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Arbitration<br />
ARBITRATION discussions have passed<br />
the quibbling and maneuvering stage and<br />
have reached the point where both exhibitors<br />
and distributors are being asked:<br />
"What will you take?"<br />
It can't be all or nothing for both sides.<br />
Eric Johnston went to work on the situation<br />
a day or two after he returned from<br />
South America and had his first talk with<br />
exhibitor leaders Piiday il2i. He met the<br />
distribution heads of the majors Thursday<br />
(181.<br />
Both sides have had a chance to study<br />
the two drafts of an arbitration plan now<br />
extant as a result of eight months of discussion.<br />
The meetings are completely informal<br />
and the participants have not been<br />
through a series of w^earing crises that the<br />
negotiators endured in making the progress<br />
that has been achieved to date.<br />
Final decisions on how far the distributors<br />
are willing to go probably will be made<br />
by company heads between now and the<br />
January meeting of the National Allied<br />
board of directors. If the Allied leaders decide<br />
they want to resume talks at that time,<br />
there will be renewed hope for an arbitration<br />
system; if they decide against resumption,<br />
the chances for any arbitration that<br />
will get at the root of current problems<br />
will be extremely dim for the foreseeable<br />
future.<br />
A united industry front might make an<br />
impression on the new Department of Justice<br />
setup that will take over January 20,<br />
but a divided front will not get very far<br />
for a long time.<br />
Several months may elapse even after an<br />
agreement on arbitration details has been<br />
reached, because there will still remain the<br />
problems of financing and the ironing out<br />
of organization details.<br />
RCA Reports on Opera<br />
^PTER assembling exhibitor comments on<br />
both the James Lees & Sons morning<br />
TV se.ssions in theatres and the reception<br />
of the Metropolitan Opera broadcast of<br />
"Carmen," J. P. O'Brien, manager of the<br />
theatre, sound and visual equipment sales<br />
of RCA Victor, predicted an upsurge of installations.<br />
Both telecasts were "outstanding" successes,<br />
he said, and "established the commercial<br />
practicability of theatre TV installations."<br />
Thirteen of the 18 theatres that showed<br />
"Carmen," he said, were equipped with RCA<br />
apparatus.<br />
Test for Television<br />
pELEViSION may turn out to be a way to<br />
gel more advertising value out of an expensive<br />
premiere. Charles Einfeld, advertising<br />
and publicity vice-president of 20th<br />
Century-Pox. has made the first limited<br />
network lest and is quite .satisfied with the<br />
results. There will be more of them.<br />
Premieres can be exciting and can supply<br />
pictorial values, but in the past most of<br />
their promotion worth has been confined<br />
to the cities where they have taken place.<br />
For the opening of "Stars and Stripes<br />
Forever" at the Roxy Theatre, New York<br />
22<br />
By JAMES M. JERAULD<br />
Monday i22i , Einfeld arranged a half-hour<br />
TV hookup with American Broadcasting co.<br />
on WJZ-TV and also stations in Philadelphia.<br />
Chicago, Atlanta and Cleveland. This<br />
ran from 8:30 to 9 p. m. The presence of<br />
the U.S. Marine band and Clifton Webb<br />
made it a first class attraction from the<br />
network's viewpoint. Robert Q. Lewis and<br />
Maggie McNeills handled the commentary.<br />
A kinescope recording was made and the<br />
program was repeated in Baltimore and<br />
Detroit Wednesday night.<br />
How much did it cost? That's a trade<br />
secret with Einfeld, but he is convinced that<br />
more people saw this premiere than had<br />
ever seen one before and he is watching the<br />
boxoffice returns with an eager eye.<br />
Inauguration Day<br />
JANUARY 20 is going to be a big day<br />
but not for theatres. It falls on a Tuesday.<br />
Good day to watch the bookings.<br />
The competition will be sharper than was<br />
the counter-draw of the two political conventions,<br />
because the coverage is shorter<br />
and more dramatic.<br />
The three leading broadcasting chains<br />
estimate 20,000,000 sets will be in use. Between<br />
300 and 400 TV technicians, announcers<br />
and others will be used. Equipment<br />
has already been installed in the<br />
crypt room of the Capitol at Washington.<br />
Even the Inaugural Ball at night will be<br />
covered.<br />
Newsreels are making the same elaborate<br />
preparations they used in Chicago, but<br />
their footage will not appear on most<br />
screens until Thursday.<br />
None of His Films for TV,<br />
Says David O. Selznick<br />
NEW YORK—David O. Selznick will not<br />
sell old pictures of Selznick Releasing Organization<br />
to television, says Frank I. Davis<br />
jr., vice-president. His statement wa.s made<br />
in reply to recent reports that Selznick had<br />
asked $1,000,000 for his old product.<br />
Selznick has rejected offers in excess of<br />
$1,000,000, says Davis. The Selznick organization<br />
made a study of the television market<br />
la t year, Davis states, and has repeatedly<br />
turned down "unsolicited offers."<br />
Selznick's present intention is to reissue<br />
the films for theatre use. He returned from<br />
Rome Monday (22i, where he had been tor<br />
some time producing "Terminal Station,"<br />
starring Jennifer Jones and Montgomery<br />
Clift, and began discu.ssing the rei.ssue plans.<br />
Archbold H. Robinson New<br />
Eastman Kodak Treasurer<br />
NEW YORK—Archbold H. Robin.son has<br />
been elected treasurer of Eastman Kodak<br />
Co., following the resignation of Marion P.<br />
Folsom as treasurer and director.<br />
Polsoni resigned to take an appointment as<br />
undersecretary of the treasury. Robinson will<br />
take over his new post when Folsom's resignation<br />
becomes effective at the end of the<br />
year.<br />
Carl L. Stevenson has been named assistant<br />
treasurer. He has been manager of the employe<br />
benefits department.<br />
Three Contests Set<br />
For Variety Clubs<br />
NEW YORK—Three contests designed t<br />
get publicity for Variety Clubs Internations<br />
are in work. One is a photo competitioi<br />
another is for the best published story an<br />
the third is for the best tent scrap book.<br />
The photo competition will be open to i 3'\<br />
'<br />
professional and press photographers, whethe<br />
or not members of any Variety Club, but th<br />
pictures must be on some Variety activity o<br />
personality. The photos must have been re<br />
produced in some recognized newspapei<br />
magazine, tradepaper or periodical. Entr;<br />
forms will be provided by all tents and thes'<br />
must be mailed to Edward Emanuel, 24i<br />
North Clarion St.. Philadelphia 7. Pa., no<br />
later than April 1. An BxlO-inch glossy black<br />
and white print must accompany each filled<br />
in entry blank. Top award will be $300.<br />
The published story competition also wil<br />
be open until April 1 and entries should als(<br />
be sent to Edwai-d Emanuel. First prize wil<br />
be a free trip to the Mexico City convention<br />
The scrap books should cover material collected<br />
between June 1 of this year and Apri<br />
I of next year. Blanks should be signed bj<br />
the chief barker of each tent. Emanuel also i;<br />
in charge of this competition. The first prizt<br />
will be a three-day visit to the Flamingc<br />
hotel, La-s Vegas. The winning scrap book<br />
will be exhibited at the Mexico City conven<br />
tion.<br />
Variety<br />
Mexico Convention<br />
Postponed to May 18-22<br />
NEW YORK—The Mexico City convention<br />
of Variety Clubs International scheduled for<br />
April has been postponed to May 18-22.<br />
It was found that the April dates conflicted!<br />
with several events being staged by tents inl<br />
r<br />
the United States. A "Good-will Train" toj<br />
run through to Mexico City is now beingj<br />
organized by William Koster of Tent 23,<br />
Boston.<br />
12 Committeemen Named<br />
For Brotherhood Week<br />
NEW YORK— Sol A. Schwartz, national<br />
chairman for the amusement industry's participation<br />
in Brotherhood week, has named 12<br />
committee members who will serve under him<br />
on behalf of the 25th anniversary of the National<br />
Conference of Christians and Jews,<br />
to be held February 15-22.<br />
William W. Howard has been named vicer<br />
chairman and Harry Mandel, coordinator.<br />
Ben Kalmen.son is the national distributor<br />
chairman with Bernard Goodman as his<br />
assistant: Si Seadler is national distributor<br />
chairman with Ira Morals as his assistant.<br />
Walter Reade jr. is national exhibitor chairman.<br />
Brooks Atkinson is chairman for the<br />
legitimate theatres division, William J. German<br />
is laboratories chairman. Walton C.<br />
Ament is newsreel chairman. Richard P.<br />
Walsh is chairman for labor organizations<br />
and Burton Robblns is acce.s.sories chairman.<br />
To Study Subscription TV<br />
WASHINGTON — Tlic<br />
Radio-Tclevision|<br />
Manufacturers A.ss'n on Friday (19i announced<br />
formation of a ten-man committee<br />
to study subscription television. All ten represent<br />
television set manufacturers.<br />
BOXOFFICE December 27, 1952
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