Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

32 Crescent Named In Arbitration Complaint The Crescent Amusement Company of Nashville was charged with buying first run in Gallatin, Tenn., away from the Palace theatre in violation of Section X of the Consent Decree on Thursday in the third Atlanta arbitration complaint. MGM and Paramount were named as defendant distributors. The complaint was the first Atlanta action in almost two years. W. F. Roth, operator of the Palace, charged that the two companies, after selling him first run on all their product for many years sold half away to the Crescent Company's Roxy. This was done in violation of the specific run clauses of the Consent Decree because of the circuit's buying power, he charged. The Apollo theatre in St. Louis' western residential section won a reduction from 14 to seven days last week in the clearance granted to the Pageant theatre, operated by the St. Louis Amusement Company. Harry G. Erbs, arbitrator of this 16th St. Louis case, although finding that the Apollo and Pageant, which follow the Varsity on fourth and third runs, are competitive for residential trade, hold that the 14-day margin was excessive. He declined, however, to set a maximum availability period. Costs were divided among Leo Litvag, operator of the Apollo; RKO, 20th Century-Fox, Warners and Paramount the defendants ; and the intervening St. Louis Amusement Company. Loew's was dismissed from the complaint at the start of hearings. Union Southern Amusement Company also intervened. The Appeal Board cut clearances of the Schine second and third run Jefferson and Palace theatres, Auburn, N. Y., over the Colonial, Skaneateles to 14 and one days Tuesday in their 79th decision. It modified the award of Regis O'Brien, arbitrator of the 16th Buffalo complaint, who had reduced the Auburn margins from 30 to 21 days. The board found that the 21 days for the first run Auburn theatre was reasonable, but held that there should have been a differentiation as to the Jefferson and Palace. RKO, Warners and MGM were the defendants. Dismissal of Paramount and 20th Century-Fox was upheld on the grounds that they had no contractural relations with Ruben C. Canter, complainant. Effect of the reduction on the 30-day clearance held over Skaneateles by Syracuse theatres was discussed at length. First runs in Syracuse intervened, but were dismissed after no evidence was presented. The board noted that although Syracuse clearance extended for 35 miles it excepted Auburn. Inasmuch as Skaneateles was keyed off Auburn they advanced the opinion that the Colonial should not, in a future proceeding be subjected to two clearances. E. M. Loew, New England independent circuit operator, on Friday filed the 25th Boston case, and his fifth, in behalf of the Kameo theatre, Pittsfield, Mass. He charged that clearances granted by MGM, Paramount, RKO, Warners and 20th-Fox of 90 days between Kameo and second run Strand and Colonial theatres and 90 days between the second runs and first run Palace, Capitol and Union Square theatres were .unreasonable. Mr. Loew asked a maximum of 37 days after first run. Trade Showings Bring 1,200 Trade showings of five of Paramount's new season pictures in its first block brought an estimated attendance of 1,200 last Monday and Tuesday, at the Normandie theatre in New York, where "Let's Face It," "True to Life," "Hostages" and "Tornado" were shown, and at the home office projection room, where "The Good Fellows" was run. MOTION PICTURE HERALD Paramount Holds Meeting for New York Sales Staff Paramount sales and booking staffs in the New York district met at the New York exchange Thursday and Friday of last week with Milton Kusell, district manager, in charge. The sessions dealt with the 1943-44 product lineup and production plans, sales policies on features, short subjects and Paramount newsreel. The two-day meeting ended Friday in a round table discussion with the sales and booking heads on individual problems, a discussion of exploitation and a booking department meeting. Among those addressing the meeting, besides Mr. Kusell, were : Henry Randel, New York branch manager ; Myron Sattler, sales manager ; Jack Perley, head booker ; and Sid Mesibov, district advertising representative. Trade Prospers In Santiago by JOHN F. SHEIK in Santiago The Normandie, a new film house in Santiago, opened on Friday, August 20th, with a showing of Warner Brothers' "Sergeant York." The owners of the house are Santiago Mosca and Tomas Cereceda. The opening of the theatre is in keeping with the trend in Chile. The steady growth of the industry is indicated by the 233 theatres that are in operation, with additional houses now under construction, and still more which are expected to be initiated at the end of the war. The Normandie, according to plans, will be a first run house showing Warner and Twentieth Centurv-Fox product under the increasingly popular plan of four shows a day. The opening of the theatre was a benefit performance, with the entire proceeds going to the "American War Relief Unit" at Santiago. The sale of tickets was handled by the chief unit headed by Mrs. Lia Graham of Santiago. A stage show featured the opening night, with a delation Df Chilean municipal and governmental officials present. The opening of the Normandie, with a seating capacity of 1,000, brings the number of first run theatres in Santiago to nine. Granted Intervention Right In Universal Action New York Supreme Court Justice William T. Collins on Monday granted Maurice Deutsch, a minority stockholder in Universal Pictures, Inc., leave to intervene for the sole purpose of prosecuting an appeal from the judgment filed last June when the court approved the merger of Universal Pictures into The Universal Corporation, which at the same time resulted in thqpsettlement of a stockholder's action brought by Samuel Posen, against the picture company and its directors. Burns Mantle Retires Burns Mantle, dean of New York drama critics, reviewer for the Daily News since 1922, retired this week. Mr. Mantle began attending premieres in a professional capacity in 1898 for the Denver Times, coming to New York via Chicago in 1908. He is widely known for his annual choice of the 10 best plays of the year. John Chapman is Mr. Mantle's successor. Murdoclc to Be Chicago Critic Henry Murdock, former motion picture and drama critic for the Philadelphia Ledger until its demise, and more recently director of publicity for Station WCAU, Philadelphia, will become motion picture and drama editor of the Chicago Sun on September 6th. August 2 1, 1943 Theatres Hit by Paralysis Wave In South, West With infantile paralysis of epidemic proportions in California and Texas and spreading east through Oklahoma, Kentucky and Arkansas, theatre owners in the threatened states are keeping an eye on state health officials' charts, showing a slight decrease in cases reported. •In Oklahoma, where the number of cases reported has passed the 100 mark with new cases reported daily, the Standard Theatres circuit, operating 10 houses in Oklahoma City, has maintained its ban against youngsters under 12, and has run advertisements in newspapers asking their child patrons to be patient, but calling their attention to the dangers of the disease and how easily it may be contracted where numbers of people are gathered.' Kentucky has reported 51 cases, Arkansas 46, and although the north is to date generally clear of the disease, New Haven health officials have reported one death and 56 cases. In Oklahoma, where the disease is on the increase, Tulsa theatre owners are watching the health charts closely, with reported cases short two score, but have not taken action in the manner of Standard Theatres, as the epidemic is not as widespread in Tulsa. Cities throughout Oklahoma are awaiting the judgment of state health officials, ready to cooperate in any suggestions and hoping the recent lull in the spread of the disease will eliminate the necessity of a state closing order. Houses that have not followed the Standard Theatres' ban on children, are set to do so at the first sign of an increase in cases. Warner Executives Attend Canadian Sales Meeting Key Warner Brothers home office executives attended a meeting of the Canadian sales staff Thursday at the Mount Royal Hotel, Montreal. General sales policies and product forthcoming in the new film season were discussed. Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager, and Mort Blumenstock, in charge of advertising and publicity in the east, headed the New York delegation. Also on hand from the home office were Arthur Sachson, assistant sales manager, and W. W. Schwalberg, supervisor of exchanges. The Canadian delegation was headed by Wolfe Cohen, district sales manager, and the following branch managers: Samuel Pearlman, Calgary ; I. Coval, Montreal ; L. McKenzie, St. John ; Joseph Plottel, Toronto ; Earl H. Dalgleish, Vancouver, and Greydon A. Matthews. All salesmen and Glenn Ireton, field representative, attended. John Anderson Buys Into PRC Exchanges in West John Anderson, a former partner in the Telenews theatre, Denver, has purchased a half interest in the PRC Pictures exchanges in Denver and Salt Lake City from Bernard Newman, now in the Navy. He becomes a partner of Joseph Ansby, who long has had an interest in the exchanges. In Philadelphia two new members were added to the PRC staff this week. Harold Rosenbaum, former secretary to William Goldman, independent circuit head, joined the exchange as a salesman, and Lillian Gimbel was named booker. Frances Fink, former newspaper woman and magazine writer, has been named assistant to PRC's director of advertising and publicity, Samuel S. Kestenbaum. She joined the staff this week.