The Exhibitor (1953)

EXHIBITOR 17 Konecoff ( Continued from page 6) director of photography, who uses a French camera known as the Studio Eclair camera, which permits direct viewing of each scene to be filmed; Ike Jones, assist¬ ant director and the first Negro to reach that position, as well as others who have faith in the organization. Robert Sylvester wrote the screen play for the film, and Silliphant commences supervision of cutting and editing this week. RECEPTION AND INTRODUCTION: Republic hosted a cocktail reception to introduce its newly appointed director of sales, C. Bruce Newbery, to the industry press. Present from Republic were Neil Agnew, special assistant to President Her¬ bert Yates; Richard G. Yates, assistant director of sales; Walter Titus, Jr., sales manager; John P. Curtin, sales manager; Jack Alexander, contract manager; Al Schiller, manager, branch operations; Steve Edwards, advertising and publicity director, and Bea Ross, exploitation director. Newbery has quite a background in the business around the world. He entered the business as a manager on Hoyts’ Cir¬ cuit, Melbourne, Australia. By 1934, when he came to England, he was circuit super¬ visor, and in Britain joined the publicity department of 20th-Fox under the late Roy Simmonds, subsequently transferring to British Movietone News, for whom he opened the first newsreel theatres. When Walter Hutchinson was made general sales manager of 20th-Fox in 1936, he sent Newbery to India as general manager. He became over-all manager for the Far East, including Japan and China. For three years, he won the top award in the Spyros P. Skouras sales drives. While in India, Newbery was honorary film advisor to the government, setting up the first film unit and newsreel. In 1945, he met Herbert Yates, and joined Republic hs supervisor for Far East, Australasia, and Middle East. In 1948, he was given job of European supervisor, and with the formation of Re¬ public Pictures International of Great Britain, was made managing director. Incidentally, in addition to meeting Newbery, this was the first time that we really had a chance to talk to Dick Yates, who, it turns out, is a level-headed, downto-earth guy with a liking for the busi¬ ness and an eye toward the future of the company and the industry. We expect to see and hear much more from this branch of the Yates family. THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: U-I and Loew’s Thatres combined its talents to put across the wide-screen debut of “Thunder Bay” at Loew’s State in fine fashion, with the result coming off well, and attended by prominent people from both within and without the industry. . . . That broken finger that Paramount pub¬ licity manager Herb Steinberg is sport¬ ing in a cast is the result of trying to catch a pop fly in the stands at PhilliesBrooklyn game. All he got was a break in two places, while someone else walked off with the ball. . . . There is a big spread and wonderful plug for Paramount’s “Stalag 17”, a fine film, incidentally, in the XPW Bulletin for May, the official publi¬ cation of American ex-prisoners of war. Conversion Expensive , AB-PT Meeting Told New York — Leonard Goldenson, presi¬ dent, American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, Inc., told stockholders at the company’s annual meeting last week that an expenditure of $1,200,000 for 3-D, wide-screen, and stereophonic sound is contemplated in the immediate future, and reported that theatre operations of the company were steadily improving, show¬ ing an increase in profit for the first six weeks of this quarter over the correspond¬ ing period last year. He attributed the upswing in part to the grosses of “House Of Wax”, saying that the industry was again receiving the kind of publicity that would bring the lost audi¬ ence back to the theatres. He also said conventional films were doing better. Goldenson praised 20th-Fox’s CinemaScope, and announced that the company plans a number of installations. He also commented on the impact of stereophonic sound when coupled with the new tech¬ niques. Admitting that conversion of the¬ atres to the new techniques represented considerable expense, Goldenson empha¬ sized that the expenditure held out promise of higher grosses and profits, and said the company was moving cautiously, however, making installations in key sit¬ uations where a rapid return on the investment could be expected. He said AB-PT would put the new techniques in one first-run in every town but Chicago, where large subsequent-runs will also be equipped. He stated that the company was in ex¬ cellent financial condition to make the necessary outlays, and called attention to the clamor of exhibitors for standardiza¬ tion, promising that several all-purpose screens would soon be on the market. He noted that the transition period had aggravated the product shortage, with relatively few feature films available for the summer. However, he described the condition as temporary. Goldenson spoke on the admission tax repeal drive, saying that there was still reason to hope for ultimate success. He also reported that Microwave Associates, an electronics manufacturing firm in which AB-PT has 50 per cent interest, showed a profit for the first quarter. He also spoke of the new talent and pro¬ gramming developments in the operation of the ABC division under Robert Kintner, president, and said an extensive sales . . . “Melba” due to open at the Capitol on June 24. . . . The premiere of the new Italian film, “Strange Deception”, at the Normandie was for the benefit of the Variety Club Foundation to Combat Epi¬ lepsy. ... A very striking ad hit the Jacksonville papers for the opening of “Titanic” at the Florida. . . . Robert Mont¬ gomery is being awarded a scroll by NYU for his work in motion pictures and tele¬ vision. ... A good mailing piece is out on the UA lineup of westerns. . . . Hypno¬ tist Ralph Slater opens at the Bijou. . . . A good pressbook is out on “Sangaree”, with 3-D getting a good play. . . . Colum¬ bia is out with an album on 1953 releases well illustrated to show exhibitors what’s headed their way. Following the premiere of Republic's "The Sun Shines Bright," Tennessee, Nashville, Tenn., R. E. Baulch, president, and Kermit C. Stengel, execu¬ tive vice-president, Crescent Amusement Com¬ pany, honored Republic President Herbert J. Yates with a plaque for his "outstanding leader¬ ship in the entertainment field." Seen are Neil Agnew, newly appointed special assistant to Yates; sales manager Walter L. Titus, Jr.; Yates, and C. Bruce Newberry, the director of sales. effort was in progress to gain sponsors and increase network radio and TV billings. Seventy per cent of earnings were paid out in dividends last year. All directors were reelected. Besides Goldenson, they included Earl E. Ander¬ son, John Balaban, A. H. Blank, John A. Coleman, Charles T. Fisher, Jr., E. Ches¬ ter Gersten, Walter W. Gross, Robert H. Hinckley, Robert L. Huffines, Jr., William T. Kilborn, Kintner, Walter P. Marshall, Edward J. Noble, Robert H. O’Brien, Herbert J. Schwartz, Robert B. Wilby, and Owen D. Young. Goldenson was reelected to the presi¬ dency, and the board also reelected other officers for the coming year. They include Walter W. Gross, Robert H. Hinckley, Edward L. Hyman, Robert E. Kintner, Sidney M. Markley, Robert H. O’Brien, and Robert M. Weitman, vicepresidents; Simon B. Siegel, treasurer; James L. Brown, comptroller and assistant treasurer; O’Brien, secretary, and Edith Schaffer and Geraldine Zornbaugh, assist¬ ant secretaries. SCREEN TOWER AVAILABLE FOR 750-CAR DRIVE-IN THEATRE. CAN BE PUR¬ CHASED AT A BAR¬ GAIN. CALL PHI LA., WAInut 2-0950 or WRITE TO ROOM 709, JEFFERSON BLDG. 1015 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. THEATRE MANAGERS Experienced. New England Area in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Write J. TOTMAN STANLEY WARNER MANAGEMENT CORP. 70 College Street, New Haven, Conn. May 27, 1953