Variety (February 1951)

Shakeup of booking procedures 4 in the entire metropolitan N. Y. area became more obvious this week with further evidence that the RKQjmd Loew’s chains, prin- cipal outlets in the territory, are vying for each other's traditional product sources* First break came about a month ago when Warner Bros, licensed three pictures to the Loew's cir- cuit, ‘ although RKO had been a WB account. Further pointing up the signifi- cance of the shift was the fact that the films represented three of the best on the distrib’s lineup. Sold to Loew’s were ‘‘Breakthrough," "West Point Story" and "Glass Me- nagerie." ^ This was followed by another WB major booking with Loew’s which further emphasizes that the change is not temporary. WB’s "The Enforcer" now is current at the first run Capitol and figures to play the entire Loew's circuit. Over the years the RKO chain has been taking the product of RKO Radio, 20th-Fox, and WB. Loew's was the Outlet for Metro, Paramount, United Artists and Co- lumbia. Universal pix more or less were divided. However, both chains and the distribs have vigorously denied the existence of any agreement On product splits. It’s said the book- ings, through the years, fell into a pattern but this was in the absence of any conspiracy. Following the WB deal with Loew’s, the circuits are now said to be reaching out beyond the com- panies they usually do business with. While the rivalry could hard- (Continued on page 20) Eisenhower Pic Gets WB Europe Distrib Warner Bros; is handling Euro- pean distribution of "General Eisenhower," one-reeler prepared by State Department. Short sub- ject is being furnished gratis to theatres. No plans to show picture in ; U. S. have been set* Film starts over Associated Brit- ish circuit in mid-February, and will play independent houses at about same time in England. MPA A Grooms New Aide To Succeed Bryson As Legislative Rep, Lobbyist Washington, Feb. 6. New "special assistant" to the president of the Motion Picture As- sociation of America was named on Saturday (4). He’s Cecil B. Dick- son, former D. C. newsman, who has been Coordinator of Informa- tion for the House of Representa- tives for the past two years. Dick- son, who went to work for MPA A yesterday (Monday), i; 52. He is apparently being groomed to succeed Jack Bryson as MPAA legislative rep and lobbyist when the veteran Bryson decides to hang up his running shoes. Dickson will also be worked in to deal with the various government agencies and j departments. He was selected for the post by Joyce OHara, acting head of the association during Eric Johnston’s leave of absence. As House Coordinator of Infor- mation, Dickson has built up a wide list of friends among the Repre- sentatives. He is a Texas Demo- crat and longtime personal friend of Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House. He has worked for AP, INS, King Features and Chicago Sun, and Wbs formerly Washington bureau chief for the Gannett chain of newspapers. ELECT ARTHUR ISRAEL PARAMOUNT ASST. SEC. Duties and responsibilities are piling up for Arthur Israel at the Paramount homeoffice. He’s been elected assistant secretary of the corporation. In addition to this, Israel func- tions as exec assistant to president Barney Baiaban and handles labor affairs for the firm. Latter job had been handled by Pat Scollard, who resigned last summer and subse- quently joined United Artists as exec v.p. Israel joined the Par legal de- partment in 1928, following private law practice. He later became as- sistant to general counsel . Austin Keough and subsequently was named Balaban’s aide* Hollywood, Feb. 6. Importance of the Jerry Wald- Nonnan Krasna production unit at RKO was further emphasized this week with the disclosure that the studio's entire production schedule and financing is directly hinged on the W-K Output. Firm's new deal with Bankers Trust, N. Y., and Mellon National Bank, Pittsburgh, provides for credit on an unlimited basis for One year. However; 'number of pix turned out by W-K determines the number which RKO will make otherwise and thus the quantity of coih which the studio will require. Thus, if the W-K unit, which is being separately financed by the same, banks, turns out 12 pix in its first "year, as planned, and RKO feels it needs a total of 30, the banks will provide the studio loans for the balance of 18. Wald-Krasiia plans, as originally announced, were for 12 films in the first year, but actually allowed 18 months for deliveiy of this initial dozen. Numerous delays make it apparent that such an output may (Continued on page 12) N Although there*s some sympathy among local units of Allied States Assn, and Theatre Owners of America for merger of the; two ex- hib organizations, trade observers view Such a move highly unlikely for a long time to come. No possi- bility at all is seen while the pres- ent strong personalities continue in positions of leadership in both or- ganizations. Discussions on potentialities of a k merger have been fomenting since a resolution favoring a meld was adopted recently by Michigan Al- lied. .. .. That theatreowners throughout the country might come eventually to the point of being represented by a single association is not thought unreasonable. However, it will certainly have to wait until 1 some of the "strong men" who cur- rently shape the destinies of TO A and Allied have passed from the picture;’.- r f ■. Much will also depend/on the way the film industry itself shapes up. One important point, of course, will be how effective present di- vorcement and divestiture proceed- ings against/ the major chains prove. With divorcement a fact for two companies, agreed upon for a third and being negotiated for the ; other two, complete physical sep- (Continued on page 16) Burnett, Cullen Get New Duties in Ldew Shifts ■4 Future of arbitration of trade disputes in the film industry prob- ably hangs on the sessions of the Allied States Assn, board in Wash- _ „ . , . f ! ington next week. If the subject is Realignments in some of Loew’s [ permitted to come up for discus- theatre division* were announced ; S ion there, it is thought by insiders, Monday (5) by Joseph R. Vogel, | there’s a very good chance of arbi- yice prexy. Southern cities were I tration becoming a reality in a split between Martin Burnett, head- relatively short time «. TioWeVta/tfi'e'matter r 0 r one Cullen, working oUt of St. Louis. reason or another does not get on Hereafter, Burnett will have the Allied board’s agenda for the charge of Pittsburgh, Columbus, I Feb. 15-16 meetings it is believed Dayton, Indianapolis, Louisville j highly unlikely that arbitration is and Evansville. Cullen will handle a ~ possibility before another year Kansas City, Houston, New Or- 1 j s U p_ The large portion of the leans, Nashville, Memphis and At- [ industry that has signified its de-; lanta. Frank' Murphy has been ; sire for mediation iA thus focussihg handed Akron, Canton and Toledo, on the outcome of the Allied hud- j. l j ■. . j • in addition to Cleveland. Other di visions remain unchanged. To Send Out Its 1st Pictures About April Recently-organized Lopert Film. Distributing Corp. will send its ini- tial films into release about April, sales chief Sidney G, Deneau said this week. Three pix will hit about that time, with the possibility there may be a few pre-release engage- ments before then, the former Selz- nick distribution topper disclosed. Films are "Tales of Hoffman," a Technicolor followup to "Red Shoes’’ by the same producers, Mi- chael Powell and Enteric Press- burger; "Odette," produced by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, a k nd "The Wooden Horse." They’re all British, made linde.* the banner of Sir Alexander Korda. Korda is a partner in the Lopert outfit. Others are Ilya Lopert, who actively heads it, and Robert W. Dowling, prez of City Investing Co., N. Y., theatre and real estate op- erstors Print of "Tales of Hoffritan," bal- let pic starring Moira Shearer, is expected in the U. S. in about two weeks. Outfit is focusing principal- ly on this, hoping to duplicate "Red Shoes’’ grosses. Skourases to Zurich Spyros Skouras, president of 20th-Fox. aired last night ^Tues- day) to Switzerland. His brother, Charles, president of National The- atres, hopped over Sunday night. The Skourases, with other 20th executives, are reported to be ready to wrap up final details for acquiring American rights to new theatre TV equipment developed by U. of Zurich. Aliready in Switzerland are 20th execs Wil- liam Michel, Earle Sponabl^ and Otto Koegel. On Way Out in ’51 Exhibitor trade screenings will pass into limbo during 1951, except on very important pictures. Trade- shows no longer are required by law. Distribs were relieved of this obligation in the final court deci- sions of the Government’s antitrust case. But that isn’t why the com- panies are slowly discarding-the screenings; the real reason is that exhibitors won’t attend them. Even on important pictures, pro- cedure will not be the same as practiced under the N. Y. consent decree, when tradeshows were mandatory. Distribution toppers say that showings, principally, will be for invited audiences in key cities, with exhibs being asked to attend. Straight tradeshows for* purpose of letting exhib decide whether he wants to buy or reject screened product /ill pass into his- tory by year’s end. In some cases where exhibs have (Continued on page 16) Vs. ELC’s Bogeaus Pic Due to ‘Outlaw’ Title Council of Motion Picture Organ- izations figures, to come into being, as an all-industry outfit, in effect as well as name, shortly after mid- April, when a full-fledged board meeting will be called for the pur- pose of ratifying the group’s new charter, which entitles exhib asso- ciations to greater voting power, COMPO president Ned E. E)e- pinet and exec. v.p. Arthur L. Mayer plan to call the session fol- lowing formal approval of the new bylaws by units of Theatre Owners of America and Allied States Assn. Actually, formal affirmative vote also is required by other constitu- ent groups but since none but TOA and Allied had any objections to the new setup this is regarded as a foregone conclusion. Major problem initially involved only the units of the two national exhib orgs. All now appear in ' agreement with the newly estab- lished COMPO makeup. Thus, the overall ratification is considered a : strong likelihood. TOA board meets April 4-6 at the Mayflower hotel, Washington; dies. Should the exhib association board authorize exploratory talks on arbitration, it is. understood likely that U. S. Secretary of Com- merce Charles Sawyer will call a meeting in Washington of interest- ed industry groups. Sawyer has made known that his department is willing to be the sponsoring agency to establish arbitration set- ups in any industry. Such sponsorship would solve ! one of the great problems conriect- | ed with film mediation—that is. Producer Harry Popkin and his [ putting it bn a neutral basis. Fact eastern representative, Edward that Allied’s rival organization in Peskay, went into a series of hud- the national exhib field, Theatre dies with N. Y. lawyers this week Owners of America, was sponsor of to decide on a specific course of the arbitration meeting in New action in their row with United j York in December is believed to Artists. i have been one of the factors which While earlier Popkin threatened j kept Allied away, court proceedings aimed to re- • All the major companies except S rai ,!i.-.releasing' united Artists were represented at his .Second Woman, it s mow in-; ^j ie New York confab by their pres- dicated more drastic measures are . v •• ■ being considered. ! (Continued on page 20) Popkin has fears his pix may | not receive proper distrib atten-1 ny'A C* tion because of UA corporate un j lUlU 066 KS lllJUIlCllOIl certainties. Meetings with the at- 1 torneys are to determine how to prevent any "product dissipation," it was said. Strategy adopted is first to make j some determination of whether! RKO filed an injunction suit in UA actually is insolvent. If this . N. Y. federal court yesterday is found to he so, Popkin report-! (Tuesday) against Eagle Lion Class- edly will endeavor to force the ; ics, seeking to halt the defendant distrib into receivership with man-1 from using the title, "My Brother, agement placed in new hands. .! the Outlaw," on a Mickey Rooney Also part of the producer’s plan starrer, which Benedict Bogeaus is an action enjoining the company produced. Action charges that ELC from releasing his films until the , intends to "capitalize and trade,on entire matter is clarified. jthe reputation and goodwill" of While UA obviously is faced with * RKO’s film, "The Outlaw." a severe product shortage,- it’s: jane Russell starrer, RKO dis- known, however, the Arm has been cIoses in ltS complaint, was pur- meeting all its financial obligations- chased by the company from pro- consistently. j ducer Howard Hughes in 1950 after the firm distributed the film the previous year. Acquisition of the pic included worldwide rights to the title, prints, story, etc. Papers also reveal that RKO 1 has spent $500;000 since December, 1949, in advertising and ballying the fea- ture,. If ELC distributes "My Brother, the Outlaw" under its present tag, the complaint alleges, RKO will suffer "irreparable d a m a g e s." Hughes-controlled outfit notes that "The Outlaw" has had 6,900 play- dates in the U S. and Canada and the company is planning to reissue the film. It’s also claimed that the label oh the ELC pic would tend to "deceive’’ the public into thinking it is seeing an "Oujtlaw’’ sequel. STUDIOS SLOW DOWN AS TAX TIME NEARS Hollywood, Feb. 6. Only 13 pictures are scheduled to start on the major lots between now and March 5. Reason is the annual tax bite taken by the State of California at this time of year. Levy is assessed on all film nega- tives or pictures in production at this time. One producer, postponing work on his film, decb.roc. a mid-Febru- ary start would cost, him approxi- mately $20,000 in state taxes. ito endorse COMPO. Allied board j meets Feb. 15-16, also in Washing- i ton, for the same, purpose. •• [ Meanwhile, state units of TOA have been holding individual meet- ings for decisions on the COMPO matter. Five such sessions took | place in the past week and all, as expected, voted affirmatively. These were Texas Theatres Own- ers, New Mexico Theatre Assn., Independent Theatre Owners of Arkansas, Mississippi Theatre Own- ers Assn, and Tennessee Theatre Owners Assn; Eight Vote for COMPO Earlier, ratifications were voted by New Jersey Chapter of TOA, Theatre Owners of Oklahoma and Motion Picture Theatre Ow' us of Connecticut. Total of eight, having voted in COMPO’s favor leaves i 1 balance of 20 TOA groups yet to [take formal actiop. However, that the remaining units will do so with- in the next few weeks is expected. Leaders of the various grbu ps, sdme of whom have objected to COMPO in the past, all. now appear (Continued on page 18)