Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1957)

Viewpoints OCTOBER 28. 1957 VOLUME 25. NO. 22 Question "Are sheep running this business, or are there leaders?" The query, spoken in heat, came from the usualy diplomatic lips of Leonard Goldenson, president of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, at a meeting with the trade press last week. Mr. Goldenson and his associate, Edward L. Hyman, vice president in charge of theatre operations, invited the press to hear their views on the vital problem of finding ways and means of achieving an "orderly distribution of quality product throughout the year". This critical issue has been pushed by the AB-PT executives for the past two years, and they admit frankly that little progress has been made. Now they propose to call a joint meeting of distributors and exhibitors from all parts of the country to discuss the problem and to seek a solution. Pointing out that while theatres today are starved for good films, a full dozen important releases are being held back for the year-end holiday period, Mr. Hyman questioned why three of these top films should not be delivered in October and three in November "to counteract the big TV attractions". He expressed the hope that a united exhibitor front could convince the distributors that such an orderly releasing schedule would receive "every cooperation from the exhibitors of America" by their willingness to guarantee "top terms and additional playing time." Mr. Goldenson's reference to a lack of leadership was well taken. The head-in-the-sand position adopted by so many of our industry's supposed leaders is an appalling sight as business continues to fall off. We urge everyone who lives by the motion picture industry to heed these words by Leonard Goldenson: "It's disgraceful that we, who are supposed to be showmen, have permitted our business to become wrapped in crepe . . . The public never will respond unless we sell our business affirmatively. "All branches of the industry must be brought together to sell and re-sell our business to the public. It can be done by enthusiasm and drive, and the refusal to be licked . . . "If we don't do it, it's because we are wanting in leadership. It means our presidents and all others in positions of responsibility are shirking their duties ... If they're not prepared to exercise their responsibilities, then they ought to get out and let those persons who are prepared to do the job, do it." Bravo!, Mr. Goldenson. f Villi f <>liii>, Air. i\ovinsJ The president of International Telemeter, Louis A. Novins, was speaking, apparently seriously: "I don't know why exhibitors are so afraid of pay-as-you-see TV", he said, without even a slight blush, no mean accomplishment considering the fact that he was facing not a group of stockholders, but informed members of the movie industry. "There are millions of people who are not being reached by even the biggest million dollar epics," he continued. "I think that those people will be the potential customers of pay-as-you-see BULLETIN Film BULLETIN: Motion Picture Trade Paper published every other Monday by Wax Publications, Inc. Mo Wax. Editor and Publisher. PUBLICATION-EDITORIAL OFFICES: 123? Vine Street, Philadelphia 7, Pa.. LOcust 8-0950, 0951. Philip R. Ward. Associate Editor: Leonard Coulter, New York Associate Editor; Duncan G. Steele, Business Manager; Marvin Schiller, Publication Manager; Robert Heath. Circulation Manager. BUSINESS OFFICE: 522 Fifth Avenue, New York 36, N. Y.. MUrray Hill 2-3631; Wm. R. Maizocco, Editorial Representative. Subscription Rates: ONE YEAR S3. 08 in the U. S.; Canada. $4.00; Europe. $5.00. TWO YEARS: S5.00 in the U. S.; Canada, $7.50; Europe, $9.00. TV. There will still be plenty of others who will want to go out to the movies. Theatres and pay-as-you-see TV will represent an expanded market for the producers and distributors of good entertainment.'' These platitudes were delivered by Mr. Novins as if they were fresh and startling revelations of a beautiful future that was to enrich everyone connected with movie business — exhibitors, producers, distributors, not to mention the entrepreneurs who yearn to put their cash registers on the free airv> aves. The co-existence of pay-television and the theatre is an immediate contradiction. The reasons have been thoroughly explored before and there is no need to labor them here. Suffice it to say that television's primary competitive force against the theatre is the comfort and convenience it offers. If new motion pictures were to be delivered into the living room via payTV devices the inevitable result must be a sharp, destructive diminuition in the go-out desire of the moviegoing public, and the residual audience left for theatres would be a mere corporal's guard. It borders on the preposterous to make any other claim. Telemeter, or any other toll-TV system, if it ever flourishes, will sound the dirge for thousands of theatres — most likely for all but a handful. So, come, come, Mr. Novins, let's face it: if Paramount's Telemeter succeeds, a billion theatre industry must fall by the wayside. It's that cold a proposition. 1 Of ft tin soil *.v A postscript needs to be added to the Vogel-Tomlinson struggle for the soul of Loew's, and it is this: Joseph Tomlinson should voluntarily withdraw from the company's Board of Directors. The present alignment of that Board gives Joseph Vogel a majority of 13 to (Continued on Page 21) Film BULLETIN October 28, 1957 Page 3