Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

Short Product in First Run Houses Big Film Cost Too High to Televise^ Says Raibourn Paul Raibourn, vice-president and head of television activities for Paramount, testifying in Los Angeles Monday at the Federal Communications Commission hearings of applicants for local channels, said the cost of major feature length films would make their use for television prohibitive. He said he did expect television to compete with theatres. At midweek, the hearings neared conclusion. Klaus Landsberg, testifying Monday for Television Productions, Paramount subsidiary of which Mr. Raibourn is president, said his company was prepared to spend between $500,000 and $750,000 on installation of a station in Los Angeles, to operate at a cost of $7,000 a week. At the same time, Norman Chandler, publisher of the Los Angeles Times, said that the Times-Mirror Corporation had set aside $4,340,000 for construction of a 10-story building to house a television and frequency modulation station. Representatives of the California Committee for Radio Freedom and the Council of Hollywood Guilds and Unions last Friday protested the granting of a license to Earl C. Anthony and Don Lee. Earlier in the week, speaking for National Broadcasting Company, Sidney N. Strotz, vice-president, said, "Hollywood will be the television capital of the nation, because of the concentration of talent here, as it is already the radio and motion picture capital." Spokesmen for Don Lee told the commission it already had invested $376,973 in television and was prepared to spend $172,084 in its first year, televising 28 hours weekly, if given a channel. Projection Engineers Open Contract Negotiations Contract negotiations were begun last week between lATSE motion picture theatre sound and projection engineers and inspectors and Altec Service, RCA Service, Warner Brothers and others. The employees are seeking 30 per cent wage increases, increased mileage allowances, adjustment? in hours, vacations; other benefits in new contracts which are expected to be retroactive to May 1. The old contracts expired April 30. The engineers and inspectors receive a minimum of $92 a week at present. They are asking almost $120 for a 40-hour week. Sazin Joins Astor Henry Sazin has been appointed assistant to Jacques Kopfstein, executive vice-president of Astor Pictures Corporation, it was announced in New York Monday. Mr. Sazin until recently was an executive of Post Pictures Corporation, in charge of sales and distribution. NEW YORK— Week of May 27 ASTOR: Pluto's Kid Brother RKO Feature: The Kid from Brooklyn RKO CAPITOL: Musical Masterpieces MGM Visiting Vera Cruz MGM Feature: The Postman Always Rings Twice. ..MGM CRITERION: Bad Bascomb MGM Studio Visit MGM Feature: Picnic Panic Colunnbia GLOBE: Ten Pin Titans RKO Feature: Make Mine Music RKO HOLLYWOOD: With Rod and Gun in Canada Vitaphone Hollywood Canine Canteen Vitaphone Feature: A Stolen Life Warner Bros. MUSIC HALL: A Knight for a Day RKO Feature: To Each His Own Paramount Manghann Announces Changes in Two Companies Personnel changes in Film Classics of the Southeast and Screen Guild Productions of Georgia, Atlanta and New Orleans were announced this week in Atlanta by John W. Mangham, president of both companies. Kenneth R. Smith will be Atlanta office manager of both companies, and executive assistant to the president. Roy G. Hall will replace James C. Crockett as Atlanta booker. Screen Guild Productions' 16 new features will be handled in the Atlanta and New Orleans territories entirely apart from the rereissue subjects now in release and to be released through Film Classics of the Southeast, although physical distribution will be through Screen Guild. In the New Orleans office George Broggi has been appointed branch manager. Extensive alterations in the exchanges in Atlanta and New Orleans and the opening of an exchange in Memphis are planned. Select Porter Musical as Warner Anniversary Film "Night and Day." a Technicolor musical based on the life and compositions of Cole Porter, has been selected by Warner Brothers as the attraction for some 250 premieres August 6 in celebration of the company's 20th anniversary of sound, it was announced Monday by Ben Kalmenson, vice-president and general sales manager, at a special meeting of the Warner circuit's zone advertising and publicity heads, held at the New York office to discuss the anniversary plans. Other top attractions to be released and to be given special handling during the celebrations are "One More Tomorrow," "Janie Gets Married," "A Stolen Life," "Of Human Bondage" and "Two Guys from Milwaukee." Handles PRC Accessories All PRC accessories are now being handled by Sydney Weill. PALACE: In Dutch RKO Street ot Shadows RKO Feature: Heartbeat RKO PARAMOUNT: Riding the Hickory .Paramount Feature: The Blue Dahlia Paramount RIALTO: House Tricks Paramount Popular Science Paramount Feature: Dressed to Kill Universal RIVOLI: College Queen Paramount Feature: Kitty Paramount ROXlT: Svengali's Cat 20th Cent.-Fox Behind the Footlights 20th Cent.-Fox Tomorrow's Mexico 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: Do You Love Me? 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND: Daffy Doodles Vitaphone Michigan Ski-daddle Vitaphone Feature: One More Tomorrow Warner Bros. WINTER GARDEN: Bathing Buddies. Universal Cartoon Crusader Universal Feature: Madonna of the Seven Moons. . .Universal Dealers to Meet September 30 The Theatre Equipment Dealers Protective Association and the newly-formed Theatre Equipment and Supply Manufacturers Association will hold their national convention at the LaSalle Hotel, Chicago, September 30 and October 1-3, it was announced this week by Ray G. Colvin, president of the dealers, and Oscar F. Neu, president of the manufacturers. Roy Boomer, secretary-treasurer of the manufacturers, has reported that this year a national equipment exhibit will be presented during the convention by association members. This will be the first national exhibit the manufacturers have conducted for several years and many of the manufacturers will display, for the first time, new and improved merchandise. About 400 are expected to attend from the dealers and manufacturers groups. Monogram Opens Office In Panama City Monogram International has formed a new company under the name of Monogram Pictures of Panama, Inc., and opened a new office May 28 in Panama City. Richard D. Spierman, former special representative for Monogram International, is manager of the new office, which covers Central America and the Caribbean area. Distributors Pay $432,740 In Jackson Park Case Distributors have paid $432,740 in settlement of the Jackson Park theatre anti-trust suit in Chicago, Thomas McConnell, attorney for the plaintiffs, announced in Chicago May 23. 32 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE I, 1946