Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1961)

Legality of Pay TV Test Challenged by Exhibitors King Bros, to Make Four Pictures in Two Years NEW YORK — King Brothers has 12 properties on hand, four of which will be produced during the next two years, Herman King, vice-president of the production firm, said in New York last week. King has been on a nationwide tour on behalf of “Gorgo,” which is being distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The first to roll, about June 15, will be “Captain Sinbad,” which will be made in Europe at an estimated budget of $2,500,000. Others on the agenda are “Mr. Adam,” “Four Came at Dawn” and “White Line to Eternity.” King said “Gorgo” had had saturation engagements in the Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Chicago and New York territories and that the picture was shaping up as a strong money-maker. Records were established in Japan, the first dates. “Gorgo” was in work about two years, King said. He said he and his brothers had tried for seven months to cast another picture and that when the desired players could not be obtained, they decided to create their own star, a monster, for “Gorgo.” He said he contacted exhibitors prior to production and they all said the story was the most important element, especially for a picture aimed at all members of the family. He said the picture had been made in England for about $1,500,000 and that it would have cost $3,000,000 if made in the United States. However, he said it was not the money-saving element that caused the decision, but the fact that the locale was England. King Brothers has nine pictures in its backlog which will be rereleased to theatres before they are made available to television, King said. Col. Half-Year's Profit Dips Slightly Below 1959 Period NEW YORK — Consolidated earnings of Columbia Pictures for the 27 weeks ended last December 31 were slightly below those of the corresponding period which ended Dec. 26, 1959. The net profit for the half-year ended last December was $1,095,000, compared with $1,193,000 for the 1959 half-year. Per share stock earnings were 71 cents and 78 cents, respectively. The profit for the period ended Dec. 31, 1960, included $1,617,000 representing the profit on the sale of undeveloped land on the west coast, not used for production purposes. The profit for the 1959 period included $2,702,000, of which $2,500,000 represented foreign prints and advertising which were capitalized and written off on an amortization basis, instead of being charged as current operating expense as heretofore. The balance of $202,000 represented the sale of the undeveloped land. In both periods, no federal income tax provision was required based on the tax loss carryforward available to the company from prior years. Italian-Fade Film to MGM LOS ANGELES— Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has acquired distribution rights to the Howard Keel starrer, “Albion, King of the Longobards,” which Marino Girolami produced in Italy. ACCEPTS EDISON AWARD — Arthur B. Krim, president of United Artists, is shown accepting the 1960 Thomas Alva Edison Foundation award for “The Alamo” on behalf of the film’s producerdirector, John Wayne, at a dinner at the Waldorf in New York. Making the presentation is Dr. Robert Clothier, president emeritus of Rutgers University. “The Alamo” was honored as the “best film serving the national interest.” Pro and Anti-Censorship Groups Rise in Memphis MEMPHIS — Two groups of citizens here have interested themselves in movies. One is headed by Dr. Paul Caudill, pastor of First Baptist Church. Said Dr. Caudill: “The purpose of this group will be to use intelligent moral persuasion in urging people not to attend objectionable movies.” Dr. Caudill, Rabbi Sanford Seltzer of Temple Israel and Msgr. M. F. Kearney of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church agreed to appoint three persons each to a steering committee, which will elect officers and appoint a larger committee. Around 30 persons attended the meeting. A second group then called a meeting to “serve as a liberal voice in local civic affairs.” This meeting was called by John Ryan, a businessman, who said: “Anyone who is opposed to legal establishment of censorship boards with arbitrary police power to suppress books, magazine and motion pictures is welcome.” John W. Considine Jr. Dies HOLLYWOOD — Pioneer film producer John W. Considine jr. died here last week at the age of 63. The son of an early vaudeville family, Considine was married to Carmen Pantages, daughter of the Pantages Theatre circuit family, whom he leaves along with three children. Among the films Considine produced were the memorable “Boys Town,” as well as “A Yank at Eton,” “Young Tom Edison,” “Edison the Man” and “Of Human Hearts.” WASHINGTON— The fight to keep subscription television off the air waves has moved into a decisive phase — a federal court test. On behalf of Connecticut motion picture theatre owners last week filed its announced suit in the U. S. Court of Appeals, challenging the authority of the Federal Communications Commission to grant any kind of a permit for pay television. The suit filed with the Appeals Court for the District of Columbia, asks the Court to set aside an order by the FCC granting Hartford Phonevision Co. a permit to conduct a pay TV experiment for a three-year period over station WHCT in Hartford, Conn. In taking the case directly to the Court of Appeals, Marcus Cohn, counsel for the exhibitors, is bypassing the FCC’s own appeals procedure, which observers agree would have delayed the ultimate decision by only a few weeks. In addition to questioning the agency’s authority to grant the test, Cohn also charges that the FCC erred in law and in fact in its rulings leading to the order. Under the standard procedure, FCC and presumably Hartford, have 30 days in which to file their answers. Then, if the Court decides to hear the case, FCC must produce its entire record of the case for the court’s examination. Such things as dates of hearings and filings of briefs probably will be set by the court after meeting with counsel. Cohn’s appeal listed as appellants the Connecticut Committee Against Pay TV; Stanley Warner Management Co.; Loew’s Theatres, Inc.; Connecticut Theatres; Manchester Drive-In Theatre Corp., and Outdoor Theatres Corp. 'Butterfield 8' Screened On Etobicoke Telemeter TORONTO — Because of its Academy Awards slant, “Butterfield 8” had a fourday engagement March 29-April 1 on Channel 5-C on the Telemeter network in Etobicoke but with performances at 10 p.m. only, the price being $1. The same policy was adopted for “Come Dance With Me,” with Brigitte Bardot, for three nights. Telemeter also had a four-day run on Channel 5-B of “The Canadians” at $1 while theatres up and down the country were playing this feature in a quick saturation booking drive. Other current bookings include Where the Boys Are, Horse Soldiers, Please Turn Over, The Journey, Naked Jungle and Elephant Walk. Edgar Bergen Acquires Swedish Film LOS ANGELES — Edgar Bergen has announced his acquisition of the American releasing rights to the Swedish film, “Two Crazy Guys.” He is currently negotiating a national distribution deal and an American premiere for this summer. BOXOFFICE :: April 3, 1961 15