Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1952)

Monday, March 24, 1952 Motion Picture Daily 7 Solid Distribution Bloc on Arbitration Eric A. Johnston's disclosure that 10 distributors will participate in an industry conference on arbitration marks the first time that a solid bloc of distributors has formed for such a purpose. Columbia, Universal, United Artists, Republic and Monogram stood apart from the arbitration arrangement provided for in the 1940 consent decree in the industry antitrust suit because of the expense involved. The first report that these companies would accept invitations to join in an industry arbitration conference was published by Motion Picture Daily on February 11. Price to Princeton Sherman Price has been appointed New York sales manager of Princeton Film Center, Inc., by Jack Barless, executive vice-president. Active for more than 17 years as a film writer, director and producer, Price until recently was president of Teletran, Inc. Previously he founded and was first president of Transfilm, Inc. Beckwith NTFC Speaker Aaron Beckwith, director of sales for United Television Programs, will speak before the National Television Film Council luncheon on Wednesday at the Warwick Hotel, Mel Gold, NTFC president, has announced. Call Arbitration Meeting (Continued from page 1) page memorandum detailing the organization's arbitration proposals. TOA's proposals were submitted in considerably shorter form. Their salient recommendation was for appointment by the U. S. Secretary of Commerce of a national industry arbitration chief who would receive an annual salary of possibly $25,000. To 'Explore Subject' The MPAA president's letters said that the conference "is to take place in the City of New York as soon as it can be conveniently arranged, and in any event, within 30 days from the date of this letter." He wrote that the purpose of the meeting "is to explore thoroughly the subject of arbitration and conciliation of disputes involving exhibitors and distributors of motion pictures in the United States, including discussion of proposals heretofore advanced by exhibitor organizations. "It is contemplated," Johnston's letter continued, "that such exploration will proceed with all reasonable diligence and speed, with the hope and to the end that the conferees may achieve agreement to present to their respective principals for acceptance and to submit to the U. S. Department of Justice for approval." The Johnston invitation specified that the exhibitor organizations designate "two officers or members of your organization and its counsel to meet with like committees of the other exhibitor organizations . . . and the gen eral sales managers." Johnston stated that he was writing in response to the requests of the following companies : Columbia, Loew's, Monogram, Paramount, RKO Radio, Republic, 20th Century-Fox, United Artists, Universal, and Warners. Returned Here Last Week The naming of Rodgers as chairman of the distributors' group places him again in an active industry role only three months after he resigned the Loew's distribution vice-presidency to serve the company in a consultative capacity. He returned to New York last week from a Florida vacation. Johnston asked for acceptances of the invitations "as soon as possible." He requested the names of the respective organizations' committees "so that I may be able to inform those accepting, of the precise time and place of the first meeting." Allied since last fall, when its annual convention called for an industry arbitration conference, has had a sixman arbitration committee under the co-chairmanship of Snaper and flyers. On March 6, TO A announced appointment of a 17-member arbitration committee headed by S. H. Fabian. Prompt acceptances of Johnston's invitations by the exhibitor organizations was indicated at the weekend when virtually all commented favorablv on the distributors' action. Smakwitz Criticizes 'Early-Late Show' Albany, .^N. Y., March 23. — The Hartford theatres' experimentation with an 8:30 P.M. "EarlyLate Show" screening plan for the top feature is "the wrong step, taken at the wrong time." Warner zone manager Charles A. Smakwitz declared. "I am opposed to such a schedule because it will decrease, not increase business," he said. "The success oi a motion picture theatre rests on continuous operation, which permits patrons to enter at whatever hour best suits their convenience. The top feature should go on for the last time as near to 10 o'clock as possible — never before 9 :25 or 9 :30 P.M. "Many people, returning home at night from work, cannot get to a theatre by 8:30.'' Smakwitz added. "When you schedule the big feature that early, they will either stay away, or complain on arriving at the theatre. The early-birds, remaining downtown for dinner, can easily make the first show." "I cannot conceive of a worse time to try the 8 :30 plan than now, when the days are growing longer and when daylight saving time is approaching," continued Smakwitz. Reade Circuit Extending "Curtain-at-8:40" Plan "Curtain-at-8 :40," the series utilized by Walter Reade Theatres to bring key foreign films to small communities, will be extended by the circuit to its theatres in Kingston and Saratoga Springs, New York, in April. PARAMOUNT TRADE SHOWS Friday, March 28, 1952 • • • EDMOND O'BRIEN STERLING HAYDEN • DEAN JAGGER LAURA ELLIOT • LYLE BEHGER in "DENVER & RIO GRANDE Co-starring J. Carrol Naish • Zasu Pitts Color by TECHNICOLOR Directed by BYRON HASKIN Story and Screenplay by FRANK GRUBER Produced by NAT HOLT CITY PLACE OF SCREENING TIME ALBANY FOX SCREENING ROOM, 1052 Broadway 7.30 P.M. ATLANTA PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 154 Wolton St., N.W 10-30 A.M. BOSTON PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 58-62 Berkeley Street. 2 P.M. BUFFALO PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 464 Franklin Street 2 P.M. CHARLOTTE PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 305-7 South Church Street 10 A.M. CHICAGO PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1306 South Michigan Avenue 1.30 P.M. CINCINNATI PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1214 Central Parkway 2 P.M. CLEVELAND PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1735 East 23rd Street 8-)5 P.M. DALLAS PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 400 North Preston Street 2:30 P.M. DENVER PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 2100 Stout Street 2 P.M. DES MOINES PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1125 High Street I P.M. DETROIT PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 479 Ledyard Avenue 2 P.M. INDIANAPOLIS PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 116 West Michigan Street 1:30 P.M. JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA STATE THEA. SCREENING ROOM, Florida Theo. BIdg. . . 2:30 P.M. KANSAS CITY PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1800 Wyandotte Street II A.M. LOS ANGELES PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1613 West 20th Street 1:30 P.M. MEMPHIS PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 362 South Second Street 12:15 NOON MILWAUKEE PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1121 North Eighth Street 2 P.M. MINNEAPOLIS PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1201 Currie Avenue 2 P.M. NEW HAVEN PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 82 State Street 2 P.M. NEW ORLEANS PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 215 South Liberty Street 10:30 A.M. NEW YORK CITY. . .PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1501 Broadway (9th Fl.) 2:30 P.M. OKLAHOMA CITY. .PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 701 West Grand Avenue 10:30 A.M. OMAHA PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1704 Davenport Street I P.M. PHILADELPHIA PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 248 North 12th Street 2 P.M. PITTSBURGH PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 1727 Boulevard of Allies 2 P.M. PORTLAND PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 909 N. W. 19th Avenue 2 P.M. ST. LOUIS PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 2949-2953 Olive Street I P.M. SALT LAKE CITY PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 270 East 1st South Street 1:30 P.M. SAN FRANCISCO. . .PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 205 Golden Gate Ave 2 P.M. SEATTLE MODERN THEATRE SUPPLY PROJ. ROOM, 2400 Third Ave 1:30 P.M. V/ASHINGTON PARAMOUNT PROJ. ROOM, 306 H Street, N.W 2:30 P.M.