Variety (November 1954)

16 PICTURES U&Rimfr Wednesday, November 24, 1954 In Chicago, Montague’s One of Boys % Columbia Sales Chief Cordially Greeted by Illinois Allied Unit—Gives His Philosophy Chicago, Nov. 23. To all appearances Columbia Pic- tures—in the doghouse with sev- eral Allied States branches but notably with the North Central group in Minneapolis-for high film rentals—is in right with Illinois Allied members. Company’s sales chief Abe Mon- tague, speaking before the local chapter last week, met nothing more challenging than the expected Questions, was lauded for his com- pany’s production upbeat in a pe- riod of film shortages, and was even congratulated formally' for his remarks in. the organization’s minutes. As far as Chicago Allied members are concerned, Montague is one of the boys. The major poser, that -of ' high film rentals crippling distressed Peace Declared? Nice treatment, of Abe Mon- tague, Columbia sales chief, as reported from Chicago, was not happenstance. It was part of a “gentlemen’s' agreement’’ following assurances Montague gave Allied leaders recently. Nothing official has, of course, been admitted. There is a noticeable lessen- ing of exhibitor-distributor tension the last two weeks, apparently due to promises by Columbia, Allied execs are prone to self-congratulation and talk privately of now “watching and prodding” War- ners, recently runner-up on a list of "most unpopular com- panies” as promulgated by Al- liedites. houses, he answered with a pro- posal to use a double standard al : lowing low flat rentals for needy , theatres provided the more suc- cessful houSes didn't ask the same favor. He reprised the standard explanation that production costs run high and that a profit had to be shown and' the shareholders paid off with each pic.’ This the Allied body found acceptance, as evidenced by their applause. Montague cited Col’s upcoming “Joseph and His Brothers” with negative costs expected at $4 V 0Q0.- 000,. prints at eight and one-half cents per foot, and an ad campaign of $750,000. TJms he demonstrated the need for percentage selling, and he sounded the plea, now often heard from all distribs, for mutual- ly and reasonable bargain- ing.” “It is ridiculous,” he said, “to think that Columbia is holding back product to create a seller’s market. A production slowdown hurts the companies which must maintain studios and stages." Co- Allied Backs Down Minneapolis, l^ov. 23. North Central Allied is abandoning its Federal Court fight against Columbia Pic- tures application for an in- junction to restrain picketing of company’s exchange, which grew from protest agai ,st “Caine-Mutiny” terms. Said Allied: “We've- accom- plished our purpose.” IMPROVE CINEMASCOPE? Sponable Currently Tests Only Possible New Lenses Work towards the improvement of Cinemascope is, for the moment at least, confined to experimenta- tion with new lenses, according to Earl I. Sponable, research director of 20th-Fox. Sponable acknowledged in N. Y,. last week that other methods, such as the possibility of lensing Cine- mascope on a wider negative area but for regular C’Scope projection, also were under study a,s was 20tl^’s wicle-gauge film system. Latter is being testede “to see just where we are with it,” Spori- ■ able slated. It’s said that, if the | wicle-gauge process proves feasible, ' 20th may produce a roadshow ver- sion of ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told” in that medium. Eidiphor, the 20th-sportsored color theatre tv system, also is cur- rently being tested in N. Y., but no immediate showings of it to 20th execs are planned. Swiss tech- nicians are coming to N Y to work with Sponable and his staff on a flicker condition that has developed in Eidophor. F & M Asks New lumbia,. he said, was allocating $10,000,000 next year to encourage indie production and .will avail its stages and facilities besides. The picture shortage he blamed on. talent, which has been scarce partly because of tv’s wooing and partly because of the income tax bite. Unknown actors and directors have no boxoffice value, he ob- served. and successful performers usually do no more than two or three pictures per year because of taxes. He welcomed exhibitor participa- tion in the financing of films be- cause he felt exliibs would get a firsthand insight into the problems and costs of production today. “They’ll learn it costs fantastically to get what they want,’ ? he slated. Montague represents the second in a . series of showdowns Illinois Allied is reckoning to have with in- dividual company sales managers. Last month the group hosted Wil- liam Gehring of 20th-Fox. Washington, Nov 23. The U. S Supreme Court re- ceived a second petition from Fanchon & Marco last week to hear an appeal from the refusal of the distributors to provide first run product for the Baldwin The- atre in L. A. Prior request on April 10, 1953 was made while the case was pending before the U. S. Ninth Circuit Court, High. Court refused to interfere at that time. Situation is different now, says F & M. Ninth Circuit ruled for the dis- tributors on Aug. 11, 1954, affirm- ing the ruling of the trial court. Named In the alleged conspiracy to violate the antitrust laws are Paramount. Loew’s, RKO, Univer- sal, United Artists, 20th. National Theatres and Fox West Coast The- alres. F & M want both firstrun films and treble damages for losses they claim to have suffered by virtue of being compelled to take second- run, with a 21-day clear- ance for firstrun houses. Suit was filed originally-in May, 1950. and was thrown out by the U. S District Court on Nov 1, 1951. F & M contend they are victims of, the same conspiracy which was outlawed bv the U S. Supreme Court in the Paramount antitrust case. ‘Oklahoma’ Completed Continued from page 3 T-AO 70m might have run into some unexpected obstacles. How- ever, C’Scope prints likelv with be licensed in the foreign market, according to .informants, which would more than justify the extra expense of this added version. Decision to dual-lens “Okla- homa’.’ was a factor in the pic’s final big budget. It's being brought in at $5,900,000. This is well over the originally blueprinted figure and necessitated additional financ- ing. Bankers Trust Co., N. Y., re- ported upped its production loan to $2,000,000. Bank had been in for $1,000,000 at first. Robert Newton Continued front page I TORONTO TELEGRAM’S BIG SHOW BIZ PITCH Toronto, Nov. 23. Starting within the week, fol- lowing under-wraps panel discus- sions with entertainment biggies, the Toronto Telegram, ^Canada’s second largest afternoon daily (circ. 265,781), will initiate a new policy of its expansion of daily en- tertainment news to better serve advertisers in the amusement field —and readers. A daily page will replace its hitherto cramped Sat- urday amusement section which hodge-podged entertainment items and crowded out much legitimate news because $f weekly space re- strictions. Change was presaged by con- sistent complaints of advertisers that the legitimate theatre, films, vaude and the niteries that their ads were being indiscrimininately jumbled, \vith reviews also scat- tered throughout the paper, With young John Bassett taking over as Telegram publisher, plus Douglas MacFarlane as managing editor and Basil Mason as circulation whipper, plan now is to correlate all amuse- ment news and ads in one section, with considerable expansion on en- tertainment news, reviews,.pix lay- outs and features, plus syndicated columnists; with these no longer to be spread throughout the paper.* The new editor of the Toronto Telegram venture' is Ken Johnson, former daily columnist of “Fun Fare,” his pillar hitherto-covering every phase of show business, for the past two years. Terminated is the understanding that film exhibitors will be given a cut in the Saturday amusemeni section—if they pay for the cost of engravings. Henceforth, news of first-run films will be dealt with on Johnson’s editorial valuation. On the brightening of its enter- tainment coverage, with the Toron- to Telegram management realizing that entertainment is just as im- portant as outdoors sports, Clyde Gilmour, film reviewer for toe Canadian Broadcasting Corp., will immediately leave his home in Van- couver to take over Johnson’s film column. ‘DESIREE’ DATED IN TWO K. C. FIRSTRUNS Kansas City, Nov. 23. This burg will have the '“unusual situation of rival firstrun houses playing the same picture day and date next week. Fairway Theatre, Fox Midwest suburban house in northeast Johnson County, just across the state line, and the Roxy Theatre, downtown flagship of the Durwood circuit, will both open “Desiree" Thanksgiving Day. Situation was brought about by bidding, Roxy buying the picture from 20th-Fox and away from the Fox Midwest houses which custom- arily play 20th product. Fox Mid- west long has been operating four theatres, Tower, Uptown, Fairway and Granada, latter-in Kansas City, Kansas, in a four-way, day-nd-date hookup, Fairway, however, is outside the Kansas City city limits, and there- fore film was bought on a separate bid for that house. Roxy has been | playing films *at 70c-90c scale, and ! Fox houses have been playing at i 65c-85c range. ! that Newton defaulted and the re* ! maining defendants “are stakehold* ' ers only.” Court- noted that Fa- mous apd Bank of America did not object to Renown receiving a re- fund but argued that no costs should be assessed against them; Jurist agreed with their contention and directed costs be levied solely against Newton. MPAA Prtxy Eric Johnston on the 25th Anniversary of the Film Code expounds The Problem 'Now Is Not of Maturity But Avoiding Old Age * * * one of the many editorial features in the 49th Anniversary Number of PfifZIETY OVT SOON Amusement Stock Quotations flV.Y, Stock Exchange) For Week Ending Tuesday (23) Net , Nat’l Screen Reps Buena ! National Screen Service has } taken over acce*ssory and trailer i distribution for Buena Vista, Walt Disney distributing subsidiary. Na- tional Film Service had had the job Latter outfit will continue the physical handling .of prints and billings for BV. American Slock Exchange Over-the*Counler Securities (Quotations furnished by Dreyfus <& Coj + Vs + % 5/ a + +8 + 114 + Vi — + Vs +314 + 14 +314 * Actual volume. DENVER NEWS GESTURES MOTION PICTURE TRADE Denver, Nov. 23. The Rocky Mountain-News here ran a^full-page advertisement re- cently at no cost as a service to the motion picture theatres in the area. Promotion was worked out by Paul H. Lyday, publicity director of Fox Inter-Mountain Amus. Corp. and Jack Foster, news editor of the pa- per. The art work, makeup, and space was contributed by the News. The ad features a series of car- toons with captions saying for ex- ample “Got a wife who’s nag- ging?” or “Got a youngster who’s tired watching tv?” or “Got a young lady you’d, like, to impress?” The solution to these situations is ! noted in bold, black letters—“Take them out to the movies!” The ad has attracted favorable attention In the Denver territory, and It’s suggested.that it might be ! tried in other areas. The Rocky Mountain News has retained the plate and Is will to supply mats or glossy proofs, to any one who would like them. They can be had by writing Jack Foster, Rocky Mountain News, Denver, Colorado. Homeoffice Labor Continued front patfe 7 dustries competing for the same labor supply. Another factor in.the stabiliza- tion of the labor supply from the film industry’s standpoint has been | a loosening up in the number of people available for the clerical and secretarial jobs. The high cost of living has sent many married women back to work. The United Nations has completed its employ- j ment needs and a number Of big 1 corporations have recently moved i their base of operation to suburbs ! of Westchester and New Jersey. ; In the latter case, many employees ! have been reluctant to make the move. It’s admitted that a “sellers mar- ket” still exists to some extent, but this applies now mainly- to highly- : skilled and technical employees. ; The film companies are still get- ■ ting their share of the beginner •help, although they offer less fringe j benefits than many other industries, j , These fringe benefits include paid i hospitalization, insurance, pensions, i longer vacations, etc. Almost all . of the film companies offer some | sort of group insurance. Hardly any provide paid hospitalization, although Universal has a group in- surance plan that includes hospital, medical and accident provisions. Only Metro and 20th-‘.’ox have pen- sion plans. Warner Bros, and Para- Market Bit Tired’; Amusements, Too By MIKE WEAR Amusement shares, in line with almost the whole list, looked a - bit tired in the stock market last week. Despite this there were 11 new highs, many of them only Slightly above previous 1954 peaks. The market has gone up with little or no pause since the day after the elections, with most of the climb sharp. With the current session held to four days by Thanksgiving and the usual tax selling in Decem- ber, not too much is expected im- mediately in the way of big ad- vances. The two CBS classes of stock confounded the statisticians by climbing even higher during the past stanza. The Class Ashares hit a new peak of 85, where they closed for a gain of nearly seven points.. CBS “B” stock went to 84-14 and wound up with a net gain of 5*4. Some figured the antitrust suit against RCA’ as helping the rival CBS. RCA had climbed to a new high of 38%, before the news of the government action. It wound up last Friday, after the news cut, at 37 for a fractional gain on the week. Universal and Decca both whooped it up, each edging to new 1954 peaks. U hit 30% while Decca went to 16. Latter closed with a 75c advance. 20th-Fox also pushed ahead to a new high of 29%. Genei*al Precision Equipment swung up to 501-4, fresh high ground for the year but was up only 75c at the closer ABC-Par Theatres continued to spar, reach- ing 2214, also a new' ’54 high, but was unchanged on the week. Stan- ley-Warner edged up a bit to 20, where it was a new. peak for the. year, It finished down fractionally. Technicolor’s new high was 14+, the closing quotation. It was one of the few film issues to chalk up a net gain for the week. Zenith, on the Big Board, con- tinued to soar, reaching 90% dur- ing the week, another 1954 peak. It finished out the session with an advance of 6% points. Skiatron, on Over-the-Counter, held around recent quotations most of the week. It failed to climb on news about the company from Washington. mount provide some benefit* through their employee club plans. Except for the femme clerical and secretarial employees;* who leave for marriage or higher pay- ing jobs, the turnover of help in the industry is extremely small.