Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1952)

People eopte in DL Uu,s inintniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii W. C. Gehring, executive assistant general sales manager for 20th Century-Fox, addressed 800 members of the Philadelphia Motion Picture Reviewers organization at a luncheon May 1 at the Warwick Hotel. He discussed forthcoming product and stressed public relations topics designed to foster good-will for films. Alfred W. Crown, vice-president of Samuel Goldwyn Production, left this week by plane for Paris and Cannes, France, as representative of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers at the forthcoming talks on the U.S.-French film agreement. The representatives of both countries will discuss film imports and the conversion of earnings. Ch.^rles M. Amory, vice-president in charge of sales for Souvaine Selective Pictures, left New York for London by plane last weekend for a short visit to look over new pictures. David Bursten, former secretary and general counsel of the Selznick Releasing Organization, has joined the legal staff of United Artists Corporation, Seymour Peyser, vice-president and general counsel of United Artists, announced this week. General Decrease Shown In Tax Collections WASHINGTON : General admission tax collections in March, reflecting February business, were almost $6,000,000 below those of March, 1951, one of the sharpest yearto-year drops in many months, the Bureau of International Revenue reported last week. Collections this March amounted to $19,863,940, compared with $25,625,450 last March. This means that for the first three months of this year, collections were almost 12 per cent below those of the first quarter last year. General admission tax collections include levies on admissions to concerts, sports events, legitimate theatre and other spectator entertainment, as well as to motion pictures. Total admission tax collections, including general collections, roof garden and cabaret taxes and various overcharges, amounted to $23,590,162 in March compared with $28,900,924 last March. Two Anti-Trust Suits Filed In New York Two anti-trust suits, seeking combined treble damages totaling $7,500,000, were filed this week in Federal Court in New York. Samuel I. Orsen and Harold W. Friedman, assignors of Colonial Enterprises, Albany, N. Y., seek $4,500,000 in damages from the distributors and circuits, claiming Otto W. Cook, manager of film manufacturing at Eastman Kodak Company’s Kodak Park plant, has retired after completing nearly 32 years of service with the company. Saul Malisow has been promoted to the post of 20th Century-Fox branch manager in Minneapolis, succeeding Ralph PiELOW, who resigned effective April 26. Mr. Malisow formerly was assistant to Moe Levy, Midwest division manager. Liza Wilson, writer and press agent, has been appointed Hollywood editor of The American Weekly, Ernest V. Heyn, editor, has announced. George Templeton, Hollywood director, writer and actor, has been named by the State Department to head the motion picture program in the Office of the U. S. High Commissioner in Germany. Under the program, documentary and other films are produced and distributed in Western Germany. . Max Sheine has been appointed manager of the Calgary branch of International Film Distributors by D. V. Rosen, general manager, whose offices are in Toronto. discrimination in rentals and clearances between 1947 and 1951. Named besides the eight majors are Fabian Theatres, Mark Strand Corp., RKO Keith Orpheum Corp., Fast Theatres, Inc. and Copia Realty Corp. The second suit was brought by the TC Theatre Corp., which operated the Biltmore Theatre, Mt. Vernon, and seeks $3,000,000 in damages covering a period from 1937 to 1950. Besides the eight majors, named as defendants are Brandt Theatres, Parkway Theatres, Donni Blair Amusement Corp., Embassy Vernon Corp., Skouras Theatres, Mt. Vernon Corp. and Willard Amusement Corp. Houston Will Soon Have Twin Screen Drive-in Houston’s biggest drive-in, the King Center, which will have the distinction of two screens back-to-back, will be ready to open June 1, Julius Gordon, president of L.O.G., Inc., builders of the new theatre, has announced. The theatre, described as a “butterfly” drive-in, will accommodate 800 cars and is situated on 10 acres of ground. The two screens are for the convenience of patrons who want to see only half of the theatre’s regular double feature program. Included for the convenience of the patrons will be two large snack bars. Current plans are for the theatre to show only “first drivein run pictures,” within a month of their presentation in downtown theatres. JVPA. MMoubles AHotvance WASHINGTON: Starting with the third quarter, the amounts of metals which manufacturers of theatre equipment and other items may “self-certify” have been roughly doubled by the National Production Authority. Self-certification is a procedure whereby a manufacturer writes his own priority tickets for certain amounts of metals, without having^to come to NPA for an official govefTirn.ent priority. It is designed to eliminate paperwork both for the manufacturer and for NPA. Effective July 1, manufacturers of socalled Class B products, including most items of theatre and film equipment, will be able to self-certify up to 60 tons of carbon steel, 16 tons of alloy steel, 500 pounds of stainless, 3,000 pounds of copper and 4,000 pounds of aluminum, providing these allowances do not exceed the amount of metals used in an average quarter of 1950. At present, these firms are allowed to selfcertify up to 30 tons of carbon steel, eight tons of alloy steel, 500 pounds of stainless, 3,000-‘.pounds of copper and 2,000 pounds of aluminum. All manufacturers, regardless of their 1950 consumption, will, starting July 1, be able to certify up to 25 tons of carbon steel, one ton of alloy steel, 500 pounds of copper and 1,000 pounds of aluminuni. At present, such firms are allowed to write their own tickets for only five tons of carbon steel, 1,000 pounds of alloy steel, 500 pounds of copper and 500 pounds of aluminum. No stainless steel is now allowed or would be allowed for self-certification to these producers. House Un-American Group Hears Robinson Again Edward G. Robinson, making his third voluntary appearance before the House UnAmerican Activities Committee in Washington last week, testified again under oath that he was never a Communist or. knowingly, a fellow traveler or Communist sympathizer. Mr. Robinson called himself a liberal Democrat and said he had been "duped and used” by Red front organizations which had used his name for “hidden purposes.” He added, “No one has ever been willing to confront me, under oath, free from immunity, and unequivocally charge me with membership in the Communist party or any other subversive organization. No one can honestly do so.” V & S Lease New York Theatre V & S Amusement Corporation, headed by Joseph and Seymour Selig, have taken a 21year lease on the Rosedale theatre, located adjacent to Parkchester Village, New York City, from the Rosedale Engineering Corporation. The deal was arranged by Berk and Krumgold, theatrical realty specialists, and brings to eight the number of theatres now owned and operated by V & S. 42 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. MAY 10, 1952