Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1950)

2 Motion Picture daily Thursday, February 16, 1950 Says N. Y. Not Set for Bids Notwithstanding isolated instances of competitive bidding for films in New York City, the belief in most distribution circles is that the city is not yet "ready" for large-scale application of the practice, and will not be for some time to come. One distribution executive said that if competitive bidding was to be put into operation here at this time for second-run product a large number of subsequent-run houses, whose earning capacities do not measure up, might succeed intermittently in elevating themselves to second-run stature, but would be unable to maintain that position for any sustained period. The consequence, he believes, would be to throw the marketing of second-run product "out of joint" in New York, and do considerable damage to the business of a number of individual situations. Recently, 20th-Fox sold "Prince of Foxes" away from RKO's Alhambra in Harlem to the independently-owned Apollo, under competitive bidding for the picture's second-run. A spokesman for the distributor said this does not mark the beginning of continuing competitive bidding here for its product. RKO, it is understood, will offer "Holiday Affair" for competitive bidding, second-run, but also as a departure that very likely may not be repeated for some time to come. Personal Mention Five Films Start on Coast, 4 Completed Hollywood, Feb. 15. — The production index rose by one picture this week, for a total of 26 in work. Five pictures were started, while four were completed. Started were : "Henry Does It Again," Monogram ; "Dark Violence," Republic ; "Bunco Squad," RKO Radio ; "Ma and Pa Kettle Back Home,'' Universal International ; "Sugarfoot," Warner Bros. Completed were : "The Sun Sets at Dawn," Eagle-Lion ; "Salt Lake Raiders," Republic ; "Outbreak," 20th CenturyFox ; "Peggy," Universal-International. UA Indonesia Deal United Artists has closed with N. C. Mij Intraport for the latter's distribution of the company's product in Indonesia, it was announced by Arthur W. Kelly, UA executive vicepresident. Motion Picture Export Association ceased operations in behalf of all U. S. companies in that country on Dec. 31. Spiegel Quits RKO Post Marc M. Spiegel, who has been handling special assignments for RKO Radio's foreign department for the past four years, has resigned his post, effective March 1. His future plans have not been announced. HM. WARNER, Warner Broth» ers' president, is scheduled to leave here today for a Florida vacation before returning to the West Coast. • Nathan E. Goldstein, New England circuit operator, and Mrs. Goldstein are vacationing at Sarasota, Fla., and plan to return to Springfield, Mass., early in April. • Ralph Wheelwright, assistant to Howard Strickling, M-G-M studio publicity director, will leave here tomorrow for the Coast. © Edmund L. Dorfman, producer, was the guest of Film Classics and American Theatres at a luncheon yesterday at Boston's Hotel Statler. • Bill Twigg, former buyer-booker for the Peter Wellman circuit at Cleveland, has joined United Artists there as a salesman. Edward J. Weisfeldt has resigned as general manager of Associated Theatres, Detroit. Max Gealer will take over the post. • George H. Gammel, head of the Gammel circuit with headquarters at Buffalo, and Mrs. Gammel are in Florida for a vacation. Sam Seidelman, Eagle-Lion general foreign manager, will leave here at the weekend for a five-week tour of Latin America. • Joel Levy, Loew's out-of-town booker, will leave here today for New Haven. • Jimmy Boyle, Eagle-Lion exploiteer, has returned here from Boston. JOSEPH BERNHARD, Film Clas*J sics' president, has returned to New York from a Coast trip. • Nat Nathanson, United Artists newly-appointed Eastern and Canadian sales manager, was in Chicago on Sunday, where he was formerly branch manager, and was presented with a desk set by the branch employes. • Beverly Scope, secretary to Jack Bellman, Eagle-Lion circuit sales manager, will be married here on Saturday to Milton Smith. Irving Sochin, sales head for Universal-International's Prestige Pictures, will leave here today for Chicago. Paul Kamey and Jerome Evans, Universal International exploiteers, have returned here following a tour of key cities. Charles Simonelli, Universal-International exploitation head, has returned to New York from New Orleans. Paul Lazarus, Jr., assistant to United Artists president Gradwell Sears, will leave here this weekend for a two-week vacation at Phoenix. • Leo F. Samuels and Charles Levy of the Walt Disney office here, have returned to New York from Chi Steve Strassberg, Film Classics assistant advertising-publicity director, is in Boston from New York. • Noel Coward sailed for London yesterday on the S. S. Queen Mary. Snaper Is Pessimistic Over Video Influence Washington, Feb. 15.— The impact of television on the theatre business is becoming greater as each set is sold, according to Wilbur Snaper, president of Allied of New Jersey. The Allied offuwjd said attendance at mattjflp is shrinking to zero. TV Programs will get better, Snaper predicted. "Television is going to grow and grow and our customers are going to go and go." he added. "Good pictures alone are not the answer to TV as competition." Variety, Rogers Aid Leukemia Youngster Variety International and Roy Rogers have combined their efforts to cheer a young leukemia victim undergoing experimental treatment with the new drug ACTH in University Hospital here. The boy, Tyrone Diggin, had been flown into New York by the Variety Club of Indianapolis, and, when asked, he said that what he wanted most in the world was to talk to Roy Rogers. Variety arranged for Rogers to telephone the boy from Houston. Johnston to Affirm Films' Role Abroad Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, and Norman Cousins, editor of The Saturday Review of Literature, will appear on the radio program, " America's Town Meeting of the Air," on Feb. 21 to debate the question, "Do Our Movies Abroad Speak for America?" The program will be heard over the ABC network. Set 'Guilty' Tie-ups Chicago, Feb. 15. — Tie-ups on radio and television shows and special screenings for Catholic societies and the Overseas Press Club have been arranged here for Eagle-Lion's "Guilty of Treason," which will open at the Roosevelt Theatre, Feb. 22. Charles Baron heads a crew of Eagle-Lion publicity men assigned for the local promotion. Quits Goldwyn Studio Hollywood, Feb. 15. — William Peirce resigned today as assistant publicity director for the Samuel Goldwyn studio, effective Saturday. He announced no plans for the future. Wise, Allied Plans Children's Matinees Milwaukee, Feb. 15. — Wisconsin Allied Theatre Owners is advancing a plan for Parent-Teachers Ass'n., approved matinees to provide suitable film programs for children from the first to the eighth grades, inclusive, on Saturday mornings. The cost per child will be $1.00 for 11 consecutive shows, and only those that have the complete series tickets will be admitted. The films will, be approved and selected by the national PTA and Film Library Council. Bob Hope at Paramount Bob Hope has been booked to appear in person at the New York Paramount starting March 1 in conjunction with "Captain China." The engagement will mark the first appearance of Hope in a Broadway theatre since he played the Paramount in 1939. Loew's to Pay Dividend The board of directors of Loew's, Inc., yesterday voted the regular quarterly dividend of 37^ cents, payable on March 31 to stockholders of record on March 10. Walker, Schaefer on Cardinal's Committe Former Postmaster General Frank C. Walker of Comerford Theatres and George J. Schaefer, industry executive, have been named treasurer and assistant treasurer respectively of the special gifts committee of Cardinal Spellman's Committee of the Laity for the 31st annual fund appeal of New York Catholic Charities. Para. Affiliate to Build Salt Lake City, Feb. 15. — A new 1,000-seat theatre will be built this summer in the Salt Lake residential area by Inter-Mountain Theatres, a Paramount affiliate, Ray M. Hendry and Sidney L. Cohen, associate general managers, announce. It will replace Inter-Mountain's downtown Victory Theatre which was destroyed by fire in 1942. Identity Bills Introduced Albany, N. Y., Feb. 15— State Senator William F. Condon and Assemblyman Malcolm F. Wilson, Westchester Republicans, have introduced bills in the state legislature requiring theatre operators to display signs showing who owns their theatres. Reappoint Ray Feeley Boston, Feb. 15. — Ray Feeley has been reappointed business manager of the Independent Exhibitors of New England for the coming year. Be a better American — Join the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Help make Brotherhood Week a success, Feb. 19-26. o!,9TJ9 , ? FF-Y fAHl M£rti?. .Qu'g'Sy. 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