Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

Warners Invite Exhibition to Join Anniversary Exhibitor participation in the 20th anniversary of sound and talking pictures will be spearheaded by Warner Bros. Theatres, and events in this connection were discussed at the meeting of home office and zone executives held in New York Wednesday by Harry M. Kalmine, general manager. In addition to advertising and publicity plans already mapped by Mort Blumenstock, Warner Bros, vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity, and Harry Goldberg, director of theatre advertising and publicity, ideas outlined Wednesday included methods of cooperating with local outlets of co-sponsors of the celebration, including Western Electric, Eastman Kodak, General Electric, RCA Victor and other companies; setting up of special events, exhibits, newspaper and radio cooperation, honoring of pioneer exhibitors, and makeup of special theatre programs during the week of August 6, when the celebration reaches its climax. Particular ceremonies are planned in the New Castle, Pa., territory, where the four Warner brothers, Harry M., Jack L., Albert and the late Sam, started their film careers 40 years ago. The Warner circuit was the first to set up a sound department. It was established 1929 by Frank E. Cahill, Jr., director of sound for Warner Theatres. Enterprise Schedules Three Pictures at $8,750,000 Enterprise will begin work on three major productions, budgeted at $8,750,000, within the next four months. A $1,750,000 budget has been allocated for Harry Sherman's "Ramrod," on which production will begin May 17. Andre De Toth willdirect the cast of Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Don De Fore, Preston Foster and Arleen Whelan. The $3,000,000 production of "Arch of Triumph" will go into work June 14 with Lewis Milestone directing and David Lewis producing. The third picture is "The Other Love," which will start August 1, starring Barbara Stanwyck. Mr. Lewis will produce and a budget has been set at $2,000,000. Also announced, but with no starting date, is E. A. Ellington's "Maggi July," budgeted at $2,000,000. Enterprise will produce a total of six pictures this vear with an overall budget of $13,000,000." Modesto, Cal.. Votes 3-Cent Tax Levy on Annusements The people of Modesto, Cal., last Thursday voted in favor of a tax of three cents on all amusement tickets. The complete count of the election showed 1,973 votes for the tax ordinance and 1,277 against it. A 36 per ■cent vote was cast. 18 Are Selected as Members Of Twenty-Four-Hour Club The first 18 winners of the "24-Hour Club" have been selected. The total membership will include 24 exhibitors, distributors and salesmen, winners in the industry's Red Cross campaign. The group will go to Washington May 9 to meet President Truman and to attend a luncheon given by Basil O'Connor, national chairman of the Red Cross. The following day they will return to New York for a party and dinner to be given by Spyros P. Skouras, national chairman of the industry's drive. The first winners are: Harold Michaels, Denver; Robert Carnie, Kansas City; Howard Levy, New York; Ernest Fitzgerald, Brockton, Mass.; Hiram Parks, Brownfield, Texas; James Devlin, Milwaukee; B. T. Burnside, Memphis; Frances Guehl, Pittsburgh; John McFadden, Philadelphia; Robert Clabeaux, Buffalo; Maurice T. Artigues, New Orleans; Eric Shinkel, Washington; Mack Jackson, Alexander City, Ala. ; Otto Ebert, Indianapolis; Fred Lind, Rifle, Colo. ; William Eberline, San Francisco ; Willis Schaeffer, Atchison, Kan., and George Jackson, Portland. March Tax Total Is $36,374,650 March admission tax collections have broken several records, it was reported from Washington this week. The March collections jumped almost $5,000,000 above February receipts and topped last year's third month report by $6,000,000, the Bureau of Internal Revenue announced. The March collections amounted to $36,374,650, reaching an all-time high for March. Collections for February last amounted to $31,466,372. March, 1946, collections topped all months for box office returns in 1945 with the exception of October and November and were the highest collections ever made for any of the first six months in the year. Withdraw Advertising From Columbus Paper Almost all Columbus, Ohio, theatres, except the four first runs, the RKO Palace and Grand and Loew's Ohio and Broad, have withdrawn their advertising from the Columbus Citizen because of an increase in rates from $1.87 to $2.25 per inch. Space for the first run copy has been materially reduced to compensate for the advance. York Corporation Reports Net Profit of $353,709 The York Corporation, manufacturers of theatre supplies and equipment, has reported a net profit of $353,709 for the six months ended March 31. This compares with a net profit of $623,700 for a similar period last year. Color to Be Chief Topic at SMPE Meeting May 6 Color in general and the Agfa color film process in particular, television and various technical researches will be under discussion when the Society of Motion Picture Engineers holds its fifty-ninth semi-annual technical conference at the Hotel .Pennsylvania, New York, May 6-10. William F. Rodgers, vice-president in charge of distribution for Loew's, Inc., will be the guest speaker at the opening session Monday noon. Other sessions will be under the chairmanship of various industry figures, including Frank E. Cahill, Jr., Earl I. Sponable, John L. Forrest, Nathan D. Golden, Hollis W. Moyse, John G. Frayne, Lawrence W. Davee, Frank E. Carlson, and Ralph B. Austrian. Many Subjects Scheduled Aside from the purely technical papers to be presented, subjects up for consideration include "Lighting a Subject for Color Photography," by R. M. Evans ; "Color for Producer and Consumer," by I. H. Goldlove ; "Agfa Color Film Process," by H. C. Harsh, on behalf of the U. S. Department of Commerce ; "Post-War Test Equipment for Theatre Servicing," by Edward Stanko and P. V. Smith ; "Foreign Distribution of 16mm Feature Releases," by R. C. Maroney; "Report of Committee on Television Projection Practice," by P. J. Larsen, "Color Television," by P. C. Goldmark ; and "Television and the Motion Picture Theatre," by L. B. Isaac. All sessions will open with either a 35mm or 16mm short. The delegates will attend a RCA-NBC television demonstration at Radio City Tuesday and will inspect the DuMont-John Wanamaker Television Studios on Wednesday. The General Electric Company has extended an invitation to the SMPE to inspect their television studios at Schenectady during the week. Invited to Other Sessions During the week of the SMPE convention the Inter-Society Color Council will hold its fifteenth annual meeting at the Hotel Pennsylvania May 6-7 and the Acoustical Society of America will hold its thirty-first national meeting at the same hotel May 10-11. SMPE delegates have been invited to attend both meetings. Monogram Sets Second Regional Meeting Monogram will hold its second regional sales meeting May 4-5 at the Drake Hotel, Chicago. This meeting follows a similar one held April 27-28 at the Warwick Hotel, New York. Both meetings are being conducted by Morey Goldstein, Monogram general sales manager. MOTION PICTURE HERALD. MAY 4, 1946 33