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^St48 Seottville, Mich., winner for the best SHOWMANSHIP SWEEP- >n '"We're No Angels," receives tit brojtich manager, Tom D«oih^
TRUE STORY POWER MAKES M-G-M’s "ELL CRY TOMORROW” BOX-OFFICE DYNAMITE!
Seldom has any personality so engrossed the nation as the famed song-star Lillian Roth, who went from fame to shame and coura¬ geously fought her way back to the top. Susan Hayward {above) portrays her life in a perform¬ ance to remember. They are seen together (right) at the Los Angeles Premiere.
REAL LIF
1,75 0,0 0 ( copies roll of presses! Firs printings oi 1,2 50,00( sold in 60 days Nationwide best-seller
ORY CAPTIVATES NATION!
CHICAGO
6th Sensational Week! Tops every M-G-M hit including '"GWTW” at United Artists Theatre.
LOS ANGELES
6th Record-Smashing Week! Biggest in history of 4-Star Theatre.
NEW YORK
3rd Big Week! Never such word-of- mouth from enthusiastic audiences
at packed Radio City Music Hall!
I’LL CRY TOMORROW
SUSAN HAYWARD
FLEET DON TAYLOR RAY DANTON
' . A ^ ^ I I E rkx/ . Based On the Book “I'LL CRY TOMORRO\W" by
RICHARD KENNEDY LHUan Roth, wme ConnoHy ana Oeroia Frank
by LAWRENCE WEINGARTEN
^Siereophonic oy I'Channel Sound)
M-G-M WEEK— FEB. 5-11 • “An M-G-M Picture On Every Screen of the World'
In the future I think we should look upon pictures having as their stars personalities constantly appearing on TV with thorough scrutiny before booking them into the the¬ atres for which we are responsible.
DR. HARRY C. CHUBB Hershey Community Theatre
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
UNSOLICITED • The letters from readers which appear on this page are not solicited. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR does not suggest questions to readers in order to provide a flow of letters.
EDITOR'S NOTi have particular ap
From WEST PALM BEACH, FLA.
Both Mr. Schumm, who has charge of all of our theatres (Tellco Circuit) here, and myself are very proud that our entry was chosen as the winner of contest 2 8 in SHOWMANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES.
We believe, as do your judges, that all of the entries have very good ideas, and that, used in one form or another, they are of definite value to all theatremen. Believe me, I await each week’s edition and give careful attention to every idea presented. From these ideas, I then work out whatever I can, and adapt them to our situations.
TED MUNSON Coral Theatre
EDITOR'S NOTE: Nice to have you aboard, Ted'. You are right that SHOWMANSHIP SWEEKSTAKES was designed for all theatres, and not just the big "first runs" with big advertising budgets. That’s why it was a pleasure to note currently that a 3 46 seat small toivn theatre in Michigan has tvon Paramount’s $5 00 prize on "We're No Angels.” Size and admission price never did limit a real showman!
From MIDLAND, ONT. (Can.)
Please accept my sincere thanks for the valuable CITATION as Runner-Up No. 2 in the 17th SHOWMANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES Contest. This CITATION is now being suitably framed and will be prominently displayed as one of my most cherished possessions.
SHOWMANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES is help¬ ing to revolutionize promotional work among theatre managers, and I certainly hope to send in many suitable promotions for com¬ petition in the near future.
ALLAN W. PERKINS
Roxy, Capitol, and Midland Drive-In
EDITOR’S NOTE: Properly identi¬ fied, signed, and sealed parchment CITATIONS are now forwarded to each of the best-5 promotional campaigns published weekly. Mr. Perkins sparked this added feature with a letter that was published in the Dec. 14, 1955 issue. Thank you, Mr. Perkins! We are always tvilling to accept a heady sug¬ gestion!
From OLIVER, B. C. (Canada)
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR is the BEST trade paper that money can buy!
G. A. GOUCH Oliver Theatre
EDITOR'S NOTE: Blushes! How can tve "counter-punch” that statement.
From BOSTON, MASS.
With the conclusion of the 195 5 Jimmy Fund Drive, I want to express my sincere thanks for the cooperation we received from MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR. Without your help I am sure we would never have reached the imposing total of $465,028.3 8. We overcame obstacles of hurricane threats, floods, and polio only because we were able to keep the exhibitors informed of our problems and of the importance of continu¬ ing the drive at high-speed so that there would be no diminishing of the research to help children afflicted with cancer.
Bill Koster joins with me in thanking you and the members of your staff for your in¬ valuable help.
THEODORE FLEISHER
Co-Chairman, 195 5 Jimmy Fund Drive
EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re happy that we were of service. And we must "take our hat off” to the men who produced a $465,02 8.3 8 result. This is a great job, well done!
From HERSHEY, PA.
This is the first time I have ever written to anyone in the industry concerning an in¬ dividual problem. I use MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR for a complete guide in buying and booking and also find your editorials most enlightening.
Until recently I felt, and still feel, that we may not have been too badly hurt by TV. However, I now wonder whether the tend¬ ency may not be reversing itself, due prin¬ cipally to the many more "names” on TV, and their frequency of appearance therein.
TV, I believe, is a fine medium for publi¬ cizing specific pictures, but frequency of appearances on TV will kill the appeal of the performer for future pictures. If a "name” performer takes a continuous con¬ tract for TV, then he or she should not be later starred in a movie.
In my opinion, in addition to familiarity with the stars through weekly appearances on TV hurting the picture to come, the stars become direct competition to their pic¬ tures on the night of their TV appearances. It looks as though the industry has "thrown caution to the winds,” and as though it is endeavoring to see how quickly it can com¬ mit suicide.
Certainly, we need all the publicity we can get; but let us show some discretion, and let the stars who have made reputations through the movies realize that the TV exec¬ utives, advertising agencies, and TV pro¬ ducers are seeking their services only because of their movie reputations. In many cases it is even their own individual agents who are throwing their clients to the wolves of oblivion through too frequent work.
; The above views lication during the current TV season when quite a few former TV "stars” seem to have killed their TV vieiver’s interest by appearing too frequently. Particularly among the comedians, the life of a TV top attrac¬ tion has proved to be a very short one. Possibly the intimacy of almost constant "close-ups” in the usually small family living room helps the average patron to quickly tire of any particular ^^charac¬ ter.” And don’t think the producers haven’t noticed it! Because of what hap¬ pened to Mr. Liberace’s picture, we understand that Paramount is stopping all work on George Gobel’s second fea¬ ture until the boxoffice shows whether the public wants his first.
From CLATSKANIE, ORE.
Your last issue of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR was a pleasure to read. Lots of fine articles, really interesting news, and seme really pertinent letters. Some day maybe we will see the publisher’s picture in it. How about it?
HARRY L. PERCY, SR.
Westlake Theatres, Inc.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We never r7in ^’cheesecake,” except in Paul Mamiing’s STUDIO SURVEY DEPARTMENT. But if you ever come to Philadelphia, we’ll let you look at him.
From VISALIA, CAL.
In regards to your editorial of January 4, 195 6 ("MR. QUIGLEY, MEET MR. JOHN¬ SON”), as per your suggestion to Mr. Quigley, why didn’t you pick up your phone and call Mr. Quigley instead of "clobbering” him in print?
EDDIE WEBER P. O. Box 1184
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you tvill refer to Mr. Quigley’s publication dated Jan. 14, 195 6, we think you will conclude that the telephoned views of "a veteran theatre operator” would not be con¬ sidered important. And, by the way, we can’t find you in our subscription files. Blit thanks for reading MOTION PIC¬ TURE EXHIBITOR anyway!
From TORONTO, CANADA
I firmly believe that the effort we exert today to attract the kids in their teens and sub-teens to our theatres can’t help but pay big dividends in terms of a bigger and brighter future for all of us in the motion picture business.
DAN KRENDEL
Famous Players Canadian Circuit
EDITOR’S NOTE: A sage observa¬ tion! And one that can stand repeating! Again, and^ again, and again!
February 1, 1956
MOTION PICTURi
"TEARS" IN OUR TIMES
It is easy for elder-statesman Adolph Znkor to adinon- ish U. S. tlieatrenien to “Stop crying!” Since the divorce¬ ment of Paramount Theatres he is completely out of theatre Imsiness, so he doesn’t need to sweat between higher and higher film terms, constantly rising overhead, and a declining hoxoffice on all except a few hig pictures. Believe ns, if he were hack again on the exhiljition side of the fence, he’d cry too! And, we rememher, he used to l)e al)le to cry real good!
Bnt oddly enough, there is a company on his prodnc- tion-distrihntion side of the fence which, it would seem, could use Mr. Zukor’s admonition. And some of Mr. Zukor’s knowledge of the American movie-going pnl)lic, too!
At an estimated cost of $5,000, THE RANK ORGANIZA¬ TION OF BRITAIN carried a full page advertisement in a recent issue of The New York Times, berating the American motion picture industry for ‘"Four famous British movies millions of Americans will never see.” Illustrated were “THE CRUEL SEA,” “SIMBA,” “GENE¬ VIEVE,” and “THE PURPLE PLAIN.” Also six British actoi’s and actresses, named John Gregson, Belinda Lee, Virginia McKenna, Anthony Steel, Peter Finch, and Julia Arnall. But all of the copy was “bitter tears.”
To anyone who has even the most casual acquaintance witli the American theatre industry today, the “tears” are completely purposeless and ludicrous. Tilings like “Many millions of Americans never get the chance ( to see and enjoy British movies). Why? Because British films are almost always shown in small ‘art theatres'^ in a few big cities where they are seen by limited audiences.” Now there is a elincher of an argument! Those same “small art theatres” often hid and get hig American “specials” and have proven time and time again that they can roll up a “Music Hall” grots and play to hundreds of thou¬ sands by holding for a long run. And, believe us, if those “few hig cities” could do even fair business with any picture, every other hig city, and every small city, town, and hamlet, too, would give it a play.
“A belief by major American exhibitors that British movies are not made for the international market” is
another tearful reason hacked by the spurious argument that British movies have “created attendance and box- office records from Canada to Australia, from Holland to Hong Kong.” While we aren’t authorities on the for¬ eign market, we notice that three of these four places are part of the British Commonwealth and probably subject to “quotas” to protect British films. But here in America, without quotas or tariff restrictions of any kind, we’re wide open and have lots of theatres that are short of product to play. So if the RANK ORGANIZATION has any pictures that will create “attendance and hox¬ office records” here, their salesmen are going to need bodyguards to keep them from being kissed to death.
Still other tearful reasons are: “It is said the British accent is a barrier American moviegoers wont take,” and “British pictures are said to lack action,” all supposedly refuted by lists and titles.
But the hig reason, the real reason, and the only im¬ portant reason why American moviegoers won’t plunk down their movie bucks to see a British movie is never admitted. Or even suggested!
The whole story is that British movies are seldom if ever promoted in the American market. Capably acted and directed, and often better cast than our domestic supplies, no one ever hears of them until some boat arrives and a print is plopped into some New York “art” theatre. American trade papers are just as badly in¬ formed about British movies as the American pidilic, so they can’t possibly inform American tlieatrenien.
It almost looks as though most British movie producers want to have their pictures fall flat on their faces in the American market. It is certain that they do nothing to pre-sell American patrons, or to build any “want to see” for their admittedly well-made features. And then they pay for a “wake” in the New York Times, and enjoy a real good “cry.”
The RANK ORGANIZATION should “Stop crying!” And start selling!
Jay Emanuel
A JAY EMANUEL PUBLICATION. Founded in 1918. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporofed. Publishing office: 246-248 North Clarion Street Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. New York: 229 West 42nd Street, New York 36. West Coast: Paul Manning, 9628 Cresta Drive, Los Angeles 35, California. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhaigh, general manager; Albert Erlick, editor; George Frees Nonamaker, feature editor; Mel KonecofF, New York editor; Arnold Forber Physical Theatre editor; Albert J. Martin, advertising manager; Max Codes, business manager Subscriptions: $2 per year (52 issues); and outside of the United States, Conado. ond Pan-American countries, $5 per year (52 issues). Special rates for two and three years on application. Entered as second class matter at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, post office. Address letters to 246-48 North Clarion . ♦'■eel Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania.
jMOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
CAN
NEWS
(Trade Headlines Of The Issue)
Corporate
Government rules that Western Electric j must divest Westrex Corporation (page 8).i Technicolor will enter the graphic arts field as diversification continues; com- , pany's profit for 1955 slightly less than previous year (page 11).
Deaths
Producer Sir Alexander Korda dies (page 14).
Distribution
Matthew Fox discloses that the RKO film package of 740 features will be sold outright to TV outlets (page 8).
Exhibition
Robert J. O’Donnell is named chairman of the industry campaign to win tax relief for exhibitors (page 10).
Financial
Universal earnings increase over last year (page 12).
Exhibitor’s earnings soar over 1955 fig¬ ure as Paramount’s Sweepstakes prize of $500 is captured (page 18).
international
Canadian public poll spots a need for : increased industry public relations (page 14).
Legislative
New York City Council favors open ; hearings on toll-TV (page 7).
ITOA will oppose regulation at Senate hearings (page 7).
Mel Konecoff
Bernard Jacon, former IFE exectitive, . announces formation of his own distribu¬ tion firm; “Anything Goes” and “Helen : Of Troy” open on the main stem; and ‘ Cinemascope 55 scores a hit (page 6).
Organizations
Allied and TOA agree on need for all- s inclusive arbitration system prior to Senate hearings (page 7).
Production
Screen producers Guild honors Cecil B. DeMille for 43 years service (page 10).
Herbert J. Yates, Republic president, an¬ nounces an increase in . the company’s production budget (page 12).
1 N P [ X
Volume 55, Number 14 February 1, 1956
Section One
Letters . 4
Editorial . 5
New York By Mel Konecoff . 6
The International Scene . 14
This Was The Week When . 15
Showmanship Sweepstakes . 16
Physical Theatre . PT-1— PT.24
Section Two
The Sekvisection . SS-1— -SS-S
(The Yellow' Check*Up)
The New York Film Critics Awards recently given to UA's "Marty," named best film of 1955, and to its star^ Ernest Borgnine, voted best performer, are displayed by producer Harold Hecht, right, and Borgnine at Sardi's Restaurant. Also seen are Mrs. Hecht, second from right, and Mrs. Borgnine.
NEW YORK
By Me! Konecoff
BERNARD JACON, veteran distribution executive and one-time exhibitor, last week announced the formation of Jacon Film Distributors, Inc., a national distri¬ bution company plan¬ ned to serve exhibitors with top product from independent American producers as well as with quality product from abroad. His in¬ tention is to try to take up the slack between major film company distribution and the franchise or sub-dis¬ tribution set-ups gen¬ erally relied upon by indepiendents and specialized distributors.
Said Jacon, “This will be a compact, hard-hitting company made up of quali¬ fied sales and exploitation representatives, with each man in each division handling our acquired product and only that. It will be really his own product for each divi¬ sion manager will participate in the earn¬ ings of the company in his respective ter¬ ritory. This will be the biggest incentive toward top performance that has ever been offered to men in the field, and the result will be a maximum playoff and maximum revenue.”
This year should see the company re¬ leasing 16 features from a number of sources and origins. Scheduled thus far are “Samurai,” a Japanese production currently premiering in New York and marked for other openings; “Rosanna,” an English-language film made in Mexico; “No Way Back,” an EInglish-language feature filmed in Germany. Additional releases in the immediate offing will in¬ clude another German produced film, an Italian-made feature, a Hollywood pi'o- duction, and several British features.
Facilities that will be available to mem¬ ber-participants include top personnel to handle script and adaptation problems; subtitling, dubbing or other technical (Coyitinued on page 12)
BROADWAY
GROSSES
(As of this Monday)
"Helen" Business No Myth
New York — Warners’ opening of “Helen Of Troy” to a rousing $65,000 at the Cri¬ terion; and the continuing okay business at Radio City Music Hail and the Roxy were the big noise on the main stem Iasi, weekend.
According to usually reliable sources reaching Motion Picture Exhibitor, the breakdown was as follows:
“Artists And Models” (Paramount). Paramount expected the sixth, and last, week to reach $24,000.
“The Lieutenant Wore Skirts” (20th- Fox). Roxy, with Sonja Henie ice show on stage, reported $63,700 for Wednesday through Sunday, with the third, and last, week sure to hit $75,000.
“I’ll Cry Tomorrow” (MGM). Radio City Music Hall, with stage show, announced $93,500 for Thursday through Sunday, with the third week bound to top $143,500.
“Helen Of Troy” (Warners). Criterion was sure of a $65,000 opening week.
“Guys And Dolls” (Goldwyn-MGM). Capitol claimed the 13th week would tally $39,000.
“Ransom!” (MGM). Globe opened to a $16,000 first week.
“The Indian Fighter” (UA). Mayfair dropped to $12,000 on the sixth week.
“The Rose Tattoo” (Paramount). Astor held steady at $31,000 on the seventh week.
“The Man With The Golden Arm” (UA). Victoria held up with $32,000 reported for the seventh week.
“Diane” (MGM). Loew’s State dropped to $7,000 on the third week.
Pathe Decision Clarified
New York — James L. Wolcott, executive vice-president, Pathe Laboratories, Inc., pointed out last week that a motion by Pathe to discontinue its suit against Tech¬ nicolor Motion Picture Corporation was granted by Federal District Judge A. O. Dawson without prejudice, which means that Pathe can reinstitute the action at any time it feels that Technicolor’s adver¬ tising again is misleading the public.
In a statement commenting on the re¬ cent outcome of the suit charging Techni¬ color with improper use of its Technicolor name, Wolcott said, “Technicolor attorneys had requested the court to deny Pathe’s motion, claiming that Technicolor adver¬ tising practices had not been changed since commencement of the action. The court refused Technicolor’s request and gave Pathe the right to renew the action at any time Pathe feels that in the future Technicolor reverts to its former adver¬ tising techniques.”
Paramount Promotes Perley
New York — Jack Perley, who since 1950 had been sales manager. Paramount’s New York branch, was promoted last week to assistant to Sidney G. Deneau, western U. S. sales manager, Deneau announced.
In his new post, Perley will be stationed at the home office. He has been with Para¬ mount more than 25 years.
February 1, 1956
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
7
Allied, TO A Close Ranks Prior To Hearings
TOA Temporarily Withdraws Approval of Arbitration Draft; Allied Okays Film Production By Circuits to Beat Shortage
Washington — In a dramatic turn of events, TOA and Allied agi’sed last week to press jointly for an all-inclusive arbi¬ tration system, including the arbitration of film rentals and selling policies. It seemed in recent weeks that the two or¬ ganizations had drifted further apart than ever on this particular point, with TOA leaders quickly endorsing the latest arbi¬ tration draft drawn up by their counsel, Herman Levy, and distribution counsel Adolph Schimel.
The action, coming as it does on the eve of the Senate small business subcommittee hearings into film trade practices with Allied committed to seeking federal reg¬ ulation of rental prices, takes on added significance in that exhibition will present a united front before Congress.
Rube Shor, Allied president; Horace Adams, vice-president; and Abram Myers, board chairman and general counsel, met last fortnight with TOA president Myron N. Blank, Levy, and board chairman Wal¬ ter Reade, Jr., and agreed to attempt to obtain the approval of their respective boards to the following platform:
“That TOA will represent to the De¬ partment of Justice and to the Senate Select Committee on Small Business that it will approve a plan on all-inclusive arbitration, including arbitration of sell¬ ing policies and film rentals; and, that Allied will join with TOA in urging to the Department of Justice and to the Senate Select Committee on Small Busi¬ ness that the theatre circuits, including the so-called divorced circuits, be per¬ mitted to produce and to distribute mo¬ tion pictures with pre-emptive rights for their own theatres, which they now own, and legal replacements thereof, and not to theatres they may hereafter acquire.”
Losing no time. Blank, Shor, Levy Myers, and Allied’s Trueman T. Rem- busch met with the Department of Jus¬ tice pursuant to the platform. TOA noti¬ fied distributor representatives of the arbitration drafting committee that board members, polled by telephone, had voted temporarily to withdraw approval of the arbitration plan and to give the plan, “in view or changed industry conditions,” full consideration and revaluation at its next meeting, set for March 4 in New Orleans.
TOA officers, meanwhile, were author¬ ized to make every possible effort to broaden the scope of arbitrability so as to make arbitrable any and all issues arising out of the customary film licensing con¬ tract; to do everything possible to bring more product on the market; to do every¬ thing possible to stem the tide of ever- increasing film rentals, even to seeking the arbitration of film rentals; and, es- specially in view of the acute seller’s market which has developed since Oct¬ ober, 1955, and because of harsh trade practices that have developed since that time, to withdraw approval, temporarily.
Toll-TV Public Hearings Favored By N. Y. Council
NEW YORK — Action on a resolution opposing subscription television was deferred last fortnight by the City Council rules committee after initial consideration, it was announced by committee chairman Councilman Har¬ old J. Merli. Following an executive meeting, during which requests for a public hearing on the controversial toll-TV method were considered, it was decided to postpone further action on Councilman Abe Stark’s proposal until the next meeting. The sentiment of those present was overwhelmingly in favor of public hearings, and it was pointed out that any action this city takes on the matter would carry weight with the Federal Communica¬ tions Commission, before which the coin box system is pending.
Attending the sessions of the rules committee were D. John Phillips, ex¬ ecutive director. Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Association; Doro¬ thea Bible, Organizations for Free TV; Solly Pernik and Rudy Renault, lATSE; Oliver Nicoll, Broadcast Unions and Guilds national group; George Mead, American Legion; Harold Knopf, local AFL-CIO repre¬ sentative; as well as Arthur Levey, Skiatron Electronics president; James Landis, Skiatron counsel; Paul Mc¬ Namara, Telemeter; and Lou Ruppell, Zenith, all of whom represented the proponents of the subscription system.
of the proposed system of arbitration, with the interim period until the March 4 board meeting utilized to attempt to accomplish the above objectives.
Official reaction from distribution circles was not immediately forthcoming, since 20th-Fox’s A1 Lichtman, chairman of the sales managers sub-committee on arbi¬ tration, was forced to leave the city on business, but unofficially, the agreement was roundly criticized. It was said that, until this agreement, TOA had consist¬ ently opposed the inclusion of film rentals in arbitration, while it also marked the first time Allied had agreed to production by circuits with pre-emptive rights to their own theatres.
no A Will Oppose Regulation At Hearing
New York — A group of members of the Independent Theatre Owners Association, representing all sections and types of op¬ eration in the New York exchange area, will constitute the ITOA contingent which will attend the Washington hearings on Feb. 2, scheduled by the Senate’s Small Business Committee before its subcom¬ mittee on retailing, distribution and fair trade practices.
Members of the committee will include Harry Brandt, president, ITOA; Max A. Cohen, first vice-president and board chairman; and board members Julius Sanders, William Namenson, Edith Mar¬ shall, Sam Einhorn, and Ray Rhone.
The ITOA passed a unanimous resolu¬ tion to appear at the forthcoming hearings and oppose all efforts at government regu¬ lation of the industry. The Association has also gone on record in support of intra¬ industry arbitration and has approved the draft prepared by the joint exhibitor- distributor committee.
SRO Suit Dismissed
New York — The four year statute of limitations in California was the deciding factor in the dismissal last fortnight of the $100,000 breach of contract action brought by Chesapeake Industries against the Selznick Releasing Organization.
Chesapeake had charged that under a 1949 contract. Eagle Lion Classics, a sub¬ sidiary, was to release 10 Selznick re¬ issues, but that the product had never been delivered. The suit was not filed until October, 1955. The New York Su¬ preme Court upheld SRO attorney Mur¬ ray Jacob’s contention that because the contract had been made in California, that state’s statute of limitations was in effect and that more than four years had elapsed.
Circuit Gets TV Approval
Washington — The Federal Communica¬ tions Commission last week granted the Video Independent Theatres authority to construct a television station at Santa Fe, N. M. Video, headed by Henry S. Griffing, has wide theatre holdings in Oklahoma and Texas and has indicated interest in acquiring other television outlets in the southwest.
YOURmi^ PLEASE!
We l^tsh to refer all Theatre Subscribers to the new format of the RELEASE DATE GUIDE, as found inside-back
cover, of this issue, and to the reasons that make such a change necessary. ; .
This is another stride forward in the unapproached “theatre- wise" service of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR-the ONLY "really different" theatre trade paper!
February 1, 1956
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
C and C To Sell RKO 740 Feature Package Outright To TV Outlets
New York — The RKO Radio film library, which was acquired by the C and C Tele¬ vision Corporation at the end of the year, will be sold in a package of some 740 films to television networks and stations in the United States and Canada, it was disclosed last fortnight by Matthew Fox, C and C president. The buyers will own the rights to each film permanently, he said, but the new RKO firm, headed by Thomas F. O'Neil, Jr., retains the negative rights to all product, and has first run TV distribution rights on 150 of the pictures. Fox said that no policy had been formu¬ lated for the short subjects acquired by his firm in the sale, but revealed that he plans to establish a company to handle distribution abroad by awarding theatrical reissue rights to franchised companies. The RKO trademark will not be used in the domestic or foreign market.
The C and C executive, speaking at a press conference, noted that television currently is faced with a problem similar to that of the motion picture industry, one of securing a continuous flow of su¬ perior product. Once a television outlet has sufficient good program material, he stated, it can compete with other network offerings in secondary slots around the clock, and by selling the RKO product as a package, TV secures enough pictures to program over a number of years. He esti¬ mated that a TV station will be able to make a profit from the films after six runs following the initial outlay, which can be arranged on time payments. Fox went on to say that this kind of sale rep¬ resents a saving of 30 to 35 per cent of outlay to C and C because the distribu¬ tion costs are reduced sharply.
Television representatives have been in¬ vited by C and C, Fox announced, to come to the Shelbourne Hotel, Atlantic City, N. J., any time in the next few months at C and C expense to investigate the purchase of the package, which he said could be “the most profitable acquisition a station owner will ever make.” Dubbed “Movietime, U. S. A.,” the package is available immediately, but programming could not be expected until summer, it was said. C and C will start to promote the product by utilizing a showmanship approach for the first time in the TV field. Fox asserted, adding that he has sought to acquire a film library for a number of years, having once offered a major com¬ pany as much as $30 million, which was turned down, he said, because producers dislike losing negative rights. O’Neil, he reported, has discovered that some of the films involved in the deal have theatrical reissue value and that securing a national sponsor for the 150 pictures is difficult.
Elaborating on the foreign theatrical distribution plans for the product. Fox said he would set up a company similar to Realart, which he organized 10 years ago for U-I. With an operation of this nature, he said, C and C will set up fran¬ chises. He declared that in the present circumstances, it would be possible to realize a greater profit from selling RKO films outside North America than from
G. S. Eyssell, president. Rockefeller Center, Inc., New York, and vice-president, amusement indus¬ try's Will Rogers Memorial Hospital and Research Laboratories, Saranac Lake, N. Y., recently re¬ ceived a contribution from the Rockettes' Aluma- nae represented by Mrs. B. Allen Magee, Mrs. A. Barrett, and Mrs. Harry Mayer, former members of the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.
Major's TV Plans Uncertain
New York — Product from major Ameri¬ can film companies for domestic television, while it is beginning to find a market abroad, is not yet being distributed to foreign outlets under an industry-wide sales policy, it was indicated last week by several high sources. Twentieth-Fox spokesmen confirmed reports that the company is making such material avail¬ able to exhibitors in Great Britain with the understanding that it may be shown in the second slot on double bills. At Warners, foreign sales head Wolfe Cohen stated that his firm has taken no steps to sell its TV product to theatres, com¬ menting that he feels commercial televi¬ sion in the United Kingdom has not yet had time to prove itself.
Bond Award Given
Washington — Jacob Mogslever, promo¬ tion manager, U. S. Savings Bonds Divi¬ sion, Treasury Department, has been awarded a citation and cash bonus for his liaison work with the motion picture in¬ dustry, arranging for newsreel trailers and short subjects which are donated to the Savings Bonds program as a public service. Most recent of these is the “Lassie” short especially made for show¬ ings in the nation’s schools to promote savings stamp days and the school savings program.
distributing them domestically to televi¬ sion.
At the same time. Fox announced the appointment of Erwin Ezzes, former sales manager. Guild Films and Motion Pictures for Television, to C and C vice-president and general sales manager. Assisting Ezzes will be Noah Jacobs, Ted Rosenberg, and Arthur Steloff. Also named to new posts were Richard B. Morros, administration director, and Gene Cogen, publicity di¬ rector. Monroe Greenthal Agency will handle advertising.
Western Electric Must Divest Westrex Firm
Washington — Westrex Corporation, manufacturer of motion picture sound equipment, will be sold by its parent com¬ pany, Western Electric Corporation, as the result of a consent decree entered in Fed¬ eral Court, Newark, N. J., last week, ter¬ minating the government’s seven year anti-trust action against the American Telephone and Telegraph Company and its subsidiaries, of which Western Electric is one. The defendants agreed to throw open their patents to all American firms, remove themselves from the private com¬ munications business, and to refrain from manufacturing non-communications equip¬ ment, among many other provisions. Western Electric will be permitted to operate as the manufacturing arm of A. T. and T.
No information was immediately avail¬ able about when Western Electric will sell Westrex, or under what conditions. How¬ ever, it was anticipated that the policy and operations of the company to be divested would not change significantly. Westrex, it was noted, has been operating in the equipment field under virtual local autonomy, with procedures guided by president E. S. Gregg. Under the terms of the consent decree. Western Electric has three years to dispose of the sub¬ sidiary and, so far as it is knovra, there is no buyer in the market at present. Seventy to 75 per cent of Hollywood studio film recordings are made on West¬ rex equipment and, in the foreign field, the company’s business extends beyond recorders into many lines of communica¬ tions and theatre equipment.
Brotherhood Chairmen Named
New York — Posts as local publicity chairmen, 1956 Brotherhood Week drive, have been accepted by industry execu¬ tives, it was announced last week by William J. Heineman and Spyros S. Skouras, co-chairmen of the National Con¬ ference of Christians and Jews event.
Prominent industryites who will direct regional campaigns for the interfaith effort are Don Allen, Tri-States Theatre Corpor¬ ation, Des Moines; Ted Barker, Loew’s, Cleveland; Maurice Barr, Paramount-Gulf, New Orleans; Birk Binnard, Stanley Warner, Philadelphia; A1 Bloom, Greater Amusements, Minneapolis; Bernie Ecans, Loew’s, Kansas City; Karl Fasick, Loew’s, Boston; C. E. Force, RKO Theatres, Omaha; Dave Friedman, Paramount, In¬ dianapolis; Hank Howard, RKO Radio, Philadelphia; Richard L. Lightman, Malco Theatres, Memphis; Joe Mansfield, United Artists, Boston; Edward Meade, Shea’s Buffalo, Buffalo; Arthur Moger, Warners, Boston; Jerry Sager, Moss Theatres, New York; and James Tottman, Stanley War¬ ner, New Haven.
Kingsberg Quits Magna
New York — Malcolm Kingsberg, Magna Theatre Corporation vice-president and treasurer, resigned last fortnight. His post was assigned to William C. McGowan, acting treasurer. Prior to his association with Magna, Kingsberg was on special assignment with Loew’s, Inc. From 1946 to 1950, he was RKO Theatres’ president.
February 1, 1956
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10
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
O'Donnell To Head Industry Effort To Win Relief From Federal Tax
New York — Robert J. O’Donnell, Dallas, w'as named national chairman of the in¬ dustry’s campaign for relief from the federal admission tax at a meeting last week of the tax campaign steering com¬ mittee in the COMPO offices.
It was decided that O’Donnell should pick regional vice-chairmen to assist him. O’Donnell accepted the appointment with a statement that he did so because the position offered him an opportunity to be of great service to the industry and also to thousands of exhibitors whom he knows to be in need of relief from the admission tax if they are to remain in business.
Reporting on the political situation in Washington, Robert W. Coyne, one of the three COMPO co-chairmen, said he had been assured by Congressional leaders of sympathetic consideration at the cur¬ rent session of Congress.
Cecil Dixon, MPAA Washington office, a member of the steering committee, recommended that the tax campaign be conducted on the grass roots level as the last campaign was.
Samuel Pinanski stated that he was con¬ vinced that the industry had an even chance for additional help from the Con¬ gress. He stated “if our chances were only one in 10 we should be foolhardy not to prosecute our rights.”
Most of the meeting was given over to discussion of campaign strategy. The COMPO press relations committee will work with Coyne and Charles E. Mc¬ Carthy, COMPO infoi'mation director, in handling publicity. It was also decided to continue the employment of Sindlinger and Company as the research firm to col¬ lect statistics for the campaign.
The meeting was presided over by Pin¬ anski. Others attending were A1 Lichtman, also a COMPO co-chairman; Harry Man- del, chairman, COMPO press relations committee; Martin Levine, representing ITOA in the absence of Harry Brandt; and Emanuel Frisch, president, MMPTA.
Tax Campaign Needs Allied For Success Before Congress
New York — Robert J. O’Donnell, newly- appointed national chairman of the forth¬ coming campaign to eliminate the Federal tax on admissions, reported at a press conference last week that the operation is almost ready to roll, with committeemen and local representatives to be named in the near future.
He hoped to confer with members of Congress to give them the revised story of the industry and its finances with all the facts and figures brought up-to-date. Said O’Dcnnell, “We told our story squarely an i fairly last time and Congress saw that relief from the discriminatory tax was indicated and they went along on a par¬ tial basis.” He hoped that they would again see the need for extended relief and the return would be with “clean hands and in good faith.”
O’Donnell estimated that if the tax were abolished, it would only cost the govern¬ ment about $80 million, whereas this sum could mean the salvation of the industry. As to comments that the timing of the
Loew's Seeks Permission To Build New Drive-In
WASHINGTON— The Justice De¬ partment advised last fortnight that Loew's Theatres will apply shortly for permission to construct a drive-in at a Houston neighborhood area, Sharps- town, Tex. The new situation would serve a new development area which is expected to have 25,000 homes and a population of 100,000. The capacity of the Loew’s ozoner would be, ini¬ tially. 1,200 cars.
Justice spokesmen said that no date had been set for a court hearing on the petition, and noted that announce¬ ment was being made in accordance with the Department’s promise to the Allied States Association to give as much advance notice as possible on proposed acquisitions by divorced cir¬ cuits. It was further disclosed that Justice had not determined whether to recommend approval.
Loew’s, it was learned, intends to lease the property for the situation, but would build the facilities itself. Altogether, there are some 50 theatres in the metropolitan Houston area, in¬ cluding 14 drive-ins.
campaign is off, he said he had heard this before, during the last campaign, and yet the industry was partially successful.
The exhibitor executive hoped that Allied would reconsider its stand on the t-=x and support the campaign because they are needed to make it overwhelm¬ ingly successful. He urged this from an industry viewpoint, stating, “We definitely need Allied, but if they don’t want to participate, we must still do everything we can to get complete relief.”
Another phase of the campaign will bo to seek monetary support from exhibitors by getting them to pay their COMPO dues. While the public will net be brought into the campaign, editors and publishers of newspapers will be appraised of the in¬ dustry’s position and need by a continu¬ ing series of information ads.
SPG Honors DeMille For 43 Years Service
Hollywood — A serious appeal for in¬ dustry unity was made last fortnight by Cecil B. DeMille, speaking at the Screen Producers Guild Milestone Dinner honor¬ ing him for his service to films over a period of 43 years. The veteran producer deplored intra-industry strife and warned that no business can survive when “pulled apart and constantly bled by selfish inter¬ ests within it.”
His remarks emphasized that manage¬ ment disregard for labor, or labor’s “un¬ realistic and unreasonable demands” tend¬ ing to sap the industry’s economic struc¬ ture, could destroy the industry, and he further noted that exhibitors must re¬ member that they are showmen, and that to fulfill their function they require as much showmanship as producers.
DeMille paid tribute to Jesse L. Lasky and Samuel Goldwyn, his first partners, seated near him on the dais, and to the late D. W. Griffith, whom he called “the teacher of us all.” To the more than 1,000 persons in attendance, he expressed his gratitude for the testimonial. Goldwyn, the principal speaker at the Beverly Hil¬ ton Hotel event, in turn paid tribute to the guest of honor, declaring that “his greatest pictures have had a universality of appeal unmatched by any others.”
DeMille outlined at length the respon¬ sibilities inherent in film-making, decry¬ ing the forces of censorship, but opining that the best way to fight such control is to give the censors nothing they can le¬ gitimately object to. The portrayal of truth on the screen and the presentation of a world where good and evil are in conflict was defended by the veteran filmmaker, who said that anything less is a shirking of responsibility.
Reagan Heads MPIC
Hollywood — Ronald Reagan was named president, Motion Picture Industry Coun¬ cil, at a meeting held last fortnight. Others elected include Marvin Faris, secretary, and Cy Baer, reinstated as treasurer. Nominated for the vice-presidency was George Flaherty, AFL film coimcil chair¬ man, whose candidacy will be voted on at the next meeting. MPIC members voted unanimously to continue the Film Creators Roundtable Forum.
A demonstration of 2C'th-Fox's CinemaScope 55 was held recently at the Roxy, New York City, end among those present were, left to right, Spyros P. Skouras, president, 20th-Fox; Jack L. Warner, vice- president and executive producer, Warners; W. C. Gehring, 20th-Fox executive assistant general sales manager; Al Lichtman, director of distribution; and Charles Einfeld, vice-president, and Samuel Rosen, executive vice-president, Stanley Warner Theatres; Einfeld; and Si Fabian, president, Stanley Warner.
February 1, 1956
Rhoden Sees Upswing Since First Of Year
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 11
Technicolor To Enter Graphic Arts Field As Diversification Continues
Los Angeles — Substantial improvement in motion picture business since the first of the year was reported by operating executives to Elmer C. Rhoden, president, National Theatres, Inc., in a two-day meeting which concluded last fortnight.
“From all parts of the country our theatre operators see concrete evidence of a business upswing,” said Rhoden. “It is particularly gratifying to observe that oxm neighborhood theatres, which had been the most seriously affected, are showing a surprising improvement in all areas. An analysis of pictures scheduled for release during the balance of 1956 points to a continuance of this business upswing. With some 75 top pictures on the release schedules of the major companies, we should have more high quality pic¬ tures than at any time in our history.”
Rhoden emphasized that many of the top features are set for release in the spring, when theatres need them most, citing “Carousel,” “Spirit Of St. Louis,” “Anything Goes,” “The Swan,” “Away All Boats,” “Trapeze,” “The Conquerors,” “The Eddy Duchin Story,” “The Great Locomotive Chase,” and “The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit.”
He also called attention to offbeat fea¬ tures and said, “It is the firm intention of National Theatres to back these pictures with a showmanship and selling that will insure the continuance of the upswing.”
The meeting was devoted principally to a theatre by theatre review of each situa¬ tion on the National circuit by the oper¬ ating executives in attendance, including Rhoden, F. H. Ricketson, Jr., and John B. Bertero, vice-presidents; Alan May, treas¬ urer; Edwin F. Zabel, general manager. Pacific Coast division; Richard Brous, president. Fox Midwest Theatres; Senn Lawler, general manager. Fox Midwest; Spencer Leve, southern California division manager; William Thedford, nothern Cali¬ fornia division manager; and Paul Scherer, assistant treasurer.
Production Surge Noted
New York — A recent survey made by the Wall Street Journal revealed that the major film companies produced 12 per cent more motion pictures in the first 10 months of last year than in the corre¬ sponding period in 1954.
Wolfe Cohen, president, Warner International, was greeted recently by Peter Colli, the com¬ pany's manager in Cuba, upon his arrival in Havana with print of Warner's "Helen Of Troy" for its premiere there. Karl MacDonald, Latin American sales manager for Warners, and Juan Falcon, assistant to Colli, look on.
Romance With Public Seen
Hartford, Conn.— Eric A. Johnston, president, MPAA, took an optimistic look at the film industry in an interview with Allen M. Widem, Hartford Times film editor, prior to a Springfield, Mass., ad¬ dress last week.
Johnston asserted that the public has given a heartening demonstration of its liking for pictures and is finding relaxa¬ tion in getting out to see films on big screens in theatres “The movies recipro¬ cate this feeling,” he said. “We don’t think it is just a light and passing flirtation.”
Hollywood, Johnston went on, is taking this renewed affection seriously and is doing many things to strengthen it, one of the most important being to increase the number of important films to be produced.
20th-Fox Ups Mos
New York — Charles Einfeld, vice-presi¬ dent, 20th-Fox, announced last week the appointment of advertising executive Carl Mos to the company’s exhibitor service division, to work with Earl Wingart, mer¬ chandising manager.
Einfeld said that Mos, in conjunction with Wingart, will augment the servicing of promotional material.
New York— Technicolor announced last week its entry into the field of color lith¬ ography through formation of a graphic arts division as the second important step in its diversification program.
Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, president and general manager, stated that the new divi¬ sion is being created to make use of the vast amount of knowledge, skills and ex¬ perience of the color film organization in the broad field of graphic arts, particu¬ larly in the reproduction of color on the printed page.
Through utilizing methods and knowl¬ edge of electronics, mechanics, color sep¬ aration, and chemistry, the new division expects to make available great economies and rapid service to its customers. The first commercial operation of this new Technicolor facility will occupy one floor of a newly-acquired building in Burbank and will be prepared to accept orders by July 1, 1956.
Two of the country’s leaders in the field of graphic arts will head the new division, Virgil P. Barta and Herbert Morrow, Jr. Both men came to Technicolor from Roch¬ ester Institute of Technology, where Barta was head of graphic arts research and Morrow research administrator.
Application of recently developed tech¬ niques will enable Technicolor operation to make available three-color lithography through a system which greatly reduces initial expenditures ordinarily associated with producing color plates.
The system makes color commercially feasible for relatively short runs of only a few hundred, as well as for runs where the customer may require tens of thou¬ sands of printed copies.
In addition, the new Technicolor Graphic Arts Division will engage in devising, per¬ fecting and operating new printing equip¬ ment. Technicolor has developed machines and controls for printing motion picture film which are closely allied to printing in the graphic arts field. Expansion of the new division, perhaps on a worldwide basis, is planned as demand for Techni¬ color graphic arts services increases.
Technicolor Profit For 1955 Dips Below Earnings In 1954
New York — Technicolor, Inc., consoli¬ dated profit for 1955 dipped slightly to $2,064,820, after income taxes, equal to $1.03 per share, it was announced last fortnight by Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, presi¬ dent and general manager. Profit before taxes was $4,108,243. The figures compare with consolidated profit of $2,319,160 after taxes in 1954, equal to $1.18 per share, with profit before taxes in the earlier year standing at $4,901,178. The number of Technicolor shares outstanding now total 2,002,136, Dr. Kalmus pointed out, com¬ pared with 1,969,770 at this time last year.
Commenting on the annual statement, the Technicolor executive expressed doubt that in the first part of this year earnings will increase to the 1954 level or better it, but he emphasized that the company has “many irons in the fire” to improve plant operation and to expedite research.
Robert W. Dowling, president, City Investing Company, and president. New York Board of Trade; Thomas F. O'Neill, center, president. General Teleradio, Inc.; and Samuel Rinzier, president, Randforce Amusement Corporation, were recently named as recipients of the annual Brotherhood Awards of the National Conference of Christians and Jews by William J. Heineman and Spyros S. Skouras, Jr., national co-chairmen of the 1956 Brotherhood Week Drive.
February 1, 1956
12
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
Production Budget Up For Republic In '56
Hollywood — Republic will allocate be¬ tween $12 million and $15 million for film production in the first half of this year, doubling the amount set aside for that purpose in the same period last year, it was announced last fortnight by Herbert J. Yates, president, who said that the com¬ pany will continue to deliver the best entertainment possible in 1956, despite “storm warnings” in the industry. He added that an intense press campaign will be conducted to promote Republic prod¬ uct, disclosing that some $1,500,000 will be spent in this connection.
Some of the top-budget pictures, 10 of which are now ready for release, will be filmed in Naturama, an anamorphic-lens process with an aspect ratio of 2.35 to one. Yates said the technique eliminates grain and distortion, and improves photographic and color quality, without necessitating costly additional projection equipment in theatres already equipped with wide screens and anamorphic lenses.
Yates was scheduled to leave for New York for conferences with Richard W. Altschuler, world-wide sales vice-presi¬ dent, concerning regional meetings to be held next month in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York, in which exhibitors will be invited to participate with Republic sales personnel. It was also disclosed that a publicity and promotion campaign sim¬ ilar to that for J. Arthur Rank’s “Doctor In The House” will launch the British producer’s “Doctor At Sea” in this country.
NT Salaries Total $365,782
Hollywood — National Theatres execu¬ tives received remuneration aggregating $365,782 in the fiscal year ended Sept. 24 last, as well as $28,701 under former em¬ ployment agreements, it was disclosed last week by a proxy statement issued in con¬ nection with the annual stockholders meeting slated for Feb. 21.
Individual amounts received were Elmer C. Rhoden, $62,200, plus $5,296; F. H. Ricketson, Jr., $52,000, plus $8,405; John B. Bertero, $52,000; Edwin F. Zabel, $57,200; and Alan May, $31,300.
Management will nominate the 12 pres¬ ent directors for reelection to the National Theatres board. They are Gregson Baut- zer, Bertero, Peter Colefax, B. F. Giles, G. H. Heyman, Jr., Eagle G. Hines, W. W. Keith, May, R. W. Millar, Rhoden, Ricket¬ son, and G. L. Sterling, Jr.
AA Drive Launched
New York — Allied Artists’ March of Progress Drive, described by Morey R. Goldstein, vice-president and general sales manager, as “signalizing AA’s full-fledged emergence as a consistent source of major quality product,” was launched last week and will continue for 17 weeks.
Arthur Greenblatt, home office sales executive and captain of the drive, and AA’s division heads have been touring the company’s 31 domestic exchanges for dis¬ cussions with branch personnel to imple¬ ment March of Progress plans.
Participating in prizes will be division and branch managers, salesmen and book¬ ers. In addition to regular prizes based on dollar-delivery, special Merit Awards will be distributed on the basis of all-around branch performance.
Recently signing an unprecedented advertising contract marking the first sponsorship of full network radio programs by a motion picture company to promote its attractions are Charles Einfeld, left, vice-president, 20th-Fox, and Arthur Hull Hayes, president, CBS radio network. Look¬ ing on at the New York ceremonies are, left to right, Irving Fein, CBS vice-president; William Shaw, network sales manager; Abe Goodman, 20th-Fox ad manager; Rodney Bush, exploitation manager; and Martin Michel, TV and radio director.
Konecoff (Continued from page 6) work; also, publicity, exploitation, and advertising services. These will be offered at reasonable rates, assured Jacon.
Seven distribution centers will be used and these in turn will cover adjacent ter¬ ritories. Those named included New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Kansas City, Los Angeles. Personnel of the divi¬ sion offices will be announced following a swing around the country by Jacon within the next few weeks.
Jacon also revealed that in addition to giving distributors and producers the ut¬ most in attention and service, his company will also treat each film as a separate enterprise from a bookkeeping point of view with all accounts and funds kept separately, which should assure maximum guarantees to each producer that his film received the fairest possible treatment.
Jacon, who has been an exhibitor for 16 years as well as with Universal Pictures and most actively engaged in the distri¬ bution of foreign pictures here, was most recently vice-president in charge of sales for IFE Releasing Corporation. Headquar¬ ters of the new organization will be at 1501 Broadway. Present at the announce¬ ment proceedings were Jerome Edwards of Phillips, Nizer, Benjamin and Krim, company attorneys, and Arthur M. Ep¬ stein, president. Fine Arts Films.
(Aside: We wish Bernie Jacon the best in his new venture. It could be a profit¬ able one for himself as well as for ex¬ hibitors.)
"Lease Of Life"
IFE'S first non-Italian release was certainly a fortunate choice. The English film, “Lease of Life,” deserves time on American screens. The story is one that the entire family can enjoy, and the exhibitor can be proud he played.
Particularly impressive is the return to the screen after far too long an absence of one of its most talented personalities, Robert Donat. Always an expert at making a character come to life on celluloid with vivid color, Donat does it again. This compares favorably with Donat’s classic per¬ formance in “Goodbye, Mr. Chips.”
—THE EDITOR.
Universal Pictures Earnings Up Slightly
New York — Universal Pictures Com¬ pany, Inc., reported last week consolidated net earnings for the year ended Oct. 29. 1955, of $4,018,625, after provision of $3,960,000 for federal taxes on income. After dividends on the preferred stock, such consolidated net earnings amounted to $3.71 per share on the 1,020,089 shares of common stock in the hands of the public at that time.
For the preceding fiscal year, consolida¬ ted net earnings were $3,797,688 after pro¬ vision of $5,600,000 for federal taxes on income and $500,000 for contingent liabili¬ ties. After dividends on the preferred stock, these consolidated net earnings were equivalent to $3.58 per share on the 995,289 shares of common stock in the hands of the public at Oct. 30, 1954.
Film rentals and sales for the fiscal year 1955, according to the company’s annual report, mailed to stockholders, were $77,520,857 as compared with $77,887,688 for the previous fiscal year.
The report also notes that during the calendar year 1955, regular quarterly dividends of 25 cents per share and an extra dividend of 25 cents per share were paid on the company’s common stock.
STATEMENT; Said Bob O’Donnell the other day: “Bad weather and free TV are our greatest competition; however, the home saturation point will be reached as soon as the industry’s forthcoming great pictures come along. 'We will always have an industry that will appeal to the middle class income.”
SHOWMANSHIP NOTE; Recently, at the local showing to the trade and press of “Anything Goes” by Paramount, a cute showmanship gimmick was in order. Just prior to the feature going on, the voice of Bing Crosby was piped in from the coast over the theatre’s loudspeaker. He kidded about golf (what else), about the making of the film, and then he started to greet various and sundry press people in the house. When he mentioned us, we almost flipped over the loge railing. It was a good Jerry Pickman stunt.
THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: Amid the glitter of searchlights, popping flash¬ bulbs, mobs of people, “Helen of Troy” made her entrance at the Criterion The¬ atre under the auspices of the Overseas Press Club of America. The TV cameras, radio and ordinary news scribes recorded the event for posterity as celebrities in the fields of politics, entertainment and society arrived for the event. Incidentally, in connection with the premiere activities, full page ad tie-ins with Gimbels were in order, which appeared in many of the local papers, providing a plus selling point. . . . While on the subject of campaigns, a glance at the forthcoming debut of CinemaScope 55 and “Carousel” shows this to be one of the all-time greats on the planning board and the largest of its kind since the debut of CinemaScope and “The Robe” over two years ago. It could hit two millions, being targeted to hit one billion audience impressions via the use of all kinds of media. The end result should be a most-talked about item. . . . Okay pressbooks out on “Glory,” “The Benn,y Goodman Story.”
February 1, 1956
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such as:
Atlanta; Scranton, Pa.; Jacksonville; Syracuse; Stillwater,
Okla.; New Bedford, Mass.; New Orleans; Meriden, Conn.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Jamestown, Pa.; Hartford, Conn.; Providence; Pottsville, Pa.; Springfield, Ohio; Boston; Binghamton; Charlotte; Stockton, Calif.; Harrisonburg, Va.; Las Cruces, N.M.; Sacramento, Calif.; Columbus, Missouri; San Francisco;
Chicago; Miami; Tampa; Detroit.
with AGNES MOOREHEAD • CONRAD NAGEL • VIRGINIA GREY • GLORIA TALBOTT
_QUGLAS__gIRK * Screenplay by PEG FENWICK » Produced by ROSS HUNTER ♦ A UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL PICTURi
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14
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
The International Scene
Canada
Canadian Poll Spots Need For PR Work
Toronto — The Gallup Poll, in a copy¬ right survey, reveals that more Canadians feel movies are “a bad influence on young people than think they are a good influ¬ ence,” indicating a need for increased in¬ dustry public relations activity. This is a reversal of the position 10 years ago. The question placed to a sampling of Canadians was, “On the whole, do you think the movies are a good influence or a bad influence on young people?”
The identical question was placed 10 years ago, and the indication is that a higher proportion of the general public is undecided on the issue.
The vote was movies are a good influ¬ ence, 1945, 40 per cent, today, 29 per cent; a bad influence, 1945, 38 per cent, today, 32 per cent; undecided 1945, 22 per cent, today, 39 per cent.
Answers as to “why” the Canadians feel movies are a bad influence, had a majority stating “young people tend to imitate the behaviour they see on the screen.”
Next category had the comment “There are too many crime, or violent, pictures.” A third group said “Some are good, but too many of them are bad; young people don’t select them.” Sex was blamed by some and censorship strengthening was sought also. Four per cent said movies kept youngsters “from studying,” 10 per cent had miscellaneous reasons, and two per cent didn’t know why movies were a bad influence.
Movies as a stimulation of “thought and imagination in young people” was the main argument advanced by people who claim movies are a good influence. Strong¬ est feeling against movies, said the poll conducted by the Canadian Institute of Public Opinion, was found in Quebec.
“Older people are more inclined to brand movies a bad influence than are people in the 21-to-39-year age bracket,” said the copyright survey.
Canadian Comment
The Provincial Board of Censors in Quebec has banned “The ’Wild One,” a picture authorities in the province blamed for recent outbreaks of violence by leath¬ er-jacketed youths. The film has already played in Montreal, but re-runs scheduled in several theatres have been cancelled.
Manitoba exhibitors continue to press their campaign for an amusement tax re¬ duction. Latest move was a letter sent by Ben Sommers, president, Manitoba Asso¬ ciation, in which he said some action was hoped for next month. A number of sug¬ gestions are made by Sommers to the members as to how they can cooperate to obtain effective action. He names the local Chamber of Commerce, suggesting, “Do they realize that your problem at present is also their problem?” Sommers tells the exhibitors that they should talk to the leading members of the business commu¬
Otto Preminger, left, producer-director^ UA's "The Mon With The Golden Arm," chats with Favre Le Bret, right, general director, Cannes Film Festival, and Mo Rothman, UA continental sales manager, during a recent Paris press conference.
nity who are also leading members of the Chamber. He asked that “a resolution from your Chamber of Commerce be di¬ rected” to the exhibitor’s representative in the Legislature.
Also in Manitoba, the Provincial censor chairman. Merlin Newton, credited the pinch on motion pictures by TV with giving the censor less work. He said there were “fewer and better” films calling for less use of the censor’s scissors. Hollywood and British pictures have required little censorship but some continental pictures, notably French and Italian, need changes before being shown in Manitoba, the censor said. He said the French industry was beginning to impose self -censorship as well. Sex is not the main target of the snipping. More often, sections of films depicting sadism or brutality are cut.
CINE CHATTER: Demonstration of Cinemascope 55 will be held at the Imperial, Toronto, by 20th-Fox, with sequences from the first two such pro¬ ductions, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” and “The King and I.” . . . Second bomb hoax in the province of Ontario was the Vanity, Windsor, when a false alarm was spread. . . . J. Arthur Rank Screen Advertising Service of Can-
John Wayne recently met French star Francoise Arnoul, introduced by American-born French stage and screen star Eddie Constantine, at the Paris premiere of Howard Hawks' RKO release, "The Conqueror," at the Marignan,, sponsored by Ecole De La Chambre Syndicale De La Haute Couture Parisienne.
Second Heart Attack Fatal To Sir A. Korda
London — Sir Alexander Korda, 62, died in his Kensington Palace Gardens home last week as the result of a second heart attack. The renowned producer, whose career spanned the European and Ameri¬ can industries, was board chairman, Lon¬ don Film Productions, Ltd., its American subsidiary, London Film Productions, Inc., and Alexander Film Productions, Ltd. He is survived by his widow. Lady Korda, two brothers, Zoltan and Vincent, both associated with him in London Film. His marriage to Merle Oberon was dissolved by divorce some years ago.
Bom at Turkeve, Hungary, Sir Alex¬ ander began his motion picture career as a director in 1916 at Budapest, and later went to Rome, Berlin, and Vienna, before coming to Holljnvood, where he was first associated with First National, then with Fox Film. In 1930, he left Hollywood and produced “Marius” for Paramount in its French studios. He formed London Film in 1932 in association with Vincent Korda and Lajos Biro. A series of successful films financed the construction of the Denham Studios, completed in 1936. He also became a United Artists stockholder, joining Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and Charlie Chaplin. Later, he established a second Hollywood company, Alexander Korda Films. He was also associated with MGM for two years during the recent war, fol¬ lowing which he reorganized London Film as an independent production and distri¬ bution company. In recent years, his posi¬ tion in favor of subscription television caused considerable industry controversy.
Korda was knighted in 1942 in recogni¬ tion of his contribution to the British film industry. Other honors bestowed on him included the French Legion of Honor and the Italian A1 Merito della Republica.
ada. Ltd., has moved its production activi¬ ties to the studios of Batten Films. . . . Murray Sweigman and his Theatre Posters have moved into new headquarters in the Revere Building, Toronto. . . Perry
Wright succeeeds Joe Garfin as branch manager, Toronto, for Empire-Universal. Garfin resigned recently. Wright is former branch manager in Vancouver for E-U. Charlie Backus, booker with Empire - Universal for many years in Vancouver, becomes branch manager. . . . Reg Dod¬ dridge, veteran of the industry, was appointed Calgary branch manager, J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors, succeed¬ ing Frank Scott. Scott was appointed to the head office. Doddridge’s position as booker in the Calgary office was taken over by Sid Bermack. . . . Hi-Art, Wey- burn, reopened under the new manage¬ ment of Rothstein Theatres, Ltd., and donated its initial proceeds to the Wey- burn Rotary Club, with the mayor of the city officially opening the theatre. . . . Kim Novak, star of Columbia’s “Picnic,” makes personal appearances in Toronto and Montreal. . . . Manager Don Edwards, Tivoli, Hamilton, featured a live broadcast from the stage of his theatre. . . . Len Reinhorn, Regal Amusements, Ltd., Re¬ gina, announced his engagement to Myma Newhouse, Winnipeg, while Bill Forman, theatre booker, also announced his ap¬ proaching betrothal.
— Harry Allen, Jr.
February 1, 1956
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
15
This Was The Week When .
Redbook Magazine’s 17th annual Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Art of the Motion Picture was presented to MGM on the Ed Sullivan TV show. . . . Times Film acquired distribution of the Austrian-made “Don Juan.” . . . Fred F. Finklehoff completed arrangements to produce Budd Schulberg’s “What Makes Sammy Run” for United Artists. . . . S. Hurok announced a spring American premiere for the color feature, “The Ballet of Romeo and Juliet,” in New York’s Paris, in association with Tohan Pictures. ... A benefit premiere for Laurence Olivier’s “Richard III” was slated for the Bijou, New York, on March 10. . . . German and Japanese designers took top honors in Warners’ “Helen of Troy” fashion design contest. . . . Twentieth-Fox slated “The Man Who Never Was” to follow the current attraction in New York’s Victoria.
. . . RKO and Samuel Fuller’s Globe Enterprises concluded a deal for four pictures, beginning with “Run of the Arrow.”
Danny Kaye, star of Paramount’s “The Court Jester,” was named International Comedian of the Year in a poll conducted by the National Laugh Foundation. . . . Republic concluded a deal to distribute J. Arthur Rank’s “Doctor At Sea” in the U. S.
. . . Paddy Chayefsky, Paul Muni, and Phil Silvers were the final recipients of Federa¬ tion of Jewish Philanthropies 1956 Mark of Achievement Awards, presented in cere¬ monies in the Sheraton-Astor Hotel, New York, in conjunction with awards to Elia Kazan, Kim Novak, Sam Rinzler, and Louis G. Cowan. . . . Joseph Brenner Associates announced that the J. Arthur Rank “His Excellency” would be unveiled in six New York theatres today (Feb. 1). . . . Stanley Warner directors declared a dividend of 25 cents a share on common stock, payable Feb. 24 to holders of rceord Feb. 6. . . . Rome Festival winner “Dark River” was slated for an early bow at the World, New York, by Times Film. . . . Twentieth -Fox’s “Bottom of the Bottle” was scheduled to open today (Feb. 1) in New York’s Roxy.
Nizer Named Chairman Of Brotherhood Dinner
New York — Louis Nizer, noted film in¬ dustry attorney and author, was to be chairman. Brotherhood Award Dinner, sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews, it was announced last week by William J. Heineman and Spyros S. Skouras, Jr., national co-chair¬ men of the amusement industry’s drive for 1956.
The dinner, which was to be attended by more than 1,000 exec¬ utives and representa¬ tives from the motion picture industry and other branches of the entertainment world, was held at the Wal¬ dorf-Astoria Hotel in New York yesterday.
Guests of honor, who were to receive the annual Brotherhood Awards for their contributions to better understanding among Americans of all faiths, were Rob¬ ert W. Dowling, president. City Investing Company and the New York Board of Trade; Thomas F. O’Neill, president. Gen¬ eral Teleradio, Inc.; and Samuel F. Rinzler, president, Randforce Amusement Corpor¬ ation.
The Brotherhood Award Dinner, mark¬ ing the 10th anniversary of the amusement industry’s participation in the nation-wide inter-faith effort sponsored by the NCCJ, was to formally launch the campaign for Brotherhood Week, Feb. 19-26.
Loew's Personnel Shifts
New York — Morton A. Spring, first vice- president, Loew’s International Corpora¬ tion, last week announced a series of new appointments within the ranks of the com¬ pany’s managerial personnel.
Myron Karlin, now manager of Argen¬ tina, will become manager of MGM of Germany. His Argentinian post will be filled by Robert A. Schmitt, who leaves Colombia. Edward S. Zobel, formerly of the Loew’s International home office staff, has been appointed manager of Colombia. Completing the round of appointments, F. W. N. Beckett, formerly manager of Germany, has been appointed manager of Cuba, succeeding Robert O. Schoham, who died recently.
COMPO Representatives Named
New York — Four additional units of COMPO have named their representatives on the COMPO board, Robert W. Coyne, special counsel, announced. Theatre Own¬ ers of America reappointed Samuel Pin- anski as its representative on the COMPO triumvirate and also as a member of the board. Other TO A members appointed to represent COMPO are E. D. Martin, Tom Edwards, Walter Reade, Jr., Elmer C. Rhoden, Robert B. Wilby, S. H. Fabian, Morton Thalheimer, and Pat McGee.
Harry C. Arthur, chairman of the board. Southern California Theatre Owners Asso¬ ciation, was named as its COMPO board representative. Robert J. O’Donnell was reappointed representative of Variety Clubs International.
Ben Shlyen, trade press representative on the board for the last two years, ad¬ vised Coyne that Jay Emanuel should succeed him. Shlyen pointed out that there is no formal trade press organization and that it has been the practice of the alter¬ nate to move up in succession to the group’s representative.
ACLU Raps Censorship
New York — The American Civil Liber¬ ties Union, despite its finding that progress is being made in getting rid of prior film censorship, warned in its 35th annual re¬ port last week that maintaining “free in¬ quiry and communication” remains its major problem. The report, entitled “Clearing the Main Channels,” cautions that motion picture censorship may take on a new guise, since so many films are distributed via television. “Since uncen¬ sored films may be shown on TV, the law is unfair to the theatre owners,” the re¬ port stated.
Gains noted in the report include the Ohio ruling to the effect that the state censorship law was unconstitutional be¬ cause of vagueness; a new law passed in Maryland attempting to clarify censorship; the abolishment of censorship by Kansas; a lower Pennsylvania court ruling that prior censorship is unconstitutional; and Sunday censorship law declared uncon¬ stitutional as prior restraint in Massa¬ chusetts. The report listed those areas still maintaining censorship.
Louis Nizer
Among those attending a recent preview of Howard Hughes' RKO release, "The Conqueror," at the RKO 86th Street, New York City, were, left to right, Nat Levy, RKO's eastern sales manager; Sam Rosen, executive vice- president, Stanley Warner Theatres; Walter Branson, RKO vice-president in charge of world-wide distribution; Bernie Brooks, film buyer, Fabian Thea¬
tres; and Len Gruenberg, metropolitan district manager, RKO; Mrs. Harry Brandt; Mrs. Charles Moss; Harry Brandt, head, Brandt Theatres; Mrs. Gruenberg; and Larry Morris, general manager. Criterion; Jerry Saeger, advertising and publicity director Criterion; and Charles Moss, president.
Moss Theatres.
February 1, 1956
16
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
1955-56 SERIES Finalists In Contest No. 31
George Nonamaker
Editor
3 Campaigns Capture $100 Prize For Exploitation Minded Colo. Exhib
Philadelphia — Sam D. Wormus, Rialto, Loveland, Colo., has won SHOWMAN¬ SHIP SWEEPSTAKES’ $100 prize in con¬ test 31 for his entry covering stunts on three different pictures.
This contest again included five entries, all of which had merit, and all of which might be found applicable for use by other exhibitors, with modifications, in their own situations. This is the true purpose of the SWEEPSTAKES, not only to stim¬ ulate the advertising-publicity-exploita¬ tion minded, but also to provide a flow of ideas for the use of many others who may find them adaptable toward increasing their boxoffice grosses.
WINNING mmr
THREE STUNTS FROM LOVELAND
Submitted by Sam D. Wormus Rialto, Loveland, Colo.
800 seats • 75 cents top admission General city patronage.
For “Trial” I chose 12 prominent people in Loveland and arranged a special screening for them six days in advance of opening. After the “trial” for “Trial,” I had each person hand down their verdict on the picture, which was really an interview tape recorded by the local radio. This was written up for the paper and the tape was played over the radio four times at no expense whatsoever. On the local jury were such personages as tho mayor, the clergy, lawyers, and well- known merchants. The promotion cost nothing but time and gave us an oppor¬ tunity to cut our ad budget and at the same time gave us a very fine play.
On “My Sister Eileen” we advertised that she would have her representative on the streets of Loveland on a Saturday night with a bargain unequalled in the history of the town. At this time several girls and myself sold $1.00 bills for 89 cents. We gained stories in the paper and made every radio newscast in the county. We received plenty of comment and many asked when we’ll have some more of those “bargain” dollar bills.
With “Deep In My Heart” on last St. Valentine’s Day, I held a promotion that covered six weeks and gained more free publicity than anything in the theatre’s history. First, Loveland is well known as “The Sweetheart Town” so I tied in with that by asking MGM to send me wires from the film’s stars and special pictures pointed at Loveland, “The Sweet¬ heart Town,” St. Valentine’s Day, and “Deep In My Heart.” MGM cooperated nicely and made it possible for me to get three front page stories, taking up almost a half-page each time. It also resulted in many radio news items and countless other comment.
A contest was run for the longest mar¬ ried couple in the community with all couples whose anniversaries fell on Feb. 14 invited to be our guests. Each of the honored couples were given a cake, a corsage, and had their pictures taken, all promoted. The oldest couple were selected in advance and were guests on a Denver TV program, were interviewed on two radio shows and were guests at three; dinners.
The picture was plugged for four solid weeks and the entire program cost the theatre less than $10. The local Chamber of Commerce paid the ‘Old Couples’ ex¬ penses to the TV show and radio shows
The interest the stunt aroused was something for a theatre manager to ex¬ perience. I never hope to have a better promotion.
RUNNER.yp NymSER 1
FESTIVAL OF HORROR
Submitted by Sid Kteper Loew Poli College, New Haven, Conn.
1410 seats * 80 cents top admission General patronage.
This stunt consisted of playing a com¬ bination of reissued horror pictures, two new features every day for a week.
A circus herald advertised the event as “7 Horror Filled Days. Look Out For The Monsters! All The Horror Men Together In 7 Days Of Horror. One Week Of Chills (no matter what the weather!) Two New Horrific Shockers Changed Every Day. Ghosts! Madness! Vampires! Suspense! Witchcraft! Torture! Murder!” A listing of the 14 films rounded up for the pro¬ gram was given and consisted of “Frank¬ enstein,” “Dracula,” “The Black Cat,” “House Of Horrors,” “The Mummy,” “Murder In The Rue Morgue,” “Franken¬ stein Meets The Wolf Man,” “She Wolf Of London,” “House Of Dracula,” “The Mummy’s Ghost,” “The Vanishing Body,” “The Weird Woman,” “The Ghost Of Frankenstein” and “The Tower Of Lon¬ don.” A “faint check” was printed at the bottom of the herald, reading, “Any per¬ son fainting during the showing of any program during ‘7 Days Of Horror’ will be admitted as our guest to a subsequent horror show. — The Management.”
Five thousand of these heralds, printed on light blue stock, were given city-wide distribution.
For street bally, men dressed as Frank¬ enstein and Dracula carted a coffin on a
Roy Metcalfe was a recent winner of SHOW¬ MANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES contest 26, with his entry from the Times, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on "Sell The Old Ones, Too."
February 1, 1956
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
JV
dolly around town day before and opening day. In the lobby we had skeletons with appropriate copy on mirrors, staircases and chandeliers. Frankenstein was laid out in a coffin as a lobby display for a week prior to opening. A false front was also erected with plenty of eerie atmos-< phere. Sidewalk intersections, curbs, etc. were stencilled. Through cooperation of the New Haven Ambulance Service an ambulance was parked in front of the theatre all day opening day.
Other gimmicks used to sell the show were a smelling salts giveaway; and an offer of $25 Savings Bond via the local newspaper to the first person willing to sleep in a cemetery over night.
Sports, news, and disc jockey plugs were obtained on radio; while a local columnist kidded the stunt stating that “We’ll definitely, absolutely, NOT be there!”
RUNNIR-yP NUMBER 3
SPUR OF THE MOMENT ADVERTISING
Submitted by James S. Howard, Jr.
Air Vue Drive-In, Goldsboro, N. C.
440 cars * 40 cents per person top admission City and rural patronage.
Since our drive-in is located some five miles from downtown we were naturally worried recently for fear that we would not do our normally big Saturday night business with a business men’s parade coming right during the normal show going hour, and the drivers getting sick of the traffic jam and only thinking of getting out of it and going home to rest.
The parade started at 6: 30 p.m., so starting at seven to 7:30 p.m., we bought 10 spot announcements on the local radio station and tagged it “Traffic Sugges¬ tions.” Our copy read: “Motorists atten¬ tion. If you are caught in a traffic jam; take Beach Street. The traffic is light there, turn left at the Armory, and right after crossing the railroad, and right again at the next railroad crossing right into the Air Vue Drive-In Theatre. You will thus avoid the heavy traffic on High¬ way 70. You’ll see a great show and get something to eat at the South’s finest Drive-In Theatre Grill.”
We were filled by eight o’clock and the grill did twice the normal business. We spot checked the cars from the direction we had indicated on the air and know for sure that the spur of the moment advertising really paid off. We had one of our biggest Saturday night grosses.
On your toes, quick action stunts like this might also prove profitable to others caught in the same sort of spot.
RUNNER-UP NUMBER 3
^^TWO KLEENEX PICTURES^^
Submitted by Paul Rickett Charm Holyrood, Kansas 280 seats * 50 cents top admission Small town patronage.
We recently arranged a tieup with the local IGA Store whereby they would furnish the tissues and help in the dis¬ tribution of them in promoting what wo called a “Two Kleenex Picture.”
We did the printing — we have our own printing equipment — and each tissue was
Ted Munson, Coral, West Palm Beach, Fla., re¬ cently won SHOWMANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES con¬ test 28 with his entry on how to get kids back Into the theatres.
imprinted “Take this tissue with you when you see ‘Foxfire’ at the Charm Theatre. P. S. ‘Foxfire’ is what is known in theatre parlance as a ‘2 Kleenex Pic¬ ture’ so another tissue will be provided as you enter the theatre — courtesy Holly¬ wood IGA Store.”
The store placed a tissue in each bag of groceries for the week preceding the playdate. We also distributed at the theatre and on the street on a Saturday night. Then, during the run of the picture we had boxes of Kleenex at the boxoffico with appropriate signs.
Both the store manager and myself felt that the interest created was well worth the effort and the cost was very low. There seemed to be a lot of comment on it and we felt that it helped the gross on the picture.
We think this is a stunt that can be used with any “woman’s picture” with good results, although it is not easy to print on the tissues. A rubber stamp carrying the wording might not be too expensive and the stamping could be done by theatre personnel at slack times.
RUNNiR-UR NUMBER 4
JALOPY GIVE-AWAY
Submitted by H. D. Jeffrys Car View Drive-In, Louisburg, N. C.
258 cars * 35 cents per person top admission Town and rural patronage.
We recently held a successful free, jalopy give-away night in conjunction with our showing of United Artists’ “Battle Taxi.”
Heralds reading: “Free! Jalopy On Jalopy Nite. One look and you’ll want to own it. A handsome, smooth running jalopy to be given free. Yes, you can be a two-car owner. Good to take the kids to school, picnics, etc.”
These heralds were distributed through the local grocery stores, house to house, and placed in parked cars on the Saturday before the Wednesday night give-away.
We found the stunt most successful and
NOTICE
Contestants are urged to watch care¬ fully expiration dates of the offers now pending from the film companies on addi¬ tional SHOWMANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES $500 awards, so that they may get entries in before stated times.
had a big crowd out in an endeavor to win the car or learn first hand who dirl win it. Considering the attention we at¬ tracted. we do not consider the cost of the promotion prohibitive.
Take A Chance
Columbus, O. — Robert Wile, secretary, Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, in a recent bulletin to Ohio exhibitors, com¬ mended a theatreman for staging “Take- A-Chance Night,” in which every patron won at least $1.
He distributed pay envelopes filled with the “long green,” mostly $1 bills, but with two envelopes containing $2, two contain¬ ing $5, one containing $10, and another containing $20. Admission was increased to 95 cents, but the net effect was to re¬ duce prices by at least five cents, since every ticket entitled the purchaser to an envelope.
Wile said this device gets around the law because there is no element of gam¬ bling when everyone gets something. Ads stressed the fact that everyone would win a prize.
Whil« V1OO.OO-p«r-w0«k will b« awarded tach and •very week throughout th« year by the SHOWMAN* SHIft SWEEPSTAKES editors, certdih film dittributert from time to time will post addiwnal DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZES of $250.00 to $1,000.00, in order to focus attention on o particular picture.
Such DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZES must be posted for a perioa of 26 weekly issues, and if not wen will be withdrawn. To qualify for a DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZE, a promotional stunt, or campaign, in which the particular picture is the center of interest, must win a MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR $100.00 weekly prise. This wiii give it "a leg" on the larger prize At the end of the 26-week period, -nould more than one entry have such "a leg" on the same OISTRIBU* fpB , CASH PRIZE, they will be re-submitted to the circuit executive fudges for special judging of the one best. This one best will then receive the entire DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZE; or, should o tie deveiop.
DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZES NOW IN EFFECT . . . are as follows:
REPUBLIC PICTURES CORP.
on-
V 'THE LAST COMMAND"
(This Prixe Offer expires Feb. 22, 195*)
IKO^ RADIO PICTURES, INC. I.
Si|.»500®° on- "The Treasure of Pancho Villa''
(Thiss; Prtxe Offer expires April 11, 195*)
February 1, 1956
18 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
First Sweepstakes Runoff Results In $600 A ward For Angels "BuHy
Philadelphia — C. F. Wallace, Foui'-Star, Scottville, Mich., has been adjudged win¬ ner of Paramount’s $500 distributor cash prize for his SHOWMANSHIP SWEEP- STAKES entry on “We’re No Angels.”
Previously, he had won Motion Picture Exhibitor’s $100 for this same winning entry, as did S. L. Sorkin, RKO Keith’s, Syracuse, N. Y.
In the playoff, according to the rules of the contest, both entries were resubmitted to our 53 judges, representing circuit executives all over the country.
Some of the judges’ comments are inter¬ esting. They range from “both terrific” to “could well have been a draw,” with one judge in Canada stating, “Wallace seemed to have organized and carried out the campaign himself. Both, however, are very good.”
So Wallace cops Paramount’s $500, and his winning campaign is reprinted below:
Sorkin deserves plenty of credit for “placing” in the contest. He had previously won $100 in SHOWMANSHIP SWEEP- STAKES last August; with his “We’re No Angels” campaign his second $100 winning entry.
There is now $1,100 riding on SWEEP- STAKES each week with Republic having posted $500 fcr the best campaign on “The Last Command,” expiration date Feb. 22; and RKO having posted $500 on “The Treasure Of Pancho Villa,” expiration date .A.pril 11. So hop to it, boys, send in your campaigns on these films and possibly get yourself a $500 bonus in addition to Motion Picture Exhibitor’s weekly $100.
PARAMOUNT PLA YOFF
"WE'RE NO ANGELS"
Submitted by Charles F. Wallace 4-Star Scottville, Mich.
340 seats * 60 cents top admission City and rural patronage.
“For a small town operation we really let ’em have both barrels on this one. We picked our booking to fall the first Sunday after our local annual Harvest Festival, thus giving us between 10,000 and 15,000 people right on the main street whom we could really let know what a terrific picture we had coming.
“Two weeks prior to the opening I had enough table tents printed: ‘We’re No Angels But Our Food Is Heavenly!’ to cover all the restaurants in the county; and 250 ‘Wanted’ posters, reading, ‘Wanted A Jail That Can Hold Us Because “We’re No Angels” Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray.. Peter Ustinov and “Adolph.” Expected to be in the vicinity of the 4-Star Theatre On (dates),’ for posting all over the county. These were exact reproductions of the ‘wanted’ posters put out by police and the F.B.I. on criminals and bore the pictures of the three stars.
“Our leading super market backed 5,000 heralds with an ad which paid for them, and these were mailed to box holders; 1,000 were put in cars around the factories in the county; 1,000 were
Charles F. Wallace, 4-Star, Scottville, Mich., whose entry on "We're No Angels" in SHOW¬ MANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES has now won him Para¬
mount's $500 posted award on this picture.
dumped on the crowd from the roof tops during the highlights of the Festival; and the balance were passed out in front o'’ the theatre.
“The front of the theatre was done ui with a three-sheet cut out and a little basket hanging from the marquee with a sign reading: ‘Adolph, the Mystery Angel’ in ‘We’re No Angels.’ The front also utilized a one-sheet, a 40 x 60, 22 x 28’s and a set of 11 x 14’s. On top of the building next door was placed and lighted a 24-sheet which could be seen from two blocks without any trouble.
“For street bally, we had a man out with a little woven basket, and we ran a per¬ sonal ad calling attention to him. This read, ‘Find the man with the little woven basket and ask him if he is one of tho Angels from “We’re No Angels,” opening Sunday at the 4-Star, and he will give you a free pass.’ This worked so good I had to cut it off after too many recog¬ nized him and he gave out too many passes.
“We ran teaser ads a week in advance of opening and a big newspaper ad the day before and again on opening day. Several merchants were persuaded to use the picture title for headers in their ads and it really got a lot of comment as it was never done here before. One of these from the Palace Radio and Appliance Store read ‘We’re No Angels — But A Jungers Will Keep Your home Warm and Heavenly.’
“During the two nights of the Festival and the Saturday night before opening we set up a 16mm. projector and ran a special trailer and TV clips which really stopped them in their tracks and plugged up the street. This was done in our vacant lot across the street from the theatre.
“The day before opening we used a saturation job on our local radio station with spots and the announcer telling about the man with the basket and the free passes on the street.
“To these people in outstate Michigan it was really something and they proved it by showing up at our boxoffice with that good old green stuff in hand. We ended up with our second highest gross of the year.”
Special Columbia Two-Reeler Boosts "Harder They Fall"
NEW YORK — Columbia vice-presi¬ dent Abe Montague last week ad¬ vised exhibitors that the company has made a special, two-reel subject com¬ prised of scenes from the forthcom¬ ing Humphrey Bogart feature, “The Harder They Fall.”
In urging theatremen to arrange an early screening of the two-reeler with local Columbia exchanges, Montague explained that it has been made be¬ cause the final print of the film will not be available for screening until approximately the middle of next month. The executive further ex¬ pressed confidence that the short would prove of great interest to ex¬ hibition, and that Columbia plans to back up the Bogart starrer with “pow¬ erful advertising publicity, and ex¬ ploitation,” adding that the short would not have been made if his firm had not considered it “definitely worthwhile.”
Breakfast Well Attended
New York — The Sixth Annual Com¬ munion Breakfast for Catholic members of the motion picture industry was held last week in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
Prominent members of the entertain¬ ment industry made up the dais. The principal speaker at the event was Father James Keller, founder of the Christopher movement. Eddie Dowling, noted theat¬ rical producer, acted as toastmaster.
Members of the dais included such re¬ nowned personalities as Ann Blyth, Eddie Foy, Jr., Ernest Borgnine, Johnny Podres, and concert starts Vivian Della Chiesa and 'Thomas Hayward. Miss Blyth also spoke and several musical selections were offer¬ ed by Miss Della Chiesa and Hayward at the breakfast.
"Devil" Drive Winners Named
New York — Three RKO branch manag¬ ers have been announced by Walter Branson, vice-president in charge of world-wide distribution, as winners in the “Devil Take Us” sales and booking contest which started with the release of the short subject June 17, 1955, and ran until the close of the year.
In the United States, the two who fin¬ ished at the top were Rovy F. Branon, Charlotte, and Jack Chinell, Buffalo. The award in Canada goes to Myer Nackimson, Toronto.
The three will receive engraved bronze plaques, gifts from the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, which originally had presented a trophy to Herbert Morgan, producer of “Devil Take Us,” for having made a fine motion picture with traffic safety as its theme.
Moss Named 20th-Fox Ad Head
New York — Abe Goodman, advertising director, 20th-Fox, announced last week the appointment of Alec Moss to the posi¬ tion of advertising manager. Moss first joined the advertising department in 1951 after developing a highly successful ex¬ ploitation program on 20th-Fox’s “The Day The Earth Stood Still.”
February 1, 1956
MOTION PICTURE
EXHIBITOR
19
NEWS OF THE TERRITORIES . . .
Circuit Heads Urged To Political Action
Boston — Carl Goldman, executive secre¬ tary, Independent Exhibitors, Inc., of New England, and Frank Lydon, executive sec¬ retary, Allied Theatres of New England, called a meeting of 30 circuit heads, ex¬ hibitors, and managers from New Hamp¬ shire at the Hotel Eagle, Concord, N. H., to urge them to try to have industry rep¬ resentation at the State Constitutional convention to be held in May.
On March 13, voters will elect delegates to the convention, one from each town. The heads of the two exhibitor groups pointed out the urgency of having persons friendly to the industry run as delegates, to be on the alert for any adverse legis¬ lation that might be proposed, in order to be able to kill it before it reaches the state legislators. Delegates are empowered to recommend changes in the existing laws of the constitution, one of which bars the levying of excise taxes.
Seen at the recent preview of Paramount's "Anything Goes," Metropolitan, Boston, were Gasper Urban, center. Paramount branch man¬ ager, greeting theatremen, left to right, Larry Herman, Snyder Circuit; John Glazer, Western Massachusetts Circuit; Hy Fine, district manager of New England Theatres; Jerry Govan, New England Theatres; Phil Berler, E. M. Loew Circuit; Ted Fleischer, Interstate Circuit head; and Sam Seletsky, Smith Circuit, kneeling in front is Ben Williams, Main Theatres.
Albany
The Variety Club amended house rules to permit luncheon guests during the week. This does not include ladies, who are welcome for dinner on Saturday and Sunday. . . . Ernie Ziegler, U-I salesman, became the father of a daughter. . . . Howard Goldstein plarmed to resign as RKO salesman to join the Perlmutter organization as a supervisor. . . . The com¬ mittee for the Variety Club Sweetheart Luncheon and Fashion Show in the Sher¬ aton-Ten Eyck Hotel includes Jules Perl¬ mutter, Garry Stevens, Nate Winig, and Irving Doling. Member Joseph Yezzi, dress shop proprietor, will sponsor the fashions. ... A group of women, under the direction of Alan V. Iselin, Auto- Vision, East Greenbush, N. Y., made lobby collections in theatres here for the March of Dimes. It was not decided whether a subsequent campaign will be conducted for drive-ins. Film Row girls who donated their services included Vicki Grygiel, U-I; Carmela Mottolese and Ann Joyce, Co¬ lumbia; Mary Savini and Sophie Minton, MGM; Anne Singsheimer, National Screen; Lillian Squadero, Paramount; Diane Snyder and Mary K. Riley, 20th-Fox; Marcia McLean, United Artists; Char¬ lotte Lansing and Doris Senecal, War¬ ners; and Jinx Barcomb, Upstate Theatres. . . . A bill has been introduced to amend the state law to permit public entertain¬ ment after 1:05 p.m. on Sunday, instead of the long-established 2 p.m. ... A com¬ bination indoor-outdoor theatre will be constructed as part of the new shopping center at East Greenbush, it was an¬ nounced by Alan Iselin and Neil Heilman, co-owners of the site.
Atlanta
Jim Hart, booking department, Colum¬ bia, has moved up to office manager. He replaces Lamar McGarity, who will be sales representative. ... A farewell party was given to Cliff Wilson, ABC Booking Office, who left Atlanta to go with the Paramount- Gulf Theatres, New Orleans.
. . . E. C. Grainger, circuit sales manager; Cy Dillon, Charlotte; Mat Weis, Memphis; and Harold Laird, Tampa, Fla., all Re¬ public branch managers, were in for a sales meeting. . . . R. M. Kennedy, owner. Empire, Montgomery, Ala., has closed the theatre for extensive remodeling. . . . The Howco Exchange has opened a branch in Jacksonville, with C. T. Jordan, Jr., in charge. Roland Fairchild is office man¬ ager and Claude Atkinson booker. . . . The Ritz, Brantley, Ala., has closed . . . Tom Jones, booking service, will handle booking and buying for the Twilite Drive- In, Brundidge, Ala.
The Blossom Trail Drive-In, Orlando, Fla., and the Cinemarado, Islamorada, Fla., opened. Buying and booking for both will be handled by A1 Rook Booking Service. . . . The Chatom, Chatom, Ala., was closed, after 25 years of exhibition, by its owner, Charles Waterall. . . . The N. H. Waters family, Birmingham, Ala., owners. Waters, made a gift to Athens College, Athens, Ala., amounting to an estimated $100,000 in stocks and Birmingham real estate. . . . Willis J. Davis, past Civitan president and public relations director, Wilby- Kincey Theatres, was guest speaker at the monthly meeting and luncheon of the WOMPI at the Variety Club.
Pro-Censorship Forces Fight ^'Mom And Dad" Court Appeal
ALBANY — The Attorney General’s office and the State Education Depart¬ ment’s law division filed briefs with the Appellate Division, Supreme Court, in opposition to the appeal by Capitol Entei'prises, Inc., distributor of “Mom and Dad,” from a decision of Board of Regents denying a license for the pic¬ ture on the ground that a human birth sequence made it “indecent” within the meaning of the law. The case, in which Ephraim London, New York, serves as counsel for appellant, was scheduled for argument during the term opening last week.
Three Suits Settled For Undisclosed Sum
Providence, R. I. — Three anti-trust suits brought by Rhode Island theatremen against major film companies were recent¬ ly settled out of court for undisclosed amounts. The suits were filed in Federal District Court here in February, 1949, on the basis of a U. S. Supreme Court deci¬ sion finding that big distributor company practices were in restraint of trade under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. The stipu¬ lations of a dismissal on the anti-trust cases and counter-claims by the movie companies were filed at the clerk’s office.
The principal allegation of the plaintiffs was that the film companies denied them the opportunity of showing first-run pic¬ tures on national release dates. The plain¬ tiffs said they could not get the films until seven to 14 days after they were shown in Providence. A number of other re¬ strictive practices were alleged by the plaintiffs, who included the Narragansett Pier Amusement Company, Artcraft Pic¬ tures, former operators of East Greenwich, R. I., movie houses, and Meyer, Joseph, and Max Stanzler.
The hearings were begun last year be¬ fore Judge John P. Cooney, Jr., a special master, and were later broken off when the plaintiffs reported that a settlement had been agreed upon. Defendants were Loew’s, RKO, Paramount, 20th-Fox, War¬ ners, United Artists, U-I, Columbia, Re¬ public, and Monogram.
Boston
At a recent board of directors meeting of Independent Exhibitors, Inc., of New England, it was imanimously voted to hold the 1956 regional convention at Toy Town Tavern, Winchendon, Mass. The dates for the conclave are Oct. 15-16. lENE head¬ quarters at 36 Melrose Street are under¬ going refurbishing and repainting. The annual election of lENE officers will be held at the armual meeting on Feb. 14 at the Hotel Bradford. The nominating com¬ mittee, comprised of Norman Glassman, W. Leslie Bendslev, Melvin Safner, and Henry Gaudet, will submit a slate of officers for election. . . . Joseph G. Cohen, independent buyer and booker, has taken over the film buying emd booking for the Saco Drive-In, Saco, Maine, owned by Eugene Boragine. . . . Ed Chrisman, dis¬ trict manager, Cretor’s Popcorn Machines, was in town conferring with James Stone- man, Relston, Inc., New England distribu¬ tors of Cretor’s products. . . . William H. Riley, independent film carrier for 35 years, retired from the business, turning over his routes to Film Exchange Transfer Company.
PROVIDENCE, R. I., NEWS— Robert Rounseville, native son of nearby Attle¬ boro, Mass., and star of 20th-Fox’s “Carousel,” has been engaged to make a personal appearance at the annual St. Vincent de Paul Charity Concert, early this month. . . . The Community, Center- dale neighborhood house, has started a Cavalier dinnerware deal, aimed to pro¬ mote Monday and Tuesday attendance. ... At a special luncheon in the Sheraton- Biltmore Hotel, theatremen advanced plans for their participation in the annual March of Dimes campaign. Governor Den-
February 1, 1956
20
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
Ball, Arnaz To Attend "forever Darling" Bow
Buffalo— An itinerary has been estab¬ lished for Lucille Ball and Desi Ajrnaz for the homecoming celebration in Jamestown, N. Y., Feb. 6 and 7, in coimection with the world premiere of MGM’s “Forever Dar¬ ling,” in Dipson’s Palace. The couple will arrive in Buffalo about 8 a.m. Feb. 6 and will board a Bell helicopter outside the railroad terminal, after a short trip to the Bell Aircraft Company plant, to make the 50-minute trip to Jamestown, arriving there about noon.
Jamestown schools will be closed and factory whistles and bands will greet the stars. A parade will form to escort them to the Hotel Jamestown. The afternoon will be devoted to press conferences and the greetings of Jamestown friends by Miss Ball, who was born and spent her girlhood in the Chautauqua Lake city.
The couple will appear at a sports din¬ ner sponsored by Temple Hesed Ahraham and will be guests of honor at a charity ball in the State Armory that evening. The next morning, they will tour James¬ town hospitals, and attend a joint service club limcheon, after which out-of-town movie critics will be greeted. Arthur Can¬ ton, eastern division publicity representa¬ tive, MGM, and Richard T. Kemper, zone manager, Dipson Theatres, have been active planning for the premiere.
nis J. Roberts was one of the principal speakers. He praised the state’s motion picture exhibitors, operators, and em¬ ployees for their continued untireless efforts in fostering and cooperating in all of the many charitable drives. Motion pictures were taken of the gathering, and were later telecast over WJAR-TV, add¬ ing further impetus to the drive.
Buffalo
Louis DeRochemont’s second Cinerama presentation, “Cinerama Holiday,” was premiered in the Teck. Manager Boris Bemardi and his staff had planned the event with the fanfare of a Hollywood opening. The Greater Buffalo Advertising Club, which donated the entire receipts to the March of Dimes, sponsored. . . . The Scholastic Legion of Decency, composed of area Catholic students, chose Warners’ “The Court Martial Of Billy Mitchell” as the motion picture for January. . . . George J. Waldman, who owns the Realart Film Exchange, New York, has taken over the Lieser Film Distributing Company, of which Lou Lieser has been president. Lieser expects to announce a new industry connection. . . . Minna Zachem, who was booker for Lieser, is now manager of the new Waldman office in the Film Building, known as George J. Waldman Films. . . . Stan Barron, sportscaster, radio station WKBW, was the speaker and Joe Mc¬ Carthy, former manager. New York Yankees, was honor guest at the recent Variety Club stag luncheon.
Marvin Jacobs, chairman, charity com¬ mittee, Variety Club, presented a check for $28,405.82 to Tent 7’s Celebral Palsy Clinic in Children’s Hospital. The dona¬ tion was accepted at the club’s installation ceremonies by Mrs. Dudley M. Irwin, hospital representative. At the same time, a citation was presented to Miss Marion
Among those present at the recent preview of Paramount's "Anything Goes," State-Lake, Chi¬ cago, were, left to right, Ralph Taplinger and Russell Hurt, Alger Theatre Circuit, LaSalle, III.; J. H. Stevens, Paramount branch manager; Alex Manta, Manta-Rose Circuit; Art Gould, Gould Associates; and N. S. Berger, State, Chicago.
N. Ryan, MGM office manager, in recog¬ nition of her efforts in co-ordinating the club’s collections in theatres. . . . Nedra Gray and Julie Paepke were the greet¬ ers at the open house in the Variety Club.
The Buffalo Albright Art Gallery will be the scene on Feb. 10 of an authori¬ tative discussion on the subject, “Are Movies Art?” Panelists of the evening will be Bosley Crowther, film critic of the New York Times; Richard Griffith, film curator of New York’s Museum of Mod¬ em Art, and James Davis, film producer of Princeton, N. Y.
Shea’s Buffalo celebrated its 30th anni¬ versary and ad-pub chief Edward F. Meade arranged among other things an interesting lobby display installed by the New York Telephone Company, which showed progress in communications since the theatre was opened in 1926. The tele¬ phone plays a prominent part in the theatre’s current attraction, “Ransom!” Meade also landed photos in the Courier- Express showing the ground-breaking in 1926 and construction scenes.
Charlotte
The annual convention of Theatre Own¬ ers of North and South Carolina was scheduled to get underway this week in the Hotel Charlotte, with a full program planned for the delegates. . . . The Visual-
Samueis, Margolies Set ^'Locomotive" Premiere Plans
ATLANTA — Leo F. Samuels, presi¬ dent and general sales manager, Buena Vista, and Albert Margolies, director of publicity and advertising, were here to plan the world premiere of Walt Disney’s recently completed live- action feature, “The Great Locomotive Chase.” The film, in CinemaScope and Technicolor, stars Fess Parker and Jeff Hunter in a dramatization of the epic Civil War adventure of Andrews’ Raiders.
Samuels, who had just completed a series of conferences at the Disney studios in California, was to follow the Atlanta conference with a week’s trip to New Orleans and Dallas to meet exhibitors and visit the Buena Vista offices in the area. Accompany¬ ing him on this trip was Jesse Chin- ich, Buena Vista sales isupeiwisor.
Chicago Variety Slate Inducted At Dinner
Chicago — That Variety Club, Tent 26, is making splendid progress was evidenced by the large attendance at the dinner pre¬ ceding the installation of the 1956 officers and crew. Jack Kirsch, president. Allied Theatres of Illinois, serving as chief bark¬ er for the fourth term, presented a rosy picture of the club’s future.
Placques of appreciation were presented by Dave Wallerstein on behalf of the club to Kirsch, and by Nat Nathanson to Manny Sperling. More than 20 new mem¬ bers took membership pledges. Leonard Hicks, managing director. Congress Hotel, in which Variety clubrooms are located, was toastmaster. Hicks introduced John P. Carmichael, Daily News sports editor, who entertained the clubmen with droll athletic stories.
The officers for 1956, in addition to Kirsch, are Nathanson, first assistant; Louis Reinheimer, second assistant; Harry Balaban, dough guy; Jack Rose, property master; John J. Jones, international rep¬ resentative; and Sperling, international canvasman. The canvasmen are Joseph Berenson, Lou Goldberg, Sam Levinsohn, Irving Mack, Irving Mandel, William Margolis, John Semadalas, Ralph Smitha, and Wallerstein.
ite was to give the net proceeds of two nights’ showings to the March of Dimes, with admission a voluntary donation of an unspecfied amount, according to man¬ ager Robert Schraeder. . . . Buena Vista opened offices on the fourth floor of the Addison Building, South Church Street, with Herbert L. Robinson as manager. Shipping will be handled by Carolina Film Service, Inc. . . . Mrs. H. F. Kincey, wife of Wilby-Kincey Theatres executive, was named chairman. Memorial Hospital Nurses’ Home committee. ... A fire caused $75,000 damage to the Drake, Wil¬ son, N. C. . . . Said one small fry to an¬ other, leaving a Saturday matinee, “It was a swell picture, except for all that kissing stuff.” “Oh, it was all right,” shrugged the first, “I just closed my eyes and pretended he was choking her.” . . . The Lone Ranger appeared on the stage of the Carolina on behalf of Warners’ new feature, presented by manager Kermit High. . . . Charles H. Lewis, manager. Center, Durham, N. C., was elected a director, Durham Merchants Association.
Chicago
Condolences were being extended to Lou Goldberg, Paramount, on the death of his mother, Mrs. Leach Goldberg, 88. Interment was in Waldheim Cemetery. . . . Rex Kinne, Lee owner, Whitmore, Mich!, is better after a hospital stay. . . . Ted Scholosser was named Indiana manager, Indiana Harbor, Ind. . . . George S. Bech- aras, 69, pioneer theatreman who owned the Englewood, Linden, and Montclair here, died. . . . Bill Hollander, B and K publicity chief, attended the Variety Club installation, after several weeks in the hospital for surgery. . . . The Ritz, Belle¬ ville, Ill., was given a thorough refurbish¬ ment by the Bloomer Amusement Com¬ pany. . . . Kim Novak is slated to kick off the YWCA fund drive here. She lives at Hollywood’s YWCA Studio Club. . . .
February 1, 1956
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
21
Two Exchange Unions Reelect Officers
Cincinnati — All officers of both Local F 37 and Local B 37, lATSE, were re¬ elected at annual meetings in mid-Janu¬ ary, while there were a number of changes in trustees and on the respective boards.
The officers are, for Local F 37, presi¬ dent, Robert Laws, Columbia; vice-presi¬ dent, Virginia Meyer, 20th-Fox; secretary, Patricia Imon, United Artists; financial treasurer, Etta Kuhlman, Warners; and treasurer, Mary Lou Harrison, Columbia. The executive board is Ann Keck, War¬ ners; James Christian, U-I; and Wilbur Hetherington, United Artists. Trustees are Jack Quigley, U-I; Helen Winkler, War¬ ners; and Florence Hermann, MGM. The examining board is Ben Hathaway, U-I; Carl Weinberg, MGM; and John Hall- meyer, 20th-Fox. Guardian is Don Wo¬ mack, RKO, and business agent is James Levendusky, MGM.
For Local B 37, the president is Laura Finney, 20th-Fox; vice president, Mabel Rhinehart, MGM; recording secretary and treasurer, Davis Schrieber, U-I; and finan¬ cial secretary, Thelma Sebree, RKO. Ex¬ ecutive board is Harry Brinkman, War¬ ners; Margaret Rakel, Columbia; and Lucy Mink, National Screen. Trustees are Clara Supee, RKO; Robert Banker, U-I; and Robert Meyers, National Screen. The Ser- geant-at-arms is Joseph Mercurio, Na¬ tional Screen, and business agent, John Dressing, National Screen.
Balaban and Katz declared a year-end dividend of $1.50, bringing the 1955 divi¬ dend total to $4.50. . . . Frank Fitzpatrick, Clinton owner, Clinton, Mich., is better after hospitalization. . . . John B. Stone- bruner, 85, who opened his first theatre in Decatur, Ill., in 1905, died. His widow is sole survivor. . . . The Home, Rantoul, Ill., which was damaged by a $25,000 fire, was reopened after complete repairs. . . . The Ritz, Shelbyville, Ind., renamed the Cinemascope, was reopened by the Switow Circuit.
Three men who bound and gagged John C. Carothers, Varsity manager. Carbon- dale, Ill., and four assistants in a daylight robbery were arrested. They confessed they had forced Carothers to open the safe, from which $1,000 was taken. The money was recovered. . . . The monthly membership meeting of Variety Club will be held in the clubrooms Jan. 28, starting at noon with a free buffet limcheon. . . . Otto K. Eitel, Palace, was named a mem¬ ber of the newly-formed Chicago Central Area Committee, which will seek to im¬ prove the downtown district. . . . Kermit Russell and Dan Quinn are the new own¬ ers of the Crawford. ... Ira Kutock, manager, Ed Wolk theatre supply parts firm, is better after a long hospital stay, following an auto accident. . . . Condol¬ ences are going to Ted Regelin, Gateway manager and B and K veteran, over the death of his father, Theodore Frederick Regelin, 73. . . . Robert L. Jackson was named Embassy manager. Fort Wayne, Ind., by Alliance Amusement Company. . . , The Chicago has decided not to re¬ store stage shows during the showing of U-I’s “The Benny Goodman Story.”
Catholics To Judge Films,
TV, Radio Via Opinion Cards
TOLEDO, O. — The Diocesan Coun¬ cils of Catholic Men and Women recently distributed some 10,000 indi¬ vidual cards for the expression of approval or disapproval of current film fare, television and radio pro¬ grams. With each, cards listing the addresses of major producers in all the media were dispatched.
The cards, dubbed “Committee -of - One,” are of two kinds. One is described, on the card itself, as “a message of praise”; the other as “a message of disapproval.” Space is pro¬ vided to express or explain reasons for approval or disapproval, “in keep¬ ing with the ideals and principles of the Legion of Decency.”
Judge Carson Hoy, in Common Pleas Court, refused to grant an injunction to halt construction by Mid-States Theatres of a drive-in near the Children’s Home. He ruled there was no zoning violation, because the district has long been zoned for industrial use. . . . Jolm Mitchell, U-I booker, has been transferred from Wash¬ ington to the local branch. . . . The U-I office staff staged an informal party for Helen Cerin, secretary to Frank Schrei- ber, branch manager, who resigned after 14 years in the office. Lucille Arnold of the staff has replaced her. . . . Officers of Lodge 5, Colosseum, are, president, A1 Kolkmeyer, U-I; vice-president, Ross Williams, United Artists; secretary, Arthur Adams, MGM; and treasurer, Ray Russo, 20th-Fox. . . . James Christian, Warners head booker, was convalescing at home after hospitalization for bronchial conges¬ tion. . . . Clayton Moore, star of Warners’ “The Lone Ranger,” was in to bally the film at the Palace. . . . The week-old daughter of William Poppe, United Art¬ ists, died.
Mrs. Nelson Ward, widely known exhibitor and noted for her varied com¬ munity interests, died at her home in Lexington, Ky. She owned houses in Georgetown and Mt. Sterling, Ky. ... A daughter, Arlene Gayle, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Switow. Switow is head of Standard Vendors, Louisville, Ky.
Paramount's "Anything Goes" recently had a preview in Cleveland, and among those in at¬ tendance were Lewis Horowitz Washington Theatre Circuit; Joe Lissauer, Skirball Brothers Theatres; and James Shulman, independent theatre owner in the lobby of Loew's Stillman.
Customers, Not Press, True Film Judges
Columbus, O. — Exhibitors are forced to take the judgment of the people who pay their money at the boxoffice and cannot accept the judgment of a writer in New York, said Robert Wile, secretary. Inde¬ pendent Theatre Owners of Ohio, in reply to a recent column by Irene Kuhn in the Columbus Dispatch.
Miss Kuhn said that the decline in busi¬ ness noted by Eric Johnston could be traced to “too many bad pictures” in the past year. She cited “Blood Alley,” “I Died A Thousand Times,” and “The Man With The Golden Arm” as examples of pictures which discourage patrons.
Wile said that Samuel T. Wilson, theatre editor. Dispatch, disagreed with Miss Kuhn in his reviews of “Blood Alley” and “I Died A Thousand Times.” Wile also said that “The Man With The Golden Arm” has done “sensational” business in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. “Appar¬ ently, the general public disagrees with Miss Kuhn, too,” said Wile.
Miss Kuhn charged that “The Man With The Golden Arm” “glorifies strippers, prostitutes, gamblers, and bums.” Wile said reviews indicate this is not so, “but on the contrary, it is one of the most powerful documents showing the evils of drug addiction which has ever been made. We prefer the criticisms of Mr. Wilson and his colleagues, since they appear to more nearly represent the opinions of the people in Columbus and the state of Ohio. Since we cater to the public as a whole, we are willing to rely on the judgment of the people.”
COLUMBUS, O., NEWS— Fred Hart- wick, veteran projectionist, Loew’s Ohio, is retiring and will move April 1 to Miami, Fla. . . . Murphy McHenry, United Artists exploitation representative, in town for a campaign on “The Man With The Golden Arm,” which opened at Loew’s Ohio. The Otto Preminger film originally was announced for Loew’s Broad. . . . Commissioners for the proposed under¬ ground State House parking garage are hopeful that financing plans for the multi-million dollar structure may be completed by the end of the year. The garage would offer much-needed assist¬ ance to patrons of downtown theatres. . . . Manager Walter Kessler, Loew’s Ohio, was guest speaker at a meeting of the Columbus and Franklin County Motion Picture Council. He spoke on the indus¬ try’s Production Code.
Cleveland
Two area theatres closed, the Main here and the Lyric, Delta, O., which Richard Beals opened in the fall with hopes of merchant cooperation. . . . The Ray Schmertz testimonial dinner, in honor of his promotion by 20th-Fox from local sales manager to branch manager, Indian¬ apolis, is set for Feb. 27 in the Theatrical Grill. For reservations, see Irwin Marcus, NSS. . . . Peggy Lewis, wife of RKO sales¬ man Jack Lewis, is now at home to com¬ plete her convalescene from bronchial pneumonia. . . . It’s a son for Louis Weitz, secretary, Cleveland Motion Picture Ex¬ hibitors Association, bom in St. Anne’s
February 1, 1956
22
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
Drive-In Meet Adds ExploitationTo Agenda
Columbus — Plans for the National Allied Drive-In Convention in Cleveland, Feb. 21-23, are shaping up, with several items recently added to the program. A new addition to the schedule is an exploitation clinic to be conducted by David Cheat¬ ham, Moon-Glow Drive-In, Pulaski, Tenn. Cheatham, a successful operator and an attorney, has succeeded in using some outstanding promotion ideas.
Edward Lider, Yamins Theatres of New England, will conduct a clinic on conces¬ sions. Hugh McLachlan, Y and W Theatres of Indiana, also will conduct an exploita¬ tion clinic. The banquet which ends the convention will be hosted by the Coca- Cola Company, and a cocktail party before it will be tendered by the Berio Vending Company.
The order of events has been slightly changed so that the dinner and show con¬ sisting of live acts for drive-in bookings will be held on the evening of Feb. 21. The visit to Nela Park, General Electric Research Laboratory, will be climaxed by a hospitality hour, with the General Elec¬ tric Company as the host, on the second evening. Out of deference to the many concession and equipment companies which wiU have exhibits at the conven¬ tion, nothing is being scheduled for the morning hours, giving the delegates ample time to talk to the representatives of the companies.
Hospital. . . . 20th-Fox branch manager I. J. Schmertz was in Indianapolis to see son Ray installed as 2Uth-i!'ox branch manager. . . . Elmer DeWitt, city manager. Mailers Theatres, Defiance, O., has wel¬ comed back to his old position of assist¬ ant manager Richard Delaney, who spent the past two years at Ft. Monmouth, IN. J., as photography section instructor. Army Signal Corps.
In Toledo, O., the old Granada, closed the past four or five years, sultererd dam¬ age estimated at $400 from fire blamed on youthful arsonists. . . . J'red MacMurray and his wife, June Haver, were in ahead of the opening of his Allied Artists pic¬ ture, “At Gunpoint,” in the Pcdace. They were accompanied by Paul Price, AA studios, and Jim Boyle, field publicity. . . . Milton A. Mooney, head. Co-operative Theatres of Ohio, was expected back from a Mediterranean cruise. . . . Here on a routine visit was J. J. Maloney, MGM centred division manager.
Dallas
The Lone Star Theatre Corporation has leased an 8,000 square foot building for 10 years in the Trinity industrial section. . . . Sack Amusement Enterprises, after having painted the offices in the Film Exchange Building, moved into their own new building. . . . A. D. Stogsdill has returned to the staff of the United Art¬ ists after an absence of a year due to illness. . . . The Southern Theatre Equip¬ ment Company leased a recently com¬ pleted building in the Trinity district for 10 years. The building has 6,000 square feet of floor space.
Among the Michigan industryites who attended the recent trade preview of Paramount's "Any¬ thing Goes," Michigan, Detroit, were, left to right, Henry Capogna, Butterfield Theatres pub¬ licity department; Alden Smith, Cooperative Theatres' director; Harold Brown, president. United Detroit Theatres; Thomas Duane, Para¬ mount branch manager; Carl Buermele, General Theatres; and William Clark, Clark Theatres.
Denver
Allied Rocky Mountain Independent Theatres canceled winter meetings be¬ cause of difficulty in getting hotel reser¬ vations. All available space was taken by the National Western Stock Show. . . . Joe Clark has returned to Film Row as a salesman. United Film Exchange, which handles Realart releases and others. Rob¬ ert Herrell, owner of the exchange, was in from his Kansas City headquarters. . . . Buena Vista is almost doubling its office space by adding another large room in the Paramoxmt Building. Marvin Goldfarb, district manager, went to Kansas City and St. Louis on a sales meeting. . . . Frank H. Ricketson, Jr., Fox Inter-Mountain Theatres president, was reelected to the Denver National Bank board of directors. . . . Charles J. Molcker bought the LaFa, Lafayette, Colo., from Walter Houser.
Des Moines
Sylvester R. Nothem, Remsen, la., the¬ atre owner charged with federal income tax evasions, has been ordered held in a hospital psychiatric ward for observation. Nothem has been indicted on charges of evasion of income taxes totaling $3,980 for the years 1949 through 1952. He was in a hospital when informed of the indictment, and suffered a relapse, his attorney claimed.
Jo Portaro, left, and Howard Higley, manager, Allen, Cleveland, are seen beside a lobby dis¬ play, a cosmetic firm's tie-in in connection with the recent world premiere of U-I's "There's Always Tomorrow."
Newsman Says Adults Set Moral Examples
Cleveland — Louis B. Seltzer, editor. Press, told the members of the Motion Picture Council of Greater Cleveland at the January meeting in the Higbee Lounge that censorship is not the way to raise the moral and spiritual tone of the world.
In appraising advertising and other media of communication, he said they all reflect the habits of the public. “I believe,” he stated, “that the American people basically determine the moral tone of the country. This tone is set by the adults of each generation who set the example which, in turn, is followed by impression¬ able youth. If the moral tone is low, censorship is not the way to meet the problem. The way to meet it is by adult example.” He went on to say, “As long as the moral fabric of America creates a desire for sub-standard literature, art, movies, advertising, etc., there will always be merchants to try to satisfy this desire.”
While decrying legal censorship. Seltzer said he believes in standards of decency and good taste. On this basis, he has per¬ sonally censored unacceptable advertising copy for the Press. Ted Barker, director of advertising and publicity, Loew’s Theatres, gave a graphic and interesting explanation of the differences between advertising, publicity, and exploitation, and acknowledged the charge that much the¬ atre advertising is “exaggerated, extrava¬ gant, flamboyant, and sensational,” but defended the practice as expedient in sell¬ ing intangible merchandise within a short, concentrated period. Following the meet¬ ing, the Council members were guests of Loew’s to see Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Trouble With Harry,” at the Stillman, and MGM’s “Kismet,” at the State.
Detroit
The United Artists was closed for in¬ stallation of a new screen and projection equipment to prepare for the opening of “Oklahoma!” Dillon Krepps, managing di¬ rector, had most of the inside of his theatre ripped out. . . . Louis Fava, 20th- Fox, has been elected president, lATSE, Local B25, succeeding Robert Reagan. . . . Bud Harris has reopened the Lake, Walled Lake, Mich., after closing for three months. . . . The Waterford Drive-In and the Orpheum, operated by Butterfield The¬ atres, have been leased by Wayne Smith, manager, Huron, Pontiac, Mich. . . . The Censor Bureau made only a 135-foot cut in December, from a foreign film. In addi¬ tion, censors made 160 visits to individual theatres to check on advertising. . . . The Variety Club paid a surprise honor re¬ cently to James G. Riddell, president, radio station WXYZ. Riddell was guest of honor at a surprise testimonial dinner at the Hotel Statler. He has been active in many Variety Club activities. . . . The Vickiven Company, a theatre concession service, has been formed by Harry Balk, who has operated theatres in Detroit for more than 10 years. The firm will special¬ ize in hot coffee and soft drink vending machines. . . . David Newman, Coopera¬ tive Theatres, is planning to construct a drive-in at Walled Lake, Mich. The sit¬ uation will be operated by the Walled Lake Drive-In Theatre, Inc.
February 1, 1956
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
23
Houston
The Avalon, which has been closed since last June, has been leased by Korn Theatres to Abe Levy, Waco, Tex., accord¬ ing to Albertt Raines, district manager. The building was completely renovated and equipped for CinemaScope. Levy is a veteran of 40 years in the industry. . . . Homer McCallon, manager, Loew’s State, is recovering from an illness. . . . T. J. Cheney, manager. Trail Drive-In, reports that the capacity of the ozoner will be increased. Jack Farr, the owner, is rapidly recovering from his recent illness and is now able to spend three or four hours e day at his office.
Jacksonville
Clayton Moore, star of “The Lone Ranger,” made three public appearances here on opening day of the new Warners picture at Sheldon Mandell’s St. Johns. J. D. Woodard, Warners publicity, trav¬ eled with him. . . . Robert Heekin, FST supervisor, and his staff provided the know-how for a midnight variety show presented at the Florida for the March of Dimes. . . . Back home at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., after two months in the Philadelphia area were L. D. Netter, Sr., former FST president, and Mrs. Netter.
. . . Hoyt Yarbrough, Jr., has come here from the Daytona, Daytona Beach, Fla., to join in managing the Florida. ... A new series of midweek art pictures has been scheduled for the San Marco, advised manager Tim Crawford.
Leaving for the west coast international gathering of lATSE was Johnny Spearing, local business agent. . . . Distributors here to call on bookers and circuit leaders were Ken McCartney, Kay Film Exchange, At¬ lanta; Bob Pollard, Republic salesman, Tampa, Fla.; Jimmy Bello, Capitol Re¬ leasing Corporation, Atlanta; and Nat Sanders, Times Film Company, New York. . . . Abner Camp said he planned to re¬ lease his theatre interests at Carrabelle, Fla. . . . Florida’s championship negro football team from the local Gilbert High School was presented with the Roosevelt Theatre trophy by Arve Rothschild, gen¬ eral manager of the negro -patronage NTE circuit. . . . 1956 officers of the Blind Children’s Foundation include Fred Hull, MGM branch manager, president, and Carl J. Carter, local theatre owner, secretary.
MIAMI, FLA., NEWS— The Wometco Employees Federal Credit Union held its annual meeting for the election of officers. Van Myers, confection department head, Frank Myers, purchasing agent, and Bob Green, personnel director, were elected directors. Harvey Fleischman, district manager, was elected to the credit com¬ mittee. Serving also are Wally Becker, accounting, and Betty Stokes, WTVJ sec¬ retary. Supervisory committee members are Dick Wolfson, legal department head, and Lillian Rowe and Oliver Martinez, accoimting. . . . The annual party of the Variety Club women’s committee was the most successful in the eight-year history of the Club, grossing $17,900, and netting $12,461.88. . . . Variety Club’s annual in¬ stallation and Good Samaritan and Great Guy Banquet was held at the Seville Hotel, Miami Beach, Fla. New officers in¬ stalled were chief barker, Sig Eisenberg; George Storer, Jr., first assistant; Franklin Maury, property master; A1 Mercur, dough
Snapped in Hallendale, Fla., at the opening of E. M. Loew's new Gulf Stream Drive-In recently, were Bostonians Phil Berler, head booker, E. M. Loew Circuit; Edward Redstone, vice-president, Redstone Drive-In Theatres; E. M. Loew; and Saul Simons, Columbia salesman.
guy; and Victor Levine, second assistant. . . . Final day of racing at Tropical Park Track honored Variety Children’s Hos¬ pital. . . . Ninety-five persons, including members of the Wometco Old Guard, at¬ tended at the organization’s January party. Engraved watches were awarded to eight members who had served Wometco for 20 years or more.
Kansas City
Dave Dallas, publicity and public rela¬ tions director, Mid-Central Theatres, Man¬ hattan, Kans., opened a new firm, Dallas Enterprises, an advertising and public relations agency. Dallas, for many years city manager. Campus, Coed, and State, will continue his connection with Mid- Central. . . . The Lone Ranger was to appear in person today (Feb. 1) at the RKO Missouri, on behalf of the Warners’ feature. . . . Richard Durwood, Durwood Theatres booker, became the father of a girl. . . . “The Moon Is Blue,” following the U. S. Supreme Court decision in its behalf, received the Kansas state board of review seal, and is now being shown throughout the state.
Three Film Unions Name Officer Slates For ^56
DENVER — Three of the film unions elected officers for the coming year last week. The Motion Picture Opera¬ tors, Local 230, reelected the officers, including J. W. Dooley, president; Leland Brand, vice-president; R. E. Waller, recording secretary; Dan M. Kelley, financial secretary -treasurer; C. P. Weber, business agent; Dave Jinacio, sergeant-at-anns; H. L. Mc- Hew, G. L. Campbell, R. L. Boyd, board of trustees. Dooley and Weber were named delegates to the inter¬ national convention.
Local B29, Film Employees, lATSE, elected Robert W. Bowen, president; William Fenske, vice-president; Ida Schultz, secretary; Al Anderson, treas¬ urer; Jack Pattison, business agent; Elmer Finch, chairman of the board of trustees.
Local F29, Film Employees, lATSE, named Floyd Brethour, president; Frank Monaco, vice-president; Cath¬ erine Becker, secretary; Herman Ruele, treasurer; and George Mato, business agent.
Los Angeles
Jerry Purcell, formerly associated with Fred Stein Enterprises, has joined the Realart office. . . . National Theatres assigned Morrie Kleinman, Theatre Up¬ holstering Company, and a crew of work¬ men to Thiladelphia, to do a seat renovat¬ ing job on several NT houses there. . . . /i.rier a slight heart attack, Tom Much- more, who operates the Plaza, Arroyo, Cal., was hospitalized. . . . Sid Pink has reopened his Fontana, Montana, Cal., which for some months had been leased by a congregation as a church. ... Jim Schiller, Aflied Artists expioitter, took off for San Francisco. . . . havorite Films of California, headed by N. P. Jacobs, has taken over the distribution of product on the west coast from Fred Stein Enter¬ prises. . . . Back at his desk after a short illness was Bernie Wolfe, National Screen manager.
Variety Clubs International chief barker George C. Hoover, main guy Marc Wolf, and fixer Ezra E. Stern attended the recent affair given by the Las Vegas, Nev., Tent. Donald O'Conner, Tony Martin, Lena Horne, and Marie Wilson, and several other entertainers were present. Wolf also attended the installation ban¬ quet and dinner dance, accompanied by Al Grubstick, international representative.
Milwaukee
Harold Wise, Paramount salesman, died of a heart attack at a Madison, Wis., hotel. He was with 20th-Fox, Chicago, at one time. . . . Twentieth -F^ox will demonstrate CinemaScope 55 for the trade in Fox’s Wisconsin, Feb. 7, at 9:45 a.m. . . . Fred MacMurray, his wife, June Haver, and Jackie Cooper were in, on behalf of the March of Dimes. . . . Frank Riemers, former Warners branch manager, is now with Warners in Denver. . . . Warners scheduled a trade screening of “Miracle In The Rain” for today (Feb. 1) at 8 p.m., in the Warner Theatres screening room. . . . Twentieth-Fox held a midwest meet¬ ing here. Seven exchanges were repre¬ sented. . . . L. E. Goldhammer, Allied Artists eastern division sales manager, met key midwest sales personnel in the Schroeder Hotel concerning the company’s March of Progress drive. Among those present were Irving Marks, Minneapolis; Sol Francis, Omaha; Jack Kennedy, Des Moines; Edward Spiers, Indianapolis; Vic Bernstein, Chicago; and Ray Trampe, Milwaukee.
Minneapolis
Home Theatres, Brainerd, Minn., bought the Paradise and Village, Faribault, Minn.,
from Will Glaser, who will retire .
Delmar Hoff purchased the Dakota, Wishek, N. D., from Walt Sayler. . . . Ernest Koeniguer repurchased the Capi¬ tol, Bristol, S. D., from E. A. Peterson. . . . The Nick Polman estate sold the Memorial Hall, Sebeka, Minn., to Ernest Lilja. . . . Earl Fainblit, booker. Allied Artists, be¬ came the father of a girl. . . . Roger Dietz, former booker, has been named salesman, Columbia, replacing Irving Braverman, re¬ signed. Elaine Norby has rejoined Co¬ lumbia as booker, replacing Dietz. . . . Orville Overmoe closed the Trail, Hills¬ boro, N. D., for the rest of the winter. . . . Earl Fulton closed the Cokato, Cokato, Minn., because of poor business.
February 1, 1956
24
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
Conn, Film Row Must Relocate Office Locale
New Haven — The first official word that the Meadow Street Film Row offices are in the path of the new Connecticut Trrrnpike came in a letter sent to all the branches from LeRcy Jones, chief, Development and Public Relations Department, Connecticut State Development Board, Hartford.
Jones’ letter said, “It is the understand¬ ing of this Dvelopment Commission that the building in which you occupy space is in the path of the new Connecticut Turnpike and will be demolished at some future date. This Development Commis¬ sion is interested in seeing that you main¬ tain your distribution office in Connecticut and for that reason we are writing to you to ascertain what your future plans might be and to offer our assistance in locating an alternate space in the New Haven area which might be usable for your purpose. The Commission keeps listings of available industrial and commercial space and is also able to contact realtor brokers and others who have knowledge of the area. If you will just drop me a line and let me know what your status is and in what way we might be of help, it will be appreciated.”
Companies who would have to relocate would include Allied Artists, Columbia. Inter-State Film, Loew’s, New Haven Film Service, Paramount, RKO, Republic, 20th- Fox, United Artists, U-I, Warners, Na¬ tional Theatre Supply, National Screen Service, Rosen Film Delivery, and some other theatre offices. No official notice as to when demolition will start has been received from either the city or state, except for the Development mailing piece.
New Haven
The 20th -Fox building on Whiting Street is the only known branch in Film Row not to be razed to make room for the state highway project. . . . Harry Blume’s Plaza on Congress Avenue, estimated to be worth $32,175, is also in the area to be cleared. Despite reports that a building may be built in another section to house all exchanges, nothing concrete has been advanced thus far. ... In Waterbury, Conn., it was reported that E. Gasparri will operate the Hamilton, obtaining the property from the Roger Mahan interests. . . . In Guilford, Conn., the theatre is now being run by Edward McGrath. . . . Shep Bloom, 20th-Fox branch manager; Sam Germain, salesman, and Sol Popolizio, booker, were impressed with the new product and the CinemaScope 55 when in Boston. . . . The new Palace, Torrington, Conn., is due to reopen soon. . . . Jack Keppner, son of Hartford, Conn, theatre owner Morris Keppner, is following in his dad’s footsteps. He is student assistant manager, Palace, Hartford. . . . Fred Greenway, manager. Palace, Hartford, is out of the hospital and has gone home to recuperate.
New Orleans
Mrs. Norman B. Kerth continues as head. New Orleans Better Films Club. Other officers who will serve with her during 1956 are Mrs. J. Rahm Dardenne, first vice-president; Mrs. George Beyer, second vice-president; Mrs. Frank J. Basile, third vice-president; Miss Carrie Rand, recording secretary; Mrs. Andrew Bacon, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Rob¬ ert Leinhard, treasurer; Mrs. A. A. Boyle, parliamentarian; Mrs. Rudolph Mein- berger, registrar; Mrs. Edwin P. Muller, historian; and Mrs. Mary Oppenheimer,
Drive-In Approval Reversed By Court
Hartford, Conn. — Action by the subur¬ ban Berlin, Conn., Zoning Commission, granting George LeWitt, New Britain, Conn., theatre man, authority to build a drive-in, has been reversed by the Court of Common Pleas.
Howard M. Culver, Berlin, asked the court to declare the action illegal, con¬ tending the commission failed to file a notice with the town clerk when it re¬ zoned the land in question and also failed to publish notice of the zone change in newspapers.
In his decision. Judge Alva P. Loisell concurred with Culver’s findings, and ruled the Zoning Commission’s action was illegal. LeWitt has indicated he will file another petition with the Zoning Commis¬ sion for a change of zone to permit im¬ mediate construction of a drive-in. The project, if approved, would be the first outdoor amusement situation in that subiub.
auditor. Mrs. Garland P. Taylor was the installing officer at a recent meeting in the St. Charles Hotel. . . . Theatres shut¬ tered included Arthur Lehman’s Booker T, Jackson, Miss., and H. B. Hands, Jr.’s Tower, Minden, La. . . . Arthur Barnett will do the buying and booking for Wil¬ liam Castay’s La Place Drive-In, LaPlace, La., and their suburban Arrow, Jefferson Parish. ... A demonstration of the 20th- Fox new CinemaScope 55 is scheduled in the Saenger, Feb. 2, at 9:45 a.m.
New York
Louis Rossi, formerly of the Central, Newark, N. J., is now manager. Union, Union, N. J., replacing Mr. Barilla, who went to the Ritz, Elizabeth, N. J. . . . Sympathy is being extended to Ethel Oxley, receptionist, Stanley Warner Jersey Circuit, on the loss of her brofher. . . . The Stanley, Brooklyn, has engaged Liggett Floring for buying and booking. . . . The Palace, Passaic, N. J., is now operated by M and J Theatre Corporation, Manning I. Shore, president. . . . The Dutchess The¬ atre Corporation moved its offices from New York to 211 Market Street, Newark, N. J. . . . Dave Nathan, formerly with United Artists, is now at Republic. . . . Reggie Bagnall, assistant booker, left Para- moimt ... At Paramount, George Casiano has been promoted from print booker to booker. Stanley Caiman has taken over the position vacated by Casiano. ... A luncheon will be held Feb. 6 at Toots Shor’s Restaurant in honor of Howard Levy, who has annoimced his retirement after 33 years in the industry, the past 22 years with MGM. The luncheon is spon¬ sored by the Colosseum of Motion Picture Salesmen, New York Lodge, and Levy’s many friends.
Loew’s Theatres announced last week the start of construction of a drive-in near Raritan, N. J., on Route 35. The situation is slated for an early spring opening, ac¬ cording to Joseph R. Vogel, circuit presi¬ dent. . . . Lew Ayres was scheduled to show a series of his new films on “The World’s Great Religions” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music this week. . . . The American premiere of “The Ladykillers,” an Alec Guinness starrer, was slated for the Sutton, Feb. 20.
GOVERNOR LEADER'S VIEWS ON CENSORSHIP
The following letter has been received by MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR from Gov. George M. Leader of Pennsylvania, clarifying his views on censorship and giving some interesting background facts:
“Shortly after I took office last year it was brought to my attention that one of the lower courts had declared our Censorship Law unconstitutional. I immedi¬ ately instructed the Department of Justice to prepare a new censorship bill which would not offend the Constitution. Such a bill was drafted and introduced in the House on March 21, 1955, as House Bill No. 675. This bill passed the House on June 14, 1955, and was sent to the Senate. In the Senate it was referred to the Committee on Law and Order — Senator G. Robert Watkins, Chairman. Repeated efforts on the part of the Administration and Democratic Senate leaders have failed to dislodge it from Committee.
“On March 7, 1955, I forwarded to the Senate for confirmation the names of tliree persons to serve as the Board of Censors. Since that date there has been no Board, and the Senate Committee on Executive Nominations — Senator Edward B. Watson, Chairman — has refused to submit these names to the Senate for confirmation.
“Finally, in the appropriation bill for the Department of Public Instruction, money was specifically provided to operate the Board of Censors. This bill was approved by the House and the Senate removed from the bill the appropriation for the Board.
“Thus, the Repul)lican majority in the Senate has refused to enact the new censorship law which would he clearly constitutional; has refused to confirm the Board of Censors so that there has been no Board since last March; and, finally, denied the Executive branch the funds with which to operate the Board of Censors. This was not an economy measure because more money is derived from the movie industry for the licensing of the movies than is expended by the Board. The license lees, however, go directly into the General Fund and appropriations must be made to the Board in order to pay salaries, etc.
“I am in complete accord with the need for a Board of Censors to preclude a flood of vulgar and indecent movies, particularly of foreign origin, from coming into the Commonwealth.”
So this is the position of censorship in the State of Pennsylvania.
A definite decision seems imminent.
February 1, 1956
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
25
The above plaque, showing a composite photo of A. M. Ellis Theatre Company houses, was re¬ cently presented to A. M. Ellis and Larry Ruch, district manager, by the managers and the ofRce staff of the circuit.
Philadelphia
The local demonstration of 20th-Fox’s Cinemascope 55 was held at the Fox be¬ fore an unusually large turnout. William C. Gehring, company sales executive, spoke briefly, and rushes from “Carousel” and “The King and I,” first Aims to be shot in the process, were shown to illus¬ trate. Sam Diamond, branch manager, and his staff received congratulations for get¬ ting out the crowd. . . . Under the super¬ vision of Mrs. Jack Engel and Edward Emanuel, the local theatres collecting for the March of Dimes included the Ace, Admiral, Alden, Avenue, Ambassador, Appollo, Arcadia, Bell, Benner, Benson, Booker, Broad, Castor, Cedar, Century, Cayuga, Cambria, Cameo, Clearfield, Co¬ lonial, City Line Center, Crest, Dell, Dante, Devon, Dixie, Ellis, Erlen, Girard, Grand, Gem, Hamilton, Howard, Hill, Iris, Jackson, Jerry, Jumbo, Lehigh, Lawndale, Lenox, Liberty-Torresdale, Mayfair, Merben, Nixon, New Broadway, New Lyric, New Mayfair, President, Pearl, Overbrook, Oxford, Regal, Rex, Rivoli, Roxy, Roosevelt, Renel, Rockland, Rialto, Royal, Spruce, Strand, Sherwood, Strat¬ ford, Studio, Tioga, Trans-Lux, Tyson, Uptown, Vogue, Wayne, Walton, and World. All checks should be mailed to 246 N. Clarion Street. . . . “Paris Follies Of 1956” was screened at Tent 13, Variety Club, courtesy of Allied Artists. . . . The son of Ferd Fortunato, U-I booker, Joseph, wed Elizabeth Jean Love. . . . The staff of the Pennsylvania State Board of Motion Picture Censorship continues to function, imder the leadership of Mike Felt, despite the refusal of the State Legislature to okay the Governor’s new board members and a recent threat to curtail expenditures for maintenance of the staff.
Portland
“Guys And Dolls” continues in its fifth week at the Broadway, setting a house record. Herb Royster, manager, reports. . . . The Guild remodeling job is nearing completion. A $44,000 program was under¬ taken without a shutdown for the 400- seat house. . . . Exploiteers in town in¬ cluded Earl Keate, working on United Artists’ “Alexander The Great” and “The Man With The Golden Arm.” Allan Welder was working on MGM’s “Ransom!” and arranging telephone interviews be¬ tween motion picture editors and stars of the film.
2 DRIVE-IN MOVIES
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HAYCO COVERS
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BOX 212 CATO, N. Y.
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240 N. 13th STREET • PHILADELPHIA 7. PA.
Theatre Installations and Maintenance
HENRY FRIEDMAN
Realtor and Insurance
Specializing in Theatre Real Estate and Insurance
(Member Main Line Board of Realtors)
17 W. Lar«aster Av*., Ardmore, Pa. GR 7-5730
Everything for Your Theatre!
COMPLETE PROJECTION and SOUND EQUIPMENT
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Office Phone: LOmbard 3-7240 - 3-7241
Emergency Nite Phone: Welsh Valley 4-4920 - 4-5368
1305-07 Vine Street. Philadelphia 7. Pa.
Help Us Serve You,
Mr. Theatre Manager!
And you can do this by checking your shows no later than 10:00 A.M. on Saturdays, Sun¬ days and holidays.
As you know, the exchanges’ shipping rooms close at noon on these days.
Dorit ivait until if s too late — help us prevent any missouts!
HIGHWAY EXPRESS LINES, INC.
829 North 29th Street 1638 Third Street, N. E.
Philadelphia 30. Pa. Washington, D. C.
LO 4-3450 DuPont 7-7200
February 1, 1956
26
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
Sf. Louis
George Pliakos, 72, pioneer exhibitor, died. Services were conducted at St. Nich¬ olas Greek Orthodox Church and inter¬ ment was in St. Matthew’s Cemetery. He is survived by his widow, several children, and grandchildren. . . . Bess Schulter, Columbia owner, heads the local commit¬ tee to raise funds for the Boys Town of Italy. She was named by Mrs. George P. Skouras, New York. . . . The Girard, Girard, Ill., has been sold by Paul Horn to the local fire company, which will con¬ vert it to a fire house, presumably. It was operated recently by Ray O. Hess. . . . Heavy snows caused the temporary closing of the El Capitan Drive-In, Metropolis, Ill., according to owner Eddie Clark. . . . Fred MacMurray and his wife, June Haver, were here on behalf of Allied Artists’ “At Gunpoint.”
The Missouri, Fanchon and Marco unit, has been closed, after opening for the holiday season. . . . E. J. Pierce left the United Artists staff to become Buena Vista representative. . . . Fred Mound, former United Artists booker transferred to Kansas City, will return to UA here. . . . Arthur Greenblatt, Allied Artists sales executive, was scheduled to come in on behalf of the company’s March of Progress drive. . . . Hall Walsh, southern prairie district manager, Warners, was reported much better following a heart attack. . . . Mrs. F. J. Lee, wife of the United Artists district manager, returned from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. . . . The Roxy, Fox Midwest unit. West Frankfort, Ill., was to close for an indefinite period. . . . Charles Guggenheim and Associates, Inc., has been incorporated to do general mo¬ tion picture business. Incorporators were listed as J. W. Sidel, A. L. Leigh, and J. W. Sandweiss.
Federal Judge Roy W. Harper, in the case Williams versus Paramount et ah, in accordance with a stipulation filed by counsel of interested parties, granted the defendant until Jan. 28 to object to or answer certain interrogatories. . . . The Capitol, Pinckneyville, Ill., has been taken over by Robert Good, Mount Vernon, Ill., who closed the house for remodelling. . . . Twentieth-Fox slated a demonstration of Cinemascope 55 at the St. Louis, Feb. 10, at 9:45 a.m. Another is to be held in the Lincoln, Springfield, Ill., Feb. 13, at 9:45 a.m. . . . Gordon Halloran and his sales staff attended a 20th-Fox sales meeting at Milwaukee.
San Antonio
George V. Comeaux has been named manager, Josephine, owned and operated by Tom Sumners Theatres. . . . Doyne Garrett, city manager. Lone Star Theatres, paid a visit to the city office at Dallas, . . . Stage shows may make their return here at the Texas, which was recently taken over by the Cinema Arts circuit headed by William O’Donnell, Dallas. . . Jack Wrather, Hollywood, was a recent visitor in conjunction with the opening of Warners’ “The Lone Ranger.” . . . James Brakeall, formerly of Manheim, Pa., pur¬ chased the Overton, Overton, Tex., from Bill Hall. Hall operated the Overtcn for 12 years. Brakeall will be assisted in the operation by Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ewing. . . . The remodeled Texas, Killeen, Tex., has been formally reopened.
Herb Gillis, Paramount Washington branch man¬ ager, recently presented Bob Grace, Paramount office manager, with a watch commemorating his 25 years with the company.
T. J. Simpson, manager. Rose, Morgan, Tex., arranged with a group of merchants in that town to give away a three-piece sectional living room suite. . . . Arnaldo Ramirez, former manager, Rio, Mission, Tex., has taken over duties as owner, Falcon Recording Company, McAllen, Tex. . . . A new drive-in is being constructed on the highway south of Humble, Tex. . . . A water shortage is being faced by Bob Davis, Perrin Drive-In, Sherman, Tex. Davis has to order a truckload of water, some 1,200 gallons, which he runs into his deep well.
San Francisco
Industry Roman Catholics here will hold their annual communion breakfast Feb. 19, with mass in St. Patrick’s Church. The chairman of the event is Charles J. Maestri, Robert L. Lippert Theatres. . . . Rotus Harvey, Sr., Westland Theatres, was arrangements committee chairman. Variety Club, for the induction of Tent 32’s new officers at the Fairmont Hotel. Other committee members were A1 Grubstick, Warners sales manager; John Parsons, Telenews manager; Jack Blu- menfeld, Blumenfeld Theatres booker; and George Mitchell, Republic branch man¬ ager, a past chief barker. . . . George Poultney is the new president. .Actors Equity Association. . . . A. J. Kennedy was appointed San Francisco and v/est coast representative, Filmack Trailer Company, Chicago. Formerly, he was west coast exploitation manager for sev¬ eral major film companies, and at one time handled film promotion for the Chronicle.
Exchanae Employees Union Elerts New Officer Slate _
ST. LOUIS — Jimmie Gately was re¬ elected business agent. Film Exchange Employees Union, Local F-1. Other officers named at the recent annual meeting include, president, Marcella DeVinney, Republic; vice-president. Bill Thomas, 20th-Fox; recording sec¬ retary, Anne Kerr, 20th-Fox; financial secretary, Mable Schmidt, MGM; cor¬ responding secretary, Pauline Wrozier, Paramount; treasurer, Margaret Dug¬ gan, on leave of absence; guide. Hazel Hiededbran, Republic. The executive board includes Ruth Shumass, Para¬ mount; Richard Klages, United Artists; Helen Guion, 20th-Fox; and Margaret Harrel, United Artists. The trustees are Bea Rapp, RKO; Doroffiy Dressel, RKO; and Eugene Dolan, MGM.
Aaron Allan recently interviewed Clayton Moore prior to the premiere of Warners' "The Lone Ranger" at the Majestic, San Antonio, Texas.
The interview was broadcast on WOAI.
Seattle
The Inaugural Ball of the Variety Club of the Pacific Northwest was held follow¬ ing dinner at the New Washington Hotel. International representatives A1 Grub- stick and Rotus Harvey came up from San Francisco to preside over the installation of officers for the coming year, who in¬ clude Bud Saffle, chief barker; Ed Cruea, first assistant chief barker; Art Greenfield, second assistant chief barker; Fred Danz, property master; and C. B. Gustafson, dough guy. Canvasmen include Frank Christy, O. Tom Franklin, B. C. Johnson, Paul McElhinney, and Harry Plunkett. The Yukon Room, on the mezzanine of the New Washington, was opened as a permanent club room. . . . The Melody, Shelton, Wash., was sold to George W. Eckman by J. C. Christianson. Buck Smith, Smith Enterprises, will continue to do the buying and booking. . . . Jack Burk, Mike Powers, Glen Haviland, and Jim Brooks, all of 20th-Fox, returned from a San Francisco meeting. . . . Paramount held an invitational preview of “Anything Goes” at the Fifth Avenue. . . . National Theatre Supply has completed the installation of a new Walker screen at the Cordova, Pull¬ man, Wash., operated by Vance Weskil. .... Dick Edge, formerly manager, Burien, for Bob Anderson, has gone to Roseburg, Ore., as city manager, Roseburg Theatre Company.
Washington
Orville Crouch, chief barker. Variety Club, appointed board members to serve as committee chairmen in 1956, including, ways and means, Alvin Q. Ehrlich, Jack Fruchtman, and Marvin Goldman, co- chairmen; welfare, Morton Gerber, chair¬ man, and George A. Crouch and Nathan D. Golden, vice-chairmen; entertainment, Hirsh de La Viez, chairman; house, George Nathan and Victor J. Orsinger, co- chairmen; finance, Sam Galanty, chairman; membership, Clark M. Davis, chairman; speakers and distinguished guests, Jake Falx and J. E. Fontaine, co-chairmen; public relations, Sidney Cooper and R. Wade Pearson, co-chairmen. The Tent will have a Valentine Day Party in the club on Feb. 11. . . . 20th-Fox held a special screening of Cinemascope 55 at Loew’s Palace. . . . Mike Siegel, 72, industry vet¬ eran, died recently in Baltimore, Md. He was in independent distribution for many years, last with IFE. He is survived by his v.'ife. For many years, he divided his time between the Washington and Philadelphia territories; he was well-known and liked in both areas, and leaves many friends in every segment of the industry.
February 1, 1956
-
voted exclusively to the dtre structure, its design, »^struction, furnishings, ointenance, and specialized uipment, with a special sec* for drive-ins, devoted to design and operation.
Seating and airi^^dq@wng are two very important factors which contribute to the creation of an atmosphere that will bring patrons into a theatre regularly. A good example of how to achieve this mood is seen in the Empire, Minot, N. D., which was 1248 American choirs and Chrysler air conditioning.
Farbe^
11, No. 2 February 1, 1956
IN THIS ISSUE
MODERN THEATRE AIR CONDITIONING
CINEMASCOPE 55
THEATRE LIGHTING FIXTURES
TIPS ON TAXES
NEW PRODUCTS
A DRIVE-IN EXPANDS
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NEW
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- V
iAYKy« rr
^TXe^fte,
On Optimism
Optimism. The word is defined in Webster's Collegiate dic¬ tionary as, "an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and happenings, or anticipate the best possible outcome."
While in no way attempting to underestimate or ignore the seriousness of the many problems facing film exhibition and dis¬ tribution today, we believe that a more optimistic viewpoint would do much to help solve some of the industry's woes. There too often appears to be an ever present attitude of despair and pes¬ simism on the part of many who have made this business their life, and have been well rewarded for their efforts. Expert at drawing up ominous lists of what is wrong with motion pictures, this same unhealthy element does nothing to alleviate the situation.
Fortunately, there are men in this industry with a strong "inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and happenings." An example of this is now being demonstrated in major film centers throughout the world as exhibitors are being given the opportunity to see the new and improved CinemaScope process.
Without passing an opinion at this time on his theories and policies, this writer cannot help but admire and applaud the driving and constructive optimism of Spyros P. Skouras, 20th Cen¬ tury-Fox president. Here is a man who less than three years ago took the most tremendous gamble imaginable, when he risked everything on his belief in the wide screen process and, of even greater significance, the basic soundness of motion picture exhibition.
The announcement in recent months of horizontal VistaVision, Cinemiracle, Todd-AO, CinemaScope 55 and others has blown the theory that the technological cupboard had been stripped bare, sky- high. Improvements in screen presentation systems, and the equip¬ ment necessary to put these advances into practice are going on at a steady rate. It is the job of the exhibitor to keep abreast of these developments, to attempt a bold move now and then, and to renew his faith and enthusiasm in this medium.
If the reader believes that these remarks come under the heading of a "between the halves" pep talk, he is perfectly correct. There is much too much destructive criticism being broadcast these days, and perhaps a few rosy phrases will do something to help restore the proper balance.
It is our strong belief that this industry has the power and resources within itself to meet the challenge of television, changing economic and social patterns, and any other obstacles that might appear. In order to accomplish this, however, it will take courage, boldness, and above all, unity of purpose.
We are still optimistic enough to "anticipate the best possible outcome."
What do you think?
PHYSICAL THEATRE 9 A sectional department of MOTION PICTURE
EXHIBITOR, published every fourth Wednesday by Jay Emanuel Publications, Inc., 246-48 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. All contents copyrighted and all reprint rights reserved.
MOTOR GENERATORS
A quality product built especially for motion picture projection service.
The model shown above is intended for wide screen service and is available in 60 volts — 145 amperes, 80 volts — 135 amperes. These units may be operated on o continuous basis at these ratings.
ROBIN-ARC' 3-Phase Selenium
RECTIFIER
For Wide Screen Projection
A dependable, efficient, uniform D.C. power source. Engineered by pioneers in the motion picture field. Designed specifically for wide screen projection. Immediate Delivery.
RO-RO ' CONVERTER
for single-phase current
An auxiliary which permits satisfac¬ tory operation of 3-phase rectifiers off single-phase lines. Send for details.
Write, Wire or phone for details
Sold through
independent supply dealers
J. E. ROBIN, INC.
Motion Picture Equipment Specialittt 267 Rhod* Island Av9nu9 EAST ORANGE. N. J.
Maaufocturen of
RECTIREKS • MOTO«-GO«SATOCS iOBEEtti • PROJECTION IBISES
February 1, 1956
PHYSICAL THEATRE DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
PT-3
On America’s
Main Streets
and Main Highways
A Fresno, California installation by B. F. Shearer Co., San Francisco.
— YOU SEE MORE WAGNER THEATRE ATTRACTION PANELS THAN ANY OTHER KIND!
That’s because theatremen everywhere realize that a good, changeable copy board is their all-important point-of-sale business getter.
Wagner attraction panels are available in any size, and are readily serviceable without removing frames.
You also have a wider selection of sizes and colors when you use Wagner changeable letters. Immovable by wind or vibration, yet easier to change.
If you're building or remodeling, you'd better have the Wagner catalog.
Send the coupon now!
WAGNER SIGN SERVICE, INC.
218 S. Hoyne Avenue * Chicago 12, Illinois
Please send BIG free catalog on Wagner show-selling equipment.
NAME _ _ _ _
'i
THEATRE _ _
STREET _ _ _
CITY & STATE _ _
An Expert Offers Some Suggestions About
Modern Theatre Air Conditioning
By SYDNEY ANDERSON, JR.
Commercial and Industrial Air Conditioning Sales Mgr.
Airtemp Division, Chrysler Corp.
The air conditioning industry started to come into its own in the middle of the 1930’s with the advent of freon re¬ frigerants. At that time and earlier, the¬ atres as a class were among the first to take advantage of air conditioning, espe¬ cially as a means of increasing attendance.
In the early days of theatre air condi¬ tioning, all installations were of the cen¬ tral system type, where a compressor or condensing unit was installed at one loca¬ tion, an air handling unit at another, and either an evaporative condenser or a cooling tower located on the building roof or elsewhere outdoors. All of the inter¬ connecting piping for these bulky installa¬ tions had to be added at the job site or, as stated by members of the air condi¬ tioning profession, the work had to be done “in the field.”
Packaged Air Conditioner About 1937, the first packaged air con¬ ditioner was introduced. This, now very popular, unit consisted of a single cabinet containing all of the components of a com¬ plete air conditioning system. Thus was eliminated the need for extensive field piping and, as a consequence, installation time was considerably reduced.
The early efforts in packaged air condi¬ tioning were confined principally to models of three and five horsepower capacity.
Near the close of the World War II, some manufacturers began to market larger capacity packaged air conditioners and as of today they are now available in sizes up to 100 tons.
About 1950, the theatre industry com¬ menced to recognize fully the advantages of packaged air conditioning and during succeeding years there has been a marked upward trend in the use of these com¬ pact units in the theatre field.
Central System Limitations
In addition to the piping problem men¬
tioned previously, the trend toward the increased use of packaged air conditioners is attributable to the fact that early central systems had certain limitations.
Limitations included;
1. Early systems were generally over¬ capacity. In many instances they utilized more horsepower than the theatre area actually required. Too, they did not employ capacity control, the lack of which resulted in poor relative humidity conditions. Patrons, because of high humidity, often felt
PHYSICAL
TBDGATRE
Vol. 11, No. 2 February 1, 1956
uncomfortable despite the fact that the theatre was cool.
1. Most central systems installed up to World War II employed belt-driven compressors subject to inefficiency inherent in belt-driven machines. There were also maintenance prob¬ lems resulting from the exposure — to dust, oil and humidity — of vital operating parts, particularly the compressor drive shaft.
3. These systems had relatively un¬ proven refrigerant cycles. Because of the lack of engineering data and efficient controls, it was difficult to pre-determine with complete accur¬ acy how a system, once installed, would perform, or what cooling capacity it would provide. Hoping — based on the limited technical infor¬ mation that was then available — that they would be compatible or bal- (Continued on page PT-20)
Modern packaged air conditioners, such as the ones seen above and left, are compact, efficient, and attractively styled. Models of this type are available in sizes from two to 30 horsepower, offering a wide range of installation possibilities for a theatre. They may be used with or without ductwork.
February 8, 1956
PHYSICAL THEATRE DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
PT-5
A composite photograph demonstrating greater efficiency of 55 mm. photog- ticipation. The backgrounds (2) are as clearly in focus as foregrounds,
raphy. The images (1) are bright and there is is a feeling of audience par- The illusion of depth (3) is increased. There is no distortion (4) anywhere.
Enthusiastic Response To Demonstrations Of
CinemaScope 55
At the present time 20th Century -Fox is conducting demonstrations of its 55mm. CinemaScope process that will cover 60 large cities, and be seen by an estimated 200,000 industryites before run¬ ning their course. The purpose of these screenings is to enable exhibitors to see for themselves the improvements that have been made in the anamorphic process.
Narrated by Darryl F. Zanuck, studio production head, the demonstration reel uses actual scenes from the 20th-Fox pro¬ ductions of “Carousel,” and “The King And I.”
The new process is said to provide complete focus and definition at all times, regardless of the projection throw. Every scene is free from distortions at the far edges, and top and bottom of the screen, it was claimed.
Although the cameras shoot a 55mm. negative, this negative can be reduced to a 35mm. print with complete fidelity for projection in theatres, and without the necessity of purchasing any new equip¬ ment.
“By reducing to 35mm.,” Zanuck pointed out, “we have totally eliminated grain. More than this, we have eliminated the fall-off focus on the right and left sides of the screen.”
Zanuck also emphasized that while 20th- Fox plans to exhibit certain big attrac¬ tions in specially equipped theatres on full 55mm. projection machines, the main objective in developing the process was to bring the improvements inherent in the use of larger negatives into every theatre throughout the world.
The important question of stereophonic sound was given considerable attention by William C. Gehring, 20th-Fox executive assistant general sales manager, who spoke at the initial demonstration held recently in New York’s Roxy Theatre.
Gehring pointed out that at the present time there are 16,449 theatres in the United States and Canada equipped to project CinemaScope films. Of that number, only 3646 houses have installed full stereo¬ phonic sound equipment, with the re¬ maining 12,803 utilizing one track optical sound.
“An optical print,” Gehring said, “will not be able to have all the ingredients you will see at this demonstration. It is this point we wish to impress upon exhibitors, because we feel what is the use of spend¬ ing all this great effort and large sums of money to improve CinemaScope if the exhibitors who still use optical equipment do not take full advantage of it.”
Continuing with his plea for greater
conversion to stereophonic sound in order to be able to project CinemaScope in its full 2.55 to 1 aspect ratio, Gehring stated exhibitors who are equipped only with optical sound should make arrange¬ ments with their equipment dealers to purchase, “what we call the newly in¬ vented penthouse attachments. These re¬ producers can be purchased by you from the dealer of your choice, and the approx¬ imate cost is $950 or less per pair. We have approached the dealers and they will extend credit up to about three years to pay for this equipment,” Gehring revealed.
Spyros P. Skouras, 20th-Fox president, also addressed the audience at the first demonstration of CinemaScope 55, and voiced his enthusiasm and confidence in the future.
“We know,” Skouras said, “that excit¬ ing new technical developments, plus im¬ portant screen subjects will have superi¬ ority over any other medium, when we offer the kind of entertainment you can’t see elsewhere.” Skouras pointed out to exhibitors, however, that “theatres must always seek new standards of good clean management, better service and, above all, better projection of films.”
Skouras closed his remarks on this optimistic note:
(Continued on page PT-21)
PT-6
PHYSICAL THEATRE DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
February 1, 1956
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A variation in the negative carbon burning rate of as little as 6 %to 8% can in 20 minutes change the posi¬ tion of the positive crater in relation to the lamphouse optical system as much as Va". Less than 1 /Z2" is the maximum error that can be tolerated without a loss of illumination and change in color of the light on the screen to either blue or brown.
The Strong Automatic Crater Positioning System controls the burning of both carbons, maintaining a steady light of constant color temperature— exactly the same for both lamps— so that changeovers need never be noticed.
The new, more complicated projection techniques have greatly added to the demands on the projectionist. He now has even less time for careful attention to the arc.
The Automatic Arc Crater Positioning System, which eliminates the need of hand feeding and cor¬ rection of the carbon crater position, better enables him to render a good presentation.
THEATRE
LIGHTING
FIXTURES
Two members of the interesting collection mode available by Lightolier are seen. The attractive "Brandy Snifter" (right) and the "Floating Fire" (below) would make fine additions to the lounge.
ONE of the most important ingredients that go into the operation of a suc¬ cessful motion picture theatre is glamour. The public has been conditioned to expect its film stars, as well as the entire indus¬ try, to have that intangible quality of ex¬ citement, color and make-believe.
The wise exhibitor has known that it is necessary for the theatre to help strengthen this aura of glamour. One of the best ways of accomplishing this is by creating an interesting interior. Lounges, and restrooms, in particular, lend them¬ selves to the decorating glamour treat¬ ment. The use of unusual fixtures will do much to brighten an area of the theatre that might otherwise appear rather ordinary in appearance.
A highly imaginative lighting fixture collection combining an exceptional opu¬ lence with the bold simplicity of con¬ temporary styling has been made available by Lightolier, Inc., New York. Utilizing an entirely new technique in glass -mak¬ ing, these new fixtures^ — called the Clare¬ mont collection — create a milestone in modern lighting design comparable only to the advent of the crystal chandelier hundreds of years ago, the manufacturer stated.
The forms, the materials, and the actual lighting qualities of the Claremont series are all first-of-their-kind. In a series of 14 designs ranging from a dramatic styl¬ ized “Star” to a sophisticated pendant “Brandy-Snifter,” the light radiated by the fixtures actually molds these profiles with a twinkling, gem-like fire. To heighten this effervescent effect, the Claremont glass is often combined with gleaming polished brass.
The new Claremont technique de¬ veloped by Robert Cocanougher, head of Lightolier’s Claremont Kilns, employs thousands of microscopic glass spheres fused to a molded plate of blue -white glass, and to each other, at temperatures of 1,350 degrees. Whereas ordinary glass is decorated with opaque pigments that block light, these glass spheres are both translucent and refractive. They break light into a million fragments with the luxury of vintage champagne. It is a “first time” in the use of glass for transmitting (Continued on page PT-19)
One of the more versatile lighting fixtures in this collection is seen on the left. Called "Star" the light from the central source shimmers from the
brass hub along the arms to actually form a star in light. The "Carousel" seen right, is designed to illuminate a fairly large area in soft light.
Description Of An Outstanding Collection Of Lighting Fixtures Ideal For Use In Theatres
PT-8
PHYSICAL THEATRE DB»ARTA«NT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
February 1, 1956
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A SUBSIDIARY OF G E N E R A L P R E C I S I O N EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
Before undertaking major repairs or remodeling, such as the one recently completed at the Community, Kingston, N. Y., seen here in before (left)
and after (right) views of the auditorium, the tax question should be studied This study, done with the aid of experts, may improve your tax picture.
Wifh Filing Time Approaching, Here Are
Tips On Taxes
WHETHER the federal income tax rates are cut or not, you may be able to cut your own tax bill — honestly!
To do this you need to know the tax effect of various choices. Your choice of a method of handling a particular trans¬ action can raise or lower your taxes, and sometimes you can save money by a legitimate shift of taxable income or deductions from one year to another. You are also allowed choices in your treatment of certain items in your tax return, such as depreciation and research costs.
Many businesses could reduce their tax burden if they were aware of the tax con¬ siderations affecting a variety of trans¬ actions. The most feasible means for many businesses to keep alert to tax saving opportimities is frequent consultation with a properly qualified advisor.
Choice of Depreciation Method
Certain tax-saving steps are still pos¬ sible at tax-filing time. One of them is the proper choice of depreciation method. The first step is to determine the esti¬ mated useful life of any asset acquired during the tax year. Every businessman should have a copy of “Bulletin F,” which contains tables of “average” useful lives. It is available from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D.C., for 30 cents. The tables provide a guide, but it is not neces¬ sary to follow them exactly.
The simplest method is straight-line depreciation. It may also be the best in your particular case. Just divide the cost (less what you expect to sell it or trade it in for when it is replaced) by the number of years of estimated useful life, and this is the amount to be deducted each year. In arriving at the original cost, don’t forget to include freight and in¬ stallation charges in addition to the price paid for the equipment.
The law now specifically permits several other methods of depreciation for new assets having a useful life of three years or more. One of them is known as the declining balance method. In the first year the depreciation rate is twice what it would be under the straight-line method. The next year the same rate is applied to the amount remaining to be depreci¬ ated. This process is repeated each year.
The result is that a greater proportion of the cost is depreciated during the early years of the life of the asset.
Another new method, known as “sum of the years’ digits,” has a similar effect. You should figure depreciation on a new asset in all possible ways so that you can decide which is best for you and make the proper choice.
These methods of rapid depreciatic n may be particularly helpful to a theatre which is currently making large outlays for new equipment, but the depreciation left for the later years of the asset’s life will be less than under the straight-line method. The best method depends upon the circumstances of the individual com¬ pany, and is also affected by such im¬ ponderables as estimates of future earn¬ ings and tax rates during the life of the asset.
Being Taxed as a Corporation
There is a provision in the 1954 In¬ ternal Revenue Code which allows some proprietorships and partnerships to be taxed as if they were corporations. Th's choice should not be made lightly, as there is considerable uncertainty about the pro¬ vision and the proprietorship or part¬ nership desiring corpoprate tax treatment might find it better actually to incorporate.
Choi ce of Fiscal Year
Regulations now permit changes of fiscal year in some cases without permission of
the Treasury department. Generally it is wise to use the fiscal year which corre¬ sponds most nearly with the annual cycle of business operations, ending at the low point of receivables, inventories and loans, instead of a calendar year. This reduces the area of possible dispute over such matters as value of inventories, and has many advantages apart from tax consid¬ erations. The change should be carefully timed, though, to avoid possible adverse tax effects during the changeover period.
Sickness and Accident Benefits
Under the present tax law, payments from your organization to employes for treatment of sickness or injury are not taxed as income of the employes. If you have a plan for continuing all or part of an employe’s pay while he is absent for sickness or injury, limited amounts of this “sick pay” are also tax exempt.
This applies whether the payments are made by the company or by an insurance company. In the case of a sickness requir¬ ing hospitalization even for one day dur¬ ing the course of the illness, or in the case of any injury, the first $100 per week of payments are tax free. In the case of sick¬ ness which does not require as much as a day’s hospitalization, the exemption be¬ gins after the first week of absence.
No great formality is required concern¬ ing the “plan” but it should be explained to employes, and appropriate records kept of the amounts paid. Proposed regula¬ tions governing tax withholding in 1956 from payments to ill employes were still under discussion when this article was prepared.
Repairs and Improvements
If you contract for repairs and improve¬ ments to your theatre be sure that these two types of work are billed separately. Should you lump them together, you may find that the entire cost has to be capi¬ talized for future depreciation. By listing the cost of repairs as a separate item you are allowed to deduct it as an expense of the current year.
For example, you might have a furnace repaired and new radiators added. By separating the charges you can deduct the cost of the repairs in the current year, (Continued on page PT-22)
PT-10
PHYSICAL THEATRE DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
February 1, 1956
Cutting Film Cost ?
NOl WE CAN'T CUT FILM COST - But-
Can Give You
BEST SOUND
Drive-in patrons demand the best in sound as well as the best in pic¬ tures. EPRAD's outstanding research and engineering assure the most nearly perfect in-the-car-speaker sound reproduction. Even the hous¬ ings are engineered for better sound. You can now give your patrons prac¬ tically the same sound quality they enjoy at indoor theatres.
All this adds up to a new rich¬ ness, realism and depth of sound never before available in such reason¬ ably priced, low-maintenance-cost
Ask our Mitzi to demonstrate the charms of an EPRAD speaker at the National Allied Drive-In Convention.
MITZI WILL BE AT BOOTHS 41 AKD 42 AT THE NATIONAL ALLIED DRIVE-IN CONVENTION, CLEVELAND, FEB, 21- 23. MITZI IS 5'5" TALL, WEIGHS 120 LBS., AND IS 36"-23"-36".
“T/ie Voice of the Drive-In'’
1203 CHERRY STREET TOLEDO 4, OHIO
ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS RESEARCH
f
Door Controls
New Dor-O-Matic concealed-in-the- flooi’ manual door controls are now avail¬ able in 25 models, the firm announced recently. Produced in single action and double-acting types, there is a modal to fit every type of door in any type of building, it is claimed.
These checking doer hinges ware de¬ signed to fulfill the need for a door control that produces a positive closing action long and economical service under all conditions, and adaptability to modern building design and function. All these
An important safety feature in theatres is a proper door control. The new Dor-O-Matic line has 25 models of concealed manual controls.
features are particularly important in the application of this unit to a theatre.
Uniform opening control makes constant the amount of effort required to open the door until the back-checking action of either the positive stop or hold-open back- check, which is optional, is reached. There is an adjustable two-speed closing action. The closing speed is greatly reduced, ap¬ proximately five degrees from the closed position, to insure rapid but safe closing and latching of the door without slam¬ ming. Closing speeds are easily varied, if desired after installation, the firm reported.
Soap Dispensing System
A new combination gravity fed soap dispensing system and shelf, called Lava- Mate, and designed for installation in washrooms, was recently announced by the American Dispensing Company, Inc. By combining a shelf and a soap dispens¬ ing system the firm claims that this unit eliminates the necessity of providing two separate installations at extra expense. Also, many times the shelf or soap dis¬ penser may have to be left out because of space limitations.
This combination item for theatre washrooms has a gravity fed soap dispensing system and shelf. It saves space and gives more patron service.
The soap dispensing system is avail¬ able with either a straight liquid” or “lather-forming valve, curtails frequent refills, and reduces maintenance costs, it is claimed, because soap is fed from a large tank. The chrome plated cast bronze semi-circular shelf provides a sanitary surface for such personal articles as eye¬ glasses, wrist watches, etc. The shelf is designed with depressions on each side of the valve, which are slotted to permit any residue of water to pass through.
LavaMate units are available for con¬ cealed or exposed pipe installations. A wide separate wall plate is provided to secure the unit against leverage by dis¬ tributing its weight over a wide area of the wall.
Screen Material
A translucent screen material for day¬ light rear projection of motion pictures and slides, suitable for lobby and front of the theatre exploitation activities, has been introduced by Klearcite Screen Company.
The material, known as WDD is a vinyl plastic laminated and embossed to pro¬ duce over 2000 prismatic projections per square inch. These projections affect the initial dispersion of light to approxi¬ mately a 60 degree cone. Light distribution is said to be uniform over the entire screen area, resulting in a bright, clear image. Texture of the material’s surface eliminates glare and absorption of ambient light, it is claimed.
Klearcite WDD screen material is said to be flexible, portable, flameproof and washable. The vinyl material, being resist¬ ant to weather, makes the screen suitable for outdoor use. These screens can be framed, webbed or grommeted, and made to fit any special rear projection viewing requirements, it is claimed.
Vinyl Floor Tiles
Plain black and plain white vinyl tiles have been added to the floor products line of Plewitt-Robins, Inc., it was announced recently.
The new tiles will be nine by nine inches square, and in .080 inch gauge.
Electric Floor Mat
A rubber floor mat containing an elec¬ tric heating element that produces uniform radiant heat is now being marketed by the General Industrial Company. Called the Electro Mat, this item would be useful for cashiers, ticket-takers, and other the¬ atre staff members who might be exposed to cold weather.
Electro Mat is made of top-grade heat resistant rubber that is said to resist water, grease, and the elements. It is also made of fireproof materials, eliminating all fire hazards. Since its heating element is protected by a heavy covering of tough non-conductive rubber, there is no ex¬ posed element, eliminating the danger of electric shock or burns.
Since there are no moving parts main¬ tenance is no problem. The manufacturer claims that this electric foot warmer uses less electricity than a 109 watt light bulb, yet furnishes more warmth than an ordi¬ nary 750 watt heater.
Cashiers, ticket-takers and other staff members who are exposed to the elements will be inter¬ ested in this safe, rubber electric foot warmer.
WANT FURTHER INFORMATION ON
NEW PRODUCTS
SHOWN IN THIS ISSUE? LIST ITEMS .
ISSUE OF FEBRUARY 1
WITHOUT CHARGE OR OBLIGATION PLEASE SEND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON ABOVE ITEMS.
NAME .
THEATRE .
ADDRESS .
CITY, STATE .
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
^40-40 N. CLARION ST., PHILADELPHIA 7, PA.
PT-12
PHYSICAL THEATRE DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
February 1, 1956
American Seating “come pays off big at the
again” comfort box office!
American Bodiform Chair No. 16-001
It’s a fact: Luxurious comfort pays off at the box office. And luxurious comfort is the reason why American Bodiform® Chairs are the choice of leading theatres from coast to coast!
Bodiform design is based on exhaustive tests, experiments, and surveys involving hundreds of men, women, and children — for the purpose of finding what measurements and contours, what pitch of seat and shape of back would assure the greatest comfort for the most people.
What’s more, practical Bodiform features save space, simplify house¬ keeping, cut maintenance costs, lengthen service life. For full details, call your American Seating man, or contact National Theatre Supply — today!
WORLD'S LEADER IN PUBLIC SEATING
Grand Rapids 2, Michigan. Manufacturers of Theatre, School, Church, Auditorium, Trans¬ portation, Stadium Seating; Folding Chairs. Branch Offices and Distributors in Principal Cities.
ALSO DISTRIBUTED BY NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY
Automatic, silent, 3/^-fold .seat action holds seat within zone of folded safety, ready to be “ridden down” by occupant; con¬ cealed, self-adapting hinges stay clean, can’t pinch fingers.
Bodiform Spring-Arch seat has serpentine springs in die-formed steel frame, for uni¬ form resilience, long life, evenly distributed support for rubber padding. ^Von’t “bottom.”
All-steel back, including inner upholstery panel, makes Bodifor.m Chair practically indestrtictible. Stamlards (right) are of lifetime gray iron; won’t break, bend, or dent.
A
Drive-In
E-X-P-A-N-D-S
IN recent months there has been a very noticeable trend in the physical ap¬ pearance of drive-in theatres, an increase in car capacity. It is becoming an every day experience to learn of the construc¬ tion of a new drive-in with facilities to handle 1000 or more automobiles. How¬ ever, this expansion movement is not only confined to new drive-ins. Many already established outdoor operations are sending new speaker position into the far corners of their property.
Located on the DuPont Highway, one mile south of Wilmington, Del., the Ellia is a typical example of this growth in drive-in size. Formerly known as the Brandywine, this theatre had a car capac¬ ity of 450. When the A. M. Ellis Theatres Company, of Philadelphia, took the the¬ atre over it was decided to enlarge the property to a capacity of 1050 cars, more than twice the original number that cculd be accommodated. In addition, the theatre was completely remodeled.
Room for the 600 additional cars was made by using the double-ramping system in the back with ramps 11 to 18.
A corrugated aluminum fence was used
to enclose the