The Exhibitor (1953)

W^HAT happened to a southern family on its way to a drive-in makes an interesting tale. First, one of the party mistook a |1 bill for a candy wrapper and threw it out the window. They went to the drive-in anyway and looked for the $1 on the way hack. They found it floating in a puddle along the highway. So moved were they by the development that they de¬ cided to send it to an orphanage as a church offering. ★ LEST some exhibitors get the idea that everything is rosy on the other side of the tracks, a report from the Federal Communications Commission reveals that 101 TV stations began operating since August. Of these there were statistics on 83, and of these, 67 were losing money. ★ REPORTS from Russia are to the effect that the “Tarzan” pictures are scaring pigs and chickens on collective farms. Pravda places the blame for the show¬ ings on Kinaprokat, the Soviet film dis¬ tribution organization. It is a matter of record also that no American distribu¬ tors were ever paid for use of the film. Pravda winds up by asking for more cul¬ ture and less African atmosphere. No claim has yet been made that it is all part of a capitalistic plot, but it shouldn’t be long. ★ IS YOUR theatre doing its bit for “The March of Dimes?” — H. M. M. INDEX Volume 51, Number 11 January 13, 1954 Section One Editorial . 5 Feature Article — “Another Producer Makes An Auspicious Bow” 6, 7 New York News Letter 8 The International Scene 10 This Was The Week When . 15 People . 20 The Tip-Off On Business . 20 The Score Board . 22 In The Newsreels . 22 Better Management . 24 Extra Profits EP-1 — EP-8 Section Two The Servisection . SS-1— SS-8 _ THE COVER PHOTO _ Joe Louis, former heavyweight champion, is seen in New York with, left to right. Max E. Yoongstein, UA vice-president; Stirling Silliphant, pro¬ ducer of "The Joe Louis Story"; and Francis Winikus, UA national director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation, discussing the cam¬ paign for promotion of the biographical drama. iimiiiTOfl January 13, 1954 The Code And Change Within the past few weeks, the newsfronts have been enlivened by an interchange of correspondence between producer Samuel Goldwyn and Eric A. Johnston, MPAA head, regarding the former’s declaration that the time is at hand to make changes in the Production Code. Other headlines being made during the same period concerned themselves with the opening of a major producer’s film without a Code seal and the continuance of police interference with still another seal-less film handled by another major distributor, it should he noted. In his reply to Goldwyn, Johnston has this to say, in part: “The Code regulations were not intended at the beginning, and are not intended now, to lay a dead hand on creative and artistic endeavor and integrity. And they have not done so. The Code, like the Constitution of the United States, is a living document for living people. That has been demonstrated, I think, through the amendments and the interpretations, all within the basic principles of the Code, that have been made since the Code’s adoption.” Producer Goldwyn has already indicated that he will pre¬ sent specific and detailed recommendations as to changes in the Code at any meeting which may be called for that purpose. There are many who feel that the principles of the Code, rooted in the Ten Commandments, do not need changing, hut there may be occasion for modification in the regulations stemming from the Code. These have been revised in the past and they can be again. Even before the Goldwyn lettersjt such plans had been discussed. ^ The adherence to the Code has been important not only to producers but to every theatreman. The Code has stood as a protection for them against many pressure and similar groups. What is important now is to make certain that while one must keep pace with changing tastes and thinking, the Code’s fundamentals remain the same. Volume 51, Number 11 A JAY EMANUEL PUBLICATION. Founded in 1918. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publica¬ tions, Incorporated. Publishing oflFlce: 246-248 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. New York office; 229 West 42nd Street, New York 36. West Coast Representative; Paul Manning, 9628 Cresta Drive, Los Angeles 35, California. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhaigh, general manager; Herbert M. Miller, editor; A. J. Martin, advertising manager; Max Cades, business manager; Marguerite Gibson, circulation manager; George Nonamaker and Mel Konecoff, associate editors. Subscription rates; Any one of the six sectional editions (NEW ENGLAND, NEW YORK STATE, PHILADELPHIA-WASHINGTON, SOUTHERN, MIDEAST, or MIDWEST-WESTERN) and the INTERNATIONAL edition; S2 per year (52 issues); and outside of the United States, Canada, and Pan-American countries, S5 per year (52 issues). The GENERAL edition containing all local news forms from all editions; S7.50 per year (52 issues); and outside of the United States, Canada, and Pan-American countries, S15 per year (52 issues). Special rates for two and three years; on application. Please address all correspon¬ dence to the Philadelphia office at 246-48 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania.