Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1955)

10 Motion Picture Daily Monday, November 14, 19 Ryan in Plea Says Players Should Appear In Small Cities By SAMUEL D. BERNS HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 13.-Personal appearances in the grass-roots sectors of the country have been sadly overlooked as a means of increasing grosses and creating wider industry relations, Robert Ryan told Motion Picture Daily. The co-star of 20th Century-Fox's "The Tall Men" reported on conversations with other name players who contribute their tub-thumping services for films going into national release, contending that much of their efforts result in "love's labor lost" if appearances are confined to interviews in the larger cities like New York, Chicago and Boston and nothing smaller than Minneapolis. The nation's five or six top cities have become blase to stars pitching for a film, and the performer's reaction generally is one of running around the bases with no one caring whether or not he scores a homer, Ryan claimed. Points to Double Benefit To offset this condition, Ryan suggested an opportunity to be given players to wrap up a number of good size towns like Duluth, Peoria and Harrisburg, where the response for a visiting actor bids for greater interest in his film. Such tours could generate a feeling of accomplishment for the actor as well as provide insurance for the star's marquee value on subsequent films in which he may appear, Ryan said. Questioned on the trend of stars entering independent production, Ryan saw this as a roadblock to challenging roles and unusual films. Once an actor turns business man, he "goes for safe," figuring on a Western as the least risky, the actor declared. Walt Disney Coming For Four-Day Visit Walt Disney is scheduled to arrive here today from California for a fourday visit. In addition to conferring with executives of Buena Vista, the distribution arm of the Disney organization, he will attend the annual dinner of the National Audubon Society and a special luncheon of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He will also be the recipient of an award by Parents' Magazine. AA Retains Agency HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 13. Buchanan & Co. has been retained to handle advertising for William Wyler's production of "The Friendly Persuasion," it was announced by John C. Flinn, Allied Artists advertising and publicity director. Praises 20th-Fox, Univ. Release Volume Product Shortage Becoming More Acute, S-W's Nat Fellman Contends From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 13.— The danger signal on an acute shortage of product is getting louder, causing undue hardships on the industry and giving theatre men an alarming outlook on the future, due to the inconsistency of new reNat D. Nat Fellman leases, Fellman, executive assistant to general manager Harry Kalmine, of Stanley Warner Theatres said during a recent visit here. Fellman, encouraged by the product seen at some of the studios, expressed great concern at the quantity being turned out pinning a warning note on the worst product shortage experienced in his 28 years of theatre operation. Says First-Runs Have Doubled "We cannot operate theatres profitably if the major distributors deliver films on the basis of one every four to six weeks. Since the government's trust action against Paramount, et al, competition has risen to a point where there are now twice as many first run situations as there were 10 years ago. Instead of having more product available to satisfy such competition, a steady decline in production has created a pure "seller's market," with reissues having a field day in rentals," Fellman said. "The industry must suffer if the momentum of building theatre audiences is retarded by a meager and inconsistent supply of high calibre product," Fellman added. He called attention to what he considers a violation of the fundamental principles of exhibition whereby it has become necessary to give unwarranted additional playing time to bookings, playing lesser grade films in de luxe houses and charging the same admission prices for reissues. Outlines Company Plans To exemplify his remarks, Fellman stated that four of the major distributors are spreading release dates near the year's end, paralleling a condition experienced during May and June of this year. Paramount will have saturation bookings on "The Desperate Hours" by Thanksgiving, with Martin and Lewis' "Artists and Models," next on the list, being offered for Christmas-New Year bookings; M-G-M is taking November dates on "The Tender Trap" and a lapse until the year end holidays for "Kismet." Warners has "Sincerely Yours" on the immediate booking list, with "The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell" next in view for the Christmas season. RKO is readying a campaign on Nat Holt's "Texas Lady," and has no announcement on a feature to follow. Fellman gave credit to 20th Century-Fox and Universal-International for maintaining a better flow of product with additional pictures filling the gap between Thanksgiving and New Year. Fellman took issue with distributors who give Hollywood every booking advantage by making a great number of films available in the film capital near the year's end in order to become eligible for Academy nominations and impressing Oscar voters. The producers seem to have lost sight of the fact that we are in business 52 weeks of the year, and are entitled to similar consideration outside of Hollywood, which would in no way impair such eligibility and could, on the other hand, expose case histories of audience reactions that would offer a measure of influence to the voters, he said. Suggests "Basic Formula" Questioned on factors which could serve as a guide to producers regarding future product, Fellman listed the importance of the story as the primary influence in attracting the customers. "A good story and a good star name is the basic formula for 'blockbusters.' A star name in an uninteresting yarn is a costly mistake. With few exceptions, you can't make a star overnight. Now is the time to build new faces into *box office names.' We're not looking for high budget films only," were other remarks Fellman made. Goldwurm in From Europe With Product Jean Goldwurm, president of Times Film Corp., will arrive in New York today from an extended stay in Europe where he concluded negotiations for the acquisition of several films to be distributed by the company. Goldwurm and Felix Bilgrey, attorney for Times Film, reported to French film leaders, while in Europe, on their efforts in anti-censorship contests in the U. S. Conn. Drive-ins Go Dark for the Season HARTFORD, Nov. 13.-Majority of Connecticut drive-in theatres have either curtailed operating schedules or already closed for the season. Many situations, faced with declining business because of cold weather and resumption of school classes, have dropped Monday through Thursday performances. All drive-ins, with the possible exception of Meadows Drivein here, are expected to close down in December until spring. FCC Rejects (Continued from page 1) in these communities asked that th areas be made exclusively VHF UHF. At present, VHF and UH channels are assigned in the san communities, and UHF operato complain that they cannot compe with VHF stations. In a positive step, however, tl commission announced that it woul set rule-making procedures on tl question of national deintermixtur and requested that comments 1 |Cof filed on the subject by Dec. 15 wit answers to be in by next Jan. 6. New York Permit Granted The commission did grant the n !arl quest of Hudson Valley Broadcasts tesl Co., Albany, N. Y., for the assig ment of VHF Channel 10 to Va Mills, N. Y., as a "drop-in" to brin a second VHF service to the are; This was the only grant the commit sion made in all the petitions o which it ruled. The four-man commission majorit decision was reached over the angi protests of two commissioners, an! the reluctant acceptance of a thirc Commissioner Hyde, most violent c the dissenters, declared that the dc cision "may deal a death blow t the UHF television service.'.' The FCC action today, howevei as( might clear the way for the commitsion to begin work on problems sue as subscription television, which : has put aside pending the issuanc|j of the deintermixture decision. Ask "Nationwide" Approach Commissioners McConnaughe Mack, Lee and Doerfer— all Eisen hower appointees— announced in thei decision that "the commission hac, serious doubts that the requested re lief would be meaningful with respee to the general problem." The com! mission is convinced, the majorit said, "that if lasting solutions to th( allocation problems now confronting the development of a nationwide tele vision service are to be found, th< approach must be nationwide ii scope." In his dissent, Hyde declared tha "the obvious reason for the suddei haste of the majority in taking th< present action, is to clear the deck: for the immediate grant of VHF ap plications in a number of communitie involved in the deintermixture cases and in other communities where de intermixture has been suggested and peremptorily turned down." Wanted Separate Disposal Dissenter Bartley stated his belie! that the petitions should have beer disposed of separately, "serving as ^ pattern for the expeditious disposi tion of the remaining deintermixture cases." Dissenter Webster was mild All three dissenters are Democratic appointees. The commission asked that com ments on the deintermixture questioi relate to the effect of any proposec deintermixture plan on the future expansion of the television service or existing station assignments, on educa tional TV channels and on variou; technical problems and standards. s 101' Hill idi po 3* iAY tve ihoi «lei w ► i Be > the Fin tele apo Hii! 5« t