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Says Many Exhibitors Ignore Offer of Aid
MIAMI BEACH — American-Intema
ALLiEP CONVENTION . . . CONT.
Allied Is Documenting Roadshow Practices
MIAMI BEACH— Allied States Ass'n is dedicated to aid all exhibitors and cooperate with all organizations for the betterment of the industry, Marshall Fine, president. said in his keynote address at the opening session of its annual convention in the Eden Roc Hotel here Tuesday (5).
Fine said that Allied had a gi’eat heritage and would continue, as before, to be active in seeking to improve conditions wherever and when ever possible. He said he was proud of the reorganization which the association had been going through and of the progress which had been made.
MILITANT WHEN NECESSARY
The Allied president remarked that the reorganized Allied had been refeiTed to as a “moderate” group, but that that term was not fitting because Allied would continue to be militant in its pursuit of righting what it considered wrong.
“We are dedicated to helping all exhibition and will cooperate with all groups — ACE, COMPO and TOA,” Fine said.
Fine was critical of many trade practices, particularly the handling of roadshow pictm-es such as “Ben-Hur,” “Spartacus,” “Exodus” and “Can-Can” in regard to extended and exclusive prior runs, exclusive subsequent runs and delayed and withheld availabilities which, he said, destroyed normal and logical release patterns. He suggested that perhaps the time had come when the federal government should be informed of the practices.
Fine said Allied felt that the specially handled big pictures were being mishandled after their runs in the big towns to primary key situations.
These must be constantly exposed until all have had complete coverage in order to capitalize on the tremendous advertising campaigns which preceded them,” Fine said. “By failime to do so, the distributors are hurt, the producer is hurt, the public suffers denial to see the picture and distributors deprive themselves and their stockholders of the opportunity to make more money by cutting its revenue with failure to speed them through normal channels.”
EVIDENCE TO BE GATHERED
Fine said that “tremendous” documentary evidence would be gathered by Allied, so that within the next few months when the company presidents would be visited by Allied men, the losses in revenue could be shown.
“Nothing said here is to antagonize our own members or other branches of the industry,” Fine said. “However, we are not moderates. We intend to seek every possible solution to the exhibitors’ problems and intend to seek them in a manner consistent with the times, doctrines and conditions of 1962, rather than go back to rehash years gone by, until conditions are healthy for all segments and branches of our industry.”
Fine said Allied was proud of its heri
A Professor Speaks Out On Political Censorship
Miami Beach — Exhibitors should fight political censorship as both citizens and business men, according to Dr. Frederick M. Wirt, associate professor of government at Denison University, who was the guest speaker at the initial luncheon of the Allied States convention on Tuesday (5).
Doctor Wirt, in analyzing the censorship situation, described censorship as being ineffectual and dangerous because it permitted the state to function in the area of private morality. He said it was antidemocratic because it was an arbitrary use of power on a basis that had no standards or controls. Doctor Wirt said censorship was illegal because it was aimed at only one medium of communication. He added that it was a financial burden and had offered no proof that films were a cause of juvenile delinquency.
Doctor Wirt warned, however, that advertising copy, if not prepared in good taste, might aggravate the advocates of censorship. He cited some examples of advertising that violated rules of decency.
tage as an organization that had spoken for the individual exhibitor, a birthright that had continued for more than 30 years.
“We shall continue in this vein, realizing it is to the exhibitors’ best interests to have all interests served,” Fine said. “We feel wholeheartedly that by close cooperation with distributors and producers, other branches of our industry will benefit and be successful.”
Milton London, executive director, in a brief report said that announcements of new Allied imits would be made soon.
COMPO Plan Workable By Exhibitors Themselves
MIAMI BEACH— The COMPO merchandising plan, which calls for saturation bookings via a unified promotional campaign by exhibitors in an exchange area, can work in any territory “without being spoon-fed and nursed” by the Council of Motion Picture Organizations.
The plan can be handled by theatremen themselves, and there is no need for a “baby-sitter” from the national organization to put it across, Charles E. McCarthy, executive vice-president of COMPO, told the Allied convention here last week.
Theatremen can set up their own campaigns, based on organizational charts developed in the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati areas where the promotion has been highly successful.
tional Pictures does everything possible to sell tickets at the boxoffice but exhibitor cooperation is necessary, Milton Moritz, national director of publicity and advertising, said at the first convention luncheon of Allied States Ass’n here Tuesday (5). AIP sponsored the luncheon. James Nicholson, president, was unable to attend.
Moritz said that despite the company’s effoi’ts to help sell tickets, it was amazing how some exhibitors often completely ignored it. For “The Pit and the Pendulum,” he said, a simple exploitation display was prepared for use in advance of an engagement in and around the theatre. He said it proved imusually successful in most of the opening playdates and was adopted as part of the showmanship campaign. The cost involved was about $15 and AIP agreed to share this cost with the exhibitor.
“Believe it or not,” Moritz said, “we received every variety of reason and excuse why this could not be done. Result: Those aggressive exhibitors who made the most of this laughed all the way to the bank.”
Moritz said it did not take a lot of money to make a successful campaign; just a sense of showmanship, desire and follow-through would do it. He said at AIP every penny must give a good accoimt of itself in the preparation of a campaign.
American-International is obseiwing its seventh anniversary and is sharing the celebration with the exhibitors who helped to make the birthday possible, Moritz said. He explained that during the seven years, AIP had released 98 pictures which had a domestic boxoffice gross of $230,706,207.
Tradepress Gets Salute For Service to Industry
MIAMI BEACH — The motion picture industry tradepress was saluted at the second day luncheon of the annual convention of AUied States Ass’n here Wednesday (6).
In introducing each of the tradepress publishers, editors and staff writers, Milton London, toastmaster of the event, said that it would be impossible to operate a theatre without a trade publication. He said the tradepapers were the unsung heroes of the industry and that they were ready and willing to give space generously to any project that would help the motion picture business in all its phases. London said that the industry, in counting its blessings, should include the tradepress among the highest on the list.
Charles A. Alicoate, who spoke for the tradepapers, said the tradepress was the first line of infonnation on all segments of the industry and that it was dedicated to the service of the industry.
The luncheon was sponsored by National Theatre Supply Co. and Motion Picture Advertising Service.
Big Insurance Coverage
MIAMI BEACH — Through Allied’s group insurance plan with the Prudential Insurance Co. of America, 761 members of the association are covered in policies amounting to $4,000,000, Milton H. London, executive director, repoi'ted. The coverage went into effect December 1.
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BOXOFFICE :: December 11, 1961