Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

APRIL-MAY PICTURE SUPPLY SEEN AS SHAPING UP WELL' Exhibitors Have 19 Films Available for Christmas Distributors Re-Schedule Releases to Avert 'Orphan' Period NEW YORK — Indications are that the distributors will enhance their currently planned April and May releases to avoid the traditional “orphan” period. That conclusion was drawn following a series of individual meetings between Edward L. Hyman and the sales and promotion directors of 12 companies during the last two weeks. Hyman, vicepresident of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres and the chief exponent of orderly release of quality product, said the possibilities for a good supply of April-May pictures were shaping up well and the danger of a dearth of top pictures during that period was fading. Hyman reportedly told the distribution executives that if they agreed with his campaign for orderly release, they should go on record with their beliefs. The companies’ executives with whom Hyman conferred immediately followed the suggestion and reported in tradepress news releases that they would back Hyman’s orderly release plan. As a switch from the usual policy, Hyman will issue his next product book, covering the April-May releases, on December 15, four months in advance of the anticipated orphan span. He said he was doing this in order to let exhibitors get a “headstart” on putting effective campaigns back of the product that will be available in those spring months. He will go to Hollywood in February to look over forthcoming product so that he can prepare another product book to cover the releases through September. James Velde, vice-president in charge of sales for United Artists, following the UA session with Hyman, announced that UA was in accord with the Hyman plan to avert a shortage during the slack period and was making every effort to implement the program. He backed up his statement by announcing six major films for release in April and May. Velde listed the product as follows: “Tom Jones,” based on the Henry Fielding classic; “One Man’s Way,” based on incidents in the life of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale and starring Don Murray; “Flight From Ashiya,” an adventure drama starring Yul Brynner, Richard Widmark and George Chakiris; “From Russia, With Love,” with Sean Connery as British agent James Bond; “The Pink Panther,” a comedy with David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner and Capucine, and “The Best Man,” starring Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Margaret Leighton, Lee Tracy, NEW YORK — The nation’s exhibitors will have a choice of 19 new December releases from the 11 major distribution firms and two independent companies, including three prereleases: “The Cardinal,” which will be playing two-a-day in a few key cities, and “Charade” and “4 for Texas,” which will be playing in many key spots for the holidays. With 17 pictures scheduled by the majors, this is one more than the 16 released in December 1962 from the same 11 companies. In addition to the three prereleases, all of them in color, the December releases will include several others which are ideal for family showing, including an all-cartoon feature, “The Sword in the Stone”; “Kings of the Sun,” an adventure epic filmed in Mexico; two comedies, “Who’s Minding the Store?” and “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?” one starring Jerry Lewis, the other Dean Martin; “Move Over, Darling,” the latest Doris Day comedy, and two foreign-made adventure films, “Goliath and the Sins of Babylon” and “Samson and the Slave Queen,” as well as a travel feature, “Mediterranean Holiday,” all of these in color. The others, which are more suited to adult audiences, are headed by “The Prize,” also in color, and “Billy Liar,” “The Light Fantastic,” “Harbor Lights” and “Ladybug, Ladybug,” as well as “Any Number Can Win,” filmed in France, all of these in black-and-white. Of the 17 December releases, 12 are in color and only seven were made in Europe, including “The Prize,” which was partly made in Stockholm, the interiors in Hollywood. “Kings of the Sun” was largely filmed in Mexico. Broken down by companies, the December releases are: Allied Artists — No December release. American-International — “Samson and the Slave Queen,” filmed in Italy in color with Allen Steele and Pierre Brice, and “Goliath and the Sins of Babylon,” also made in Italy in color, with Mark Forrest and Scilla Gabel. Buena Vista — “The Sword in the Stone,” a Walt Disney animated feature in Technicolor. Columbia — “The Cardinal,” an Otto Edie Adams, Ann Sothern, Shelley Berman, Gene Raymond and Kevin McCarthy. Previously, Morris Lefko, vice-president and sales chief of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, had reported that his company’s AprilMay releases would consist of “The Seven Faces of Doctor Lao,” “Kissin’ Cousins,” “Tamahine,” “The Company of Cowards,” “Night Must Fall” and “The Last Rhino.” Preminger production in color, starring Tom Tryon, Romy Schneider, John Huston, Carol Lynley and a dozen other stars, playing two-a-day engagements only. Continental — “Billy Liar,” filmed in England, with Tom Courtenay, Julie Christy, Mona Washbourne and Ethel Griffies, and “Mediterranean Holiday,” filmed in that region in color, with Burl Ives. Embassy — “The Light Fantastic,” filmed entirely in New York with Barry Bartle and Dolores McDougal. MGM — “The Prize,” filmed in Sweden and Hollywood in Technicolor, starring Paul Newman, Elke Sommer, Edward G. Robinson, Diane Baker and Micheline Presle, and “Any Number Can Win,” made in France, starring Jean Gabin and Alain Delon. Paramount — “Who’s Minding the Store?” in Technicolor, starring Jerry Lewis, Jill St. John, Ray Walston and Agnes Moorehead, and “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?” in Technicolor, starring Dean Martin, Jill St. John, Martin Balsam and Carol Burnett in her film debut. Twentieth Century-Fox — “Move Over, Darling,” in color, starring Doris Day, James Garner, Polly Bergen, Chuck Connors and Thelma Ritter, and “Harbor Lights,” with Kent Taylor and Jeff Morrow. United Artists — “Kings of the Sim,” produced in Mexico in color, starring Yul Brynner, George Chakiris, Shirley Anne Field and Richard Basehart, and “Ladybug, Ladybug,” produced by Frank Perry in Philadelphia, with William Daniels, Nancy Marchand and Alice Playten. Universal — No December release although “Charade,” in color, produced in Paris with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn starred, will be playing more than 200 prerelease dates. Warner Bros. — No December release although “4 for Texas,” in color, starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Anita Ekberg and Ursula Andress will be playing prerelease. Independent — “Joseph and His Brethren,” (Colorama) ; “No Exit,” (Zenith International) . Although endorsing Hyman’s orderly release plan and pledging support to it, Morey Goldstein, vice-president and general sales manager of Warner Bros., did not have his release schedule completed for the April-May span. It is expected that other companies will announce their schedules for the two months as they are finalized. Edward L. Hyman BOXOFFICE :: December 2. 1963 7