Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Sep 1953)

May More Jo End Tax Exemptions j-^eopie in 1. "Jlie tjewd iiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiimiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiHimiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiimiiiiiiiii Edmund C. Grainger, Jr., son of E. C. Grainger, head of the RKO Theatres film booking department, has been ap Herman M. Levy, general counsel of the Theatre Owners of America, has been appointed as a member of a Connecticut commission to study the potentials of the aging, by Governor John Lodge. H. Hugh Willis has been appointed director of advanced instrumentation for General Precision Equipment Corporation, it has been announced by Hermann G. Place, president. Mr. Willis has been engaged in nuclear energy work for the Armed Forces for the past six years. pointed as an attorney in the tax division of the office of the Attorney General of the United States. Alex Evelove, who resigned last month as studio advertising-publicity director of Warner Brothers, has established his own publicity and public relations organization in Beverly Hills. He will handle film and non-industry accounts. WASHINGTON: The House Ways and Means Committee may act shortly on an Administration-backed bill to take away special tax advantages given stars and other film workers who go on lengthy overseas film-making trips. Under present law, persons who work overseas for 17 or 18 consecutive months are exempt from U. S. income taxes on their overseas earnings. The law was passed in 1950 to get workers and technicians to work overseas as part of the Government’s Point Four and military base-building programs, but has been widely used by film workers. Early this year, the Treasury Department asked Congress to take this privilage away from film workers and other persons whom Congress never intended to cover under this provision, and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Reed (R., N. Y.) promptly introduced a bill to do this. But like the Mason admission tax relief bill, this other measure got caught up in the fight over excess profits taxes, and Mr. Reed was reluctant to move it lest the Senate tack on excess profits tax extension. Now that the excess profit tax fight has been compromised, it is thought likely that Mr. Reed will move ahead on both the Mason bill and the repeal of the 17-month provision. Hunt, Industry Pioneer, Sees Great Prosperity WILDWOOD, N. William C. Hunt, industry pioneer and head of Hunt’s Theatres, predicted “a period of prosperity greater than any yet enjoyed by the industry” at the recent opening here of Paramount’s “Shane” at the Shore theatre. He said that patrons liked three-dimensional and widescreen films with stereophonic sound and urged exhibitors to “hop on the bandwagon” and get equipment installed immediately to keep up the public’s enthusiasm. "Financial World" Cites Film Company Reports For the 13th year, the “Financial World” has honored companies whose annual reports are informative. Among such companies are several from the motion picture industry : Columbia, Disney, Loew’s, Monogram, Paramount, Republic and 20th-Fox. The next step is screening of 1,923 “MeritRated" reports in 100 industrial classifications, and then, in September, there will be the final selections, for bronze “Oscar of Industry” trophies. Company Changes Name The Sterling Sign Company has changed its name to Sterling Poster & Display Co., Inc., it has been announced by A1 Senft, president. Arthur W. Kelly, American representative for Charles Chaplin and former United Artists vice-president, has entered the radio transcription field as a producer of serials. Leon Roth, assistant publicity manager of United Artists, has been named publicity coordinator for United Artists in Hollywood, it has been announced by Max E. Youngstein, vice-president. Mr. Roth will work under the supervision of Francis M. Winikus, national director of advertising, publicity and exploitation. Colonel Richard McDonnell has submitted his resignation as special representative for the Motion Picture Association of America. No replacement has been designated for Col. McDonnell. Leonard F. Erickson, vice-president and director of McCann-Erickson, Inc., New York advertising agency, has been named head of the “Voice of America.” Friedman Files Action Against Distributors PHILADELPHIA: Seeking $330,000 in treble damages, Percy Friedman, owner of the Yeadon theatre, Yeadon, Pa., last week in Federal District Court filed an an*i-trust action against all major distributors. The brief filed by Mr. Friedman charges the defendants are engaged in a conspiracy to control the entire industry by illegally maintaining an unfair releasing system. He claims this practice has relegated his theatre to the status of a subsequent run house. Skiatron Claims Public Would Pay Subscriptions According to Skiatron Subscriber-Vision, 93.6 per cent of the first 1,000 persons seeing the first public demonstration of the system, in New York June 9 through 17, said they would pay nominal fees for outstanding programs not now available. They also indicated they most wanted Broadway shows and new motion pictures. Arthur Levey, Skiatron president, said the question Robert K. Hawkinson, assistant foreign manager of RKO Radio, has returned from a month’s tour in which he covered all the company offices in the Latin America territory. Charles E. Kurtzman, northeastern division manager of Loew’s Theatres, Inc., has been appointed as a member of the Centennial Commission of the Boston Public Library by Mayor John B. Hynes. Vincent Trotta, industry art executive, has been appointed to supervise the judges in the “Miss Universe” beauty pageant in Long Beach, Calif. Ricardo Canals, manager for RKO Radio in the Philippines since 1949, has been appointed supervisor of the Far Eastern division, it has been announced by Alfred Crown, foreign manager. Mr. Canals also will serve as manager for Japan, replacing William Schwartz, who has been given a new assignment. naires would be given the Federal Communications Commission when Skiatron applies later this year for a commercial license. 3,309,757 TV Sets Made in 5 Months WASHINGTON : Television set production during the first five months of this year amounted to a record-breaking total of 3,309,757 sets, the Radio-Television Manufacturers Association reported. This was more than 60 per cent ahead of the 1,957,083 sets produced in the like 1952 period. The RTMA said May production amounted to 481,936 sets, close to the record for the month of 486,000 sets, established in May, 1950. Kentucky Drive-In Opens The recently completed Knox Drive-In theatre, Vine Grove Junction, Ky., was to have opened its doors for the first time Wednesday. The theatre, which has a 700-car capacity, is owned and operated by Elizabeth Amusement, Inc., headed by Robert T. Enoch. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JULY II, 1953 25