The Exhibitor (1951)

THERE WERE, of course, no American entries in the Stalin Awards just an¬ nounced in Moscow. And we doubt whether any theatres in this country will be playing the film prize winners, “Secret Mission”, which depicts “United States intrigue to conclude a separate peace with the Germans”, or “Conspiracy of the Doomed”, “telling of British and Ameri¬ can plots to overthrow the ‘peoples democ¬ racies’ of Eastern Europe”. ★ IN ITS ADS on “14 Hours,” 20th-Fox has included one which emphasizes “Acriphobia.” We can just picture a tieup whereby the first 50 acrophobians appearing at the boxoffice will be admitted free. ★ A WESTERN exhibitor has his own way to establish community good will. The owner of a private plane, he uses it to fly ill folks to other cities when proper facilities are not available in his town. ★ THEN there is the story of the young lad who was barred from a theatre because he made too much noise. Days later, as a young girl was leaving the theatre, she said to the manager, pinch-hitting as ticket taker, “I got by you alright, and you didn't find me because I was quiet.” The girl was the ousted lad, in disguise. ★ A WESTERN legislator has introduced a bill that would refund to a patron twice the cost of a ticket if he didn’t get a seat within 30 minutes. A standing room ticket would sell for half price. Undoubtedly, this legislator hasn’t been going to the movies recently. — H.M.M. INDEX Vol. 45, No. 21 March 28, 1951 Section One Editorial . 5 Feature Article — “A Revitalized UA Carries On” . 8,9 In The Newsreels . 14 People . 13 The Scoreboard 14 This Was The Week When . 11 Section Two Reviews . SS-1 — SS-8 THE COVER PHOTO Seen in New York City as they discuss the new UA release schedule, following the recent reorganiza¬ tion of the company, are the new top executives, President Arthur Krim, seated; Max E. Youngstein, left, vice-president and ad. -publicity director, and vice-president William Heineman, sales chief. EXMfllTOIl Vol. 45, No. 21 March 28, 1951 Weirds From Marc Wolf In addition to being Chief Barker, Variety Clubs International, Marc Wolf is a prominent independent exhibitor in the Indian¬ apolis territory, and, judging from the many trips he has made to all parts of the country within the past year as head of the national organization of theatrical folk, he is in a good position to comment on conditions in and out of the industry. His remarks, therefore, before a group of members of the Rotary Club should he read with more than passing interest by tradesters. Said Wolf, in part: “For the past few years, it has been noticed that for some reason or other many of you have become quite critical of the motion picture industry in general. Instead of boosting movies, it seems to he the policy of many today to find fault constantly with both pictures and theatres, and many of you seem to take delight in telling the man in the movie business that television is probably going to ruin him. In other words, instead of being friendly toward the movies, many seem to have taken the position of being openly hostile. “In the first place, I want to assure you that those of us in the movie industry have never had any fear that television would do us any permanent harm. Television is a great invention, and will serve a definite purpose. However, as a means of entertainment, it can never compete witli the moving picture, hut that is not the subject I wish to discuss. When you are openly praising television, did the thought ever occur to vou as a merchant that you are indirectly hurting yourselves? Did you ever stop to think that when people are at home looking at a television set they cannot he spending any money with any of you? People at home are not buying gasoline, are not eating food in the restaurants, nor are they shopping in the stores. “It seems to me that the smart merchant is one who does every¬ thing possible to bring people downtown, and to get them out of their homes. In my opinion, you are helping yourselves when you boost the movies.” A little MORE of this Wolf brand of talk, distributed in the proper places, should have a good effect. A JAY EMANUEL PUBLICATION. Founded in 1918. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publica¬ tions, Incorporated. Publishing office: 246-248 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. New York office: 1600 Broadway, New York 19. West Coast Representative: Paul Manning, 9628 Cresta Drive, Beverlywood, Los Angeles, California. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhalgh, general manager; Herbert M. Miller, editor: Max Xavier Cades, business manager; Marguerite Gibson, circulation manager; George Frees Nonamaker and Mel Konecoff, associate editors. Subscription rates: Each of six sectional editions (New England, New York State, Philadelphia— Washington, Southern, Mideast, Midwest-Western): one year, $2; two year, $3.50; three years, $5. General edition: one year, $7.50 in United States and possessions, $10 in Canada and Pan-American countries, $15 in all other countries. Address editorial and business corre¬ spondence to the publishing office, 246-248 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania.