Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

onday, October 24, 1960 Motion Picture Daily fs Columbia Time t Louisville lst-Runs , Special to THE DAILY () LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23. If citizen decides to attend one of jUuisville's seven downtown firstiiins in the week starting Thursday, ne odds are overwhelming that he ill be seeing a Columbia picture. ive of the showcases will open jDlumbia product on that day and i1 sixth will begin the run of a Coiixnbia release on Friday. Only theaoil that won't be playing Columbia » ms has a roadshow. 0 The opening lineup for Thursday tows "Let No Man Write My Epimph" at the Mary Anderson; "I Aim 1 the Stars" at the Rialto; "I'm All ight Jack" at the Crescent Art; oFast and Sexy" at the Kentucky; id the double bill of "Battle in Out if Space" and "12 to the Moon" at le Ohio. On Friday "Song Without nd" will bow at the United Artists. Studios Root for Pay-TV, Theatres Told Campaign Heralds Reopening in Albany ' Special to THE DAILY ALBANY, N.Y., Oct. 23.-An ex[©nsive and comprehensive publicity ^nd exploitation campaign for the t|'250,000 modernization and refurbishing project and reopening of j'abian's Palace Theatre here is being ^arried out by Elias Schlenger, Fabian , ivision manager, and Bill With, manager of the Palace. The Palace closed on Sept. 12, and Ml have its gala opening on Oct. y8. Stories outlining the huge project jiroke in both Albany newspapers two 0 three weeks before the closing. A ,eries of four cartoon ads, featuring j, character named Nu Luke, was ,'reated by Hy Rosen, prize-winning ^artoonist for Hearst's Albany Times Jnion. A two-week Mystery Movie Conest was run in the Albany Knickerbocker News. Announcement stories m the contest and modernization tarted five days in advance of the ;ontest. A still from a picture which lad played Albany during the last 25 years was run each day and contestants were asked to give the titles jfof the pictures and identify the stars n each still. Savings bonds were awarded to the three winners. Race Named for Theatre One of the races on the closing ((iight at Saratoga Raceway was named ,the New Palace Theatre Race. Among the activities planned for j opening night are the appearance of the prize-winning Fort Crailo American Legion Band, searchlights, free j perfume to the ladies, a special edition of the Times-Union with the entire front page devoted to The -Palace opening, an organist playing 'from opening to showtime, and ' speeches by the Mayor and a representative from the Governor's office. » The entire loge section is being turned over to the Albany Girls Clubs 1 for an opening night benefit. ( Continued from page 1 ) tell the convention, pointing out the major companies' lessening interest in theatrioal revenue and increasing attention to income from films made specifically for television, from records, real estate, mineral rights and other interests. Redstone, who is assistant to TOA president Albert Pickus, also will take up and answer charges commonly made against exhibition for its opposition to pay-tv, such as its supposedly selfish, economic interest in the question, its alleged attempt to prevent the public from obtaining and paying for its entertainment where it chooses, and the contention that, in any event, pay-tv won't harm and may benefit the commercial theatre. Sees Judgment 'Clouded' As a result of such charges and contentions, Redstone will say, "the judgment of some of those among us is beginning to be clouded and confused on the subject of pay television. And your life or death as motion picture exhibitors depends to a large extent on your ability to separate fact from fiction." He will tell the convention that the proof of the lessening interest of major companies in theatrical exhibition is to be found "in the balance sheets, profit and loss statements and annual reports" of the companies to their stockholders. In this connection, he will single out both Barney Balaban, president of Paramount, and Spyros Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox. Says Confusion Is Created "In recent times," Redstone will say, "men of great stature like Mr. Balaban and Mr. Skouras have taken up the battle cry on behalf of paytelevision" with the result that there has been 'incipient signs of confusion, even in the ranks of exhibition. And so it becomes necessary to substitute fact for fiction, and to give battle even to men like Mr. Balaban and Mr. Skouras for whom motion picture exhibition has historically had —and rightly so great admiration, affection and respect." He will say that he disagrees with Balaban's report to Paramount stockholders in which pay-tv was termed a supplement to theatre attendance, and which estimated it might provide a 20 per cent increase in industry revenue. 'Looked Only at Plus Side' "Mr. Balaban looked only at the plus side," Redstone will say. "He has not taken into consideration the devastating effect on present theatre revenues of pay television. One need only refer to the impact that old pictures on television had on the motion picture theatre box office to begin to foresee the disastrous impact of current pictures on television." "And," Mr. Redstone will add, "I must disagree with that great man of the motion picture industry, Mr. Skouras, for it was he who expressed the most dangerous concept of all when he stated that, no power on earth can stop the development of toll television'." "If you accept that philosophy, the philosophy of the inevitability of toll television, get out of the motion picture theatre business now," he will tell his audience. He will add, however, that while in good conscience exhibition cannot criticize the major companies for doing what they believe is in their best economic interest, it can at least, in good conscience, "battle them." Doubts Coexistence Turning to the arguments on behalf of pay-tv and attacking exhibitor opposition to it, Redstone will reject the contention that pay-tv, free tv and theatre exhibition can enjoy peaceful coexistence as have other forms of entertainment, and that the theatre will be even better off if the public is required to pay to see films on tv instead of having them available without cost. Redstone will point out in reply that other forms of entertainment have found it possible to coexist because they are "essentially different" and are not required to rely upon identical sources of supply. "Pay-tv and theatre exhibition," Redstone will say, "involve the sale of the same product to the American public, and theatre exhibition will be subject to impossible competitive conditions. What more devastating practice is there in the theatre industry than a 'buck a car'? If you have found a 'buck a car' difficult to compete with, how are you going to compete with a 'buck a houseful'?" Points to Hartford He will cite also promotion matter for the pending Hartford, Conn., paytv test by Zenith Radio and RKO General, saying "the best appeal there is that the people of Hartford should not go to the movies in a theatre but should patronize their television cash registers in their homes. They say, and I quote, 'with subscription tv this family could enjoy as many as four movies at home for the cost of one evening out'. "When first nm movies are being exhibited on pay television just what will be exhibiting in motion picture theatres, particularly if not only Paramount but also Metro and Fox have an interest in pay-tv? Fears Also for Free Television "I must disagree with the Mervyn LeRoys who say that pay-tv is not a 'rule-or-ruin' situation. It is untrue that motion picture theatre exhibition will live side-by-side with pay television. Rather, theatre exhibition and free television will die side-by-side if pay-tv becomes a reality." The argument that "exhibitors are a greedy lot unwilling to meet the competition of pay-tv on fair ground, and eager only to deprive the public of its right to pay for television entertainment," will be described as a "dangerous" one which "we exhibitors must be prepared to meet." The answer, he will say, is that the radio-television spectrum is a limited and precious natural resource belonging to all the people, which should not be for sale for it already belongs to the American public. Quality Available Now, He Feels Moreover, Redstone will add, "it is sheer hypocrisy to contend that we are trying to deprive the American public of some great right that the proponents of toll-tv want to bestow upon it. All we are going to take away from the people is the right to pay for what they are getting free right now." He will catalogue the present and promised programming in an attempt to show that there is little worthwhile that pay-tv can offer the public for a price that is not available to it now in free tv. "No doubt, like others, we do have a selfish instinct for self-preservation," he will conclude, "but for once, luck is with us, because in the battle to be waged over toll television the interest of the American public and your interest coincide. Warns Public Will Be Cheated "The public has been quick to grasp the underlying economic fact— that the proponents of pay television are preparing to seize from the public the radio-television spectrum, a great natural resource, and sell it back to them at a very high price." Pickus to Speak Today At Carolina Convention Special to THE DAILY RALEIGH, N. C, Oct. 23.-Albert Pickus, president of Theatre Owners of America, will address the theatre owners of North and South Carolina at their annual convention here tomorrow. He will be the luncheon speaker for the convention, which is scheduled to draw about 300 persons to this city. The conclave will end with the annual presidents banquet tomorrow. The new president will be elected to succeed Frank Beddingfield of Charlotte. Theatrical Feature Set By Skelton and Rooney From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 23. Red Skelton and Mickey Rooney will costar in "The Big Grab," theatrical motion picture to be filmed in color and employing the three-camera technique. Charles Luftig and Red Doff will serve as executive producers. It will mark first feature to be produced at the Skelton studios since purchased by the star. Starting date is scheduled for Feb. 14, 1961. "The Big Grab" will be a joint venture between Skelton and Luftig Productions and Killamey Enterprises, headed by Rooney & Doff.