Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

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Top Level Conference Called by MPAA to Devise Definite Plan to Boost Box Office A top-level meeting of all company presidents, sales and advertising and publicity chiefs will take place October 18 at the Motion Picture Association of America to formulate a definite program, based on the recommendations of the Advertising and Publicity Directors Committee, for revitalizing the box office. This was announced following a meeting of the MPAA board of directors in New York last week. Attending the meeting will be the heads of the MPAA member companies, their foreign and domestic advertising and publicity heads. According to an MPAA representative, the board of directors has decided to get the approval of all companies on the report presented to the board by the advertising and publicity group. The committee, headed by Jerry Pickman of Paramount, last week presented to the directors an extensive report on the committee’s recommendations for boosting the box office through various promotional and merchandising means. The report includes such SAG Studies Pact Terms on Late TV Films The Screen Actors Guild will appoint an executive committee to negotiate contracts with producers who are contemplating the sale of post-1948 motion pictures to television, according to SAG treasurer George Chandler, who last week said that preliminary talks on the matter already have taken place. Mr. Chandler said that he and John L. Dales, national executive secretary of SAG, have met with Arthur Krim and Seymour Peyser of United Artists and with Matthew Fox of C&C Television Corp., concerning what rights the Actors Guild has in selling post-1948 films to TV. The SAG committee said that “nothing definite has been formulated, but we will return to Hollywood and present our findings to the SAG board next week.” It is expected they will appoint an executive committee to deal with Mr. Fox. Mr. Chandler said that Mr. Fox and C&C TV have acquired 74 post-1948 features in the RKO Radio library of 742 films and that Mr. Fox wants to sell the rights to these films for immediate Fall telecasting but is holding back pending a study of union rights involved. United Artists has a package of 39 features, a majority produced after 1948, available to television, Mr. Chandler said. He proposals as immediate and drastic revision in advertising billings, a Hollywood press conference, executive field tours, market analysis, advertising campaigns and contest giveaways. The MPAA directors decided to have at least five men from each company attend the “summit” conference to discuss the advertising-publicity report in more detail, to discuss other suggestions pertaining to the report and its basis, and to formulate a definite program which would have production and distribution support throughout the industry. Once this is attained, it is expected that the MPAA will seek Hollywood approval along with approval and participation in the program by exhibitors and their national associations and from COMPO. Last week the MPAA’s subcommittee on industry self-regulation met with Geoffrey Shurlock, vice-president and director of the Production Code Administration, to discuss the expansion of the PCA appeals board. added that “the situations between both Mr. Fox and U.A. are totally different.” Mr. Chandler went on to explain that C&C TV product was produced by a company still considered a major firm in the industry, while the U.A. product was turned out by many independent producers, a majority of whom are no longer active in production. Mr. Chandler said the formula which will be worked out between SAG and Mr. Fox “will most likely be used as the basis for other post-1948 film sales to television for the whole industry.” German Group Shoots Scenes in New York Berolina Film, German production company, has completed two weeks in New York shooting exteriors and 24 local landmarks for a semi-documentary spy feature, “The Gimpel Story.” Kurt Ulrich, top German producer, and his director, Werner Klingler, brought two of their stars to the U. S. for the brief shooting. Agreements were made with the Screen Actors Guild and other film employee unions for local supporting actors and technical crews to be used. Ernst Jaeger, former editor of the Berlin Film-Kurier, is handling public relations for the company. Columbia Votes Dividend Columbia Pictures Corporation board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.06% per share on the $4.25 cumulative preferred stock, payable November 15, 1956/ to stock of record November 1. Groups Study Loan Rules For Theatres Theatre Owners of America and the Independent Theatre Owners Association, New York, are currently studying the rules and directives of the Small Business Administration and how they could be applied for theatres seeking governmental loans for mortgage purposes, it was reported last week. The study is taking place because the SBA authorization of loans to theatres “for modernization, equipment, repair or operation” does not provide for lending money for mortgage purposes. Once the consideration is completed, ITOA and TOA “will seek to educate the SBA as to the needs of the motion picture exhibition industry,” it was stated. The exhibition leader, who last week disclosed that the study has been launched by both theatre groups, said the results may also be presented to SBA so that “they could issue directives pertaining to exhibition solely.” He also indicated that Congressional legislation on this matter may be sought. The exhibition figure pointed out that while the SBA ruling “took theatres off the blacklist,” it “did not go far enough. If we could open the doors to small theatres who seek to receive governmental loans for all legitimate purposes, then perhaps private lending institutions would also become more lenient in their dealings with theatremen.” The SBA ruling in regard to theatre loans is just the same as that for loans to other small businesses, according to an SBA official here. He pointed out that the only additional requirements are that theatres must be “four-wall” and must contribute to the “economic health of their community.” The SBA official also said that theatre owners seeking small business loans for modernizing purposes can still be eligible for those loans, in many cases where there is already a mortgage on their theatres. Nick Pery Resigns Post at Columbia Nick Pery, vice-president and European managing director of Columbia Pictures International, has resigned effective November 9, to go into independent production, it was announced this week by Lacy W. Kastner, president of Columbia International. Mr. Pery has been with Columbia 22 years in various executive positions. Mr. Pery said that it “is with a deep sense of regret” that he will leave Columbia, explaining that “my reasons are so compelling that I cannot do otherwise.” MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 13, 1956 13