Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1959)

Motion Picture Daily Thursday, February 20 ' Tax Ruling (Continued from page 1) upheld by the high court which are in existence now, and on complicated estimates of the amount of each distributor's business in such states. It was pointed out that not all states have such tax laws and that in some of them film distributors have branches or exchanges and already are paying business taxes. The new tax liability would be limited to states having the tax laws in question and in which the distributors do not maintain offices. Those would include, of course, states in which the volume of distributors' business is likely to be the smallest. Should the tax laws exist in such states, it would be on the basis of adjusted revenue gained by the distributor within the state. New Legislation a Possibility Industry officials, however, also expressed the belief that with many state governments known to be in need of additional revenue, and with many types of new taxation under consideration, the high court's new ruling in favor of the states' taxing right could lead to the enactment of new tax legislation on film distribution, even where it might not be possible under existing laws. In the case ruled on by the high court, Northwestern States Portland Cement Co. of Iowa shipped cement from that state to dealers in Minnesota, where it sold 48 per cent of its product. It maintained only a small sales office in Minnesota, with three employes and two or three salesmen. In 1950, Minnesota levied its tax on Northwestern for the years 1933 to 1948, seeking a total of $ 102,000, including penalties and interest, under a complicated formula to determine what part of a company's income could be attributed to Minnesota activities. The Supreme Court upheld Minnesota's right to levy the tax by a 6 to 3 vote. e in ew5 Minimum Wage (Continued from page 1) rate of 90 cents until March 1, 1960 when it becomes $1. For ticket-takers and doormen in motion picture theatres, the hourly rate is 85 cents until March 1, 1960 when it, too, becomes $1. For ushers, children's matrons, ramp and check room attendants, other unclassified service staff workers, and messengers in motion picture theatres, the order sets an hourly rate of 75 cents. The rates in the new order are statewide, with no differentials in regard to size of community. Frank H. Ricketson, Jr., president of Fox Intermountain Theatres, will join Colorado's Governor McNichols and other leading citizens of the state on the special invitational flight to Palm Springs, Cal., for the Palm Springs Desert Circus. John Zomnir, formerly on the sales staff of United Artists in Pittsburgh, has been named branch manager in that city, succeeding James Hendel, who has been promoted to Central division manager with headquarters in Pittsburgh. John Sawaya, whose family has operated the Strand Theatre in Trinidad, Colo., for the past 20 years, has purchased the 600-seat Fox Theatre in that community from Fox Intermountain Theatres, thus giving the Sawaya interests all three Trinidad theatres: the Strand, Fox and Peak. Charles W. Saeger, who has been manager of professional motion picture sales for Ansco, has been promoted by that company to the post of manager of federal and contract sales. □ Charles K. Eagle, for the past 23 years manager of Stanley Warner's Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, will retire on Saturday. He and his wife, Swannie, will live in her native Kentucky. Succeeding Eagle at the Stanley will be Larry Knee, a native Pittsburgher, now managing the Colony in Cleveland. Jack Armstrong, circuit owner with headquarters in Bowling Green, Ohio, has added two more drive-in theatres to his group: the Fremont Drivein, Fremont, O., and the Springmill Drive-in, Mansfield. His circuit now totals 11 indoor and eight outdoor operations. □ Paul C. Anderson, fonnerly with Graybar Electric Co. in a sales capacity, has joined the promotion department of Modern Talking Picture Service here. □ Budd Rogers, producers representative, on Tuesday marked his 35th anniversary in the industry by hosting a luncheon for his friends and associates at Toots Shor's Restaurant. □ William Flyer, former relief manager of Lockwood and Gordon's Plaza Theatre, Windsor, Conn., has been named manager of the house. He replaces Reginald Pelletier, who becomes manager of the L & G Waterford (Conn.) Drive-in Theatre. □ Herman Gillis is the new manager of the National Theatre, Greensboro, N. C, succeeding John Batesman, who goes to the Winston Theatre, in Winston Salem. Gillis comes to his new post from the Wilby-Kincey Imperial Theatre in Asheville. George Bronson has leased the Broadway Theatre, Council Bluffs, la., from the Cooper Foundation, which closed the house early this month. Bronson will reopen the theatre immediately. □ Dr. Harold D. Russell, Louis M. Minsk and Cornelius C. Unruh have been named senior research associates in the Kodak Research Laboratories, Rochester, N. Y. Dr. Russell joined Kodak in 1929, Minsk in 1930 and Unruh in 1937. George Golitzen, who recently resigned as production manager at Universal-International, has joined Walt Disney Studios as an associate producer. □ Eddie Joseph, immediate pastpresident of the Texas Drive-in Theatre Owners Association has been named to serve on the board of the directors of the association. Marvin Josephson, president of Broadcast Management, Inc., has been appointed New York representative of Olympic Productions, producing company owned by Aubrey Schenck and Howard W. Koch. Rogers Glover, who started at the Balaban & Katz Regal Theatre, Chicago, in 1941, and was transferred to the Tivoli in 1951, has returned to the Regal as manager. □ Frank Folger, for many years sales representative for Paramount in the Atlanta area, has resigned to enter another field. Rupert Allen has been named a vice-president of the Arthur P. Jacobs Co., advertising agency. He will headquarter at the Beverly Hills office, which he joined three years ago. □ N. E. Andrews, long active in the Atlanta distribution field, has formed his own buying and booking agency there. Phila. Square Club Set PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 25. The atrical Square Club of Philadelphia, No. 1127, has been organized here to include all affiliated trade and associations in the motion picture and other entertainment fields. Membership is limited to Masons in good standing. David Weinstein, serving as secretary, is in charge of the membership campaign. MBS to Fact (Continued from page 1 Roach, Jr., president of Sc Corp., and chairman of the F. L. Jacobs, Factor said. Wh j clining to disclose terms, Facti his company would own the rac work outright and assume its tions, which are "very heavy cash to be paid in addition "is n ly to be much," he added. Web Purchased Last Sumi Factor also said his compam not be taking any stock in the t , tion either in F. L. Jacobs or Scranton Corp., subsidiary holds title to the network, bought the network throud Scranton Corp. last summer amount reported in exct $2,000,000. Trading in the stock of F. L. was suspended recently wh SEC charged Alexander L. G then president, with failure financial statements. Hal Roa took over as chairman of the tion. Jacobs acquired Roacl studios last May in action that permit Roach to expand its en ment activities. This was f shortly thereafter by acquisi, the network. First Entertainment Vent Acquisition of MBS will n Factor's first venture outside t.; metics business, but the comp been eager to proceed with cation program. Five New Key City Bookings for 'Life Universal's "Imitation of which will have its worl in Chicago on March 17 at the velt Theatre, has been set for fi tional key city openings for tl er season. The picture is scheduled to the Golden Gate Theatre in Sg cisco, Mar. 20; at the Miam and Miracle Theatres in Miam the Manor Theatre in Char! Mar. 26; at the Hippodrome ii land, Mar. 27, and at the Mi Baltimore, Mar. 28. All the openings provide tended run engagements. Doll Leaves ( Continued from page wyn picture, is planning a Jul premiere at a Broadway theati Doll, who handled the cam] : j the late Mike Todd's "Aro; World in 80 Days," took over | lumbia-Goldwyn post last f ; Maurice Bergman, former ad\ publicity director of Univer relinquished it. Dual Bow for 6Do$ Walt Disney's live-action fantasy, "The Shaggy Dog," w a dual engagement at the Oc Trans-Lux 52nd Street Theal March 19.