Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

VOL. 75. NO. 18 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U. S. A., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1954 TEN CENTS Bid for Change Jury Trial for N. Y. Censor Appeals Asked State Senator Includes Proposals in New Bill ALBANY, Jan. 26. — A bill proposing a "jury plan" for New York i State, under which appeals on the banjning of a picture would be tried by a I jury, will be introduced in the State ■ Legislature by Senator Fred Moritt, (of Brooklyn, he disclosed here today. Senator Moritt's plan would change | the New York State censorship system by providing a State Supreme ! Court jury trial in appeals from the i refusal of the Board of Regents to | issue a license for a picture. The present system calls for an appeal to be heard by a court of judges only. Asserting that the jury plan is j "fairer," Senator Moritt said the measure would be similar to the one he previously sponsored with respect i to curbing censorship of legitimate (Continued on page 4) Attendance in U.K. Down Only 2.5% in Third 1953 Quarter By PETER BURNUP LONDON, Jan. 26.— The Board of Trade Journal reported a 2.5 per cent decline in attendance at British theatres during the quarter ended Sept. 26, 1953, compared with the corresponding quarter of 1952. It placed the number of paid admissions for the 1953 period at 326,722,000. The decline is slightly less than that registered for the same period in previous recent years. The Journal commented that the annual rate 'of decline in attendance appeared to .be slowing down, adding that, in any (Continued on page 6) Kreisler World Tour For IF A Film Survey International Film Associates Corp. has engaged Bernard Kreisler to conduct a world survey in the 14 leading film-producing countries. Kreisler, formerly head of the advisory unit for foreign films in the Motion Picture Association of America, will study production problems (Continued on page 4) Petrillo Asks for 20% Wage Boost, increased Hiring MIAMI BEACH, Jan. 26.— A 20 per cent wage increase and a boosting from 45 to 55 musicians per studio are the; major terms of a new studio contract sought by the American Federation of Musicians, James C. Petrillo, president, disclosed today. While no agreement was reached at the initial session at the Lombardy Hotel here yesterday, Petrillo said he didn't expect any trouble. "These people," he said, "have always been all right with us. They're not arbitrary and they've never tried to break up the union. They claim they can't afford to increase the staffs and give raises now. They claim business is bad because of television — and maybe it is, but we don't want them to save money at our expense." Frank Hobbs to Head WB Radio-TV Unit Frank Hobbs, formerly of the Blaine-Thompson Advertising Agency, will head the newly-created radio and television division of Warner Brothers, working under Gil Golden, advertising manager, and Larry Golob, Eastern publicity director. In his new post, to which he has just been named by Mort Blumenstock, Warner vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity, Hobbs also will work in close liaison with the Blaine-Thompson advertising organization. MP A 'Surprised' at Arnall Statement An expression of "surprise" was voiced by a spokesman for the Motion Picture Association of America yesterday, when asked to comment on the "assurances" said to have been given by MPAA president Eric Johnston that there will be no future subsidies in film deals with foreign countries. The MPAA source said that he had no information on what Johnston actually told Ellis G. Arnall, president of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers. However, he went on to say that although Johnston in the past has publicly stated his opposition to subsidies, the MPAA president could not guarantee that there will be no subsidies granted in perpetuity in all future deals. Name Wormser V. P. Of Columbia Int'l Mortimer Wormser, an assistant treasurer of Columbia Pictures since 1945, has been named a vice-president of Columbia Pictures International Corp. In his new post he will continue to serve as assistant treasurer as well as assistant secretary of Columbia. Wormser joined Columbia in 1925, coming from General Motors, where he had held an executive accounting position. 1st Show in November TNT to Telecast Opening Nights of 'Met' Opera Opening nights of the Metropolitan Opera Co. here will be telecast into theatres across the country starting with the 1954 season in November, it was disclosed here yesterday in a joint statement by Theatre Network Television and the opera company. Gaudreau Leaving RKO; Joining Disney Lou E. Gaudreau, a veteran of 26 years with RKO Radio Pictures, will leave the company in two weeks to become associated with the Walt Disney Prod, advertising department here. Gaudreau during most of his association with RKO Radio was controller of the advertising department. He is scheduled to assume a similar post in the Disney company. The exclusive series of telecasts was set with the signing of a three-year contract by the two. Under the terms, it was stated, the greater New York City area will be excluded from the theatre TV network. "Our first goal for the opening of the 1954 Metropolitan season is 100 theatres, which will enable nearly a quarter of a million people to attend the Metropolitan opening," Nathan L. Halpern, president of TNT, stated. TNT, which pioneered the Metropolitan Opera telecast of "Carmen" a year ago, will be responsible for the entire (Continued on page 6) Gets Pledge Says Johnston Promises End To Subsidies Arnall Tells of Assurance While Warning of Trend By MURRAY HOROWITZ Assurances that there will be no subsidies in future film deals with foreign countries have been received from the Motion Picture Association of America, it was disclosed here by Ellis G . Arnall, president of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers. Arnall, hitting at what he called "the unwise and ruinous" trend, said he re(Continued on page 4) Ellis Arnall Treasury Indicates To Compo: No Early Action on U.S. Tax WASHINGTON, Jan. 26. — A Council of Motion Picture Organizations' delegation met today with Secretary of the Treasury Humphrey to exchange views and furnish information on the industry's problems linked U> the Federal admissions tax. Humphrey told the delegation that the first order of business is to get the technical tax revision bill out of the way and the next thing on the agenda is to handle the excises automatically scheduled for reduction on April 1. The President has asked (Continued on page 6) Terre Haute Pooling Case to Be Tried INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 26. — A government motion for declaratory judgment in a suit charging Terre Haute theatre operators with violations of the anti-trust laws was denied in Federal court here yesterday by Judge William E. Steckler. The ruling means that the two-year old suit alleging that the operation (Continued on page 4)