Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

MG M's Courtship Is Next Hollywood Preview Film Schneer Plans World Tour To Promote His 'Jason' LONDON — Producer Charles H. Schneer, who is now editing his color production, “Jason and the Golden Fleece” for Columbia Pictures release, following 18 months of production, including special effects photography, will screen the picture to start off a world wide campaign at Columbia’s Latin American sales conference in Santiago, Chile, in January. Jonas Rosenfield jr., Columbia vicepresident in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitation, will supervise the overall merchandising campaign, budgeted at $1,000,000. Some form of bonus system for theatremen who establish record business in their respective houses is planned by Schneer, similar to that launched for his "Mysterious Island” in the United Kingdom, he said. “The theatre manager and his exploiteer are an integral part of the big sell,” Schneer declared. “We intend to give them every support, cooperation and incentive to realize the biggest possible boxoffice potential.” Yorkin-Lear to Produce Pictures for UA in '63 NEW YORK — Bud Yorkin and Norman Lear, the producing-directing-writing team who are completing production of “Come Blow Your Horn” for Paramount, have signed a multiple-picture deal with United Artists. Their first picture under the new pact will be “Everybody Loves a Lover,” a comedy in color which will go before the cameras early in 1963. A second picture will also go into production in 1963. Yorkin and Lear produced many specials for television, including the Danny Kaye Show and the Bobby Darin Show, before making “Come Blow Your Horn” with Frank Sinatra starred. The team is also preparing Tony Curtis’ “Playboy” for Columbia release. NGC and Sunset Petroleum Will Erect Apartments LOS ANGELES — Two companies. National General Corp. and Sunset Petroleum Corp. have set a deal to erect a twobuilding $15,000,000 luxury high-rise apartment development on Wilshire Boulevard. In making the announcement. National General president Eugene V. Klein stressed the fact that this is totally separate from their theatre operations, “which is still our major interest.” The apartment project involves two city blocks, called Wilshire Square, near the intersection of of Wilshire and Fairfax avenue. There will be 400 apartments in the two buildings, designed by Irving D. Shapiro & Associates. Construction is to start about next June, with completion expected by the end of 1964. The unique design of the buildings has five floors above sidewalk level for parking, swimming pool and recreational facilities on the sixth floor and the remainder devoted to living quarters. In view of National’s announced plans for wide expansion of its theatre operations, Klein noted the “possibility” of a motion picture theatre being included in the lower area of the apartment complex. NEW YORK — “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” has been selected by the product committee of Theatre Owners of America as the next picture to be released under the Hollywood Preview Engagement plan. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film, which originally was scheduled for Easter release, now will be available March 15 at the request of TOA. The selection of the picture followed a series of meetings among MGM and TOA officials, headed by Robert Mochrie, vice-president and general sales manager of MGM, and Nat Fellman, assistant general manager of Stanley Warner and chairman of the TOA product committee. An extensive advertising and promotion campaign is being prepared by MGM and TOA for nationwide coverage. All TOA theatres will use cross-plug trailers and cross-plug lobby displays. There will be a contest for all participating theatres. “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” was produced by Joe Pasternak and directed by Vincent Minnelli with a cast headed by Glenn Ford, Shirley Jones, Stella Stevens, Dina Merrill, Roberta Sherwood, Ronny Howard and Jerry Van Dyke. At a press conference here Monday (10), Fellman reviewed the steps leading up to the release of the first Hollywood Preview Engagement, “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” He said the combined efforts of distributors, exhibitoi’s and producer working in close harmony never was better displayed than during the exhibition of that picture. Following the “tremendous” openings of “Baby Jane,” Fellman said, his committee was beseiged by distributors with requests to join in the project. He said that two rules had to be followed: namely, any new suggested release date must be a non-holiday week and ahead of its scheduled release date, and it had to be a picture of quality that would justify the time, labor and money to be expended. He said “Eddie’s Father” fulfilled those requirements. In general, TOA will follow the format of unprecedented merchandising employed with the first Hollywood Preview Engagement film. Fellman said the ten-point program provided; • TOA guarantees playdates in every key town. • All engagements will receive special consideration as to extended playing time. • There will be a concerted and combined drive by theatre advertising heads, emphasizing the importance of special efforts to guarantee the success of the treatment. • The nucleus of a theatre advertising group to work with MGM’s advertising department will consist of Ernest Emerling of Loew’s, Harry Goldberg of Stanley Warner and Fred Herkowitz of RKO. • Exhibitors will run special trailers and use lobby displays for four to six weeks in advance of playdates. • Exhibitors will agree to cross-plug trailers in all first-run theatres and, in many cases, simultaneously in sub-run theatres. • Recorded endorsement announcements will run dui’ing intermission and in the lobbies. • There will be a patron contest, details of which will come soon. • Exhibitors are to obtain local cooperation. • A manager’s contest will be conducted. Mochrie said he was grateful for TOA’s acceptance of “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” and said that “Baby Jane” may not have been the success it was if exhibitors hadn’t “gone after it.” A THEATRE MANAGER'S CHRISTMAS Christmas goodwill packages And Cartoon Capers, too, Merchant shows and giveaways, A million things to do! Special shows mean extra work. Who says he should he jolly? Ads to write, displays to build. No time for hanging holly! But, somehow, as THE DAY draws near, The Showman’s spirit rises. He gets his family shopping done. Remembers Mama’s sizes! The turkey’s in the icebox. Who’ll work the Prevue shift? Junior gets the rocket set! Concessions needs a lift! Uh — guess we’ll have our dinner Before the shows begin, S’pose I’ll get another pipe? Did the trailers all get in? Um-m-m-Joe wants off on Christmas, But who will run the show? Will Mama like the negligee? Our popcorn stock is low! A Showman’s Christmas Season Is as hurried as can be. But still he loves the hectic pace, A happy man is he! For wdien he hears the children Fill his theatre with mirth. He knows he wouldn’t trade his job With any man on earth! — Anonymous BOXOFFICE :: December 17, 1962 9