Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1963)

■ CAST & CREDITS ■ HYMAN Hyman Sees Product Boom for April & May Edward L. Hyman is confident that his long-range, concerted drive to shore up the traditional April-May "orphan period" is showing results. Last Friday (20th) he announced that he anticipates a minimum of 55 pictures during that usually laggard spell. Thus far, he told the trade press, 46 new features are listed for release. In addition, 4 reissues are on the slate. While this large number is noteworthy, Hyman pointed out, even more impressive is the fact that a number of front-rank quality pictures are included. "Just numbers mean nothing," he said. "A picture must have legs, and coming up to this period are a lot of good pictures that we can do a job on." The American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres vice president urged theatremen to go all-out in promoting the available product during April and May to demonstrate to the film companies that these months are "no worse than any other time of the year." Hyman expressed the view that some of the film companies are now convinced that there is profit in releasing good product near the end of the year. If this conclusion is carried forward to include, also, the April-May period, the year-round boxoffice picture will be greatly improved. Attendance, Gross Up— Commerce Dep't Motion picture theatres in case you hadn't noticed, were more crowded this year than last. And prospects are even rosier for 1964. So says the United States Department of Commerce. In its year-end review, the Department reports weekly attendance climbed fdom 40.4 million patrons in I960 to an estimated 43.0 million in 1963. This compares to 42.5 million in '62. 1963 receipts are expected to reach $1.45 billion, a 3% increase over the '62 figure of $1,405 billion. The Department estimates that receipts will rise to $1.5 billion in the year ahead. A major factor in the increased revenues is the progressive increase in admission prices, especially in children's tickets, the report states. The 43 million paying customers also had more theatres to attend. Almost 650 new theatres have been built since 1958. The government agency sets the total number of theatres in the U.S. at 17,000, including drive-ins. 'No Merit7 in Feevee Suit, says Childhouse The Crusade for Free TV, exhibition's organized drive to halt the payTV invasion of California, drew some return fire from the enemy on the west coast. In an apparent attempt to frighten off the massed anti-feevee forces, Subscription Television, Inc., initiated a $117 million damage suit against twelve exhibition chains, five theatre organizations and three individuals. The suit is asking, among other things, for the U. S. district court in Los Angeles to issue a restraining order to force the anti-feevee campaigner to desist in their activity against subscription tv. Arnold C. Childhouse, state chairman of the Southern California Committee of the Crusade, issued the official word for his group: "We have examined the action filed by Subscription TV and believe it to be entirely without legal merit or substance. It appears simply an effort to discourage the people of California from exercising their rights at the ballot box next November. We are confident that in the Free TV initiative being placed on the ballot at the next November election the people overwhelmingly will support free TV and reject pay TV in their homes." RK0 To Convert 10 Into 70mm Deluxers A "chain within the existing chain" is what Harry Mandel, RKO Theatres president, calls the plan for conversion of at least ten existing major city theatres into what has been dubbed RKO International 70 Theatres. In the vanguard of the units which will carry the new name is the RKO Orpheum in Denver, scheduled for Xmas Day opening. The success of the refurbished Denver project will be the barometer for the eventual renovation of other theatres in the near future. All of the converted theatres will have facilities that will enable them to present any film on any projection system— with the exception of three-panel Cinerama. The project entails an expenditure of "several million dollars". %W (Shorter Opens 35mm Phase 2 in the accelerated plan of distribution for "Cleopatra" goes into effect in March, when 35mm reserved-seat engagements will start in smaller city situations not equipped for 70mm exhibition. In making the announcement, 20th-Fox executive vice president Seymour Poe did not reveal what the running time of the 35mm prints Version?) Runs in 3Mareh will be. Reports have it that a new version, running 3 hours, 5 minutes, has been edited by president Darryl F. Zanuck, and it is likely that this will be the one presented in all new engagements. Poe said the extravagant extravaganza has grossed $13,820,419 in the first 24 weeks of 48 domestic roadshow engagements. Page 8 Film BULLETIN December 23, 1963