Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

Embassy Creates Two Sales Divisions Brilliant World Premiere In London for 'West' LONDON — A brilliant world premiere ushei'ed in “How the West Was Won” at the Casino Theatre here on the night of November 1. As of that night, the picture had an advance sale of $500,000, which far exceeded any theatrical event in the history of London entertainment in the number of ticket reservations. Although a di’izzling rain was falling, crowds jammed the area to watch stars and celebrities arrive in a real western stage coach, accompanied by a troupe of cowboys and cowgirls on horseback. And to give the event a further western flavor, the theatre bar was transformed into a western saloon where signs reminded the guests to check their guns before ordering. BENEFIT FOR GEORGE V FUND The premiere of the Cinerama-MGM production was a charity benefit for the George V Fund and was attended by such outstanding personalities as Earl Mountbatten of Burma; Lord Brabourne, Belgium’s ambassador; M. De Thier; Jacques Graeffe, minister of Belgium; Baron and Baroness de Gerlache, Belgium’s maritime attache; The Duke and Duchess of Rutland; Viscount and Viscountess Davidson; Privy Counsellor Viscount and Viscountess Brentwood; Lord Rea; Lord and Lady Kilmarnock; Lord and Lady John Manners; Sir Joseph Lockwood and the Hon. Anthony Asquith. Among the film and theatrical celebrities were Terence Rattigan, Peter Sellers, Jesse Lasky jr., Bernard Smith, Anthony Mann, Russ Tamblyn, Henry Fonda, George Peppard, Abe Lastfogel, Eli Wallach, Sidney Davis, Richard Widmark and, of course, Nicolas Reisini, president of Cinerama, Inc., and his wife, and Joseph R. Vogel, president of Metro-GoldwynMayer. On the day before the premiere, Vogel and Reisini were the hosts at a luncheon in the Savoy Hotel for the American tradepress publishers and editors who were flown here for the opening. They were A1 Steen, Boxoffice; Martin Quigley jr., Quigley Publications; Charles Alicoate, the Film Daily; Jay Emanuel, Motion Pictm-e Exhibitor; Moe Wax, Film Bulletin; Morton Sunshine, Independent Film Journal; Ray Gallo, Greater Amusements, and James Powers, Hollywood Reporter. Shepherding this group was Everett Callow, Cinerama’s international director of advertising, publicity and exploitation. PROMOTION BEGUN IN AUGUST The promotion for the premiere and run of “How the West Was Won” was laimched in August when Callow stopped off in London in the course of a world activation tour. Later, Clark Ramsay, MGM’s advertising manager, followed up Callow’s initial preparations. An advertising campaign of $44,800 was started early in October, encompassing newspapers, billboards, subway and bus locations. Under the direction of Pat Spellman, managing director the Casino Cinerama theatre, a program of Cinerama party bookings was initiated, culminating in an unprecedented total of 62,464 reservations before a single piece of advertising appeared. After the first advertising appeared, sales increased sharply to a point where almost 25 per cent of a year’s business had been guaranteed. Meanwhile, the MGM London organization launched a contest with the Sunday Pictorial, largest circulation Sunday newspaper, whereby the winner will receive air tickets for two to California to see the “West that was won.” Bernard Smith, producer of “How the West Was Won,” has been plugging the picture via interviews with the press and on radio and television. The great campaign paid off. COMPO to Discuss Plans For Wider Activities NEW YORK— The Council of Motion Picture Organizations will discuss plans for the enlargement of its activities at the annual COMPO meeting, scheduled to be held November 20 at the Americana Hotel, it was announced by Charles E. McCarthy, executive vice-president. An all-industry conclave, sponsored by COMPO, also to have been held on November 20, has been postponed until February to allow the organization more time to work out its program, McCarthy said. Solicitation of exhibitors for COMPO dues will get under way January 8, it was revealed, following a meeting of the general sales managers of the MPAA companies at which approval was voted for use of the film companies’ distribution forces in the solicitation. McCarthy pointed out that 27 months will have elapsed since the last dues campaign. According to the plan, meetings of all sales forces in the country’s exchange cities will be held January 8, at which time names of exhibitors will be given to the salesmen, with each salesman responsible for collection of dues from exhibitors on his list. Columbia and Gala Sign Distribution Deal LONDON — Columbia Pictures and Gala Films have signed a partnership agreement whereby Gala will handle all Columbia’s foreign-language pictmes in the United Kingdom, following the pattern of Columbia’s agreement with British Lion, which releases all Columbia’s English-language pictures. In addition to the distribution and exhibition agreement, Columbia and Gala have agreed to coproduce a program of specialized films for distribution throughout the world by Gala. The negotiators in New York included: A. Schneider, Columbia president; Leo Jaffe, executive vice-president; M. J. Frankovich, first vice-president; Mo Rothman, executive vice-president of Columbia International, and Kenneth Rive, managing director of Gala. NEW YORK — Joseph E. Levine’s Embassy Pictures has realigned its national sales and branch office facilities and created two major divisions, the eastern and the western and metropolitan d i v isions, to more thoroughly service exhibitors with the Embassy releases for 1962 and 1963, according to Carl Peppercorn, general sales manager. Jud Parker has been named eastern division manager, supervising the New England, mideastern, southeastern and southwestern districts. Parker, a veteran of 26 years in the in dustry, joined Embassy in 1956, serving as home office sales representative, prior to his new post. Lou Steisel, who was named western and metropolitan division manager, entered the industry 25 years ago, joined Embassy last January and was previously New York district manager and assistant to Peppercorn. The eastern division, under Parker, encompasses the New England district, managed by Joe Wolf, servicing Boston, Albany, New Haven and Buffalo; the mideastern district, under Charles Zagrans, servicing Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Cincinnati; the southeastern district, headed by James Frew, covering Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville and New Orleans, and the southwestern district, managed by Fred Beiersdorf, servicing Dallas, Oklahoma and Memphis. The western and metropolitan division, headed by Steisel, encompasses the metropolitan New York district, imder branch manager Harry Margolies; the midwestern district, managed by George Regan, servicing Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, Des Moines, Kansas City, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Detroit and Indianapolis; and the western district, managed by Herb Bregstein, servicing Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Portland. Galaxy Films Is Formed By Josephs, Tarell NEW YORK — Galaxy Films, Inc., an independent company for the worldwide distribution of both art and commercial features, has been formed by George Josephs, former vice-president of sales for Astor Pictures, and Anthony Tarell, who was associated with Astor when it was formed by the late Robert M. Savini and who later became treasurer and director of Astor’s franchise operations. Galaxy Films will put its first release, “World Without Shame,” a Gala Films London production in Eastman Color, into general release January 1. Josephs, who has also been a sales executive at Columbia Pictures, said Galaxy is now negotiating for additional features. The company is headquartered at 130 West 46th Street. Carl Peppercorn 12 BOXOFnCE :: November 12, 1962