Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1961)

U-l Maintaining Output Of Quality Productions TOA Film Information Plan to Start Soon NEW YORK — Theatre Owners of America’s film content informational service will go into active operation in about two weeks, members having received sample copies of reports on current pictures. As explained by Albert Pickus, TOA president, during the last several months, the service is intended to acquaint exhibitors with the subject matter and content of pictures so that the information can be made available to their patrons. No attempt will be made to classify or give critical reviews of the films. The sample reports were mailed out to members a week ago and, it was learned, the response has been favorable, but its continuance will depend on the extent to which it will be used and its value as a goodwill and public relations service. At the last TOA board meeting, a resolution was passed to the effect that “TOA does recognize a broad responsibility to provide the theatregoing public with the means of determining for themselves and for their families the desirability of seeing a given motion picture. Accordingly, TOA resolves that it will establish a system which will offer information to its members concerning the subject matter and content of all motion pictures available for exhibition, to the end that members of TOA shall make such material and any other pertinent information at the command available to their patrons.” The plan now is completed and ready for usage in the very near future. Decision to Defendants In Phila. Antitrust Case PHILADELPHIA — After more than ten weeks of trial, District Court Judge John Lord directed a verdict in favor of the defendants in the case brought by the Viking Theatre here against Stanley Warner, William Goldman Corp. and all major distributors. The Viking had charged inability to obtain first-run films and that it had been overcharged for the pictures it was able to book. Louis Nizer, who argued the case for the defendants, claimed that the plaintiff had offered an invalid theory under the antitrust laws in claiming it was the distributors’ obligation to provide pictures equally or to ask equal rentals. He said the question was whether there had been a conspiracy among the defendants and contended that there was not. Nizer asked for a directed verdict and the judge granted it. Pasadena Tightens Its Censorship Ordinance LOS ANGELES — Film censorship was tightened considerably by the City of Pasadena last week, which now has one of the toughest ordinances of any California town, stipulating that an exhibitor must now seek city censorship previews. Any exhibitor showing a film ruled obscene will be fined $500, six months in city jail, or both. He faces prosecution under state obscenity laws if he fails to get city censorship okay before showing a film and the flim is ruled obscene. NEW YORK— For the 1961-62 season, Universal-International will continue its successful policy of releasing major productions throughout the year, accenting quality rather than quantity. That epitomized the U-I sales plans set forth by Henry H. “Hi” Martin, vice-president and general sales manager, who presided at the conference of the company’s distribution and promotion executives held here Monday through Friday (17-21). Distribution and promotion plans on the four top pictures scheduled for fall and winter release were viewed at the meetings. Milton H. Rackmil, president of Universal, addressed the opening session. The four pictures were screened during the sessions. They are “Back Street,” the Ross Hunter production in Eastman Color, starring Susan Hayward, John Gavin, Vera Miles and Charles Drake; “Lover Come Back,” the 7 Pictures-Nob Hill-Arwin production in color, starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall and Edie Adams; “Flower Drum Song,” the Ross Hunter production in color, based on the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical, starring Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, Miyoshi Umeki and Juanita Hall, and “The Outsider,” based on the novel, “The Hero of Iwo Jima,” starring Tony Curtis. Rackmil told the sales executives that Universal “will maintain its steady production pace of top films featuring the biggest boxoffice names in the industry.” Scheduled to go into production during the coming weeks, Rackmil noted, are “The Ugly American,” starring Marlon Brando, and John Huston’s “Freud,” starring Montgomery Clift. “Touch of Mink,” starring Cary Grant, Doris Day, Gig Young and Audrey Meadows, and “The Spiral Road,” starring Rock Hudson, Burl Ives and Gena Rowlands, all of these in color, are currently before the cameras while “Cape Fear,” the Melville production starring Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergen, and “The Last Hero,” the Joel production starring Kirk Douglas, Gena Rowlands and Michael Kane, are completed and being edited. “The amount of money we have committed in the pictures completed, in production and in preparation is the greatest investment in negative costs in our company’s history and reflects our high confidence, not only in the future of Universal but in the motion picture industry,” Rackmil said. “Come September” will launch the new season, said Martin, and it will be followed by “Back Street,” “Flower Drum Song,” “The Outsider,” “Lover Come Back,” “Touch of Mink,” “The Last Hero,” “Phantom of the Opera,” ‘The Ugly American” and “The Spiral Road,” there will be one for each month, he said. David A. Lipton, vice-president, came on from Hollywood for the meeting to join Philip Gerard, eastern advertising and publicity director, and Jeff Livingston, executive coordinator of sales and advertising. Charles A. Simonelli, assistant to Rackmil, participated in the meetings and other home office sales executives on hand were F. J. A. McCarthy, assistant general sales manager; James J. Jordan, circuit sales head; Herman Kass, executive in charge of national exploitation, and Jerome M. Evans, eastern promotion manager, as well as Joseph B. Rosen, New York regional sales manager, and P. F. Rosian from Cleveland. Hatton Taylor, general manager of Empire Universal, and Mark Plottel, sales manager, attended from Canada. Shown above are participants at the opening session of Universal’s week-long summer sales executive conference at the home office. Seated, left to right: Philip Gerard, eastern advertising-publicity director; David A. Lipton, vice-president; F. J. A. McCarthy, assistant general sales manager; Henry H. “Hi” Martin, vicepresident and general sales manager; Milton R. Rackmil, president; Charles Simonelli, assistant to the president, and Hatton Taylor, general manager of Empire-Universal. Standing, 1. to r.: Ben Katz, midwest field advertising and publicity representative; Robert Ungerfeld, homeoffice exploitation; Herman Kass, executive in charge of national exploitation; Jerome M. Evans, eastern promotion manager; Jeff Livingston, executive coordinator of sales and advertising; R. N. Wilkinson, regional sales manager; P. F. Rosian, regional sales manager; Mark Plottel, sales manager; Empire-Universal; Barney Rose, regional sales manager; Joseph B. Rosen, regional sales manager; James J. Jordan, circuit sales manager, and Harold Gutman, advertising art director. BOXOFFICE July 24, 1961 9