Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1955)

VOL. 77. NO. 127 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U.S.A., THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1955 TEN CENTS Making Survey WB Promises Assistance to Small Theatres Kalmenson Reveals Flat Rentals Will Be Offered Warner Brothers will give "every assistance to the small grossing theatres" and will offer "flat rental terms to these small grossing theatres," Ben Kalmenson, vice-president and general sales manager, has promised the joint Theatre Owners of America Allied States Association committee. The joint exhibition committee met with Kalmenson and Bernard R. Goodman, coordinator of field sales activities for Warner Broth(Continued on page 2) Ben Kalmenson Brandt Sees Foreign Films 'Salvation' Motion pictures of foreign origin could be the salvation to the shortage of product in the United States, according to Harry Brandt, president of Brandt Theatres and of the Indepen(Continued on page 6) Joint Exhibitor Group Sees 'Immediate Relief on Way UK Monopoly Report Finds Few Practices Amiss in Industry By WILLIAM PAY LONDON, June 29.— The Government's Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission report published today cites the discovery that collective, restrictive practices exist in a wide range of industries and trades here, but makes only incidental reference to the motion picture industry. The report does comment on the Kinematograph Renters Society's (distributors) refusal to deal with independent exhibitors' booking combines, and the KRS enforcement of Eady Levy payments by the insertion (Continued on page 6) Reelect All Officers Of Century Circuit Henry C. Miner, Jr., chairman of the board, and all officers of Century Circuit, Inc., were reelected at a meeting of the directors in Jersey City. The slate consists of Leslie R. Schwartz, president : Samuel Goodman, first vice-president ; Andrew A. Nelson, second vice-president ; Martin H. Goodman, secretary-treasurer, and Dorothy Barko, assistant secretary. Members of the board are James McAllister, Fred J. Schwartz, Frank Milton, Miner, Goodman, Nelson, Newman and Leslie Schwartz. 'Operation Big Switch' N. Y. Area Pledges Its Full Support to Audience Poll By LESTER DINOFF The New York exchange area, which represents approximately 10 per cent of the seating capacity of America, according to Emanuel Frisch, president of Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Association, enthusiastically and unselfishly pledged 100 per cent support to the COMPO Audience Awards campaign. Some ISO industry representatives from exhibition and distribution, meeting at the Hotel Sheraton-Astor here yesterday, heard Frisch declare that the awards program — "Operation Big Switch" — in this territory will set the keynote for the rest of America. Frisch, who shared the speakers' rostrum with Elmer C. Rhoden, national chairman for the COMPO Audience Award Committee ; Harry Brandt, president of Independent The\C ontinued on page 6) Concluding Individual Company Meetings Here, TO AAllied Unit Says Distribution Appreciates Exhibition's 'Serious' Plight By MURRAY A belief that sales policies of film bring immediate and remedial relief yesterday by the Joint Allied States Drive Set for Youngstein A 25-week sales drive honoring vice-president Max E. Youngstein will be launched by United Artists in the United States and Canada on July 10, the company announced yesterday. The billings and collections campaign, which will award $50,0 00 in cash prizes to winners among the 32 branches, marks the first sales salute to Youngstein since he entered the industry in 1940. Co-captains for the "Coats Off" drive are William J. Heineman, vicepresident in charge of distribution, and B. G. Kranze, general sales manager. UA exchanges will compete in three groups of equal grossing potential, (Continued on page 2) Max Youngstein $40,000 Raised by 'Foy' Premiere Here New York had a "brilliant" motion picture premiere last night with the opening of Paramount's "The Seven Little Foys," which raised more than $40,000 in ticket sales for the benefit of United Cerebral Palsy. A capacity audience, including nearly 1,000 civic, social, industry and show business notables, attended the opening of this Paramount Vista\ision musical, starring Bob Hope as the famed song and dance man, Eddie Foy, Sr. The premiere not only served to raise much-needed funds for United Cerebral Palsy but also was a tribute (Continued on page 6) HOROWITZ companies "will be formulated (to> '! to exhibition was expressed here -Theatre Owners of America Committee, in a statement marking the virtual completion of conferences with individual distributors. "As a result of these meetings," the statement declared, "distribution now recognizes and appreciates the serious economic position of exhibition and particularly of the smaller grossing theatres in the country." The joint statement then expressed the committee's belief in the formulation by distribution of sales policies which will bring immediate and remedial relief. The declaration, which offered the first official exhibition version of the chief topics discussed at the various meetings, kicked off by the May 24 (Continued on page 2) D of J Favors New Trust Damages Bill From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, June 29.— The Justice Department today endorsed a discretionary damages bill, providing treble damages are still required for wilful violations of the anti-trust laws. Under present law, three times the actual damages are required whenever a defendant in a private anti-trust suit :s found guilty. A House judiciary subcommittee today started hearings (Continued on page 6) Pulitzer Committee to Mull Film Award The advisory board of the Pulitzer Prize committee will discuss Jack Warner's proposal for an award to the best American motion picture of the year at its next meeting on May 2, 1956, secretary John Hohenberg of the Pulitzer Prize Committee has advised the executive producer at Warner Brothers' studios in Hollywood.