Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

Skouras Offers Circuit Aid for Warner Event Characterizing the introduction of sound as "the most important development in the industry since its beginning," Charles P. Skouras, president of National Theatres, has written to Harry M. Warner, president of Warner Brothers, offering full circuit cooperation in making the twentieth anniversary of sound "an historic and everlasting remembrance." "It is most fitting," Mr. Skouras v^^rote, "that the twentieth anniversary of sound in the motion picture industry should be observed in tribute to your brothers and yourself, because it was your faith in the future of talking pictures that helped develop and fulfill the greater entertainment and cultural possibilities of motion pictures. "Jack, Albert, your late beloved brother Sam, and you, and all those associated with you have been outstanding in your leadership in the most important development in the industry since its beginning. "Your first all-talking picture, 'Lights of New York,* was the beginning of a new era in the world of entertainment, which has been monumental in its significance. . . ." Meanwhile, the first step in theatre participation in the anniversary got underway this week. A special leader is being attached to all Warner feature releases from now until August 6. This leader reads : "August, 1926-August, 1946. Twenty years ago Warner Brothers made the first motion pictures to talk and sing. This is a Twentieth Anniversary presentation." The first of a series of lobby displays, a large blowup of the Warner anniversary advertisement that will appear in 21 leading magazines in July and August, is going into theatre lobbies throughout the country. Roosevelt to Speak at Cinema Lodge Meeting Elliot Roosevelt will be the principal speaker at the installation of officers of the new Chicago Cinema Lodge of the B'nai B'rith, which will be held at the Continental Hotel, June 19. His subject will be "Leaders of Tomorrow." Some 1,200 are expected at the dinner, at which a complete initial slate of officers, headed by Jack Kirsch, president of the Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors will be installed. StengI Named Manager of Warner Insurance Unit The promotion of Fred StengI as manager of Warner Bros, insurance department has been announced by the company. He succeeds the late Frank L. Gates. Mr. StengI, in the insurance business for the past 28 years, joined the Warner insurance department two years ago and until recently was assistant to Mr. Gates. Raise Admission Prices in Indianapolis and Cleveland The admission price increase trend has spread to two more cities. In Indianapolis the Katz-Dole Circuit has jumped admissions from 35 cents-55 cents to 40 centssixty cents at the Indiana, Circle and Lyric theatres. In Cleveland first run theatres have increased their their top price from 65 cents to 70 cents. The theatres affected are Warners' Hippodrome and Lake, RKO's Allen and Palace, and Loew's State, Stillman and Ohio. New York Court Revokes Miami Theatre License The Miami theatre in New York was fined $500 and lost its license in Manhattan Special Sessions Court, Monday, for showing indecent motion pictures, and its owner, Benjamin Brodie, will be tried September 23 on the same charge. The charge involves scenes in the film, "Guilty Parents." Complaints received by License Commissioner Benjamin Fielding resulted in a investigation and the suspension of the theatre's license May 15. Commissioner Fielding said this was the first conviction in the history of the city for the showing of indecent films in a licensed theatre. Under the court's ruling the theatre may not again be licensed unless the Supreme Court reverses the decision. Equipment Manufacturers Accept New Members Oscar F. Neu, president of the Theatre Equipment and Supply Manufacturers Association, has announced the board of governors has approved acceptance of the following new applications for membership : Aero Metal Products Corp. ; National Carbon Co., Inc.; The Holmes Projector Co.; Capitol Stage Lighting Co.; LaVezzi Machine Works ; International Seat Corp. ; DaLite Screen Co. ; Brenkert Light Projection Co.; Compco Corp.; J. E. Robin, Inc. Roy Boomer, secretary-treasurer, reports that the National Equipment Exhibit to be held in conjunction with the Theatre Equipment Dealers Protective Association at their annual autumn convention this year, is responsible for the success of the membership drive. The Theatre Equipment and Supply Manufacturers Association was formed 13 years ago. Industry Contributes $58,950 To New York Fund Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation, announced Tuesday that the committee of motion picture industry leaders for the Greater New York Fund 1946 Appeal of which he is chairman, had already obtained contributions totalling $58,950, or 75 per cent of its $78,600 quota. This year the Fund seeks from the business world in New York City $5,900,000, which is 25 per cent more than was contributed in 1945. Johnston Studies Hollywood Labor And Policies Hollywood Bureau Arriving last Sunday in Hollywood for a fortnight's stay and his first official visit since relinquishing the presidency of the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association, denied himself to the press and by midweek was understood to be devoting himself to a first-hand study of conditions and procedures in the production community in preparation for taking actjve part in its affairs. On the list of Mr. Johnston's activities for the fortnight was a meeting of the board of directors of the Association of Motion Picture Producers on a day not immediately designated; an address to the graduating class of the University of California June 15, another to be delivered at the twentyfifth anniversary banquet of the American Society of Cinematographers on June 17; and still another to be made to the presidents of the member companies of the AMP on June 19, this last as a sort of opening gun in a series of meetings to run on through the rest of that week. Conferred with Price This week Monday Mr. Johnston breakfasted with Louis B. Mayer at the MGM studio, visited his office in the AMP headquarters briefly, and made no news for Tuesday's newspapers. Tuesday he conferred with Byron Price, vice-president of the MPA, on a diversity of subjects related to the state of the industry in Hollywood, and with Pat Casey, veteran AMPP labor contact, who returned to Hollywood from New York that day. In the afternoon he attended a meeting of the directorate of the Bank of America, of which he had become a member since accepting the MPA presidency. He was attending that meeting when word of the decision in the Government's suit reached Hollywood, and he declined to comment on this event. Telegrams from Labor On Monday from the Motion Picture Stewards council, composed of studio unit leaders of a purported majority of craft unions, came the text of a 600-word telegram urging the MPA .president to familiarize himself with studio labor policy and asserting that, if he did so, "you still agree that labor-management relations in this industry are the opposite of those you advocate." And from the International Association of Machinists on Tuesday came excerpts from a telegram of similar dimensions which charged violation of the directive by which last year's studio strike was settled, and asserted that unless negotiations looking toward rectification were begun immediately "we will take steps." MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 15, 1946 41