Variety (May 1952)

, May 7, On Stories, Etc, In New Par Han Washington, May 6. 4' Did Paramount Pictures attempt to hold back theatre TV develop- ments when 'it o\vned an interest in Scophony dorp* of America? "phis possibility was sttongly in- sinuated at hearings last week be Kramer Skeds 'Miracle’ Hollywood, • May j 8*. Stanley Kramer' Ibought “The Miracle of Kitty Hawk,” a novel by Fred Kelly based on hitherto Delays in getting the film indus- try off the ground with a campaign to reduce or eliminate the Federal 20% admissions tax has some ex- hib associations in the field grow- ing impatient. Members of both fore the Federal .Communications JJJ.'v™ 3 '?J?? e v Theatre Owners of America and Commission on Par antitrust Is- Allied States-Assn, in the_hlnter- mes With Paul Ralbourn, Pat brokers concerning the invention V? 1he sVnd"cUmltio°r r eoun?5 ^mefnow ha- a total of 24 At Jrffn* nrdduced docu- j to 7 P r °P«rtles His releasing deal with Columbia calls for the Arthur Gladstone produced docu- ments taken .from Paramount files which provided the basis for in- tensive questioning as to Par’s mo- tives in acquiring its Scophony in- terest, relinquished in 1949 by con- sent decree. The subject was brought up by the Commission for its bearing on Par’s qualifications to hold TV licenses. . .One document offered by Glad- stone proved something of a mys- tery-regarding its authorship and its contents. It was headed, “The Story of the Scophony Situation in America,” and began with a listing of the four systems of large-screen TV demonstrated prior to World War II in the following order: 1. RCA Cathode Ray Tube delivery years. of 30 pictures in five Office Union Haps Campaign to Enlist Screen Collarites District 65, Distributive, Process- ing and Office Workers of America, (Schmidt lens pro jection) America. | rfaff erfaf Wmei^Bros^ColSmbU 1 ! 11 0 " 1 ? ln « ffec f’ agre «^. g w , lth 9 KTnrM eon (;»rnftnA KJ4V Til nfc ~ 9 « ' I 4 Via True a 1 era lands feel that the present Govern- ment bite on the b.o. means the difference between profit and loss, and they want quick action. All are agreed that the project should be on ah all-industry basis through the Council of Motion Picture Organizations. When COMPO’s new exec setup is com- pleted, it’s hoped, mapping of tax] strategy will follow shortly after- wards. This would be in the form of a fullscale meeting of COMPO’s tax committee, which is headed by Robert J. O’Donnell and Col. H. A. Cole. . . Problem which has yet to be re-* solved is how to depict the indus- try’s current economics in any overall tax-reducing plan. . Any complaints that exhibitors are on the brink of financial ruin and need the tax relief to stay solvent A. L. Mayer’s Pic Biofc Arthur L. Mayer’s biog of his years in the film biz will be published In the fall by Simon & Schuster under the label “Merely Colossal.” Mayer makes a bow to Variety in * the foreword for the origin of the title. The 64-year-old vet of the ‘ distribution and exhibition ends of the industry retired last Friday (2) as exec v.p. of the Council of Motion Pic- ture Organizations after al- most two years in the post. He’s currently on a lengthy European vacation trip. See Sept. To-Do Deal Comes Up ■ V- , « , * -h A *. avauuAiJ II cuJLigjt JLIJ. ^UIUUlUiA. , _ 2. Fernsch Cathode Ray Tube 20th-Fox Universal and United fbe (Zei S s directive screen), Germany. Artists jj as t gtven up ln its at . would come under the heac 3. Baird Cathode Bay Tube (di- tempt to brin £ N . Y . acreen white wrong-way public relations, rect projection), England. ------- trade’s detractors. This also heading of With the hassle on picture allot ments under the Japanese quota of 63 films just concluded among a n t. inn collarites into its fold. At union’s On the other hand, to paint ex- the 10 member companies of the 4. Scophony Supersonic lop- co ft ven ti on at Atlantic City May 17- hibition today in everything’s-rosy Motion Picture Export Assn., a new tical-mechamcal), England. -- - ------ -- - - • - The document then state general opinion of those wwu saw foothold among the clerical and ward an easing of the' Internal newal in September. Especially more thaq one of these (systems) typing help. Revenue boxoffice cut, unhappy with the division of the was that -they rated in the order Union, which absorbed the de- if legislators are to be ap- film permits is Republic, which (t,ontinuea on page 10 / funct United Office and Profes- proached individually across the was allowed to export five plx to sional Workers of America, of country, as has been suggested in Japan during the six-month period which the Screen Office and Pro- SO me quarters, still another road- of April 1 to Sept 30, the.duration jfessional Employees Guild was a block presents itself. Idea here is ' of the current pact. U, N.Y. SPG In Two-Year Deal unit, formerly represented white collarites at U, 20th, Col and UA. During the period of reorganiza- tion, during which the Communist for exhibs in all states to acquaint Republic^ rep at last Friday’s local congressmen with the tax (30) meeting of the MPEA fought burdens now being carried. The strongly for an increase in his eom- „ difficulty with this lies in. the fact pany’s allotment. As a result, the issue was in the forefront, many, that only next November’s elec- confab dosed without a final de- SOPEG units dropped out. In sub- tions largely will decide who’ll be cision.being made. However, aver Universal and the Screen Pub-1 £^ S »°™ d in o^ce to consider the. desired the weekend, Republic execs don- licists Guild, District 65, Distribu- tive, Processing and Office Work- ers of America, came to an agree- ment this week on terms for a new pact for New York pub-ad staff National Labor Relations Board, tax-cut legislation, which District 65 did not contest, the white collarites votied to affil- iate with the Homeoffice Motion I If V I »» I aiat Picture Employees Union, H-63, In-| IjXIHDS 10 Ldjr Win c £ i h .i-i v Apnr« t r» M ternational Alliance of Theatrical a p n if n j- ‘' tiniito to the one agreed to by I 0* Co op Baity Pending Big Project; Nothing m View the SPG and 20th-Fox. . Two-year deal calls for a 10% wage hike with a maximum of $12.50, double-severance pay in. case of economic layoffs, arbitra- tion of discharges and an Improve- ment of the job-security elapse. Latter provides for eight .weeks! notice in CRse the company is con- sidering a firing because of Inef- ficiency, thereby giving the staffer took over the white collarites of almost the entire industry and has since negotiated pacts for them. (Continued on page: 18) New York theatre owners are expected to lay low on their co-op ferred with prexy Herbert J. Yates by phone and it was decided to ac- cept the allotment of five pix, a decision that was forwarded to the MPEA oh Monday (5). With Republic falling in line, the permits were divided among the MPEA companies as follows: Metro, nine; 20th-Fox, eight; War- ner Bros, and Paramount, seven each; RKO, Universal and Colum- Hollywood, May 6. Ground is expected to be out from under, the traditional indus- try practice of the sales, production and pub-ad departments passings the buck to each other on duds, as a result of a new arrangement set up by Paramount this week. Distribution and pub-ad execs are being forced to shoulder some of the responsibility for story selec- tion, treatment and’ casting. Under the new deal set up by prexy Barney iBalabah, sales and pub-ad-toppers will journey to the Coast at least three times, and pos- sibly four times, a year for hud- dles with production toppers. New York congent will comprise dis- tribution v.p. Alfred W. Schwal- berg and his lieutenant Ted O'Shea, plus Jerry Pickman, pub- ad v.p. They’ll huddle with Y. Frank Freeman and Don Hartman, studio chiefs. Possibly sitting in on the confabs, as now planned, will be other story and production execs as well as divisional sales man- agers, when they are available, First'of the sessions is planned for tomorrow (Wed.). It will in- clude all of the six division man- gers, now here for a sales confab, and a* rep of the foreign depart- ment. Latter’s responsibility will be to see that all pix have the right international tinge to get maximum returns in overseas mar- kets. Tomorrow’s session will go Into stories on the boards for 1954 plx. They’ll be kicked around and selec- (Continued on page 13). $7,500,000 SOUGHT IN 2 N.Y. SUITS VS. MAJORS N. Y., is definitely off because of o ^ Two separate triple-damage anti- an opportunity to improve his work trust suits asking a total of $7,500,- Jf Hollywood support, or to prove that the charges are 000 were brought in N. Y. Federal ™ nublicitv organiza-- Unfounded. Arbitration machinery Court Monday (5) against the eight y. - ... » Ms been set up to decide a stale- majors, a number of their subsid- ise. Wage increase ig retroactive iaries plus several theatre corpo- to last March 3. rations. First action seeks $4,500,- Contract, like the one at 20th, 000 on the claim that tlle defend promotional activities until they come up with a major project for nd Allied sponsorship. There’s nothing in the Artists-Monogram, four. wind immediately, and it appears Since one month of the new that the exposition which they had agreement has already passed, talks planned for Grand Central Palace, for renewing a pact with Japan are concludes negotiations be- tween. the SPG and five companies which have been going on since November, 1951. • Earlier deals were set with United Artists, Co- lumbia and Warner Bros. SDG, MAJORS OKAY PACT MODIFICATIONS Hollywood, May 6. Screen Directors Guild and the h)ajor studios agreed to modifica- tions of their basic contract cov- ti ng X ages fl nd working condi- tions. Changes were made under of their eight-year pact, nich provides for reopening at vo-year intervals. Pact was signed ch 13, 1950. Modifications include: new min- °* $^50 per week and a tfour- ,guarantee for directors on westerns budgeted at $100,000 or A .. ® s f s j minimum of $550 with a guar- 1 .n tee five and a half weeks on , ® 7 r features; minimum for ' fW nd , unit directors, $500; for st assistant directors, $300; see- 0Qd MsIstAnt*, $170. Although the Colonial, it’s charged by plaintiffs Samuel I. Orson and Harold W. Freedman, merited first-run features due to its size and location, they were re- fused suitable product by the ma- jors. Orson and Freedman, took over a lease on the Colonial from (Co- lonial Enterprises, Inc., in Febru- ary, 1951. Shortly thereafter, they assert, the house was shuttered, due to the majors’ “illegal acts” In connection • with film rentals, clearances, advertising allowances, etc. Pressing the other antitrust suit is T. C. Theatres Corp. Operating the Biltmore Theatre, Mount Ver- non, N. Y., since 1937 on a 21-year lease, the outfit charges that it was c6mpelled to toss in the towel in 1950 after the major distribs alleg- edly refused to grant the house a fair chance to establish Itself as a first-run showcase. Some seven competing theatre corporations are also named defendants, including Skouras Theatre* and Brandt The- atres. Damagaes of $3,000,000 arc sought. tion wound up its chores for the group last week. Farnol, hired for three months’ work, handled pro- motion for a full year for the out- fit, which bills itself as the OrganL ... -- 2 pi c t ure j n . New York. _ the Metro- politan Motion Picture Theatres Assn., and Mort Sunshine, of the Independent Theatre Assn., will jointly take over the activities started by Farnol, including N. Y. Mitror pic selections and Macy’s picture-of-the-month. Farnol or- ganization will continue, however, until the end of the school term with Board of Education pitches,' including a traveling exhibit to schools, a film course for teachers and a monthly bulletin to teachers. The theatre organization has expected to get underway shortly. With only 63 presently going to (Continued on page 18) HIGH COURT REFUSES TO REVIEW BROOKSIDE CASE Washington, May 6. The majors lost .their last chance in the Brookside Theatre Corp. treble-damages case yesterday (Mon.), when the U. S. Supreme Court refused to review the $1,- 125,000 verdict won by the Kansas City Corp. Defendants are 20th- Fox, Paramount, Loew’s, RKO, Warner, Columbia, Universal and United Artists. . Brookside, formed in 1936, leased •the neighborhood *Brookside $hea tre in Kansas City for 15 years. Par Slows Prod. Hollywood, May 6. With a $30,000,000 backlog in its film vaults, Paramount has post- poned a number of scheduled pro- ductions, presaging the departure of several producers from the lot. * Don Hartman, production execu- tive, said the company does not anticipate any drastic changes in production personnel, but Everett Riskin has already walked out be- cause of the postponement of his two scheduled pix, “The Presi- dent’s Wife” and the James Mlche- ner story of 1 the South Seas. Other films pushed back until 1953 in- clude Joseph Sistrom’s “Persian Gulf” and Burton Lane’s “Look, Ma, I’m Dancing.” Paramount’s cutback on its own production will not affect produc- tion efforts by Hal Wallis, Nat Holt* Pine-Thomas or Perlberg-Seaton. Meanwhile, because of the post- ponement of the Michener film, the studio will have to dig. up another picture fpr Charles Vidor to direct. Ho has a one-picture-a-year con- tract. In 1937 lease and equipment were in f e o f rfSSTSS'oOO » assigned to a corporation in which ^ the riast vear most 20th had a minority Interest for promotion m the past year, most ^ ^ Twelvc y ' ars j ater> ia 1949, Brookside brought its suit, claiming it had been forced to turn over the house to 20th. It said the majors would not provide pictures, but favored the competing Waldo of it in fees and expenses for the Farnol outfit. 2 N.Y.-Area Theatres Sold to Churches Theatre. Unique coincident resulted in the Majors contended that the ver- recent sale of two Loew's theatres diet was based on a contention that in the New York metropolitan area. 20th and partners made a net profit Last month the company sold the of about $375,000 during the years Woodslde Theatre in Queens to a It had the house. Brookside ar- Catholic church. This month the gued that if it had operated the Bedford Theatre, Brooklyn, was theatre, it would have made that sold to" Beth-El Temple of God in much profit. The big verdict I* the Christ, a Negro congregation. profit roughly trebled. DE MILLE DISCUSSES PIC PROJECTS WITH PAR Hollywood, May 6. Cecil B. DeMille yesterday (Mon.) appeared to remove all doubt about his continuance with Paramount despite the dissolution of his personal production corpora- tion last week and the end of his pact with the studio. He appeared at the top-level sales confab cur- rently being held here and talked over with distribution execs five projects he now is working on. “Helen of Troy” seems likely, from DeMille’s remarks, to be next on his agenda. Whether the pro- ducer will go ahead with it hinges on action of Warner Bros., which holds prior rights to the subject. DeMille asked and got opinions from the sales execs on the various pic ideas he has in mind. He.re- marked that he had been with Par for more than 25 years and pre- viously had made pix for the com- pany on which contracts had not been signed until after the films were delivered.