Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1956)

BACK TAX FIGHT Individ^ual IX OKLAHOMA . . . United Theatre Owners in meeting hear O'Donnell, McGee on tax campaign plans; pass resolutions on practices OKLAHOMA CITY-. Some 200 exhibitors from all corners of the state turned up here at the Skirvin Hotel last week to make the annual convention of United Theatre Ownersof Oklahoma a precedent-setting event. The W'ednesday-Thursday meetings heard a roster of impressive guest speakers, elected a new slate of officers and passed resolutions touching on the vital trade practice questions of the day. O^Donnell on Tax Fight Robert J. O’Donnell, vice-president and general manager of the Interstate Circuit and chairman of the COMPO tax repeal committee, received an enthusiastic reception for his analysis of the current need for a new tax campaign, while Pat McGee, co-chairman of last year’s tax campaign, discussed the prospects for product in 1956 — “more favorable today than at any recent time in the past.” Answering critics who feel that now is not the time for a new tax drive, Mr. O’Donnell said that his committee and a vast number of theatre owners feel that the campaign should be “a continual one, not waiting for a specified period.” Theatres, he said, which have been burdened with the excise tax for 39 years, “should not let down their efforts to obtain complete repeal.” As a result of the meeting several weeks ago between the new tax committee and the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. O’Donnell continued, the Treasury Department wanted further figures and appeared to be interested in finding out more facts before studying the possibilities of added relief. Asks Support He declared that 20 per cent of all theatres gross 80 per cent of the money in exhibition and these are the theatres that are hurt most by the tax, thus he made a plea for the support of the smaller theatres to help at the grass roots level to insure the future safety of the entire industry. The opening address of the convention was given by Edward Thorne, president. Other speakers included Milton Philips, newspaper editor ; State Senator James Rinehart; A1 Sindlinger, research analyst, and Abe Berenson, of New Orleans. The board of directors elected Bernard McKenna, Jr., pre.-ident; Dick Thompson, secretary; Claude Motley, treasurer; Mr. Thorne, chairman of the board ; Seibert Worley, vice-president, western district; Edward Jones, vice-president, central district ; Charles D. Hicks, vice-president, eastern district. E. R. Slocum was reelected executive director, and all members of the board were reelected. Hit Trade Practices In six resolutions adopted by the delegates, the exhibitor group : Condemned Paramount and Warner Brothers for their present sales policies in this trade area, including exorbitant terms, print shortages and forced bidding ; Endorsed the joint Allied States Association-Theatre Owners of America two-point program and asked the Justice Department to approve pre-emptive production by the divorced circuits and an arbitration system including film rentals as an arbitrable item ; Urged all members to file evidence of unfair trade practices in detail with the local office immediately so that affidavits may be presented to the Senate Select Committee on Small Business ; Endorsed the efforts of Mr. O’Donnell and his committee to eliminate the entire admissions tax and asked members to contact personally their Congressional delegations; and Condemned the proposed action of 20thFox to release “The King and I” in 55mm only for first engagements^ and asked that the film be made available simultaneously in 35mm versions. The convention came to a close Thursday night with the president’s banquet. Two New Theatres Open in Miami Area MIAMI : Two new motion picture theatres opened here recently. The Golden Glades twin Drive-in in North Miami Beach and the Loew’s Riviera theatre. South Miami. The Golden Glades has twin screens, a concessions building accommodating several thousand ; a special area for 500 who can view the picture while dining, and comfortable seating for another 500 who wish to leave their cars while viewing the picture. The Riviera, Loew’s first theatre in Florida, opened with Columbia’s “Picnic.” Hobart Theatre Settles Anti-Trust Suit Action A $702,000 anti-trust suit filed last month by Hobart Theatre Corp., operating the Hobart theatre in Astoria, L. I., was settled and dismissed with prejudice last week in New York Federal Court. Charging monopoly, the plaintiff had named Loew’s, Paramount, United Artists, Columbia and Universal as defendants. HOLLYWOOD: The need for individual handling of film campaigns, with each film sold as an individual enterprise, backed by the promotional resources of both domestic and international markets, was stressed last week by Charles M. Reagan, Loew’s vicepresident in charge of distribution and Howard Dietz, vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity, at the closing sessions of the world wide Loew’s conference at the MGM studio. Mr. Dietz said, “The competition in the current market requires impact that will reach about the world, especially with the revenues from abroad contributing so tremendously to the company income.” He cited several new pictures as an example of the promotional policy, including “I’ll Cry Tomorrow,” “Forever Darling,” “The Last Hunt,” “Meet Me in Las Vegas,” “Bhowani Junction,” “The Rack,” “Tribute to a Bad Man,” “The Swan” and “Catered Affair.” The campaign for “Las Vegas,” he added, would begin with the world premiere at the El Portal theatre. Las Vegas, February 21, with critics from key cities flown in to see the CinemaScope production and meet the stars. In addition, there will be tieups with retail dealers, a special Milton Berle telecast, personal tours of stars and other activities. At the conclusion of the conference, Arthur M. Loew, newly-elected president, made a statement in which he said the pictures shown there were “the finest group of MGM pictures in the company’s history.” He said that sounds like typical showmanship exaggeration but “I suppose there is no way of giving a superlative appreciation without the use of superlatives.” He also added he would like to correct the rumor that Dore Schary is about to sever his connections with company as head of the studio. “There is no truth to this rumor,” he said. “Dore Schary remains in his executive post and I am contemplating no other changes in the executive personnel.” Columbia Renews Houston Exchange Building Lease HOUSTON : Columbia Pictures has signed a long term renewal of the lease for the building housing its exchange here, A. Montague, Columbia general sales manager, has announced. The office was opened in January, 1955 to improve service in the expanding South Texas market, formerly handled from Dallas. It was the first exchange set up in Houston by a national distributor. Mr. Montague added that Columbia was seeking additional floor space in Houston. The only other major film company operating in the city is 20th Century-Fox. 16 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. FEBRUARY 18. 1956