TOTAL

.
Sees Tele Film Output
Beating Theatrical
NEW YORK—Production of films for television
will far exceed production of theatrical
releases when television broadcasting reaches
its estimated goal of several hundred stations
on the air, according to Richard de
Rochemont. MOT producer. De Rochemont
spoke at a luncheon meeting of the Advertising
Women of New York at the Hotel
Astor Tuesday (18 1. Howard Dietz, vicepresident
in charge of advertising and publicity
for MGM, also addressed the meeting.
De Rochemont said television isn't going
to replace films on theatre screens just yet.
He discussed sponsored films for television.
De Rochemont feels they will be much
shorter than present theatrical releases. He
said most of the current theatrical pictures
are too long for theatre audiences.
He maintains that advertising and commercial
films have never been fully developed.
While commercial films in the past have
been geared to exploit the sponsor's product,
television film commercials must be aimed
at audiences in the home, he declared.
Dietz told the ad women that the television
industry has "made a great mistake" by
courting .sponsors. He pointed out that the
film industry has been successful because
theatrical pictures are produced for entertainment
without commercial sponsorship. Dietz
said television should have started off by
offering programs on a subscription basis to
set owners. He favors the "gas meter" type
of operation for television.
Dietz criticized what he called the prevalent
attitude that Hollywood product is not
up to par. He said one out of every 25 pictures
is outstanding, and films are very satisfactory
entertainment.
Those seated on the dais included S. Barret
McCoiTnick, RKO; Hortense Shor, Columbia;
Si Seadler, MGM: Ulric Bell, 20th-Fox:
Max Youngstein, Eagle Lion; Grace Johnsen,
incoming president of the Advertising Women
of New York; Mary McClung, president, and
Dietz and de Rochemont.
Vote Common, Preferred
Dividends on EK Stock
ROCHESTER—Eastman Kodak Co.
directors
have declared a quarterly dividend of
35 cents a share on common stock and a
regular dividend of $1.50 a share on prefeiTed
stock. Both dividends are payable
July 1 to stockholders of record June 5. The
common stock dividend is the same as the
previous quarterly dividend on common.
The directors also re-elected company officers.
They include Perley S. Wilcox, chairman
of the board; Thomas J. Hargrave,
president; Albert K. Chapman, vice-president
and general manager; Dr. C. E. Kenneth
Mees, Charles K. Flint, Adolph Stuber,
Myron J. Hayes, Ivan N. Hultman, Edward
Farrow, James E. McGhee, Edward P. Curtis,
Donald McMaster, vice-presidents; I. L.
Houley, assistant vice-president; Marion B.
Folsom, treasurer; A. H. Robinson, David
Fulton, J. Donald Fewster, assistant treasurers;
Milton F. Robinson, secretary; William
F. Shepard and H. Brereton, assistant
secretaries; Cornelius J. Van Niel, general
controller; Thomas J. McCarrick, assistant
controller.
Move
See Tele Obsolete If
To New High Band Ordered
WASHINGTON—The raising of all television
broadcasting into the ultra high frequences
(475 to 890 megacycle band) would
mean no television at all, according to Dr. C.
B. Jolliffe, executive vice-president in charge
of RCA Laboratories. Jolliffe spoke at a hearing
held by the .senate interstate and foreign
commerce committee Wednesday (12 1
JolUffe charged that those groups anxious
to move television out of its present wave
bands in favor of FM would ruin the new
medium because broadca.sters must learn how
to u.se the higher frequencies. The moveover
presents many engineering problems that
have not been solved, he declared.
The FCC has scheduled a hearing September
20 on the possibility of moving some
black and white and color television into the
higher frequency band. Senator Tobey, chairman
of the senate committee, is investigating
charges that there has been collusion within
the industry to retard the growth of FM in
favor of television.
"RCA unequivocally and categorically denies
the charge," Jolliffe said.
He pointed out FM now has 80 commercial
channels, and television has 12. Two weeks
ago the FCC turned over the 13th television
channel to FM. Jolliffe reviewed RCA's
pioneering work in both FM and television.
He mentionetd the RCA converter which can
prevent present receivers from becoming
obsolete if television moves to higher frequency
bands.
At its present rate of growth, Jolliffe declared,
television gives promise of becoming
a billion-dollar business in 1948.
New York Booking Group
To Handle Foreign Film
NEW YORK—A booking combine designed
to handle foreign films has been organized
here by Walter Lasker and Irving Schwartz.
The new firm will be known as Lasker-
Schwartz, Inc. Lasker was formerly with
Siritzky International and Major Hctures.
Schwartz was an attorney for OPA and SEC.
Lasker said the comipany has signed 20
theatres east of the Mississippi. He estimated
that outside of New York City there
are approximately 50 theatres that show foreign
films 52 weeks a year. Outlets for foreign
product in the U.S. total about 250, he said.
Lasker-Schwartz also intends to supply advertising
and promotion materials. Booking
deals will be on a flat fee or percentage basis,
depending upon the situation.
The firm was organized after Lasker made
a three-month survey of the foreign exhibition
field. He discovered that many outof-town
exhibitors did not know where to buy
product. Others had trouble getting distributors
to answer requests for product information.
Lasker said that many of the approximately
35 foreign distributors in New York
have agreed to cooperate with his firm.
ATS Holds Spring Meet
NEW YORK—The American Television society
held its spring luncheon meeting and
party at the Hotel Astor May 20. The members
saw a live preview of the U. S. Rubber
television show, "At Liberty Club," starring
Jacqueline and other television entertainers.
Policy for Holland
Hinges on Inquiry
NEW YORK—The board of MPEA will decide
on future sales plans for Holland after
it receives a report from a special corrunittee
which will investigate the Dutch situation
later this month.
A four-man committee consisting of Frank
McCarthy, MPAA continental manager; Irving
Maas, vice-president and general manager
for MPEA, and two continental managers
for member companies, will discuss
restrictions on American playing time with
the Bioscoop Bond. The meetings will be in
Amsterdam.
The decisions to organize the committee
and hold these conferences was made by the
MPEA board here May 20. The board meeting
was called to consider the latest restrictions
imposed on U.S. films. The Dutch recently
cut the playing time to eight weeks
for the six-month period ending August 26.
American product previously could be shown
32 weeks out of the year.
The MPEA contract with the Bond will expire
September 1. Member companies have
been considering disbanding MPEA offices
in Holland. When the latent playing time
restrictions were imposed, some companies
decided against renewing the agreement.
Another annoyance was the increase of admission
taxes from 20 to 35 per cent.
British Production Costs
Found Higher Than U.S.
NEW YORK—Production costs in Great
Britain are as high as they are in Hollywood
mainly because of the slower methods
used in shooting pictures, according to Jules
Levey, independent producer. A picture that
would take a month to make in Hollywood
would take almost three months in a British
studio, Levey said.
Levey, who recently returned from a sevenmonth
sui'vey of England and the Continent,
found Italy to be gaining in importance as
a competitor to England in film production.
He also reported many theatres under construction
in Italy.
During his trip, Levey closed releasing deals
in Prance, Italy. Holland, Belgium, Czechoslovakia
and other European countries for
"New Orleans," "Abilene Town" and other
pictures he produced for U.S. distribution for
United Artists. He will leave for Hollywood
late in May.
Expect L500 Will Attend
Audio-Visual Convention
CHICAGO — Approximately 1,500 persons
are expected to attend the National Audio-
Visual convention at the Sherman hotel. Chicago,
August 6-11. The convention will be
a joint meeting of the National Ass'n of
Visual Education Dealers, Film Council of
America, Educational Film Library Ass'n and
the Midwest Forum on Audio-Visual Teaching
Aids.
NAVED and the other organizations will
hold separate sessions and will hold joint
meetings. The Midwest Forum will meet
Friday and Saturday, August 6. 7; the Educational
Film Library Ass'n will begin its meeting
in joint session with the Midwest Forum
Saturday, and will continue through Monday,
August 9. Monday morning NAVED wiU join
the Forum meeting and will continue through
Wednesday, August 11.
54 BOXOFFICE :: May 22, 1948