Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

Short Subjects BY NEIL '[.AUDITS AND KUDOS: Louis de j Rochemont. producer of Columbia's Walk East on Beacon", was commended I the American Legion for the anti-eommic . i ture. The film was also applauded in the jth Anniversary issue of The Investigator, ) FBI personnel publication . . . Paramount lis received the International Challenge jvard of France and Belgium' for the •ond consecutive year with the naming of ;. Place In The Sun" as the best film of »? past twelve months ... As a means of i-thering motion picture-press cooperation, i> State Press Associations of New York, fxas, Oregon, Georgia, Virginia and Washiflton have scheduled special preview showof UA's "Park Row". The film is the 1st to carry a dedication "to American trnalism" . . . C. B. DeMille's "The Neatest Show On Earth" has received no Is than 14 awards, including plaques and Jations from leading magazines, civic, relious, theatre and commercial organizains . . . Walt Disney's "Story of Robin bod", all-live-action film, was selected by ( bliday mag as picture for the month of Jne . . . And just to prove the absence of ^mentation in the good old U.S., Ameri i» m mag selected both UA's "The Fighter" * ;ld Paratnount's "Anything Can Happen" f the same honors . . . And, as a topper — lie American Society for the Prevention of luelty to Animals has endorsed RKO's ' he Wild Heart"! l)MPO is sponsoring a short subject to 'assist in the recruitment of women for c; armed forces. Running 10 minutes, the start is entitled "The Real Miss America", 1 was produced by Jay Bonafield of RKOJthe. Narated by Henry Fonda, it will be tered free to exhibs and is expected to ll released July 1. ADOLPH ZUKOR Reelected Board Chairman |ROM ALL reports we hear, neighborhood | houses that stepped up admission prices % or more for "Quo Vadis" did not fare , well at the b.o. This bears out contentions exhibitor leaders that sub-ran houses canlit afford to hike prices. The public may ly 25 or 50c more in a deluxer, but they ;ill not at a nabe spot. And if they won't •y for "QY", what does have a chance! UNE 1 6, 1 95 2 . W \kIKTY TENT TOPICS: The Cleveland » Tent tossed a testimonial dinner in honor of Max Wolf, who resigned recently as Ohio /one manager of W arner Bros. . . . Philly's Tent 13 held its annual "Johnny Night", topped by the Cleveland-Athletics baseball game at Shibe Park. A crowd of 25,000 turned out to witness a gala variety show and the ball game. Proceeds go to the Tent's camp for handicapped children. PREMIERE What's up up above? Thai's a crowd attending a movie premiere, drawn by the appearance of the film's star. Esther If illiams went to Philadelphia to attend the opening of M-G-M's "Skirts Ahoy" at William Goldman's Randolph Theatre. Result: A big opening night turnout and a fine start for the picture. Let's have more star-attended premieres. Let's have 'em every week! OF MEN AND THINGS: Charles Einfeld, vice-president of 20 Century-Fox, left for Europe June 12 accompanied by Mrs. Einfeld and their two lovely daughters, for a series of merchandising meetings with executives of the company's international organization. The Einfeld's are celebration their 25th anniversary . . . Americo Aboaf, U-I executive, announces the appointment of Al Lowe as home office representative for Latin America . . . V.P. Jerry Pickman, Paramount ad-pub chief, was one of the principal speakers at the three-dav Texas COMPO conference . . . Monogram toppers Steve Broidy and Harold Mirisch are in England to confer with executives of Associated British-Pathe regarding joint production and distribution plans . . . Harold Rodner, 62, v.p. of Warner Bros. Service Corp., died June 3 . . . Jack L. Warner has gone abroad . . . David Golding, Samuel Goldwyn's chief of advertising and publicity, is in N. Y. to ballyhoo "Hans Chirstian Andersen". He'll stay a while. BOARDS: The status quo prevails on movie boards of directors. Paramount's board reelected the full slate of officers at a meeting held June 5. Barney Balaban, president; Adolph Zukor, chairman of the board; Stanton Griffis, chairman of the executive committee; Y. Frank Freeman, Austin C. Keough and Paul Raibourne, v.p.'s: Fred Mohrhardt, treasurer; Austin Keough, secretary-; Russell Holman, Jacob H. Karp, Arthur Israel and Louis A. Novins, assistant secretaries. RKO reelected all incumbents to its board at the annual stockholders meeting June 4 at Dover, Delaware. They are: Ned Depinet, Noah Dietrich, Howard U. Hughes, Francis I ' CHara, Jr. and J. Miller Walker. UNITED AR TISTS sales drive, honoring v.p. William J. Heineman, kicked off yesterday (June 15), and is set up on a new basis to insure fairness to all competing areas of the sales organization. Exchanges have been L'i"ii|>ed according to the grossing potential, pitting exchanges of equal sales strength in competition with one another, rather than a total sales organization competition. The "Bill Heineman Drive" is scheduled to end Dec. 6. FANFARES: M-G-M's national exploitation on the S|iencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn starrer "Pat and Mike," will pivot on a comedy-sports angle. Street ballys, "I Like Pat and Mike" buttons, and tie-ins with sport stores, golf ranges and tennis courts, will hypo the campaign . . . 20th-Fox's Technicolor production "Lure of the Wilderness" will open via a 200-theatre saturation in the Atlanta, Georgia area on July 17, according to distribution chief Al Lichtman. An intensive regional tub-thumping campaign will herald the openings and set the pattern for the national kick-off of the film early in September . . . U-I's ad-pub topper Dave Lipton chalked up a neat bit of showmanship with the release of the industry's first specially made color cartoon and live action trailer for the musical "Has Anybody Seen My Gal". Studio's emphasis on trailers has resulted in special strips for "'The World In His Arms", "Against All Flags" and "No Room for the Groom" . . . Managers of the Skouras chain are competing for $500 to be awarded for the best exploitation campaigns on "The River", it was announced by UA's ad-pub director, Francis M. Winikus . . . U-I'S LIPTON Xeat Showmanship Success of their TV trailer series has prompted 20th-Fox to make available two video trailers,, one-minute and 20-second variations, on their Technicolor production "Lydia Bailey". Dale Robertson and Anne Francis appear in the TV trailers. Also, free radio spots on "Wait 'Til The Sun Shines, Nellie", are available to exhibitors upon written request. 11