Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1952)

2 Motion Picture daily Monday, March 24, 1952 Personal Mention EDWARD J. PESKAY, producers' representative, left New York on Friday for a tour of exchange cities. • Robert Benjamin, president of the J. Arthur Rank Organization in the U. S., and his wife, Jean, on Friday became parents of a second child, Jonathan Adam, born at New York Hospital. • Robert Montgomery will address the 20th annual meeting of the Mass Federation of Taxpayers Association at the Hotel Statler, Boston, on Saturday. • Ralph Cattell, vice-president of Jerry Fairbanks Productions, has been confined to his Hollywood home with a virus infection. • Harold Wirthwein, MonogramAllied Artists Western sales manager, returned to Hollywood at the weekend from Seattle and San Francisco. • Walter L. Titus, Jr., Republic district manager, is in Dallas from New York. • Sidney Blumenstock, Paramount advertising manager, on Friday celebrated his 45th birthday. • Foster M. Blake, Universal's Western sales manager, returned here over the weekend from Denver. • Mel Hulling, Monogram franchise holder, is back in San Francisco from Seattle. FCC Hearing Into 10th Week Washington, March 23. — The Federal Communications Commission's Paramount hearings enter their 10th week tomorrow, with cross-examination of witnesses on the proposed merger of American Broadcasting Co. and United Paramount Theatres. Cross-examination will be by FCC attorneys and counsel for Allen B. DuMont Laboratories. First witnesses will probably be UPT president Leonard Goldenson, ABC Board chairman Edward J. Noble and ABC president Robert Kintner. At Friday's hearing, Roger Clipp, chairman of ABC's station advisory committee, said he thought TV would use more and more film, but that the trend would be to shorter films of 15 and 30 minutes. Robert Weitman and Edward Hyman, UPT vice-presidents, were questioned about plans for interchange of talent between UPT and ABC under the merger. Weitman said all stars appearing at the Paramount Theatre now are allowed to make TV appearances if they want, and that he believed that any new talent developed in Paramount Theatres after the merger would be free to go on TV. However, after long argument among counsel, it was agreed that Weitrnan and Hyman would merely be carrying out policy laid down by Goldenson and Kintner, and that these questions should be put to these two officials this week. NT Operations Are Up for Review Los Angeles, March 23. — Charles P. Skouras, president of National Theatres, will open tomorrow's annual four-day NT convention here at the circuit's home offices, setting the first order of business on the agenda for a review of theatre operating results. One of the major highlights of the session wil be an outline of divorcement plans for the company in fulfillment of the 20th Century-Fox consent decree. A report on admissions, covering advance prices, roadshows, junior and servicemen's tickets, will be presented by Jim Runte of Sacramento. Other reports scheduled to be made include controllable expense items, by W. H. Thc-dford, Portland ; problem theatres and new policies, by Stan Brown, Long Beach ; taxation problems, by Dick Dickson, Los Angeles; and juvenile problems, by W. C. Ricord, Jr. also of Los Angeles. Shiffrin to Columbia Albany, N. Y., March 23.— Paul Shif¥rin, booker with M-G-M in New Haven 10 years, is the new bookeroffice manager for Columbia here. He succeeds William Hanley. Starr Now Chairman Of TOA Tax Group Alfred Starr of Nashville, has been named to replace Morton Thalhimer of Richmond, Va., as chairman of the 30-member special tax committee of the Theatre Owners of America, it was announced at the weekend by Mitchell Wolfson, TOA president. Thalhimer, whose appointment was announced on March 10, was forced to decline the chairmanship because a tour of Europe will keep him away from his office for a few months. Starr said, "I will be happy to do all I can as chairman, or otherwise, in the area of discriminatory taxation on the national level. I am not equipped with information to advise exhibitors regarding taxation on the state or local level, but on the national level, count me in." TOA formed the committee to cooperate with the taxation committee of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations headed, by Robert J. O'Donnell and and Col. H. A. Cole. Ehan at 'City' Premiere Abba Plban, the Ambassador of Israel to the United .States, and Mrs. Eban will be hosts to top level representatives of the United States and foreign countries who will be invited to attend the world premiere of "Faithful City," first Israeli-produced English-speaking feature, which is set for Walter Reade's Park Ave. theatre on Ai)ril 7. Plan No Change in U. K. Film Quota London, March 23. — Peter Thorneycroft, president of the Board of Trade, announced on Friday that he does not propose to introduce any order amending Britain's film quota this year. Thus, the quota continues from Oct. 1, next, at 30 per cent for first features and 25 per cent for supporting program films. Myers Urges (Continued from page 1) Newsreel Parade take up measures to strengthen the Council of Motion Picture Organizations, to fight against the inroads of television, and to discuss arbitration, trade practices and other subjects. Myers said the industry must start fighting back against television's attempts, through political influence, pressure tactics and other means, to get the best films for home television. The Federal Communications Commission, he believes, is siding with television broadcasters and laying down policies which, if they prevail, would force the film companies to give their finest pictures to television and would put theatre owners out of business. Unless the distributors change their selling policies and also set up an arbitration system, "the litigation now afflicting the major companies will be but a token of what's in store for them," Myers warned. Should Solicit Merchant Support The COMPO campaign to repeal the Federal admissions tax should solicit the support of all merchants in every town, citing the way theatres attract people to the store and restaurant districts, Myers counselled. He contends the film industry is now challenged by television, burdened by discriminatory taxation, torn by internal dissension and engulfed in a flood of litigation. He said no one doubts the film industry, acting as a unit, could quickly change this pictre, but added that while its leaders have individually shown a fighting spirit, they do not submit to discipline, and "the unhappy result is they are galloping of¥ in all directions." Calling for the top-level, all-industry conference, Myers attacked producer-distributor executives for refusing the "duties and responsibilities of leadership," and delegating these instead to "job seekers, time-servers and routineers." The industry is "dominated and hamstrung," he declared, "by a new and curious breed of executives— nabobs too big to be bothered." "We think the present situation is sufficiently grave," Myers said, "for the holding of a conference — not a mass-meeting— of the top executives in all branches — a sort of council of state." Much of Myers' "white paper" was taken up with tiie challenge from television, and the need for fighting back, T?ISENHOWER in the political J2d news, and events in Korea are current newsreel highlights. Other itemis range from the eclipse of the sun to sports and fashions. Complete contents follow: MOiVIEiTONE NEiWS, No. 25— Minnesota .s?rives Eisenhower liuge write-in vote. Korea prisoners in bloody riot. Troops moved by air. Look magazine honors Susan Hayward. Eclipse of sun. Batista hailed. Old locomotives. NEWS OF THE DAY, No. 259— Malaya war jungle drama. Eisenhower coming home. Scientists study eclipse. Hisrh steT>ping on stilts. Goodwill envoys from Britain. Scrap locomotives. Sutton trial well guarded. Dog in monkey cage. PARAMOUNT NEWS, Nc. 62— Tigne, France; town that progress doomed. Busses from Britain. Spring goes to milady's head. Betty Hutton; A surprise bride. Zoo suits dog just fine. New jet center in Ohio. TELENEWS DIGEST. No. 12-B — GOP contest gets hotter. Detroit; guns and butter production. Truman plans. Revise bible. Mrs. FDR in India. Elephants make music. Fashions. Harriman Cup Race. UNIVERSAL NEWS, No. 545— Scrap drive. Koji Island riot. P'resident Rhee. English busses. Marshall plan in Austria. Korea: new flamethrowers in operation. Old dog and new tricks. WARNER PATHE NEWS, No. ©4 — Batista hailed; Cuban president in Mexico. Hofifman and Ike. Moving at White House. Korea prisoners of war. Korea mine explosion. Dog and monkey story. Ski meet. particularly against what he discerns as the tendency of some Federal groups to pressure companies into selling their best films to television. "These activities by government agencies are outside the scope of their statutory authority, and reflect the political influence that has been brought to bear on them by the television interests," Myers said. He urged the film industry to make clear to the public the "frantic efl^orts by TV to obtain the best motion pictures with which to bolster its own unsatisfactory programs." Myers attacked the FCC for attempting to "build up television at the expense of motion pictures," and for taking the "short sighted policy" that the film industry consists only of the producers, ignoring the great investment in theatres. He said government officials should be made to realize that the motion picture business is a "straightforward, legitimate entertainment business," while "television is a huckster, using entertainment merely as ballyhoo for merchandise." Myers said the public gets the impression that the film industry is running away from the fight, and that the industry should start fighting back. For example, he said, if it's true that theatre lighting preserves or aids vision, while television brings eyestrain, why not publicize this? Get Cleveland Franchise Cincinnati, March 23. — States Film Service, of which Meyer Adelson is president and Bud Wessel is secretary-treasurer, with headquarters here, has acquired the franchise of National Film Service for the Cleveland territory, formerly held by L. C. Gross. The company also maintains shipping and inspection quarters in Indianapolis. MOTION PICTURE DAILY. Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; Terry Ramsaye, Consulting Editor. Published daily, except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, N. Y. Telephone Circle "-,3100. Cable address: "Quigpubco, New York." Martin Quigley. President: Red Kann, Vice-President; Martin Quig-ley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Raymond Levy, Vice-President ; Leo J. Brady, Secretary; James P. Cunningham, News Editor; Herbert V. Fecke, Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager, Hollywood Bureau, YuccaVine Building, William R. Weaver. Editor. Qiicago Bureau, 120 South LaSalle Street, Urben Farley, Advertising Representative, FI 6-3074 Bruce Trinz, Editorial Represental ive, II North Oark Street, FR-2-284.3. Washington, J. A. Often, National Press Club, Washington, D. C. London Bureau, 4 Golden Sq., London Wl; Hope Burnup, Manager; Peter Burnup, Editor; cable address, "Quigpubco, London." Other Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Herald; Better Tlieatres and Theatre Sales, each published 13 times a year as a section of Motion Picture Herald; International Motion Picture Almanac; Fame. Entered as second-class matter, Sept. 21, 1938, at the post office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year, $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign; single copies, 10c.