Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

8 Motion Picture Daily Monday, January 17, 1955 Goldwyn on TV of 'Oscar' Nominations HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 16. — Televising of the Academy nominations on Feb. 12 by N.B.C. has Samuel Goldwyn shaking his head, Thomas M. Pryor, a Hollywood correspondent for the "New York Times," reports in that newspaper today. Goldwyn, a believer in TV and motion picture cooperation, told his interviewer there is a danger the 90-minute segments may bore the public if it is asked to listen to lists of titles and names competing for a prize "when the winners won't be made known until the following month." See Wage Law a 'Burden' (Continued from page 1) Censors (Continued jrom page 1) seeing around the Richmond area. He said that on the average there would be two delegates from each of the following states : New York, Ohio, Kansas, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In Maryland, in the wake of recent court decisions on film censorship, a new bill on the problem has been introduced in the state legislature. The bill, among other things, would limit the right of the state to censor moving pictures on the grounds of being obscene, tending to debase or corrupt morals or incite to crime. In Ohio, two measures on film censorship have been filed in the state legislature. The one in the state Senate seeks the repeal of all censorship, while the House bill would revise present laws so that censorship, now ineffective under the Supreme Court decision, could possibly again become effective. MPEA to Study (Continued from page 1) formula prepared by a special committee without taking any definite action. Contents of the proposed formula, long sought to minimize or eradicate constant friction among member companies, were not made public. The committee rendering the report consisted of Abe Schneider, of Columbia ; Arthur Loew, of Loew's ; Arnold Picker, of United Artists ; and George Weltner, of Paramount, in addition to MPEA representatives G. Griffith Johnson and Ralph Hetzel. Name Eastland, Morse to SSB WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.— Senators Eastland (D., Miss.) and Morse (Ind., Ore.) were named today to fill Democratic vacancies on the Senate Small Business Committee. The committee will be headed in the coming year by Sen. Sparkman (D., Ala.). Set 'Intruder' Bow "The Intruder," melodrama starring Jack Hawkins, George Cole, Dennis Price and Michael Medwin, will have its American premiere at the Plaza Theatre here following the current engagement of "The Belles of St. Trinian's." "The Intruder" is released by Associated Artists Productions. the present Federal law be changed to take in any workers "affecting commerce." Sol Strausberg, president of the Five Boro Theatre Circuit here, stated that it must be determined initially whether theatres are engaged in interstate or intrastate commerce. "Personally, I believe that theatres are not a part of interstate commerce and once the government extends the Federal Minimum Wage Law to theatres, then their interpretation of interstate commerce will encompass every business undertaking," the exhibitor leader said. "If the proposed wage-hour law changes are ever passed, it would only apply to ushers and p^rt-time help and would be more burdensome to theatres outside of New York where the presr ent pay scales are not as high," Strausberg said. Sees Tax Aid Nullified A representative for a top New York circuit was in accord with Strausberg on seeking a determination of whether motion picture theatres are engaged in intra or inter state commerce. "It will be an additional burden on theatres," he said pointing out that on one hand the government has aided the industry by reducing the Federal Excise Tax 10 per cent, and on the other hand by Arbitration (Continued from page 1) and general counsel of Universal Pictures. The eight-man exhibitor-distributor group, meeting at 11 a.m., has been directed by the main arbitration committee, which is composed of the MPAA's sales managers committee and exhibitor associations, except Allied, to prepare a set of rules and regulations for industry arbitration. Upon approval by all industry quarters, the arbitration draft is to be submitted to the Department of Justice for governmental approval, also. The draft, which Levy and Schimel have worked on since last Spring, is reported to include portions of the 1952 arbitration plan and seven points — clearances, runs, conditioning, contract violations, print shortages, competitive bidding and pre-release of pictures. RKO 24-Sheets Free For 'Underwater!' RKO Radio will give free to exhibitors 24-sheet posters advertising "Underwater!", its Super ScopeTechnicolor production which was premiered last week in Silver Springs, Fla. The contribution of the 24-sheets, said Walter Branson, RKO worldwide sales manager, will be in addition to the 120-city national poster campaign which the company is preparing for the Jane Russell starrer. 'Violent Jan. 26 "The Violent Men," Columbia Pictures' first CinemaScope-Technicolor production, starring Glenn Ford, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson, will have its New York premiere at the Loew's State Theatre on Jan. 26. slapping on a large additional load. According to Charles Moss of B. S. Moss Enterprises, the proposed extension of the Federal Minimum Wage Law would affect the small town theatremen more than the big city operator. "The small operator maybe employs three or four ushers or other help on a part-time basis and any increased operating expenses, however slight, could hurt him," Moss said. Industry attorneys a short time ago reported that theatres could conceivably be brought under the Federal Minimum Wage Law on the theory that motion picture product moves in interstate commerce and agreed that if there ever was a court challenge on the issue, it could be asserted. 'Matter of Constitutional Law' At the time of the first rumblings from Washington about a proposed extension of the wage-hour law, an attorney for one major circuit said that "theatres generally have been held as engaged in intra-state commerce, but it was only a matter of constitutional law." Another legal counsel stated that small independent theatres were regarded as engaged in intrastate commerce, but the large circuits which have theatres in many states, and which book films for the entire circuit, are actually in interstate commerce. Disney, ABC-TV (Continued from page 1) in the late afternoon time slot. The deal is understood to entail about $36,000,000, although this figure may change as production progresses. Filming will be done in front of a live audience made up of children, and the three-camera system used on other ABC shows will be employed, as well as kinemascope on some occasions. Exact nature of the contents is not fully determined. Deal has been signed by Disney and Kintner without waiting for approval of their boards, it was learned. Boston Variety Club Officers Reelected BOSTON, Jan. 16.— The entire slate of officers of the Variety Club of New England was reelected to office for 1955. They were Walter A. Brown, chief barker ; Philip Smith, first assistant ; Michael Redstone, second assistant; James Marshall, dough guy, and Kenneth R. Douglass, property master. Canvasmen elected were Arthur Lockwood, James Mahoney, George Roberts, Benn Rosenwald, James Stoneman, Arnold Van Leer, Richard Berenson, and the past chief barkers Samuel Pinanski, Louis Gordon, Murray Weiss and Theodore Fleisher. Those elected to the Heart Committee were Harry Browning, Samuel Dane, Kenneth Douglass, Reuben Landau and Irving Wallins. Named as delegates to the national convention were Walter Brown, William Koster, Michael Redstone and Murray Weiss. Canadian Prices Up OTTAWA, Jan. 16. — Canadian Government reports theatre admission prices advanced 3.4 per cent between October and November, 1954. HCC Cites Players' 1954 'PA.' Record HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 16.— The Hollywood Coordinating Committee's ninth annual report showed that Hollywood players made 3,812 personal appearances for patriotic and public service enterprises last year. The 1954 talent record issued by president George Murphy disclosed that 476 performers appeared on 555 single or continuing events. Since HCC was established in 1946, the report shows, 2,858 performers have participated in 6,058 events. Tax Group (Continued from page 1) the same confidential and bonded manner as was the information collected from thousands of U. S. theatres during the Federal admissions tax repeal campaign, Sindlinger says in a letter accompanying the tax query. Information on theatre operation or on individual theatre business will not be disclosed to anyone — only totals will be used in the report which will be prepared for study by the committee which is fighting the New York City "nuisance" impost, it was said. The tax questionnaire has been kept as short as possible. Instructions as to the completion of the form are included in Sindlinger's letter. Among the information sought by Sindlinger are theatre operational data, the amount of the tax paid to New York City from July 1 to Dec. 31, 1954, Federal tax payments and the total number of admissions sold, total admissions at all prices, net admission prices of the ticket in each classification for children and adults, and any additional comments. Max Gordon (Continued from page 1) in New York and in his Columbia association will seek the works of playwrights and stars for possible Broadway production. At the time Columbia announced the company's plan to enter stage production it was stressed that the studio would not confine its search to plays by "name" authors but would seek properties with a screen potential by new and unknown authors as well. Repeat 'Toko' Showings Paramount will repeat in many localities the special showings of "The Bridges at Toko-Ri," which it has been holding during the past two weeks in key cities, it was disclosed on Friday by A. W. Schwalberg, president of Paramount Film Distributing Corp. The first "repeat" will take place today at the Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City. IMPDAA to Meet The Independent Motion Picture Distributor Association of America will hold a general membership meeting at the group's headquarters here on Wednesday, it was announced by Arthur L. Mayer, IMPDAA president.