Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1954)

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Thursday, November 4, 1954 MOTION Picture Daily 7 N.Y. Elections (Continued from page 1) the state legislature at its next session to amend or repeal the Enabling Act of 1947 which allows municipalities to enact taxation such as the New York City five per cent amusement tax. Now, it appears some exhibitors feel that the new Democratic state administration, while it would not be likely, presumably, to repeal the enabling act, would be more likely than Governor Dewey's administration in Albany to give the city at least some of the increased financial assistance it has been requesting. If this were done, some industry observers feel, the need for the admissions tax might be removed and the city might repeal or end it voluntarily. Wagner Action Recalled In this connection it was recalled that Mayor Wagner attempted to place the responsibility for the city ticket tax directly on the state government last spring, on the grounds that refusal of state fiscal aid for the city forced the latter to adopt such unpopular measures as the nuisance tax. These observers remarked that if the friendlier Democratic state administration now grants fiscal relief to the city, the sincerity of Mayor Wagner's statements of last spring will be put to the test. Wagner wired Gov. Dewey last spring urging adoption of a three-point program which would enable the city to raise $25,000,000 needed without new taxes. He also told the governor that he would veto the five per cent admission levy if the governor would sponsor legislation at the special session of the Legislature to give the city the $25,000,000. To File Briefs Tomorrow In the meantime, exhibitor attorneys were putting the final touches on appellant briefs which will be filed tomorrow in Brooklyn Appellate Division court. Assistant Corporation Counsel Stanley Buchsbaum, representing the city in the current five per cent tax suit, will file his respondent brief by Nov. 20. The city is also expected to appoint a successor to Corporation Counsel Adrian P. Burke who has been elected to a 14-year term in the Court of Appeals. If the current tax suit ever reaches the Court of Appeals in Albany, Burke will disqualify himself from hearing the case. One Film Yearly (Continued from page 1) meeting of the Motion Picture Export Association. It was further reported that the Federation agreed that subsequent to 1955, the international festival should not be in the same country two successive years. However, for 1955, Cannes and Venice were both considered eligible provided both cities agree to the governing principles in 1956. TOA-RKO Meet (Continued from page 1) C. J. Tevlin, vice-president in charge of RKO Radio studios, would be interested in meeting with a TOA committee in Los Angeles at TOA's convenience, adding "I might suggest a meeting after Jan. 1." TOA Members Pledge Thousands of Dollars To Production Plan Bv Staff Correspondent CHICAGO, Nov. 3.— Several hundred thousand dollars has already been pledged by Theatre Owners of America members to the association's production finance project, it was revealed here yesterday. An official tabulation probably won't be completed until after the annual convention closes tomorrow. However, it was learned that there were at least five pledges of $20,000 each and several for $30,000 each. There were many more individual pledges of sums between $10,000 and $15,000. The TOA convention adopted a resolution calling for the exhibitor group's board of directors to authorize its officers to form or financially support new film production. Calling the proposal the "Super-Makelim Plan," the convention pledged members to contribute the equivalent of an average week's film rentals to create financing for the project, and also pledged playing time in their theatres to such product. Non-Members Welcomed An invitation to participate in the production project has been extended to all non-TOA members by the convention, which also proposed that the Department of Justice be asked to approve amendments of the decrees in the Paramount case to permit divorced theatre companies to engage in film production to help alleviate the product shortage. was delegated to talk for all distributors. Starr virtually ripped the distributors apart for product shortages, high rentals and clearances. While not going along with Allied's proposal for Federal regulation, Starr said that Allied was acting in desperation and that its leaders could not be blamed for seeking outside assistance. 'We all will run to the government unless we get relief," Starr said. When Starr finished, to a round of applause, Lichtman again took the fioor and denied any conspiracy among the distributors. "I have never talked with another sales manager about his film terms or policies," Lichtman said. Sees Nothing Gained Lichtman pleaded with the convention not to go to the government, claiming that nothing would be gained by such a move. He asserted that film shortages were due to the elimination of block booking and theatre divorcement, pointing out that the studios could not afford to keep large stock companies of players and inventories of product when there was no assured outlet. He also denied that the distributors were enjoying their greatest era of prosperity as had been stated by exhibitors. He said that increased profits were only by comparison with those of recent years, but that earnings were much greater a decade ago. Instead of going to the government, Lichtman said, both sides should get together and work out solutions like "sensible business men." It was on Nathan (Continued from page 1) Robert Pelton, Pelton Popcorn Co., Bloomdale, succeeded Harold M. Alver. Premier Popcorn Co., Watseka, 111. For manufacturer-wholesale, Allan W. Adams, Adams Corp., Beloit, Wis., replaced Syd Spiegel, Super Puft Popcorn, Ltd., Toronto. For theatreconcession, Nathan Buchman, American Theatre Supply Corp., Boston, succeeded Nathan. For retail popcorn shops, H. H. Miller, Caramel Crisp Shop, Madison, Wis., succeeded Jerry Berger, Topsy's Popcorn, Kansas City. For jobber-distributor, Dave C. Evans, Gold Medal Products Co., Cincinnati, replaced Augie J. Schmitt, Houston Popcorn and Supply Co., Houston. For brokers, A. J. Villiesse, Villiesse Sales Co., Wilmette, 111. succeeded Hersch I. Yesley, Yesley Bros. Sales Co., Newtonville, Mass. For equipment manufacturers. Rex Yocum, Seedburo Equipment Co., Chicago, replaced H. E. Chrisman, Cretors Corp., Nashville. Steinberg Named to UA Brazilian Post H. Alfredo Steinberg has been named United Artists' assistant manager in Brazil. Steinberg is a native of Rio de Janeiro and entered the industry in 1932 with Companhia Cine Brazil, an exhibitor organization. Subsequently switching to distribution, he successively held executive sales posts with Paramount, Universal, Monogram, and more recently with Columbia. that statement that TOA leaders believe a meeting will be called shortly by distribution to settle many of the problems. Today's sessions were largely devoted to operating subjects. Drive-in exhibitors this morning covered topics such as screen surfaces, dust and mosquito control, playgrounds and concessions. A review of new techniques and media occupied the afternoon session. Five Firms Hosts Yesterday the convention was the luncheon guest of Motion Picture Advertising Service Co. and United Film Service Co., at which Claude Lee, executive of the former company, was the principal speaker. Today the luncheon hosts were Motiograph, Nestle Co., RCA, National Theatre Supply, Charles E. Hires Co. and Radiant Manufacturing Corp. Coca Cola was the host at a bufiiet last night and Pepsi Cola was the host at a supper and barn dance tonight. The convention yesterday agreed to sponsor an audience collection for the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital, the collection to be conducted for a single day nationally. A 30-minute television subject, showing clips from forthcoming product, was shown at the luncheon today. Prepared by Bruce Balaban, the reel is currently in use and Balaban asked TOA endorsement of it as a business stimulator. Previously, the convention voted to form a committee to further an all-industry TV program to be telecast on Monday nights. VV Productions Will Be Available in Anamorphic Prints By Staff Correspondent CHICAGO, Nov. 3. — Doubt in some areas of the industry that Paramount would actually make VistaVision productions available in anamorphic prints was dispelled today by Lor en L. Ryder, head of the Paramount studio technical department, at the TESMA-TEDA-TOA convention forum. In addressing an audience of about 800 assembled for discussion of technical problems in exhibition with the new systems, Ryder said that his company definitely plans to supply anamorphic VistaVision prints for theatres that want them, with a compression-expansion ratio of one-and-a-half to one, as originally announced, regardless of the fact that this ratio will not be compatible with squeeze prints of CinemaScope and of RKO Radio's SuperScope productions. Through Squeeze Prints Ryder pointed out later, during the open discussion period of the forum, that it would ibe through squeeze prints that Paramount would make VistaVision productions available for projection in the widths of picture in which drive-in theatres are presenting CinemaScope. For anamorphic prints in the Paramount squeeze ratio, cylindrical lenses would be made available by Bausch & Lomb, said A. E Neumer of that company, another forum speaker. He indicated that Bausch & Lomb is now working on an adapter for that purpose. He said such an adapter had been developed also in a variable type for adjustment through a range of anamorphic ratios, but that this had not proved feasible because of the sacrifice of other optical values. Sponable Heard Defending magnetic sound as a method practicable for theatres generally. Earl Sponable, technical director of 20th Century-Fox said that while present magnetic heads had proved capable of reproducing between four and five million feet of film, an alloy of aluminum and iron, called alfenol, had been used experimentally and had indicated it could increase head life about five times that of the present rating. TOA Will Cite Kaye Today in Chicago CHICAGO, Nov. 3.— Danny Kaye will be cited as "the star of the year" at tomorrow's annual convention banquet of the Theatre Owners of America at the Conrad Hilton Hotel here. Kaye's tribute will come just one day after his new starrer "White Christmas," Paramount's first VistaVision production, opens at Chicago's State Lake Theatre. Gollin, Rand Merge Ed Gollin Associates of New York and Jess Rand Associates of Beverly Hills, press and public relations offices, announced they have a workingagreement to give East-West service. Among the accounts represented are Filmakers, Jeff Chandler Enterprises, Will Mastin Trio and Sammy Davis, Jr. TOA Predicts Peace Meet (Continued from page 1)