Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1954)

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6 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, December 9, 1954 Martin Talks Film Backing (Continued from page 1) Goldenson (Coiitiinted from page 1) for the promotion of motion pictures, a constant theme of Goldenson's, also was explored by the AB-PT president. For some reason or other, Goldenson said, producers seem to be "pulling apart" in this area, giving that as the reason for the failure of the project of the American Broadcasting Co. and others to launch its TV promotion series for the industry. When TV is used properly in selling motion pictures, Goldenson predicted, "we'll have the greatest boom the motion picture industry has ever experienced." He reiterated the need to corral the Nickelodeon to Be Dedicated in Phila. By MPA on Jan. 18 PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 8.— Stars, directors and producers of the motion picture industry will participate in the dedication of The Nickelodeon in Franklin Institute on Jan. 18, co-sponsored by the Institute and the Motion Picture Associates of Philadelphia. The MPA also will hold a $2S-aplate dinner that evening in the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, honoring pioneers of the Philadelphia industry. The MPA is composed of men employed in Philadelphia exchanges. Proceeds of the dimier will go to the Association's welfare committee, according to Sam Diamond, president of the group. William Goldman is general chairman of the MPA dinner committee. He is also the donor of the Nickelodeon, which he plans as a "shrine to the movie industry." Co-chairmen of the entertainment committee for the dinner will be Howard Minsky, division manager of Paramount, and Harold Seidenberg, of the Fox Theatre. The Franklin Institute Nickelodeon will be a replica of the turn-of-thecentury theatres. It will feature continuous showings of silent film classics. All proceeds of the Nickelodeon showings will go to the Franklin Institute. A veteran showman, Goldman started in the industry in 1910 in St. Louis with an open-air nickelodeon. Today he is one of the nation's largest independent exhibitors. He is also a producer, as president of GregoryGoldman Enterprises, and a distributor, as president of the Williams Company. Brewer (Continued from page 1) former labor activities, is in New York to study exchange and branch operations before leaving over the weekend for Dallas enroute to Hollywood. The AA executive said that before shifting his offices from the West Coast to New York, he will spend a few days at each of the AA exchanges and branches in the United States. He has been meeting here with company officials, exchange and branch managers to discuss expansion plans and forthcoming product. 'This Is Your Army' (Continued from page 1) A. Seaton and other Defense Department and Congressional leaders will also be on hand. Army searchlights will light the skies in front of the theatre, ceremonies saluting the armed forces will take place on the stage and the U.S. Army band will present a 30-minute concert prior to the showing of the film. said any exhibitor in the nation can subscribe to stock, wliether or not he is a member of the TOA. This was the sixth convention at which he has talked on the subject. So far, Martin said, it has been a selling job, and many things have to be done, especially at the Securities Exchange Commission, and after Jan. 1, a prospectus will be sent out. "TOA is pleased at the prospect of an exhibitor-Distributor conference soon, to be sponsored by the distributors," Martin said. "TOA has always been in favor of attempting to solve industry problems around a conference table," he declared, and added : "If the conference is to be successful, it must be approached by all participants with sincerity and willingness to sacrifice. The greater concession must come from the distribution representatives because they are in control of the current sellers' market Compo Poll (Continued from page 1) man ; Roy Kalver of Decatur, Ind. ; Ralph Russell of Canton, O. ; Paul Levi of the American Theatres Corp. of Boston ; Frank H. Ricketson, Jr., and Paul Lyday of the Fox InterMountain Theatres of Denver ; Harry Mandel, chairman of the COMPO press relations committee, and Charles E. McCarthy of the COMPO staff. Ricketson and Lyday will take the place of Senn Lawler, a member of the original committee who will be unable to attend because of pressure of new duties as a division manager of National Theatres. Emil Bernstecker of the Wilby-Kincey Theatreis of Atlanta, another member of the original committee, also has sent word that he will be unable to attend. Will Consider Three Points Aspects of the poll to i be decided upon by the committee are its date, the manner of counting the ballots and the time and nature of the announcement of the poll winners. The poll, a COMPO spokesman said, is designed to give the public a chance to make its choice of the best picture released in 1954, the best male and female performances and the most promising young male and female players developed during the last year. SCTOA Charges (Continued from page 1) special session and members have returned to their homes. Senator Schoeppel (R., Kans.), chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee 1 which has been watching the film indbstry, will leave town this week. With the Senators dispersed, it's considered almost certain now there will be no further subcommittee investigations or hearings this year. Presumably Schoeppel will make some personal answer to the SCTOA letter, but that will be all. Moreover, chances are that little will be done in this field until February or later, since it will take at least the month of January for the new Congress to organize under its new Democratic leadership, make committee assignments and work out plans for the year ahead. and are in the position of being able to dictate terms and conditions of rental. Exhibitors are the victims of a 'take-it-or-leave-it' philosophy. "I do not say that this market has been rigged by the distributors. What I do know is that the conditions exist, and that relief for thousands of exhibitors must be forthcoming cjuickly." John H. Rowley, executive vicepresident of Rowley United Theatres, Dallas, vice-president of the TOA for the Southwest area and vice-president of Exhibitors Financing Group, invited to the convention by president James Carbery, spoke in favor of financing films by exhibitors. Mike Simons, New York, director of exhibitor relations for M-G-M, spake ■ of the huge campaign Metro will conduct in 1955, pointing up the importance of local theatres, with the slogan "There's More Fun at the Movies." Mexico Industry (Continued from page 1) its taking a frontal place in the world market. After a brief stay in Los Angeles, which he said is the third largest user of Mexican films in the world, Pulido Islas will tour the United States, Europe and the Orient, setting up offices to promote the distribution and exhibition of Mexican pictures made available " in dubbed or sub-caption form as well as bi-lingual. The visitor revealed that Cimex is open to co-production proposals from all other nations, and is prepared to go as high as 80 per cent of the negative cost in financing films which Cimex considers top-calibre with respect to quality, commercial aspects and distributional advantages. He did not, however, make a direct pitch for American producers to utilize Mexican facilities, although this is often done on a satisfactory basis by many companies. Co-production deals have been executed in France and Italy, he said. Minn. Booth Men (Continued from page 1) nesota Amusement Company, operators of four loop and two neighborhood houses ; RKO Theatres, operators of two loop first runs ; and almost 40 independent neighborhood and suburban houses as well as two loop first run theatres. The strike, if effective, would close every theatre in the city with the exception of Cinerama. Under the Minnesota labor law, the strike notices provide for a 10-day conciliation period so that if further negotiations fail, a walkout could be effective Dec. 17. The state labor conciliators office announced today that it has set up three separate meetings for next week. Minnesota Amusement will negotiate on Monday, RKO on Wednesday and the independents on Thursday. Independent theatres are currently operating without a union contract, the last three-year agreement having expired Nov. 30. Three-year contracts with Minnesota Amusement and RKO expire Dec. 12. Union demands for a new three-year agreement included salary increases totalling approximately 30 per cent over the three years, an extra week of vacation time and additional preparation time. new audience growing up, now between the ages of five and 12. The AB-PT president welcomed the advent of such organizations as Distributors Corp. of America and the Theatre Owners of America's sponsored film finance corporation. Due to the product scarcity, he held, these organizations, if properly handled, have a good chance of being successful. Regarding the possibilities of ABPT going into production, Goldenson said that if the shortage in pictures become such, that the best interests of theatres would be served by AB-PT taking such a step, "we would give serious consideration" to the move. He reiterated that AB-PT which, he said, is not barred by its consent decree from engaging in production, will continue to study the situation. Reelect Schenck (Continued from page 1) fat, Milton C. Weisman, Raymond V. Wemple, A. H. Frisch and James M. Landis. A meeting of the newly reelected board will be held in the near future when all officers are expected to be reelected. Skouras Describes 'Scope UK Progress LONDON, Dec. 8. — With some 1,400 British theatres to be equipped for CinemaScope by March of next year and orders for more pouring in daily, representative British film men yesterday hailed Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox, as the man who has "revitalized world interest in motion pictures" through the introduction of CinemaScope. The tribute was made at a luncheon held at the Savoy Hotel, in London, at which 120 leading producers, distributors, exhibitors, writers and politicians gathered to honor the American film leader, Kine Weekly, a British film trade paper, organized the salute. Further news revealed at the luncheon included reports that 510 independent theatres would be equipped for CinemaScope by the end of 1954, and that 830 would be ready by March. Skouras announced that he expected eight to 10 British films to be produced in CinemaScope, emphasizing that these would be completely British-made. He added that he expected six to eight films to be made on the European continent making a total of approximately 16 foreign productions in the new process for 1955. YOU CAN ALWAYS DEPEND ON FOR THE BEST SPECIAL TRAILERS