Boxoffice-March.06.1948

: March
AMONG THE COUNTRY'S TOP EXHIBITORS AT THE TOA BOARD MEETING
TOP PANEL (Left to right) :1—Ted Gamble, TOA president, at right with S. H. Fabian, center, and Robert W. Coyne, TOA executive
director; 2—Morton Thalhimer, Richmond, Va.; Martin Mullin, Boston; Charles Skouras, Los Angeles; and Tom Friday, Scranton;
3—Max A. Connett, Newton, Miss., with W. F. Ruffin sr., Covington, Tenn.; 4—Harry Lowenstein, Ardmore, Okla., and Robert Livingston,
of Nebraska, register.
BOTTOM PANEL (Left to right): 1—Welcome from Charles Skouras (second from right) to Mack Jackson, Alabama; Ray Cooper,
San Francisco; Ben Strozier, Carolinas Assn; and Harr> Lowenstein, Oklahoma; 2—Lewen Pizor, Philadelphia, and Stanley Prenosil,
TOA's public relations chief, get convention greetings; 3—Robert W. Coyne. TOA executive; Herman Levy, TO.\ general counsel;
A. J. Brylawski, Washington, D. C, and Dee Masters, Los Angeles; 4—E. A. Pugh, Tom Friday of the Comerford circuit.
Ascaip, which Coyne declared would have
totaled approximately 300 per cent. The compromise
agreement prescribes that houses
with a seating capacity of 500 or less will pay
no increase, while the boost for larger theatres
will approximate 25 to 30 per cent.
Other first-day activities included:
Authorization for the legal
committee, under
Herman Levy, general counsel, to
anticipate
the forthcoming supreme court decision
on the government's antitrust case against
the major companies, in an effort to prepare
TOA members for any eventuality. Levy's
committee will endeavor to prepare advance
analyses covering as many phases of the an-
Board Actions:
1. Authorized a vast public relations
program to carry the message of good entertainment
to the public.
2. Outlined a "Humanitarian Week"
program, to include theatre collections.
3. Approved a national safety drive.
4. Endorsed and voted to join in a national
movement to combat juvenile delinquency.
5. Ratified the new Ascap ten-year licensing
agreement negotiated by a special
TOA committee.
6. Recommended to members that they
give full support to the Motion Picture
Foundation.
7. Voted to delay projecting plans for
a Motion Picture Forum until the decision
is handed down in the antitrust
suit.
8. Authorized its legislative committee
to seek an amendment to the Knudson
tax bill removing the wartime admissions
tax.
9. Decided to participate in program
supply entertainment for veterans
to
hospitals.
BOXOmCE :
13, 1948
ticipated decision as possible, and will also
take steps to seek modification of the U.S.
statutory court's original decree in the event
the supreme court should send the case back
to that lower tribimal.
Appointment of a committee to study
methods and recommend a course of action
in support of a proposal that theatres cooperate
in the film industry's program to continue
supplying entertainment in veterans
hospitals. Pleas for such support were presented
by Abe Lastfogel, George Murphy and
Y. Frank Freeman of the Hollywood Coordinating
Committee.
The two-day meeting culminated with a
formal dinner at the Ambassador hotel, where
the visitors were headquartered, Wednesday
evening, with Charles P. Skouras as the host
and George Jessel serving as master of ceremonies.
Other social highlights included a
cocktail party at which Skouras was the guest
of the assembled TOA ofifcers and directors.
Prom the financial point of view TOA is
in excellent condition. Charles P. Skom-as
told the assembled officers and directors when
he presented his treasurer's report. No policy
of establishing regular dues is contemplated,
at least for the present, since TOA's
special assessment at the rate of 10 cents
a seat per theatre will be ample to support
the organization.
Membership in TOA is approximately 3,500
theatres with a seating capacity of nearly
5.000,000, which will give TOA an annual income
of about $500,000, Skouras revealed.
Attending the two-day business meeting
were:
D. C; Max A. Connelt, Roxy Theatre, Newton, Miss.;
Roy Cooper, Golden State Theatre and Realty Co.,
San Francisco; S. H. Fabian, New York; Thomas
Friday, Comerford circuit, Scranton. Pa.
Ted R. Gamble, Capitol Theatre, Portland. Ore.;
Leonard Goldenson, New York; Russell Hordwicke,
Clovis, New Mexico; Milas L. Hurley, New Mexico
Theatre Cwners; Mack lackson, Alabama Theatre
Owners and Managers Ass'n, Alexander City, Alcr;
George Kerasotes, Pantheon Theatre, Springfield.
Harry Lament, Albany, New York; Herman M.
Levy, New Haven, Conn. Lightn Memphis,
Tenn.; Robert R. Livingston. Lincoln. Neb
Morris Loewenstefn, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Harry
Lowenstein, Ardmore, Okla.; Walter Morris, Tennessee
Theatre Owners Ass'n, Knoxville, Tenn.; M. "
Mullin, Boston; Claude Mundo, Little Rock; R.
O'Donnell, Dallas.
Lewin Pizor, United MPTC of Eastern Pennsylvania,
Southern New and Delaware, Jersey Philadelphia;
Albert Pickus, New Haven; Stanley W
Prenosil, New York; E. A. Pugh, Comerford circuit
Scranton, Pa.; Henry Reeve, Texas Theatre Owners,
W. F. Ruffin, Covington, Tenn.; Ben L. Strozier, Rock
Fred Wehrenberg, St. Louis; R. B. Wilby, Atlant
George H. Wilkinson jr., Wallingiord, Conn.; Paul
Williams, Southern Calif. Theatre Owners Ass'n
Los Angeles; Tom Clark, U.S. attorney aeneral,
Washington, C: Peyton Ford and John W. An
D.
drews, U.S. department of justice, Washington
D. C; Georae Nasser, San Francisco; Richard Spier
Fox West Coast, San Francisco, and Robert W
Coyne, New York.
George Murphy, MGM star, is shown
addressing the TOA board, asking that
theatres cooperate in helping the film
industry continue its program of providing
entertainment for veterans hospitals.
The plea was recognized and a
committee to assist is to be named.
With Murphy were Y. Frank Freeman,
left. Paramount's production executive,
and Abe Lastfogel, all of whom were
representing the Hollywood Coordinating
Committee.