Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1955)

' 1956 happy ww year MOTION PICTURE DAILY 1956 happy new year OL. 78. NO. 124 NEW YORK, U.S.A., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1955 TEN CENTS 25,320,000 Paid ]ashDividends )f Film Firms ■Show '55 Rise 3,000,000 Over 1954, ays Commerce Dept. From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-Motion cture companies reported paid-out .sh dividends of $25,320,000 during e first 11 months of 1955, almost >,000,000 ahead of the $22,350,000 ported for the like 1954 period, the ommerce Department pointed out a report issued today. November dividend payments were ;low 1954, however, due to the ct that Columbia Pictures, which lid in November last year, followed different monthly payment pattern is year. A total of $1,740,000 was ported for this November, compared ith $2,533,000 in November last :ar. admission Tax Cut )r Repeal Favored »y Sen. Douglas, 111. From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-Senator ouglas (D., 111.) said he would vor reduction or elimination of the sderal admissions tax and certain her excise taxes. He urged Congress to pick up bil>ns of revenue by plugging various x loopholes, and to use this money cut excise taxes and to reduce the te on the first individual income x bracket. His views were contained a report issued by a House-Sene economic subcommittee studying ng-range tax policy. The subcommittee as a whole opDsed any net tax reduction so long ; the economy continues booming. said tax cuts might be needed if jsiness slackens. In another finding, said small businesses should receive tax cut as soon as general tax •lief becomes advisable. 'Mr. Roberts7 Top Grosser M-C-M Films at Music Hall Crossed $5,475,000 in '55, Downing Reports By MURRAY HOROWITZ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films, which again in 1955 received the major share of Radio City Music Hall's playing time, accounted for a total gross of about $5,475,000 on nine pictures at the nation's foremost showcase, Russell V. Downing, president of the Radio C i t v Music Hall, reported. In a yearend interview, Downing said the Music Hall in the course of 1955 played 11 pictures, compared to 10 in 1955. The longest run and the biggest grosser was Warner Brothers' "Mr. Roberts," which accounted for $1,360,000 in its nine-week run. Downing said the Music Hall is an (Continued on page 6) Some BVay Houses Raising Prices for New Year's Eve New Year's plans of first-run Broadway houses include extra midnight shows and in many instances increased admission prices of from 25 cents to 30 cents for tomorrow's performances. Among those increasing general admission prices for the New Year's Eve show are the Radio City Music Hall and Criterion. The Paramount will not go above $2 New Year's Eve, it was stated. The Roxy will retain its holiday prices for New Year's Eve, offering a preview performance in addition to its regular picture, "The Rains of Ranchipur" and an ice show featured on the stage. The Roxy announced a complete sellout of its 1,000-seat reserved section, with tickets selling at $2.50. The Radio City Music Hall also has sold out its 900-seat reserved section at $3.60 per seat. The Globe and Mayfair lined up with those retaining (Continued on page 6) Russell Downing Hake Sees Australia Continuing 'Ceiling' Indications are that the Australian government will continue in 1956 its $5,800,000 ceiling on the amount of money which American film companies can remit, Clay Hake, managing director for Paramount in charge of (Continued on page 6) 1955 Production Increased 30% Above 1954 Total; Up 12% in First 10 Months The major studios turned out 12 per cent more pictures in the first 10 months of this year than they did in the corresponding 1954 period, according to a survey made by the "Wall Street Journal." The "Journal" reported yesterday that the studios produced 254 features in 1954. For all of 1955, the "Journal" said, the total probably will run about 30 per cent higher than last year's 303, with every indication that production will continue upward next year, too. Four companies— 20th Century-Fox, Warner Brothers, Allied Artists and Republic—boosted their output from three to 10 pictures each. Independents boosted their production by about 20 per cent, the report said. New widescreen media and longer runs were given as reasons for the slowdown in the four previous years. Step Forward COMPO Unit For Goldenson Audience Plan Press Group to Begin Formulating Project The Goldenson plan, stressing the need to win back the women audiences to motion picture theatres, won the enthusiastic support of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations press relations committee here yesterday. The committee, meeting under the chairmanship of Harry Mandel, of RKO Theatres, agreed on the necessity of finding ways and means to put the project into effect, according to Mandel. It was further agreed that each member of the committee will submit ideas at the group's next meeting, slated in about two weeks. The meeting was addressed by Leonard Goldenson, president of American Broadcasting Paramount Theatres, and author of the plan, which holds that with increased automation at the home, the stress and (Continued on page 4) Union Officials Label Projected Union for Managers a 'Hoax' By LESTER DINOFF The National Association of Motion Picture Theatre Directors, Assistants and Treasurers, which is attempting an organizational drive among theatre managers and assistand managers, "is conducting its operations without the endorsement of the AFL-CIO," a top regional AFL-CIO leader flatly declared here yesterday. Labeling the union "a hoax" because of its claims of having AFLCIO support and because of its clandestine manner of operation, the labor leader said that "avenues are being investigated in which the ( Continued on page 4 )