Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1955)

Thursday, June 30, 1955 Motion Picture Daily 3 Kirsch Reviews the Year Allied of Illinois Observes Its 'Silver Anniversary' From THE DAILY Bureau CHICAGO June 29.— Allied Theatres of Illinois saluted its 25th anniversary here today with a luncheon meeting in the Blackstone Hotel at which president Jack Kirsch reviewed the activities of the past year. In giving details of the forthcoming Allied States Association annual convention in Chicago, Kirsch said that nearly 60 per cent of the booth space for the trade show had been reserved and that present indications were that the show would establish a record for the number of exhibits. The exhibits will be on two floors of the Morrison Hotel and the space will accommodate more than 240 booths, Kirsch said. Sees Year as 'Hectic' Describing the past year as a "hectic one," Kirsch put particular stress on exhibitor-distributor relations which, he asserted, are being strained because of distribution's demands for "higher and higher film terms." Kirsch traced the progress made by the AlliedTheatre Owners of America joint committee with company sales chiefs. In regard to these sessions, Kirsch said : "I wish to stress one thing and that is this : the temper of exhibition today is such that unless distribution makes an honest effort to reconcile the vast differences existing between these two branches of the industry, it is hard to predict to what extremes exhibition will go to achieve measures for preserving the theatres." Opposes 2 Bills; Favors One Kirsch told the membership that the unit was opposing two state legislative bills, one dealing with censorship and the other prohibiting the construction or maintenance of drive-in screens that are visible on state highways. The unit is favoring a bill which prohibits the collection of fees for the reproduction of copyrighted music. The campaign against pay-to-see television was summarized by Kirsch who said that 90 per cent of the membership had contributed to the fund. Kirsch Reelected President Of Allied Theatres of Illinois CHICAGO, June 29.— Jack Kirsch was re-elected president of Allied Theatres of Illinois for the next three years at 25th annual luncheon-meeting held at Blackstone Hotel today. Other officers elected for one year were Van Nomikos, vice-president, and Ben Banowitz, secretary-treasurer. B. Charuhas, Jack Clark, James Gregory, Carl Goodman, Donald Knapp, Verne Langdon, Charles Lindau, Howard Lubliner, Sam C. Meyers, Richard B. Salkin, Arthur Sass, Arthur Schoenstadt, Nate Slott, Mayer Stern and Bruce Trinz were elected to serve as directors for one year. Harry Nepo was again appointed to post of sergeant-at-arms. McGee Stresses Need for Strong Awards Poll Support Special to THE DAILY GULFPORT, Miss., June 29.— The possibility of having great public interest in the Audience Awards poll by letting the public select top pictures and personalities rather than selection by within-the-industry experts was stressed here yesterday by Pat McGee, of Cooper Foundation Theatres, at a meeting of Mississippi Theatre Owners Association. McGee emphasized that there was no conflict between the Academy Awards and the industry's Audience Awards poll. Rather, they complement each other. That is the reason for a different time choice, so as not to confuse either plan, he said. It is rather the purpose to make Audience Awards polls equally as newsworthy as the Oscar awards, so that the industry might have two potent publicity events each year rather than one, he stated. Calls Distributor Aid Vital Stress was placed also on the need to enlist the aid of the local distributors, branch managers, bookers, salesmen, and publicity men. They must be fully indoctrinated in the plan so they can reach the smallest community exhibitor who might overlook the chance to benefit themselves through not being made aware, McGee said. McGee also pointed out the need for a strong steering committee in all multi-theatre towns and cities so that all efforts are co-ordinated and avoid waste motion. Newspapers, radio stations and TV stations should be contacted by a publicity chairman and members so the other media will understand that this is an industry effort and is not a one theatre promotion, he said. Allentown Exhibitor Files Trust Action PHILADELPHIA, June 29 — Irving Rosshein has started an antitrust suit on behalf of his Midway Theatre in Allentown, Pa. He charges that certain area exhibitors and the major distributors have been guilty of a conspiracy in restraint of trade to deprive him of. product. The theatre recently suffered a $100,000 fire. Correction People A. Julian Brylawski, head of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Metropolitan Washington, has been presented with a plaque by the National Safety Council for outstanding achievement in public safety education. Brylawski has been chairman of the Traffic Safety Committee for metropolitan Washington for the past 17 years. During that time, Washington has won numerous safety awards; and this year won six out of a possible seven. n Earl Ogan, a Paramount sales man for the last 15 years, has joined Allied Artists as a salesman in the Kansas City exchange. He will replace Frank Thomas, who recently was promoted to branch manager upon the retirement of Ray Copeland. n Tyree Dillard, Jr., formerly of Loew's New York legal staff, has been elected president of the Berryville-Clarke, Va., Chamber of Commerce. n Jack Flynn, formerly a district manager in Philadelphia, is now out-of-town booker at Stanley Warner Theatres. He takes over the job of Bill Yurasco, who now fills the post of Harry Kapowitz, as Kapowitz has gone to New Haven to work for the company. n Len Firestone, national sales manager of Unity Television Corp., has tendered his resignation effective tomorrow. Certified Reports to Meet in New York Steady growth of operational activity in the entire Southern portion of the United States has prompted a meeting of Southern and home office executives of Certified Reports, Inc. It will be held in New York for three days beginning on Wednesday. Jack H. Levin, president of Certified, stated that among the key personnel attending the meeting will be Lewis B. Lawrence and Frank Park, directors of the Southern and South Central divisions, respectively. Lawrence is headquartered in Atlanta, and Park in Dallas. RCA Marketing New Projector CAMDEN, N. J., June 29.— A new motion picture projector which provides double rear shutter, watercooled film trap, and other features for operating quality, convenience, and safety was announced yesterday by the engineering products division of Radio Corp. of America. The new projector, the RCA-200, is designed for both indoor and drive-in theatre use and replaces the RCA-100 type, according to A. J. Piatt, manager of RCA theatre equipment sales. Water-cooled aperture-unit mechanisms are available to enable larger indoor and outdoor theatres to present a large picture screen and increased illumination, and still maintain a cool picture aperture and film trap, Piatt said. Set Golf Tournament NEW HAVEN, June 29.— The annual golf tournament of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Connecticut will be held at the Racebrook Country Club, Orange, Conn., on July 26, it was announced by George H. Wilkinson, Jr., and Harry Feinstein, committee co-chairmen. Joseph R. Vogel, president of Loew's Theatres, Inc., was erroneously identified as : vice-president of Loew's, Inc., in a photo caption which appeared in an advertisement in Motion Picture Daily yesterday. Vogel has been president of Loew's Theatres, Inc., since the corporate divorcement was completed last August. News Roundup Big Billboard Campaign Universal-International has completed plans for a comprehensive national billboard campaign on "To Hell and Back," and has purchased 24sheet "teasers" for the Technicolor CinemaScope production in 42 key cities. These boards also will cover more than 400 suburban areas, hitting a population estimated at more than 30,000,000. Mexico City Grosses Rise Mexico City theatres grossed $4,043,054 from 23,392,621 paying patrons during the first four months of this year, the National Statistics Department, announced. January was the best month with a gross of $1,110,253. ■ New Oregon Company Oregon City Theatres, Inc., has been organized by Helen M. Foster, Alex L. Parks and John U. Yerkovich, all of Oswego, Ore. Fall River House Closes The Embassy Theatre, Fall River, Mass., has closed for the summer. Its manager, Norman Francoeur, will go to the Island Park Theatre, Portsmouth, R. I., which had been closed for several months following a fire. Judy Garland to Seattle Judy Garland, in person, with a company of 40, will bring the Judy Garland Show to the Civic Auditorium in Seattle on Monday and Tuesday, July 17 and 18. Conn. Exhibitors to Meet on Compo Plan A meeting of Connecticut exhibitors and other industry representatives to perfect plans for the COMPO audience awards campaign in the New Haven exchange area has been set for July 11 in the 20th Century-Fox screening room there. The meeting has been called by Sheperd Bloom, Harry Feinstein and Harry F. Shaw, co-chairmen for the area, who are urging all area theatre men to attend with their advertising and publicity personnel. Other area meetings scheduled include : today, St. Louis, Oklahoma City and Boston ; July 14, San Francisco ; July 25, Charlotte ; and July 26 (tentative), Milwaukee. Oklahomans Meet Today on Awards OKLAHOMA CITY, June 29.— Ralph Drewry, chairman of the Oklahoma City exchange area Audience Awards committee, has set a meeting here of all exhibitors and distributors in this exchange area for tomorrow. Pat McGee of Denver, president of the Cooper Foundation Theatres, will be the principal speaker.