Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1945)

8 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW May 12, 1945 Circuit Buying Power Issue of Griffith 1 rial Asserting that in view of the Crescent decision "the extent of the relief to be granted is the only real issue we are about to try," Government Attorneys this week opened the Griffith Amusement Co., et al, anti-trust case in Oklahoma City. In an opening statement Robert L. Wright, chief Government counsel, declared he would seek" to introduce evidence which would prove that contracts drawn up by Griffith for purchases of product between 1933 and 1938 were designed to eliminate competitive opportunities. Denying the charge, Charles B. Cochrane, an attorney for the Griffith Amusement Co. and Consolidated Theatres, Inc., two of the defendant companies, attributed the Griffith Brothers' success in developing theatre properties to pioneering in better theatres and legal aggressive business policies. Griffith contracts with film distributors, he said, were similar to those "an aggressive independent theatre owner would demand." With court adjourning after four hours, indications were that the trial would move swiftly. Federal Judge Edgar S. Vaught, who had originally scheduled the first episode of the trial for a three-week period, said the opposing sides "would be surprised at how much we can get done here in three weeks." Wright expected to complete his case in about ten days, but Harry Griffing, chief counsel for Griffith, said this would be unlikely, since some defense witnesses would have to come from New York and that their appearance in Oklahoma City would require more notice. Central theme of the trial is the issue of circuit buying power, and Wright is preparing to bring to the stand a long list of witnesses who will testify as to Griffith operations in specific towns and cities. Primary point emphasized by Wright was that volume buying in combination gave the defendants sufficient power to "buy what they wanted at the price they wanted." Specific clauses designed to perpetuate the circuit's power and control of distribution are contained in the Griffith contracts, he said, and after reviewing other anti-trust cases pushed by his department, contended that the issues here had been resolved previously. Contending that the Griffith Brothers had developed their huge holdings through natural business evolution, Cochrane said they sank all their resources in the development of sound theatres when this technical development was not considered stable originally. Named as personal defendants were three Griffith Brothers, R. E., H. J., and L. C, one of whom, R. E. Griffith, died last year. A minor setback to the Government's case occurred Tuesday when Judge Vaught ruled that conversations between distributors' agents and independent operators could not be introduced as evidence of conspiracy to violate the Sherman Act. However, after a heated discussion on the ruling, the judge permitted Wright to make a record on such conversations as a predicate for an appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court Letters and other documents of dealing between the plaintiff witnesses and distributors no longer named as defendants were also ruled inadmissible as evidence of conspiracy. Most of the afternoon testimony was by Dennis Scaling of Plainview, Texas. INDEX TO DEPARTMENTS Box-Office Slants 15 Current Product Summary 49 Feature Booking Guide 45 Feature Guide Title Index 48 Hollywood 40 Newsreel Synopses 44 Program Exchange 20 Regional Newsreel 28 Selling the Picture 17 Shorts Booking Guide 50 Short Subject Reviews 39 New Interest in Short Surrender of the German forces in Italy has renewed interest in the public showing of "San Pietro," the War Department three-reel film released by the WAC. Si Fabian, WAC Theatres Division Chairman, has appealed to exhibitors to give the film the widest possible booking as a tribute to the infantrymen who bore the brunt of the fighting in Italy. High Playdate Volume Republic Drive Goal Declaring that preliminary exhibitor cooperation gives every assurance of underwriting the success of Republic's 10th Mb^^ f and general sales man ■^^Y^^ ^S^^' reported this ^week ^ ^^tj^jjujjj^ ginning May 27 and conanniversary film, "Flame James R. Grainger of Barbary Coast," during June and July. The John Wayne-Ann Dvorak starrer is now current in pre-release engagements in leading theatres in branch and key cities. Concentrated campaigns in such situations, covering newspaper advertising, radio spot announcements and five-minute shows, and posting, as well as special promotion, are backing these runs. This local promotion augments extensive national advertising in June issues of fan and general magazines, and display advertisements in newspaper supplements. All media highlight RepubHc's 10th Anniversary. In connection with the 10th anniversary celebration, the April 28th issue of Business Week carried a feature on Herbert J. Yates, Sr., president of Republic Productions, Inc., and founder of the company ; and a similar feature appears in the current issue of Newsweek. NLRB Orders Vote in Hollywood Studio Strike Before June 6 The highly contentious jurisdictional dispute, reason for the present strikes in Hollywood between the screen set designers, illustrators and decorators represented by Local 1421 and Local 44, both affiliates of the lATSE, and the question of which local shall represent them, will be determined finally by an election to be held before June 6 in Hollywood. This was announced this week by the National Labor Relations Board in Washington which also decided that set estimators and set controllers should not be included in the election. Eligible to vote in the election are the striking set designers and those who have replaced them. The order from the NLRB was dated May 7, and eligibility in voting are replacements made and occupied before that date. ^est Leads in Depinet Drive With RKO Radio's Ned Depinet sales drive in its final week, figures for the 14th week show the western division leading. Seattle is in first place with Los Angeles and San Francisco in • second and third place, respectively. National Film Carriers Meet June 4 National Film Carriers will hold their 1945 meeting at the .Astor Hotel, New York, June 4-5. WB Signs Blanke to Unique 15-Yr. Contract (See Cover) An all-time record for producer-studio relationship was evinced in Hollywood last weekend when Jack L. Warner, executive producer for Warner Bros., signed Henry Blanke, producer with the organization, to an unprecedented term contract which will continue his association for the next 15 years and bring his total length of service with the studio to 37 years. In a statement by Jack L. Warner the policy of entrusting to Blanke many of the studio's most important productions will continue and will be followed in the future. During Blanke's association with Warners, he has produced many of the studio's outstanding successes, having in one year alone, 1936, produced "Green Pastures," "Anthony Adverse," "The Story of Louis Pasteur" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream," with which the studio won its four places on that year's "Ten Best" list. "Jezebel," "The Life of Emile Zola," "Anthony Adverse" and many other Blanke productions won for the studio, its players and production personnel a long and envied list of awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and many other groups and organizations. Blanke's roster of productions which set precedents for the screen and charted new motion picture paths also includes the current "Roughly Speaking," "The Mask of Dimitrios," "Edge of Darkness," "Constant Nymph," "The Gay Sisters," "The Maltese Falcon," "Great Lie," "We Are Not Alone," "The Sea Hawk," "The Old Maid," "'Juarez," "Four Daughters," "Robin Hood," "Green Light," and "The Petrified Forest." His record of features produced for Warners now numbers 85. Thomas Murray Seeks New Trial Lester Murray filed notice in Chicago of an appeal for a new trail on behalf of his client, Thomas Murray, against the reversal of a jury verdict in his favor by Federal Judge William Holly. Triple damages totaling $105,000 weie awarded to Thomas Murray for alleged conspiracy against his Thalia Theatre. The verdict was reversed on an appeal by the defendants. Target Tokyo' Release May 29 "Target Tokyo," a two-reel Army Air Forces film which tells the story of the first B-29 bombing raid on Tokyo, will be released by the industry's War Activities Committee and the OWI on May 24 through RKO Radio exchanges. Altec's Retirement Pension Plan Altec Service Corp., has announced to its personnel the establishment of a retirement pension plan under which an employe is eligible for retirement at the age of 60 (females under 55) provided the employe has had 20 years or more of service. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Title and Trade Mark Registered U. S. Patent Offict Published every Friday by Showmen's Trade Review Inc., 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y. Telephone BRyant 9-S606. Charles E. "Chick" Lewis, Editor and Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Associate Editor; James A. Cron, General Manager; Ralph Cokain, Managing Editor; David Harris, Business and Circulation Manager; Harold Rendall, Equipment Advertising Manager; West Coast Office, 6777 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood 28, California; Telephone Hollywood 2055. Ann l^ewis, manager. London Representative, Milton Deane, 185 Fleet St., London E.C. 4; Australian Representative, Gordon V. Curie, 1 Elliott St., Homebush, Sydney, Australia. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. AH contents copyright 1945 by Showmen's Trade Review, Inc. Address all correspondence to the New York office. Subscription rates: $2.00 per year in the United State* and Canada ; Foreign, $5.00. Single copies, ten cents.