Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

Thursday, February 25, 1954 Motion Picture Daily 7 SCTOA (Continued from page 1) has been excluded. In his letter of acceptance, Arthur said, in part : "We can well understand that the distributor may not want to subject to arbitration the ultimate amount of film rentals to be paid him, but we believe there are many issues in connection with film rentals that may very properly serve as a basis for arbitration . . . "For instance, relationship of film rentals to admission prices, and the extent to which the distributor or exhibitor may go in relating the two, may very easily form the basis for arbitration if the parties feel that either one or the other is taking undue advantage or is in violation of law." Al Hanson, of the SCTOA board of directors, and association counsel will attend the meeting with Arthur. All But Allied Have Responded to Bids Now All of the exhibitor organizations with the exception of Allied States have now replied to the invitation sent out by the Motion Picture Association of America to participate in a new industry arbitration conference. Theatre Owners of America and Independent Theatre Owners Association of New York previously accepted the invitation and Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Association, also of New York, said it would attend the sessions, if held, as an observer. The Allied board of directors, meeting here today and tomorrow, may respond to the invitation but it is believed unlikely that Allied will participate, due to the exclusion of film rentals from the projected arbitration discussions. The MPAA invitations suggested that a date for the first arbitration conference be set within 60 days from the time the bonds went out, which would make it some time in early April. Building Drive-in HARTFORD, Feb. 24. — Jacob Asadorian is building a drive-in with a capacity for 1,000 cars at Lowell, Mass., to be known as the Wamesit Drive-in. Asadorian recently sold his Manchester, N. H. drive-in to the Yamins Circuit. Suspects Design In Immoral Trends WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.— Rep. Price (D., 111.) said he wondered whether "the objectionable movies, obscene literature and poor taste we find in so many fields of entertainment could well be a planned operation of subversive elements." Price expressed his concern as he inserted in the Congressional Record a recent speech by John J. Griffin, vice-president of the United Bank and Trust Co. of St. Louis, in praise of the efforts of the National Legion of Decency to maintain moral values. Griffin declared that Communist leaders know the best weapon they can use to destroy America is to destroy the moral fiber and character of its people. Price said he had long held this view. Child Without Adult Barred in 0. House CORTLAND, O., Feb. 24. — Children unaccompanied by an adult will not be admitted at any time to the Cortland Theatre here in accordance with a new policy instituted by Irving Field, manager. Field stated that he put the new policy into effect in order to protect his adult patrons, whose support, he said, has increased as a result. Compo Tax (Continued from page 1) the admissions and other excises, and hence is mobilizing exhibitor pressure. Delegations of exhibitors will start arriving here early next week to contact Congressmen, and other means will be exploited to bring the industry's case to the committee's attention and to the attention of Congress generally. The Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to finish its voting tomorrow on the technical tax revision bill, and most likely will move into the excise question early next week. An excise bill could be produced in several days, it is believed. 10 Per Cent Cut Certain A cut in the admission tax to 10 per cent is almost certain to be approved by the committee. However the industry faces an uphill battle in its efforts to get any greater relief than that. Republican members of the committee are counting on substantial excise cuts as an argument to forestall Democratic attempts to increase personal exemptions. Extend AB-PT (Continued from page 1) sold 76 theatres. So far, 61 have been disposed of. Postponed from March 3 to Sept. 3 was the deadline for AB-PT to finish all its other required divestitures. The New York court in March, 1952, gave the company until Sept. 3, 1953, to sell or dissolve joint interests in 181 other theatres. This deadline was later set back to March 3, 1954, and now has been set back to Sept. 3. Justice officials said about 45 theatres still must be divested. The Department also postponed from March 1 to Aug. 31 the deadline for Stanley-Warner Theatres to sell theatres in Troy, Albany and Johnstown. These three theatres were over and above those listed in the original Warner decree, and had to be sold following the Fabian acquisition of Stanley-Warner because Fabian and Warner controlled first-run exhibition in those towns. Hillside (Continued from page 1) which sought to apply to film licensing the Robinson-Patman Act, which prohibits price discrimination on commodities. Hillside, which operates the Mayfair Theatre, Hillside, N. J., claimed that rentals charged for comparable pictures in Warner Brothers theatres in New Jersey were lower than those asked for product at the Mayfair. The suit was dismissed after several weeks of trial. RKO Drive Winners Named by Boasberg Charles Boasberg, RKO Radio general sales manager, has announced that Jack Labow, Canadian district manager, was winning district leader in the billings drive concluded recently. Branch managers who were declared winners from each district were Ralph Williams, Oklahoma City, Southwestern ; R. H. Lange, Portland, Ore., Western ; J. G. Chinnel, Buffalo, East Central ; Harry Cohen, Montreal, Canadian ; Ira Stone, Atlanta, Southeastern ; Ray Nolan, St. Louis, Midwestern ; M. M. Rosenblatt, Omaha, Rocky Mountains ; and Joseph Brecheen, Washington, Eastern. GPEC Directors Vote Increase On Common Directors of General Precision Equipment Corp. increased the dividend from 25 cents to 40 cents per share on the company's common stock, payable March 15 to stockholders of record March 5. Previously, dividends on this stock have been 25 cents per share each quarter since 1941. The board also voted a regular quarterly dividend of HYi per share on the $2.90 cumulative convertible pref erred stock; $1.25 per share "on the $5 dividend cumulative preferred stock, series A, 1952, and $1.25 per share on the $5 dividend preference stock, series B, C and D. The dividends are payable on March 1 5 to stockholders of record March 5, 1954. Decca Board (Continued from page 1) mil as also being president of Universal Pictures, and devoting his major time to that company. He also warned Decca stockholders not to be deceived by Decca's earnings, claiming that they represent mainly dividends and earnings derived from Universal Pictures Co., in which Decca has more than a 60 per cent stock interest. Lloyd, who was a Decca director until Feb. 11, urged stockholders to join him in ousting the present management. The Decca board, in its response yesterday, charged that Lloyd when he was a member of the board had "for some time made inordinate demands upon the management." To Oppose Film Carrier Rate Boost ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 24.— The Schine Circuit, Smalley Theatres and a group of independently operated houses today will oppose, at a hearing before the Public Service Commission examiner an application by Smith & Howell Film Service for a 10 per cent increase on certain routes between Buffalo, Albany and New York. The Commission declined to grant the increase, effective Jan. 25 last, and suspended the application pending a hearing. Smith & Howell was permitted a 10 per cent increase in the Albany territory in Jan., 1952 ; a 10 per cent increase for New York and Buffalo in Jan., 1953, and a 10 per cent increase for Albany in Aug., 1953. WARNER BROS. TRADE SHOWS MARCH 3 RANDOLPH SCOTT ■ RIDING SHOTGUN' color byWARNERCOLOR also starring WAYNE MORRIS with JOAN WELD0N • joe sawyer • james millican CHARLES BUCHINSKY • JAMES BELL • FRITZ FELD RICHARD GARRICK • VICTOR PERRIN JOHN BAER • WILLIAM JOHNSTONE^ screen play by TOM BLACKBURN produced by TED SHERDEMAN, directed by ANDRE de TOTH ALBANY Warner Screening Room 110 H Pearl St. • 12 30 P M ATLANTA 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 197 Walton St. H.W. • 2 00 P M. BOSTON RKO Screening Room 122 Arlington St. • 2:00 P.M. BUFFALO Motion Picture Operator! Sc. Rm. 498 Pearl SI. • 8 00 P.M. CHARLOTTE 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 308 S. Church St. • 2:00 P.M CHICAGO Warner Screening Room 1 307 So. Wabash A»e. • 130 P.M. CINCINNATI RKO Palace Th. Screening Room PalactTh. Bldg. E. 6th ■ 8 00 P M. CLEVELAND 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 2219 Payne Ave. • 2:00 P.M. DALLAS 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 1803 Wood St. • 2:00 P.M. DENVER Paramount Screening Room 2100 Stout St. -2 00 P M. DES MOINES Paramount Screening Room ) 1 25 High SI. • 12 45 P.M. DETROIT Film Exchange Building 2310 Cass Ave. • 2 00 P.M. INDIANAPOLIS 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 326 Ho. Illinois St ' 1:00 P M. JACKSONVILLE Florida Theatre Bldg. Sc. Rm. 128 E Forsyth St • 2 00 P.M. KANSAS CITY 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 1720 Wyandotte St. • 1:30 P.M. LOS ANGELES Warner Screening Room 202S S. Vermont Ave. • 2 00 P.M. MEMPHIS 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 151 Vance Ave. • 1215 P.M. MILWAUKEE Warner Theatre Screening Room 212 W. Wisconsin Ave. • 2 00 P.M MINNEAPOLIS Warner Screening Room 1000 Currie Ave • 2:00 P.M. NEW HAVEN Warner Theolre Projection Room 70 College St. • 2 00 P.M. NEW ORLEANS 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 200 Liberty SI. • 8 00 P.M. NEW YORK Home Office 321 W. 44th St. • 2:15 P.M. OKLAHOMA 20th Century-Fox Screening Boom lOHorthLeeSt. • 1:30P.M. OMAHA 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 1502 Davenport St. • 1 30 P.M. PHILADELPHIA Warner Screening Room 230 Ho. 13th St. • 2 00 P M. PITTSBURGH 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 1715 Blvd of Allies • 1 30 P.M. PORTLAND Star Sc. Rm. 925 H.W. 19lhAve. • 2 00 P.M. SALT LAKE CITY 20th Century-Fox Screening Room 316 East 1st South • 100 P.M. SAN FRANCISCO Republic Screening Room 221 Golden Gate Ave. • 1 30 P.M. SEATTLE Modern Theatre 2400 Third Ave. • 10.30 P.M. ST. LOUIS S'renco Screening Room 3143 Olive St. • 1 00 P.M. WASHINGTON Warner Theatre Building 13th tE. Sts. H.W. • 7:30 P M.