Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1953)

MOTION PICTURE VOL. 74. NO. 15 DAILY NEW YORK, U. S. A., WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1953 TEN CENTS U.S.Commerce Figures Reveal Tax Aid Need B.O. Receipts, Profits, Dividends in New Drop By J. A. OTTEN WASHINGTON, July 21. — The Commerce Department today gave the industry some new statistical documentation to use in its fight for admission tax relief. The Department released figures on the U. S. economy last year showing a further drop in box-office receipts, industry corporate profits, industry dividends, corporate sales and industry employes. Officials of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations say that the trend has been accelerated since the start of the year, and has snowballed in recent months with theatre closings rising to record totals. Nonetheless, the Commerce figures, made public in the Department's July "Survey of Current Business" should give _ some official backing to industry claims. While consumer spending on recrea(Continued on page 10) Cole Expects Mason Bill Action Sans Amendments WASHINGTON, July 21. — The Senate Finance Committee will report out the Mason admission tax relief bill before the end of this week, Col. H. A. Cole, co-chairman of the tax committee of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations, predicted today. Moreover, he declared, the committee will report it without amendment. The Mason Bill would exempt motion (Continued on page 4) U. A. Territorial Meet in London LONDON, July 21.— Following an all-day session at the Savoy Hotel, United Artists executives and some 100 members of the company's foreign organization assembled here for the first inter-Continental sales convention in U. A.'s history are meeting in territorial groups to discuss plans and programs for each area. The meeting, with Arnold M. (Continued on page 10) Justice Dept. Negotiating 'Safeguards* Before Approving SW -Cinerama Deal LOS ANGELES, July 21.— Stanley Barnes, Assistant U. S. Attorney General in charge of the anti-trust division, revealed here today that the Department of Justice has suggested "certain safeguards designed to make sure that Stanley Warner Corp.'s acquisition of Cinerama will come under the terms of existing laws" before granting the Department's approval of the deal. Judge Barnes did not disclose what safeguards had been asked but indicated informally that if they are accepted the Department will have no objections to the deal. He said that discussions concerning the proposed "safeguards" are continuing in Washington. August 1 is the deadline for approval of the deal by the Department. Judge Barnes is scheduled to leave here tomorrow for San Francisco, from where he will go to Seattle and St. Louis before returning to Washington between Aug. 5 and 8. 'U's 9 Production Pace and Policy to Be Maintained HOLLYWOOD, July 21. — Present production levels at Universal-International Studio will be maintained at the same high tempo during the coming year, it was disclosed here yesterday at the conclusion of a series of policy conferences of the company's top executives. It was emphasized that there , will be no change in production policies. The meetings, in progress at the studio for the past two weeks, were attended by Milton R. Rackmil, president of the company; N. J. Blumberg, chairman of the board ; Alfred E. Daff , executive vice-president ; Edward Muhl, vice-president; David A. Lipton, vice-president, and James Pratt, executive manager. "Production plans for the future have been so geared as to enable the studio to film every production fpr exhibition on the newly-d,eveloped widescreens," said the company. "In addition, selected pictures will be recorded with stereophonic sound whenever it is felt that such amplification will add to the dramatic impact of the particular production. "As a result of the company's success with its first 3-D film, 'It Came from Outer Space,' the production (Continued on page 4) Britain's Interest In CinemaScope High, Skouras Reports England's reaction to CinemaScope has been greater than it was in the United States after the initial demonstrations, Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20 th Century Fox, said here yesterday upon his return from Europe. Skour a s predicted that 1,000 British orders will have been received by the end of this month. This is a faster rate than those received i n this country in the period immediately following the first showings, it was stated. Skouras termed the announcement of Warner Brothers' anamorphic process as a fine thing for the industry saying that it endorsed his company's thinking as to the potential value of the CinemaScope screen width. Skouras reported that he had set up manufacturing deals in foreign countries for the production of CinemaScope lenses, the Miracle Mirror screen and stereophonic sound, Spyros P. Skouras Distributors Named In $21,450,000 Trust Suits Nine anti-trust suits seeking triple damages totalling $21,450,000 were filed in New York Federal Court yesterday by affiliates of Raybond Theatres. In a previous group of suits, other companies associated with Raybond filed anti-trust complaints for damages totalling $19,350,000 on June 9, making a grand total of $40,800,000 in suits by the Raybond companies. _ As in the other suits, the major paying tribute to the technical skill [companies are named as defendants in (Continued on page 4) (Continued on page 10) 13-Film Slate In 6 Months From RKO Grainger Reviews First Half Year as President In a review of RKO Radio's operations during the first six months of his presidency, James R. Grainger yesterday revealed a 13-picture schedule for the balance of the year in an address here before the company's Eastern and Southern field executives, with general sales manager Charles Boasberg presiding. Eleven of the pictures will be in color by Technicolor. The sales meeting, held at the New York Athletic Club, was the first to take place here since Grainger became head of the company last February. Similar sales meetings will be held in Chicago Aug. 17 for the Midwest, and (Continued on page 10) 20th Sales Heads Hear 'Robe' and Release Plans Promotional campaign plans for "The Robe" and distribution schedules for product between August and December were outlined to 20th Century-Fox's domestic and Canadian sales heads here yeesterday by Charles Einfeld, vice-president, and Al Lichtman, director of distribution. The handling of the initial CinemaScope release, Einfeld (Continued on page 10) Stanley Warner to Meet Here Today A two-day meeting of Stanley Warner field men and" home office executives will be held here in the Warner Building today and tomorrow. Simon H. Fabian, president, will preside and those present will include : Home office executives : Sam Rosen, Harry M. Kalmine, Nat Lapkin, David Fogelson, Miles Alben, James (Continued on page 4)