Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

UA to Release 70 Films In Next Three Years NEW YORK— More than 70 major pictm-es. of which 30 are completed or in the final shooting stages, will be released by United Artists during the next three years, according to Arthur B. Krim, president. In the latest of his periodic “progress reports" to the press on Monday (10) , Krim said that again UA offered a concrete commitment for a three-year program in the tradition of forward planning which had been a pattern in past years. The 70-picture lineup, Krim said, guarantees a minimum of two releases per month from the company over the 1963-65 period “even if we do not add a single picture to our program as it stands today. He said, however, that other pictures also will be added. “Right now,” he continued, “we could assure exhibitors throughout the world of their greatest single source of film supply for the next three years.” The current picture inventory — 30 completed or in final shooting stages and 40 others in advanced stages of preparation — is the largest in United Artists’ history. The company’s investment in already completed pictures, those in production and ones in release but not amortized is more than $100,000,000, Krim said. “In an industry where progress is measured by product,” Kxim said, “our firmly committed program can be cited as evidence that United Artists and the many talented independent producers associated with UA are meeting exhibitor requirements for a long-range program of top quality motion picture entertainment.” Declaring there would be no “dead periods” on the slate, Krim said that while he could not break down the releases as to dates, UA would deliver a minimum of two pictures per month. He said the three most costly pictures would be “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” and “Hawaii.” The first two will be in Cinerama. Ki'im said consideration was being given to other Cinerama pictures but that no commitments had been made. The Premiere Showcase plan, he said, had been a complete success, adding it had boosted New York grosses by 31 per cent, resulting in more and faster returns on the investments. He said the 1962 ninemonth statement indicated that the company was heading for the highest grossing year in its history and that future projects gave every expectation of continuing growth in gross business through 1965. Also attending the conference were Arnold Picker, Gene Picker, James Velde, David Picker, Fred Goldberg, David Chasman, Gabe Sumner and Meyer Hutner. Completed productions include: “Taras Bulba,” “Two for the Seesaw,” “A Child Is Waiting,” “Five Miles to Midnight,” “The Grand Duke and Mr. Pimm,” “The Lonely Stage,” “The Caretakers,” “Johnny Cool,” “Dr. No,” “Tom Jones,” “The Mouse on the Moon,” “The Great Escape,” “Flight From Ashiya,” “Summer Flight,” “Electra,” “The Diary of a Madman,” “Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Twice Told Tales,” “Bird of Paradise,” “Buddha,” “The Cool Mikado.” Films nearing completion or being lensed include: “Inna La Douce,” “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” “Toys in the Attic,” “Call Me Bwana,” “McLintock!” “The Lilies of the Field,” “The Pink Panther,” “Muriel,” “Ceremony.” United .4irtists executives, at a “Progress Report” conference, heard Arthur B. Krim, p sident, seated at center, reveal that 70 major films are scheduled by the compan for release in the next three years. Standing, left: Eugene Picker, vice-president; right, Robert S. Benjamin, chairman of the board. Seated, left to right: Arnold .M. Picker, executive vice-president; Krim, and James R. Velde, vice-presiuc?it.. NGC Plans lo Build 50 New Theaires BEVERLY HILLS — National General Corp. president Eugene V. Klein has announced expansion of NGC’s theatre construction plans to include 50 new indoor and drive-in theatres at a cost of approximately $30,000,000, to be erected within the next three and one-half years. Plans will be submitted for government approval in line with the consent decrees, Klein said. Most of the new theatres, he continued, will be drive-ins, averaging 1,000 cars each and ranging in cost from $700,000 to $1,000,000. Indoor theatres will be built in shopping centers at an average cost of $500,000 and with capacities of 800 to 1,000 seats. The announcement is an expansion of NGC plans revealed in August, 1961, calling for 29 new theatres costing $18,500,000. The program will add at least 40 theatres to the 220-house circuit. 'The construction, Klein said, is completely reversing “the trend to dispose of our theatres without replacing them.” In the last year, the circuit has disposed of only four theatres. “Theatre operation,” Klein said, “is the most important part of our business. We have been able to prove very dramatically that we can make money in this operation. We have been able to come up with the best operating earnings in the worst product year the industry has shown. It indicates that we are not squandering our stockholders’ funds. “We feel,” he continued, “there is a definite upsurge in sight in production and in theatre attendance, and that there certainly will be sufficient product coming to warrant our attention.” Klein is supervising the expansion with the assistance of Irving H. Levin, executive vice-president, and Robert W. Selig, general manager of theatre operations. Currently nearing completion for the circuit are shopping center theatres in Thousand Oaks, Northridge and Palos Verdes, all in California, and Albuquerque, N.M. Two others have been completed: the Thunderbird Drive-In in Phoenix, and the Fox Theatre in Fort Collins, Colo. 'The circuit recently broke gi'ound in San Jose on an $800,000, 1,100-car drive-in. In addition to the proposed construction, NGC has renovated 19 theatres in the last year, with seven slated for 1963 to cost about $750,000. Herman Silver to Head TOA Public Relations NEW YORK— Herman Silver has been appointed director of public relations for Theatre Owners of America, replacing A1 Floersheimer, who resigned to enter the electronics supply business. Silver, who has been in the motion picture industry for more than 25 years, began his career in the publicity department of Loew’s Theatres where he served as theatre press agent and publicity writer. Following army seiwice in the Pacific in World War II, Silver spent 14 years with Columbia Pictures as exploiteer, press representative, advertising copywriter, copy chief and in a general executive capacity. Recently he served as copy supervisor on the Paramount account at Lennon & Newell. 6 BOXOFFICE :: December 17. 1962