Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

6 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, January 18, 1955 U. S. Budget (Continued from page 1) and that the first six months of 1956 would see a simliar increase over 1955 The budget predicted that genera admission tax collections in both the 1955 and 1956 fiscal years would b about $110,000,000 a year, compared with actual collections of $271,952,000 in the 1954 fiscal year. These collec tions are no longer as significant a barometer of motion picture attend ance as they once were, however, due to the reduction in the admission tax rate and the exemption of lower priced tickets last year. The budget requested $3,100,000 for the Justice Department's anti-trust division in the fiscal year starting July 1, the same amount it has in the current year. A slightly expanded budget was sought for the Federal Trade Commission — $4,300,000 against this year's $4,045,000. The President asked $6,700,000 for the Federal Communications Commission, just a fraction over the $6,694,000 the agency has this vear. A total of $88,500,000 was asked for the U. S. Information Agency, compared with $73,914,000 voted it this year. Of the total sought for the coming year, $4,484,000 would be for the film service, compared with $3,087,000 this year and $4,119,403 last year. Para. Gulf (Continued from page 1) excepting, however, chains of ten or more in which case the tax would be five per cent. Paramount Gulf Theatres, Inc., claiming that it had been adversely affected by this order, and having been additionally advised that it was discriminatory, brought suit in the Mississippi Chancery Court. The court found that the discrimination was arbitrary and unreasonable and in strict violation of the provisions of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. It found, further, that the state lacked the authority to assess, demand and collect tbese taxes. ITOO to Host Ohio Solons on March 1 COLUMBUS, O., Jan. 17.— Members of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio will be hosts to members of the Ohio Legislature at a luncheon to be held on March 1 at the DeshlerHilton Hotel here during the convention of the association. Lt. Gov. John Brown will present the organization with a scroll at the annual banquet to be held Tuesday evening, March 1 at the Deshler-Hilton. The scroll is given in recognition of Ohio theatremen's contribution to the state highway safety program. Brown formerly operated the Civic theatre at Wellston, O. The convention will open on Monday, Feb. 28 with a luncheon for delesates. Robert Wile Claims YOU CAN ALWAYS DEPEND ON WWW yBt special la Hi TRAILERS Ohio Censorship End Saves Industry $20,000 a Month COLUMBUS, O., Jan. 17. — End of effective censorship in Ohio is saving the industry $20,000 per month in censor fees and has caused the Ohio Division of Audio-Visual Education to seek an appropriation from the Ohio Legislature. The division's funds had come wholly from the fees received for censoring film>. In a letter addressed to film company presidents, Robert Wile, secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, said that in the last fiscal year $240,000 was collected by the censor board from the industry at $3 per reel. "While it is difficult to forecast what a legislature will do," Wile said, "I think it is safe to say that at the very worst, even if a new censorship bill should be passed, that the fees will be cut by $200,000 per year." R. M. Eyman, chief Ohio censor, earlier declared that the censor fees should be cut under any new censorship law. Wile asked film company heads for their co-operation in obtaining "the very best witnesses" to testify before legislative committees when pending new censorship legislation is heard. Dr. Clyde K. Miller, head of the state's audio-visual education program, said he has received no funds from the censor board since Dec. 6 and that a reserve fund will be exhausted by April 1. "If we don't get an emergency appropriation, we're out of business," said Miller. The state exchange, said to be the largest educational film center in the world, supplies films and slides to educational institutions. Wile said the division should get an appropriation from Ohio's general fund. He said there is no reason why the film industry should be taxed to support the department. To Debate Censorship on Columbus Town Meeting COLUMBUS, O., Jan. 17.— Dr. Clyde Hissong, former chief Ohio film censor, and Senator Charles Mosher, Republican, Oberlin, will debate film censorship on Columbus Town Meeting to be broadcast and telecast on Sunday at 1 p.m. over WBNS radio and WBNS-TV. Dr. Hissong will support censorship and Mosher, who has just introduced a bill in the General Assembly to abolish censorship, will speak against it. Mosher is chairman of the Senate Education Committee, which hears censorship bills. Loew's Net Expect Big Turnout At Awards Affair Companies and organizations in the motion picture, television, radio and music world have made large blocks of reservations for the "Mark of Achievements" awards luncheon being held on Thursday at the Hotel Sheraton Astor here by the amusement division of Federation of Jewish Philanthropies 1954-55 campaign, it was announced yesterday by Harry Brandt, luncheon chairman. This year's "Mark of Achievements" awards will go to Elmer Davis of radio; Jackie Gleason of television; Grace Kelly of motion pictures ; Mary Martin of the legitimate theatre ; Mitchell Miller of the recording industry ; Arthur Schwartz of the music world with a special 1954 award going to Patti McCormack for her outstanding performance in "The Bad Seed." San Francisco Tent Elects 1955 Officers m SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 17.— Variety Club Tent No. 32 elected the following officers for 1955: Chief barker, George Mitchell, branch manager of Republic ; first assistant, Marshall Naify, executive of United-Calif. Theatres ; second assistant, Henry Nasser, executive of Nasser Bros. Theatres ; property master, Stanley Lefcourt, Principal Theatres circuit and Royal Theatres, Ltd., Honolulu ; dough guy, J. Leslie Jacobs, theatre broker ; press guy, Jack Marpole, manager of National Screen Service ; tent guy, Frank Harris, manager of United Artists ; canvasmen, Monroe Belling, Camera Supply Co. ; Nathan Blumenfeld, Blumenfeld Theatre Circuit ; Charles Maestri, Lippert Theatres, and Ed Sonney, film distributor. 20th-Fox Announces Monroe Suspension Twentieth Century-Fox yesterday announced that it had been compelled to suspend Marilyn Monroe for failure to report for pre-production work in connection with the filming of "How to Be Very, Very Popular," to which the studio had assigned her. At the same time, Darryl F. Zanuck announced that Sheree North would replace Marilyn Monroe in the picture which Nunnally Johnson wrote and will produce and direct. Production will start Feb. 14. "Pink Tights," which was scheduled for filming in February will go into production immediately after "How to Be Very, Very Popular" and will also star Miss North. It was pointed out by the studio that Marilyn Monroe is under exclusive contract to 20th Century-Fox until August, 1958. ParaJs 'Command' Lauded by Senator WASHINGTON, Jan. 17. — Sen. Kuchel (R., Calif.) praised Paramount's "Strategic Air Command" as a "film which portrays a vigorous and forceful lesson ; namely, that America's strength in the air is a powerful deterrent to aggressive war." In a statement inserted in the Congressional Record, Kuchel said he wanted to salute Paramount president Barney Balaban, vice-president Y. Frank Freeman, producer Samuel J. Briskin, stars James Stewart and June Allyson and the other "splendid actors" in the film. "It is a magnificent film story," Kuchel declared, "but it is more than that. It will bring to those who view it a graphic and moving story of the power and might of our Strategic Air Command." (Continued from page 1) to stockholders with the annual report shows that for 12 weeks ended Nov. 25, the net profits of Loew's and all subsidiaries, including theatre subsidiaries, amounted to $1,521,349 after all taxes and charges, subject to year-end adjustment. This is equivalent to 30 cents per share, compared with $1,133,893, or 22 cents per share in the corresponding period of the preceding year. The Aug. 31, 1954, balance sheet showed an increase of $13,354,123 in cash and government securities compared with a year earlier. Inventories were $66,043,465 compared with $79,728,467. The company's funded debt was reduced by $2,710,000 and a current bank loan of $4,500,000 was paid off. The annual report notes that 13 pictures are completed or are in final stages of editing, and lists other important productions currently before studio cameras or presently in the planning stage. Loew's Stock (Continued from page 1) had to be distributed pro rata to Loew's stockholders by Feb. 6, 1955, unless the company before that time could prove to the New York court that it could not divide its funded debt between the production company and new theatre company and could not set substantially similar financing to replace the existing financing. In that event, the decree declared, the new stock would not have to be distributed for another two years — until Feb. 6, 1957 — unless a division of the debt or a refinancing could be worked out sooner. Loew's claimed that it could not work out a division of its existing funded debt and could not get substantially similar financing. Therefore, it told the court in its petition, it wanted the extra two years for distributing the stock of the new theatre company. It was this petition that was granted yesterday. SW Dividend At the meeting of the board of directors of the Stanley Warner Corp. here yesterday, a quarterly dividend of 25 cents per share was declared on the common stock payable Feb. 25, to stockholders of record at the close of business on Feb. 4. His Conscience Must Have Hurt HILLSBORO, N. H., Jan. 17. — Walter Heath, manager of the Capitol Theatre, Hillsboro, N. H., for Lockwood & Gordon Enterprises received a surprise when he opened a letter addressed to the manager of the theatre. Inside were four one dollar bills and an unsigned letter reading: "I am returning $4 which I stole over the years by lying about my age." Heath figured that the writer must have bought tickets ten times, telling the cashier he was under 12 years of age, as the childrens prices are 20 cents and the adult admission is 60 cents.