Variety (November 1954)

Wednesday, November 10, :W54 frfi&IETY pif/i jnm in JEFFERS SUES ANEW Gross distribution income in Japan amounts to $36,750,000 yearly* according to Tadayoshi Asao and Motomu Ohno, repre- sentatives of the Shochiku Co., now visiting the U.S; They passed along some other data concerning the picture business in the Nippon state: , The distribution money is split on the basis of 66% for domestic films, 34% for. foreign; number Of theatres in all of Japan as of the end of 1953, 3,959; pictures produced in 1953, 302; expected to be made in .1954, 330 (Shochiku. turned out 70.of the 1953 total); average cost of production, $50,000; theatres adopting Cinema- Scope, 45; theatre program makeup, (a) a new feature and one released the previous week, (b) new feature artd one usually, released more than six months before, (c) two new features (Usually ' linor ones), and (d) one new feature-^-all accompanied by news- reels and sometimes by stage attractions; average admissions price, 14 c. Silence that followed Columbia’s decision last week to release some of its oldie westerns .and shorts to tv is being interpreted in some industry quarters as sign that this question ho longer ranks tops in- the exhibitors’ Feeling that the theatremen have matured to the following triple reasoning: (i.) The type of product that C61 let go on to tv isn’t likely to hurt the current b.o. (2,). What with the product shoct r age and all, theatremen aren’t in favorable position to retaliate against any one offender company. (3.) The distribs.are basically, nd more: anxious: than the theatres; to strengthen the tv competition With strong product. There was comment in both exhib and distrib ranks on the C01 explanation Which had Jack Cohn stating on one hand that “This in no way alters our company’s policy of not releasing Our features for television showing,’’ and explain- ing on the other that “The car- toons and westerns which we have just disposed of have long since outlived their theatrical Value.. They have no further potential for reissues.’’ “Why couldn’t they come straight out and say. that they had a batch of old films on their shelves which they couldn’t use any more arid wanted to get rid of,” was the comment at one of the ival distrib offices. “Either you do release to tv or you don’t. If you do, and you’ve made it clear (hat these are old films useless for theatrical 'exhibition, why beat around the bush. No one is fooled by it,” Sales exec at one of the other distrihs said that, all the compa- nies Were in the same position as Columbia; but added that—even without exhib pressure—most of them wouldn’t sell to tv. “When you come down to it; it just doesn’t make very much sense,” he com- mented. “There- isn’t very much money in it, and. we'd just bite off our nose to spite our face.” Another signal factor is the healthy economic position of the majors. It’s freely admitted that, if times were bad, there would be much greater temptation to give into lure of tv coin. One view is that the tv sales of Republic and Col serve a very use- ful purpose from a legal point-of- view. “Now that Col has broken the , no one cah accuse us of ‘conspiring’ to keep our product from, tv,” was on§ comment. 40 Metro Foreign Sales Reps Hit . Barcelona Barcelona; Nov* 9. Headed by prexy Arthur Loew, 40 delegates from Loew’s Interna- tional Corp. In New York and Metro offices in Continental Eu- rope will meet here tomorrow (Wed.) for a fout-day European sales conference. Attending from New York are Samuel N. Burger, the company’s sales manager; Maurice SilVeystein, regional director for Latin Amer- ica, ahd . Arthur Pincus, assistant pub-ad director. Sessions will con- centrate On special sales and pub- licity plans for. the coming year’s product, with particular emphasis on getting European exhibs to in- stall Perspecta Sound., Company’s has earmarked a special budget of $2,500,000 in addition to its; regular advertising for the drive. Bank Pressure Fact that some good theatri- cal product of pre-1948 vin- tage has gone on the air is at- tributed to the pressure from the banks. “Our contract on many of the Outside pictures is very explicit , in stating that every effort must be made to distribute a film to maximum advantage,” one distribution exec said. “If we don’t sell to tv, and ■va release hasn’t done well in. the theatres, the banks pres- sure for a tv sale, it Makes it very difficult for us be- cause, legally, we aren’t In n very /good position:” More than 60 of the nation’s top production* distribution and ex r liibitigri companies were named defendants Monday (8) in two sepa- rate treble-damage, antitrust suits brought in N.Y. Federal “Court which ask a total balm of $1,530,- 000. Austin Inc., operator of the Austin Theatre, Forest Hills, L. I., seeks $1,080,000 while Laskey Bros., operators of the Stirlite Drive-In, f’girmont, W, Yai., Want $450,000. Both the Austin and the Laskeys charge the defendants with con- spiring to discriminate against lo- cal independent exhibitors includ- ing the plaintiffs respect... to runs, clearances, film rentals and admission prices. In bringing the action the two ’ theatre outfits, as- sert not only are they suing in be- half of themselves but also are pressing the case for the benefit of other exhibs in similar straits. . Named defendants aside from the eight majors are Allied Artists Pictures Corp., Republic Pictures, Stanley Warner, National The- atres, American Broadcasting-Par- amount. Theatres, United Artists Theatre Circuit, Skouras. Theatres, Metropolitan Playhouses, Comer- ford Circuit, Brandt Theatres, Fa- bian Theatres, Schine Circuit Inc;,; and the Motion Picture Assn, of America, among others, Repping the plaintiff exhibs is the firm of Malkan & Ellner. k for Sam Hollywood, Nov. 9. Assignment of Samuel C. Engel as producer of “Tigrero” at 20thr Fox makes a total of six pictures on his shooting schedule; Others are: “Daddy. Long Legs,” “A Man Called Peter,” “Pink Tights,” “The Lady and the Lumberjack” and “The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw.” Filming of “Tigrero,” a tale of jaguar ^ hunting, will be done chiefly in, South America. A Grim Alec Guinness Hollywood; Nov, 9. Next picture starring Alec .Guin- ness for Columbia release will be “The Prisoner,”.a grim drama, in- stead of “Madam, Will You Walk?,” a comedy, as originally planned. Filming will be done in Belgium and. England with Peter Glenville directing and Vivian Cox produc- ing uhder supervision of executive producer Sydney Box. How Much Is Too Much For Being Dubbed ‘Red’ Los Angeies, Nov, 9. Mike Jeffers, former head of the Conference of Studio Unions, is reopening his -libei suit against the: Screen Extras Guild .following the action of Superior Judge Allan Ashburn in granting a motion for a new trial. In his memorandum the judge held that the damages fixed by the jury in the first trial were excessive. Memorandum, contended that, the Conference was dominated by Communists arid; that “the plaintiff either knew of that fact, dr he was for m^ny months consciously ignorant, a state of mind which is the legal equivalent of knowl- edge.” At the same time, the court held that the Guild newsletter, which led to the original libel suit, was “libelous on its face- The lan- guage of the publication breathes personal ill will throughout: its en- tire length.” Judge; Ashburn ruled further that the plaintiff has right to Some damages, but only iriamod- est amount. He added that $10,000 would, be top much. ‘Grievance Director’ Chicago, Nov. 9; TOA has a hew name for th Still-unfilled job previously known as “Coordinator,” Board meet last, spring; decided to set up such a post hut its specific function never was made clear. Now the org intends putting on the payroll a “Film Griev- ance Director.” He’ll take to distributors all beefs which members have concerning film company relations. In part as a result; of the. wide- spread switch to Cinemascope, 20th - Fox’s Movietone hewsreel revenue has dropped approximate- ly 10% in 1954 and the number of regular theatres served is down 15%. ' ' ' At the same time, however,, per- print earning the reel in the U. S. has gone up 5.3% over 1953, indicating that 20th has been able to convince exhibs to raise their rentals slightly. It’s understood, that the Movie- tone experience is by no means confined to 20th and is shared by all the other reels; In. fact the Movietone operation as such is in a favored position due to its tieup with United Press at the tv end. Newsreel problems have been mounting with . the widescreen in- novation and particularly where exhjbs have taken to double-billing Cinemascope. Various efforts have been made to stimulate, circulation of the reels but with little results. TV competition also is hurting the theatrical reelers. .Two ways of. boosting, tire hew. reels have been suggested. One is color. The other is to Cinema- scope the news. There, has been talk at Movietone of switching the reel to. C’Scope, but nothing has been done about it and, according to the best advices available; noth- ing will be done about it for some time. Main obstacle is the exhibs’ unwillingness to raise rentals suffi- ciently to make up for the addir tional cost of producing a C'Scope reel. Apart from that, 20th. execs want, to wait until there are more C’Scope installations at home and abroad before even considering newsreel expansion; Problem of color also brings up the question of added, costs. And tinting also would dfelay delivery of prints. s ' Louis B. Mayer, chairman of the board of Cinerama Productions, and the board of directors of the company agreed to a settlement of Mayer’s five-year $1,000 weekly contract this Week. Ending, of the pact,, which started Nov; 1, 1952, does not, however, alter Mayer’s position with the company. He’ll continue in his post as board chair-, man but without a salary. The Settlement is merely an effort to reduce the company’s liabilities. Previously Cinerama. Productions reached a similar settlement with Merian C. Cooper who. received $1,100 weekly as the company’s production topper. Since company operates solely as a “watchdog” outfit, receiving a percentage of the profits from the exhibition of. Girierama, it no longer requires high-priced execu- tives. It gets its cut for turning over the exhibition and production rights to the medium to Stanley Warner. Mayer, whose stock holdings in the. company give him about one- quarter control, has agreed to guarantee a, $200,000 bank loan for Cinerama Productions. Sum will be used to pay off the .Series “A’’ debenture bonds which fall due Dec. 1. Company was short a little under $200,000 to meet the. $400,000 debt due Dec. 1. The original Series “A” debenture to- talled $600,000. Series, of “B” and “C” debentures are. due in July. They have been brought down to $350,000 from an original loam of $386,000. Although Mayer was clown for $1,000 a week since Nov., 1952, he has not collected any of this coin, the sum accruing: in his name. The settlement agreed to a cutoff date, Aug. TO, . 1953, the day the contract for the SW takeover was signed. It gives Mayer a total of about $40,- 000, However, he’s not Withdraw- ing this $um, agreeing to a defer- ment: until all of Cinerama Produc- tions’debts are paid off, including, debentures, and bank loans, Cinerama Productions stockhold- ers will meet on Dec. 7 to approve the Mayer settlement and'to dis- cuss other company business, par- ticularly it's relationship with Stan- ley Warner. ♦♦♦»»»♦♦♦ ♦ ♦♦♦ ♦ ♦ + ♦ ♦ . ♦ . ♦ ♦ ♦ > ♦+♦+ ♦ ♦♦ + Universal is grooming two reissues to cash in on the new popularity of Liberacc and Frank Sinatra. Pix are “South Sea: Sinner”.(Liberace) and “Meet Danny Wilson” (Sinatra) . . Michael Myerberg to London for confabs with Robert S. Wolff of RKO on distribution of “Hansel arid Gretel” and thence to France, Germany, and Italy. , 20th-Fox Will release the indie-made C’Scoper, “The Magnificent Matador;” starring Maureen O’Hara, and Anthony Quinn. Pathe Labs has shagged the processing job from the production company, National Pictures. ■*_i . • * • John Rosenfeld, in the Dallas News, reported Mori Krushen, ex- ploitation director, standing up to address the United Artists staff, but first passing round cards which read: “Introducing the So-and-So from the home office with, special problems and big ideas” . Spear- head of the anti-cigaret propaganda these days is Roy Norr, who will', be recalled in film biz as an aide to Will Hays years ago (he later, was a consultant to David Sarnoff at RCA) Dick Powell ..has had talks with Columbia executive producer Jerry Wald on the possibility of producing a musical version of the com- pany’s' boxoffice whammo of yesteryear, “It Happened One Night.” June Allysori might ha ye the Claudette Colbert role . ... Robert Mitchum also fnay be in the picture. Japanese theatre au.diehbes are. nixing Communist propaganda and as a result Nippon producers who follow the Red line are making only straight entertainment. This was reported in N. Y. Mon. (8) by Tadayosbi Asao arid Motomu Ohno, board members of Schochiku Co. Ltd* Japan’s;, largest production distribution and exhibition outfit, who are now visiting the states. There’s a small Commie group in the Jap picture business, said the visitors, and they made seven party r line features last year. The first few of these went over okay but their boxoffice collapsed. Thus influenced by the b. o. the left vvingers switched to non-message fare. Arthur B, krim, United Artists president, who recently visited the Far East, said he found that none of the larger film companies in Japan leans to the left. Asao and Ohno called u UA execs, ther being a tieup via Schochiku’s dis- tribution, of UA releases in japan. Also, a deal is in the works for an indie Yank picture to be made ‘ that country. Speaking through an interpreted the jap envoys said they’re in the U;S. to study mOdem pic tech- niques and find the answer to what they consider their '“biggest ques- tion.” This is hoW Jap films can be shaped to have appeal in the world market. In line with this. Shochiku is now starting two new pix which, it’s hoped, will be given a spotlight at the Cannes and Ven- ice film .festivals: next year* Also, they reported that Thomas Bran- don has taken U.S. distribution rights to the recently-completed “Imposter” which, the execs said, “has commercial taste, is rio t I Ob'?' artistic : like ‘Ugetsu’ and ‘Roslio- l That Choked Feeling Asao said he was also curious about new screen processes (he gets “a choked feeling” when it comes time,to decide which equip- ment to. install at his theatres) and the competitive effects of telev' sion on theatres. TV, he commented, is riot much of a problem for Jap exhibs. Tokyo has two stations, one. of them gov- ernment operated with “program that are riot entertaining” and th second a commercial operation “but the sponsors will not spend money because there’s such a lim- ited audience.” Tokyo has 20.000 sets in use, the price per receiver bfiin^ prohibi- tive, for the average Citizen. Fur- ther, transmission . is difficult be- cause of the mountainou terrain. MONTREAL FOR CINERAMA Operated By Stanley Warner Itself —14th City Before Xmas Canada will get Cinerama about Christmas time when, the medium debuts at,, tlie 1,200-sea); •■■Imperial Theatre in Montreal. This will be the second out- /V0 S. dale, for the Widescreen process. Unlike the London operation, which is under the supervision of Robin International, the Montreal showing will be under, the direc- tion of Stanley-Warner, which controls the domestic exhibition and production rights to the me- dium. In a deal with Robin, SW gave the international trade firm the right to open Cinerama the- atres in a number . of European cities. The addition of Montreal will give SW a total “ of 14 Cin erailia theatres- in the U.S’. and Canada, The theatre;, chain has its sights on 20 theatres; in both territories combined. Cinerama theatres cur- rently operating are in New York, Detroit, . Chicago.; Los ’ Angele.b Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Sari. Francisco, Cincin- nati, St. Louis, Minneapolis arid Dallas, In-Washington, where Cinefam was honored on its first anni in D. C„ Lowell Thomas said, the State Dept, .is pressing SW .to set up the medium in Bangkok, be- lieving it will have some iihpact on the Siamese as the recent sh wings in Damascus had on the Syrians. He also said cinerama theatres would be opened in .Mi nii and Buffalo.