Variety (November 1950)

Wednesday, Nevemlier 22^ 1950 EW GROPE PICTURES B.O. ANSWER as There’s no subtlety about it—the pi3t business looks upon television as its Ko, 1 menace. And there looms an all-out cam-^ palgii to do something about offsetting TV’s inroads. Though the most vituperatlye anti-video exhibitors concede -‘you just can’t stop progress/* they are maklrig no bones about what’s wrong with TV’s technique, and also what’s wrong with them-^ selves a,s showmen. Tlie picture business admits It must devise ways and means to maintain parity. There are openly-voiced cracks about ^'tele- vision put one over us with a $2,000,000 campaign/’ in the pre^ Xmas merchandising offensive. This refers to the $2,100,000 which the American Television Dealers and Mfrs. has earmarked for its “I-want-a-televlslon-Chrlstmas” (even including a slick singing commercial by Mindy-Carson). Just to rub it in further the ATDM got at the nub of the pictures’ fdture customers—the kids. It is admittedly slick selling copy by getting child psycholo- gists' to endorse the TV habit for (1) its educational potentials, and (2) the “pink toothbrush” technique. Only this time the shaming-into-buying equation Is the statement that the kid without aTV set feels inferior. Shocked into realistic awareness of their own showmanship shortcomings, because of “this $2,0Q0,000 campaign,” the film business is suddenly alerted to (1) the judicious-spotlight adyer- tlsiilg in Which the big TV commercials indulge to herald their important programs; (2), not only 'IV entertainment but the in- roads of telecast sports events; and (3), the background knowl- edge that ‘TV is more and more openly out to influence Holly- wood and win more film talent friends. The big Joe McConnell- John Wesit (NBC) shindig in Hollywood last week was not subtle in its inference that TV expects Hollywood to “go steady” with it, as did radio and pix. Meantime, the meetings of the minds among exhibitor leaders in various camps, and on various fronts, in New York and else- where in recent weeks, only comes up with one uniform con- clusion—pix biz is off. What happened? Product is good but grosses aren’t what they should be, even after you strip the seasonal and traditional theories and alibis of Election, Thanks- giving, etc. A Statistician like A1 Lichtman perhaps best sums up the Hollywood perspective with a per capita versus per picture in- come equation, when he points to “Cheaper By the Dozen” as his company’s (20th-Fox) best grosser this year. “It sold per- haps 30,000,000 tickets in theatres at an average of 40c, covering some 15,000 domestic exhibitor contracts,” says Lichtman. “Domestic includes Canada, and the gross drawing population of both countries means 170,000,000. We have over 60,000,000 people employed in the U. S., and there are a lot more leisure class and youngsters to augment the boxoffice potential. Ours is a mass business and we need 30,000,000 tickets per averagely good picture, and only the biggest get that kind of circulation. It should be 50,000,000, at the existing 43c average. This, of course, meaiis gross income to the theatres at the boxof fice. Anyway, all this has slipped. There may be extenuating reasons about income tax; the take-home pay; and the fact that, of the residue, even though higher in dollars, the purchasing power of wage-earners is less, due to the upward spiral of costs which- keeps pace with the pyramiding rounds of wage hikes.-* To this the smaller theatreowner argues succinctly that Holly- wood’s fat yield may be getting thinner; but in their case they’re now just flat, due to TV, and whatever else are the real or fancied boxoffice ills, . It’s reached the stage where Hollywood wants to make really sure by going to the public for samplings of “what’s wrong with us?” , ' The picture business recognizes its own shortcomings in mer- chandising. Ads look static compared to TV’s-spotlighting of its attractions. Certainly there has been little progress in the exhibition of pictures. Production techniques have improved, but the exhibitor has been doing his stuff in the same, fre- quently lazy manner for years. Maybe now is the time for more effort toward achieving third-dimension projection as a plus • value to exhibitioh. Certainly little of the'yesteryear “Publix service” is present today. They used’ to gag about the Roxy “Admirals” who serviced the film fan almost to embarrassment. That was the picture business’ big factor over the oldTSchool (and still lingeriiig) legit theatre operators' habit of hat-check- ing (it’s free in the pix deluxers), 25c for synthetic fruit-juices (a nickel or a dime for fifesh bottled goods in every picture house), and the like. Among pther things that have come into being in the last couple of decades, however, have been the in- creasing motor traffic and ^V. . There’s ah affinity between parking difficulties and the video’s convenience of staying home that is a strong militant force against the b.o* Even the most rabid video-viewers-with-alarm concede that the public must be wooed anew with other merchandising factors than merely “pictures are better.” fiven the most desirable goods vend better where shopping convenience is better. A conclusion is forced that most exhibs seem most modern in the popcorn and Vending machine gadgets but decidedly backward oh the basic Showmanship which is supposed to lure the crowds to the thea- tres’candy counters. But superseding the pollsters, Hollywood’s own basic astute- ness and showmanship will cue how best, to reappraise and re-chart its course to achieve that b.O. revitalization^ Hollywood savvy has found the answer before, and must find it again. If that means joining TV, let it be for the purpose of promoting the film b.o^ If quality pix alone will be sold at the b.o., and the B’s re- legated to TV on a commercial tie-in, that’s something that can always come. Right now there are 17,000 American theatres bringing Hollywood entertainment to the grassroots and the big key cities alike. If some have gotten out of the habit, maybe its not altogether TV's faidt. • AbeU Participants m the session of top theatremen in New York last Fri- day (17) to consider Antidotes to tele and other b.o.'competition ad- mitted this week ■ they are ' '/still groping.” Powwow of 28 leading circuit owners, representing virtu- ally every section of the country, was a followup to a similar hush- hush session held in Houston at the time of the Theatre Owners of America convention three weeks .ago.' ■ ■■ Sessions,, at which theatre prop- erties worth untold millions were represented, have been instigated by New York circuit Operator Simon H. Fabian. Another‘similar get-together will be held • in three or four weeks. ■ Plan to call in tOp-echelon Coast execs to participate in the con- claves—since it is felt the problem is just as much theirs as the ex- hihs’-^has been pushed off tem- poratily. Theatremen want to clarify their own thinking first and have Something definite to ask of the production men before meeting with them. “Everybody’s just groping,” an important exhib leader at the ses- sions explained. “We’re attempt- ing to clarify our own thoughts on television versus films before we get together with the Coast people. If we can come up with an answer to our problems we’ll tell not 6nly Hollywood, but the whole world." A meeting is likely to be held shortly with Company proxies and (Continued on page 22) , Blumberg Continues To N.Y, After Force^Oowh Nate J. Blumberg, president of Universal, was among the passen- gers on the TWA plane, but of Los Angeles, which developed motor trouble aloft and was forced into an emergency landing in Long Beach, Cal., last weekend. Blumberg boarded the next plane and if oiitinued on to N. Y. Possibility .of control of the RKO theatre circuit being wrested from Howard Hughes by Wall street pro- fessionals, while he bargains on ■ other fronts for sale of his stock, I haS loomed in the past few weeks, it has been learned in New York • financial circles. It is said that Up to 1,200,000 shares of RKO are available in large blocks at' $5.50 to $6. Hughes exercises his con- trol with 929,000 shares. I Meantime, as Hughes, ostensibly, at least, prepared to put his thea- tre stock into trusteeship to meet ! court requirements for divorce- I mept by Jan. 1, an important new • name entered the picture./William i Zeckendorf, millionaire real estate I Operator, head of the firm of Webb I & Knapp, is said to have been i showing signs of interest in acquir- ing the RKO holdings. Zeckendbrf is reputed in Wall I Street to operate with Rockefeller coin. Where exactly he fits into the picture—whether he’s been ne- Whlle Paul V. McNutt and gotiating directly with Hughes or Frank L. McNamee have informed, with the Wall streeters who aim Mary Pickford and Charles Chap-' to amass enough Shares to fight lin that they’ll retire from the Hughes—isn’t blear. His efforts on United Artists situation if the own-j the RKO front are also reported ers feel it will facilitate making fo be tied up with those of Mal- anpther deal, it has been learned i colm Kingsberg, former RKO thea- Schenck, Rodgers to Be Joined by Schary In Florida for Huddles With three of its top execs scheduled to be vacationing in Florida at the same time at the end of the year, Metro will be able to hold both production and dis- tribution huddles there, Prexy Nicholas M. Scheiick and sales veepee William F. Rodgers, who annually leave for Florida around the Christmas holidays, are to be joined\ this year by production veepee Dore $chafy. Rodgers, in an effort to clean up as much business as possible prior to his vacation trip, held a tWo-day divisionar sales manaigers meet in Chicago Sunday (19) and Monday, at which he detailed to the six top field execs releasing plans for the (Continued on page 6) that they won’t walk without a payoff. They claim they have spent too much time and energy at- tempting to put together deals to resuscitate the company to step but without being, compensated; McNamee, company’s prexy, has also indicated that he and board chairman McNutt are considering an ultimatum to Chaplin and Miss PickfOrd. They want some action by the owners, either in one di- rection or another, on varied dealc to revitalize the company, whether it means McNutt and McNamee go or stay. Pair are said to' be burned be- cause Miss Pickford nixed a deal that McNutt took to her and Chap- lin on the Coast about a month ago. It is understood that McNutt (Continued on page 22) tres prexy. Zeckendorf was said (Continued on page 22)- Sears Hurt in Train Grad Sears, United Artists sales chief, suffered a rib injury Satur- day (18) when he was thrown while putting on his coat in a lurching train. He was heading for a foot-! oall game. . | He appeared at his office Mon-j day, but was in considerable dis- ] comfort and had his side strapped. ‘Oliver Twist' Set To Play Interstate Chain J. Arthur Rank’s controversial “Oliver Twist,” which drew pro- tests on grounds it was anti-Semitic when originally slated for U. S. re- lease close to two years ago, has been booked by Eagle Lion Clas- sics to play the Interstate * circuit, Texas, beginning Jan. 19. Reason for the decision to. offer the film at this time, in Texas, Was with- held by ELC. Film will open initially at the Palace, Dallas; Metropolitan, Hous- ton; Hollywood theatre, Fort Worth; Aztec,^San Antonio; Ellenay, El Paso; "'Estate, Galveston, and the State, Austin. NeW) Strong Pix Keep Biz Stout; ^Solomon’ Champ, ^Breakthrough,’ Power, ^Grande’ Next Best Some new strong product and | Run” (U) are the top runners-up colder weather are keeping grosses I films in that order. on an even keel this week though many exhibitors are holding back- uritil Thanksgiving to launch many of new bigger pix. Fairly Strong undertone is believed to i augur a nice upbeat on Turkey Day tomorrow (Thurs.). Just launched last week at the N. V. Music Hail, where it's great, “Solomon’s Mines” (M-G) is show- Where Danger Lives” (RKO) looks like one of more promising new entries. It is okay in Denver, nice in Baltimore and big in L A. “Cyrano” fUA), playing two-a-day policy at N. Y. "Bijou, is virtual capacity on first week. “West Point Story” (WB) looms big on initial playdate in (Chicago where given its world preeni. Trade Mark Resistered FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN ' Published Weekly by VARIETY, Inc Harold Erich.s, President 154 West 4Gth St., New York 11^. N. Y Hollywood 21 6311 Yucca Street Washington 4 1202 National Press Building Chicago 11 612 No. Michigan Ave. - London WC2 8 St. Martin's PI.. Trafalgar Sq. SUBSCRIPTION Annual $10 Foreign $11 Single Copies 25 Cents ABEL GREEN, Editor Vol. 180 No. 11 ing such outstanding strength this “Joan of Arc” (RKO)^ out on pop- session it is easily boxoffice champ, j price run, shapes sock in Toronto It’s currently in only five keys cov^ ered by Variety, but pic will reg- ister $240,000 Or better this round, being strong to terrific in all loca- tions. A.frican opus is leader in four cities. Second money is going to “Breakthrough” (WB); which land-? ed in third spot the first week out. "Ainorican Guerrilla” (20th), sixth a week ago, is pushing Up to third place, “Rio Grande” last stanza, is capturing fourth spot despite being mainly on hold- over this session. "All About Eve” (20th) is still showing enough to win fifth position while"Let’s Dance” (Par) is sixth though it only started last week. “Copper Canyon” (Par) and “Tripoli,” also frorti^ Paramount, round out the Big Eight )ist. l“Jacki)Qt” (20th) and “Women on and fine in St. Louis. “Southside IrlOOO” (Mono) looms nice in Frisco and Providence. “Emer- agency Wedding” fCoD, also new, is on disappointing side in Boston. “City Lights” (UA), on reissue, is doing strongly in many smalt arty spots. “Edge of Doom”, (RKO), neat in Philly, is not so good in Minneapolis. “Right Cross” (M-G) continues weak. u • ^ i “Milkman” (U), modest in Buf- jfalo, looms okay in St, Loo. “Har- riet Craig” (Gol), good in N. Y. and oke in Baltimore, is fair in Bos- ton and mild ill Louisville. “Mister 880” (20th) shapes up smash in Montreal. “Mad Wednesday” (RKO) is do- ing oke in Buffalo. “I’ll Get By” (20th) looks trim in Denver.: (Complete Boxoffice Reports Pa^es 10-11) on INDEX Bills .: . . . . i . . . 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