Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

Thursday, January 6, 1955 Motion Picture Daily 3 Award for Aid to Israel Spyros P. Skouras (center) , president of 20th Century-Fox, is pictured receiving from Simon H. Fabian (left) , president of Stanley Warner, and Harry Oppenheimer (right), vicepresident of the Israel Fund, a special award from The American Fund for Israel Institutions in recognition of his leadership on behalf of Israel through the American Fund. Skouras was feted last night at a dinner concert held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel here, attended by more than 1,000 dignitaries. Fabian was dinner concert chairman. Abba Eban, Israel's Ambassador to the United States, who was the principal speaker at the dinner, said his nation is determined to consolidate its position as a democratic nation in its strategic area of the world. Fabian reported that the $100 a plate dinner yielded over $200,000 in the Fund's current drive for $1,857,000. The capacity audience heard Rise Stevens, Robert Merrill, Pierre Monteux and the Symphony of the Air, and watched ballet stars Diana Adams and Andre Eglevsky perform. Only Weather Hurt Holiday Final tabulation of Motion Picture Daily field correspondents' survey of holiday theatre business reveals that patronage was high except those spots where bad weather had its adverse effect. This was particularly true in New Orleans where continuous rain drenched the city and in Atlanta where weather also took its toll. In New Orleans, the rain subsided about 10 o'clock New Year's Eve and people started to line up at the box offices. The biggest line appeared to be at the Saenger where Paramount's "3-Ring Circus" was the attraction. "Sign of the Pagan" drew a capacity house at the Joy. Neighborhood theatres were reported hard hit by the weather. Atlanta Slightly Off Attendance in Atlanta on New Year's was said to be about 20 per cent off, with the exception of "There's No Business Like Show Business" at the Fox. In San Francisco, first-run attendance was described as "terrific," the standouts being "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," "Vera Cruz," "3-Ring Circus," "The Silver Chalice" and "This is Cinerama." Pittsburgh's New Year business in every first-run downtown house ranged from good to exceptional. The Penn, which ran special showings of "Green Fire" only on Friday night, and "Deep In My Heart," its regular feature, the rest of the week, should reach $19,000 for its second successive week. Cinerama had its best Sunday in six months, and looks for a lofty $20,000 in its 57th week. The Harris with its second week of "There's No Business Like Show Business" will again top $17,000, and stay over for a third. Ditto for "Carmen Jones" at the Fulton with $11,000 for the second week to match the first seven days. 'Young in Heart' Strong "Young In Heart" which was rushed into the Stanley to replace "Hansel and Gretel," rated a good $17,000 in its first week, and stays on. The neighborhood art house, the Squirrel Hill, is gunning for a new house record with its second week of "The Detective." "Romeo and Juliet" holds over in the new Guild Theatre, and "One Summer of Happiness" is doing exceptional business in the Art Cinema on holdovers. Foreign Trade (Continued from page 1) economies and so, indirectly, helping the film industry in its fight for foreign markets and foreign remittances. The House Democratic leadership's intention to push the trade bill was evidenced by the fact that Cooper's bill was given the honor of being tagged House Resolution No. 1 — the first bill of the new Congress. The President will formally request the trade legislation in his State of the Union message tomorrow and again in a special foreign trade message on Monday. He is expected to ask also for lower tax rates on foreign income and other spurs to foreign investment and foreign trade. Army Theatres (Continued from page 1) drawn out on the exact nature of the plan proposed by the industry, explaining that proposals made at yesterday's meeting must be further studied by distribution. In addition, he stated that the plan must be submitted and negotiated with Department of Defense officials. He said the industry committee plans to meet with Defense officials F. Bund, Jr., chief of the Army and Air Force motion picture section, and D. Walter Swann, another official of the motion picture section within the next two or three weeks. Martin indicated that the proposed releasing pattern will vary throughout the country, citing as an example that a commercial theatre from one to three miles away from an Army post has a different problem than big city theatres or situations many miles from Army installations. Attending yesterday's meeting were Ralph Hetzel, Jr., and Taylor Mills, of the Motion Picture Association of America ; Morey Goldstein, chairman of the sales managers committee of MPAA; Martin, Walter ReadeJ Jr., Julian Brylawsky, Herman Levy and George Gaughan, TOA. Griscom-Russell Co. To General Precision Acquisition by General Precision Equipment Corp. of over 97 per cent of the outstanding preferred and common stock of Griscom-Russell Company, Massillon, O., was announced by Hermann G. Place, GPE president. A leading manufacturer of heat transfer equipment and water purifiers for the petroleum, power and chemical industries and for naval and merchant ships, Griscom-Russell formally joined the GPE group of operating companies this week. The GPE Companies are engaged in the development, production and sale of highly technological products for industry and the Armed Services. Mrs. Lantz Talent Head Here for H-L Mrs. Sherlee Weingarten Lantz, former casting director for the Theatre Guild and for Louis de RochemontV independent film productions, has been appointed general talent representative in the East for HechtLancaster Productions. Mrs. Lantz, whose headquarters will be in New York, will be concerned with performing and other talent. Sindlinger 's Report Soon Market analyst Albert E. Sindlinger's^ report on the effect of the New \ ork City five per cent amusement tax on the local motion picture industry since its inception on July 1 will be presented to exhibitors here "in about a week," according to Emanuel Frisch, president of the Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatre Association. Sindlinger sent out questionnaires to exhibitors in the five boroughs early this week in order to help round up statistics which will aid in the current battle against the local "nuisance" levy, Frisch said. The exhibitor committee, which retained the statistician, recently approved the questionnaire to be filled out by circuit and independent theatre operators. Information which is listed and sent in to Sindlinger will be kept secret and confidential. Will Compute Returns The statistician's survey when completed will enable the exhibitor forces fighting the New York City impost to have a better and more accurate estimate of the yearly return from the five per cent tax, Frisch said. It is expected to support the theatremen's estimates that the five per cent tax will total about $8,000,000 over-all, with motion picture houses contributing from $3,500,000 to $4,000,000 by July 1. The Sindlinger report will include tax statistics for the past six months and may possibly be used in preparing briefs and petitions to the State Legislature if and when the New York City exhibitors seek a repeal or amendment of the 1947 Enabling Act, authorizing such taxation. Harriman Sees Little Chance For Repeal of Enabling Act ALBANY, Jan. 5. — Gov. Averell Harriman, in his address at the opening session of the New York State Legislature today, stated that there existed little possibility of repealing the 1947 enabling act which authorized New York City to levy a five per cent admission tax. Harriman also pointed out that the state government should interfere as little as possible in the financial affairs of localities and that the taxing powers of localities be made permanent, as far as practicable. 23 Hold 'Vera' Hecht-Lancaster Productions "Vera Cruz" has been held over in 23 key theatres for at least a second week, it was announced by William J. Heineman, vice-president in charge of distribution for United Artists. Next IMPDA Meet Set for Jan. 18 The next meeting of the Independent Motion Picture Distributors Association of America will take place on Jan. 18 at the association's offices here, according to Arthur L. Mayer, president of the foreign film distributing group, who postponed a meeting planned for earlier this week.