Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1954)

All The ^ews That Is News MOTION PICTURE DAILY VOL. 76. NO. 88 NEW YORK, U.S.A., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1954 TEN CENTS Improves Attitude TO A Leaders Hail Columbia Finance Plan Some Are Skeptical But Most Applaud the Move By Staff Correspondent CHICAGO, Nov. 4.— Theatre Owners of America leaders as a whole today hailed Columbia Pictures' announcement that it had allocated $10,000,000 to finance independent production in an effort to alleviate the shortage of product, but there were some dissident comments among the exhibitors attending the convention here. Nevertheless, the announcement from Harry Cohn, president of Columbia, brought about an immediate improvement in exhibitor attitude toward the company whose sales policies were twice classified by Allied States as the harshest of all companies and which {Continued on page 3) Casting Poses Grave Problem, Says Powell There are about 10 to 15 actors and actresses presently in Hollywood who have a "draw" at theatre boxoffices, according to Dick Powell, producer of the RKO Pictures' CinemaScope release, "The Conqueror," which will be distributed nationally at Eastertime. These personalities who bring the (Continued on page 6) Columbia to Get U.S, Bond Award WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.— Columbia Pictures will receive a "Distinguished Service Award" from the Treasury Department for a five-minute savings bond film that will be shown in theatres and on television screens next year. The film plugs the purchases of the government's E and H savings bonds. Judy HoUiday will receive the Treasury's "Minute Man Flag Award" for her part in the film. Both awards will be presented Monday night during a dinner climaxing a two-day meeting of Treasury Department bond salesmen to plan their 1955 sales campaign. 5 Trustees to Guide New Exhibitor Finance Firm Para. 39-Week Net Up to $6,390,000, $1.4-Million Gain Paramount Pictures Corp. yesterday estimated its consolidated earnings for the third quarter ended Oct. 2, at $2,428,000 after provision for United States and Canadian income taxes. The earnings represent $1.10 per share on the 2,208,133 shares outstanding. Consolidated earnings for the corresponding quarter last year were estimated at $2,005,000 and represented (Continued on page 3) Union City House Files Trust Suit A $1,050,000 anti-trust suit was filed here by Marlies Theatre Corp., operators of Park Theatre, Union City, N. J., against the eight major film companies, Skouras Theatres and others. The suit, filed in Federal District Court, alleged the Park Theatre was (Continued on page 3) Could Cancel the Allied Bill: Myers By Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.— Allied States Association general counsel Abram F. Myers said Allied's bill for Federal regulation of the film industry could be put "in deep-freeze" if enough film companies follow Columbia's example and begin large-scale financing of independent film production. "Without knowing the details of the Columbia action," he declared, "I certainly welcome the idea of additional production and release of pictures. The market is in a starved condition and we need pictures. Anything more will be welcomed by exhibitors." Myers added that he thought other producers could do the same thing and would probably be forced to do the same thing by Columbia's action in order to preserve their own competitive position. Asked what effect this might have on Allied's regulation bill, Myers then declared that if additional companies did the same thing and did it on a sufficiently large scale, "we'll be able to put it (the bill) in deep-freeze." Plan to Launch Project Is Finalized by TO A Board; Association to Advance $5,000 for Trustees to Meet Organizational Expenses By AL STEEN CHICAGO, Nov. 4. — Machinery for the launching of a film financing company, to be initiated by the Theatre Owners of America but completely independent of the association w^as formalized here today by the TOA board at the windup session of the annual convention at the Conrad Hihon Hotel. The TOA officers were instructed to appoint not more than five exhibitors as trustees for the purpose of receiving the funds that are to be subscribed by the TOA members. At least one of the trustees will not be a member of TOA. The trustees will function until such time as the finance company is legally prepared for the acceptance and use of the subscription funds, it was explained by general counsel Herman Levy. Of the five trustees authorized, the four named today are : L. S. Hamm, San Francisco ; Sam Pinanski, Boston. John Rowley, Dallas, and Myron Blank, Des Moines. TOA will lend $5,000 to the trustees for the purpose of meeting organizational expenses, but this sum will be returned to the organization after the finance company has been set up. It was stressed by retiring TOA president Walter Reade, Jr., that the finance company is not a TOA organization. "We are starting it for exhibitors," Reade said. No goal figure for subscriptions has been set; this {Continued on page 6) Three Drive-ins File Anti-Trust Actions Seeking $4,575,000 PITTSBURGH, Nov. 4. — Three outdoor theatres, the South Park Drive-In Theatre, Blue Dell Drive-In, and the Community Drive-In, filed three separate anti-trust complaints in Federal Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania here today seeking judgments totaling $4,575,000 from producing-distributing companies and theatre circuits. The suits charge discrimination and unreasonable restraint. The three drive-ins, which are rep(Continued on page 3) MILWAUKEE, Nov. 4.— Ben Marcus, president of Allied States, questioned here today regarding Columbia Pictures' plan to appropriate $10,000,000 for the financing of independent producers, declared: "I am very highly grateful and am greatly encouraged that Columbia is interested in the exhibitors and in the future of our business. The exhibitors of America are happy and grateful for Columbia's appropriation and will be happy to support Columbia pictures. It is gratifying to know that Columbia has taken such an optimistic and enthusiastic interest on behalf of our industry and the needs of the exhibitors." N. T. Elects Rhoden Head By Staff Correspondent HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 4. — The board of directors of National Theatres, Inc., today elected Elmer C. Rhoden president of the circuit. Rhoden succeeds Charles P. Skouras, who died Oct. 22. Rhoden, who has been president of Fox Midwest Theatres, will move here from Kansas City and will con-duct his management operations from the National Theatres headquarters building. The NT board, at the same meeting, also elected Alan May, treasurer, {Continued on page 6)