Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-17

The last hOldout, as you
day. stopped holding out. Para
$50 million. q sum to make even
Q movie mogul sit up and take
notice, sold its library Of some
$50 pre-194s films down the
television river. Actually 1t sold
them to Management Corpora
tiOn Of America. an afiiliate Of
Music Corporation Of America.
but their ultimate destination
Is obvious.
Barney Bslaban. president Of
Paramount, was quick to pour
oil on any waters the deal may
have troubled. But many an
exhibitor must have felt that
somebody was adding insult to
injury. All the embattled ex-
hibitors have been hearing
lately is that their former Gus
toners are doing nothing but
sit at home and watch old
movies on television.
***
The movie theater men even
have had to fight the specter
Of subscription television as q
delaying action. while concern
trating on the specter of post
1913 films on TV. Fortunately
for exhibitors If not for
sedentary. stay-at-home movie
fans-contracts with the direc-
tors. writer's. actors, musicians
ana others involved in post
l948 movies pose complications.
But the specter is still there
and Mr.. Balaban took advan-
tage Of the opportunity to allay
exhibitor fears. He was, at
least, semi-reassuring in a
message to Paramount branch
Offices.
"Our company is not un-
aware Of the effect previous
sales Of feature film libraries
for television purposes have
had on theater box ofiices. :"
the message read in part. But
these prior sales to Tv by other
distributors left US no other
choice. I am sure that no real
istic person would expect
Paramount to remain the sole
distributor withholding the sale
Of its pre-l948 library. Para
mount as an individual COM
pany could in no way have
counteracted the effects Of pic
lures being exhibited on tele-
vision by withholding its back
log.
II do not anticipate the sale
Of our post-1s4s library for free
television in the foreseeable flu
ture and it is my sincere hope
that no other producer or dis
tributor viii dispose of post
1913 features for free televi-
sion."
This would have been q lot
more sClace to film exhibitors.
Of course. IL Mr.. Balaban had
been less exacting in his choice
Of words. That careful use Of
the phrase "free television." not
once, but twice. is either omi-
nous or promising. depending on
your point of view.
It fairly clearly places Mr..
Balaban among those who look
toward pay TV in the foresee-
able future. The solons down
on Capitol Hill may delay fee
Tv, taking advantage Of the
vote-getting power stemming
from what appears to be wide
spread misunderstanding Of it.
They may even block the
comparatively cheaper on-the-
ali systems such as Zenith's
Phonevision. but that won't stop
fee TV. A law against a man
stringing q wire into your house
so you can see movies at home
Is hardly likely to be regarded
as Constitutional. It would be
: like outlawing the telephone be-
cause 1t was giving the pony
express unfair competition
The exhibitors still have that
to think about, even while Mr..
Balaban keeps his post-194e
movies locked in the vault.
= = y
AFTER DARK-The Shore
ham Hotel has struck another
blow for those who like their
dance music musical, with the
installation Of Tommy Tucker
and orchestra in the Blue
E
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