Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1956)

THEY MADE THE NEWS GOLDENSON LEONARD H. GOLDENSON & EDWARD L. HYMAN, American Broadcasting Company-Paramount Theatres president and vice president respectively, paved the way for greater intra-industry cooperation and prosperity with the announcement that ABC-PT had asked the film companies for a more orderly distribution of top quality films throughout the year, and that eleven distributors had given assurances in that direction. The Goldenson-Hyman team also listed nine points for revitalization of industry operations and called for a "rebirth of showmanship" on the part of the entire industry. Proper merchandising of the orderly flow of top-grade films could result in one of the most prosperous years in movie history, Goldenson asserted. Pledges for release of films resulted from conferences between Hyman and top film executives. AT 20TH-FOX SALES MEETING Above, 20th-Fox executives in attendance at the sales sessions held recently at the home office: distribution director Al Lichtman, producer Buddy Adler, president Spyros Skouras, Fox International president Murray Silverstone, assistant general sales manager W. C. Gehring. At right, vice president-advertising head Charles Einfeld addresses the gathering. 20TH CENTURY-FOX MANAGEMENT made news at the company's recent sales and merchandising meeting. Distribution chief Al Lichtman announced that 24 Foxproduced features, at the rate of two per month, will be released this year, and that this releasing schedule will be augmented by an unspecified number of independently produced films. President Spyros P. Skouras called for a dynamic merchandising campaign to introduce CinemaScope 55, which will be launched this year by the release of "Carousel" and "The King and I". Vice president Charles Einfeld put on display for the sales force the vast promotional campaign prepared by his department to push "Carousel", the initial CinemaScope 55 production, which goes into release in February, plans for merchandising "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit", 20th's Easter release, and the campaigns on other '56 productions, including "The Bottom of the Bottle", On the Threshold of Space", "The Man Who Never Was" and "The Lieutenant Wore Skirts". MYRON BLANK set in motion a drive to solidify the position of TOA on such matters as Government regulation and arbitration. He revealed: 1) That a questionnaire is being sent to all members for opinions on regulation, product shortage, etc., the answers to which will govern TOA's position in regard to these subjects; 2) Results of the questionnaire will be presented at the Senate Small Business Committee hearings which begin February 2; 3) TOA will send three members to testify at the hearings. At the same press conference, Blank expressed the view that the sale of features to TV "represents poor economic judgment" on the part of film companies and "will shrink the potential return on pictures today and in the future," he said. TOA counsel Herman Levy said other TV deals are in the offing, and that exhibitors have no legal recourse to prevent them. SI FABIAN reported a decline in the net profit of the Stanley Warner Corporation for the period ending November 26, but reassured stockholders that the loss had been recouped during December. The Stanley Warner president said that while gross income for the quarter was slightly higher than the corresponding period in 1954, the net profit was $810,500, or 37 cents a share, compared with $1,110,100 or 50 cents a share for 1954. Despite the slight financial set-back, he told the shareholders the company takes a "cheerful view regarding the country's economic health, and believes it will be reflected in Stanley Warner's operations during the months ahead." A 25 cent dividend per share will be declared at the board meeting Jan. 24 payable Feb. 24. "Cinerama Holiday" has outgrossed "This Is Cinerama" and Fabian predicted even better things for "Seven Wonders of the World" HYMAN Page 10 Film BULLETIN January 23, 1 956 BLANK [More NEWS on Page 24] FABIAN