Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1952)

4 Motion Picture daily Tuesday, April 22, 1952 Mann Will Not Be NCA Candidate Minneapolis, April 21 — Someone other than Ted Mann will head North Central Allied after the annual convention on May 1-2. Mann, it is understood, will not be a candidate for another term, because of the pressure of personal business. Speculatively, names of potential candidates mentioned to date include Ben Berger, Harold Field, Ernie Peaslee and Henry Greene. There has been conversation on making the presidency a paid position. 'Bailey' Premiere in PortAii-Prince The first world premiere of a Hollywood motion picture outside the Continental United States with an American press party on the scene will be held Sunday evening, May 4, at Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, when "Lydia Bailey" will be shown to an international audience, it was announced by Guy Douyon, director of National Tourism for Haiti and Charles Einfeld, vice-president of 20th Century-Fox. Showing of the film will climax a four-day festival sponsored by the Haitian government with President Paul Magliore, proclaiming May 4 as "Lydia Bailey Day," a national holiday in honor of the picture about Haiti's fight for independence from Napoleon Bonaparte. Trans Lux in Cut Admissions Deal An agreement providing for reduced admission prices to members of Cultural Services Club, a new organization with headquarters in New York, has been made by the Trans Lux Theatres, a CSC spokesman reported here yesterday. The club was formed for the purpose of offering concerts, lectures, books, records, film and theatre entertainment and courses to members at special discount rates. The club spokesman disclosed also that negotiations looking to a similar arrangement with the Park Avenue Theatre and the 55th Street Playhouse here are in the final stages. Mason Group Asks Brandt Booking End Termination of "the booking and buying of films through Harry Brandt" for Trans-Lux Theatres is advocated in the latest letter to stockholders mailed yesterday by the group opposing management, led by George G. Mason and Norman W. Elson. The letter urging rejection of the management's slate of a new board of directors was in preparation for the annual company meeting, set for Thursday. Stockholders were urged in the letter to support the MasonElson group in their proxy votes. Slight Decline in Coast Production; 27 Pictures in Work Hollywood, April 21. — The production index dropped three points for a total of 27 pictures in work. Five new films were started and eight finished. Started were : "The Outlanders" (Scott-Brown), Columbia; "Tribute to a Bad Man," Metro-GoldwynMayer ; "Barbed Wire" and "Sea Tiger," Monogram ; "Willie and Joe Back at the Front," Universal-International. Completed were : "Wagon Team," "Strange Fascination" (H. H. Productions) and "The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T." (Kramer), Columbia; "Invasion U.S.A." (American Pictures), United Artists ; "Letter from the President," Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ; "The Rose Bowl Story," Monogram ; "Tropic Zone," Paramount ; "It Grows On Trees," Universal-International. Monogram Board to Meet Tomorrow Hollywood, April 21. — Five Eastern members of Monogram Pictures' board of directors are due here for a directors' meeting Wednesday at the studio. They are Arthur C. Bromberg, franchise owner, Atlanta ; William Hurlbut, franchise owner, Detroit ; Edward Morey, vice-president, New York ; Herman Rifkin, vicepresident and franchise owner, Boston, and Norton V. Richey, vice-president and Monogram International Corp. president, New York. They will meet with Steve Broidy, president ; G. Ralph Branton, vice-president ; George D. Burrows, executive vice-president and treasurer, and Howard Stubbins, West Coast co-franchise owner, all of Los Angeles. Davis Joins M-G-M Steve Davis, formerly of Fabian Theatres, has joined M-G-M's exploitation department, and will do special work on accessories. Before joining Fabian, Davis was with Benton and Bowles, Flying A. Enterprises (Gene Autry), Lindsay Advertising Agency and WGIN at Glens Falls. Mrs. Morjeanna Fisher Chicago, April 21. — Mrs. Morjeanna Fisher, wife of Jack L. (Bud) Fisher, Jr., account executive of M. M. Fisher Associates, advertising agency here, died last Tuesday. In addition to the widower, she is survived by a daughter, Susan Louise, and a son, James Michael ; her mother and two sisters. Rubin Buys Out Partner Cleveland, April 21. — Bernard Rubin is now sole owner of Imperial Pictures here, independent distributing company operating in Northern Ohio, having acquired the interest of his partner, John Urbansky. Rubin and Urbanslcy bought the company from Max Jacobs in 1945. Canadian Exports Drop Ottawa, April 21. — Exports of films declined to a combined valuation of $556,000 during the first two months of 1952 compared with $584,000 in 1951, the Canadian government reports. Theatre 'Lotteries' In Canadian Test Ottawa, April 21. — Canadian exhibition faces a test on lotteries. The Linden Theatre here is charged with operating a lottery in the form of "Photo Night" contests, through which prizes are given to patrons. If this test is successful, prosecution is expected to follow against scores of exhibitors across the Dominion. Circuit, Union Heads Honor Raoul of 'I A' Theatre executives and labor leaders at the weekend gathered at the Hotel St. George, Brooklyn, to honor William P. Raoul, IATSE general secretary-treasurer, at a dinner given by the union. Raoul was presented with a diamond ring in recognition of his service to the "IA." At the dais were Richard F. Walsh, "IA" international president ; J. C. McDowell, secretary of New York "IA" Local No. 1 ; Thomas Murtha, toastmaster ; Rev. Joseph Kelly of St. Peter's College of New Jersey ; L. E. Thompson, RKO Theatres ; Joseph Vogel, Loew's ; Frank Phelps, Warner Theatres ; Russell Downing, Radio City Music Hall, Lyman Munson, NBC, and Martin T. Lacey, president, and James C. Quinn, secretary-treasurer, of the Central Trades and Labor Council of Greater New York. Frank to Coast on Short Subject Plans Minneapolis, April 21. — Prompted by the lifting of the "freeze" on TV stations, W. R. Frank is now in Hollywood from here to finalize plans for the production of a number of short subjects on the exploits of winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor which he plans for TV distribution. He will also discuss production plans with his associates in Hollywood for the start of "SittingBull, " a feature to be made with color in Technicolor. W. R. Frank and Associates is offering exhibitors and other investors blocks of stock in the production and distribution of four of 13 contemplated shorts. McGrann to Columbia Frank McGrann has joined Columbia's home office exploitation staff to work on special assignments. He is a former New York newspaperman and press representative for stage and screen stars. In recent years he has been engaged in radio and television writing and production. Altec Ups Rademacher A. J. Rademacher, formerly business manager of Altec's Eastern division, has been appointed assistant operating manager, according to E. O. Wilschke, operating manager of Altec Service Corp. Rademacher will be located at headquarters in New York. Kravitz to Filmack Chicago, April 21. — The appointment of Lou Kravitz as editor of the Filmack publication, Inspiration, is announced here by Irving Mack, Filmack president. Low Income Groups Largest Audience For U.K. Television London, April 21. — Television in Britain finds its largest audience among the lower educational and income groups, a survey just released by British Broadcasting Company's Audience Research specialists reveals. The B.B.C. inquiry was made in December, 1950, and the results are carried forward approximately to the middle of 1951. At the latter period, the higher income group represented less than one-fourth of the TV public. In 1950, only three per cent of the viewers had had any higher education, while 67 per cent fell into the lowest educational group — those whose education had finished at 14 or 15 years of age. Novelty Factor TV's novelty factor, also noted in America, shows up in the survey here, among both adult and child groups. Also, 42 per cent of the entire group of viewers admitted that their readinghad diminished, although there is no information about what sort of reading it was. TV's effect on film attendance, according to the survey, is less than supposed. It is claimed that for every three visits to the cinema by those without sets there are only two by television owners. Radio listening is the liesure occupation which suffers most from the introduction of TV, the B.B.C. study indicated. Open 4Movietime' Tour in Upstate N.Y. Albany, N. Y., April 21.— The "Movietime, U. S. A." star tour group for this exchange area, composed of Greer Garson, Audrey Totter, Don Taylor, Archie Mayo and Fran Marx, began today with visits to Schenectady and Troy and Albany in the opening of its week long swing through Western New York. The emphasis was placed upon the public's participation in the American Cancer Society's drive. On the Capitol steps late this afternoon a presentation of the industry's message was made by Miss Garson, the anchor speaker at each place. As state chairman of the cancer Society in New Mexico, she spoke authoritatively of the "urgent need for contributions to continue research into the causes of this terrible disease and the equally imperative need for each person within the sound of my voice to arrange for an immediate checkup by your physician and a subsequent visit each six months." She added : "I hope you all live to he 100 and attend movies every week." In Albany the star stated "American films, distributed in 120 countries and territories, are the main channel that serves to reflect the American way of life. We in Hollywood want to make the pictures you wish to see. Write us or tell your local theatre manager what you like." Mayor Erastus Corning introduced the unit in Albany ; Mayor Edward A. Fitzgerald in Troy. A visit to the Albany Veterans Hospital and addresses at a combined Kiwanis affair this evening finished the activities. Reception everywhere was enthusiastic.