Boxoffice-May.21.1979

I
Ji
Gold Medal for Wayne
Called 'Appropriate'
WASHINGTON — Calling John Wayne
"ihc
quintessential American," Jack Valcnli
submitted a statement to a House siibonimittee
holding hearings May 21 on
,1 bill to authorize a specially struck $5,000
gold medal to be piesented to the actor by
the president in behalf of the Congress in
recognition of his distinguished career.
The president of the Motion Picture Associaiion
of America was at the Cannes film
festival and could not 'appear in person.
Rep. Barry M. Goldwater Jr. of California
introduced the bill which is similar to
one by his father, the senator from Arizona,
and which has already passed the Senale.
The hearing was before a subcommiltee
headed by Rep. Frank Annunzio of Illinois.
Valenti's statement said, in part:
'The resolution of the Congress to recommend
awarding to John Wayne a Gold
Medal may be one of the most appropriale
K solves ever taken by this Congress. Duke
\\a\ne is such an extraordinary legend that
one is tempted to enlarge the truth when
the truth is perfectly adequate for either
summit or sermon. If the sum of an American
artist is deemed to be the illuminated
expression of this nation, then Duke
Wayne's life and achievements fit the gauge.
For fifty years he has stalked outlaws, exlerminated
villainy, protected the innocent,
explored the wilderness, forded rivers,
driven cattle, and most of all, loved the land
and his country. Beyond a doubt, he is the
quintessential American and to the people in
the United States he is a biave, noble and
heroic man."
Anti-Blind Bid Legislation
Signed Into Law in Maine
Maine became the 14th slate to pass
anti-blind bidding legislation when Gov.
Joseph R Brennan signed the bill into
law on Maj 22. The anti-blind bid bill
passed the Maine House, 124-10, on
April 12. The Senate passed the bill
with a voice vote on May 10.
NATO officials said that Charles
Champine, district manager of SBC
Management Corp. in Boston, was instrumental
in both getting the bill introduced
in the state as well as serving
as a liaison.
Other states where blind bidding is a
hot issue include Texas, where the antiblind
bid legislation will die if it is not
moved out of the House calendars committee
by the end of this month. In
Ohio, the constitutionality of the law,
which that state passed in 1978, will
be tested at a trial slated for July 2.
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Creditors Committee Plans to Pull
Allied Artists
NEW YORK—Samuel Sherman says A
lied Artists should be peimitted to pull out
of its financial plunge,
"I'm opposed to all these pressure groups
trying to liquidate the company," he said.
"It will be a great loss to the industry,"
Sherman, president of Independent-Inleinational
Pictures, has been approved as the
head of the creditors' committee for the
television division of Allied Artists Indu.stries,
which filed for reorganization in federal
bankruptcy court last month.
The approval of his creditors' commillec
is the first important step in saving the
company, Sherman said. The commitlee,
which represents the creditors of Allied
Artists Television Corp., consists of Sherman
and producers Harold Rothbeig and
Monroe Rappaport. Daniel Kenis, chairman
of Independent-International, was elected
standby trustee.
Auditing First Step
The committee intends to reorganize Ihc
television division, make it viable and pay
off Allied Artists Industries' creditors. Sherman
said the division was being audited as a
preliminary step. He also said that the TV
division had the best chance to get back
on its feet because it had the smallest debt,
the smallest overhead and the highest cash
flow.
The company is being pulled under by
the losses of the theatrical division of the
company, Allied Artists Picture Corp., Sherman
said. He said that the television division
didn't belong in bankruptcy court because
it
has "very, very excellent TV sales."
Sherman said that liquidation of Allieil
Artists would have a ripple effect on the
industry, causing a loss of credibility. A
result would be the financial world waiting
to see which company would fail next, he
said.
Back to 1924
The liquidation of Allied Artists, he said,
would mark the first time in the history of
the industry that a major company had been
dissolved in such a way.
The history of Allied Artists dates lo
1924, when W. Ray Johnston formed Ray
Art Pictures to produce independent features
films. It did so until 1928 when it
became Syndicated Pictures.
The name changed in 1930 to Monogram
Pictures. It was an independent company
producing "B" pictures. The subsidiary's
name was Allied Artists Productions, whose
films were released by Monogram.
In 1953, Monogiam was dropped and the
name was changed to Allied Artists Picture
Corp. In 1968, Emanuel Wolf bought controlling
stock in the company and became
Back Toward Viability
its presid.'nt .ind the head of the pictures
division. In 1977. he merged the company
with his financial holdings and changed its
name to Allied Artists Industries.
Sherman contends that it is in the interest
of exhibitors to see that AA remains alive
because it could be respsonsibic for major
feature releases. He said that for $8
million the company could be made whole
again.
"The company should be allowed lo get
back on its feet," Sherman said.
Paramount Files Suil
Against Five Circuits
NEW YORK— Paramount has filed suit
against five theatre circuits.
Walter J. Josiah Jr.. vice president and
chief resident counsel of Paramount Pictures
Corporation, announced May 17 that Paramount
has commenced an antitrust action
in the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Tennessee, Northern Division,
against AMC Film Management
Inc., Consolidated Theatres Inc., Georgia
Theatre Company, Plitt Southern Theatres
Inc., and Simpson Theatres Inc, The exhibitor-defendants
own or operate all
of the
first run theatres in Knoxville, Tenn.
Paramount has alleged that it believes
that sometime during December 1978 the
defendants agreed to divide or "split" first
run Paramount motion pictures in Knoxville
in order to avoid competitive bidding in
that market. Pursuant to that split, it is
further alleged that the exhibitor-defendants
have divided and still continue to divide
Paramount's pictures with the result that
film rentals, guarantees and advances that
otherwise would have been paid in a competitive
market could be avoided or substantially
reduced.
The complaint states that after the split
plan took effect, two of the exhibitor-defendants
canceled bids previously submitted
for "Star Trek." The complaint also alleges
that the defendants have met to discuss, implement
and enforce the terms of the Knoxville
split agreement and that this split arrangement
constitutes a per se violation of
United States laws.
ITOA Plans TOFCO Meeting
NEW YORK—Tom Patterson will ad-
with its own exchange setup. In 1935 the
company merged with Mascot and Consolidated
Film to form Republic Pictures Corp. dress a special meeting scheduled for June
5 by the Independent Theatre Owners of
In 1936, Johnston bought back Monogram,
which began producing independent films. America, an affiliate of the National Independent
Monogram formed a production subsidiary
in 1945 to move away from its image of
Theatre Exhibitors, in order to ex-
membership
plain the goals, objectives and
plans for TOFCO.
Invited to the meeting, in addition to the
membership of ITOA, is NATO of New
Jersey, NATO of New York and the Independent
Theatre Exhibitors of New Jersey.
The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. in the
Marquis Room of Rosoff restaurant here.
May 28, 1979