Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

TO A and Major Circuits In Anti -Pay TV Fight TO SEEK $1,000,000 IN FUNDS NEW YORK — The drive to oppose the introduction of pay TV in California next year by Subscription Television, Inc., gathered momentum on two fronts last week in New York. Representatives of major theatre circuits held an emergency meeting on October 31 and pledged substantial amounts to supplement the $500,000 which California exhibitors already had committed. On the same day, prior to the adjournment of the annual convention of Theatre Owners of America, John H. Rowley, newly elected president, called a meeting of the TOA board to discuss the critical California situation. As a result, TOA pledged all-out assistance and made a substantial contribution to the Joint Committee Against Pay TV for the purpose of launching a national $1,000,000 fund-raising campaign from the exhibitors of America to combat pay television. Rowley said the majority of the raised funds would be used to support the efforts of the California exhibitors to place the issue of pay TV before the people of California. The actions by TOA and the circuits stemmed from the authorization by the Securities and Exchange Commission to the underwriting firm of William R. Staats & Co. of Los Angeles to sell 1,700,000 shares of Subscription Television stock to the public at $12 a share. At its Chicago board meeting in Chicago in September, Allied States Ass’n voted its support to the anti-pay TV campaign. James Stewart Tours Ten Cities for Take Her' NEW YORK — James Stewart, star of “Take Her, She’s Mine,” the 20th CenturyFox release for November, will make a tour of ten key cities for personal appearances to promote the film. Stewart’s tour started in Texas, where he and costar Sandra Dee attended the world premiere in Abilene Tuesday (5). Jonas Rosenfield jr., 20th-Fox vice-president and director of publicity, advertising and exploitation, met the stars in Dallas Monday ^4) and the three flew to Abilene with a contingent of 32 Texas and Oklahoma reporters and columnists for the daylong event, which was also attended by town mayors of 15 Texas cities. Stewart then made a whirlwind tour of other Texas cities, including Dallas, Ft. Worth, San Antonio and Houston, leaving the latter city Saturday (9) for New York City. He will later visit Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago and Detroit, all before Thanksgiving. In New York, “Take Her, She’s Mine” will open November 13 at the Criterion and other metropolitan area theatres. Henry Koster, producer-director of the 20th-Fox release, got in from Hollywood Monday <"4) for a week of promotional activity before returning to Hollywood November 11. Indiana Allied Unit Affiliates With TOA New York — The board of directors of Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana has voted unanimously to affiliate with Theatre Owners of America. The affiliation was regarded here as of particular interest because the Indiana Allied unit had been one of national Allied’s strongest units prior to the internal strife that developed at its Miami Beach convention three years ago. Shortly after the convention, Indiana Allied pulled out of the national organization and there had been strong reports that it would affiliate with TOA. The following year, Trueman Rembusch, an Indiana Allied leader, attended the TOA convention in New Orleans and it was presumed that the formal affiliation would follow. Nothing happened, however, and Indiana Allied continued as an independent, unaffiliated association. Indiana sent three of its representatives to the TOA convention, which ended its four days of sessions at the Americana Hotel on October 31. They were Richard Lechry, the unit president; Joseph Cantor and Ted Graulich. Negotiations for affiliation were conducted with John H. Rowley, newly elected TOA president; Albert Pickus, retiring board chairman, and George Roscoe, director of exhibitor relations. Formal affiliation followed the meeting. Herts-Lion to Discuss Merger; Adds Product HOLLYWOOD — Kenneth Herts, president of Herts-Lion, announced that November 15 is the date for the company’s fourth annual shareholders meeting. Among the members of its New York operation who will attend the meeting are Jon Kaufman, assistant secretary and head of Herts-Lion’s eastern operations, and Rudy Turck, Herts-Lion eastern stock market broker, along with several foreign operation personnel. The company has over 1,000 shareholders. Among the matters to be discussed is the pending merger with another company that, according to Herts, will ultimately effect a consolidation worth $10,000,000. Kenneth Herts, president, said HertsLion has acquired 17 major film releases from Warner Bros. Harry Gaffney, head of domestic distribution and formerly with Warners, has scheduled to release them within 90 days. The company now has a total of 42 films in distribution. Herts-Lion is moving its home offices to 233 South Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. AIP Will Release 25 Features in '64 NEW YORK — Exhibitors were promised 25 features, not including reissues, during the next year from American International Pictures by James H. Nicholson, president, at the closing luncheon session of the Theatre Owners of America convention here. He said the figure represented more than any other company had announced and that 16 of the films would be in the top budget class, twice the number AIP had in previous years. The promise was one of five New Year’s resolutions made by the company, the others being continued advertising and publicity on local levels; continuation of the policy to withhold sale of films to TV that have been in release less than five years; continued selling of pictures on mutual benefit terms so both exhibitor and distributor can make money and, with the exhibitors’ help, remain solvent. Nicholson said the 25 pictures would consist of two based on Edgar Allan Poe stories, two action spectaculars, three horror films, three teenage dramas, five sciencefiction stories, five action pictures, three macabre comedies and two musicals. Samuel Z. Arkoff, AIP executive vicepresident, said his company’s concept was to return to the old values of picture-making and that was to be “master of our ship.” He said the industry appeared to have left the hands of the producers and shifted over to the actors, agents and promoters. In stressing his point, Arkoff said that in his opinion, the situation was equal to a “street-cleaner following an excited horse.” Harold Chesler Re-elected Treasurer of NAC CHICAGO — Harold F. Chesler, Theatre Candy Distributing Co., Salt Lake City, was re-elected treasurer of the National Ass’n of Concessionaires at the annual membership meeting held October 30 at the Americana Hotel, New York City, during the convention and tradeshow, it was announced by Louis L. Abramson, NAC executive director. Chesler, who has served as NAC treasurer for two years, had been an officer of NAC for several years, having also served as vice-president for two terms. Having been active in NAC since his company joined the Association in 1954, he has served on many committees and has chaired several western regional meetings in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas for NAC. Re-elected to serve four years as directors-at-large were Melville B. Rapp, Continental-Apco, Long Island City, and Van Myers, Wometco Enterprises, Miami. Henry Daniell Is Dead HOLLYWOOD— Henry Daniell, 69, distinguished stage and screen actor of the British and American theatre, died of a heart attack October 30. He was playing the role of an ambassador in “My Fair Lady” at Warner Bros. Harold F. Chesler 8 BOXOFFICE :: November 11, 1963