Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

Motion Picture Daily Friday, October 2, 19591 PEOPLE Louis Rosenbaum, president of Shoals Theatre Co., Florence, Ala., is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his theatre there. □ Sylvester Albano, operator of the Albano Drive-in Theatre, Ravena, •N Y., has instituted a weekend policy for the winter. □ Joe Weinstein, booker for Stanley Warner theatres in northern Ohio, and Mrs. Weinstein were guests of honor at a surprise party to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. □ Mel Schwartz, office manager and booker for Columbia Pictures in Albany, N. Y., has sent a letter to all exhibitors and theatre managers of the area saying that "to avoid confusing with Branch Manager Herbert Schwartz," he has taken the name "Mel Shaw" for business purposes, and that he will sign all correspondence with that name. 'Oscar' TV Show (Continued from page 1) ton on Wednesday to confer with the head of the second company but the meeting was put off until a later date. Meanwhile, it is reported the second company's position not only is unchanged but adamant against putting out money for the Awards telecast. 'Putting Up' Important A suggestion made at the MPAA board meeting last week at which continued industry sponsorship of the "Oscar" program was discussed that exhibitors be asked to contribute to the $600,000 cost is not taken seriously in most trade quarters. However, it is regarded as an effective answer to the annually voluable criticism of the "Oscar" telecast by exhibitor sources. It is, in effect, a rejoinder to "Put up or shut up," for only by "putting up" will exhibitors earn the right to be heard on the telecast-broadcast arrangements for the Awards. B-B Amount Not Enough "Unless the exhibitors are prepared to put up more than they did for the business-building campaign, I'm afraid we've heard the last of the suggestion that they help finance the Academy telecast," one executive said. Four Theatres ( Continued from page 1 ) Ala., circuit exhibitor, has removed closed signs from the Booker T, dark since 1948. This theatre caters to Negro patronage, as does the Rex, in Brookhaven, Miss., the fourth of the reopened theatres. The latter has two new owners, Glen Adams and M. L. Davis. Buying and booking for the Rex are being handled by Gulf States Theatres. Odds Against Tomorrow CONTINUED FROM PAGE I this instance a bank holdup, and on the other the racial conflict which emerges clearly and pointedly in the development which finds Belafonte and Robert Ryan unwilling partners in the attempted bank robbery. The fact that the racial conflict comes to a violent, searing and quite inevitable conclusion concurrently with the equally inevitable retributive conclusion of the attempted robbery makes for a justified, albeit highly exciting fadeout. Here then is a picture which may be sold, and sold vigorously, from either angle, the suspense or the racial conflict, or a combination of both, with the added plus values of the names of Wise, Belafonte and Ryan. Sharp reactions may be anticipated in certain sensitive areas, of course, but that is a situation which only the individual exhibitors, knowing his audience, can properly evaluate. In addition to Belafonte and Ryan the cast offers Ed Begley, Shelley Winters and Gloria Grahame. In each instance a performance of outstanding quality emerges under the expert guidance of Wise. A novel by William P. McGivern was the source of the story, with a smooth and punch-laden screenplay contributed by John O. Killens and Nelson Gidding. The plot is essentially simple. Begley, a dishonorably discharged New York police officer-veteran, plans the holdup of a bank in a small town in upstate New York. For that job he enlists the aid of Ryan, exconvict and killer, and Belafonte, inveterate horse-player heavily in debt, and singer in a Negro night club. The two men have pressing incentive. Ryan seeks to impress Miss Winters, his wife, with his ability to earn an income for them both. Belafonte, separated from his wife but dearly loving his young daughter, is faced with the dire consequences of not paying off the gangster from whom he has borrowed. Begley is driven by vengeance against the world. Ryan balks because of Belafonte's color, but finally agrees, While Belafonte, infuriated by Ryan's bigoted attitude, holds his temper in check. Plans are made, the holdup of the bank executed, all against a mounting pressure of gripping suspense. Then by accident, a policeman appears, Begley is killed in a running fight, and Belafonte savagely goes after Ryan, whose attitude had caused the misfire of their plans. In the darkness afoot, Belafonte pursues Ryan, and finally they shoot it out atop gas tanks outside of town. The gunfire causes a stunning explosive, in Which both men are burned to death. As the bodies are removed it is indicated that no one can tell them apart. Black and white are equally burned to nothing. Running time, 95 minutes. General classification. Release, in October. Charles S. Aaronson Parliament Candidates Fox Names 3 Told Industry's Needs By WILLIAM PAY LONDON, Sept. 28 (By Air Mail). —With the General Election scheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 8, the ACTT (Association of Cinematograph TV and Allied Technicians ) has called for assurances from all Parliamentary candidates that they will support the following issues which will require consideration by the next Parliament. H All reasonable measures to ensure a healthy and expanding British film industry. f Continuation of the National Film Finance Corporation but in a form that will encourage British film production without only considering the profit-making possibilities of each film assisted. f Complete abolition of the entertainment tax. IT Abolition of the Sunday opening levy on cinemas. f Protection of the British content and standards of television programmes against continued encroachment (Continued from page 1) manager W. C. Gehring, Jr. Manny Pierson will assume the ad-pub responsibilities in Cleveland, where Ray Schmertz is branch manager. And in Memphis, John Rhea will be regional ad-pub manager, working with branch manager D. M. Coursey. by imported material of poor quality. 1f Establishment of a new public body to own and control the Third Television Network. The union points that it is profoundly disappointed at the attitude of Parliament in recent years on a number of matters which vitally affect the future of the Cinema and TV industries. It expresses the hope that the next Parliament will take positive measures to aid and sustain a flourishing British film industry. Last month the CEA (Cinematograph Exhibitors Association) called on exhibitors to contact their local prospective Member of Parliament and seek their support in the industry's claim for cinema tax abolition. Drive-in Gross (Continued from page 1 ) Sindlinger & Co. report that drive-in admissions are expected to total a record $338 million this year, 25% increase over the 1958 gross of $271 million. The 1949 drive-in gross totaled only $126 million, according to the Journal. The drive-in gross this year will be about 26% of the estimated $1.3 billion in U.S. box receipts, whereas in 1949 the drive-in gross was only 10.5% of the total for the country's theatres. Heater Sales Heavy The article reports that James A. Trainor, general manager of Commercial Controls Corp., Rochester, a manufacturer of in-car heaters, said his company has sold drive-ins about 46,000 heaters in the past three years, many to theatres in the Middle Atlantic states and New England. Sumner Redstone, executive vicepresident of Redstone Management Co., Boston, operator of 17 drive-ins, cited this advantage of heaters: When you close in the winter and reopen in the spring you have to start building up your momentum again-customers have to get back in the habit. By staying open all year, you keep your patrons from ever getting out of the habit." Concessions Called Vital The article pays considerable at-j tention to concessions business, reJ ferring^to it as the "key to the eco-1 nomics" of drive-in operation. It esti-1 mates that drive-ins collect, "on a! national average, roughly 30 cents in refreshment money for every paid ad1 mission. This is double the 15 cents' the hardtop operator collects per cus-l tomer for such purchases." Edwin Zabel, president of Elec-j trovision Corp. is quoted as saying his company's money from concessions "runs 70% to 75% of the total j admissions." S. J. Pappas, vice-pres1 (dent of Alliance Amusement Co., \ estimates "around 55% of our gross income comes from the concessions." Harrison, Weltner ( Continued from page 1 ) line the product exhibitors can ex : pect from their company during 1960. William J. Heineman of United ! Artists has already accepted. Gerald J. Shea of New York, one of the three co-chairmen of the con I vention, will moderate the meeting. ' TOA's convention opens Sunday, Nov. S, and will conclude Thursday eve i ning, Nov. 12, with the president's banquet. The National Association of ' Concessionaires, convening concurrently at the Hotel Sherman, will join with TOA in staging an all-industry ! trade show scheduled from Nov. 8 through 11. Taylor Holmes Dies HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 1. Funeral services for Taylor Holmes, 81, who died last night at his home here, are pending at Callanan Mortuary here