The Exhibitor (1966)

lATSE Move Against Dual Unionism Seen Boosting Production In N.Y. NE^V YORK — The I.A.T.S.E. received ap¬ proximately 350 applications following a prom¬ ise to afford membership to all experienced film craftsmen in the New York area. Those qualifying \\ill be issued temporary membership cards by the general office of the Alliance and later will be transferred to the various craft locals in the area, Walter F. Diehl, assistant to I. A. president Richard F. Walsh, explained at a meeting which over¬ flowed the Gertrude Lane Auditorium. He ex¬ pressed confidence that this process could be completed before the end of September and said Walsh planned to work out any necessary details at the union’s July convention in Detroit. Diehl noted that hesitancy of LA. film pro¬ duction locals to take in all experienced crafts¬ men in years past has resulted in several at¬ tempts at dual-unionism, the latest being that of the National Association of Broadcast Em¬ ployees and Technicians. Making clear that an I. A. card would not be issued to anyone who continued membership in NABET’s Associa¬ tion of Film Craftsmen, he said that having two unions in the same field is harmful to workers and producers alike. The meeting was chaired by Steve D’Inzillo, business agent of Moving Picture Machine Operators Local 306 and chairman of COMPEC (the Labor-Management Council on Motion Picture Production East Coast), which the I. A., the producers, and advertising agencies formed last September. He pointed out that COMPEC has adjusted several dis¬ putes of a type which previously have inter¬ rupted filming. Also, following conferences with Mayor Lindsay, it is \vorking out final details of a simplified licensing procedure for location shooting, he added. He was optimistic about the organization’s efforts to obtain more studio space in New York and to convince the ad agencies of the value of keeping production here. Questions from the floor showed consider¬ able interest in the organizing of non-union producers, and in the treatment former NABET and non-union craftsmen could an¬ ticipate as new members of I.A.T.S.E. locals. D Inzillo held that past experience has proven that fears of po.ssible discrimination are un¬ founded. He introduced George Jacobson, Cameramen’s Local 644, and Sam Robert, Studio Mechanics Local 52, as former mem¬ bers of an earlier dual union who now hold executive positions in their re.spective LA. unions. The committee in charge of the meeting included eight former members of the NABET group : Victor Thomas, who was vice-presi¬ dent; Howard Siler, who had served on the dual union’s e.xecuth’e committee; James Markos, Marcel Broekman, Hal Bock, John Galuppo, Joseph Baumann, and Steve Bono. Also on the platform were LA. vice-pre.sident John Horohan; Kenneth Fundus, business agent of Local 52; and John Hall, Jr., business agent of Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists. WB Declares Dividend NFAV 5'ORK — The board of directors of AVarner Bros. Pictures, Inc., declared a divi¬ dend of 12] cents per share on the company’s common stock, payable Aug. 5 to stockholders of record on July 8. Seen at the opening of Interstate Circuit's new Belaire, Hurst, Tex., are, left to right, John Q. Adams, executive vice-president of the circuit; W. E. Mitchell, vice-president and general manager of the circuit's Texas Consolidated Theatres; and Ray¬ mond Willie, vice-president and general manager of Interstate. The Belaire is the third of nine new theatres in a construction and acquisition program through the current year. ABC Sales Up 25% For First Quarter NEW YORK — Benjamin Sherman, board chairman of ABC Consolidated Corp., re¬ ported at the company’s annual meeting of stockholders that 1966 first quarter sales of the diversified food service concern rose 24.2 per cent, to $32,108,261, against $25,842,033 for the first three months of 1965. Earnings reached $678,848, a 31.2 per cent gain over the $517,548 posted for the same period last year. Per share earnings for the first quarter of 1966 were $.25 vs. $.19 for the 1965 period. Among the new contracts ABC has signed thus far in 1966 are the Dow Chemical Plant, with 13,000 employees, at Midland, Mich.; Jones & Laughlin Steel, in Pittsburgh, for inplant feeding; and exclusive v'ending and res¬ taurant rights at the new International Trade Mart in New Orleans and inflight feeding for Northw'est Orient Airlines out of Detroit. Serman said. ABC has also contracted to furnish food and refreshment service for 8 motion picture theatres in the Birmingham, Alabama terri¬ tory. The five drive-ins and three indoor houses are owuied by R. C. Cobb. Peter Moser, vice-president of the Berio Division of ABC, said that a complete refur¬ bishing program is being undertaken to mod¬ ernize the snack bars of the drive-ins and to redecorate the candy stands. “By introducing the ‘ABC Plan’ of refresh¬ ment merchandising w'hich includes an ex¬ panded menu for the drive-ins,” Moser said, “we were able to come very close to doubling the per capita sales at these eight theatres in the first month of operation.” To strengthen its logistics in the Alabama area ABC has opened a new' warehouse in Birmingham, serving the R. C. Cobb theatres and other ABC installations. Detroit Exhibs Battling Ban On All-Night Shows DETROIT — Last week there was a fracas at City Hall which could conceivably lead to the closing of four movie houses. The Common Council held a noisy hearing on a petition signed by 5,000 persons seeking an ordinance W'hich would ban operation of theatres out¬ side the boundaries of a “one mile circle” in downtown Detroit (where there are no allnight houses) between 2:30 and 8:00 a.m. Affected would be the Colonial, Fine Arts, and Riviera. If the petitioners are successful, exhibitors involved face the choice of shutter¬ ing or going on a nudie policy. If the charges hurled were true, the four should have been dark for the last decade. Instigating it all w'ere people from the resi¬ dential area near the Riviera, for whom a Mrs. Don Hill was spokesman, ministers, churches, the John F. Kennedy Youth Move¬ ment, PTA, and teachers. They held all-night movie houses were cen¬ ters for prostitution and pandering, and that they encouraged delinquency and were a “hangout for derelicts.” They stated gangs of youths attended, slipped out to rob, and back again to establi.sh alibis. They also alleged rowdyism and vandalism. Embattled exhibitors were led by Milton H. London, Michigan Allied president; David Newman, Allied counselor; and D. F. Erskine, projectionists Local 199. London wrote a four-page letter in advance to all members of the Common Council. He pointed out: It would force more theatres out of business (in 1950, there were 165 theatres in Detroit; now less than 50), and w'ould cause the crea¬ tion of slum areas surrounding closed houses. It would deprive the city of substantial taxes and deprive responsible citizens of their liveli¬ hood. Also, it would deprive tens of thousands of night workers of “their human and legal rights to peaceful relaxation and entertainment w'hen they get off w'ork in the early morning hours.” Further, he said it w'ould contribute to de¬ linquency and crime. All four houses were playing only top attractions day and date with the finest suburban houses. These four, he added, have been on this policy for a quarter of a century, are well-run, and without the night patrons would have to close. As was expected, no action was taken at the hearing. The hope is three of the indoors con¬ cerned will escape by rezoning, and there is talk of “negotiated peace” with the Riviera. Meantime, the gendarmes will keep a care¬ ful eye on things. A sour note was struck by Council President Ed Carey, who said “if enough wrongs were going on,” those con¬ cerned should be padlocked and not ordinanced out of existence. MCA Strums New Tune NEW YORK — Lew R. Wasserman, presi¬ dent of MCA, Inc., announced that MCA Enterprises, Inc., a subsidiary of MCA, Inc., has purchased all the outstanding stock of Danelectro Corporation. Danelectro manu¬ facturers musical instrument amplifiers and electric guitars. Danelectro Corporation will continue to be headed by its founder, Nathan I. Daniel, who will continue to serve as presi¬ dent. The board of directors of MC.A, Inc., de¬ clared a dividend of 37/2 cents per share on its outstanding convertible preferred stock. 10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR May 25, 1966