Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1955)

PUSH TRADE TALK PLAA AMID PALL OF SILEXCE Exhibitor Leaders V ocal on Meet, Alternatives; One Major Answers by VINCENT CANBY Exhibition leaders at midweek were continuing to make plans for a forthcoming industry round table conference May 24 in New York, despite the lack of pronounced — and announced — excitement from distribution. The only distributor to be heard from by midweek, Barney Balaban, Paramount president, Wednesday turned down the bid — with regret — because of the “subjects” to be discussed. Although distribution leaders were making themseh’es somewhat conspicuous by their silence, at least three men from exhibition ranks were talking. They were ; Ruben Shor, president of Allied States Association, who said in New York that four distribution company presidents have replied to the joint Allied-Theatre Owners of America invitation and “indicated” their willingness to meet with exhibition leaders; Benjamin Berger, chairman of Allied’s Emergency Defense Committee, who told the North Central Allied convention in Minneapolis Monday that “if we don’t get anywhere” at the round table conference, “then Allied and TOA can’ present a solid front in asking Congress for action,” and Pat McGee, general manager of Cooper Foundation Theatres and a top TOA official, who said in a statement from Denver that the proposed conference need not “discuss film terms on the basis of specific instances . . . but see where we are going in the industry.” Mr. McGee was obviously trying to forestall invitation turn-downs for the reason that such a conclave of company presidents might be constructed by someone in the Justice Department as constituting action within the meaning of the anti-trust statutes. In reporting that four distribution company presidents had indicated their willingness to attend the meeting, set to be held at New York’s SheratonAstor, Mr. Shor would not say whether there had been official acceptances nor would he name the four companies. Like Mr. McGee he said that he didn’t think there should be any legal problem to prevent the company presidents from meeting with the joint TOA-Allied committees. They would not be doing anything in concert, he said. I believe they are all men of good faith who want to have peaceful relations with their customers,” he added. The Allied members of the group — Ben Marcus, Jack Kirsch, Mr. Berger and Mr. Shor — will meet with the TOA committee “a day or so” before the meeting with the presidents, Mr. Shor said. The latter group consists of E. D. Martin, TOA president, and Walter Reade, Jr., Alfred Starr and Myron Blank. Invitation Emphasized “Immediate Need” The text of the TOA-Allied wire to the company heads, released late last week, is as follows : “We cordially invite you to attend an industry conference in New York City Tuesday, May 24, at the SheratonAstor Hotel at 10 A.M., New York time, with a committee from National Allied and from TOA to discuss and act upon the pressing and acute problems of exhibition. We strongly feel the immediate need of this conference among men of good faith in an effort to improve the relations between your company and your customers and to the mutual benefit of both. Feel free to bring with you whomever you like.” Also in Minneapolis for the North Central Allied convention, Abram F. Myers, Allied board chairman and general counsel, refused to reveal strategy pertaining to the introduction in Congress of any bill for Federal regulation. Said Mr. Myers : “Allied would be foolish to tip its hand now. Any announcement today would be premature. We are slowly and carefully laying our plans to take whatever action is necessary if the New York conference fails of results. We will do nothing, or say nothing now that will rouse the opposition, which we know is inevitable.” Speaking at the convention luncheon Monday, Mr. Myers told NCA members that “we have plenty of friends on Capitol Hill,” but he declined to name any of them except Senator Hubert Humphrey (D., Minn.), whose name, he said, “was smoked out by the trade press.” Shor Would Ask Aid of Government “Right Away” Also speaking at the Minneapolis convention, Mr. Shor said that Allied strategy on introduction of the bill was being mapped by Mr. Berger as chairmen of EDC. “If it was left up to me,” said the Allied president, “I’d do it right away. I wouldn’t wait.” Prospects of there being some fireworks at this convention disappeared late last week when it was announced that the “pressure of business” had forced W. C. Gehring, general sales manager of 20th Century-Fox, to cancel a scheduled convention appearance. A1 Lichtman, 20th-Fox director of distribu tion and author of the original round table proposal, had been invited to address the convention originally. He accepted but latei had to decline because of illness, at which time he designated Mr. Gehring to take his place. The latter accepted, then withdrew because of the pressure of business. Mr. McGee’s statement from Denver contained a hint or two of current TOA thinking, including the suggestion that “if the company presidents will only meet with exhibitors, they might find us willing to go to the Congress in an effort to adjust several troubling matters, including a change in income tax rulings.” lowa-Nebraska Allied Notes A "Fight for Survival" DES MOINES, IOWA: A “Fight For Survival” was described as the keynote of the three-day convention of Allied Theatre Owners of lowa-Nebraska which opened here Wednesday at the Hotel Savery. Sounding the warning was Leo Wolcott of Eldora, National Allied board chairman. Mr. Wolcott, who said there are too few quality pictures, too few prints and too many percentage pictures, warned the 75 exhibitors present that they’ll lose their theatres and their future unless they can get their fair share of the profits from the distributors. Mr. Wolcott cited too the dangers of fee TV and the 16mm suit. Rube Shor and Abram F. Meyers, National Allied president and general counsel, respectively, also spoke at the opening session. Admission Tax Total $195,213,000 tor 1954 WASHINGTON : General admission tax collection in the 1954 calendar year amounted to $195,213,000, compared to $275,535,000 in 1953, the Internal Revenue Service has reported. The bureau noted that the admission tax rate had been eliminated on some priced tickets and reduced on others effective last April 1. General admission tax collections include taxes on tickets to legitimate theatres, concerts, sports events and other entertainment as well as motion picture theatres. Boy and Bulls to Tour "The Boy and the Bull" The King Brothers, producers of the RKO Radio release, “The Boy and the Bull,” said in Hollywood this week they plan to send Michel Ray, 10-year-old star of the picture and two bulls also featured, on a tour of key cities. One bull is two years old, the other six months. The first weighs more than 1,000 pounds and is not gentle, and the producers now are planning how to crate, transport, and exhibit him. MOTION PICTURE HERALD. MAY 7. 1955 19