Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

Friday, January 29, 1954 Motion Picture Daily 7 Hits TOA on Stereo (Continued from page 1) J.D. Probes (Continued from page 1) 16 mm. Suit (Continued from page 1) tion. He went on to say that "one of our lawyers" has been sent to examine into the case in Los Angeles, where the suit charging a conspiracy by six major producers to restrict the showing of 16mm. films, especially to television, had been filed there in July of 1952. Promises Quick Decision Explaining that the Justice Department attorney proceeded on other matters to San Francisco and the Midwest, Barnes said that when he returns to Washington "within the next 10 days" he will confer with him and a decision on the future of the action will be made. Barnes declined to state the attorney's name. In response to a reporter's query on a story appearing in a Washington paper, Barnes acknowledged the Department was conducting a preliminary investigation of newspaper associations and advertising practices. He declined to specify the nature of the complaints being probed or to identify the associations, newspapers, nor the advertising agencies. Barnes, in his address, said "with respect to any difference of approach between the cases filed since Jan. 20, 1953, and those filed by the previous Administration," I think you will find that those recently instituted are based upon classic hard-core anti-trust violations." He went on to say that this does not mean that the division will not seek to extend the thrust of antitrust litigation when necessity demands such a move to protect basic principles. However, he ruled out suits filed on the basis of "sociological theories." Some Cases Questionable He frankly acknowledged that there are "some cases pending" which in their "present form would not have been recommended." Barnes warned, however, that out of the 139 cases pending last August, when he said that they would be reviewed, "I found only five justified dismissal." "I want to reemphasize," he continued, "that only where substantially nothing can be accomplished by decree, will cases be dismissed by the government." C'Scope Gives First Profit to Glowmeter BUFFALO, Jan. 28.— A net profit of $197,290 for the final quarter of 1953, which is the first quarter of the company's fiscal year, is indicated for the Glowmeter Corp., of North Tonowanda, now producing screens for CinemaScope. Agis I. Mikalakis, Glowmeter president, stated that the company now is operating in the black for the first time. Ohio Catholics Laud Lausche and Hissong COLUMBUS, O., Jan. 28.— The Ohio Catholic Welfare Conference here has commenced Clyde Hissong. chief of the Ohio Censors, and Governor Lausche for their promise of continued efforts "to keep Ohio screens as clean as possible." Fifty clergymen and laymen, including Ohio's six bishops, attended. operate a total of 48 theatres, said the telegram wired to Reade by Jack Ross, executive vice-president of Indiana-Illinois, will be duplicated by his associates belonging to Allied. Ross, reached by phone in Chicago, restated his telegram to the TOA president, which read, in part: "We believe that such action is detrimental to the members of your organization and to theatre business in general and we do not wish to remain a member any longer. That's all. Will you please accept our resignation." The telegram, as relayed by Ross, began by reciting the circuit's success in playing "The Robe" with stereophonic sound. It went ; on to state, "After having gone to such a tremendous expense (in equipping) we are dumbfounded to see that you, the president of TOA, would take such action that would not only jeopardize our investment but endanger the only invention and the first real improver ment since the advent of sound that has brought the people back into our theatres since the big slump began." Calls It 'Essential' Coston, present while the telegram was read over the phone, then told of 'Rifles' Opens Strong At Chicago Oriental CHICAGO, Jan. 28.— '"King of the Khyber Rifles," the fifth CinemaScope picture to play Chicago, opened strongly at the Oriental today, with the management of the theatre expecting the first day's receipts to hit at least $7,000, an excellent opening clay figure for the house. "How to Marry a Millionaire" opened at the Oriental to $13,000, but that was on Thanksgiving Day. Altec Confabs Start In Upper N. Y. State A series of meetings with field engineers and representatives in upper New York State is being held by H. M. Bessey, executive vice-president of Altec Service Corp., and Marty Wolf, assistant general sales manager, both of whom yesterday attended the opening of "The Robe" at Smalley's Cooperstown Theatre, marking the initial use of stereophonic sound installed under Altec supervision. New Insurance Plan For Altec Employes A new hospitalization plan has been inaugurated for employes of Altec Service Corp. through Century Indemnity Co., Hartford. The new group insurance embraces 198 members of the Altec organization and contains several additional employee benefits, according to H. M. Bessey, Altec executive vice-president. Palace Gets 'Attic' "Man in the Attic," Panoramic Production released by 20th CenturyFox, will have its New York premiere at the Palace Theatre on Feb. 5. his feelings that stereophonic sound is essential to CinemaScope presentation. He said in his talks with Spyros P. Skouras, 20th Century-Fox president, he urged him not to serve theatres which are not fully equipped for CinemaScope, including the wide screen and stereophonic sound. Skouras, he continued, gave him such a pledge. 'Bringing in the Business' The circuit executive went on to explain that he doesn't mean to say that there won't be other media, but at the present time the medium which is bringing in the business should not be killed. "I think every exhibitor should support CinemaScope 100 per cent," he declared. "For the first time we have something that is the greatest stimulant to business and we exhibitors are trying to kill it," he warned, referring to such action as Reade's. Coston said that approximately 24 of his theatres now are fully equipped for CinemaScope, adding that the success of "The Robe" which he experienced has been matched by other CinemaScope pictures including "Knights of the Round Table" and "How to Marry a Millionaire." Coston, who arrived here on Wednesday, plans to leave here today on the "Brittanic" for a tour of Europe, to be away for about two and a half months. difficulties arising from the introduction of the new medium. The assistant attorney general, asked if the Department has received more complaints from exhibitors in recent months compared with previous periods, said that about the same number of letters are being received currently. The more recent letters of complaint, he continued, relate to the new media, naming CinemaScope, and to a lesser degree Cinerama. FTC on Pacts (Continued from page 1) we. of the Federal Trade Commission, neglected in the past." flowrey said that he had not conferred with Ellis G. Arnall, president of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers, who recently condemned what he called the "trend" of the Motion Picture Export Association to grant subsidies. Howrey said that Arnall might have conferred with FTC staff members, however. Conn. Drive-in OK'd HARTFORD, Jan. 28.— The Middletown zoning authority has given Sal Adorno, Jr., assistant general manager of M. & D. Theatres, authority to build a drive-in theatre on Saybrook Rd., Middletown, at an estimated cost of $125,000. The theatre, to be operated independently of M. & D. interests, will be ready for operation by early spring, according to Adorno.