Boxoffice-January.07.1950
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Boxoffice-January.07.1950

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: 7i^a^Ac»i^ta«€ PHE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE is presently disposed to proceed with the hearing slated for January 17 in the antitrust suit against the majors. Argument on the details of divorcement and other questions left open by last summer's decision is scheduled, and there is no certainty at this point that any of the three remaining major defendants will have retired from the case by then via the consent decree route. It now appears to be almost a certainty that Warner Bros, will be out by then, but it could take until after the hearing for the conclusion of the agreement. It now seems unlikely that 20th Century-Fox will be out of the case by then, and so far there is no indication that Loew's will agree to a consent judgment at all. Although it is generally thought that the 20th-Fox case can be negotiated to a settlement out of court and that Loew's will then try to work out a conclusion, the government is still working on the theory that the hearing wiU go on as scheduled. The fact that the hearing has been held will not affect the legal position of the two parties in terms of their right to agree to specific proposals. If a judgment were to come down from the court before a consent judgment was signed, however, the judgment would automatically be controlling. It generally takes from several weeks to several months before such judgment issue, however. THE SUPREME COURT has been asked a second time to hear the appeal of Fifth & Walnut Amusement Co. from the lower court rejection of its damage suit. The company, operator of a Louisville theatre, has been rebuffed in its efforts to have the court accept the findings and judgments in the New York suit as prima facie evidence of conspiracy ^eftont By ALAN HERBERT by the major companies. The high court turned down the request that it take jurisdiction last month, and the majors hold that there is nothing new in the case now to cause the court to change its mind. Fifth & Walnut argues that the course of some 93 pending private suits against the inajors may be greatly affected by what the high court does in this case. THE FEDERAL COMMtHVICATIONS commission refused last week to take emergency action okaying the transfer of radio and television properties in Chicago and New Orleans from Paramount affiliates to the new United Paramount Theatres. Approval by the end of the year—or at the least a provision approval—^had been asked by the company December 22. The commission refused to be hurried, however, and said it would not be hastened simply to permit Paramount to live up to a time schedule it had voluntarily set itself. The stations included the video and FM stations belonging to Balaban & Katz, in Chicago, and the AM and PM stations belonging to Paramount-Richards, in New Orleans. THE STATUS OF THE CAMERA3IAN in the United States Capital has advanced another notch, it appeared this week as the new house chamber was opened to the public. For the first time, the house itself is now the owner of lights adequate for the use of newsreel, still and television photographers. A special battery of lights was purchased from Hollywood supplier Mole-Richardson, and will be available on call when cameramen desire to shoot in the house chamber. Until now they have had to set up their own lighting each time. Newsreels, Short Subjects Targets For Attack by New Jersey Allied NEW YORK—Newsreels and short subjects are the targets for a ton of verbal bricks in the latest bulletin of the New Jersey Allied unit. On the newsreels problem, the bulletin says "At a recent meeting of newsreel men, there was a great deal of argument against the tendency of newsreels to propagandize personalities and individuals for their own benefits. "Newsreels, themselves, have become just another single on your screen and not a good one. Between newspapers and television, even pre-release newsreels are now nothing better than reading last week's papers. "For many years exhibitors have over-paid for this six-seven minute subject and it is about time they either cut the price or cut them out." Turning the ammunition toward short subjects, the bulletin says: "Many companies look upon short subjects as unwanted children, but fail to realize that many exhibitors, especially those with single feature poUcies, look to short subjects to make a good program just as a double featme man looks to a second feature to prop up his show. "The art of making good two-reelers has been lost. Comedies, as they are called by the producers, fail, in most instances, to get a ripple from the audience. There are a few good single reels being made, but the majority seem to be dull, unimaginative, and, in general, do not help the program." Report Reynolds Tobacco Backing Florida Chain TAMPA—Persistent reports have been cropping into trade circles in recent weeks that an important new circuit of Florida theatres, financed by the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. of Winston-Salem, N. C., will come into being in 1950. The press here has been quoting "unusually reliable" sources in Miami. The published report indicated the circuit was planning to build in Orlando, Miami, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Palm Beach, St. Augustine, Daytona Beach and Tampa. Arnall May Run Again For Governorship NEW YORK—The industry will watch few of this year's political campaigns more closely, at least in their early stages, than that for governor of Georgia. The reason is that Ellis Arnall, president of SIMPP, is believed by many observers to be planning to run against young Herman Talmadge, present incumbent and son of Gene Talmadge, whom Arnall defeated. That would mean his resignation from SIMPP of which he has been a vocal and successful representative. Newspaper "dope" stories have had Arnall interested in regaining the governorship. The latest apparent confirmation of his interest came the other day when Arnall asked Eugene Cook, state attorney general, for an opinion on his eligibility to run this year. Arnall particularly wanted to know if he is disqualified because dm-ing his dispute with Herman Talmadge after the election, he stayed in office five days beyond his allotted time. BOXOFPICE recently asked the ex-governor of Georgia if he would run again. Arnall laughed and replied : "If I intended to, I wouldn't tell you, and if I didn't intend to, I wouldn't, either. Anyway, the election isn't until fall." The industry's attitude toward Arnall is mixed. He has been active in instituting legal action in behalf of SIMPP, which has considered him a valuable representative of its interests. Others have criticized Arnall for public statements considered harmful in a public relations way. Ai-nall has replied, in effect: "In this industry, as in any other, you have to raise your voice to be heard." Emma Cox of Arkansas, Exhibitor Leader, Dies OSCEOLA, ARK.—Emma Cox, a onetime bank cashier, who took over a theatre with $60 in cash and indefatigable energy and became one of the state's best-known exhibitors, died here this week. She owned and operated the Gem and Joy theatres and was a director of the Tri-States Theatre Owners Ass'n. In the 1930s, while working in a bank she was asked to assume management of the Gem Theatre when the owner defaulted on a $1,000 note. She did, but the bank also went broke and she bought the theatre with her small savings. She had the theatre running profitably in no time and then added the Joy Theatre to her holdings. As an exhibitor and civic leader, she was extremely popular in the community. St. Matthews CathoUc church was too small to accommodate the crowd for the funeral and a special altar was erected in the Gem Theatre for the services. Albert Gebhart, 63, Dies; Was N. J. Allied Secretary EAST ORANGE, N. J.—Albert Gebhart, 63, executive secretary of Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey, collapsed on the street here Wednesday (4) and died en route to the hospital. His home was in Sparta, N. J. Gebhart was salesman for Paramovmt in New Jersey for 26 years. He resigned two years ago to join Allied. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Bell, and a son, George N. Gebhart. 16 BOXOFFICE January 7, 1950

Thelma Jordon Is Something To Talk About She's the central figure in a triangle spiced with murder. — says The Exhibitor And Stanwyck's full-blooded characterization is fascinating. /i — raves Hollywood Reporter In melodrama with the polish expected in a Hal Wallis production. — comments Daily Variety y/ENOELL produaio« una To which PARAMOUNT proudly adds: She starts the year off in a blaze of excitement that grows with great, great, great product like "SAMSON AND DELILAH", "THE HEIRESS", "DEAR WIFE" and many, many, many more— to make exhibitors everywhere say: 'Today more than ever-lf It's a Paramount Picture, It's The Best Show in Town!"

Thelma Jordon<br />

Is Something<br />

To Talk About<br />

She's the central figure in<br />

a triangle spiced with murder.<br />

— says The Exhibitor<br />

And Stanwyck's full-blooded<br />

characterization is fascinating.<br />

/i — raves Hollywood Reporter<br />

In melodrama with the polish expected<br />

in a Hal Wallis production.<br />

— comments Daily Variety<br />

y/ENOELL<br />

produaio«<br />

una<br />

To which<br />

PARAMOUNT<br />

proudly adds:<br />

She starts the year off in a blaze of excitement<br />

that grows with great, great, great product<br />

like "SAMSON AND DELILAH", "THE<br />

HEIRESS", "DEAR WIFE" and many, many,<br />

many more— to make exhibitors everywhere say:<br />

'Today more than ever-lf It's a Paramount<br />

Picture, It's The Best Show in Town!"

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