Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

FILM NEWS MOTION PICTURE DAILY .1* i VOL. 69. NO. 20 NEW YORK, U. S. A., MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 1951 TEN CENTS Six Industry Units Study Conservation Yates Receives VFW Medal For His 'Americanism' NPA Names Four More Advisory 'Task Forces' Washington, Jan. 28. — The appointment of four more task forces from the film industry to study conservation measures and make suggestions for limitation-allocation orders was announced here today by Nathan D. Golden, director of the National Production Authority's film branch. At a recent meeting here, two such task groups were set up from the 35mm. motion picture equipment industry. Their reports are due by Feb. 9. Two of the four groups announced by Golden today come from the silver sensitized goods (film) industry and die other two from the photographic apparatus and equipment industry, dealing largely in photographic supplies. All four must report within 30 days. The appointment of the new task groups came as U. S. defense officials continued to warn of tightening material supplies. Golden said that one task group (Continued on page 4) 20th Sales Meet Today The two-day home office meeting of 20th Century-Fox division sales managers will start here this morning with Andy W. Smith, distribution vice-president, presiding. Attending will be company president Spyros P. Skouras and vice-presidents Al Lichtman and Charles Einfeld, who will participate in the discussions on forthcoming product and sales plans. Division managers will present ter(Continued on page 4) Los Angeles, Jan. 28. — The Veterans of Foreign Wars bestowed "its highest honor," a gold citizenship medal, on Herbert J. Yates, president of Republic Pictures, at a luncheon at the Hotel Biltmore here yesterday. The award was voted to Yates by the 1,200,000 members of the VFW for his "outstanding contribution to Americanism" and was presented to him by VFW ComYates is the H. J. Yates mander-in-Chief Ralls 10th person to be so honored in the history of the national veterans organization. In attendance at the luncheon were scores of industry leaders, high ranking officers of the Armed Forces in addition to state officials and civic leaders both from Los Angeles and elsewhere. Accepting the VFW medal Yates said, "This is a glorious honor, made so because of the intent which motivated it, Americanism.' In this world of greed and aggression we should first seek peaceful ways of settling our problems with those nations that sincerely want peace. But if the price of peace means sacrifice of our Godgiven rights, then fight we must, as united Americans, until we crush those who would destroy our American way of life. Americans will never fail to fight to protect these sacred heritages." Tri-States TOA in Convention Today Memphis, Jan. 28 — Tri-States Theatre Owners, a TOA affiliate, will open its annual three-day convention at the Hotel Gayoso here tomorrow to discuss COMPO, unfair competition from outside interests, loopholes in Federal amusement taxes, television, and the many other problems facing the industry. Gael Sullivan, executive director of the TOA; R. J. O'Donnell, Dallas, and Marc Wolf, president of Variety International, of Indianapolis, are expected to be among the key speakers ; {Continued on page 2) Allied of Texas Opens Annual Meet Dallas, Jan. 28. — "Every exhibitor in the State of Texas" has been invited by Allied of Texas to attend that organization's annual convention, to be held at the Adolphus Hotel here tomorrow and Tuesday. Among top speakers expected are Arthur Mayer of COMPO, from New York, and R. J. O'Donnell of Dallas. Sam Shain, exhibitor relations director of 20th Century-Fox, New York, will also address the convention. Delegates have been promised a full report and explanation of "the (Continued on page 2) Briskin Release from Para. Weighed Here Barney Balaban, Paramount president, and Y. Frank Freeman, vicepresident and studio head, were considering the request of Sam Briskin for a release from his contract as aide to Freeman at the company's Hollywood studio, in meetings held here over the weekend. Freeman arrived (Continued on page 4) Tri-States Delegates Will Get 'Star PooF Proposal Delegates to the Tri-States Theatre Owners Association convention in Memphis, to be held today through Wednesday, will be sounded out on the possibilities of a proposal that a "star pool" be set up in Hollywood for the purpose of supplying smalltown theatres with a steady stream of actors and actresses for brief personal appearances in conjunction with film programs. Conceived by Edward Lachman, former president of Allied of New Jersey, it will be presented by him informally to the delegates at the convention of the Theatre Owners of America affiliate, Lachman disclosed here on Friday. He will attend the meetings not as an Allied member, but as president of Carbons, Inc., of Boonton, N. J. The "star pool" plan calls for a large reserve of screen performers each of whom would, from time to time, make appearances for 15 or 20 minutes on the stages of small-town theatres in several localities during the course of a single evening. The plan sets forth also that each such the atre could bring to its stage a differ ent Hollywood personality practically every week. Lachman said there is no doubt about the validity of the suggestion, (Continued on page 4) OCD Policy On Theatres To Be Liberal No Present Plans Now To Close Theatres Washington, Jan. 28. — Barring definite word of an imminent attack on a particular town or area, the government has no present plans for asking a theatre to close down or for asking people to cease congregating in public places. That can be authoritatively stated after conversations with top Administration officials. It was learned that the Council of Motion Picture Organizations had protested to the White House over recent reports that gave rise to a wide-spread fear, and many questions in the industry that such a shut-down might be imminent. In response to this protest and at White House request, the Office of Civilian Defense is presently preparing a statement of official policy for the theatre industry, with OCD officials hoping to have it ready by mid-week. It is believed that this statement will (Continued on page 4) Film Wages Seen Hit Washington, Jan. 28.— While film admissions and rentals are exempt from the price control law and so are not affected by the government's price freeze, film industry wages and salaries have been frozen at Jan. 25 levels as a result of the wage freeze order issued late Friday. At least this is the concensus_ of opinion among government officials handling wage controls. None will (Continued on page 2) Name Whitman RKO Theatres Counsel William F. Whitman has been named general counsel of RKO Theatres, it was announced here at the weekend by Sol. A. Schwartz, president of the theatre corporation. Whitman has been a member of the RKO theatre legal staff for some 20 years. He is presently secretary of RKO Theatres Corp.