place went to "The Barkleys of Broadway," while another comparative newcomer, "Home of the Brave," captured third place. Close (Continued on page 4) Reagan Joins MGM Sales Cabinet Today; To Assist Rodger s Charles M. Reagan, former general sales manager for Paramount, today joins M-G-M's executive sales staff, it was announced here on Friday by Nicholas M. Schenck, president, and William F. Rodgers, sales vice-president. Addition of Reagan to M-G-M's executive sales cabinet "will be to assist Rodgers and others with .the many diversified problems brought about because of rein the industry," E-L Deal Closing Awaits Financing Closing of the Edward Small agreement to acquire control of Eagle-Lion will wait upon completion of arrangements for new financing for the company, which may require another two to four weeks. A definite agreement was reached by Small with Robert R. Young during last week's negotiations but the producer is deferring the formal signing of the deal until all arrangements including those for the new financinghave been completed. Reportedly, Young and Serge Se (Continued on page 4) Start TOA Theatre Reports on Aug. 1 Theatre Owners of America on August 1 intends to start its reports to members in which new pictures will ■be given box-office-ratings on the basis of preliminary reports from 400 TOA participating members. The films will be broken down in the following classifications : Big, very good, good, (Continued on page 4) Charles M. Reagan cent developments said a company statement. A veteran of 29 years with Para (Continued on page 4) Several Top Warner Foreign Promotions Wolfe Cohen, president of Warner International, has made several changes in his South American staff. Armando Trucios, general manager of the Argentine, becomes resident supervisor for the Pacific division, which takes in Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, as well as (Continued on page 4) To Act on Companies Increasing Rentals Minneapolis, July 17. — Distributors are "bending" from their demands for percentage contracts from smaller exhibitors but are demanding higher flat rentals, an action that "is causing much resentment," it was declared here by Stan Kane, executive director of North Central Allied. Kane said it is expected that NCA president Ben Berger will call a special meeting of the unit's board to discuss the reported action of distributors in increasing flat rental terms in exchange for dropping percentage demands. MP A A May Survey Drive -In Theatres The Motion Picture Association of America has under consideration proposals for a comprehensive survey of drive-in theatres, their operation, patronage, competition with established theatres and other pertinent facts. The study has been officially discussed but no action will be taken until the MPAA's research committee has had an opportunity to examine the proposals in detail. Robert Chambers, head of the research department, is now in Hollywood. Loew's distribution department already has under way plans for a similar survey of drive-in operations, to be conducted by Leo Handel, research director. MGM to Be the 1st to Resume In Germany F '.W 'JV .Beckett Appointed Head of the New Unit Metro Goldwyn Mayer's plans for handling its own sales and distribution in Germany independently of the Motion Picture Export Association have matured to the point where distribution will begin on January 1, 1950, it was disclosed here at the weekend by Arthur M. Loew, president of Loew's International Corp. Samuel N. Burger, sales executive, visited Germany for an on-the-spot survey earlier this year. Following this visit, plans were developed for the resumption of operations. F. W. N. Beckett has been appointed manager of the new Metro unit. He has been with Metro in various executive capacities for 18 years. M-G-M's main office in Germany will be in Frankfurt-on-Main. Branch offices will be located in Berlin, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Munich. The release list for the first year's operations is currently being selected. The (Continued on page 4) 31 Distributor Chairmen To Handle Film for 'Vets' Probe Sabotage in Mexico City Fire Mexico City, July 17.— Police are probing sabotage motives in the mysterious fire explosion which wrecked Columbia's headquarters here. Twentyfour persons were injured and 600 prints, totaling 8,000 reels were destroyed. Damage was estimated at over $1,000,000. The fire started in a packing room and was of unexplained origin. Manager Serge Koger at the time was at an exhibitors conference. Witnesses saw two men rush from the scene in a car just before the fire. The appointment of distributor chairmen in the 31 film exchange cities to handle the booking of the Disabled American Veterans short subject, "How Much Do You Owe?", being distributed by National Screen Service for the motion picture industry as part of the industry's enlarged public service activities, was announced jointly Friday by Herman Robbins of National Screen, chairman of the distribution committee and Abe Montague of Columbia, chairman of the general sales managers' committee. The 31 distributor chairmen follow : Albany, Eugene Vogel, Universal ; Atlanta, John Bachman, United Artists; Boston, John Moore, Paramount ; Buffalo, Jack Chinnell, RKO (Continued on page 4) State Dept. Moves In on German Quota Washington, July 17. — The State Department has asked the Army to give it a full report on anj' moves under way in Germany to put an import quota on films. The Department's request represented speedy action on Motion Picture Association of America president Eric Johnston's protest to State Secretary Dean Acheson. It does not necessarily mean that State will take a stand on the matter, but the Department's interest was taken in industry circles here as a very good (Continued on page 4) Expand RKO Shorts To 89 for 1949-50 RKO Radio has increased its short subject program for 1949-50 to 89 releases. The program, as announced by Harry J. Michalson, short subject sales manager, at the regional sales meetings in Buffalo, is RKO's largest in recent years. A series of 18 Walt Disney shorts, (Continued on page 4)