I distant ; No TV Monopoly Sought, Gael Sullivan Contends NEW YORK—American theatres have no des.re to monopolize "any category of films for theatre television, and more than they have ever monopolized programs for theatres," writes Gael Sullivan, executive director of Theatre Owners of America, in the foreword to a recent address on theatre television delivered Dy Nathan L. Halpern before the Southern California Theatre Owners Ass'n. The address has been reprinted for public distribution. "An important direction for tlie motion picture industry is theatre television as an added attraction to the basic film features," Sullivan writes. "If theatre television were to increase boxoffice only 25 times a year, it might well provide a profitable difference in Paul Lazarus Jr. to Take Columbia Sales Post NEW YORK—Paul Lazarus Jr., who resigned his United Artists executive post last week will take a sales position with profitable theatre operations and in stabilizing all segments of the film industry. "As with all new media, some misunderstanding has arisen regarding theatre television. It is intended to supplement, not supplant, film features in theatres. It is intended to be a separate medium from tele- Columbia, and has turned down the reported offer to become executive assistant to Arthur L. Mayer, the new executive vice-president of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations. President Ned E. Depinet has appointed Max A, Cohen, chairman, and Robert W. Coyne and Oscar A. Doob as members to assist Mayer in matters of organization, personnel and setting up an office. vision broadcasting into homes. The home programs, supported by advertising, will be different, just as free home entertainment always has been different from the boxoffice attraction in theatres." Harry Arthur in Open Letter Stresses Need for 'Entertainment/ New Stars ST. LOUIS—Harry C. Arthur jr., president of Fanchon & Marco, who last week wrote to Joseph Mankiewicz, president of the Screen Dii-ectors Guild, to tell him, in effect, that too many pictures were being made for the intelligentsia and not enough for mass entertainment, added to his statement this week. He WTot€ an open letter to the heads of all major and independent production companies and distribution chiefs expanding his views. "There is nothing wrong with the fUm business—except ourselves," he said, "and our growing tendency to educate, to propagandize, to lift the masses to higher intelligence level, in accordance with what we believe they should have for entertainment. Our thinking has been wrong. We have nearly forgotten what real entertainment is." Tlie patron doesn't want education or propaganda, or "realism," Arthur decljired. "He wants escape—just for a little while." "It's high time, too," he said, "we started a concentrated campaign of building new stars to take the place of the venerable oldsters, who, although still capable of excellent histrionics, daily are fading in popularity. Dramatically perfect as they are, they no longer can believably portray romantic teens in the eyes of those 16-to-30 "youngsters' who comprise at least 65 per cent of our boxoffice fans. "We need new star personalities—as we have never before needed them in the history of our industry. Give these to our patrons—together with pictures that entertain —together with the established stars whose presence will aid the youngsters in their climb to stardom and will assure maximum acceptance for them—and the boxoffices of the nation again will click with activity. Give them to US—the exhibitors of the nation— and we'll pitch in to help you build them to top-star values—with every ounce of showmanship at our command. "I respectfully suggest that you ask your producers, particularly the more experienced ones, to make a careful study and analysis of the results of your, and other companies, during the past 35 years—and thereby rediscover for themselves what form of EN- TERTAINMENT, enacted by what kind of star personalities, have produced the best and most lasting results." $3,000,000 Rentals Suit Is Filed Against B&K CHICAGO — Another antitrust action again the Balaban & Katz Corp. and major film distributors—an offshoot of the year-old Essaness circuit case—^was filed in Chicago district court August 11 by the Henry Thompson estate. The suit, asking for triple damages from the circuit and majors, would total $3,000,- 000 in final count. The action, believed to be the first of its kind, has a landlord suing the film concerns. It asks for recovery of rentals from 1939 through 1947, which were lost allegedly due to the conspiracy on the part of the defendants. The Thompson restaurant chain, which partly owned the Oriental Theatre, had a rental deal to garner half of the net intake of the independent house. COMPO Financing (Continued from page 9) line or two indicating that this is "your voluntary contribution." Regional Allied meetings scheduled between now and the end of the year will be; Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, Netherlands Plaza hotel, Cincinnati, September 19-21; Allied Theatres of Michigan, Inc., Hotel Book-Cadillac, Detroit, September 25, 26; Allied Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, October 2-4 (this will be at the same time and place as the national board of directors meeting) Independent Theatre Owners of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Schroeder hotel. Milwaukee. October 30-November 1; Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana. Hotel Lincoln. Indianapolis, November 13. 14; Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Iowa and Nebraska. Inc.. Ames. Neb., November 14, 15; West Virginia Theatre Managers Ass'n, Greenbrier liotel. White Sulphur Springs. West Va., August 30. 31. TOA regional meetings will be as follows: Kansas-Missouri Theatre Owners Ass'n. Hotel Phillips. Kansas City, September 26-27; Kentucky Ass'n of Theatre Owners, Louisville. October 18-19; Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina. Charlotte, October 1-3; Motion Picture Theatre Owners of St. Louis Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois, St. Louis. November 13-14. The Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Exhibitors will meet at Cal-Neva Lodge, Lake Tahoe, Calif., September 14-17. In the meantime Arthur Mayer intends to contact leading circuits as rapidly as possible. One of the first circuit meetings pending is the Fox Midw'est organization at Kansas City, August 29-30. A number of wrinkles remain to be ironed out in the methods of collection. COMPO Leaders Express Gratitude to Harmon NEW YORK—Francis S. Harmon, vicepresident of the Motion Picture Ass'n of America, who was one of the most active workers in the preliminary work leading up to the start of the Committee of Motion Picture Organizations, was honored at the executive board meeting Wednesday (9). A resolution passed unanimously read: "At the close of this most vital and most productive of COMPO meetings, it is fitting and proper that this executive board express its hearty recognition to and deep gratitude for the role that has been played by Francis S. Harmon ever since the conception of the organization. "Without his wise counsel, indefatigable efforts and most efficient handling of the multitudinous details concerned with the COMPO idea, its development, and bringing it into actuality, we do not believe COMPO could ever have overcome the many obstacles which normally beset the formation of such an organization consisting of so many elements of divergent interests. "We therefore put on the record a warm appreciation of every member of the executive board for Mr. Harmon's great contribution to the establishment of COMPO and we look forward to some time in the not too future toward an opportunity to manifest our regard and our thanks in some concrete manner." 14 BOXOrnCE :: August 19, 1950
^ Yoi^ Sef/n /f^/f ^/s/?ey ffesy^/f^ First,"Cinderella"; then"Treasure Island", and now, ^^Seaver Valley^ — THE SENSATIONAL TICKET-SELLING SHORT FEATUREl "Novelties of this kind are the kind of tonic the boxoffice needs." _ Hollywood Reporter to a feature, will add a great deal of class." — <strong>Boxoffice</strong> "Thirty-two minutes of Technicolor wonderment." — Daily Variety "Delightful, refreshing entertainment. The audience should greet it with avid delight. There should be more like it." — Film Daily "The legion of fans who fondly remember 'Seal Island' will be eager to see it ... As a companion piece "Beautifully told in color, sound and music, and with a good dramatic pattern, this short feature should command attention." _ Yariety "The photography of wild life has probably never been equalled ..." _ M. P. Herald "An unusual, and, in many ways, an extraordinary subject and a notable follow-up of 'Seal Island'." _ m. P. Daily "A spectacular collection of animal shots in natural habitat . . . Should prove a great hit." — The Exhibitor Running Time, 32 Minutes presents A TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURE ^< Prim by TECHNICOLOR
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