Boxoffice-May.29.1948

Three Top MGM Films to Independent
Affiliates
Product Hold
In Minneapolis Broken
MINNEAPOLIS—Biggest surprise in years
for film industry here is the selling of three
MGM pictures away from the Minnesota
Amusement Co., which has been playing the
product exclusively for years. The films went
to the Schreiber interests of Detroit, which
landed the trio for its Lyceum, a legitimate
roadshow house which has been running dual
reissues and occasional foreign and roadshow
films in between stage attractions.
The deal was the first break in the major
producers' practice to sell all product for
downtown Loop first runs to RKO Theatres
and Minnesota Amusement Co., the Paramount
subsidiary, with the sure-seater independent
World also occasionally cutting in
when the two big circuits reject a picture.
The deal also was the initial repercussion
locally of the recent supreme court consent
decree case decision.
THREE IMPORTANT FILMS
The pictures are •'Summer Holiday,"
"Homecoming" and "The Pirate." "Holiday"
opened immediately at the Lyceum.
W. H. Workman, local MGM manager, said
that the action represents what the company
interprets as a compliance with the supreme
court consent decree case decision. He said
letters were sent out offering the pictures to
all downtow-n fnst run situations, and the
Schreiber interests made what the company
considered was the best offer.
"Our interpretation of the supreme cotrrt
decision is that 'a run' must be available to
all theatres, that every house is entitled to
some run," said Workman. "We feel we
can't deprive any exhibitor of a chance to
get a run."
However, Workman said, there is no certainty
that the company will continue to sell
more pictures to the Lyceum or to any ac-
Amusement
count other than the Minne.sota
Co.
"We just don't know," said Workman. "We
feel we must make a rim available to everybody,
but we believe we can accept the bid
that looks best to us, even though it may not
be the highest. There are various factors, in
addition to price, that must be considered in
adjudging the bid's value to us."
DESIRED IMMEDIATE DATES
In this instance, it's understood, MGM
wished irrmiediate playing time for the pictures
and MAC wasn't in a position to give it.
Independent exhibitors with neighborhood
and suburban theatres in Minneapolis and
St. Paul, including Abe Kaplan and Bill Volk,
are expressing themselves as not at all pleased
with the development. They stress the fact
that the Lyceum lacks air conditioning, is located
a number of blocks away from the
downtown theatre center and hasn't an established
moviegoers clientele. Therefore, they
feel, the MGM pictures will not do nearly so
much business at the Lyceum that they ordinarily
gamer at Radio City, the State and
the Century, leading Loop film theatres, that
have been housing them up to this time. In
such a case, the pictures' value for neighborhood
and suburban houses and out-of-town
MGM Discontinues Award
For Novel, Started '44
NEW YORK—MGM has discontinued
its annual novel award which was instituted
in 1944. The award was made
semiannually in 1947. The winning author
was guaranteed $150,000, with a possible
maximum of $250,000.
In 1944, the award was won by Elizabeth
Goudge for "Green Dolphin Street,"
which was later made into a film starring
Lana Turner, Van Heflin and Donna
Reed. The winner for 1945 was Elizabeth
Metzger Howard for "Before the Sun Goes
Down." In 1946 Mary Renault won it
for "Return to Night" and, in 1947, the
winners were the late Ross Lockridge jr.
for "Raintree Country" and Esther Forbes
for "The Running of the Tide," the lastnamed
not yet published.
None of the last four has yet been
filmed.
situations may be considerably reduced, according
to these exhibitors.
This independent exhibitor attitude is in
direct contrast, however, to that hitherto
taken. Up to this time the independents have
been squawking about Loop pictures being
"milked" during their Loop first runs before
they reach the uptown and suburban houses.
In effect, the development means that
Minneapolis has another important first run
theatre downtown, increasing the opposition
among the Minnesota Amusement Co. and
RKO Theatres houses and the Ted Mann
independent World. Also, when Mann takes
back the Alvin at the expiration of the Minnesota
Amusement Co. lease this siunnrer and
institutes a first rim picture policy in place
of burlesque, as now planned, the competition
will be even stronger.
Ever since end of Minnesota Amusement
Co.-RKO Theatres booking pool a few years
ago, Minnesota Amusement Co. has had all
of the MGM product exclusively, the same
as
before the pool.
Milton H. Feld Memorial
To Be in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY—A memorial will be established
at the Menorah hospital in Kansas
City to perpetuate the name of Milton H.
Feld, former film producer and native of
Kansas City. Feld died Sept. 7. 1947 in Los
Angeles. A memorial fund has been started.
Contributions to date from friends and associates
in the film industry include the following:
Ralph Ayer, M. D. Ccyhn, the late John J.
Friedl, Maurice Kallis, Louis Notarius. George
Baker, Joseph J. Deitch, Gus Eyssell, Lou
Goldberg. Charles C. Perry, Robert M. Weitman,
Maurice Bergman, Sam Dembow jr.,
Louis J. Finske, William Jacobs, Harry L.
Royster and Jerry Zigmond.
Monthly Arbitration
Will Be Continued
NEW YORK—The present
motion picture
industry arbitration system will be continued
on a month-to-month basis by the
Big Five until the statutory court in New
York decides what kind of film arbitration
system it prefers. In remanding the
antitrust suit decision to the statutory court,
the supreme court said the lower court could
authorize voluntary arbitration and lay down
the rules for its use.
The present system is operating under
rules prescribed in the 1941 consent decree.
The arbitration system has been operating
on monthly allotments since the statutory
court antitrust suit decision in December
1946. The last monthly payment of $25,000
was made by the companies as the supreme
court decision was handed down May 3.
The next payment by the companies is
due June 1.
The film arbitration system has received its
second clearance complaint since the supreme
court decision. It was filed in Detroit
by the Grand Centre Recreation Co., operating
the Centre Theatre, Grand Blanc, Mich.
The complainant asked the film arbitrator
to eliminate all clearances granted by the Big
Five in favor of the Regent, Strand, Michigan,
Delia, Roxie, Rialto, Nortown and Burton
theatres in Flint, Mich. It asks that
product be made available to the Centre
seven days after the first run Capitol and
Palace theatres in Flint and complains thai
the Centre now follows the subsequent run
houses in Flint by 75-120 days.
There are 23 arbitration complaints and
two appeals pending. The latest appeal was
filed by 20th-Fox from the decision made
by the New Orleans arbitrator in a clearance
complaint brought by Broadmoor Theatre,
Inc., Shreveport, La.
The Broadmoor complaint named the Big
Five. The arbitrator awarded the Broadmoor
Theatre a clearance of 30 days after
first run Shreveport.
Court Has RKO Motion
Under Advisement
CHICAGO—Judge Michael Igoe of
federal
court here has taken under advisement a motion
by Miles Seeley in behalf of RKO asking
for dismissal of contempt charges in the
Jackson Park decision. Arguments for dismissal
were based on the grounds that the
RKO Palace and Grand theatres are two
separate corporations and are not defendants
named in the original decree. He said, however,
that the RKO company was the parent ;|
company of all. Thomas McConnell, counsel
for the Jackson Park Theatre, delayed presentation
of his motion to clarify certain ambiguities
in the decree until the RKO issue is
settled.
C. M. Reagan Named Head
Of Notre Dame Council
NEW YORK—Charles M. Reagan, vicepresident
in charge of distribution for Paramount,
has been elected pennanent chairman
of the advisory council of the College of
Commerce of Notre Dame.
Reagan and Robert O'Brien, secretary of
Paramount, have been members of the advisoi-y
council for several years.
;|
^
i
10 BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 1948