Variety (Nov 1948)

Wednesday, Novembor 8, 1948 PICTURES 19 RKO's Consent Decree Continued from page S how in final form. It will be sub- mitted to the Federal court by the Goverriitient this- week lor ap- proval. The new RKO theatre company will take with it all theatre inter- ests now held by its predecessor company. Within one year,' how- ever, it must liquidate it,s holdings in all but 30 of the 241 theatres In which ic has a joint interest. with partners. II is permitted to retain ■ the 80 wholly-owned houses; with minor exceptions; to which it. can add 30 theatres of its clioice from the partnership theatres. In effect, it allows the theatre company now in creation to have a maximum of 110 houses, or a few less. The 'decree specifically prohibits tlie two RKO companies to have common directors, officers, agents or employees. Howard Hughes, controlling Utockliolder- in the present RKO cetup with 24% of; the common itock, must within one year elect tO: sell his holding.? in either the producing or theatre company. ;, ind your ntw Lincoln ii coining - MUCJH SOONER THAN YOU THINK, MMumy. Wisefflant :your Bronx home of Americn'l - most tb eau ti f u 1 £«r, T«rms to /■( your budgeti..super- Service, too. Aik about your new Lincoln at Muttay^WiMinan today! fllmy-liJisfnifln.inc LINCOLN - MERCURY Jerome Ave., at West 172ncl St. Bronx52.NewYork .. LUcllow 8-2323 Deci'ee further provides that since no other stockholder owns 1% of the common stock, no sale require- ment will be directed against any of them. If Hughes does not dis- po,se of 1)is holdings in one or other companies within the year, he must deposit the stock with a trustee named by the court under a voting (rust agreement until lie makes the sale. Only 4 In N. Y. City Rather tncky provisions cover- ing sale of theatres is as follows: New company must terminate all existing ,ioin.t interests but may elect to end them in up to 30 thea- tres by acquiring the interest of the coownt-r. Kxcept for four theatres —the Alden, Jamaica; Midway, For- est Hills: and two chosen from the Castle Hill. Marble Hill and Pel- ham, Bronx^none of the 30 can be located ln New York Gity. . In the event that the new conir pany buys out Walter. Reade's half interest in the Trenton-New Brunswick (N. J.) circuit, it must dispose of its interest in one first- run house in Trenton. Company •will also dispose of its entire in- terest in two of: the theatres opet-' ated by it on first-run in Cincin- .nati'.- ^There Is no restriction as to whom RKO can sell except that *t cannot be . a defendant in the ac*^ tion. Understood that even this restriction is directed only against theatre-downing ■ defendants and would not bar Universal, Columbia or United Artists from buying up: houses. RKO has represented that it will efl'ectuato a plan or reoryanization .separating theatres from produc- I tion-distribution within 90 days. First steps have already been taken by board approval, over the past weekend in Coast meetings. Production-distrib wing agrees to certain regulations in selling pix under the consent decree. It, howt ever, is not barred from dealing' with' the theatre company in regu- lar bookings of product. Other Curbs . Among sales restrictions are bans against pricerfixing; against creating R system of clearances with- othei.: distdbs; in enforcing excessive clearances; granting franchises; making master agree-: ments; block-booking. At any time after entry of a final decree against Universal and Columbia. RKO may elect to be relieved of the present decree in favor of that against the two com- panies. This provision, apparently, was inserted by RKO to avoid be-, ing sub.iect to tnore stringent pro^ visions than its competitors. . New RKO. companies are barred from obtaining other theatre inter- ests hereafter "unless the acquir- ing defendant shall show to the satisfaction of the court, and the court shall first find, that such ac- quisition, will nOt vunjJ.ttly restrain competition in tlie exhibitiob of feature, motion pictures." However; these eompanies may; elect to come under any provisions entered in a final decree against the four other theatre-owning defendants relating to the acquisition of tlieatres. The decree will not limit the right of RKO , during tiie one-year, period in the distribution of pix ito any theatre in which the' company' now holds a 95% interest; To en- force the decree. Government -is granted reasonable access to com-: pany books and records and to in- terrogate officers. Leibell's ASCAP Decree Continued from paee 8 ; RKO's Partner-Held Ikatres .Follouvwi!; is o complete list of the BKO partnership-held thea- tres m ivhich the company must UqiddatK its interests wtthin one year under the new consent decree. Company may, however, buy out its partners in a maximum of, 30 theatrei. List breaks down group into those held with three main partners; the botoice «cat- tered among other owtside interests. Now Specializing in Refreshment Service for DRIVE-IN THEATRESV SPORTSCRVrCCt Inc. lAcvBf. BROS. HURST BtPO. BUFFALO, N. Y. New York Theatres lillUD yiRDICI iuvMiluNP UMHNCIMMIV linnni Craln-Wllllam Htldea-Eiliiiunil tlw>n "Apartment for Peggy" A jotli, Cenlury-Fni'ricluri) :ln Minlcplor ON VABIKTV STAQE—KAY THOMPSON tlu Willlaittl. Brtthiri # . RoMv: Rtlli : On let St*g«-^"HH¥THM.;I.N- PLAID" Stirring ARNOLD 8H0DA ^s—r-. ■» /Ik ■ sotiist. —^ pOnc touch o! Venus" Doori Optn 10 A.M-CAPITOL*'*"* * ft St. — RADIO CITY MUSIC HAll ~~ RoeKtfelltr Cenlar JJOAN FONTAINE • JAMES STEWART'j "You Gotto Stay Happy" EDDIE ALBERT T. * WILLIAM DOZIER PRESENTATION , ,.A .UNIVERSAL.IMTERNATIOMAL :PICTUREJ 4SPECTXcULA« stage PRESENTATION ^ RKO-PARAMOUNT '(Butlerfiald Circuit):. Bay, Bay City. Mich Big Rapids, Bi^ Kapids,. . .Mich. Biioii^ B.'ittl* Creek, Mich. Caldwell, St. Jo-seph, Mich. Capitol, Flint, Mich. Capitol, .Jaclt-son, MJCh. Capitol. Kalamazoo, Mich. Capitol. Laiisiiiff. Mich. . Capitol, Owosso; Mich. Center, Bay City; Mich. Center. CadiUilc, Mich, y CiiiUei', Grand Rapids, Mlvn. Centev, Holland. Mich. Center, lonta. Mich. Center. I.urtington. Mich. Center, Owossoi Mich.. Center, Saginaw. Mich. Center.. WiUow Run. Mich. Colonial. Holland, Mich, Crosswell. Adriani. Mich. Dawn, Hillsdale. Mich.': Delia, Flint. Muh. Desiriond, Port Huron, Mich. EaKle. 'Pontlac, Mich; ■ Eastown, Cirand Rapidf. I'amilv, Adrian, Mich,. Familv, Monroe. Mich. Kaniily, Port Huron, Mich. ' Kour Star. Grand Rapids. Franklin. Sagmaw. Mich. Fuller. KalamaiLoci, Mich. Garden, Flint. Mich. Gibson. Greenville. Mich. Gladinei, Lansing. Mi<h Gland. Grand llavcn, Mich. Hill, Hillsdale, Mich. . Holland. Holland, ivuch, Ionia, Ionia. Mich. \ Kent, Vrand ilapids, Mich. Lake. Benton Harbor, Mich. I.ansinK, Lansing, Mich. Llbertv, Bculoii Harbor, Mich. I.vrlc. Alpena, Mich. L\ric, Cadillac. Mich Lyric, T.udington, Mich, l.vric, Manistee, Mich Lyiio. Tiaveisa City. Mich. Maie.stif, Grand Rapids* *li<'' ■ Maiesi- .Tackson. Mich. Maiestic. Port Huron, Mich. Miiltzi . Alpena. Mich. , Martha Washington, Ypsi- lahtl, Mich., , ; Mecca. Saginaw. Mu;h.__ . _ Michigan, Ann Arbor. .Mich. Muhigan. Battle Cieek. Michigan, Jackson, Mich, jsiichigaii,'. Kalamaiioo. Mich, Michigan, Lansingi Mich. Michigan, Muskegon, Mich. Michigan. Saginaw. "Mich. Michigan, South Haven. Withigan. Tiaveise. .Mich Model. South Haven, Mich. Monroe; Monroe. Mich.; Northtowii. Lansing. Mich. Oakland, .Pontlac. Micli. . Orpheum. Ann Arbor, Jlich. Orpheum, Kalamazoo. Mich, Orpheum, Pontiac. Mich, our. Grand Kapids. Mich, Palace. Flint, AUHi. ,■ . ' \ Post, Battle Cieck, Mich. R.imsdell. Manistee, Mich. Keadyi Niles. Mich./ . Kcgcnt, Allegan, Mich. . _ Jlegcnt, BiiHle Creek. Mich. Regent, Bay City, Mich. P.ecenl. Flin*. Mich. ItcRcni, Jackson.-. Mich. ;. Regent, Muskegon. Micli. ljc\, .lacksort, Mich. RIalto, Pontnc, Micli. iliallo, fhiec Rivers, Mich Rivjeia, Niles, Mich, Riviera, Thice Riyeis. Mich. Robmhood, Giand Haven. Mich . , Rosy, •Wirit.;Mlfli.. . . ,, .Rayal, ,Graft.(t fM^is- rnVh Silv(>t\ ■ Ctrecnville.. Mit*.- SOuUilown< X.»»si«K> *WVfl' State, Ann Arbor. Mich. State. East Lansing. Mich. .State, Flint, Mich. State; Kalama7.oo. Mich, state. Muskegon, Mich. State, Pontiac, Mich. Strand, Battle Creek. Mich. Strand, Flint, Mich. Strand, Owosso, Mich, strand. Pontiac. Mich.' strand; Saginaw. Micb. strand; Sturgis, .Xlich. . Temple, Saginaw, Mich. Trabay. Traverse; ■ Mich. Uptown..Kalama'zoo. Mich. Vogue. : Manistee, Mich. Wealthy. Grand Rapids. Westowii; Bay City. Micli. Whitney.. Ann Arbor. Mich. Wolveime. Saginaw. Mich. Wuevth, Ann Arbor. Mich... . Wuerth. Ypsilantij Mich. . RKO-SKOURAS Academy, N. Y. City. -ApollOi Jersey City. Astoria. Queens. N. V. Baysidci Bayside. N. T. Boulevard. Jackson Heights. N. ■* Broadway. Astoria. Queens, ■N.,.yi'. Broadway.. Haverstraw, N.Y. Bronxville, Bronxviile, N.Y. Brook. Bouhd Brook. N. J. Cameo. Ossinmgj N. Yi Capitol. . Jersey City. Caiiitol, Portchester; ,N. Y. Corona. Corona. N. Y. . . . Crescent. Astoria. Queens, N. Y. Crotona. Bronx. N". ■ Y. ... Duinont. Dumont. N. J.. Embassy. Poitchestei, N Y. Englcwond,.Englewood, Kr:J. Forest Hills, -Forest Hills, N Y. Fulton, Jersey City. Glen, Glen Gove, N. Y. Granada, Corona, N. Y. Grand. Astoria, N. V". Hempstead. .N. Y. G. lnterb»ro. Bronx; N. V. , Jackson, - . Jackson Heights. ■ N. Y, .Tamaica, .Tamaica, N. Y. . Kow Gardens, Kew Gar- , - :■ dens. .N. - V. - j Liberty. Eliiabeth, N. J. Majestic^ Jersey City. Manhasset, Manhasset, N.Y. Midway, Forest Hills, N. Y. Monticello, Jersey City. Nemo, N. Y. C Ogdcn; Bronx, N. Y. , Palace, Bergenfield, N. J; Park Plaia. Bronx; N, V. Pascack, West wood, N. J. Pilgrim. Bronx, N. Y; ; Plaviiouse; Great Neck; . ■N. Y; .. Plaza. Englewood. N. J; Regent, Kearny, N. J;; ; Rex. East Ruthertord, N. J; Rialto. Jersey. City; Riverside. N. Y t. Riviera. N. Y. C Rivolii Hempstead, N, Y. Rivolt, Rutherfoi'd, N, J. Rockland, Nyack, N. Y;: Roosevelt,-' Flushing, N. V. ScafSdale, Scarsclalc, N; Y. Square, Bronx. N. Y .Squire, Great Neck; N. Y. .State, Jersey City, N, J. Steinway. Astoria, N. Y. Stoddard, N. Y. C. Strand, Jersey City. Teancclr. Teancck, N; J. Tivoli. Jersey Cit.v. , Tuxedo, Bronx, N. Y. Valentine, Bronx. N. V. . Victoria, Ossining, N. Y. . Victory; Bavside West, :N.Y\ Waid, Bi QUN. N. Y. Wcstwood; Westwood. N. J. 77th Street. N. Y. CIt.v. RKO-READE Albany, New Brunswick, N. J. 1 1J •, Broad. Trenton, N. .T. Brunswick; Trenton; N. J; . Capitol. Trenton. N. J. Hainiltonv Hamilton Town- ship, N. J. Lincoln, Trenton, N. J. - Palace, Trenton. N. J. Reade, Highland Park. N.J, Reade's Trent. Trenton;- -. N...J. , Bivpli; New Brunswick. N..r; Stale;; New Brunswick; N. J. Slate, Trcntiin, N. J. OTHER THEATRES Ace, Ozone Park, N. Y. Alba. Brooklyn; Alden, Jamaica; N. Y. Alhambra; Brooklyn. Ambassador, Brooklyn. Benson, Brooklyn. BeverLv; Brooklyn. Biitmore. Brooktvn; Broadway, Nyack, N; Y. Capitol; Brooklyn. Carroll, Brooklyn. Casino; Ozone Park,.N. V. Castle Hill; Bronx. N. Y. Centre, South Haven, Mich. Uaridge, Brooklyn. Clinton, BrookLvn. Colonial, BrookLvn. Colony, Brooklyn. Commodore. Brooklyn. Congress, Brooklyn: Cove, Glen Cove, N. Y Cross Bay. Ozone Park, N.Y. Culver, Brooklyn. Duftiejd, Brooklyn. Eastern Parkway, Brotiklyn, Elm,.. Brooklyn. Einbansy. Brooklyn. Folly,, Brooklyn.- Garden. Ozone Park, N. Y. Gem. .Brooklyn. ; Glenwood. Brooklyn. Grand. Chicago.;. Hackensack. llackensack, N. J. Halsey. Brooklyn. Highway. Biooklvn. Hillstreet. Los Angele*; Jerome, Ozone Park, N. Y; Keitli-AIbee, Huntington, W. Va Kinema, Brooklyn. Lalayette, Suilern, N. Y. Lefferts. N Y. C Lincoln,. Kearnv, N.: J.. Lynbrook, Lvnbrook, N. Y Majestic, Columbus, O. Marble Hill. Bjonx. N. Y. Marboro. Brooklyn. Marcy. Brooklyn.. Maspetti. Maspeth, N.: Y. ■ ■ Meserole,; Brooklyn; Oasis. Ridgewood. N. Y. ; . Orplienm, Huntington, ■ Wv Va:: . Pantagcs,Hollywood. Parkhill; N. Y. G. Parthenon, Brooki.vn. . Peiham, Bronx. N Y. Rainbow. Brooklyn. Republic, Brooklyn. Rldgewood, Brooklyn; . Rivera, [Brooklyn..: - RKO Proctor's; Newark; Roosevelt, Woodhaven; N.Y; Savoy. Brooklvn.' ' Senate, Brooklyn. ■ Stadium. Brooklyn.'N. Y. State,. Huntington, W, Va, Stone. Brooklyn. Strand. Niles, Mich. .: Strand. RockviUe Center; N, Y. Siinnyside. Woodsidc .N. Yi Supreme. Brooklyn; Surf; Brooklyn. . Times. Ctnc^natl.. Tipton. Iluntmiiton.. W. Va. Triborov Astoria, Queens,; ■.■N-;-V,. tltica, Bi-ooklvn. . ... Vallev Sticam. Valley Stream, N. V. Waldorf, Brooklyn;. Walker, Brooklyn; Wilson.-Bitooklyn.'.- 431 d bticct, N, City. cite the following statement in Judge Leibell's earlier opinion; "If ASCAP had as such assignee (of the performance rights), .col- lected for each member a 'per piece' license fee for the perfonn- ing rights, and in effect acted only as a collecting agency, there would have been no violation of the-law; The blanket licenses ;were a viola^ tion of the anti-trusi law and were issued pursuant to an illegal com- bination Apart from the statute, the license agreements were, not inherently vicious and unlawful." The fact that Judge Leibell, in last week's defining. of what the decree should say, refused to di- vest ASCAP of the performing rights and return them to'indi- vidual members would aid the organization in a change to legal operations, it is said; .Ruling: (Interposes Barrier ; However, one barrier is Inter- posed in tlie later ruling. Courl then said that the splitting of synchronization rights from picture performing rights of a musical composition is illegal, : This, ot course, was habitually done by sale of synch rights to the producer while ASCAt* was assigned per- forming rights; The ; injunction, court saidi; must require that both B.O. Champs Continued from P|i(* < i rights be=^held in one ownership and sold as such. ^ If this provision stands on appeal, ASCAP would have to ac- quire synch rights from its mem- bers and deal solely with pro* diiters. It would then attempt to. exact a higher charge from t\\m fihnmakers with the understanding:" that the latter pass the charge on to exhibs in the form of boosted ' rentals. Or pubs and writers would have to sell both synch and per- formance rights in one packaga, whicii they cannot do under ASCAP's present setup. The ban against splitting effec- tively bars ASCAP from attempt- ing to collect on performing.right» On completed plx,' All films now in the can were granted inusio rights - in an illegal way if tiM court decision stands. ASCAP can only correct the mistake in futurs productions. On this score, it is understood that since the first Leibell decision^ produeei^s have been buying synch rights with .an/Option of lObtaininC' performing rights if so obligated. In these instances, the agreement is that the producers would pay a pre-determined p r i c;e if th« exigency arises. Undoubtedly^ ASCAP will now swing into that' operation while attempting to win an upset from the higher courts. : widely split up—-'INight Has Thou-^ sand Eyes" (Par), "Luck of Irish" (20th), "Southern Yankee" (M-G) "Walk Crooked Mile" (Col) and "Luxury Liner" (M-G), finishing In that order. "Irish" and "Liner" were in tlie same class in SeiPtem-- •ber...;.. Newcomers showing promise as the month ended included ''Station- West" (RKO), "Sealed Verdict" (Par), "Tatlock's Millions" (Par), "Song Is Born" (RKO), "Three Mus- keteers" (M G) "Red Shoes" (EL) and "Hamlet" (U); Last-named has been doing capacity in three thea- tres where opening since the first of October.. Same holds true of initial weeks for "Shoes" in N. Y, and Washington, On basis of- first' dates, "Musketeers" and "Song" appear to: have the biggest grossing pos.sibilities; 'Hills of Home" (M-G) shapes as a top-grossing Lassie picture on basis of initial playdates in Boston and Providence. .'Ilnnocent Affair" (UA); another new entry,- has done well in some locations, but is in- , clined to be spotty. "Race Street' (RKO). after a. slow start, bas racked up some solid coin. . "Saxon Charm" (U), while sel-! dom showing in the big money I 'class, managed to garner consider- ! able revenue in October. ' "Canon | City" (EL), playing some additional I spots last month, hung up . a new j record in Providence. "Mourning Becomes Electra" I (RKO), out on pop run with: trim-] med version, showed some possi- bilities on N. y, test date where i sexy angle was stressed, "Four j Faces West" (UA), where well sold, j did some surprisingly fine busi- ness. "Moonrise" (Rep), with some se- lected dates In October, gave a good. -account of Itself in some spots. It hung up a big week in St: Louis to pace the city, and did all right in Chicago and San Fran- cisco. "Macbeth" (Rep); another from Republic, did astonishingly: well on teeofC in Boston despite crix pannings. "Babe Ruth Storj'" (Mono) took in a sizeable chunk of coin in the. month after being third In Septem^ ber. "Isn't It Romantic?" (ParV shapes as the weakest from this major company in months, doing as badly around the country as it did at :N. Y. Paramount. : Have YOU tried a SKYBERTH on American's famous DC-6 ^MERCURY' flighf' to LOS ANGELES? ttitnt HAvtmtytr ifStM n your Iraval ■■ Ticfcef Offices; Airlints Ttrminal RocU/eJ/er Ctntw- » HiSfa/New Yoflw :: 120 Broadway • Hofal St. Geoffl* AMERICAN AIRLINES WANTED! Ass'nfani Ma n a g t r for Vaudeville Maafr*. Stat* age, experfenct and %i9ri>- inq sahry de$Ired. •ox 31S. Variety, 154 W. 4«th St., New York 1*. N. Y. 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