Boxoffice-Febuary.28.1953

Milwaukee Organizes
To Aid Industry Needy
The ^oup above was snapped at the organization meeting of the Showman's Guild,
assembled in the screening room at the Fox Wisconsin Amusement Corp. building.
Harold J. Fitzgerald, president of Fox Wisconsin, is at the presiding table. Left to
right, front row: Fred Florence, L. F. Gran, Ben Marcus. Glen Kalkhoff. John
Kun.stman and .A. Provinzano. Second row: Oscar Olson, Buck Hcrzog and Deal
Fitzgerald. Third row: A. La Porte, Morris Anderson, "Hank" Toilette, Louis Orlove,
Joseph Gruenberg and Dave Chapman. Fourth row: Harold Pearson, John Adler,
Betty Laveme, Johnny Mednikow and Harry Perlewitz. Fifth row: Sig Goldberg,
Miss Branner, Andy Spheeris, John Sharnberge, Gordon Hewitt and Jack Lorentz. Last
row: Oliver Trampe (partially hidden) and Thomas Renn.
Republic's TV Sales
Financing Big Films
NEW YORK—Repubhc Pictures sold 104 of
its old features to television because the company
had lost money for three years in a row
and it needed funds for the production of
bigger budget pictures as a result of loss of
interest in the B product, Herbert J. Yates,
president, has written to Jack Kir.sch. head
of Allied of Illinois.
Kirsch wrote a letter to Yates criticizing
the sale.
The losses were encountered in 1950. 1951
and 1952, Yates wrote. Theatres stopped using
the B westerns, so Republic decided to concentrate
on a program of 18 or 20 de luxe
productions during 1953 with budgets from
.$750,000 to $2,000,000 each. An appropriation
of $5,000,000 was needed for thLs.
The entire industry is getting into TV,
Yates stated, .so "why the attempt to make a
goat out of Republic Pictures. ' He added later
that over 3.000 pictures have been offered to
TV, so that the 150 offered by Republic wa-s
only a minor part of the total. "I assure you
that every dollar collected from TV will be
used for production," he added. "We believe,"
he concluded, "our efforts during 19,53 are
entitled to the sympathy and support of exhibitors."
He offered to meet Kirsch and the Allied
board of directors in an effort to convince
them Republic has nothing but "goodwill for
members of your organization on a level with
any other studio or producer of motion pictures."
MILWAUKEE—An indu.strywide welfare orgiuiization,
kjiown as the Showman's Guild,
Inc., has been formed by film business crusaders
hei-e. largely tlirough the efforts of
Harold J. Fitzgerald, president of Fox Wisconsin
Amusement Corp.
The organization will provide help for the
industry needy, and at the first meeting here
some 50 members of the industry pledged cooperation
in the project. The meeting here
February 18. also instigated by Fitzgerald,
took up consideration of a few cases relative
to individuals who, down on their luck, were
reduced to a hand-to-mouth existence, and
of those who needed financial help in medical
caie.
Fitzgerald estimated that the Guild would
need about $25,000 to get its work started and
said that Guild members would have to raise
the money. A proposed slate of officers was
read by Ben Marcus, head of S&M Theatre
circuit, and was approved in its entirety.
L. F. Gran of Standard Theatres, with 49
years of show business behind him. outlined
some of the activities of the New York welfare
unit. Others who spoke on behalf of the
Guild and in praise of Fitzgerald were Oscar
Olson and G. C. Kalkhoff of projectionists
Local 164: Sig Goldberg, president of Wisconsin
Allied Independent Theatre Owners: Andy
Spheeris. co-owner of the Towne Theatre, and
John Kunstman, also of the projectionists
union.
Limitations on the welfare fund were discussed,
along with the questions of who would
be included, who would decide the degree of
need, the length of time before help would be
granted, the degree of secrecy involved in giving
aid, method of ascertaining who needs
help, the manner of dispersing the funds, the
matter of employing persons to work with
the fund and emergencies which might call for
help at night.
Officers of the Guild are Fitzgerald, president:
Ben Marcus, first vice-president: A. D.
Kvool, Warner Theatres, second vice-president:
L. F. Gran, treasurer; Oliver Trampe.
Film Service, assistant treasurer, and Jack
Lorentz. 20th-Pox. secretary.
The executive committee consists of the
officers and Morry Anderson. RKO; Jack
Kemptgen. 20th-Fox: John Mednikow, National
Screen Service: Oscar Olson, projectionists
Local 164: Harold Pearson. Wisconsin
Allied: John Schuyler, Delft circuit.
Du-ectors for three-year terms are Fitzgerald,
Gran. Goldberg. Howard Gleason.
Thomas Renn. Hemy Toilette. Marcus Kvool.
Harry Melcher. Angelo Piovinzano. Harry
Rosenband and Andrew Spheeris.
For two-year terms: Lorentz. Kemptgen,
David Chapman. Dean Fitzgerald. Russell
Leddy, Louis Orlove, Olson, John Schuyler,
Hugo Vogel. Gordon Hewitt, John Adler and
John O'Connor. For one-year: Morry Anderson.
Pearson. John Sharnberge. A. J. Larson.
Harry Perlewitz, A. M. LaPorte. Mednikow.
Trampe, Joseph J. Gruenberg. Harold Hampton,
John Kunstman and F. J. McWilliams.
Clubwomen Praise 'Sing'
NEW YORK—The motion picture
division
of the General Federation of Women's Clubs
is mailing its members a letter praising "Tonight
We Sing." 20th Century-Fox film, as
"more than superb entertainment." The letter
was signed by Mrs. Dean Gray Edwards,
division chairman.
Normondie Antitrust
Suit
Asks $1,200,000 Damages
NEW YORK—The Normandie Amusement
Corp.. operating the Normandie Theatre on
west 57th street, has filed a $1,200,000 antitrust
action in federal court against the major
distributors.
The Normandie .seeks a permanent injunction
to restrain the defendants from allegedly
withholding product and refusing to give it
features on a first run basis. It is charged
that Loew's and RKO are given a monopoly
on product and the theatre wants pictures
made available at the same time as these two
circuits.
The Normandie. which opened late in 1951.
had been playing important class product,
including "Encore" and "Pandora and the
Plying Dutchman." but since the first run
of RKO's "No Time for Flowers" in January,
the theatre has been playing revivals or subsequent
runs.
$3,000,000 Antitrust Action
Is Filed in Providence
PROVIDENCE, R. I.—An antitrust action,
asking for damages to the amount of $3,000,000
was filed February 18 in the U.S. district
court of Rhode Island by Elmwood Amusement
Corp.. operator of
the Liberty Theatre,
Providence, under the management of Milton
and Edward Bomes. The defendants are RKO
Rhode Island Corp.. operator of the Albee.
and former operator of the Victory, both in
Providence: Loew's State Tlieatre, Providence,
and Ralph E. Snider & As.sociates. operator
of the Palace Theatre, Cranston, R.I.. and the
eight major distributors.
18 BOXOFFICE :
: February 28, 1953