Variety (July 1952)

'WCT««*S pssieff liily ^ 16 , Clips From Filni Row I M ' VmM NEW YORK Betti Doyle, independent jhort iubJect distributor, »»U« tor Eng- land tomorrow (Xhm-s.) on the Britannic to set up «l«ase deals for four shorts currently playing New York theatres. , Carroll L; Ihiciato, Vcepee of Rcalart Pictures and Jack Broder Production, huddling in London with reps of various production and distribution outfits regarding recently completed Broder pic- tures, and with a view to acquire British pix for U.S, release. Symphony Theatre, New Yot^ has played the most uncommon re- dating of a picture within a short space of time. House played Para- mount’s “Trio” originally as a sec- ond feature with “Rhubarb;' for nine days «last November. Trio again played with “Rhub^b at the-Symphony for two days in December. “Trio” this past month played the same theatre for four days as second feature with. De- tective Story.” Paramount branch, manager Al- B bert H. Duren will have a key role In Paramount’s next sales push, which opens Aug. 31 and 13 weeks. However, instead of con- ferring, the title of “drive captain upon Duren as is customw. Par has him billed as colonel. He’s from Charlotte,.- . , James R. Graing», Republic s sales chief, back at the h.o. after a short trip” to Toronto and Mon- Norman Jackter, formerly % salesman in Columbia’s Washing- ton exchange, named branch man- ager of the company’s Albany ex- change. .He replaces 'Charles Hor- tic, who was transferred to Pitts burgh at his own request. LOS ANGELES Organized td buy indie pictures for foreign territories, Poteign- Service Film Corp. opened offices on Sunset Blvd. Company headed by J. Camen-Ribalta, Eugene B. Gould and Joseph Guerrero, Jr. Bundy Smith, with National Theatre Supply since 1926, upped to manager of Los Angeles branch office by Lloyd 0^vnbey, veepee. ALBANY Acquisition of Modern Theatre in Manchester, Vt, by Mrs. Helen Hadley and her father, Charles Grr, vet Fairhaven, Vt.,‘ exhibitor, fi-om Mr. and Mrs. Rogers Bur- nam gives Mrs. Hadley undisputed possession of exhibition field in Manchester and Manchester De- pot. Mrs. Hadley has been operat- ing the Playhouse for two years. Another capital district theatre,- the Benton-Schine Corp.’s . Capi- tol in Ballston'Spa (near Saratoga), has been closed indefinitely due to poor business. It operated for 30 years, during 27 of which Jim Finnemore was manager. Ball- ton, a prosperous village df 5,000, is now without a motion picture house. oyer as manager of downtown WB closed the Capitol In Stanley Eilenberg has taken over the Lexington, ' The recent%.€Xploltation contest between Interstate’ir , produced so many blz-hxrmlng gimmicks that circuit topperg have slated a repeat for July and August. Graves, Plymouth, N. H., won first contest by unanimous vote. RKO’s “King Kong” subjected to all out bally via radio, TV trail- ers and heralds opens in New England territory today (Wed.) to more than 100 playdates. Frank K. Perkins, Jr., formerly assistant manager at E. Loe\y s Centre, upped to manager of ciiv cuit's Publix, in downtown. Hub. Eddie Redstone, recently awarded his Master’s degree at Harvard Business Administration Graduate School, joined his father's (Mi- chael) company in charge of dalW operations of six ozoners of Bed- stone Drivc-ln Theatres Inc. Jackie Gleason and his TV crew set for week of Aug. 1 at RKO Boston. Marks first time house has booked a “live” show since Spike Jones appeared here last September, LOUISVILLE Ralph E. McClanahan, owner of the Mack and New Irvine Theatres at Irvine, Ky., elected prez of the Kentucky Assn, of Theatre Own- ers, at its annual meetin.g. McClan- ahan succeeds Guthrie Crowe, who recently resigned as State police commissioner to accept an ap- pointment as United States dis- trict judge in the Panama Canal Zone. Other officers elected were first veepee, E. L. Ornstein; second vee- pee, Gene Lutes, Frankfort, Ky.; and treasurer, Cliff R. Buechel. Neil G. Borden, Louisville, re- elected secretary and assistant treasurer. HeniT J. Stites remains general counsel. J. E. Isaac, Cum- berland, is chairman of the board. Theatremen’s groups will give a farewell dinner July 24 for Crowe In Frankfort, Ky. BOSTON Bob Weiner took over post of publicist at Columbia, replacing Dick Stejt^iiens, who resigned about a month ago. Weiner formerly was fieldman in Philly area. Ray Canavan, George Roberts and Ray Feeley have been named to Drive-in Committee of forth- coming “Jimmy” Fund campaign. Co-chairmanned by Michael Red- stone and James F. Mahoney, group will coordinate plans for showing of “Jimmy” trailer and handling collections in ozoners. , Classic Pictures, Inc., opened an; office here, with Nate Beier as' branch manager. j John Dlefenbacher, formerly ofi Trans-Lux 60lh St. in N. Y., took I MEMPHIS ^ Jim McCarthy, Warner house chief, .vacationing in Wisconsin with ms wife and family. - Lincoln Drive-In' just opened herb for Negro'es, and doing boff biz. " ' ' Bob Leslie, former Strand as- sistant, now managing new Plaza Theatre, nabe house. Several major changes in thea- tre managers announced by M. A. Lightman, Sr., .head pf Malco cir- cuit. "Clayton TunstiU, former dis- trict manager, named skipper of the Malco house here. Elliott John- son, former flack, sent to the Crosstown, a nabe, and Joe Keifcr named manager of Princess, an- other nabe. Jack TunstiU, former Crosstown hpuse manager, leaves the Malco chain to enter his own biz. Wil- liam Forbes, former Princess man- ager, will work as relief manager for all Malco houses. A major change announced by Malco' chain finds the five execu- tive members /0£ circuit, Ed Sapin- sely, Herbert-Kohn, Richard Light- mafi, Herbert Levy and M,* t A. Lightman, Jr,, being assigned to theatres in several towns in chain. Duties of the five execs will abol- ish the present post' of district manager. The new assignments will not affect the duties of Arkan- sas district theatre chief William Sockwell. M. A. Lightman, Sr., prexy of Malco chain, and M. S. McCord, of North Little Rock, Ark., will continue their joint association in theatre operations. Lightman, who directs thfe Malco chain in this area, announced that after several confabs on possible separation of company assets, that he and Mc- Cord nixed the proposals. Mc- Cord stays as secretary of Malco chain. Execs of Allied Indie Theatre Owners of the mid-south have in- vited the Tennessee Press Assn, to hold a joint convention here Dec. 9-11. Allied pointed out that a joint confab with editors and ex- hibitors of this area would be mu tually beneficial. sl^dwlng of “Strange World'' Ldew's Orpheum. ^ , . Larry Williams, assistant cash- ier at MG'S St. Louis exchange, home on furlough from Germany. He donned khaW. last Feh, 13. CHICAGO Chicagoland area Il^^atres con- ] tinue to close. In to^vn the White Palace and Public shuttered. Col- lins, Joliet, also dimmed, but may reopen this fail with art policy. Hebron, Hebron, ^^Iso closed as did the La Rosa, Roseville, 111. On the brighter side Time Theatre, Morris, 111.,’relighted after being dark for several months. The Holiday, Round Lake, III., taken over by Ted Tokaw, who formerly managed the Liberty, Chicago Heights, 111. Alliance Circuit' shuttered the Emboys,.J’t. Wayne, Infi., for a 150,000 remodeling program. 3,000 seater will reopen in fall and will be called the Embassy. City admissions tax report for June showed $32,973 as against $83,491 last year. For the-first sW months collector . got $509,684 against $548,671. Paramount asking that To^e Theatre, Milwaukee, be forced to bid for product. Hearings are going on before federal master-in- chancery here. Variety Club directors convene this week for change of head- quarters. Blackstone Hotel lopks most likely. Auction will be held on Fine Arts- Building, which houses the art World Theatre and the Stude- baker, legit house, July 21 in Chicago. Jack Shumow,: formerly with Warners and- Lopert, named dis- trict manager of Classic Pictures. For tht Week Endinr Tneiday (15) Warner Bros.. 81 Zenith -^2 79Vi N. y. Curb Exchange pu Mont 55 15% Monogi’am .120 3Vfi Technicolor 25 21% 763A 77% 15% 27/a 21 % Over-the-CJountcr Securities Bid Cinecojor ^ 1^^ Chesapeake Industries (Pathe) 3% U, A. Theatres Walt'Disney 15% 3 213/1 Ask 1 % 4% 5% 8 % + ^ * va — Vi (Quotci.tions furnished b'l/'*Dreyfiis A Co.) Zukor Looks Ahead Coutlnuea from par* a ST. LOUIS Joe Sarfaty, Illinois and Ken- tucky salesman for Universal, soon to be released from a St. Louis hospice following injuries suffered in an auto accident last Feb. 20. . Fanchon & Marco-St. Louis Amus. Co., currently bankrolling radio quiz show, “Know Your Movies.” over KWK, St. Louis. Cuffo ducats and coin awarded for correct answers. » Herschel E. Webster. Steeleville, 111., curtailed operation of his Princess, Percy, 111., to two days weekly during summer. Fire in projection booth of an ozoner, owned by Hirschel Eich- horn, near Cairo, 111., burned some "film but blaze was extinguished before firemen arrived. Fanchon & Marco installed TV sets In lobbies of their Fox, Mis- souri and Ambassador Theatres to enable customers to watch Repub lican convention. Construction b^iiig rushed by Turner & Farrar Theatres. Cairo, 111., to light their new ozoner near Was.sen, 111., on Aug. 15. Wallv Heim, UA ^xuloitf-t t*. in town beating’skins for first local Film Reviews Index Contlnufed fr<>m page 24 — I>on Directed by Lewis D. Col- lins. Screenplay, Dan. Ullman; camera (Ciriecolor), Harry Neumann; editor, Wil- liam Austin: music. Marlin Sklles. Pre- -triewed May 13, '52. Running time, 7# MINS (Reviewed May 21i 1952) The Wlmtlng Temm Riopie Bf piiehing immortal Grover Alexander, with Doris Day, Ronald Reagan. Fairly satisfactory b.o. Warners release of Bryan Foy produc- tion. Stars Doris Day, Ronald Reasau, Frankr LoVeJoy; features Evo Miller, James MiUican, Rusty Tamblyn, Gordon Jones, Hugh Sanders, Frank Ferguson, Walter Baldwin, Dorothy Adams. Direct- ed by Lewis Seiler. . Screenplay, Ted Sherdem'an; Seeleg Lester, Merwln Ger- ard; from story by Lester and Gerard; camera, Sid Hi.ckox; editor, Alan Cros- land; music, David Buttolph. Previewed May 15, '52. Running time, f7 MINS, - (Reviewed May 28, 1952) Without Warulng Case history of sex-killer; okay tot exploitation, otherwise " grim supporting pie. United Artists release of Arthur Card- ner-Jules Levy production, presented by Sol Lesser. Features Adam"Wllllajns, Meg Randall. Directed by Arnold Laven. -Story and screenplay, BUI Raynor; camera, Jo- seph F. Blroc; editor, Arthur H, Nadel; music, Herschel Burke GUbert. Pre- viewed March 35, '62. Running time, 7S MINS* * (Reviewed April 2, 1952) The World Im His /iLrxusi (COLOR) Topnotch sea-aotion adventure film based on Rex Beach novel. Hearty b.o. Universal release of Aaron Rosenberg S reduction. Stars Gregory Pock, Ann lyth; features Anthony Quinn, John Mc- Intire, Carl Esmond, Andrea King, Eu- gene Leontovich, Hans Conrled. Directed by Raoul Walsh.' Screenplay, Borden Cnase; added, dialog, Horace 'McCoy; baaed on novel by Rex Beach: camera (Technicolor), RusseU Mctty; editor, Frank Gross; music. Frank Skinner. Pre- viewed June 12, '52. Running time, 114 MINS. (Reviewed June 18, 1952) A Yiink In Xndo-Chiuu Formula war-action melo- drama for program houses. Columbia release of Sam Katzn^n pro- duction. Stars John Archer, Douglas Dick: features Jean WiUes, Maura Mur- phy, Hayward Soo Hoo, Don Harvey, Harold Fong. Rory Mallinson; Leonard Penn. Directed by Wallace A. Grlssell. 'Screenplay, Samuel Newman; camera, William Whitley; editor, Aaron ^StclL Previewed March 27, '52. RunnlniT time, 47 MINS. (Reviewed April 2, 1952) You CanH Beat the Irish (British) Talky but mildly amus^g yam about Irish family; fair art ^ house prospects. Stratford Pictures release of Alex T. Boyd production. Stars Jack Warner, Barbara Mullen, Michael Dolan; features Joan Kenny, Elizabeth Erskine, Ronan O'Casey. Vincent Ball, Noel Purcell.. Di- rected by Paddy Carstalrs. Screenplay, Frederic Gotfurt, based on “’They Got What 'They Wanted," play by Louis D’Al- ton; camera. Jack HlUlyard; editor, £. H. Jarvis: score, Leighton Lucas. At Park Avenue Theatre. N. Y., week of May 1, '52. Running'time, 73 MINS. (Reviewed ftlay 7, 1952) office than with a number of films which do- not bring in any money over the same period.” • The idea of lensing a certain large number of films as a means of cutting studio overhead is now established as false economy, said the vet filmite. As an example, he added: “Metro isn’t planning the production of 38 pictures because that’s the number required to keep the • o'verhead at a minimum. They’re making 38 pictures this year because they have that many properties which look good.” On the exhibition front, Zukor is in sharp conflict with' some in- dustryites. and observers who in- sist a large number of theatres, upward of 5,000, should be closed indefinitely. This would be “un- sound,” be believes. • However, he said, a circuit op- erator who has seven theatres, per- j haps, in a certain area could 1 profit by closing one or two of them in such a way that the re- maining houses would better sup- port the entire chain. He cau- tioned that this type of shuttering must be done on a judicious basis. Offering himself in a hypothetical case, ^ukor said: “I would study the film releases due for the next six months. I would consider these in terms of which pictures would be best suited for my houses. If I find that there’s not the appro- priate product for, say, two, thea-^ tres, I would Close those two and let the remaining five do the work of all seven.*” Zukor would not necessarily keep the lock on the door of the shutter- ed situations for all time, but only in accordance with new circum- stances as they arise. As an illus- tration, he continued, the Palace Theatre, Chicago first-run, was closed a few months ago and it appeared set to stay shut for the balance of the summer at least.. However, the Palace reached out for a pic which it figured could sustain it. Film was “The Greatest Show on Earth,” now in its 10th week with a gross of over $200,000. In addition to his recommenda- tion on theatre closings, Zukor further counselled exhibs that “the days of automatic booking of pic- tures and letting these pictures speak for themselves are gone, and gone forever.” He advised that showmen must be astutely selective about the product they book for each Situation, and then support this product with full promotion effort. Zukor was upbeat on two new developments in show biz. On the first, Telemeter, which is the sub- scription TV system in which Par has a 50% interest, he believes there’s a good chance for exhib showmen to share in the profits (Telemeter likely will be licensed territorily to franchise operators). “Telemeter must be operated by showmen, and theatremen are showmen,” said Zukor. He added: “They (the exhibs) could play pictures in their own theatres and then send them out over Telemeter two or three weeks later/’ Re Eldophor, Zukor said there should be"'no great concern about programming (Eidophor, which is the. system .for colot TV for thea- tres, rights ,to which are owned by 20th-Fox, has been widely accepted on, grounds of its technical ability. However, some exhibs have wond- ered whether a sufficient number of appropriate shows could be whipped up to make it commer- cially successful). Zukor takes the position that any new medium which can contribute to entertainment on the screen will provide a payoff for exhibs. In effect, he states, this new addition ean qreate a new revenue yield, and this in turn will lead to the creation of adequate programming. Zukor looks in good shape and continues, to .maintain a full work sked. He has tentative plans for a tour of Europe in the fall, this to be in the nature of a good-will visit with theatre ops and Par reps abroad. Hughes-Simmons Continued from pace 4 contract be drawn to show $150,- 000 for the house, $75,000 for the book, an advance of $135,000, and yearly salary of $150,000 for each of three years. Kane was the first witness after a four-day .recess during 'which both parties attempted to negoti- ate an out-of-court settlement. Ne- gotiations continued until mid- night Monday and then were broken off. An out-of-court settlement was indicated at last Thursday's session when Hughes’ counsel asked for a continuance until today (’Tues.) with the approval of Martin Gang, attorney for the plaintiffs. The .final session of a dull week lasted only van hour and a half. While Gang was cross-examining R. Ross Hastings, RKO exec. Fed- eral Judge Tolin told both sides: “We’re spending a great deal of time on repetitive testimony ana arguing over an Interpretation of phrases. All this is hardly help- ful.” During this session Gang man- aged to -gain an' admission from Hastings that Hughes had offered a compromise plan under whicn Miss Simmons could call the deal off if she chose. Hastings ex- plained that Hughes’ plan was based on impartial appraisals of the house and the book which tne actress and her husband were to sell to RKO as part of the package deal for her services.' Hughes tola them, he said, that if they didnt like the appraisals they could drop the whole thing. Judge Tolin, in granting the con- tinuance, informed both plaintu and defendant, that if no out-or- court • settlement' is made would be in for longer ses.sions from 9 a.m. to. noon and from i 'Jo to 4:30 p.m.