Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1956)

QP 0, NO. 20 NEW YORK, U. S. A., MONDAY, JULY 30, 1956 TEN CENTS fi or Veto? \ easury Is ^decided on Attitude Bjlme for Action by lident Undetermined jjj'Vom THE DAILY Bureau JHINGTON, July 29-Treasury inent officials indicated they |>t yet decided whether to recrii Presidential approval or veto I Admissions Tax Relief bill, lj bill, passed by Congress last sjvould exempt from the 10 per ilderal levy any tickets costing cjits or less. At present, the ii on is only 50 cents. If the ■ ere approved, the increased a ion would be effective Sept. 1. ijieadline for Presidential action 1 yet been determined, since i has not yet reached the White si Printing and other teehnicaliclay the arrival of a bill at the a House after Congress coms action. The President has 10 : Continued on page 2) imicolor's Earnings 0,692 in Six Months h Board of Directors of the lpolor companies, at a meeting (|leclared a dividend of 12 and \ If cents per share on the comjock of Technicolor, Inc. The lid is payable Aug. 20, 1956, qkholders of record at the close ij ness Aug. 3. h consolidated net earnings of j Continued on page 2) imandments' Plans Be Set This Week From THE DAILY Bureau XYWOOD, July 29-A series cutive meetings to plan polild handling of Cecil B. Deproduction of "The Ten Com>ents" will be held here this under joint supervision of Deand Barney Balaban, president ramount Pictures, mount executives from New nd the coast will attend. 5SBC Urges Arbitration Excluding Film Rentals Showmanship fled ^op^alior Federal Regulation 1 is Rejected by Senate Group; Report Is Forum Meets Seen as Major Victory for Distribution From THE DAILY Bureau CHICAGO, July 29-Various ways and means of boosting box-office grosses and ticket selling ideas will be discussed at the two day National Showmanship Forum, sponsored b y the Theatre Owners of America, which convenes here tomorrow a t the Edgewater Beach Hotel. Ernest G. Stellings, prominent Charlotte, N. C, exhibitor will preside at the promotional forum. Some 50 promotion executives and exhibitors, representing a cross-section of the industry throughout the nation, were arriving today in preparation for the sessions. Conferences and group assignments, in addition to tentative reports, are scheduled for tomorrow while progress reports, recommendations and formulation of (Continued on page 2) SSBC Highlights Ernest G. Stellings By J. A. OTTEN WASHINGTON, July 29-The Senate Small Business Committe today urged the motion picture industry to make all possible haste to set up an arbitration system, but again declared that film rentals should not -be included in such a system. This was the highlight recommendation in a 91-page report on "problems of independent motion picture exhibitors." The report was prepared by the Humphrey subcommittee which held lengthy hearings this Spring on industry trade practices, and was unanimously approved by all 13 members of the full committee. The report was generally a major victory for the distributors, many of whose arguments were accepted and endorsed by the committee. It was a major setback for Allied States Association, and to a lesser degree for the Theatre Owners of America and other exhibitor groups; their arguments were in many respects rejected by the committee. The committee not only rejected the TOA-filed demand for arbitration of film rentals, but it sharply criticized ( Continued on page 4 ) Highlights of the 91 -page report of the Senate Small Business Committee on its hearings on industry trade practices are as follows: HAn arbitration system is urged but one not to include film rentals. The committee said it "could not understand" Allied's and TOA's stand on arbitration. flThe Allied proposal for Federal regulation is rejected. HThe definition of clearance should be broadened to include availability, and some means of limiting competitive bidding should be found. HThe proposal that divorced circuits be permitted to engage in production is rejected because "distributors are barred from acquiring theatres." ^Distributors should "help" small exhibitors. Television Today IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 6 Spotlighting the News in Television Today: The American Broadcasting Company releases facts and figures to prove children's shows (Mickey Mouse Club, for instance) can sell adults products. International Latex plans— A photo report. Passing in Review— The week's highlights in shows. Set Roy Haines Drive For Sept. 2 to Dec. I "The Roy Haines Drive," a 13week sales competition among the Warner Bros, domestic distribution forces in the United States and Canada, named in honor of the company's new general sales manager, has been announced by Benjamin Kalmenson, executive vice-president. Cash prizes will be awarded winners in the drive, which takes place from Sept. 2 to Dec. 1 of this year, to district managers, branch managers, salesmen, office managers and bookers. The drive was announced at the concluding session over the weekend of the home office district managers sales conference presided over by Haines.