DECEMBER

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Paramount Holding
Regional
Meetings
Nt;W YOltK Paruinoiinl Is lu liuld ii mih
.
of ri'Kional .sales and promotional mretlnK
In the headquarters city of each dlvl.slon for
the purpose of discussing releases during the
Orst half of 1953.
Strong emphasis will be put on promotional
work aimed at raising gro.sses. A. W. Schwalberg,
president of Paramount Dlstrlbutliu;
Corp.. will preside, and each meeting will
also be attended by E. K. "Ted" O'Shca and
Jerry Plckman. vice-president In charge o(
advertising, publicity and exploitation, a.v well
as the division manager and key division
personnel.
The first gathering wa.s held Wedr.esday
(3) In Philadelphia, with Howard G. Mlnsky.
mid-eastern division manager, and his chief
aides present. The home office group returned
to New York Friday and flew to
Dallas Saturday for similar meetings Sunday
and Monday with A. W. Kane, southcentral
division manager, and territorial personnel.
The next stop will be Los Angeles
for a two-day session December 9. 10 with
George A. Smith, western division manager,
and coast sales forces.
Chicago meetings with J. J. Donohue, central
division manager, are scheduled for December
12. 13. The final sessions will be in
New York December 15. 16. Hugh Owen is
eastern and southern division manager.
Another meeting will be held in Toronto,
but the date has not been set.
The product schedule to be discussed includes:
January — "Road to Bali." "Thunder
In the East" and "Ti-opic Zone"; February
"The Stooge" and "Come Back, Little Sheba":
March — "The Stare Are Singing" and "Pleasure
Island"; April — "Off Limits" and "Pony
Express": May—George Pal's "War of the
Worlds" and "Jamaica"; June — "Alaska Seas"
and "Rock Grayson's Women": and William
Wyler's "Roman Holiday." George
Stevens' "Shane." "Scared Stiff" and "Stalag
17."
60-Cent Dividend Raises
James Lees Total to $2
BRIDGEPORT. PA.—Directors of James
Lees & Sons Co. have voted a year-end
dividend of 60 cents a share on 817,500 shares
of common, payable December 26 to stockholders
of record on December 15. This brings
the total payments for the year to $2 per
share. A quarterly dividend of 96 'i cents per
share was voted at the same time. This is
payable February 2 to holders of record
on January 15.
The board of directors of RKO Theatres
Corp. will pay a dividend of 15 cents per share
on the outstanding capital stock January 2
to stockholders of record December 15.
Leo Mishkin New Chairman
Of the N.Y. Film Critics
NEW YORK—Leo Miskin of the Morning
Telegraph will be the 1952-53 chairman of
the New York Film Critics. He was vicechairman.
Kate Cameron of the News succeeded
him as vice-chairman. Prank Quinn
of the Mirror was elected to member.ship.
December 29 has been chosen as the date
for the selection of the year's best in film,
performances and direction.
;D«t. i'm la BOXOmCE
December 6, 1952
I'l.\(Jl I Id rUtUV— rrrr> ( i.m.i. llir
Variety C'luli of \Vashlni;lnn'> rrrv>n;illty
of lO.W. recfivp^ a pLiqur from I. Joi Dudget for
•-«t in hUtorjr, and in-
:n the amu«*tncnl tax
for 19U total HO.IOO.-
This mnuM that
operaton and
•
Cily ixhibltor\ told the !
that the nm-iwrnent 'ixx »•
the gr'
that a
wlh thcutm 111 coiiiuiuiiili'
,r. aa it has each
•lie.
'he
rxil
'it-
.Ii Peiuj-
.sylvanla. where there L' i.
>wii that
the fall-off in attendance Li 10 to 20 per cent
greater In Pittsburgh The city tax for 1K3
will produce little over $400,000. compared
with S894.000 In 1948 Exhibitors said that
this trend Is continuing and the tMttom la not
In .light. Sixteen theatre-i in the city have
closed, with the city amtuement tax being
an important factor, it was stated.
A spokesman told the council that Pittsburgh
Is the only city In the na'lon that imposes
a tax as high as 10 per cent, and that at
present. Chicago Is coaslderlng repeal of a
3 per cent tax. Elimination of PltUiburgh'-i
10 per cent amusement tax "may contribute
to saving an Industry; If you continue this
tax. you may find that you have no tax revenue
Ixjcause the industry ha* become extinct."
City council took no action on the plea for
a tax ban and the same day heard the budget
message of the mayor which continued the
amusement tax. Prior to the amusement tax
hearing, city council had held meetings for
protesting merchants on the mercantile tax.
Theatre owners are taking their amusement
tax problem to the Pennsylvania general assembly,
which convenes early In January.
They will seek lepuslation to eliminate the
enabling act which permits cities, boroughs
and townships of the first and second class to
tax anything not already taxed by the sute.
Charles R. Blatt. Independent circuit exhibitor,
is coordinator of this campaign.
Boothmen's Local Runs Ad
Opposing Ticket Taxes
SHARON. PA —Opposition to Uie proposed
10 per cent amusement lax for Hickory township
got rolling a week in advance of the
scheduled meeting of the township supervisors.
lATSE Local 101 purchased a quarterpage
advertisement In the Sharon Herald to
publish "an open letter" which Informed of
the intentions of the township supervisors,
who were named with their address and telephone
numbers.
"Because the township ha-s made a claim
that It needs more money does not justify
this excessive and discriminatory tax." said
the ad. A coupon was printed for those who
oppase the amusement tax to sign and send
to Hickory township supervisors. They were
urged to attend the supervLsors meeting December
5 at the Hickory fire sutlon
35