Boxoffice-January.10.1953

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Baltimore Verdict
On First Runs Upheld
BALTIMORE — A lower court decision
against the Crest Theatre of Baltimore, which
had sued eight motion picture companies in
a case involving first run rights, was affirmed
Monday (5i by the U.S. Fourth circuit court
of appeals in Charlotte. N. C.
The case had been appealed by the owners
of the Crest after a federal court jury in
Baltimore last May decided that the distributors
were not violating the antitrust laws in
granting first run rights to only seven downtown
theatres.
The case had been appealed in the name of
Theatre Enterprises. Inc., operator of the
Crest Theatre.
The plaintiff contended that Paramount.
Loew's, RKO. 20th-Fox. Universal. United
Artists, Warners and Columbia conspired to
grant first run rights to only seven downtown
theatres.
The Baltimore group claimed $205,000 damages,
tripled under the federal laws. Another
$52,000 tripled was claimed for damage resulting
from alleged discrimination in prices
and clearance times for second run pictures
after being denied first run rights.
McCarthy Is Entertained
By Foreign Managers
NEW YORK—Major company foreign
managers entertained John G. McCarthy, resigned
vice-president in charge of international
affairs of the Motion Picture Ass'n
of America, at a luncheon Monday i5) at
the Harvard club and gave him an inscribed
silver tray. He left with Mrs. McCarthy at
the weekend for a vacation at Nassau in the
Bahamas. He said he would announce his
future plans on his return February 1.
Officials of the Society of Independent
Motion Picture Producers have confirmed
that they have had talks with McCarthy, who
resigned his MPAA post when Eric Johnston,
president, reorganized the foreign setup and
took over personal supervision. They have
said they would like to have McCarthy with
them in a post similar to that he held with
the MPAA. A SIMPP executive committee
meeting will be held shortly in Hollywood,
with Ellis Arnall, president, presiding.
MPAA Sees Early Johnston
Return From Honolulu
NEW YORK—Eric Johnston, president of
the Motion Picture Ass'n of America, was
expected to return here over the weekend
following an address during the week before
the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce. He had
changed his plans to return east following
the Christmas holidays, and instead went
directly to Honolulu by plane after addressing
the Chamber of Commerce at Spokane, Wash.,
on how motion pictures can fight communism
through ridicule.
Plan Airer Near Homer
HOMER, N. Y.—Plans to build a 500-car
drive-in on Route 11 about a mile north of
here have been announced by W. A. Shaw.
He recently purchased a 118-acre farm on
which he plans to build his ozoner. About
15 acres will be used. Shaw has owned and
operated an airer at Malone for the last five
years.
NEWARK
Tames Kolbeck, manager of Loew's Jersey
tied in the Brunswick Laundry on "Plymouth
Adventure," which played at the Jersey
and State here. The laundry distributed
25,000 numbered circulars in bundles of laundry.
Persons receiving the bundles with
number corresponding to numbers posted in
the lobby, gained free admissions. A 17-foot
model of the Mayflower, used for photographic
effects in the film, was stationed for
inspection in Military park in this city and
in Journal Square, Jersey City.
Louis Prelskel, manager of the Park. Caldwell,
tied in with Laufer Bros, shoe store on a
sponsored matinee for kids at Christmas .
"Justice Brown," scripted by George Slavin
and George George, is in production by 20th-
Fox . Colwell. a former employe of
Warner Theatres, who w-orked as assistant
at the Capitol and the Castle in Irvington.
has taken over the management of the
LjTic
. Rex. East Rutherford, is
closed . . . Frank Holler has returned to his
former post as manager of the Roosevelt,
Union City Nicholas Capirsello, who has
gone back to the Stanley, Jersey City, used
lobby displays and stickers on buses on "April
in Paris," in addition to tieing in with colored
sections of local newspapers.
.
Dorothy Gorski, cashier at the Paramount,
has resigned to devote herself to housekeeping
. . . Ellen DeGroot, parttime cashier, has
taken over the vacated post . Snows
of Kilimanjaro" broke hou.se records at the
State, Jersey City soda dispensing
machine was broken and robbed of its cash
at the Essex on New Year's eve.
Sidney Stem, co-owner of the Columbia
Amusement Corp., spent a week in Florida
over the holidays . were given
away to children at a kiddy matinee at the
Beacon. East Orange ... On leavmg the
Park Theatre a young man was attacked by
a group of teenagers wearing jackets inscribed
"Barbarians" and carrying blackjacks
and other weapons. He was taken to
Beth Israel hospital and later identified his
assailants.
$30,000 Fire in Milton, Del.
MILTON. DEL.—A discarded cigaret was
believed to have been the cause of a $30,000
fire in the Milton Theatre here. The fire,
originating in the rear of the balcony, apparently
flared up after the 11 p. m. closing.
E. M. Scott jr.. owner and manager, said
although the fire was confined to a small area
his building suffered considerable smoke and
water damage. Scott said repairs had started
and the reopening is expected late this
month or in early February. The damage was
partly covered by insurance.
SIMPP Executives to Meet
HOLLYWOOD — An executive committee
meeting was planned for the latter pai't of
the week by the Society of Independent Motion
Picture Producers following the Monday
(51 arrival of Ellis Arnall, organization
president, from his home in Atlanta. Arnall
planned a week of parleys with Gunther
Lessing, board chairman, and Marvin Faris.
executive secretary.
Theatres in Battle
On Tax-Anything
HARRISBURG— Pennsylvania's 140th regular
general assembly session convened January
6 and then recessed until January 26.
Gov. John S. Fine has estimated that about
$200,000,000 in additional taxes will be needed
to run the state government in the 1953-55
biennium.
Theatre owners and other amusement enterprises
will stage a campaign to have the
"enabling act" knocked out of existence in
the commonwealth's book of laws. This law
permits political subdivisions to tax "practically
anything" not taxed by the state. The
number of political subdivisions which used
the act more than doubled in 1952. Available
figures from the state municipal affairs
bureau show 1,996 local governments levying
2.544 taxes as of last September 1. The yield
is estimated at mere than $32,000,000 for 1951.
Types of levies authorized include amusement,
business, deed, income, per capita, trailer,
billboards, television towers, etc.
Eligible to use the money-making benefits
of the act are 5,070 government units of the
Keystone state, second and third class cities,
boroughs, first and second class townships
and school districts.
After five years, the local amusement tax
has killed off theatres and theatre attendance
in many situations. Probably 400 Pennsylvania
municipalities are collecting the socalled
"local" amusement tax of 10 per cent
of the established price at theatres, amusements-recreations
and sports events.
Funeral Services Are Held
For Mrs. Albert S. Howson
NEW YORK—Funeral services for Mrs.
Loretta Healy Howson. 69. wife of Albert S.
Howson, director of censorship for Warner
Bras., were held Friday (9) at Our Lady
Queen of Martyrs church. Forest Hills. Mrs.
Howson died Tuesday (6) at the Horace
Harding hospital, Elmhurst, Queens.
Mi-s. Howson wqs a former actress and
up to 1925 when she retired had appeared
in a number of Shakespearean repertory
companies. She is survived by her husband,
a sister,
Healy.
Hubert
Mrs. Mary C. Murtha, and a brother,
Mrs. Osa Johnson
NEW YORK—Mrs. Osa Johnson, widow of
Martin Johnson and co-author and co-producer
with him of a series of films that
were well known over a period of years, was
found dead Wednesday (7) in the Hotel
Woodward. She was believed to have died of
a heart attack. Mrs. Johnson was a native
of Chanute, Kas. Her husband was killed in
an airplane accident in 1939 and she was
injured in the crash.
Charles Rosenzweig
NETW YORK—Funeral services for Charles
Rosenzweig, former vice-president of RKO
Radio, were held Fi'iday i2) at the Park
West Memorial chapel. Rosenzweig died
Tuesday (30) at the age of 62. He is survived
by the widow and a daughter, two
sons and thi'ee sisters.
BOXOFFICE :: January 10, 1953 47