Showmen's Trade Review (1945)

1 I SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW November 10, 1945 WB Rejoins MPPDA/ UA Remains Aloof Warners has again become a member of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, it was announced Wednesday in a joint statement by Harry M. Warner, president and Jack L. Warner, executive producer. The statement declared that the company will participate fully in all phases of the MPPDA in New York and Hollywood. Warners resigned from the organization last December, with the resignation becoming effective since June 1. The return of the company was not unexpected, since Eric Johnston, MPPDA president, had been designated to act for Warners in the negotiations for settlement of the recent coast strike. Speculation in industry circles concerning the possibility of United Artists rejoining the MPPDA ended abruptly when an authoritative source at UA declared that since the company's withdrawal last September 21 a majority of its 23 independent producers had joined Donald Nelson s Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers and were committed to it, leaving "not a chance in the world" of UA rejoining the MPPDA. Millions Spent to Aid Kenny Method, Foundation Explains to Movie Workers More than $5 million of March of Dimes money was spent during the fiscal year 1944-45 for the medical care of infantile paralysis patients, 85 per cent of which consisted of the Sister Kenny method of treatment, it was revealed this week by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis in a statement issued at the request of National Chairman Joseph M. Schenck to clarify the situation in regard to the Kenny method and the support given to it by the National Foundation. The statement was directed to the thousands of workers in the annual motion picture March of Dimes drives who are now preparing for the 1946 campaign (January 24-30). Since 1941, when the Medical Advisory Committee of the National Foundation accepted a report of University of Minnesota physicians who bad evaluated the work of Nurse Kenny and found it worthwhile, the National Foundation has spent $653,852 in grants and appropriations in connection with the Kenny method and research concerned with the physical therapy of infantile paralysis. Of this sum $262,540 was paid directly to the University of Minnesota for the testing and teaching of the Kenny method. (This is not to be confused with the grants of more than $7 million made to 92 institutions for research). "As a result, approximately 1000 physicians, nurses and physical therapists have been sent to the University of Minnesota to learn the Kenny technique, six teaching centers for the dissemination of this knowledge have been set up, and $1,267,600 has been set aside for a long-term physical therapy training program of which the Kenny method is a part," the National Foundation declared. "The vast majority of patients treated in hospitals throughout the United States todayare receiving the Kenny method. Their medical care is paid for by the County Chapters of the National Foundation, which receive 50 per cent of the funds raised each year through the March of Dimes for this purpose." The report of the National Foundation was INDEX TO DEPARTMENTS Advance Dope 38D Box-Office Slants 19 Current Product Summary 68 Feature Booking Guide 64 Feature Guide Title Index 67 Hollywood 62 Newsreel Synopses 38C Regional Newsreel 30 Selling the Picture 23 Shorts Booking Guide 69 Short Subject Reviews 38C Theatre Equipment and Maintenance 39 Theatre Management 15 based on a preliminary survey of the 2714 chapters of the organization, which showed that 2079 chapters, or about three-fourths of the total number, expended $3,013,154 for the medical care of victims of infantile paralysis last year. On this basis, another $1 million would represent the total for all chapters from June 1, 1944, to May 31, 1945, the last reported period, or at least $4 million for the whole United States. Scientific research and education, for which over $7 million has been expended since the formation of the National Foundation, cover investigations to find and use improved methods of treatment of infantile paralysis, as well as efforts to seek a means of prevention and a possible cure for the disease, the report pointed out. Forty-two institutions, medical schools and laboratories are working under grants from the National Foundation this year. Altogether 92 institutions have received research grants to date. The care of patients throughout the country is the responsibility of the National Foundation's Chapters, which give financial assistance for medical care, regardless of age, race, color or creed. "Many Chapters have undertaken the equipment and staffing of hospital centers for the care of infantile paralysis victims, so that facilities will 'be available when cases occur," the report pointed out. Sees Films Vital Factor In German Re-Education The motion picture is due to play a most important part in the re-education of Germany, Fred Schwartz, executive and a director of the Century Circuit, who has returned from three and a half months abroad as a representative of the OWI Information Control Division, reported at a trade press interview this week. Schwartz, emphasizing he was speaking as a private citizen and in no way reflecting the attitude of the Government or any other individual said he believed it would take 20-25 years of training the present generation, mostly through films, to bring them to the realization that the disaster which had been visited upon them was their own fault. At present, in the American zone of occupation, there are 150 theatres operating, with some 400 available and a potential maximum of 800. Out of some 4500 theatres in Germany at the onset of the war, the major 1500 have been destroyed, leaving 3000 with an average seating capacity of 300-400 scattered throughout the country. The U. S. now has available some 21 features for exhibition and will have 48 available by August, 1946. Schwartz does not believe that the subtle propaganda film will interfere with commercial exhibition and he feels that the one-reel short subjects, shown in Germany over the next two to three decades, can be self-supporting financially and will be able to do the job of reeducating present German youth. Defense on Stand in Gov't Anti-Trust Suit Postponed for two days (Tuesday and Wednesday), trial of the Government anti-trust suit against the eight major producer-distributors was resumed Thursday morning, with the possibility that RKO would conclude its testimony and James R. Grainger, Republic Pictures president and J. Noble Braden, executive secretary of the American Arbitration Association, would take the stand for the defense. Last Friday, November 2, William A. Scully, Universal general sales manager took the stand and testified mostly on "Christmas Holiday," which was being used by Robert L. Wright, Government prosecuting attorney, as a "guinea pig." The Universal executive's testimony was similar to that of his predecessors in that he declared that Universal sold often to independents and away from affiliated circuits. Ben Kalmenson, Warner sales manager, next on the stand, said that Warners had not discriminated against independents but had sold to customers who could produce the highest revenue. Jason Joy, 20th-Fox personnel director at the studio, testified as to competition between studios for stars, directors, stories and producers. A stipulation from Harry M. Warner giving a history of the company was read into the record, as was one from Barney Balaban, denying charges of 1 Paramount conspiracy. The trial continued Monday, with N. Peter I Rathvon, RKO president on the stand. Rathvon j testified RKO could not have gotten out of i receivership without the stabilizing aid of its theatres, which provided half of its gross. Rath f von declared ownership of theatres is a great jj safety valve in a hazardous business, since some ! of the costs of unsuccessful films can be re jl covered by its theatres. He pointed out that | from 1938 to 1943 RKO lost $5,000,000 on dis | tribution, while the theatres made $9,000,000. In 1942, RKO's theatres were pledged for $2,000,000 to carry on production, and divorcement would weaken the company and not help anyone, he concluded. Rathvon also stated that the average top RKO feature has a potential audience of 18 million patrons, of which 4 million will see it in 110 theatres at an average admission of 65 cents and 14 million in the balance of the theatres at an average of 38 cents admission. Approximately 45 per cent of the rentals come from the 110 theatres, Rathvon said. Rembusch Elected President of Indiana ATO at Annual Meeting Trueman Rembusch, of Franklin, was elected president of the Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana last week at the association's 19th annual convention in Indianapolis. Maurice Ruben was elected vice-president and Marc Wolf, treasurer. A demand for the abolishment of the payment of a tax on percentage pictures was urged on the assembly by Burrell Wright, executive counsel, and a resolution prohibiting the taking of collections from patrons "trapped" in their seats in theatres was adopted. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Title and Trade Mark Registered U. S. Patent Office Published every Friday by Showmen's Trade Review Inc., 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y. Telephone BRyant 9-5606. Charles E. 'Chick' Lewis, Editor and Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Associate Editor; James A. Cron, General Manager; Ralph Cokain, Managing Editor; Dodd Coster, Equipment Advertising Manager; West Coast Office, 6777 Hollywood Boulevard. Hollywood 28, California; Telephone Hollywood 2055. Ann Lewis, 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. All 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 States and Canada; Foreign, $5.00. Single copies, ten cents.