Variety (April 1953)

20 MCTCRES Wednesday, April 29, 1953 Holdover, Pre-Release Pix Scare Dp I fol p“m Scarcity for 2d-Run Mpk Nabes Key Exhibs Vs. Green Continued from pace 3 Minneapolis, April 28. ■* With so many pre-release and!; holdover pictures here during re- ;; cent weeks, subsequent-run .ex- hibitors are worried over product i prospects a month and later hence, j Independent exhib leaders antiei-l pate one of the most critical situa-1 tions for the local neighborhood; and suburban houses, as far as j, available pix are concerned. | North Central Allied has started jj a fight here to force dsstrib to ji release pix to the subsequent-mps, j according to present clearance !i schedules based on the initial pre- release advanced admission down- town first-run. This would ease the situation somewhat for the nabss ji and suburbans, it's pointed out. jj However, if distribs refuse to count pre-release loop runs—and insist on holding back such pix from various slots until specified periods after their downtown re- turn engagements at regular admis- sions—NCA promises to carry the | matter to court*, It has been an- j; .nounced that "Peter Pan” would ji be the first test case. Although NCA sent its demand several weeks ago to RKO that the Disney boxoffice smash be made available on regular clearance to the subsequent runs, after its just concluded prerelease advanced admission engagement downtown here, there hasn't been any com 3-D Brownie Click Washington, April 28. One indirect result of 3-D pictures has# been a sharp boost in the sale of stereo- scopic still cameras to amateur photographers. Some D. C. photographic sup- ply stores report themselves unable to keep up with de- mand for the cameras, which are being advertised in some places with the slogan, "Make your own 3-D pictures.” Some stores advertise on the amuse- ment pages to cash in on the 3-D ads. Nathan D. Golden, director of the motion pictures and photographic products division of the Commerce Dept., says he has similar reports from all sections of the country. For WB 3-D Prod. Plans Warner Bros, distrib chief Ben Kalmenson is on the Coast to con- jj j nvo i ve( j # the move is one of the . of the territory's stockholders fer with Harry and Jack Warner I raost spectacular developments in | were unaware of the present fight “ about the company’s future prpduc- i! the 20th-Fox hassle with Green. I for control and expressed them- ... - | Latter got fully underway with his [ selves as well satisfied with the S uon pians * \ attempt to unseat management last | present management and the com- jj Studio has halted production wee ^ following Securities & Ex- j pany’s status and progress, the ! pending a study on the reaction to jj change Commission clearance of "Wax.” Although Jack Warner has i: his proxy solicitation pany’s status and salesmen reported. i ;; been one of the staunchest drum- \ Joining Schaefer Mid Brandt at j I beaters of 3-D with Polaroid specs, p. Y. meetings on the fight last I there have been reports that WB week were S. H. Fabian, bead of j [ is also working on a widescreen \ Fabian Enterprises and Stanley 1 process. Kalmensop’s report on business and exhib reaction^ will play a large part in determining future company policy, Veepee Sam Schneider, company’s chief financial exec, is also on the Coast and also will take part in the talks. DeMille’s D. C. Rewards: DAR Award for ‘Show/ Adviser To State Dept GreeaSkoiras Continued from £££» 7 Stanley Warner; Sol K. Schwartz, president of RKO Theatres; Fred J. Schwartz, head of Century Theatres; Jay Rabinowitz, as representative of Leonard Goldenson, president of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres; Wilbur Snaper, president of Allied States Assn.; and other circuit operators, including Spyros Skouras, Jr.; Sam and Harold Rinzler, Joseph Seider, Jack Hat- tern, Walter Reade, Jr.,- and Irving Bollinger. Also instrumental in bringing to- gether the exhibition Loilie’s 30th Anni Continued from page 3 included Edgar Bergen, George Burns, Eddie Cantor, David Hearst, Y. Frank Freeman, Art Linkletter, Martin and Lewis, Mer- vyn LeRoy, Donald O’Connor, Dick Powell, Danny Thomas, Jack L. Warner, Jesse Lasky, Harry Joe Brown, Jean Hersholt and Warden Woolard, managing ed of the Los Angeles Examiner. Cantor jibed that he was on hand "for the same reason everyone else is; they were afraid not to come.” o execs r has j Then he added seriously, "This beenMatty Fox, TV film distribu- evening is just a small measure of * » i * . * • R 1.1 _1 V 11 w-k . ton, Del, He also disclosed plans for a $15,000,000 reduction in both 20th’s production budget for the year starting May 4, and in in- [ tor and partner in the ownership the affection we show Louella Par- ventory over the next two years, as j of United Artists. I sons for the 30 years of affection I result of the studio’s • switch to Cinemascope. jjthat 20th might be impaired, if a He maintained that, when he f new management steps in. Film told Green of aims to reduce in- J outfit, of course, is one of the chief ventory from $35,000,000 to $20,- \ sources of supply for exhibs. Con- 000,000 and the budget from $45,- jj versely, the theatremen stated they 000,000 to $30,000,000, latter mere- j have complete confidence in the ly replied that 20th should sell J competence of the Skouras-Darryl . . , to TV. 'This step, I believe, would F. Zanuck combination now at the Cecil B. DeMille came to Wash-1 ma ]£ e our large inventory 9 evap- helm, ington last week to jreceive a jj 0 rate overnight,” Skouras com- j Fear TV Pix Sale Motivating the group is the fear; she has shown the film industry." 1 Jack Benny was represented via a taped greeting "from the stage Washington, April 28. pliance yet. That’s according to S. I Daughters of American Revolution I t d D. Kane, NCA executive counsel,* awani f or “Greatest Show on j ^ of the Curran Theatre.” He told Louella he would have come but "‘If I leave, the theatre will be completely empty.” Although room was crowded with | comedians, the humor was about equally mixed with tribute to Miss Parsons years of chronicling Hol- who says, "We’ll wait a short while» Earth,” and to become chief mo- longer before filing our suit.” j tjon picture consultant to the State As things shape up now, there’s j Dept-’s International Information great danger that, for a number f Service, of weeks, starting in mid-May, local neighborhood and suburban exhibs will find themselves up against their worst product shortage, as- serts Bennie Berger, NCA presi- dent. It looks as if tbeyTl have few pictures from which to choose There’s additional fear that \ lywood happenings. George Burns, tt nwuMiecfiii in tiip npoYv i re callin g his long friendship with Claim No ^tock Shrink j Green, if successful in the proxy j recalling his long friendship with Latest statement from 20th, re- battle, would insist upon an early |^ e § cn ^ )e * declared that Hedda IeasS?MSterday (TVe“, coitra- sale of the 20th library to tele- Hopper had once written a column dieted Green’swratention that the casters, to the detriment of theatre lous,est — 1 4- : t AnmArc [ oUUT X. VC cVcJT oetlll. * ‘Call Me, George* “Louella called me immediately,” Burns recalled. “She said to me: 'George, you and I * have been Greatest Show” was chosen by market price_of the corporation’s j owners the DAR the best film of 1952 for “ ‘ ‘ ’ children; DeMille personally re- ceived the award and addressed the DAR convention. The Paramount director con- ferred for three days with Robert [nose pic- T Trthncnn n#»vir TT«? Administrator Uiuvcu iu iiuuiuic U. mougn me cowua Wdhwiuuiw hires will be lacking in boxoffice \ SSTme! I Green's crihcisms of high_ salaries > five years. (Otterson was Par pres common stock had shrunk over the J Schaefer, a veteran film exec, past three years. It further pointed r; stated: “Past experience shows Out that United Cigar-Whelan j what can happen w T hen any new Corp., of which Green is exec com- S group takes over a company. Par- mi ttee chairman, has no cumula-1 amount had to settle John Otter- j friends for many years. You know five voting and that Green has [son’s contract after one year, al-jl would do anything for you. When never moved to institute it. [ though the contract was to run for for their attractions, and those pic- tures will be lacking in boxoffice * B *x,_ tnnfinn l| o uimuoiim U 1 oauui^u v LLYC ^CdLlVUiLClouu iiac x ax yaiue or will be poor in quality. J JS^ncloTthe ii^rmaton |ro- 1 at 20th is countered with the argu-[ Went from 1938 to 1939.) Also, the gram, with most of the emphasis he says. Par, RKO Pledge Ennff 2-D Films Fer SmaO Indies Chicago, April 28. on how Hollywood could help. Johnson said in a statement that he “naturally looks to the Ameri- ment that the company has insti- \ stockholders have never benefitted tuted a drastic salary cutting \ from that stock situation at RKO.” scheme. ^ j Brandt revealed that support is Green’s letter attacked studio being asked of, and given by, other you have an item like this—why don’t you call me’?” Edgar Bergen and Charlie Mc- Carthy lampooned Jack L. Warner more than they did the guest of honor, but Warner got in a few of his own gibes at the current can motion picture industry, which j employment, in 1952, of producers theatre owners in upstate N. Y., Hollywood situation. When one of • - - j —-*—« ~—»Robert L. Jacks and Otto Lang, f throughout New Jersey, and in Bos- his comments drew only one laugh. has developed the science and art of the films into one of the most effective media of information.” j ryl F. Zanuck 1 Much of the study between De latterZanuck’s ski instructor. .. .. , TT . _ , Mille and Johnson was concen- “I believe these two individuals i W ™»w e .^“^i^'J^ltrated upon a plan which COMPO do not belong on our payroll, and aU small indie product. Former, he said, is 23, and Dar- i ton, Philadelphia, Washington and t he looked out at the audience and ;’s son-in-law, while \ Miami. Brandt, who disclosed he’s \ muttered, “he must be working at ‘ acting in behalf of himself and j the studio—and if he is, he’s the the Independent Theatre Owners only one.” Assn., of which he is president, J Danny Thomas tickled the crowd major studios have promised | ^he Motion Picture Industry j that the only reason they were on j said he feels the entire industry f with his reminiscences of his youth Council drew up in 1950. Johnson | the payroll was their personal re- j would be dealt a terrible blow if j ^ Ohio ^ ** • _ _ . I _ _ _ . .. . _ a. x_v ^m qA&L or exhibs enough 2-D 3-D which can be 2T VVWAVUi U#v rw ++2T I X — "— r — S . . , .» I drdw a program for the film in- lationship to Mr. Zanuck,” Green j Green were to take over 20th. 5 ■» ■ » i: ii.. tt c ( 1 m i i» {gw*“*?• weeks t£Tv:s .!™te film companies, in response to an j government jn producing informa- j He also emphasized delay in Ei- open letter from Jack Kirsch, head of Illinois Allied, gave assurances of an adequate supply of conven- tional product. RKO and Para- mount now have made similar pledges. James R. Grainger, RKO prexy, i accepted in principle. taid he could see no cause for j : alarm, in that 3-D pix could also j be played as fiat product He al “ i FAMOUS PLAYERS (CAN.) tional pix. Johnson asked DeMille to serve as liaison with the industry in effectuating the 1950 plan which, Johnson said, represents “a gen- erous and patriotic offer from the motion picture industry” which he in Ohio when, as a student at St. Francis, he played center for a Jewish basketball team. “After all,” stated that RKO did not know at this time how many pix would be produced this year. A1 Schwalberg, Paramount sales head, also declared his company would have an adequate supply of film for small exhibs. ATPAM Pickets Cinerama To Force Union Hiring Cinerama is being picketed in New York by the Assn, of Theatri- cal Press Agents and Managers fol- lowing a hassle over the signing of a contract. Picketing started Satur- day (25) at the Broadway Theatre,, where Cinerama is currently on display, and at the Warner Theatre vrhere the new film medium moves on June 5. According to Cinerama, the picketing was called off late yesterday (Tues.l. However, no de- tails of a settlement were given ATPAM officials could not be reached for comment. According to Wolfe Kaufman, ATPAM prexv, Cinerama has re- fused to ink a pact covering ATPAM members when it shifts to the Warner Theatre. Union cur- rently has a pact with Cinerama covering managers Bob Ward and Edward Scanlon. Kaufman stressed that the hasale had nothing to do with wages, hours or working con- ditions, but Involved the employ- ment of ATPAM members. He said Cinerama notified the union that it would not use ATPAM members when it made the move. HOUSES UP DIVVY 40C Toronto, April 28. Attributing higher grosses to im- proved quality of films, J. J. Fitz- gibbons, president of Famous Play- ers (Canadian), with some 450 houses across the Dominion, re- ported the company has jumped its fiscal dividend to $1.60 over last year’s $1.20, with a 15% net in- crease of $3,480,126 for year’s op- erations ending Jan. 3 this year. This is equal to $2 a share, accord- ing to Fitzgibbons, as compared with net profit of $3,032,01$ for a $1,75 a share in previous year. Working capital increased by $1,- 022,000- to bring this to $8,195,095, with operating profit amounting to $6,860,728, as against last year’s $6,475,167. With the past year’s immigration j to Canada of some 185,000 persons j from Britain and Western Europe, 1 this continuing, the business out- look for ’53 is optimistic, said Fitz- gibbons. Famous' Players has just opened three new theatres in Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal; has ac- quired sites across Canada for prospective houses; and, in addi- tion to Its 450 theatres, has 27 drive-ins and plans for more. Key city houses are in immediate preparation for 3-D, with Shea’s Hippodrome, Toronto (2,386-seat- er\ kicking off next week with “House of Wax.” dophor development, and ques- tioned 20th’s wisdom in “putting all its eggs to one basket” by switching completely to Cinema- Scope. Green further alleged that de- duction^ two non-recurrent items, totaling $2,569,470, from 1952 earnings, would result in tower dividend payments. One of these items covers - net earnings fr6m Na- I his “daring” effort to end cumula- tional Theatres for the 39 weeks l tive voting at 20th, which is de- prior to divorcement. I signed to prevent any Green repre- Meanwhile, 20th has retained , sentation on the 20th board. Only j one Green director would be a { disruptive influence,” commented j Brandt. ‘Doorbell-Ringing Tactics 1 Brandt owns 2,500 20th shares! he remarked confidentially, “who’s and his associates own an addition-«sotog to look at me and ask ques- al 2,500, the circuit op stated. As j tions about my being on a Jewish for the proxy fight, he said his group is engaging to “doorbell- ringing” tactics, that is, calling upon other stockholders personally to “enlighten” them on the issues involved to the Green-Skouras con- troversy. Brandt commended Skouras for Milton Pollack as special trial coun- sel in the Green derivative stock- holder’s suit against 20th, to which he seeks to void certain portions of the Skouras and Zanuck employ- ment contracts. * team? Most serious moments were struck by Mervyn LeRoy, Jean Her- sholt, Donald O’Connor and Jesse L. Lasky, who comtoented, “When men who are really show business honor you, you are really hon* ored.” Attached to each program was a lollipop to which had been affixed a picture of the columnist. programmed entertainment was in the form of a skit, “The Moun- tain Came to Mahomet,” written Fred Schwartz was equally en- jWJMrJ* Gov’t Toppers Continued from page 5 tures for the various Federal de- partments. A highly-placed N. Y. film-TV exec already has been ap- proached by an administration of- ficial to serve on a committee, which would study the Govern- ment’s film-making program. It’s estimated that Government expenditures for films are a do at $1,500,000 yearly, with some quar- ters* charging th&t as much as $1,- 000,000 is wasted because of dup- lication and lack of coordination. Eleven different U. S. depart- ments have been making films for instructional or informational pur- poses. At least 75% of the \vork is contracted out to indie produ- cers and to commercial film- makers. The Army, to some extent, produces its own films, maintaining a Studio in Astqria, N. Y., for the purpose. On occasion, the Army has produced films for other de- partments. thusiastic in stating his position on the side of 20th’s management. “I plan to do anything declared. I can, he Chi Buttonholing Stockholders • Chicago, April 28. Fight for 20th-Fox stock proxies has reached such a pitch here that many of the exchange office staff are devoting full time contacting stockholders on proxies for Spyros Skouras’ faction. In addition, CinemaScope pre- view here Thursday t30) at the Uptown Theatre will have a spe- cial stockholders’ showing with Skouras skedded to come in and make a pitch. which the industry’s current con- version problems were lampooned via a producer who has discovered the ultimate—a screen that encir- cles the theatre. The “3-D Four,” a quartet consisting of Phil Tully, Roy Roberts, Joseph Vitale and Syd Saylor, echoed Dick Powell’s singing of “Louella,” and Rhys Williams delivered the Masquers’ Creed whose line “our shafts of wit have jest, we laugh to win,” set the theme for the evening. ‘Unaware of Fight’ Minneapolis, April 28. As a result of 20th-Fox sales- men's efforts, a large number of proxies, favoring management, went forward to the homeoffice. It was understood here that the com- pany’s other branches throughout the country employed their sales- men similarly. Interviewing stockholders whose names were furnished by the homeoffice, the local salesmen encountered some surprises. Most A ‘Lash Pix Era’ Continued from page 3 film industry is headed for a new prosperity era, and Col especially is to a good spot, because of its book value of close to $36 per com- mon share. Green, at the annual meeting where he appeared with his attor- ney, expressed dissatisfaction with management, particularly taktog issue with its policy of granting stock options to some executives. He indicated he would undertake to enlist the support of other stock- holders to opposition to the option program.