Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1954)

r All The News That Is News MOTldN PICTURE DAILY And To The Point VOL. 76. NO. 65 NEW YORK, U.S.A., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1954 TEN CENTS All Amusements 2-Month NYC Tax Collection, $1,291,949 Theatres Paid $750,000 Of the Total Revenue By LESTER DINOFF Returns of the initial payment of the New York City five per cent tax from all sources of amusement revenue in the five boroughs as tabulated at the close of business on Wednesday totaled $1,291,949, a representative of the City Tax Collector's Office said here yesterday. While the total amount of the amusement levy has not been computed as yet, the tax officials indicated that a breakdown on what the motion pictures theatres exclusively have paid in tax for July and August amounted to an appro.ximate $750,000 from 436 theatres. It is expected that a more detailed breakdown on how much the local ex{Continned on page 5) Ask Review of St. L. TV Case WASHINGTON, Sept. 30.— St. Louis Amusement Co. has asked the Supreme Court to review a Circuit Court of Appeals order dismissing the theatre company's petition to declare unlawful and void a Federal Communications Commission hearing involving applications for a new television station in St. Louis. The FCC hearings involved five applicants for Channel 11 in St. Louis. One of the applicants was the St. Louis Amusement Co., one the Columbia Broadcasting System. The St. Louis brief told the Supreme Court that at the time the hearing opened CBS already owned interests in five television stations. The brief outlined the FCC multiple ownership rule which limited to five the number of television stations that can be held by one licensee. The brief declared, hov^'ever, that the FCC had granted a special ex(Confinued on page 5) MPAA Board to Study Italian Issues at Meeting Here Today A report on the Italian situation, now the subject of current negotiations here, will highlight the agenda today of a Motion Picture Association of America board of directors meeting. The meeting, over which MPAA president Eric A. Johnston will preside, will be attended by Ralph Hetzel, Motion Picture Export Association vice-president, who for the past week has been conferring with Italian film officials, headed by Dr. Eitel Monaco. Among the issues discussed between the MPEA and Italian representatives was the American position of not having an adequate voice in the operation of ANICA, the Italian producer-distributor organization. Other issues concerned Italy's desire to get Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to join ANICA and the availability of nine U. S. films for independent Italian distributors. Following the board meeting, scheduled for the morning, Johnston is slated to have lunch with the Italian delegation. Indication that the Italo-American talks were drawing to (Continued on page 5) Nat Holt Joins RKO As An Independent HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 30. — The Nat Holt Production Company, a partnership formed by producer Nat Holt and actor Randolph Scott, will move onto the RKO lot immediately to begin preparing for the filming, starting Oct. 18, of "Seven Bad Men," a $1,000,000 Superscope-Technicolor film. RKO will handle world-wide distribution of "Seven Bad Men," while (Continued on page 5) Say 'Academy Award Month' Boosts Profit HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 30.— "Academy Award Month," in which 16 features that had earned Academy Award distinction were run during the month, gave the Pix Theatre, Jackson, Miss., a 133 per cent increase in business over the same month last year, and 97 per cent increase in net profit, manager E. R. Edwards informed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sci(Continued on page 5) TELEPHONE HOOKUP TO LAUNCH WILL ROGERS 'CHRISTMAS SALUTE' The motion picture industry today will launch the 1954 Variety Clubs International "Christmas Salute" campaign seeking a goal of $250,000 and 200,000 signatures for the Oct. 1 to Jan. 15 drive which is for the benefit of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital in Saranac, N. Y. A. Montague, president of the hospital ; Charles Feldm a n , national distributor chairman,^ and Moe Silver, national exhibitor chairman, announced the start of the campaign for funds in a closed circuit nationwide telephone broadcast which originated here and was heard in all exchange cities by film salesmen, ex A. Montague representing hibitors and executive^ all branches of the industry. The Christmas S a 1 u t-e , which seeks one hour's pay' from all industry workers, was termed by Mont a g u e as the "backbone of all Variety Club drives" in his announcement. Film salesmen, branch managers and other industry workers were asked by Feldman, Silver and Mon(Continued on page 5) Charles Feldman Nearing Goal Makelim Adds 150 Theatres; Shea Joins Up Talks Continuing With SW, RKO and Fabian The Shea circuit, operated by the Jamestown Amusement Co., has joined the Makelim plan, bringing the lineup of theatres over the past week to an additional 150, it was disclosed here yesterday by John Wolfberg, vicepresident of Makelim Productions. Wolfberg, here for the past week, already has signed up E. M. Loew's circuit, Boston, and the Century circuit. Negotiations with Stanley Warner, RKO Theatres and Fabian Theatres are continuing, he added. Wolfberg plans to leave for a swingaround the country shortly, conferring with officials of affiliate circuits of American Broadcasting Paramount Theatres. The Makelim executive, it is understood, planned the AB-PT trip (Continued on page 5) Name Fabian ^54 Pioneer Simon H. Fabian, president of the StanleyWarner Corp., has been selected as "Motion Picture Pioneer of 1954" by the Motion Picture Pioneers, it was announced in New York by Jack Cohn, president of the Motion Picture Pioneers and also of the Foundation of Motion Picture Pioneers, made up of industry personnel in the business for 25 years or more. Fabian will be the guest of honor at the 16th annual Showmanship Dinner of the Motion Picture Pioneers on Nov. 17 in the Hotel As(Continued on page 4) S. H. Fabian