Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1955)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY VOL. 78. NO. 74 NEW YORK, U. S. A., MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1955 TEN CENTS EDITORIAL. Exhibition and Product Supply Ry Sherwin Kane I HE proposed "mothballing" of the Exhibitors Film Financial Group until "reasonable" conlitions for participation by divorced circuits have been conceded by the Department of Justice is one more n a long succession of examples of ;he difficulty of attempting to ob:ain production financing from exlibition. EFFG officials, in making the announcement concerning their organization, did not spell out what ;hey considered the "reasonable" ;onditions for which they would vant Justice Department endorsement to be. i That, however, does not seem too mportant because the Justice Department has had the matter of livorced circuit participation in EFFG under consideration for nearly a year and, in that time, has ndicated pretty clearly the kind of jperation to which it would have no serious objection. There is not likely to be a change n the Department's viewpoint now. NTor would it be likely to hold much significance if there were, because Dfficials of several divorced theatre companies have stated privately that their companies have no plan to participate in film financing activities even should the Justice Department clear the way for it. • EFFG was formed to aid in lessening the product shortage which las plagued exhibitors for the past several years. i At the Theatre Owners of America convention in Los Angeles, it ivas apparent that not even TOA eaders are in agreement on whether jr not a serious product shortage still exists. In the convention keynote adIress by Mitchell Wolfson the shortage of product was mentioned is an exhibitor problem which remains to be solved. 1 In the report on EFFG made to he convention by Samuel Pinanski (Ccmtinued on page 2) Television Today IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 7 *" A member of the staff wonders out loud why it apparently is felt necessary to locate the stories told on Television in such geographical vacuums as "Centerville, U. S. A." He thinks it's wrong — and says why. * Passing in Review — The Showmakers — Who's Where — Spotlighting the News: what's going on in Television and who is making it go on receive pointed, objective attention. Cites Need of Gearing Product Continued Growth of Foreign Market Forecast by RKO s Walter Branson Continued growth in the foreign market was forecast here at the weekend by Walter Branson, world-wide sales manager of RKO Radio Pictures. Branson said the growing position of the foreign market had been matched . by the increased concern of the studios to turn out pictures which have an inter national flavor. In his d i s c u s s i ons with executives of the new m a n a g ement group, topped by General Teleradio president Thomas F. O'Neil and RKO Radio Pictures president Daniel T. O'Shea, Branson said the need for gearing product to (Continued on page 2) Rube Shor to 'NameNames 9 From THE DAILY Bureau CHICAGO, Oct. 16.-Rube Shor, president of Allied States Association, will "name names" and seek to sift the truth "from the current blasts of hot air" when he makes the keynote speech at the Allied annual convention here next month. The announcement that Shor would make the curtain-raising address was released at the weekend by Jack Kirsch, convention chairman. Shor, it was stated here, already has indicated that while his speech (Continued on page 2) Hutner to New Post With 20th-Fox In an effort to streamline the efficiency of the publicity-advertisingexploitation department as it now exists in the motion picture industry, Charles Einfeld, vice-president of 20th Century-Fox, has announced the appointment of Meyer Hutner to the position of account executive in (Continued on page 11) Walter Branson Beggs, Economist, to Open 16mm. Defense By WILLIAM R. WEAVER LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16.-Kenneth Beggs, an economist in charge of the research department at Stanford University, will be the first defense witness to be placed on the stand Tuesday in the government's 16mm. antitrust suit, it was disclosed here on Friday by Robert G. Rifkind, defense attorney. His testimony may consume (Continued on page 11) Coyne's Statement Credits Cut in Tax for Saving Many Theatres Compo Counsel Report Barred by House Unit By J. A. OTTEN WASHINGTON, Oct. 16. The 1954 admissions tax reduction has been partially effective in saving many theatres from closing, Robert W. Coyne, special counsel to the Council of Motion Picture Organizations, told the Forand subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee. Coyne's statement was made in an exchange with members of the subcommittee, which did not allow the COMPO special counsel to deliver his prepared statement on the effects of the admission tax reduction. He was told at Friday's hearing to bring his prepared report before the full Ways and Means Committee some time next year. Subcommittee members pointed out (Continued on page 11) Report 'Oklahoma!' Advance Sales Top $100,000 on Orders An advance sale of a "little over $100,000" has been chalked up by "Oklahoma!" at the Rivoli here, Magna Theatre Corp. disclosed at the weekend. The $100,000 figure was registered as of last Thursday matinee, the first public performance of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Todd-AO production, Nicholas J. Matsoukas, publicity (Continued on page 11) UA Opening New Exchange in N.O. Special to THE DAILY NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 16.-A new United Artists exchange building in New Orleans, constructed to accommodate the company's expanded sales activity, will be officially opened here on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by UA home office executives, field (Continued on page 11)