Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

_ MOTION PICTURE FILM I ^ |T |^ ^1^^ NEWS ! i/>^JL JLf J. VOL. 69. NO. 24 NEW YORK, U.S.A., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1951 TEN CENTS Pay Freeze to Highlight IA' Board Agenda Walsh Off for Tucson as Industry Status Is Set Now that it has been authoritatively indicated in Washington that the film industry and other industries whose prices are free from control are "definitely under" the wage freeze, it is expected that a stand on the wage control order, will be taken by the IATSE international executive board when it meets in Tucson next week. The meeting will open Monday at the Santa Rita Hotel. "IA" international president Richard F. Walsh left here yesterday by train for Tucson accompanied by William P. Raoul, secretary-treasurer ; James J. Brennan, international vicepresident, and Thomas J. Shea, assistant international president. The "IA" board may or may not announce publicly whatever stand it takes on the wage freeze order. If it maintains for the time being an official silence, the explanation for that is expected to lie in the possibility {Continued on page 3) Midwest and Majors Sued for $650,000 Chicago, Feb. 1.— A $650,000 antitrust suit has been filed in the Federal court of Kansas by the Crawford Theatre, operated by O. F. Sullivan, against Fox Midwest Amusement Corp. and eight distributors. The complaint asks the court to enjoin the defendants from refusing to serve the Crawford first-run product. The Crawford is located three miles from the Downtown section of Wichita, and maintains it should play first (Continued on page 3) Independent Claims Unfair Clearance Albany, Feb. 1. — An anti-trust suit action alledging restraint of trade in clearances granted where it is claimed no substantial competition exists, has been filed by St. Lawrence Investor, Inc., conducting the American Theatre at Canton, against Schine Chain Theatres, operating in Ogdensburg. Also named were Loew's, RKO, Warner, 20th-Fox, Paramount, Columbia, Universal and United Artists. Leonard Rosenthal of Albany, is attorney for Alex Papayanako, the plaintiff. 'Jackie Robinson' Pays 75% Dividend An initial dividend of 75 per cent plus interest is being paid today to the scores of investors in the production, "The Jackie Robinson Story," which was distributed by Eagle Lion Classics. One or more subsequent payments are certain, virtually assuring investors in the picture of an eventual profit. The flint was the idea of William J. Heineman, ELC distribution vice president. Made on a modest budget, it was financed entirely by business associates of Heineman's who invested from several hundred to several thousand dollars each. Griffis and MPEA Confer on U. S. Product in Spain Stanton Griffis, newly-appointed U. S. Ambassador to Spain, met here yesterday with the Motion Picture Export Association board for a run-down of the problems confronting American film companies in that country. He was asked by the board to help ease the importation and distribution difficulties being encountered in Spain. Griffis, who is chairman of the executive committee of Paramount Pictures, will leave for Madrid later this month. Ellis G. Arnall, president of the Soc'ety of Independent Motion Picture Producers, pre (Continued on page 3) 'U' Completes Field Lineup, Promotes Frew, Rosian, Kelly Completing the realignment of Universal^ domestic distribution set-up, James V. Frew has been named Atlanta district manager, P. F. Rosian has been shifted from the Cincinnati district to the Cleveland district previously supervised by P. T. Dana, who was recently named Eastern sales manager, and William D. Kelly, Jr. has been named branch manager in Atlanta. The promotions were reported here yesterday by C. J. Feldman, Universal^ manager of domestic sales. Frew, who had been Atlanta branch manager, will supervise Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Memphis, with headquarters in Atlanta. Rosian started with Universal in 1939, was named Cincinnati manager in 1940, and district manager in 1941. Headquartering in Cleveland in his new assignment, he will supervise Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh. Kelly had been sales supervisor in Atlanta. Herman Robhins to Aid JDA Appeal Herman Robbins, president of National Screen Service, has been named chairman of the amusements division of the Joint Defense Appeal campaign in Greater New York, it was disclosed here yesterday by Harry Brandt, chairman of the jDA campaign cabinet. Robbins will mobilize support for the drive throughout the film' industry, and in the fields of the theatre, radio, television, sports, music and records, and among entertainers and concessionaires. The JDA is the fund-raising branch of the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. Better Product Lifts Nation's Grosses^ 'M. P. Herald' Field Survey Reveals A sharp upswing in business at the nation's box-offices, credited in the main to better product, is reported by theatre owners for January, the Motion Picture Herald will say today. In some cities the improvement is only relative, but, nevertheless, things are brighter. All over the country, top pictures are doing good business and in many instances, long-vanished lines are again appearing before box-offices. Grosses, which slumped badly during the Christmas week to give some theatres their lowest holiday receipts on record, in some places are soaring between 10 and 25 per cent above those chalked up for January of 1949. Theatremen queried in the field survey are speaking with voices that show a new confidence and hope for the future, the Herald reports. They say business, especially in larger cities, is spotty, with the audience apparently determined to pick-and-choose, but the big pictures are grossing big money. Map Industry Steps for Raw Stock Saving Conservation Plans Up To Studios, Exchanges Washington, Feb. 1. — A major industry effort to conserve raw stock by eliminating waste in both production and distribution and to reduce film consumption in other ways is under way in the industry. Much of the conservation program will consist of educational work by key studio and distribution representatives, with the aim of coping with the impending film shortage due to increased military raw stock requirements, and in the hope of avoiding the need for government allocation of raw stock, such as that in effect during World War II. It has been proposed that John B. McCullough of the Motion Picture Association of America's conservation department in New York be authorized by distribution companies to visit {Continued on page 3) Say Exhibitors Need Not Fear OCD Plan Washington, Feb. 1. — The Office of Civilian Defense, putting off until "early next week" its promised statement on the role of the motion picture industry in the OCD program., still emphasizes that there is no intent on the Government's part to close theatres or discourage people from congregating in them, barring word of an imminent attack on a particular area. The statement will also go into the contribution which the industry can {Continued on page 3) Vogel to Meet with Division Managers Joseph R. Vogel, vice-president of Loew's in charge of theatre operations, will preside at a meeting of Loew's out-of-town division managers today at the home office. In attendance will be : Orville Crouch, Washington ; Charles Kurtzman, Boston ; Harry Shaw, New Haven ; Mike Cullen, . St. Louis ; Martin Burnett, Columbus ; Frank Murphy, Cleveland. Also attending will be Oscar A. Doob, John Murphy, in addition to various other home office department heads, it was announced.