Harrison's Reports (1951)

28 HARRISON’S REPORTS February 17, 1951 pleted, such as the relinquishing of the UA stock now held by McNutt as trustee. Unlike McNutt, who has had little experience in motion picture industry matters, Krim and Benjamin are no strangers when it comes to the handling of a film company’s affairs. Starting as an office boy in 1924 for the New York Film Board of Trade, Benjamin joined the law firm of Phillips and Nizer as a law clerk in 1926, and became a partner in 1935. He was appointed a vice' president of Pathe Flm Corporation in 1937, and since 1946 has been president of the J. Arthur Rank Organization, Inc., in New York. As for Krim, he became a partner of Phillips, Nizer, Benjamin and Krim in 1932, and was appointed as general counsel of National Theatre Service in 1940. He was named as treasurer of National Screen Ser' vice in 1945, and in 1946 assumed the presidency of Eagle Lion, from which post he resigned in 1949. That Krim and Benjamin will surround themselves with top industry executives is indicated by current rumors within film circles that William J. Heineman, whose contract with Eagle Lion Classics as vice-president and general sales manager expires this week, will join the new UA setup in a similar capacity. It is rumored also that Max E. Youngstein, who this week resigned from his position as Paramount’s vice'presi' dent and national director of publicity, advertising and exploitation, will assume a similar post at United Artists. The Krim'Benjamin deal is apparently looked upon with favor by the independent producers who have releasing agreements with United Artists. In recent months most of them have refused to deliver their completed pictures to the company because of the instability of its affairs, but they now seem will' ing to start delivering their product and are even making future production plans. Harrison’s Reports wishes the new United Artists’ management success, and it sincerely hopes that the company will once again provide the industry with a steady flow of high-grade product to the benefit of itself as well as of the exhibitors. TIPS ON CHILDREN’S SHOWS The current bulletin of the Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana quotes the following from a letter received from a member, who has had unusually good luck with Saturday Kid Matinees: “I have heard many exhibitors say that their chib dren’s shows are poorly attended and that they do not get support from the parents. “Maybe my success with these shows has just ’happened’ but I would like to pass on a few practices I have because I have received specific favorable comment on them. “First, I always arrange the program to begin at 1:30 and end at exactly 4:30. The mothers think that 3 hours is all that their children should be in the show and by letting out promptly we never keep parents standing around and waiting for children who are held in the show 1 5 minutes or a half hour longer than expected. We always turn up the lights at the end of the show because otherwise the children stay on and their folks get angry and discipline them by not allowing them to come back again for a while. (It also clears our seats for the adults who come later.) We also turn up the lights about in the middle of the program. The parents like this because it gives a good chance for supervision and control. During this intermission we speak from the stage to the youngsters and tell them about the fine program we will have on next Saturday. This sells better than trailers could. It also gives the children a chance to go to the rest rooms. (Usually thep stop at the concession stand on the way back to their seats.)” MORE ON “CRITICIZING THE CRITICS” A number of subscribers have written to this paper requesting extra copies of the February 3 issue in which appeared the editorial, “Criticizing the Critics,” based on the recent lambasting given by Abram F. Myers to the newspaper and magazine critics who are hurting the movies because of their “ivory tower point of view” towards the pictures they review. These subscribers are distributing the copies to their local newspaper critics and editors. If any of you have been hurt by a local newspaper critic whose adverse criticisms do not reflect the public point of view, write in for an extra copy or two of the February 3 issue, which will be furnished to you at no charge. FANCHON 6? MARCO 537 North Grand St. Louis 3, Mo. February 7, 1951 Mr. P. S. Harrison Harrison’s Reports 1270 Sixth Avenue New York 20, N. Y. Dear Pete: I read your article regarding Monogram in your issue of January 20. Because of it we were prompted to scrutinize closer the effort we were making to support their drive. The final result is that in every one of our theatres we will have a Monogram subject playing during Monogram week, and in most instances it will be a feature. Their pictures, as well as the pictures of any of the smaller companies, do serve a definite purpose and should be supported wherever possible. We realize, of course, like you do, that they do not have pictures that can be used consistently in any theatre over a period of time, but they also at the same time have had some worthwhile product. It is only with the exhibtors’ support they will be able to improve their product, as well as maintain a source of supply of other pictures to meet certain needs of the exhibitor. Kind regards. Sincerely, Edward B. Arthur EBA'ez