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U. S. Picture Imports to Australia<br />
Drop to 888, British Total Rises<br />
By WILLIAM BEECHAM<br />
Australian Bureau, <strong>Boxoffice</strong><br />
PERTH, W. A.—Last year imports of films<br />
into Australia from the U.S. dropped by 127<br />
to a total of 888. while imports from the<br />
United Kingdom increased by 310 to a total<br />
of 816, J. O. Alexander, chief film censor,<br />
reports. During 1947 no horror-type films<br />
were imported, and gangster films showed a<br />
marked decrease, he reported "with pleasure."<br />
* «<br />
The Australasian Exhibitor reports that<br />
certain Australian interests are approaching<br />
federal politicians with a plan to prevent<br />
U.S. distributors from purchasing an interest<br />
in. or buying outright, Australian film<br />
organizations, such as processing laboratories,<br />
etc., with frozen earnings. These interests<br />
are pointing out that "it would be unwise<br />
to permit such organizations to be dominated<br />
by American capital."<br />
» * *<br />
Norman B. Rydge of Greater Union Theatres,<br />
speaking in Sydney recently, said that<br />
the people of Australia receive the entire<br />
resources of the motion picture industry for<br />
no more than $7.20 per head of population<br />
per year. "What other industry offers so<br />
much for so little?" he asked. Approximately<br />
3,000,000 people a week pay to see film programs<br />
in Australia, he continued, and a<br />
breakdown of admission figures showed that<br />
27 per cent of admissions were 25 cents, 32<br />
per cent were 25 to 35 cents, 24 per cent were<br />
35 to 50 cents, 12 per cent were at 50 to 65<br />
cents, and 5 per cent were over 65 cents.<br />
Rydge added<br />
: "I have mentioned these<br />
figures for a particular reason. In many<br />
quarters it is considered that our business<br />
is a luxury trade, but this is entirely wrong.<br />
Motion picture entertainment is a necessity<br />
of life, rendering to millions of working<br />
people very often their sole form of entertainm.ent."<br />
* •<br />
J. E. Graham, secretary of the Federal<br />
Cinema Exhibitors council of Australia, has<br />
been informed by Prime Minister Chifley<br />
that there can be no hope of any immediate<br />
relief from the entertainment tax. "I regret<br />
to advise that it will not be possible for the<br />
government to grant any rehef in this regard<br />
for the present," writes the prime minister.<br />
"Substantial reductions have been<br />
made in the rates of income tax for the<br />
current financial year, and several other<br />
taxes which were imposed during the war<br />
years have been reduced or abolished."<br />
...<br />
I<br />
Prominent Australian film executives point<br />
out that the drop in film business of late<br />
is around 40 per cent. Yet the legitimate<br />
theatre is flourishing and had no difficulty<br />
whatever in selling seats at $5 each for a<br />
visiting British company. The Australian<br />
public is definitely shopping for its cinema<br />
entertainment, and low-grade films are not<br />
attracting business.<br />
At the recent annual general meeting of<br />
the South Australian Motion Picture Exhibitors<br />
Ass'n the following officers were<br />
elected: President, E. Waterman; vice-presidents,<br />
W. V. Benbow and D. Harris; committee,<br />
F. Klenner, R. C. Williams and A.<br />
Harrison; auditor, B. W. Cunnew.<br />
* • •<br />
T. Hill and W. Ryan have been appointed<br />
to the Queensland Films commission, filling<br />
two vacancies caused recently by the resignation<br />
of E. Waller and the appointment of<br />
R. Carter as chief crown prosecutor.<br />
...<br />
The Western Australian director of education<br />
reports that a 16mm Auricon sound<br />
on film recording outfit has been received<br />
from the U.S., and this will be installed in<br />
the laboratories of the government instructional<br />
films division at Perth for production<br />
of color sound films.<br />
* * *<br />
Complaints are continually being heard<br />
from exhibitors in all parts regarding the<br />
poor quality of many of the British stills,<br />
and it is said that efforts are now being<br />
made to have these improved. Even many of<br />
the B grade U.S. releases carry stills of<br />
much better quality than many of the leading<br />
British features.<br />
* * *<br />
Maj. R. P. Baker of Ealing studios, who<br />
is at present visiting this country, was recently<br />
entertained by the Victorian Independent<br />
Exhibitors Ass'n.<br />
* *<br />
E. J. Tait, director of J. C. Williamson<br />
Theatres, who died in Sydney last July, left<br />
an estate valued for probate at $216,043. The<br />
bulk goes to his wife and daughter.<br />
Alexander Sends Martens<br />
To Oakland Headquarters<br />
LOS ANGELES—R. G. Martens, for many<br />
years a representative of the Alexander Film<br />
Co. on the west coast, has been transferred<br />
to the California sales organization headed<br />
by Colin Dexter, general district manager.<br />
Martens will headquarter in Oakland, with<br />
territory ranging from the San Francisco bay<br />
district south to Fresno.<br />
AT APACHE- DEBUT-At the recent premiere of RKOs "Fort Apache" in the<br />
Orpheum and Palms theatres in Phoenix, Ariz., were, top photo, left to right: Ned E<br />
Dep.net. IVIrs. Perry Lieber. Mrs. James Thorn, Mrs. J. H. Maclntyre. Mrs. Depinet<br />
and Maclntyre. Bottom photo, seated: Irene Rich, Mrs. Lawrence Green. AI Hanson.<br />
Mrs. Wayne Hanson. Mrs. J. H. Maclntyre, Mrs. Al Hanson, Harry Nace. Standing:<br />
Wayne Hanson and Maclntyre.<br />
L500 Bring Bottle Caps<br />
SPOKANE. WASH.—About 1,500 children<br />
packed the Post Theatre on Saturday to see<br />
six color cartoons and a western. The show<br />
was sponsored by the Nehi-Royal Crown Bottling<br />
Co. and was the second in a series.<br />
Admittance was by six bottle caps. Because<br />
of the crowd, it was necessary to call in<br />
ushers from both the Post and Granada<br />
theatres. Policemen and firemen were also<br />
on hand.<br />
56<br />
BOXOFFICE :: April 17, 1948