Boxoffice-January.07.1950

. . The
. . "The
. . The
. . . James
Meiselman Appeal
In Carolina Court
CHARLOTTE—Argument was to get under
way here Friday in the appeal of the Meiselman
circuit from a district court dismissal
of its triple damage suit against the majors
and the Wilby-Kincey circuit here. Robert
L. Wright, who handled the government's
courtroom battles in the New York antitrust
suit against the majors, was to argue for
Meiselman before the fourth circuit court of
appeals.
Earlier in the week Wright, in reply to a
brief by the defendants seeking dismissal
by the cu'cuit court, charged that the majors
"are apparently willing to pay lip service
to the general principle of theatre by
theatre competition between independent
theatres and affiliated theatres but quite
unwilling to permit any concrete local application
of the principle which will threaten
a first run monopoly held by an affiliated
exhibitor."
Loew's alone among the majors is not a
defendant in the suit, which is based upon
the refusal of the distributors to grant first
nm rights to the Meiselman Center, a new
theatre in a suburban Charlotte area. Wright
associated with Washington lawyers Clagett
is
and Schilz in the case, and with Char-
lotte lawyer J. M. Scarborough.
In his reply brief the erstwhUe government
expert disputed the defense contention that
the findings and judgments in the New York
case could not apply here because they were
based on facts prior to 1945. Wright recalled
that Paramount had in December of 1948
offered a statement concerning the existing
competitive situation in Charlotte.
He added that the New York court had
accepted the government's contention that
Paramount's proffered evidence "could not be
regarded as proof that the defendants' monopoly
power was ended."
Wright also disputed the claim of the defendants
that Loew's had lost money when
it began to offer films on a competitive
bidding basis in order to treat Meiselman
fairly. He said Loew's certainly was not
the loser when Paramoimt offered more playing
time and higher percentages of the gross
in order to top the Meiselman bids.
Average rental on the five Loew's features
on which Paramount had had to outbid
Meiselman was $2,022.22, he said, while the
average for the 18 Loew's features shown
prior to the opening of the Meiselman house
—on negotiated bids—had been only $1,634.12.
INCORPORATIONS
— ALBANY —
Ogdensburg Maples: To conduct a theatrical
business in Ogdensburg; $75,000. $10 par:
Gerald L. McEvoy, R.F.D. 2; Ralph A. Lalonde,
1502 Ford St.; Frederic F. Clarke. 616
Caroline St., Ogdensburg.
Spa Broadcasters: Radio and television
broadcasting business in Saratoga Springs:
200 shares, no par: John A. Woods, R.F.D. 2,
Saratoga Springs: Richard O'Connor, Box
104, Slate Hill; Joseph F. Donahue, 27 Polheus
Place, Brooklyn.
Quality Film Laboratories: To operate film
studios and processing laboratories in New
York; 200 shares, no par.
NEWARK
^ore Schary's "Battleground" was previewed
at the Little Theatre, when guests included
exhibitors, newspaper men, censors
and members of the army recruiting service.
Lou Allerhand, branch manager for MGM,
gave a talk about the film . . . Stephen England
is new doorman at the Globe Theatre.
Col. Harold J. Samsell, executive officer of
the Essex Troop, 102nd armored cavalry regiment.
New Jersey National guard, spoke on
the part the troop has played in the history
of the U. S. cavalry at Proctor's, in conjunction
with "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon."
Frank Damis, Warner Bros, zone manager,
entertained circuit house managers at a
Christmas party at Mayfair Farms, West
Orange.
Jackson Hurford, new manager of the Liberty
in Elizabeth, was associated with Fox
Theatres from 1927 to 1942, starting at the
Fox Theatre in Washington, now Loew's
Capitol. He was also with the Fox, Detroit;
the Fox, St. Louis; the Fox Park-Plaza in the
Bronx, the Gayety, Utica, and the Strand,
Niagara Falls, later returning to the Fox in
Washington. His military service in World
War II included 30 months in Alaska. From
the Fox, Detroit, Hurford came east to go
into a private venture with Herman Starr and
Matty Fox.
The Liberty, Elizabeth, is sponsoring an
eight-week talent campaign in conjunction
with radio and television stations WAAT and
WATV. The initial program will be staged
at the theatre January 17 and will be recorded
and broadcast two nights later. Winners
from the North Jersey area will compete in
the finals on WATV. Television viewers will
be judges in the contest, designating their
choices for the grand awards, by writing letters
to the station.
.
Ed Kane, manager of the Regent in Elizabeth,
has had as holiday guests his father-inlaw
and mother-in-law Mr. and Mrs. Earl
Andrews of Arlington, Mass. . Heiress"
had its fii'st showing in Elizabeth at the
Regent as a New Year's attraction . . Shirley
.
Temple and Roy Rogers films were dou-
ble feature attractions at the junior New Year
matinee there Regent will run a
spook show for adults January 13 . . Sol
.
Lobianco, who has been a projectionist at
the Regent 25 years, is visiting his son William
Lobianco in Miami. The elder Lobianco
thinking of making Florida his permanent
is
residence.
Robert Seay, assistant at the Regent in
Elizabeth, is working on a giveaway campaign
to run late in January . Ritz,
Elizabeth, did exceptionally well on its New
Jersey state electric day campaign . . . Warners
ran Christmas matinees for children
throughout the Jersey circuit. Patterned
after the junior New Year's show which have
been carried on several years, the shows
The Warner Club held
proved successful . . .
its annual Christmas party at the Warner
An Annandale reformatory inm.ate
offices . . .
on parole is being held on an assault
and battery charge after stabbing a patron
at the Paramount Theatre. He was caught
as he fled from the theatre.
Proctor's held "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon"
for three extra days, before launching "Holiday
Affair" . . . The Regent, Kearny, ran a
special all-cartoon kiddy New Year's matinee
Dipalo, assistant at the Regent
here, arranged the exploitation for its children's
Christmas party, including a quiz contest
on the stage. The Regent colorfully decorated
its lobby with cu-cus paraphernalia for
its special showing of "Circus Days" as a
junior New Year's attraction.
Benefit for "Third Man'
Postponed Again
NEW YORK—The opening of Carol Reed's
"The Third Man" for the benefit of the Lighthouse
of the New York Ass'n for the Blind at
the Victoria Theatre has been postponed for
a second time due to increased interest in
"All the King's Men," current tenant at the
Victoria, since it won the New York Film
Critics award. The opening was originally
scheduled for January 4, then was postponed
to January 18, and has now been set for
February 1.
The benefit will be attended by society,
political, business and theatrical notables
with all proceeds going to the Lighthouse,
which serves over 4,000 blind persons of all
ages, creeds and races. The regular run of
the David O. Selznick release will start February
2. "The Third Man" was recently
named best of the year by the Film Tribunal
of the London Daily Express, the British
equivalent of the Academy Oscar. It will be
nationally released in April.
Chicago Branch Leading
In Ned Depinet Drive
NEW YORK—The RKO Chicago
branch,
managed by Sam Gorelick, led at the end
of the first week of the 1950 Ned Depinet
drive which began December 23. Oklahoma
City, managed by R. B. Williams, was second.
Dallas, under S. M. Sachs, and Pittsburgh,
under D. C. Silverman, followed in that
order. In Canada, Toronto, under Jack L.
Labow, edged out St. John under Harry
Cohen for first place.
The midwest district, under Herb Greenblatt,
led the other eight, with the Canadian
district, under Leo Devaney, second. The
western division, headed by Walter E. Branson,
was first, with north-south second and
eastern third. The last two are headed by
Chaxles Boasberg and Nat Levy, respectively.
The drive, directed by Robert Mochrie,
general sales manager, will continue through
June 22.
CHICAGO
1327 S. Wabosh
fILMACK
NEW YORK
619 W. 54rh St.
BOXOFFICE Januai-y 7. 1950 37