Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1958)

Exiiiiirnjii i;iinvi:ntiun TOA Calls for Revision of Decrees, Considers Purchase of Film Stocks, Pushes B-B Campaign For the first two days (Oct. 21-22) of their annual convention. Theatre Owners of America heard the walls of Miami's huge Americana Hotel echo with far-reaching prescriptions for the ills of the industry. To no one's great surprise, one of the most outspoken was written by 20th Century-Fox president Spyros Skouras, who told exhibitors to "organize groups for the purpose of bu\ing motion picture stock." Con\ention keynoter Robert J. O'Donnell ad\ ised the delegates to "gamble" with new ideas if they wanted to survive. New 1\ -elected president George Ci. Kerasotes told TOA to lend full support to the Trust Fund plan to keep post1948 films from TV. Vice president Summer M. Redstone demanded immediate revision of the consent decree. Philip F. Harling, chairman of the TOA Toll-TV Committee, urged a campaign against all forms of toll-TV. Producer Jerry Wald came in from Hollywood to tell the theatremen that the\ must contribute the showmanship to the building of new stars for tomorrow. In short, the delegates were literally rocked from pillar to post by speakers intent upon startling them into a realization that constructive action is essential for survival — and at once. One of the ideas looked on by many exhibitors as the answer to their woes, however, seemed doomed to linger in a continued state of inaction. That, of course, was the businessbuilding campaign. First returns appeared promising, with the TOA board of directors voting to guarantee any deficit between the present amount collected and the 5165,000,000 goal due from exhibition (it was reported only $5,000 short). But, at press time, it was reported that the MPAA, representing the film companies, would not match the $165,000,000 figure needed to launch "Operation Moviegoing," the radio phase of the B-B campaign. Some encouragement for the theatremen was provided by a report delivered by Harling, in his role as chairman of the Small Business Administration committee. He pointed out that new legislation, adopted at the last session of Congress, permits formation of investment companies having paid-in capital and surplus of at least $300,000, for financing of small business in a specified area. Harling suggested strongly that exhibitors form these companies to become eligible for the 5150,000 loan the government offers in return for debentures. Fresh from telling the Allied convention in Chicago his views on the industry's future (see text Page 10) Spyros Skouras swept into Miami Beach with more imaginative ideas. The 20th Century-Fox president told the delgates to get busy and preserve their source of supply before it becomes exhuasted. The "most constructive and intelligent step" toward that end, he contended, would be to buy into the production end of the industry. Skouras said that in that manner, some of the exhibitors might be able to serve on the boards of the companies and "take an active interest in their affairs, not only in assuring continued production but increased production." Thus, too, Skouras said, the theatremen would also acquire "a voice in the disposition of the post1948 backlogs," thereby fortifying both film companies and circuits against speculators interested in "liquidation of jour source of supply." Skouras also repeated the blast against the consent decree he had leveled at the Allied convention. "If we did not have any previous experience with governmental intervention in our business, " he said, "we might be justified in sitting back and watching developments. But our past experience has been so disastrous that any clear-thinking person of this industry should be aroused to fight this threat at any and all costs. " KERASOTES Quiiki), TOA decided to fight the threat. Slimmer Redstone, at a session called to hammer out an answer to the stand the delegates would lake on divorcement, said, "The time has now K)me ... to come to grips with the disease itself, the consent decrees," rather than the l^roblems of the theatre owners, which he called sjmptoms " of what ails the industry. A concrete solution was proposed by Harold Field, of the TOA executive committee, who urged formation of a "congress of exhibitors." Basically, the plan envisioned a series of meetings of exhibitors in each exchange territory to discuss the matter in order to "widen the base of participation" by theatremen in the battle to revise the decrees. O'Donnell's keynote speech was a revelation in fresh, new ideas. His Itlca Teams, employed witli .1 gooti deal of sun ess l.ist v car in his Texas ihcairc chain, sp.irkccl considerable enthusiasm among the delegates. The Texas showmanship campaign emploved every conceivable angle in the book — from press parties and radio saturation to jingles and slogans, including an original one which stirred a spate of reactions. One man who especialh' appreciated O'Donnell's message was Frnest d. Siellings, oiit.uoing president and ardent champion of die businessbuilding campaign. An admitted 'incurable optimist about the movie indusirv," Stellings waxed cncouragingh on the b-b issue. "Fxhibition is ready, " he said. "It is now up to MPAA as to whether or not we have a radio campaign." The word was that the film companies were cool to the idea. Stellings' successor, Kerasotes, was every bit as optimistic, with just the right dash of forceful vigor a new president should have. He pledged continued support of Stellings' plan for a trust fund to keep post-1948 features from the TV market. "I shall not be content with continued toleration of any further destructive and self-annihilating business practices," he stated. "They do not make good sense." Apparently, no nonsense was to be tolerated, either, in the ever-waging battle against toll TV. Once partially resigned to the inevitability of cable — as opposed to over-the-air — TV, TOA was now anxious to w ipe out both enemies with one legislative swipe. "It will . . . require a coordinated Panzer-like drive throughout the country," Harling said, "not only among exhibitors, but among all the American people to get them to raise their cry with ours to ban toll-TV through foolproof legislation. " Successful manufacturers in every field, Jerry Wald told the convention, are constantly revitalizing their product by introducing new models. The same concept must be applied to our business. "Newness is one of our most important selling pegs," Wald declared. "We have to build star names today for tomorrow." cilm BULLETIN October 27, 1958 Page 17