Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1952)

VOL. 71. NO. 18 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U.S.A., FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1952 TEN CENTS Insider Outlook By RED KANN IF this turns out to be news to Al Lichtman and Charlie Einfeld, they're very welcome to it. Perhaps the most sweeping reaction of all to 20th Century-Fox's merchandising seminar Tuesday came from a very well-known executive whose chief interest is in exhibition but whose activities are competitive in production and distribution as well. He remarked : "It was interesting and instructive, very worthwhile. In fact, it was terrific. I hope my own company recognizes the wisdom of following suit." A self-propelled prowl, suggested by nobody and nothing beyond a reportorial urge to learn what others thought, found agreement was general and in wholesale. The exhibitors who assembled to hear and to see how 20th-Fox was organizing its merchandising approaches to the next six months' product were interested. They liked what they were told. They were impressed with the thoroughness with which various avenues of advertising and exploitation had been investigated and the imagination which set out to capture the possibilities of the approaches. They reacted warmly to the thinking behind what they heard, which was to give them — the customers — first-hand information about the product coming their way between now and June. Not when playdates are snapping at their heels, but weeks in advance so that enterprise in showmanship can do something with the opportunity. "At least, they know we're alive and are telling us what they are doing," a substantial cross-section of exhibition opinion agreed. "At least, we're trying," remarked Lichtman privately after the meeting. ■ He was being unduly modest. It was better than just a try. The round of applause rolling out at the conclusion reflected genuine enthusiasm and appreciation for a plan well conceived and beautifully executed by a fast-stepping and fast-thinking staff, obviously aware of its responsibility and ready to acquit its assignment. Sen. Johnson Demands End Of Color Ban Washington, Jan. 24. — Senate Commerce Committee chairman Ed Johnson today raised his powerful voice in a strong attack on the National Production Authority's color television ban. He declared the NPA order No. M-90 was "just another unwarranted crippling blow aimed directly and specifically at color television." In a letter to Defense Mobilizer Charles E. Wilson, Johnson pointed out that the NPA limits the amounts of materials going to set manufacturers anyhow. "What difference is there to the defense effort," he demanded, "once you have made the allocation of the materials, as to whether or not the materials are used for black and white, or color. This order is an attempt to regulate the end product." Johnson pointed out that the Commerce Committee "has followed and nursed color television development (Continued on page 6) MorePara.-DuMont Witnesses Differ On Stock Disposal Washington, Jan. 24. — Differing versions of why Dr. Allen B. DuMont refused to sign an April, 1950, agreement for the disposition of Paramount Pictures' stock in his company were given today by DuMont's New York counsel, Edwin A. Falk, and by J. P. Murtagh, a Paramount attorney who worked on the agreement. The two testified on the final day of the Federal Communications Commission hearing which has been going into the question of Paramount's con (Continucd on page 6) Company Presidents To Hear TV Report A progress report on the preparation of the industry's brief for the allocation of frequencies to theatre television will be rendered Tuesday at a meeting of the executive committee of the Motion Picture Association of America here. Company presidents, in addition, are expected to take up the selection of studio witnesses to appear on behalf of the industry's bid to the Federal Com(Continued on page 6) COMPO Board Meet Put Off to Feb. 20 The annual meeting of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations executive board and board of directors has been postponed from Feb. 1415 to Feb. 20-21, for the convenience of members from distant po'nts who have planned to attend the Feb. 25 hearing in Washington before the Federal Communications Commission on the allocation of theatre TV channels. The COMPO meeting will feature an election of officers and discussion of industry public relations plans. It will be held at New York's Hotel Astor. Set $150,000 Goal For Industry in Brotherhood Drive An expanded goal of $150,000 in contributions to the National Conference of Christians and Jews from the motion picture industry was disclosed here yesterday by Henry A. Linet, publicity chairman for the industry's participation in the 1952 Brotherhood Week observance, Feb. 17-24. George P. Skouras is general chairman for the industry campaign. His ideas for giving added meaning to Brotherhood Week were described to industry committeemen and trade press representatives at a luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel here yesterday. Trade press cooperation for the campaign was petitioned. Stressing that there is really only one gilt-edged security in the invest(Continued on page 3) Reagan to Preside at MGM Sales Meeting Charles M. Reagan, M-G-M vicepresident and general sales manager, will head a home office contingent leaving here Sunday for Chicago to attend a two-day sales conference of divisional heads which will get under way at the Ambassador East Hotel on Monday. With him will be Edward M. Saunders, assistant general sales manager ; John P. Byrne, Eastern sales head, and H. M. Richey, exhibitor relations head. .A.lso to be on hand for the sessions will be John J. Maloney, Central sales head, from Pittsburgh ; Rudy Berger. Southern, Washington; Burtus {Continued on page 3) South Lists 9 Trade Issues For TOA Meet Martin to Tafce Problems To Coast Board Parley _ Atl.^nta, Jan. 24.— E. D. Martin, chairman of the Theatre Owners of America's eight-state Southeastern regional organization, was instructed at today's meeting here of the regional's leaders to take up with the TOA board nine trade relations issues that have been troubling exhibitors of the area. The issues, which Martin will present in person to the TOA board meeting in Los Angeles next Monday through Thursday, are: (1) arbitration, (2) forcing of advanced admission prices through unreasonable percentages and subterfuge, (3) print shortages, (4) clearances, (5) development of new stars, (6) forced selling of pictures, [Continued on page 6) Philadelphia Next On 20th'Fox Series Of Regional Meets First of the regional exhibitors' seminars and merchandising meetings to he held around the country by 20th Century-Fox will take place next Thursday at the Erlanger Theatre in Philadelphia. Plans for the Philadelphia session were set up here yesterday in conferences between director of distribution Al Lichtman, vice-president Charles Einfeld, executive assistant sales manager W. C. Gehring, Glenn N orris, Atlantic division manager and (Con finned on page 3) Consider Drive-in 'Co-op' Promotion Albany, N. Y., Jan. 24.— A proposal that all New York State driveins join in a cooperative institutional advertising campaign for the opening of the 1952 season will be advanced at an Albany Theatre Owners of America drive-in section meeting scheduled for a date here within the next two weeks. In revealing the plan, temporary chairman Harry Lamont said he would like to have "the (Continued on page 3)