Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

Tuesday, February 27, 1951 Motion Picture Daily 7 20TH SPACES PRINTS FOR PEAK LOAD' WEEKS TO SAVE FILM Spacing out of "peak load" weeks for subsequent runs is the method planned by 2(Jth Century-Fox to conserve raw stock by reducing the number of prints of each picture, according to William C. Gehring, 20th's assistant, general sales manager. The objective is to keep 20th-Fox's film-stock buy at its present level even though the company will release five more pictures in 1951 than it did in 1950, Gehring said. He is confident that playing schedules can be re-arranged sufficiently to accomplish this without materially changing the availability of prints. Gehring said the government did not suggest the move, but that the company wishes to tighten up on its use of raw stock in case of a possible shortage due to defense demands. He pointed out that as yet the film division of the National Production Authority has placed no limitations on the use of raw stock. As an example of a "peak load" Gehring used the Philadelphia situation where, after a three-week clearance, a film breaks in 21 subsequent-runs. If other large cities have a subsequent-run break on the same film in the same period, the demand for prints runs very high. By shifting the subsequentrun breaks in various cities a smaller number of prints can fill the demand. Pre-release saturation bookings, Gehring said, actually ease the strain on print demand by taking care of solid sections of the country before general release. Print requirements vary with different films, Gehring reminded. On the basis of 60 bookings per print, theoretically 250 prints could take care of 15,000 accounts, but that number is rarely sufficient. He noted that "Father Was A Fullback" needed 500 prints to keep up the demand. Gehring said that he would be satisfied if the new scheduling plan, still not completed, keeps the number of 20th-Fox prints somewhere between a low of 300 and a high of 400. Will Ask Compo to Act on 'Star Pool' When the board of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations meets again in the spring, Edward Lachman's proposal for a "Hollywood star pool" will be recommended for incorporation in COMPO's general plans. Lachman, member of Allied States Association's board, reported here yesterday that he urged at its recent meeting in Washington that COMPO be asked to act on the proposal. The plan calls for a reserve of stars who would be routed into small-town theatres from time to time for personal appearances along with regular film shows. U.K. Theatre Gross Up Last Summer London, Feb. 26. — Britain's 4,580 theatres grossed £26,976,000 for the three months ended Sept. 30, last, according to statistics just published by the British Board of Trade. The figure represents a gain of 6.6 per cent over the preceding quarter. The number of admissions, some 358,913,000, was five per cent more than in the previous quarter. Average admission price was 18 pence, compared with 17.8 pence in the previous quarter. The proportions of gross going to admission tax, film rental and exhibitors remained practically unchanged from the previous quarter. Unused studio space increased to 62 per cent and studio employment declined further to 3,523 persons from a previous total in excess of 4,000. Sulphur Shortage Hits British 'Labs' London, Feb. 26. — An expected allocation order for chemicals to British users, including film laboratories, is expected to be made by the U. S. National Production Authority around March 1 to alleviate a drastic shortage here. Sulphur and its derivatives are the products in particularly short supply. William A. Fielder, chairman of the Film Laboratory Association, said that unless an adequate allocation is obtained soon, laboratories would be forced to close, with an immediate effect on the entire British film industry. So serious was the situation that Harold Wilson, president of the Board of Trade, planned to visit Washington to press for an immediate allocation. His planned visit will be canceled if the NPA acts this week, as expected. Wiethe Heads Ohio Film Booking U nit Cincinnati, Feb. 26. — Louis Wiethe, local circuit operator, has been reelected president of the Theatre Owners Corp., a buying-booking agency. Willis V ance was retained as first vice-president. New officers include Charles Ackerman, second vice-president, Herman Hunt, secretary, and Elstun Dodge, treasurer. Harold Hoffert was chosen to head the new post of exhibitor relations. Ruth Drout was appointed short subject booker and Rex Carr was renamed general manager. Directors, in addition to the officers, include : Mrs. M. M. Wienig, Maurice Chase, John Hewitt, Jerome Kuntz, Manny Marcus and Sante Macci. RCA Protests FCC High Court Brief Washington, Feb. 26. — The Supreme Court was asked today by Radio Corp. of America to deny the motion of the Federal Communications Commission seeking to avoid the court's review of the color television case. In its brief, RCA claimed that the Commission's action in prohibiting the broadcasting of its color television system in competition with the CBS color system is contrary to law. It also pointed out that this is the first time that the Federal regulation of the television industry has come before the Supreme Court. M-G-M Steps Up Trailer Output More stars and personalities will narrate and appear in trailers for the forthcoming M-G-M product than ever before in the company's history, it was reported to Howard Dietz, advertising publicity vice president, by Frank Whitbeck, studio trailer and advertising head. Dietz returned here yesterday from the. Coast, where the policy was set following extensive discussions by M-G-M executives. The "go-ahead" sign was also given by Dietz for producing 15 two-weeksin-advance teaser trailers to precede regular trailers on theatre screens by one week. Representing one third of the company's 45-picture output, teasers for the coming year are more than triple last year's total. British Royalty at Warner Premiere Britain's Princess Margaret will head the world premiere audience at Warner's "Captain Horatio Hornblower" when it opens at the Warner Theatre, London, on April 12, Warner's home office reported here. Vice-Admiral Earl Mountbatten is the president of a committee in charge of special arrangements and sale of tickets for the premiere, which is to be held for the benefit of King George's Fund for Sailors. Correction Carl Foreman received the top trophy in the recent third annual awards presentation of the Screen Writers Guild, for his "The Men," being awarded the Robert Meltzer Award for the picture of the year "which best depicts the American scene." It was inadvertently stated that Foreman and Meltzer had been given the award. The Meltzer Award is presented annually. Files Anti-Monopoly Mexican Film Plan _ Mexico City, Feb. 26. — A plan aimed at curbing alleged monopolistic practices in the Mexican film industry has been submitted to General Abelardo L. Rodriguez, head of Credito Cinematografico, the semi-official film producing, distributing, exhibiting and financing organization. He promised to submit the plan, which is intended to encourage private initiative, to President Miguel Aleman. The proposal which calls for more private financing initiative by affording more facilities for private banks to back film production and theatre operation, was submitted by a delegation of independent producers, headed by Miguel Contreras Torres. The independents complain of too much semiofficial financing. King Brothers File Suit on 'Gangs' Los Angeles, Feb. 26. — KingBrothers has filed a Superior Court breach of contract suit here against Eagle Lion Classics, PRC Pictures and Pathe Industries, Inc., asking an accounting on "Paper Bullets," produced by King in 1941, and currently reissued as "Gangs, Inc." The suit asserts that the distributing companies subjected the film to distribution costs in excess of terms called for under the contract and failed to reveal this in statements until recently. Files Copyright Action LI. K. S. Motion Picture Producing and Distributing Corp. reported here yesterday that it has begun in U. S. District Court, New York, an action against Dwain Esper and RKO Theatres charging infringement of copyright covering a film entitled "Savage Bride." Damages of indeterminate amount and an injunction are sought. Weisners to Form Production Firm Irving Weisner, realtor, and formerly an exhibitor, and his brother. Sidney, an attorney, will form Weisner Brothers Productions, with headquarters here for the production and financial support of independents. They will also schedule six pictures to be made by the company itself. The Weisners entered the motion picture field with "Two Gals and a Guy," which starred Robert Alda and Janis Paige. Wood Estimates Drop Of $6,000,000 Columbus, O., Feb. 26. — Gross theatre receipts in 14 major Ohio cities during 1950 dropped $6,000,000, according to a report by P. J. Wood, secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio. Wood based the figure on a 17 per cent decline in admission tax receipts in those cities. He said that an additional $6,000,000 was dropped by other areas in the state. The 14 cities include Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Lima, Lorain, Mansfield, Marion, Newark, Portsmouth, Springfield, Warren and Youngstown. Columbus had a drop of 21 per cent, the second highest ; Cincinnati was highest with a 27 per cent decline. Wood said the Columbus drop represents a gross decline in boxoffice receipts of $960,000 in 50 theatres. 35th Anniversary For 'Tarzan' Series "Tarzan's Peril," current Sol Lesser feature produced for release through RKO Pictures, marks the 35th anniversary of the Tarzan series. Robert Mochrie. RKO's sales vicepresident, reported here that the picture will open in as many theatres as possible on March 15 in observance of the anniversary. Lex (Tarzan) Barker is touring the country making personal appearances in advance of the blanket playoff. N. Y. Transit Ban Albany, N. Y., Feb. 26. — A bill which would ban "dangerous" transportation of nitro-cellulose, instead of cellulose acetate film, upon a vehicular crossing operated by the New York Port Authority has been passed by the senate and sent to the assembly.