The Exhibitor (1957)

10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR October 9, 19 57 NT Incentive Drive To Benefit Showmen SOLVANG, CAL— An estimated $50,000 in incentive prizes will be given to alert show¬ men of National Theatres who show a marked increase attendance at their theatres, Frank H. Ricketson, Jr., vice-president and general manager of theatre operations, announced at the circuit’s convention here last fortnight. Awards going to the top 50 managers in¬ clude five all -expense paid trips to Hawaii for managers and their wives; $250 to the manager who does the best job of adapting oi creating an attendance increasing idea; nu¬ merous other cash prizes; and special invita¬ tions to attend the world premiere of “Cinemiracle Adventure” to be held early in 1958. The drive concludes Christmas eve. Workshop groups reporting at the conven¬ tion touched on a variety of subjects. In reporting on theatre ads, Fay Reedei , San Francisco, asked that ads should strive to carry honesty and sincerity as well as be more explanatory. Deplored were the flam¬ boyant and vulgar portrayal of sex” in movie advertising by some producers. Reeder said, “A large number of people resent such ads and this may account for the disappointing grosses on pictures ‘over-selling sex. How¬ ever, believe us, we re still for sex in good taste.” He also applauded the renewed drive started in some industry quarters to reduce the excessive billing now required in motion picture advertising for “vanity" purposes. Other speakers were Lou Tavalara, Sacra¬ mento, on the progress being made toward removing city taxes from boxoffice admis¬ sions; Ernest Sturm, Los Angeles, who said increased admission prices on outstanding attractions during weekends is justified; Bob Apple, Berkeley, Cal., who pointed out the importance of special children’s shows; and Fred Glass, Los Angeles, who told of the im¬ portance of parking, and methods of acquiring such facilities for patrons either through the rental or purchase of property, tieups with local merchants or discount parking fees. John Denham, Salt Lake City, spoke on the importance of eliminating unnecessary waste and expenses; Rag Davis, Denver, on marginal houses; Charles Murray, Wichita, Kansas, on concessions; John Menardi, St. Louis, on theatre rentals during non-operating hours; Alan Bamossy, Great Falls, Mont., on give¬ aways; among many others. Plans for the launching of “Cinemiracle Adventure” in four key cities were discussed by Russ Brown, Los Angeles; while Pete Lundgren spoke on film product. SW Buys Phila. Theatres PHILADELPHIA— Stanley Warner Thea¬ tres were reported last week to have ex¬ ercised an option to purchase the former Taylor and Zimmerman houses, the Keystone^ Liberty, Orpheum and Fairmount, Philadelphia; and the Stanley, Chester, Pa., which were being operated on long term lease. SW was paying $100,000 net rent yearly and had an option to buy at $1,600,000 but could be compelled to buy at $1,100,000 at any time. The latter course was followed. The purchase was made at the request of Mrs. Zimmerman, widow of one of the owners, the Forrest Home, University of Pennsylvania, and Actors Fund of America, beneficiaries of the estate. SW, it is said, paid $225,000 down with the balance on mortgage. Miiko Taka, Japanese leading lady in War¬ ners' "Sayonara," and Jack L. Warner, WB president, are seen at the recent opening of Cinerama's "Search For Paradise," Warner, New York City. $2 Million Ad Budget Ready For "Sayonara'' NEW YORK — An appropriation of more than two million dollars, representing the largest budget ever scheduled for the adver¬ tising and promotion of any Warners’ re¬ lease, is announced for “Sayonara,” William Goetz production starring Marlon Brando, by Robert S. Taplinger, vice-president and di¬ rector of advertising and public relations. Advertising media to be utilized in pre¬ selling the Technirama-Technicolor produc¬ tion based on the James A. Michener best¬ selling novel will include newspapers, trade journals, national magazines, radio, televi¬ sion, and billboards, with the campaign to be executed by Gil Golden, national adver¬ tising manager. The company also revealed plans for pub¬ licity and promotion including nationwide merchandising tieups and special events, under the supervision of Meyer M. Hutner, national publicity manager. In addition to numerous national syndicate breaks emanating from Japan during the film’s production on location, members of the cast have been plugging the picture via tv and radio appearances during the past few months. Red Buttons, one of the film’s costars, participated in a series of television and radio shows following his return to New York from Japan. Ricardo Montalban, an¬ other of the film’s co-stars, currently is en¬ gaged in a similar series of appearances. National key city tours in behalf of the picture are scheduled for Buttons, as well as for Miiko Taka, who has the leading feminine role opposite Brando. Miss Taka will act a'' press representative for the production and will travel with a comprehensive publicity kit containing special feature stories and art work. Two sets of eight elaborately costumed 14-inch high dolls, hand-made likenesses of leading characters in the film, which were made in Japan and presented to Goetz, will be sent on individual key city tours for tele¬ vision appearances and department store dis¬ play throughout the country. One tour will emanate from the east, the other from the west coast. A tieup involving more than 11,000 retail florists in the United States and Canada has been consummated with Roses, Inc., for the naming of a “Sayonara” Rose. This promo¬ tion, which entails the cooperation of re¬ tailers and growers affiliated with Roses, Inc., will take the form of window displays, the¬ atre lobby exhibits and streamers, all plug¬ ging local playdates. AA 20th Anniversary Marked By Sales Push NEW YORK— Allied Artists’ “20th anni¬ versary Drive” was inaugurated last week to commemorate the company’s 20 years as a film producer and distributor and its more recent emergence as a supplier of top quality product to the exhibitors and public. Morey R. Goldstein,, vice-president and general sales manager, said, “This drive is not a run-of-the-mill sales push. It’s a salute to our company for 20 years of pro¬ duction geared to the public taste. It’s a salute to our producers, directors and stars for a continuous flow of film product which can best be termed ‘something for everyone.’ “We are also taking this opportunity to serve notice to the exhibitor that our com¬ pany has a roster of major films in release, ready for distribution, and scheduled to go before the cameras, thus maintaining a major source of motion picture products.” The 20th Anniversary Drive, which will include Allied Artists’ 37 exchanges in the U. S. and Canada, covers six months from Oct. 4 through April 4. It will encompass both new product and outstanding films already in release. Among the major pictures avail¬ able to AA’s sales staff are “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” in CinemaScope and color, starring Gina Lollobrigida and Anthony Quinn; “The Tall Stranger,” in CinemaScope and color, with Joel McCrea and Virginia Mayo starred; “New Day at Sundown,” a George Montgomery starrer also in Cinema¬ Scope and color; headline stories “Portland Expose” and “The Beast of Budapest”; “Dragoon Wells Massacre,” CinemaScope and color western with Barry Sullivan, Mona Freeman, Dennis O'Keefe, and Katy Jurado; “The Oklahoman,” also in CinemaScope and color, with Joel McCrea starred; and “Dino,” Sal Mineo starrer. "Hunchback" Saturation Set NEW YORK — Allied Artists will introduce saturation bookings to Canadian exhibitors, for the first time in that country’s theatre his¬ tory, with a 20 theatre premiere of Paris Film Production’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” starring Gina Lollobrigida and An¬ thony Quinn, on Oct. 10th, Morey R. Gold¬ stein, vice president and general sales man¬ ager of Allied Artists, announced last week. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” premiere has been set in the Montreal area, and will coincide with Canada’s Thanksgiving holiday. Montgomery Heads AMPA NEW YORK — The Associated Motion Pic¬ ture Advertisers, Inc., at its 41st annual meet¬ ing last week in the Piccadilly Hotel, elected new officers, trustees, and board members for the year 1957-58. Officers are Bob Montgomery, president; Merlin Lewis, vice-president; Marcia Sturn, secretary; Hans Barnstyn, treasurer; and Charles Alicoate, trustee. Elected to the board were David A. Bader, Martin Davis, Ray Gallagher, Paula Gould, and Blanche Livingston. Morse To Address Allied WASHINGTON — Senator Wayne Morse, Democrat of Oregon, will be the principal speaker at the convention banquet of Allied States Association at Kiamesha Lake, N. Y., on Oct. 30, it was announced last week. Morse is a member of the Senate Select Committee on Small Business and is known as a cham¬ pion of the small business man.