Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1950)

DO NOT REMOVF MOTION PICTURE DAILY [Concise and Impartial }L. 67. NO. 76 NEW YORK, U.S.A., THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1950 TEN CENTS Inited Para. Tieatres Nets 3,193,000 Irst Quarter Report eighs Video Effects United Paramount Theatres, in first quarterly report, made pubyesterdav, revealed consolidated -nings of $3,193,000 for the three nths ended last March 31. The npanv's share of undistributed earns of partly owned, non-consolidatcompanies amounted to an addition$670,000 during the period. Leonard Goldenson, UPT .resident, estimated that earnings for the quarter were about 8 per cent below the correponding 1949 quarter, but were ip substantially from the last luarter of 1949. The first quarer last year was the best for he year and the last quarter he poorest, he said, during the first three months of '0, UPT received $1,072,000 in cash {Continued on page 4) reasury Has Done 11 It Can for Tax ut, Snyder Says The Treasury called the attention the House Ways and Means Comtee to the Federal admission tax cifically when it advised the comfetee that if there were any inequi; in the present excise taxes which '1 been overlooked in the Treasury's '. ommendations such inequities (Continued on page 4) .K. Trade to Try gain for Tax Cut .ondon, April 19. — An all-industry imittee, at an emergency meeting 1 here today, sent Chancellor of the chequer Sir Stafford Cripps a jngly worded remonstrance for toy ignoring the subject of entertain (Continned on page 4) TV'War'Opens Over Talent Jurisdiction The international board of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America yesterday voted here to give Television Authority complete jurisdiction in the organization of talent in the entire television field — television films included. The Screen Actors Guild at once interpreted the action as a declaration of jurisdictional war against SAG and the Screen Extras Guild. Both film guilds are branches of the Four-A's and were represented at yesterday's board meeting, but they were outvoted on the Four-A's board by five "live" talent unions. The big question now is: Will SAG and SEG bolt the FourA's? It is expected to be answered, in part at least, at a (Continued on page 5) John Nolan, Veteran Comerford Official John Nolan, manager of the film purchasing and booking departments of Comerford Theatres for the past 15 years, died Tuesday night at St. Monica's Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona, the New York office of the circuit disclosed here yesterday. Nolan, 58 years old, had been re (Continued on page 2) GIVE RKO TO 1951 FOR DIVORCEMENT Walsh Pledges TA' To Palsy Campaign The "hearty endorsement" of Richard F. Walsh, president of the IATSE, has been given to the May campaign of the United Cerebral Palsy Associations, guaranteeing "the full cooperation of IATSE members everywhere." Leonard Goldenson, UCPA president and president of United Paramount Theatres, was told by Walsh that "this applies, in particular to our projectionists who will be handling the May 7 issues of the five newsreels, which will include a campaign trailer, and our theatre employes, who will assist in handling audience collections." Paramount has prepared a two-andone-half-minute trailer, featuring Alan Ladd and William Demarest, which the May 7 issues of all newsreels will carry. All theatres have been asked to show the trailer at all performances. Richard F. Walsh 'Films Finest Educators Snyder Tells Bond Meet Reach Settlement in Ace Anti-Trust Suit Chicago, April 19. — The dismissal of the Ace Theatre, Hammond, Ind., equity anti-trust suit is to be effected within a week, with all 14 defendants having come to settlement terms with the plaintiff, Peter Poulos, operator of the 500-seat house. Filed in October, 1948, the suit sought an abolition of clearance held (Continued on page 4) . The motion picture is the finest of all educational mediums, not barring schools and colleges, Secretary of the Treasury John W. Snyder declared here yesterday in addressing a luncheon-meeting of industry executives who will direct motion picture activities in the Treasury's coming Independence Bond Drive. The basis of the drive is the practice of thrift, Snyder said, and the motion picture and its people can be invalu (Continued on page 4) Court Rejects US Move For Trustee to Split Company After May 8 U. S. Statutory Court in an open hearing here yesterday extended the deadline for completion of divorcement by RKO from May 8 to Dec. 31, 1950, and at the same time rejected the motion of the Department of Justice which proposed the court appointment of a trustee to direct the immediate divorcement of the corporation. RKO has asked an extension to Feb. 8, 1953, which would have been the same amount of time given Loew's, Warners and 20th Century-Fox by the court in its divorcement decree against the three earlier this year. Special RKO attorney William O. Donovan argued yesterday that the company has suffered "unforeseen and (Continued on page 5) Separate Vote on Each Excise Seen a Break for Industry Washington, April 19. — The House Ways and Means Committee today rejected an immediate, 50 per cent across-the-board cut in wartime excise tax rates and instead decided to vote separately on each individual excise. Some Committee members opposed (Continued on page 4) 'Free Movie' Idea Headed for Limbo Washington, April 19.— A halfdozen suggestions for improving theatre business, including a "Free Movie Day," were turned over to a special committee today by the Theatre Owners Association of Metropolitan (Continued on page 4) A PARAMOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN! • IF IT'S A PARAMOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN ! • IF IT'S A PARAMOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST SHOW r/dS§T&h\% BEST CROSBY SINCE 'GOING MY WAY'." A Paramount Picture — PROVIDENCE JOURNAL TOWN! IF IT'S A PARAMOUNT PICTURE, IT'S THE BEST