Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1963)

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UA Cautious on Sales Of Films To TV-Krim United Artists president had some upbeat words for the company's stockholders and some soothing words for theatremen at the annual meeting on June 10. Despite a decline in first quarter net earnings and gross income this year, Krim said that signs point to a "satisfactory" 1963, and expressed himself as "extremely bullish" about next year. Board chairman Robert S. Benjamin revealed that earnings for the first quarter this year were $578,000 compared with $916,000 in 1962. Gross income was $26,994,000 compared to $32,065,000 in last year's first quarter. Benjamin KRIM cited the revenue obtained from the sale of feature films to television as an important factor in the higher income for '62. Subsequently, president Krim declared that the company is taking a "conservative approach" to TV sales in the "interest of our exhibitor customers." Krim based his upbeat attitude toward the balance of this year on the prospects of such films as "Irma La Douce", "Dr. No", "The Great Escape" and "The Caretakers." His bullish view of the future was predicated largely on the "monumental" prospects for the two Cinerama specials, Stanley Kramer's "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and George Stevens' "The Greatest Story Ever Told." Anti-Trust Attacks Now Swing To States Long plagued by federal anti-trust suits, the film companies and larger theatre circuits now face the threat of attacks under state anti-monopoly laws. This was highlighted by the suit filed last week by the State of Washington against the seven major distributors, the Sterling Theatres chain of Seattle and several individuals, including William Forman, operator of United Drive-In Theatres. The action, charging the defendants with conspiracy to "monopolize first subsequent-run and entire subsequent-run of films" in metro CAST & CREDITS ■ Report on the Industry's PEOPLE and EVENTS politan Seattle, was brought under Washington's Consumer Protection Law, passed in 1961. Such state laws are spreading, and while it has been contended in some quarters that they conflict with the federal anti-trust laws, a Michigan version was upheld recently. Washington attorney general John J. O'Connell takes the view that "there are many areas of trade which although technically involve interstate commerce, are essentially local or only state-wide in scope." The suit in Superior Court for King County seeks an order limiting the Sterling chain to 50 percent of all prints made available in Seattle, so that other exhibitors might bid or negotiate for simultaneous runs; an injunction requiring Sterling to apply to the court for right to acquire or construct additional theatres in Seattle; an injunction preventing the distributors from granting Sterling any special concessions; a civil penalty of $25,000 against each defendant. Assistant attorney general Frederic C. Tausend told Film BULLETIN the case has been under investigation since January and was started on the "complaint of other exhibitors" in Seattle. Harling on Hartford The first anniversary of the feevee over-the-air experiment in Hartford, Connecticut might have passed unnoticed if Philip F. Harling, chairman of the Joint Committee Against Pay-TV, hadn't thought to mention it and to take stock of its accomplishments. Asking, "Is it an anniversary — or a wake?", Harling concluded that RKO General-Phonevision had little to celebrate. But he also warned theatremen that they must push for legislation to bar the pay system permanently lest apathy allow it to slip through the back door. ROSENFIELD & MANKIEWICZ No Hanky-Panky on 'Cleo' Set: Mankiewicz Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the man behind "Cleopatra", sought to clear up the impression that the long and costly production in Rome was a lark. Despite all the seeming hysteria and panic, he said, "a group of dedicated actors and technicians were seriously making the film . . . Personal involvements were left at the stage door." The director-writer admitted that he originally wanted the blockbuster to be divided into two separate films, each of 2l/2 hours running time, but was overruled by 20th Century-Fox president Darryl F. Zanuck. He disclosed this at a press conference in New York the day before "Cleopatra" premiered at the Rivoli Theatre. Rex Harrison, who portrays Caesar in the film, also attended the conference, which was conducted by 20th-Fox vice president and promotion chief Jonas Rosenfield. Burgeoning Bronston Builds Organization Producer Samuel Bronston continues to reveal concrete signs that he is determined to develop his own national distribution organization. His new Bronston Distributions, Inc. acquired its first independent production, "The War of the Buttons" for U. S. release. The deal for the French comedy was made by vice president Paul N. Lazarus, Jr. Reportedly, it has been a big success in European markets. Bronston also announced that prominent publicist Ralph Wheelwright has been named vice president in charge of public relations, and that all promotional activities would be directed from the distribution headquarters in New York, with Howard E. Kohm, II as world coordinator and Howard Newman as publicity manager at the Madrid production center. Wheelwright will function out of Los Angeles. Page & Film BULLETIN June 24, I9A3