Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1960)

TV fat tie. Sfacmtm Recruit Fresh Showmen Supply or Face 'Vacuum' Later, Gerard Warns Bill Hollander, Bill Pine, Ben Serkowich, Bob ODonnell, Arthur Mayer, Dave Wallenstein, David Lipton, Joe Levine — in anybody's book, an impressive list of movie merchandisers. If the industry wants to be able to continue calling on the services of men of their ilk, it had better "embark on a recruiting program" at theatre level, where all of these greats got their start. That was the advice offered recently by Universale Eastern advertising and publicity director Philip Gerard, a pretty astute showman in his own right. Speaking at the annual showmanship conference of Walter Reade, Inc., Gerard said: "Thereis sure to be a talent vacuum in the merchandising side of our industry unless we launch an industry-wide apprentice training and talent recruiting program to cover all areas of advertising, publicity and promotion, in order to strengthen and expand the promotional forces GERARD in our business and to build executive talent for the future." The pressures and responsibilities of selling pictures in the increasingly competitive world of entertainment must be borne by "young, aggressive" promotioneers to supplement the hard core of veterans. And the ideal training ground for this new blood, according to the Universal executive, is the theatre field, w here the product must be sold directly to the audience. While they're training, declared Gerard, these new promotion men also will be doing a great service to the entire business, for showmanship at the exhibitor level is a must in today's changing industry. Although everything currently is quiet 0:1 the promotional labor scene, Universal's chief Eastern tub-thumper wants to liven things up. This is his own version of a back-to-work call: "Before the year is out, I should like to see one hundred additional theatre press agents go back to work on the theatre level in ke\ cities across the country, and when this happens, I am confident we will once again see broad smiles around theatres and long lines around boxoffices." Three-Branch Committee Shines Light on Movie Ads A little over two months since the industry's entire advertising program was put on the producer-exhibitor griddle at the TOA convention in Los Angeles, all branches, from both ("oasts, have joined forces to "seek constant improvement in the effectiveness of motion picture ad\ ertising". Creation of a tripartite committee aimed at bettering the ad situation was announced by the SPG, the ad-pubbers of the MPA (the group that takes all public credit, and blame, for film ads) and the TOA. The decision to launch a long-range stud) of all phases of film advertising came at a meeting of representatives of all three groups at TOA's New York offices — a get-together requested by the MPA A ad-pub arm almost immediately after the effectiveness of its ads had been questioned. Spokesmen for the three units noted that the new committee — likely to consist of three representatives from each, a membership that will allow it to operate efficiently and effectively both in New York and Hollywood — will break ground toward new liaison and cooperation among production, distribution and exhibition. In today's changing and selective market, it was declared, ruch coordination is vital and promises to lead to great productivity in the important field of showmanship. TOA president Albert M. Pickus, Arthur Hornblow, Jr., representing the Guild, and Martin Davis, chairman of the MPAA group, said the committee will be selected shortly, with meetings being resumed as quickly as possible. The three noted that topics high on the agenda of the new ad coordinating committee will be the study of film advertising credit requirements and the study of means of obtaining greater exhibitor acceptance of film company advertising innovations. Other MPAA reps at the meeting included Charles Levy, Richard Lederer and Taylor Mills; Hornblow was the lone SPG member, while George G. Kerasotes, Joseph Alterman and Albert Floersheimer, Jr., also attended for TOA. A sidelight of the meeting — but possibly an indication that amity will reign among the new committee's members — was a TOA-SPG contention that their original criticism of movie ads had not been so harsh as reported. Viewpoint Wald Acts Nearly everybody talks about the need for developing fre>h, new talent in the movie showmanship field, but one of the very few who are doing anything about it is 2()th-Fox producer Jerry Wald. Mr. Wald recently established :i $2,000 graphic arts competition at UCLA designed to encourage fresher and more original approaches to motion picture advertising and background art. The two-part competition for what will be known as the Wald Art Awards is open to regularh -enrolled art students. As Universal's Philip Gerard points out elsewhere on this page, the only way to avoid a showmanship talent "vacuum" in the future is to develop new advertising, publicity and exploitation men now. Jerry Wald is doing just that, and for his efforts he deserves the thanks of the entire industry. CANT\HrlF\S mm GIANT SIGN heralding "Pepe" overlooks Times Square area. That's Columbia v. p. in charge of ad-publicity Jonas RosenCeid, Jr., actress Nancy Kovack unveiling the 50 x 40 :oot electric sgn. Film BULLETIN November 28. 1940 Page 25