Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

Wednesday, January 12, 1955 Motion Picture Daily 5 Rosenberg (Continued from page 1) tertainment away from the home," Rosenberg said. He based his viewpoints on the home owners trends to get out of the house every so often. Rosenberg, who is currently visiting New York with director Rudolph Mate to select Manhattan location sites for the filming of his picture, "Miracle in the Rain," also expressed an optimistic viewpoint about the future. "The 1955 motion picture business will be great due to the abundant amount of good product which will be released," he said. Warns Against Complacency The producer of one of the first CinemaScope productions for 20th Century-Fox, "King of the Kyber Rifles," however, warned that "exhibitors and producers alike should not take for granted the current prosperity in the industry and should give the public the best possible entertainment available at all times." Commenting on the various media, Rosenberg reiterated the statements of many other Hollywood producers that the story and screenplay are the most important ingredients in a film despite the photographic medium in which it is presented. Rosenberg also said that his 1955 schedule calls for him to produce four or five pictures for Warner Brothers. The films are: "Illegal," with Edward G. Robinson ; "Miracle in the Rain," with Jane Wyman ; "So Shall I Live" and "U. S. S. Marblehead," still in the writing stages. A fifth picture is being sought for him by the studio, the producer said. Would Liberalize Code Rosenberg concluded by saying that he favors a little more liberalization in the Production Code "as the American public has become much more mature, realistic and enlightened." Schneider Pact (Continued front page 1) which commenced Jan. 1, Schneider's compensation will be $1,750 per week, plus $250 per week for entertainment and other expenses, it was stated. It was further stated that Schneider shall have no obligation to account to the company for the entertainment and other expense allowance and the allowances shall not cover expenses while traveling on business for the company. The new contract supersedes Schneider's contract which was extended for five years, until Dec. 31, 1955. $1,200,000 for Rubin Rights (Continued from page 1) C. Moskowitz, vice-president, $15o,429, and Joseph R. Vogel, vice-president, $156,429. Vogel and Friedman, it was noted, have resigned as officers and directors to join Loew's Theatres. A payment of $33,800 to retired vice-president William F. Rodgers and of $176,816 to Rubin, also retired from the vicepresidency, also were noted. All directors and officers as a group earned $1,996,867, it was stated. Rodgers Payments Continue Loew's reported that Rodgers, who terminated his employment with the company last March, received out of an escrow fund $3,914 monthly during the fiscal year and will continue to receive such payments until June, 1962, and thereafter at the rate of $2,175 monthly until June, 1967. The report also revealed that a provision has ' been added to Schary's contract, stating that he will render services in a consulting and/or advisory capacity in connection with production activities for a period of nine and a half years after Jan. 18, 1958, the expiration date of his exclusive services, or after such date may be extended. Schary's compensation while he renders such consulting services is at the rate of $1,923 per week, it was added. Cash in Lieu of Annuity Upon termination of their employment contracts, Loew's stated, Rodgers and Rubin, in accordance with the terms of the company's retirement plan, elected to take a cash payment in lieu of an annuity for life of $28,482 annually and $41,795 annually, respectively. TV, Drive-in Effect Enter Schine Trial BUFFALO, Jan. 11.— The defense in the Schine. theatres Federal contempt of court case before Judge John Knight attempted to show by a government witness that TV and drive-in theatres have had an adverse effect on so-called "four wall theatres." The attempt was an apparent effort to bolster the defense claim that an unfavorable market for theatres, because of declining business, prevented Schine interests from making" theatre divestitures ordered in Judge Knight's 1949 decree. The witness was Frank Nolan of Athens, O., operator of drive-in theatres in Ohio and Kentucky, who was district manager in the Ohio area for Schine Chain Theatres, Inc., at the time of, and prior to, the decree. Admits Inroads of TV He admitted on questioning by defense attorney Frank G. Raichle that TV has had an adverse effect on many Ohio film houses, including some Schine houses. Asked why, when he left Schine in the fall of 1949, he did not buy into the "four walls" theatre business instead of the drive-in business, Nolan replied "the dollar goes farther in the drive-in business." He added : "I didn't know of a theatre (four wall) for sale." "You knew Schine theatres were for sale, didn't you?" Raichle asked, mentioning ads for resales in industry magazines. The witness admitted he knew of the ads. Picker Warns Second-Runs (Continued from page 1) were other factors working besides the number of pictures, pointing out the quality of some productions, the matter of the Federal admission tax saving and the "maneuverability" of Loew's in the product market. He acknowledged that the decrease in the product output over the past years has created problems for Loew's, problems related to extended runs for top pictures in neighborhood situations, problems of obtaining a second feature of good quality to make an entertaining program available to patrons. He warned that the product output is near "the danger point" and the problems may increase in the future. Picker, in response to a question, said he has no ready formula for solving the product situation, acknowledging that producers are faced with headaches, too. However, he did foresee the necessity of producers and exhibitors reaching a meeting of the minds as to the requirements of the product market. Picker, as previously reported, sees the necessity of maintaining the production of low-budgeted, as well as expensive pictures. Four (B> of 10 Films Reviewed by Legion Four pictures out of the 10 reviewed by the National Legion of Decency in its latest list of ratings have been placed in Class B. They are "Hell's Outpost," "Six Bridges to Cross," "Ten Men Wanted" and "Vera Cruz." Four of the remaining six films have been placed in Class A, Section 1. They are "Heartbreak Ridge," "A Life in the Balance," "Pirates of Tripoli" and "Young at Heart." "Battle Taxi" and "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" received the Section A, Class 1 rating. Drive-ins (Continued from page 1) would draw approximately 1,000 exhibitors. The first national drive-in convention in Cincinnati last year had a registration of about 700. The. national advisory committee handling the convention met in Chicago last week to set plans. The group consisted of Ben Marcus, Allied president; Jack Kirsch, Ruben Shor, Wilbur Snaper, Abe Berenson and Abram F. Myers. The. amount of booth space already contracted, the bulletin said, "insures the success of the trade show and requests for hotel accommodiations are coming in at a pace which foreshadows a heavy attendance." A general invitation has been extended by the national organization to the regional units. "This year," the bulletin states, "the drive-in men will have, equally pressing problems having to do with mounting film costs, print shortages, delayed availabilities and various forms of discrimination practiced against them." SMPTE to Cite Author HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 11. — President John G. Frayne of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers announced that he has appointed a five-man committee to select the author, or authors, of the most outstanding paper published in the Society's Journal in 1954. An award certificate will be presented to the winner at the Society's 78th semiannual convention to be held in Lake Placid, N. Y„ Oct. 2-7. THE THIRD ANNUAL COMMUNION BREAKFAST for Catholic people of the motion picture industry in the New York area will be held Sunday, February 6. Mass at nine o'clock at St. Patrick's Cathedral, with breakfast immediately following in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria. For information and tickets, communicate with the member of the Sponsoring Committee in your office, or Miss Marguerite Bourdette, Room 1107, 1501 Broadway. Tel.: BRyant 9-8700. Tickets $3.75 each. trifltrsv)f?s