Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1959)

Board Set To Discuss Allied's Future Role in ACE Whether or not Allied States Association will play a part as an organization, in the operations of the newly-formed American Congress of Exhibitors — and if so, how large a role — will be the significant question before Allied's annual mid-winter board meeting, Jan. 24-25, in Pittsburgh. On the other hand, according to an Allied bulletin, if ACE is to be a group of individuals, including members of Allied, rather than an organization of groups, like COMPO, the board will be asked to determine what Allied's role will be under those conditions. The question also has been raised whether or not, in the light of recent developments, Allied should be disbanded, thereby leaving the burden and responsibility of protecting exhibition squarely upon the shoulders of ACE. That, too, reports the bulletin, will be thrashed out at the board meeting. Meanwhile, the board of directors of Allied of Wisconsin passed a resolution reaffirming the unit's "white paper" campaign, despite the formation of ACE. SBA Makes Drive-ins Eligible, Hikes Loan Limit Reversing an earlier decision, the Small Business Administration, in Washington, made drive-in theatres eligible for S.B.A. loans. George G. Kerasotes, TOA president, and Philip F. Harling, chairman of that group's Small Business Administration Committee, who led TOA's efforts to have the government loans extended to cover driveins, hailed the decision backing TOA's stand. They also expressed satisfaction that S.B.A. had increased the loan limit for all houses from a maximum of $250,000 to $350,000 for 10 years, contending that the action was grounds for a more lenient policy toward theatres on the part of private lending organizations, in view of the government's recognition of all houses as suitable loan applicants. Kerasotes and Harling announced that TOA's Small Business Administration Committee will now turn to an attempt to obtain "through legislation or other means," modification of S.B.A.'s loan requirements to enable theatres to qualify more easily. They said they were especially anxious to obtain removal of the provision now requiring a theatre be turned down by a private lending organization before it may apply for an S.B.A. loan. Hyman Issues Supplementary Sked To Aid Orderly Release Edward L. Hyman, vice president of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, announced the issuance of a supplementary release schedule compiled in connection with the plan to further the orderly distribution of quality product. The special edition augments the schedule issued by Hyman last September showing the releases through the first six months of 1959. Hyman said heplans to issue the next schedule in March. THEY MADE THE NEWS HEADLINERS Max E. Youngstein, whose company has contributed much to and benefited greatly from the rise of the independent producer, was eminently qualified to discuss the "Independent Revolution" in the Dec. 20 special film issue of the Saturday Review. The United Artists' vice president traced the growth of the independent "from a kind of fringe phenomenon of the film business to an equal of the great studios." Starting with the inception of the indes some seven years ago when Hollywood was experiencing a difficult period, Youngstein told their story in a most interesting manner. He stressed the fact that independently-made pictures have won the Academy Award for the last three years. The UA vice president touched on the artistic advantages of the independent: "The growth of the independent producer means that the day of the craftsman is arriving. Nothing can be more important than to have the craftsman achieve a position of authority in the motion picture business." Nor did Youngstein overlook an equally significant factor: UA, chiefly on the strength of independently-produced product, achieved a record gross of $80,000,000 in 1958. 20th Halts CinemaScope-55 Twentieth Century-Fox has suspended use and further development of its CinemaScope55 wide screen process as a result of its recent investment in Todd-AO, but left the door open to a resumption of the process .it some future date, William C. Michel, 20thFox executive vuc president, announced Receipts To Rise, Product Stay Low— Dept. of Commerce Receipts from theatre attendance should rise above the $1,200,000,000 estimated for 1958, but the scarcity of feature film product will continue, the Commerce department predicted. The Department listed higher admission prices and lower Federal admissions taxes as reasons for the predicted upsurge in receipts, despite no expected increase in attendance. "The outlook for the motion picture industry in 1959 should compare favorably with 1958 activity, except in the field of production of feature films," said Nathan D. Golden, film chief, in his year-end survey. The report said there was evidence that attendance is becoming stabilized, w ith average weekly attendance in 1958 estimated at about 46,000,000. "It is not expected that 1959 attendance will increase greatly, but it should remain at the 1958 level," the report said. Boxoffice receipts rose from some $1,116,000,000 in 1957 to $1,200,000,000 in 1958, largely because of increased admission prices, according to the report. Increased admission tax exemptions and the steady growth of drive-ins were mentioned as positive factors for 1959. Golden also listed numerous plans to increase attendance which were expected to be employed in 1959, including new advertising techniques, special price features for older persons and children, renovation of house facilities and a more orderly release of major attractions. "For the past few years, the production industry has concentrated on producing fewer but more expensive and higher quality films," said the report. "There is no evidence this trend will change in 1959. " U.S.-Soviet Exchange Under Fire of Legion Group The U. S. -Soviet agreement to encourage cultural exchange has run afoul of rabid anti-Russian propagandists in this country, as was anticipated. Turner Shelton, who, with Eric Johnston and Kenneth Clark, negotiated the film part of the exchange, offered to help arrange a special screening for representatives of veterans, civil and other patriotic groups to let them judge for themselves whether the Russian pictures contain propaganda. The chief of the USIA film division acted in the wake of a move by Manchester, N. H., veterans to boycott the Russian p ic tures if they are advertised for screening in their state, and to urge others to do the same. "There isn't a trace of political or ideological propaganda in any of them," said Shelton. "We saw to that." Shelton had previously been under fire from Fulton Lewis, Jr. Lewis charged in one of his syndicated columns that Shelton said he "could always find some agency of the government willing to pay for newspaper advertisements" for the him exchange, Shelton promptlj denied the allegation. "1 didn't make the Statement attributed to me because I know it isn't so," Shelton said. "There is no agency of government which could finance advertising of motion pictures." Film BULLETIN January 5 1 959 Page 15