Boxoffice-January.17.1953
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—<br />
p^i^ cft/f-e l/lction r^cti^Jie /ndiUPi//<br />
THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY<br />
Published in Nine Sectional Euitions<br />
BEN<br />
Cdilor-in-Chief<br />
SHLYEN<br />
and Publisher<br />
AMES M. JERAULD Editor<br />
;ATHAN COHEN. .Executive Editor<br />
-lSSE SHLYEN. .. .Monoging Editor<br />
IVAN SPEAR Western Editor<br />
i, L. THATCHER. .Equipment Editor<br />
JOHN G. TINSLEY. Advertising Mgr.<br />
Published Every Saturday by<br />
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS<br />
Publication Offices; 82S Van lirunt Blid.,<br />
hjiK.K lily 2t, Mu. .Nutlian Cohen. Bxeculiic<br />
HiMor; Jlssc Sliljc". ManaslnR Edil'>r;<br />
Mitrrls Scliluzman, Un^lni'ss .Manager.<br />
I 1,. Tlialrhcr. Killlur Tlie Muduin Tlleatre<br />
Sn-llon. Teleplionc nu-slnut 7777.<br />
Editorial Offices: y Itin'kefeller Plaza, New<br />
.\ Vciik 2(1. V, .lolin C. Tliislty. Advertising;<br />
Manai;er; James M. Jerauld, tkJitur;<br />
Chfsler l-'riednuin. Kililor Sllo\\mandiser<br />
SeeliiKi; Lmi II. (Jer.ird, Kdllor I'mmotion<br />
Seetlun: .\. J. Sliieker. I'^iiilpment Advertising.<br />
Teli'iihiine COInnibus 5-6370.<br />
Central Offices: Editorial— 920 No. Michigan<br />
Ave,. Chicago 11, III., Frances B.<br />
Clow. Telephone STperior 7-;i972. Advertlslni;—<br />
.iS East Wacker lirlve. -Chicago 1.<br />
III. Swing Hutchison and E. E. Yecfe.<br />
Telephone ANdnvcr 3-3042.<br />
Western Offices: Eilltorlal and Film Advertising—<br />
i;iil4 llolljvvood Blvd.. Hollywood<br />
28. Calif. Iiaii Spear, manager. Telephone<br />
i:i,;idstone ItSC. Eipilpment and<br />
Noii-Kllm Adveillsing—C72 S. Ul-'ayette<br />
I'aik IMace. I.os Angeles, Calif. Roll Wettsleiii.<br />
manager. Teleplione DL'nklrk 8-2286.<br />
Washington Office: Al Goldsmith, 1365<br />
National i'ress Itlilg. Phone Metropolitan<br />
8-1101)1. Sara Young. 415 Third St., N-\V.<br />
The MdltEKN TIIKATUE Section Is Included<br />
In the fhst Issue of each month.<br />
The PliOMOTMIN Section Is Included In<br />
the third Issue of eadi month.<br />
Albany: 21-23 Walter Ave,. J. S. Conners.<br />
Kiimlngham: The News, ICddie B:idger.<br />
Boston: Frances W. Ilariling, 1.1b. 2-0305.<br />
Charlolte: 300 W. 3rd St.. Klclwrd E.<br />
I'^lSOII.<br />
Cilicl Lti: 4020 l!e:idliig. Lillian Uzarns.<br />
Clevelaiul: Elsie Loeb, Fairmont 1-0046.<br />
Dallas: 200.s,\ Jackson. Frank Bradley.<br />
Iieiiver: 1645 Lafayette, .lack Rose,<br />
TA 8517.<br />
i>es Moines: Iteglstcr-Trihune. Buss Schoch.<br />
lU'lHdf Kiix Theatre Bhig., If. F. Itevcs.<br />
Iriiiianapolls: Itoute 8. Ito.'i 770. Howard<br />
.M. Ifudemi.x. OA 333!).<br />
Memphis: 707 Spring St.. Null Adams.<br />
Minneapolis; 2123 I'Vctmillt. So , Les Bees.<br />
.Ni'w Ihiven: New Haven lEegisler. Walter<br />
lliular.<br />
.\fw Orleans: l''riinees Jordan, N.O. States.<br />
Ilkla. Clly: 821 NE 23rd. Polly Trlndle.<br />
Ilm:ilia nil 51st St., Irving Baker.<br />
I'lnladeliihia: 5303 Berks. Norman Shigon<br />
rillsliuriih: li. F. ICIingensmlth. 51C Jeaniiette.<br />
Wilklnshnrg. niurchlll 1-2809.<br />
I'otllanii. Ore.: Arnold Marks. Oregon<br />
J<br />
iiaL<br />
St. Louis: 5140 Uosa. liavld Barrett.<br />
Sail Lake City; Deseret News, II. Pearson.<br />
San Anlniilo: 326 San Pedro, B-39280.<br />
L. J. B. Ketncr.<br />
Siiri Fraueiseo: (Jail LIpman, 25 Taylor St..<br />
(Irihvay 3-4812. .Vdverllsing: Jerry Nowell.<br />
Howard BIdg , 209 Post St.,<br />
YUkiin n-2522.<br />
Seattle: 130:i Campus Pkwy , Dave Ballard.<br />
Ill<br />
Canada<br />
Calgary: The Her;ild. Myron l.alta.<br />
Mcailreal: 404 St. Francis Xavier St..<br />
Koioti 10. Itov Carmicluiel,<br />
St John: 116 Prince Edward, W. McNuIty.<br />
Tormilo: I! |{. 1. York Mills. iM. Galhraith.<br />
V.UK'onver: Lyric Theatre Bhlg. Jack Droy.<br />
Wirinipi'g: 282 Itupertsland, Ben Summers.<br />
Member Audit Bureau of Circulations<br />
Filtered as Second Class matter at Post<br />
(Iffice. Kans.is Cily. Mo. Seetion.il Edition,<br />
$3,00 per year: National Edition. $7.50.<br />
[JANUARY<br />
,Ai| Vol. 62<br />
1 7, 19 5 3<br />
No. 12<br />
ALLIED BOLTS THE DOOR<br />
=7<br />
«^^ HE h(i|)o that National .Mlicd uduld<br />
tHii(lil\ its positidii taken at its Chicapo coiiveiitioii<br />
relative to aibilialion went out the window<br />
when its board met in .New Orleans this week.<br />
.•\nd the "open door'" that was thought to e.xist<br />
has now^ been shjit tight and bolted, judging<br />
Irom the statement issued by the board and<br />
subsequent cotnnieiil thereon made by Wilbur<br />
Snaper. .Mlied jiresident. on his return to New<br />
^ork.<br />
Mr. Snaper declares that "Allied has not dosed<br />
the door to further discussion of grievances with<br />
the distributors, BLT the discussions would have<br />
to be outside the jrameivork oj any arbitration<br />
plan." So tliat not only puts the matter oi<br />
settling trade disputes back where it was two<br />
months ago, but back where it was near!) a<br />
score of years ago.<br />
The thought that oiih the non-inclusion of<br />
film rentals in the distributors draft of arbitrable<br />
matters was the stumbling block has been given<br />
new meaning in the further comments by Mr.<br />
Snaper. He includes virtually all the other causes<br />
for grievance complaints under that one heading,<br />
namely, clearances, runs, percentages, advanced<br />
admissions, pictures and prints. And he adds,<br />
"everything involves rentals."<br />
Apparently overlooked is the fact that the<br />
arbitration draft in question DOES provide for<br />
dealing with clearance, runs, admission scales,<br />
competitive bidding, pre-release showings at advanced<br />
prices. If all of these things involve<br />
rentals, then rentals will be indirectly, if not<br />
directh, dealt with in hearings of complaints by<br />
arbitration boards. And from this experience<br />
there might, at long last, evolve a permanent<br />
Solution to this perplexing and vexatious problem.<br />
This sounds L topian. but we have in mind<br />
the arriving at a formula or pattern for filmpricing<br />
that would serve to provide a fair share<br />
of a theatre's grossing potential, both to the<br />
exhibitor and distributor. It would take f;pen<br />
minds, to be sure. But, only, if "pay-as-little-as<br />
possible" l)u\er<br />
practices and "get-all-the-trafficwill-bear"<br />
distribution practices are converted to<br />
RE.\LLY fair and honest dealing, will the pricehaggling<br />
ever be stopped. And onl\ then will<br />
some semblance of contentment abide and give<br />
both exhibitors and distributors more time to<br />
do the better job of selling their entertainment<br />
wares to the public, which, after all. is the best<br />
way to improve the financial status of all elements<br />
of the industry.<br />
Allied has chosen to pursue another course,<br />
namely, to seek out and bring evidence of law<br />
violation in connection with film-pricing policies<br />
and practices to the attention of government<br />
agencies and to the courts. Thus, it is believed,<br />
"exhibitor rights now flouted may be adequately<br />
protected." We wonder.<br />
Remembering that it took 12 years in the<br />
courts to obtain the consent decrees, which it is<br />
now charged are being violated, it is to be<br />
wondered how long it will take and whether the<br />
results sought can be obtained by again pursuing<br />
such a course. It should also be remembered<br />
that some of the unfair trade practices<br />
that are today working to the disadvantage of<br />
(^xhibitors, in some cases causing hardship, are<br />
the direct outgrowth of those very decrees that<br />
were expected to right the wrongs that existed.<br />
But the cure seems to have become worse than<br />
the<br />
disease.<br />
Parenthetically, further appeals to government<br />
agencies than have already been made,<br />
may result in government control of this industry<br />
(which has been threatened) and that<br />
would really make a mess of things!<br />
There is no denying that many exhibitors,<br />
particularly those in neighborhood and smalltown<br />
situations are hard-pressed by existing<br />
general conditions: that many are in desperate<br />
straits, due to a drop in gross and increa.sed<br />
cost of operations and, therefor(\ need film rental<br />
term adjustments and other alleviations in order<br />
to remain in business. But the problems, involved<br />
here and in less extreme cases, cannot<br />
be settled by court decree or by any punitive<br />
action that might be imposed.<br />
That goes for other problems that have beset<br />
the industry, most especially those resulting from<br />
court decisions referred to above.<br />
In many industries, arbitration has been found<br />
a boon. It has made possible the settlement of<br />
disputes and the resolving of trade practice<br />
problems that previously had been dragged<br />
through courts and had otherwise became aggravated.<br />
No one benefited—except the lawyers.<br />
But even they will admit that "a poor settlement<br />
out of court is better than the best judgment one<br />
can obtain through the courts." This industry<br />
many in it, at least—should know.<br />
The majority in this industry who have favored<br />
and staunchly supported the establishment of an<br />
arbitration system did not expect it to be allinclusive<br />
and perfect from the start. And, since<br />
the plan under way was not to be final but<br />
subject to a period of trial, it is difficult to<br />
understand what risk any individual or group<br />
could feel was so great as not to take that trial<br />
run. Especially since this was to be a purely<br />
voluntary move and court action could still be<br />
taken by those who chose it.<br />
Expression has been given to the view that<br />
the Department of Justice and federal district<br />
court, which must give their approval to an<br />
industry arbitration plan, will not do so, unless<br />
all exhibitor organization groujjs endorse it. For<br />
the good of the industry, we hope this is not<br />
true,"but that a majority exhibitor approval will<br />
prevail.<br />
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