Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1953)

FILM NEWS MOTION PICTURE VOL. 73. NO. 4 NEW YORK, U.S.A., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1953 TEN CENTS ' Last Minute' Meet Slated On Arbitration Lawyers to Confer As Allied Session Nears A last-minute meeting of company lawyers, prior to national AJ'lied's board meeting in New Orleans, on the status of arbitration may be held in New York before the end of the week, it was reported yesterday. While a meeting has not been called officially as yet, it was indicated that a session would be held in order to clarify certain facets within the distributors' conception of an arbitration system for the industry. While it has been believed generally that arbitration would be a major topic for discussion {Continued on page 6) U.S., Rank's Film Ads Are Withdrawn From British Papers By PETER BURNUP London, Jan. 6. — Led by M-G-M's Sam Eckmail, Jr., a group of American managers here have withdrawn all display advertising from Lord Beaverbrook's Evening Standard and Sunday Express, Lord Kemsley's Sunday Graphic and the Odham's The People. At the same time, though in what (Continued on page 6) Sees 'Ike' Bringing Improved Conditions Albany, N. Y. Jan. 6.— The feeling of "general contentment" among the American people since the election of General Dwight D. Eisenhower as President and the air of confidence in the business world which the incoming Administration has created should stimulate motion picture grosses this year, Warner zone manager Charles A. Smakwitz believes. He thinks that the public will spend money more freely than it has for several years past, and that the film industry will share in this. Outlook Is Rosy for Canadian Film Industry, the Same Hue As in '52 Ottawa, Jan. 6. — While official returns may not be available for a considerable period, it is learned that operating results of Canadian motion picture theatres during 1952 were at least as good, if not slightly better in many regions than in 1951. In addition, with top officials of the Canadian government forecasting another good economic year for 1953, including higher employment, the outlook for theatre attendance is even better for coming months. Television is not expected to produce any marked effects on theatre attendance in Canada in 1953, judging from experience in areas where television is already in existence. "So far there has been no marked effect in our operations because of television in the Toronto area," stated J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of Famous Players Canadian Corp. In Montreal, there has been a similar experience. Under the circumstances, Canada's theatre attendance in 1953 is generally expected to at least equal 1952. E. Penn. Allied Rejoins National Association After several years as an independent unit, Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Eastern Pennsylvania has resumed full membership activity in national Allied. This was announced here yesterday in a joint statement by Wilbur Snaper, national Allied president, and Sidney Samuelson, president of the Eastern Pennsylvania organization. The Pennsylvania group severed its connections with the national organization reportedly over differences regarding the payment of dues. Reinstatement of the unit came up at the national Allied convention in 1951 in New York, but no decision was reached. The issue again was placed before the national board at the Chicago convention last November, when Irving Bollinger of New Jersey was delegated to confer with Samuelson on the settlement of the dispute. It is expected that Eastern Pennsylvania will send delegates to the national board meeting in New Orleans next week. Films Aid Freedom, Skouras Says Here At Industry Tribute Motion pictures as a weapon in aiding this country's global program in behalf of freedom was underscored here last night by Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox, in an address to 115 industry executives at a dinner in his honor at the Metropolitan Club. Skouras, who recently returned from a 69-day tour of the Far East and Europe, declared that if there were more theatres in those lands, the mission to bring peace and en(Continned on page 6) Lees Head Cites Theatre TV Use Commercial "off-hour" theatre television was commended here yesterday as "a dynamic new form of nationwide communication," by J. L. Eastwick, president of James Lees & Sons, the carpet manufacturing firm which on Dec. 8 theatre telecast its national sales convention from Coast-toCoast. Eastwick, basing his conclusion on (Continued on page 6) Rembusch Reelected Indiana Allied Head Indianapolis, Jan; 6. — Trueman Rembusch, despite protests that he wasn't a candidate, was reelected president of the Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana for the eighth consecutive year by the board of directors meeting here today. The election had been postponed from the state convention last month in an effort to get Rembusch to serve. Marc J. Wolf was elected vicepresident; Ted Mendelssohn, treasurer ; William A. Carroll, executive secretary. The board voted to hold a series of (Continued on page 3) 3 Dimensional Strides in '53 Seen by Zukor Pioneer Also Predicts Plan for Arbitration Hollywood, Jan. 6. — Greater strides in the development of threedimensional films and an effective system for settling intra-industry problems were predicted for 1953 by Adolph Zukor. He is here from New York to be feted in observance of his 80th birthday tomorrow and his 50th year in the film industry. The industry w ill pay homage to the pioneer showman and chairman of the board of Paramount Pictures at a (Continued on page 6) Adolph Zukor 1,000 on Coast to Attend Tonight's Tribute to Zukor Hollywood, Jan. 6. — One thousand persons will attend tomorrow night's dinner at the Hollywood Palladium in honor of Adolph Zukor, Paramount board chairman, marking his 80th birthday and his forthcoming 50th anniversary as a showman. First of the day's events will take place in the forecourt of Grauman's (Continued on page 6) Dec. Theatre Closing Proposed in Ia.-Neb. Des Moines, Jan. 6. — Serious consideration of a proposal to close Iowa-Nebraska theatres from Dec. 15 to 25 is asked of members of Allied of Iowa and. Nebraska by Charles Jones, secretary, in the current organizational bulletin. Jones contends money could be saved by the closing, that it would attract publicity and that the public's appetite for films would be whetted.