Variety (February 1950)

S2 PICTURES WcdncaJay, FebiwaiT 22* 1950 NEW YORK I Bob Munn in West Virginia terri^ ^ - ,, T t oty; Munfr is turning exhibitor RKO has shuffled its field salesTgQQjj in W Va. force, Hatton Taylor, branch chief | j—^ 5 , j—^j Liberty, ~tai^ McNeill, take over in Cropper.' Mnrray Devaney, Mont- * February, real branch manager, shifted to Detroit. Harry Cohen, manager at George. Gorcoron; West Virginia ! salesman for RepubUc, resigned; St. John, goes to Montreal to fill j in for Devaney Arthur. Lee-White, i .A^^ted MpTO^ of Western penhsyl- Tororito salesnian, Upped to St. ! vania. John chief: | Chafles Goussoule, formerly asr Richard Mayers, former ad-pub [ sociated with Manos circuit, is re- chief for Williani: Goldman’s Phila- 1 maihlng in the army; holds rank delphia theatres,>to Universal for of captain. . ; -cigh^eek^ht on -Rramcis.’^ - Jlobert-:C!Hm!fi;. WB Fred Sandy was appointed Mp* ; Orpheum in TitUsyille since 1939, tioh Picture Sales Corp.'s Wash- i transferred ' to circuit’s Strand, ington sales rep, it was announced: Ridgwiayi in New York this week. MiNNEAPpLIS A second Twin subsequent-run house, the Garrick, announced triple features at 35c admission as regular policy. Prer viously a twin-hilt Situation, it fol- lows lead of the Lyceum, another St. Paul downtown subsequent-run Earl Perkins, Warnfer vet sales- mari,’ resigned; succeeded by John Urquharf, promoted from bopker. The Rev. E. Harvey Rice, receht- ly' ordained arid affiliated \yith Meinorial Spiritualist Church, for- merry was employed at the Hanna Theatre Service pn Film Row. Harold McClpud, who operates a theatre In VerdunvUle, W. Va., is taking Over another house in Chap- manVille froiri C. D. Hager. James Hendel, Eagle Lion branch manager here, upped to company’s Metropolitan New York and New Jersey district, Which he will head. John Zommir, local sales chief un- North Central Allied c a l l e d * der Hendel and formerly with meeting of Twin City independent cxhibitors''to ga on record against playing “Samson and Delilah’’ at advanced admissions. Bennie Berger, North Central Allied prexy and circuit o w n e r, back at desk after two-imorith Cali- fornia vacation. Metro, takes over local exchange. Petp Dana, whose Ilniyersal sales district recently was expanded to include Buffalo, Albany and De- troit in addition to Pittsburgh and Cleveland, is moving his headquar- ters back here flom Cleveland. He formerly headed the local U, ex- on 10-acre tract near Vandalia, I in, on which they plan to build j a drive-in. Charles W. Wells resigned as manager of Grand, Sparta, 111,, where a recent election ended Sunday closing of film ' shows. Frank McLean, Goulterville, III.* succeeds him; Shannon County, Mo., county court decided it would not become operator of three picture -houses obtained in a tax settlement arid leased the theatres to Walter Vol- linger, manager* of Ritz; Van Buren, Mb. The three houses were turned over to the court by W. S: BraMey, Emiribnee, Mo., in settle- ment of a $.48,000 civil suit alleged to be due from Brawley during the time he was treasurer of Shannon County. tlNCINNATl Albert"^Dezel soWliis interest in Screen Guild Productions of Ohio, Inc., to Edward: J. Salzberg. In ad- dition to. Favorite, Masterpiece and Astor pr^odiict; Salzberg will also distribute Dezel’pix: Theatre Owners Corp., local buying-bbQkmg combine, now serv- icing the National arid Valley, Cin- cinnati; Marvel; Mt. Grab, O.; Mu- sic Hall, Newport, Ky.; McCook, Dayton; Uptown, Columbus^ and Wayne, Greenyille, O. ; . • ^ Operation of ii542-seat Keith’s theatre taken over by the Robert J. Libson and Maurice White in- terests under 10^>year lease from City Playhouse, Inc., subsidiary of City investment Corp., New York, where deal was inked. New man- agement, Mid-West Theatres, Inc., recently leased two other down- town houses, 2,000-seat Capitol and 2,100-^seat Shubert, from RKO- Midvvest Corp. Griffis Ired at Balk Continued. from page S Bill Mussman; Paramount sales 1 change, having been succeeded by manager here, pinchhtttihg for Ben Blotcky as branch manager while latter and wife vacation in Mex- ■ico.’' Bill Elson, circuit o \v n e r, and wife off on Mexican jaunt. Bosley Crowther, N. Y. Times film critic, spoke at University of Minnesota corivocation*. on ‘ ‘What You DpnT Know About the Mov- ies.” . .v'- Ev Seibel, Minnesota' Amiis. Go. ad-^publicity head, still in North- westeiTi hospital under observa- tion. Francis Guehl. PITTSBURGH Norbert Stern and his soil, Ernest, who opened the first out- door theatre in this territory at South Park, acquired Blue Dell Drive-In . on Route 30 under long- term lease from Tony Morocco and Joe Warren. Stewart Jacobson, formerly with Universal in Cincinnati, joined Eagle Lion sales staff, replacing ACCOMMODATIONS AVAILABLE FOR MARCH THiti'S ONLY ONI MIAMI BEACH OCEAN ERONT • dOih to 4l<t Stf^ COMWETELV AIR-CONDITIONEO Rturvailctii Inolttd • Waller Jacobs N. Y. Olffce TR A.jier s Ql 'm tKROUOH TAUSIO'S DOORS tHI TOPS IN SHOVtf RUSINISS 4 We liOyt iMryed.,. WILLIAM Morris GEORGE M. COHAN SARAH BERNHARDT NORA BAYES CHICAGO James Gregory and Rete Pena- gos of Alliance Circuit off to Walla Walla, Wash., to look after theatre interests there. Art Steagall; formerly Oriental manager, named manager of Craw- ford by Essaness, which lost Ori- ental to James Booth in lawsuit. Edwin Silverman, Essaness pres- ident, back from California where he huddled with William Gargan bn possible financing for film series on Gargan’a “Nick Kane’’ radio series. Chi corporation counsel filed ap- peal in Illinois Supreme Court against recent decision by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Harry Fisher.. Judge Fisher declared Chi ban against^ drive-ins within city limits invalid on ground it dis- criminated against certain Class of business. Sidney Piel appointed advertis- ing man for RKO Palace here. Piel, former free lance, replaces ChaTles Harris, who died Jan. 31. Carriegie theatre dropped pneeS from 98c. to SSc*: while all Balaban & Katz Toop houses lowered chil- dren scale from 50c to 30c. C. Scott Fletcher, head of En- cyclopedia Britannica Films, named to the directorate of Muzak Corp. Bill Saai, of Republic, in town for more confabs With Rock Island rail toppers for promotion on Rep’s “Rock Island Trail.” Balaban ,& Katz last week pur- chased the Garrick theatre building and the leasehold estate for the property at art approximate cost ■of $300,000 f r o m the Northern Trust Co. Building is 18 stories high, and contains a number of stores besides the 900-seat theatre. Ground lease, which runs to 1989, is; renewable for 99 years at an- nual rental of $17,500. Land is owned by Sears estate of Boston.: B&K intends to remodel and en- large theatre, now devoted ndostly to teissues. DMAAS Bud Whaley* for last seven months manager of South Main Drive-in at Houston, named rrian- ager of Fredericksburg Drive-In at San Antonio. He will also double on KMAC, where he was chief announcer at prie time, with disk jockey program. Bob Nash, . news director of KSEL, Lubbock, named director of public relations for Wallace Blank- enship circuit. Post is a rieW one for circuit, which has 14 theatres in this area. Cole Circuit opened first Negro theatre in Fort Bend County, and the first for circuit at Richmond. The 266-seat house will show Ne- gro films almost exclusively. C. W. Granville, and his son, El- lis, reopened the Hartex at Har- per which has been shuttered for several months for facelifting, DENVER ; Willard Asmus, formerly with Fox Midwest, named city manager at Salida, Cold., by Altas Theatres, succeeding Oran Ddwler, resigned. John Krause, assistant, made manager of Golden at Golden, Colo., when Dick Dekker moved to city riianager Lamar, Colo., sub- bing for B. A- Dixon, recuperating at home after hospital stay. Robert; YRocky) Evans, assistant, ihade manager State when Tom Arrants resigned. SEATTLE Water shortage hit Aberdeen dur- ing the recent freeze, bringing or- ders to close theatres and dance halls for Saturday liecause of fire danger. Frank Newman, Whi. Thedford, Carl Mahne, Frank Christie, Vic Gauntlett, Lowell Paririentier and Robeit Haase; all from Everigreen Theatre^, jolried byr^Mdse.v®*^er, Oregon .district iWariageri; a land, comprised the Northwest del- egation to National. Theatres annu- al meet in L. A. E. J. Mannix Coiitliiued from page. 5 pur 50th Y«or os Specialists in y/Qfid T ravel for the Ehteiiainment Wo rld Official a Bonded Agenh |pr oil Air A Steamship ltn e> » Holel Rifsei^qtioM It wtsr 46th ST. • NEW MRK V. filipkMtts lUKtmbwg 2 . 46 II. 12 . 13 . 14 ST; LOUIS n onn i I Sol Galdfarb sold his Ritz, 640- 8 01)11 1 |DC* ' sealer in East Alton, 111., to Marc j J. Steinberg, who resigned from St. Louis Eagle Lion sales staff. Jack Hyries, salesman for St. Louis RKO .exchange, resigned to accept a position with an ad com- pany. Harry Tanner, Pana, 111., exhib, and his two sons obtained option Order to get a share of the U. S. income of the two films. Pact pro- vided that he -was to take eastern hemisphere rights to Selznick’s “Portrait of Jennie” and, “Paradine Case” in return for western hemi- sphere rights to “Third Man” and “Earth,’’ Korda also got the serv- ices of three DOS players, Jennifer Jones (Mrs. S'elznick), Joseph Got- ten and Alida Valli, besides Selz- nick’s advisory services. Part of the basis of the suit brought by Korda is Selznick’s al- leged refusal to come through with the “Jennie” negative in time and to release funds from British in-? come on ”Paradine,” which. Were in escrow. Korda’s suit demanded canceiration of the deal j offered to accourit for “Jennie’’ and “Para- dine” profits arid proferred pay- iri^ent^: oE^.x^^ salaries for seiwlces’. of-^iss Joriris, Gotten and MiiGiv^iii;. One of the points up for. arbi- tration is; Selinick’s deipands for two weekis of retakes to be inserted ill* both easteni and western hemi- sphere versions of “Earth/’ Korda claims' they are unnecessary for the eastern version and that Selz- nick can do anything he wants a;bout the westeriT^one. However, Korda, will not shoot the retakes without pay merit by Selznick. He claims that the time period has ex- pired (luring which DOS might have^ tha retakes made for free* nialn in Yarik bank accjounls in Buenos Aires uilitil dollar exchange is available, ; This ivould riot give the tJ. S. coiripanies any immediate iniepine J from the Perpn-doriiinated terri- j tory. It Would, however, alleviate i the current tough situatiori which | has seen no Hollywpod-iriade prod- > uct imported since just about a , year.ago* Feb. 25, 1949> Films that' were there before the freeze have ] now been about exhausted'an4 U*S. pix are fading from A^Seritine screcris.- Despite the fact they’d be get- irig no co in, most, of the companies are willing to go for trie Grifiis^eal so that; they don’t lose the Argen- tine playing time cprilpletely: It is preferable, they feel, to keep their hold on audierices there and to pile up furips that may eyentuaiiy be freed arid give them dollar income.. 'Get'Tough’?: Dissenters ampng the U. S. fiis- tribS: feel that a /^pugh attitude may get results.; They think that wheri, Argentine theatre men really begin to feel the product pinch, they’ll scream so loudly thpt the government will be forced; to re- lerit'.. Griffis proposal was handed a couple weeks ago to the local. Ar- gentine committee representing the U. S. filiri industry, It is ntade up of company* managers there. Also in B. A.>at the tiine was Phil Reis- man, RKO foreign chief, Who was; holding some private discussions i with government people and is Un- j derrtood to have spoken with Eyltsi! PerPn, wife of the prexy, and said; to be an important power. ! U. S. Ambassador gave his ver-1 sion of a possible peal to the com- mittee following a meeting on the subject Feb,.. 4 with. Ramon Cereiso, Minister of Finance and chairman of .the economic council of Argen- tina. Griffi$ urged quick action. He said there Was no chance of get- ting permits for any more pix than ' he meritioned nor Was It realistic to expect any better deal on coin. Griffis stated a willingness, to support the industry “if it took a j realistic attitude,” but emphasized that if the points of view of the American firms were divergent on the number of pix allocations, he j would withdraw. At a meeting of the Motion 'Picture Assn, of Amer- ica board in New York there was the divergerice^that Griffis appar- ently feared. Result niay well be the loss of his further aid. Some f of the MPAA member cpmpariies feel that will be. disastrous, since his proposal—-which they assume has some sort of Argentirie govern- ment sanction—is the farthest they have gotten in breaking down. the freeze on imports. Griffis told the committee that* Cereijo stated it would be impos- sible to grant unrestricted imports, as it would be incoiisisterit With government policy on Iricreasing dollar obligations. He said he was willing to enter a gentleman’s agreement witli Griffis which . would not imply an official quota j system, but would require self- limitation, and a voluntary block- ing of funds. Assistant Secretary of State Edward Miller is currently in Argeritina for conferences that may Include references to the film situation. Griffis apparently had- been bankirig on Miller’s influence in selling the deal to the Argen- tinians, which he proposed to the film committee. Buenos Aires City decree curtaiiinii the number Of shows they may put on in their theatres, suporessin o the “contlnuoiis” system Of ex- ploitatioh. by forcing patrons but of the theatres in between each section of the ^’playing bill/’ Coritlttued from tagg 4 —■ cause of their fear that ToA and its activities will be sUbnierged, if not entii^ly lost, In^ the ambitioiis COMPO program. These regionalv want CDMPO~W^he" i^ricted tq narrower and more tangible aim,s, at least until it proves . what it Can.'do;' Regionals feel that TOA has now established Itself as; ,the prime exhib orgrinizatiori in the U. s. There is. sorne cautioning that COMPO will prove a threat to TOA’s iridependence and cuiirent vigorous activities. The; squawk Is being voiced that the proposed $600,000. initial fund foT COMilO purposes is far too expansive. As a counter-suggestion, xegionals are urging that COMPO start off mod- estly, using publicists and adnilnis^ trators ioaned to it" cuffo by each organization; On this score, TOAers are sug- gestirig that COMPO confine its first activities , to public relations and the tax fight. For this pur- ppse, it would'not be necessary to collect the 10c on every $100 in film rentals. Hence; circuit opera- tors Would prefer substitution of some flat sum pledged by each in- dustry branch participating in the venture, These objections do not moan that; the TOA exec comniitiec will come out with a Tejcctibn of COMPO. Some sort of ratification is inevitable, but the odds fnAor a COMPO approval with enoiigh. hedges iricorporated tp make a now exploratory meet essential. Of the nine riiajor groups that make up COMPO's membership, seven have ratified the plans laid out at the all-industry meeting in Washington in December. TOA and the Society Pf Independent Mo- tion Picture Producers are tlie two holdouts. $IMPP should also be holding a session on ratification around the same time as TO.^. Va-, riety. Clubs, which canie in as i late starter, is expected to stniiip Its approyal on the scheme as a matter of course. W. NOWSPBCIALIZING' IN HBFRiSHMiNT SERVICE FOR RIVE-IM THEATRE^ OUTDOOR REFRtih.MENT C'JNCEj^'CNAIRES fQOM coast 70 COflSr OvfR tjCfNruRZ New RestTictions BUenos Aires, Feb. 18 . Argentine Eritertairiment Board has decided first-run theatres are to exhibit Arsentine pictures throughput seven' days, .of eVery calendar month, including a Satur- day arid;, Sunday* . as itiinimuni. Other theatres must: show Argeri- tine pix two weeks out o# every five*^includirig twri Saturdays and Sundays. " Irririleirienting this protectionist move, the Entertainment Board has divided the year into 10 peri- ods of five weeks each, throughout which non-first-run houses must show Argentine inovies. These periods absorb the best playing- Tbat includes months, during which national holidays bring an influx of vacationers to the thea- tres, either in the metropolis, or towns in the interior. This means that exhibitors will have to follow set lines in booking material throughout the year, apart from the restrictions inVolved in a RADIO CIlY MUSIC HAll , rioekerilUr Center * "Jant Marian* Michaal RichardT I WYMAN DIETRICH WILDING TpODT In 'ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S “STAGE FRIGHT^’ A ‘Warned Bros. Piciure SPECTACULAR STAGE PRESENTATION ^ CmII j. AiMiiia't miittrpieet Clltr by TECHNICOLOR iwr UMiRR • VICTCR NRTm*lltRfirSAMI(Rt AMICU URRMif,«MMI IHeOlOH Sn ttateinetioii if tIM TmpN h tM MifilC CYCIOIMIK SCRtCN JOHN FORD'S •'WHEN WILLIE COMES MARCiBlN© HOME” DAN DAILEY • CORINNE CALVET COLLEEN TOWNSEND A 2Utli Century'I’ox I’lctiiEc ait ataga-^-ALLAN JONES and othars 7th Ava. A noth St; •'THREE CAME HOME { starring ' CLAUDETTE COLBERT ASTOR ParfoirnA'’^*® LATE SHOWS NIGHtUY A iSth Cantury-Fox Picture