The Exhibitor (1952)

8 EXHIBITOR Pre-Holiday Grosses Off On Broadway New York News Letter By Mel Konecoff SEVERAL score female representatives of national and local women’s organiza¬ tions met last week at the Hotel Plaza to honor producer Samuel Goldwyn and his “Hans Christian Andersen”. The affair was held under the sponsorship of the New York City Fed¬ eration of Women’s Clubs and the Motion Picture Councils of Greater New York, the first time that these organizations have jointly singled out a motion picture and its producer for special honors. Mrs. Charlotte Baruth, president, NYC Federation of Women’s Clubs, de¬ clared that “Hans Christian Andersen” was among the best, if not the best, that Goldwyn made, and that it will provide delightful family entertainment. He was presented with a certificate mounted in a rare private edition of one of Andersen’s works. Goldwyn forecast better days were com¬ ing for the business, and then went into some of the background of “Andersen”, a project he had been planning over 16 years. He also stated that he was so in¬ spired and delighted by the reaction of children to his film that he expected to make at least one shcrwing available in every city to underprivileged or shut-in children on a no-charge basis. HONOR DEPARTMENT: Associated Motion Pictm-e Advertisers honored Wil¬ liam Randolph Hearst, Jr., and the Hearst organization at its monthly luncheon at the Hotel Picadilly. President Harry Mc¬ Williams turned the meeting over to MGM vice-president Howard Dietz, who intro¬ duced Hearst, terming him and his organ¬ ization a friend of the industry, Hearst thanked AMPA and the industry for its gesture of affection, and compared the operation and result of newspapers pretty much to the motion picture indus¬ try. Both are in constant touch with the public, and both look out for the welfare of the American public. He thought that the future would see enlarged opportuni¬ ties for both the Hearst papers and the industry to serve, inform, and entertain the public. Others aboard the dais were: Lige Brien, Jack Hearst, Jerry Pickman, Paul Lazarus, Jr., Adolph Zukor, Max Youngstein, Sol Schwartz, J. D. Gortatowsky, and Edgar Goth. An unusual angle saw two Inter¬ national News Service teletype machines installed in the banquet room, which brought in messages of congratulation from prominent industry personalities on Charles C. Moskowitz, left, vice-president and treasurer, Loew's, Inc., recently received a scroll from Jacob Alson, former Supreme Master, Alpha Epsilon Pi, at a testimonial dinner in New York marking the beginning of Moskowitz's 40th year of service to the undergraduate fraternity. the coast including: Walter Pidgeon, Her¬ bert Yates, Vera Ralston, Dore Schary, E. J. Mannix, Joseph M. Schenck, Darryl Zanuck, Harry Brand, Dan Dailey, Gene Autry, John Wayne, Doris Day, Ann Sheridan, George Murphy, Spencer Tracy, Louis B. Mayer, etc. THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: The Dec. 2 issue of Look magazine carries a page tribute to the Picture Pioneers as well as a story on its founding, activities, etc. Nate Blumberg, “Pioneer of the Year,” is also pictured, as are Nicholas Schenck, Jack Cohn, Sam Dembow, Jr., Jesse L. Lasky, Sam Rinzler, Ned E. Depinet, Si Fabian, Bob O’Donnell, Spyros Skouras, Harry M. Warner, Sam Pinanski, Adolph Zukor, Sam Goldwyn, Louis B. Mayer, C. B. DeMille, and Barney Balaban. . . . 20th Century-Fox sends along samples of exploitation and advertising material which MGM Records is sending to dealers in connection with the “Stars And Stripes Forever” music album promotion, which is all very colorful and impressive, but there were no samples of the records, phonograph needles, or record player. . . . When Paramount had its local showing of “Road To Bali” at the Bijou, the idea was to show the average exhibitor how he could dress up his house if he were playing the film, and didn’t have too much money to spend. In the lobby were doubles for Crosby, Hope, and Lamour garnered from newspaper ads and plugs asking for look-alikes. The place was decorated in a South Seas motif with live monkeys, parrots, etc., costumes, tropical fruits, sea shells, etc. Stills, blowups, and posters came from National Screen Service. . . . Shoot¬ ing gets under way again on “Main Street To Broadway” when the company returns from “on location” shooting in Hollywood with more outstanding stage personalities set to complete their roles. . . . Forty members of the 20th-Fox home office held a farewell luncheon to former publicity manager Stirling Silliphant, who is leav¬ ing to take on the headaches of a pro¬ ducer in making “The Joe Louis Story.” . . . Okeh pressbooks are out on “The Savage”, “The Blazing Forest”, and “Last Of The Comanches.” Levin Associates Meets Chicago — A three-day conference of divisional executives of Jack H. Levin Associates, Inc., was held in the Morrison Hotel. Jack Levin discussed plans. New York— a decided decline in grosses of most of the Broadway first-runs last weekend presented a gloomy outlook for the pre-holiday business index. There was only one new arrival. According to usually reliable sources reaching Exhibitor, the breakdown was as follows: “THE IRON MISTRESS” (WB). Para¬ mount, with stage show, offered the only new fare on the street, and expected the opening week to reach $65,000. “BLOODHOUNDS OF BROADWAY” (20th-Fox). Roxy, with stage show, took in $26,000 on Friday, Saturday, and Sun¬ day, with the second week anticipated at $50,000. “PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE” (MGM). Radio City Music Hall, with stage show, hit $72,000 for Thursday through Sunday, with the second session heading toward $110,000. “THE LUSTY MEN” (RKO). Criterion was down to $8,000 on the fifth, and last, week. “THE SNOWS OF KIUMANJARO” (20th-Fox). Rivoli reported $18,000 for the 10th week. “THE TURNING POINT” (Para.) . Globe expected the second, and last, week to hit about $10,000. “THE WORLD IN HIS ARMS” (U-I). Mayfair anticipated the seventh, and last, week at $9,000. “LIMELIGHT” (UA). Astor claimed the fifth week would reach $20,000. “THE STEEL TRAP” (20th-Fox). Loew’s State was heading toward $10,000 for the second week. “THE PRISONER OF ZEND A” (MGM) . Capitol reported $25,000 for the 3rd week. “BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER” (UA). Victoria dropped to $20,000 on the third week. Pioneers Applications Swell New York — Applications for member¬ ship in the Motion Picture Pioneers con¬ tinued to pour into headquarters with all applications expected to be processed in time for the Jubilee Dinner of the Pio¬ neers at the Hotel Astor last night (Nov. 25) where the new members were inducted. The latest group of new members to be accepted included William Goldman, head, William Goldman Theatres; C. J. Tevlin, associate of Howard Hughes; Edward E. Muhl, U-P vice-president; J. J. O’Leary, Comerford Theatres; David E. Weshner, producer’s representative; Max M. Yellen, Century, Buffalo; William Elson, Minne¬ apolis exhibitor; Harold Sugarman, Duex Film Studios; Nathan Sobel, Cineffects, and Lewis J. Lieser, Buffalo film distributor. COMPO Meets In Chicago New York^ — A meeting of the board of directors and executive committee of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations will be held on Dec. 10-11 at the Hotel Blackstone, Chicago, it was announced last week by Robert W. Coyne, COMPO special counsel. Nate Blumberg Feted New York — U-I executives joined with the company’s foreign distribution offi¬ cials at a luncheon in a world-wide tribute to N. J. Blumberg, chairman of the board, who is currently observing his 40th year in the industry. November 26, 1952