Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1956)

WHEN AND WHERE On the JJ’i orizon BATTLE PLANS COMPO within a week or two will begin fighting the admissions tax. This is the word from New York headquarters. The "steering committee" for the battle will meet in that city or in Washington. It will comprise delegates from charter organizations. The home office meanwhile is collating statistics on the state of the industry. The committee probably will invite Allied, Robert Coyne, COMPO counsel, said. RECORD FOR "GUYS" Samuel Goldwyn's "Guys and Dolls" is piling up some records in its first 48 engagements, all of which are still in progress. As of January 5, the musical extravaganza had grossed $4,200,000. Eight of the engagements began in November and the other 40 on December 23. The dates range from New York, Baltimore, St. Louis and Miami to Toronto and Montreal. At the Capitol in New York it had grossed $775,000 at the end of its ninth week. TV m FRANCE As it must to all theatres, television has come to France. And in the areas where the workers are well heeled enough to buy sets, the cinemas are feeling the blow. To the extent, our correspondent says, of as much as a 50 per cent box office decline. There is, however, a sliver of retaliation. The taxman is to go after "public television" ; that is, in bars and cafes. Cafe owners, our man again reports, are very glad to pay it. REWARD Warners will be watching the Supreme Court these days for a $1,000,000 decision it is certain it cannot lose, but then you never can tell. Jules Garrison this week appealed to that court against lower court decisions that he isn't entitled to Warners' reward for anyone who could prove Burt Lancaster in "The Flame and the Arrow" didn't perform all those dangerous stunts. Mr. Garrison claims sttint man Don Turner did some. Previous courts have said Mr. Turner executed none of the really hard stunts, and anyway the company withdrew its reward before the claim. The National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters has decided to step up sharply its campaign to inform the public about the operations of the television program code. The Association said in Washington this week it had decided that a successfully operating code would be the best answer to criticisms of the content of TV programs, and that a better public understanding of the code and support for it would help make it successful. Theatre Equipment and Supply Manufacturers Association will hold its 1957 trade show and convention at the Hotel Sherman in Chicago, September 8-15, it was determined at a TESMA board meeting in New York Tuesday. Merlin Lewis, executive secretary, said invitations will go to exhibitors and other independent groups seeking an annual convention in conjunction with the TESMA show. SKY TOUR Charles Lindbergh's tiny plane the "Spirit of St. Louis", built in replica for the Warner picture of that name, is flying again and may be piloted cross country soon by Jimmy Stewart, star of the picture. An expert pilot, the star who with the help of friends built one of three replicas of the famous Ryan monoplane, is planning a tour of key cities in advance of the openings of the picture scheduled for the Spring. TAX CUT One Senator of some renown has come over to our side publicly. Senator Douglas of II January 29: Sixth annual Communion Breakfor Catholics of the motion picture industry In the New York area, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City. January 29-31: Annual convention of the Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina, Hotel Charlotte, Charlotte, N. C. January 30: Regular mid-winter meeting of the lATSE general executive board, Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood. February 2: Commencement of hearings, before the Senate Small Business Subcommittee, on trade practice complaints of motion picture exhibitors, Washington, D. C. February 5: Fifth annual Communion Breakfast for Catholics of the motion picture industry in the Los Angeles area, Hollywood Paladlum, Hollywood. February 7-9: Annual convention of United Theatre Owners of Oklahoma, Skirvin Hotel, Oklahoma City. February 20: Testimonial dinner to M. B. Horwitz, veteran Cleveland exhibitor. Hotel Hollenden, Cleveland. February 21-23: 1956 National Drive-ln Convention, Hotel Cleveland, Cleveland. March 6-7: Annual convention of the KansasMissourl Theatre Association, President Hotel, Kansas City, Mo. linois said last week he wants Congress to collect billions for the Treasury by "plugging various tax loopholes" and then cut admissions and other excise taxes. No less than 25 per cent of our mature population can't remember the last time they went to a movie. National Theatres asserts after polling 500 families in Milwaukee. The survey also shows, according to the circuit ' s magazine , "Showman", that teen-agers are the frequent moviegoers. Japanese theatre men are most interested in the Japan Broadcasting Corporation's survey of mass communications. Five one hundredths of one per cent of Japanese households own a television set. Movie attendance last year was 830,000,000. Floyd E. Stone — Vincent Canby — William R. Weaver CODE PUSH TESMA 1957 CAN'T REMEMBER SMALL CLOUD MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 14, 1956 9