Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1952)

VOL. 71. NO. 59 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U.S.A., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1952 TEN CENTS US Films Hit, Praised for Effect Abroad state Dep't. Wants to Film Its Own 'Messages' ^^'ASHI^-GTOX, ]March 25. — Hollywood films both help and harm the U. S. abroad, Herbert T. Edwards, chief of the State Department's Motion Picture Division, told a House appropriations sub-committee today. Edwards testified on the division's request for 810,600,000 for its regular non-theatrical distribution program for the 1952.53 fiscal year, plus $4,658,000 for special feature-length films for showing in theatres in the Near, Middle and Far East. He said the Department proposed to make about 18 such films, designed to counteract Communist propaganda films being shown in the same areas. The films, averaging about six reels (Continued on page 6) Stress Children's Shows at NT Meet Hollywood, Ivlarch 25. — Emphasizing the importance of children's shows, at National Theatres annual meeting, Dick Smith, Phoenix, pointed out that the present members of Fox Theatre's Leaders Club for children, maintained for the past 21 years, are the children of the original members, who are the house's best adult customers. Harold Rice, Denver, speaking on staff courtesy and safety instruction, made the point that airlines, hotels, (Continued on page 6) $14,585,637 Paid To Ascap During '51 ASC.A.P during 1951 collected $14,585,637 in performing right royalties from all commercial users of music except motion pictures, it was revealed yesterday from a finance committee report to the Society's annual membership meeting at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel here. Negotiations have been underway for some time with film producers to set up contracts to collect $1,400,000 {Continued on page 7) Buchman Trial Is Set for May 26 Washington, March 25. — Producer Sidney Buchman today pleaded "not guiltj" to a two-count indictment for contempt of Congress. Buchman was indicted for failing to appear on two different occasions to testify befor the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was arraigned today before U. S. District Court Chief Judge Bolitha Laws, made the "not guilty" pleas, and had his trial set for May 26. Meanwhile, he was released on §1,000 bond. Should he be convicted he would be subject to up to a year in jail and/or a §1,000 fine on each count. Sales Committee on Arbitration Holds First Meeting Here Confidence in arbitration as a means of settling intra-industry disputes and the hope that an agreement can be arrived at in the coming exhibitor-distributor conferences here next month was expressed by William F. Rodgers, chairman of the distributors arbitration negotiating committee, following the first meeting of that committee yesterday. Rodgers said that no procedure for the joint meetings has been set yet but (Contintied oti page 10) Rodgers States His Reasons for Not Taking Compo Post Having relinquished his position as general sales manager of Loew's only last winter for reasons of health, and to make it possible to get some muchneeded rest, William F. Rodgers told a trade press conference at his office here yesterday that the same reasons prevented him from accepting the presidency of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations which was being urged on him by all COMPO member units. Rodgers explained that he had previously agreed to serve as chairman of the distributors' sub-committee for negotiation with exhibitors of an industry arbitration plan and that, when he was urged while in Florida to take the COAIPO presidency, he had replied that he could not accept it. He said he was approached again i_Continiied on page 10) Sees No TV Future For Feature Films Washixgton, March 25. — American Broadcasting Co. president Robert E. Kintner today stuck by his prediction that Hollywood features would not bulk large in his network's television programs. On the stand at the Federal Communications Commission's Paramount hearings, Kintner was closely questioned on this point by Du]\Iont attor(Continued on page 7) Bergman^ Coyne Lead Off Compo Speakers^ Activity The Council of Motion Picture Organizations speakers bureau, authorized last month by the industry agency's executive board, will commence operations early in IMay, Arthur L. ]\Ia3'er, CG^MPQ executive vicepresident, disclosed here yesterday. Two tours, one by Maurice Bergman of L^niversal-International, and the other by Robert Coyne, COMPO special counsel, will serve to inaugurate the bureau's activities. Bergman will lead off with addresses before audiences in several Ohio communities for two weeks beginning Jvlay 5. Several towns in Virginia will be the points where Coyne's addresses will be made, beginning May 12. Bergman's itinerary is being arranged by Robert A. Wile, secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, who has advised COMPO that (Continued on page 10) Kanturek Resigns MPEA Austria Post Joseph B. Kanturek, Motion Picture Export Association publicitj' super\'isor in Austria since 1946, has resigned that post, effective Alarch 31. Kanturek is currently in this country negotiating a new post. MPEA's operations in Austria will draw to a close late this summer. Austrian production now runs up (Continued on page 10) Court Sustains 22 Percentage Suits in East Nationwide Impact Seen In W. Va. Motion Denial Charleston, W. Va., 2^Iarch 25. — Rejection by U. S. Judge Ben Moore of a defense motion for dismissal of 22 percentage suits here is regarded by distributors' counsel as having possible nationwide impact. The motion was aimed at throwing out the distributor suits on the claim that various activities of the film companies in this state constituted a doing of business in West Virginia which required them to qualify and secure authority from the Secretary of State of West Virginia as foreign corporations. According to distributor counsel. Judge Moore's ruling on the motion for summary judgment is significant in that similar situations exist in over 20 states which are served by the distributors from branch offices located (Continued on page 6) More Aluminum and Copper, Less Steel Washington, March 25. — Theatre equipment makers and other industry firms will get more aluminum and copper in the third quarter than in the second, but less steel, the National Production Authoritj^ revealed. It allocated the motion picture division, for parcelling out to industry firms, only 6,219 tons of steel for the third quarter. This is the lowest allotment yet, and compares with a peak of 8.909 tons in the third quarter of 1951 and 7,516 tons in the second quarter of this year. Fleisher, Knox on N.E. Allied Board Boston, March 25. — A special meeting of executives and members of the board of directors of the Allied Theatres of New England was held toda} to fill two existing vacancies on the board of directors of that exhibitor organization. It was announced that Theodore Fleisher. president of Interstate Theatres of New England, replaced the late E. Harold Stoneman and Winthrop S. Knox of the Middlesex Amusement Co. of Maiden, Mass., has replaced Lloyd C. Clark.