Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY I _____ ' | ■ .: ., , j Accurate ! Concise ; and , Impartial VOL. 69. NO. 40 NEW YORK, U. S. A., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1951 TEN CENTS Asks WSB to Independents Rallying to Rule on Film | UA, Say Stillman, Spiegel Wage Control Johnston's Wage Boost Formula Affects Industry Washington, Feb. 27. — Economic Stabilizer Eric A. Johnston has directed the Wage Stabilization Board to give immediate attention to the question of whether wage controls should be continued in the film industry and other industries exempt from price controls. If the board should decide that controls should be continued, it is directed to determine exactly what special procedures might be needed in these industries. The board will probably hold hearings on the problem at an early date. This was revealed as Johnston issued an order setting a nation-wide overall wage increase formula. The formula would permit without prior government approval any wage increases between Jan. 15, 1950 and July, 1951 up to a total of ten per (Continued on page 4) Studios Offer 10* Hourly Wage Boost Hollywood, Feb. 27. — A proposed ten cent an hour wage boost was part of a four-point offer made today by major studios in negotiations with IATSE locals. A union representative, however, said the offer is not satisfactory under present conditions and said that certain union requests would be taken up at another meeting with the producers on Friday. The ten cent boost would apply to all hourly rated employees and a proportionate increase to all flat salaried employees would be made. The other points include paid holidays for all (Continued on page 2) Priority Order for Repair Materials Washington. Feb. 27. — The National Production Authority today gave all U. S. establishments, including theatres and other film industry firms, the right to use government priorities to get materials and equipment for the maintenance, repair and operation of present facilities. Many firms have complained that they cannot get materials to keep present facilities in good condition. The (Continued on page 4) Robert Stillman, head of Stillman Productions, which releases through United Artists, declared here yesterday that a large number of independent producers have been waiting for UA to get on a sound footing, and that these independents soon will represent "new blood" in the company's activities. Here from the Coast to deliver a print of his latest production, "Queen for a Day," Stillman said he was "gratified to see that UA now is in the hands of people who will make it work." There is now a "definite feeling of security" among independent producers in consequence of the takeover of the company by the Arthur Krim-Robert Benjamin-Matthew Fox group, Stillman observed. He was supported in that contention by Irving Rubine, vice-president of Stillman Productions, who left a sick bed to attend a luncheon at the Stork Club (Continued on page 2) Sam Spiegel, partner with John Huston in Horizon Productions, which recently concluded a deal to release its forthcoming "African Queen" through United Artists, said at a press interview here yesterday that the new management set-up at UA is the answer to the "prayers" of a large number of independent producers on the Coast. Spiegel, who sometimes produces under the name of S. P. Eagle, said that although it has no overall contract with UA, Horizon plans to deliver six pictures to UA over the next two years. Additionally, Horizon has a pact with Eagle Lion Classics calling for two films. "African Queen," the producer said, will be co-produced with the Wolfe Brothers of Britain and therefore will be a British quota picture. Horizon will have distribution rights in the Western Hemisphere and the Wolfes (Continued on page 2) U A Set to Join Theatres on Ads United Artists, under its new management, is prepared to join with exhibitors in exploitation and promotional activities, Max E. Youngstein, newly named advertising publicity vice-president, reported here yesterday. "All we want is a fair sharing of expense and a decent house budget," he said. In about 90 days, U. A. will have a permanent staff of 15 field exploiteers, Youngstein said. The present staff numbers eight. From time to time, in accordance with the demands of individual pictures, the exploitation staff will be augmented with temporary exploiteers, Youngstein explained. "The set-up will parallel the one I had at Paramount," (Continued on page 2) Blumenstock West On Plans for Four Mort Blumenstock, Warner's vicepresident in charge of advertisingpublicity, will leave here by plane tomorrow for the company's West Coast studios, accompanied by Gil Golden, advertising manager, and Larry Golob, Eastern publicity director. Purpose of the trip is to finalize promotional campaigns on "I Was a Communist for the FBI," starring Frank Lovejoy; "Strangers on a Train," starring Ruth Roman, Robert Walker and Farley Granger, and directed by Alfred Hitchcock ; "Jim (Continued on page 4) N. Y. Meet Leads Off Three 4U' Regionals The first of three regional sales meetings to be attended by Al Daff, Universal's director of world sales ; John Davis, managing director of the J. Arthur Rank organization in Britain, and Charles Feldman, Universal sales manager, will open at the Warwick Hotel here today. With the New York meeting concluding tomorrow, the others will be held at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, on Friday and Saturday, and the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, on Monday and Tuesday. Attending the New York meeting will be Nate Blumberg, Universal president ; David Lipton, advertisingpublicity vice-president ; Maurice Bergman, public relations executive ; (Continued on page 4) Martin, Wilkinson, Settoon Promoted Henry H. Martin has been promoted to Universal district manager in Dallas by Charles J. Feldman, domestic sales manager, who also disclosed here yesterday the promotion of Robert N. Wilkinson to branch manager in Dallas, the post previously held by Martin, and the promotion of salesman Richard C. Settoon to branch manager in Memphis, previously held by Wilkinson. Martin replaces the late Joseph E. Garrison. He will supervise Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and New Orleans. Phonevision's Second Month Holds Steady No Noticeable Decline But Showmen Unworried Chicago, Feb. 27. — With twothirds of the 90-day Phonevision test here to be completed tomorrow local showmen are as placid now as they were a month ago in their attitude toward pay-as-you-see television films as competition for the established theatre. The consensus here is that nothing developed during the second month of the threemonth test to make it necessary for them to revise their complacency achieved after close observation of Phonevision for the first 30 days. However, many who predicted that Fhonevision's test subscriptions would decline noticeably once the first bloom ot novelty and publicity had worn off expressed surprise that February or (Continued on page 2} Paramount Expands N. Y. Sales Meet Paramount's division managers' sales meeting in New York on Friday and Saturday will be attended by thirteen additional home office executives, it was announced here yesterday by A. W. Schwalberg, president of Paramount Film Distributing Corp The 13 are : Robert J. Rubin, newlyappointed assistant to Barney Balaban; Sid Blumenstock, advertising manager; Al Kane, assistant Eastern and Southern division manager ; Monroe Goodman, executive assistant to Schwalberg; Fred Leroy, head of the statistical department; J. A. Walsh, head of branch operations; his assis(Cotitinued on page 4) 11 Added to Para.'s Service Contracts Eleven additional pictures have been added to Paramount's "Security Service Contract," it was annonnced here yesterday by A. W. Schwalberg, president of Paramount Film Distributing Corp. They include all releases from April through August, 1951. The Security Service Contract was set up by Paramount in 1949 for exhibitors in smaller situations. The 11 additional films, which com(Continued on page 4)