Harrison's Reports (1956)

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879. Harrison's Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by United States $16.00 «. Y . ?n N Y Harrison's Reports, Inc.. U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 NeW Y°rk 2°' N' Y' Publisher r-innda 1 fi Rrt . » t,« * D • . c ^ P. S. HARRISON, Editor L-anaaa i6.t>u ^ Motion Picture Reviewing Service p Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors m^Vh^u-«n*« Great Britain 17.50 Ma°''°"'g -a'tor AUT8tJ,ali^ NeW Zealand. Established July 1, 1919 India, Europe, Asia 17.50 it3 Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial 35c a Copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. Circle 7-4622 A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XXXVIII SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1956 No. 48 THE ALLIED CONVENTION AND BOARD MEETING Among the important actions taken by National Allied' s board of directors, which met at the Statler Hilton Hotel in Dallas for two and one-half days this week, prior to the opening of the organization's national convention on Tues< day, was the appointment of a committee of three to meet with a committee representing COMPO for the purpose of finding ways and means to heal the breach between the two organizations. Both committees will meet on December 10 at Allied's headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Allied committee, appointed by president Rube Shor, includes Abram F. Myers, Allied's general counsel and board chairman, and Wilbur Snaper and Trueman T. Rembusch, both of whom have served as Allied's representative on the COMPO triumvirate. Members of the COMPO committee include Emanuel Frisch, William C. Gehring and Sam Pinanski. Another action taken by the board was a decision to make "some sort of appeal" to the film companies in connection with the sale of their feature pictures to television. The companies will be asked to give the exhibitors "fair clearance" of at least five years and possibly ten years before such films are sold to TV. If legally possible, the board is desirous of having such clearance stipulated in fiim contracts. The board also took up the possibility of a merger with the Theatre Owners of America and authorized Shor to issue the following statement: "Prior to discussion of a possible merger between Allied and TOA, the board had approved a policy of cooperating with TOA in matters of common interest concerning which the two organizations hold a similar view. "Friendly relations between Allied and TOA leaders have existed for some time and the board has authorized explorations looking to an exchange of information and, when mutually agreeable, coordination of action with TOA on particular subjects. "In the circumstances the board decided that the time was not ripe for any action looking to amalgamation with any other organization. Meanwhile, explorations in search of common ground and experiments with cooperative action will be continued." Other actions taken by the board included endorsement of the production plans announced recently by American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, and of the desire of that circuit to have pre-emptive rights to the pictures it produces, and a pledge of Allied support in the event the circuit makes a plea to the Department of Justice for such pre-emptive rights; adoption of a resolution pledging Allied support in any campaign for complete elimination of the existing Federal tax on admissions; approval of a resolution passed recently by the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio calling for a greater number of family pictures; and authorization to Shor to appoint a committee to review and explore the status of arbitration, study existing arbitration drafts, and to make recommendations for future action. In a report filed with the board by Hugh McLachlan, chairman of Allied's Equipment Standardization Commit* tee, it was stated that "It is now very certain that the exhibitors may proceed with modernization or the purchase of equipment without too much fear that new developments will be made that would be impossible for most exhibitors to use." As to the convention itself, the highlight on the opening day was the keynote address delivered by Roy L. Kalver, president of the Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana, who has been a member of National Allied since its inception and whose remarks, as he put it, constituted "the thinking — I might say the worm's eye view — of a small exhibitor hidden away in a hamlet in northeastern Indiana." Kalver, who hails from Decatur, Indiana, described his "circuit" as consisting of one 850-seat indoor theatre and one 500car drive-in. He opened his talk on a note of optimism, predicting that most exhibitors will survive, despite the onslaught of television. He castigated the film companies for selling their backlogs to television and enabling that medium to deliver a "Sunday punch" to exhibition, but he pointed out that the exhibitors, "though a little groggy," are still on their feet. He warned, however, that "we are not going to remain upright very long unless we start fighting back. We have got to start telling the people how much more enjoyable it is to enjoy fine new pictures in the theatre than to see the run of mill television entertainment in the home." He charged that the industry has fallen down badly in promoting theatre attendance, and acknowledged as "good news" the recent interest displayed by the film companies through plans for a wide promotional campaign. On the subject of buying and selling film, Kalver called for "a return to sanity." "Today," he declared, "this most important facet of our business is marked by complete insanity. Not only is it insane, but likewise illegal and immoral. It is illegal because every day contracts are being signed that both parties know at that time will not be fulfilled as written. Oral agreements for 'looks' and 'reviews' convert what purports to be a legal document into a bone of contention. It is immoral because to demand confiscatory terms from an exhibitor, with the knowledge that he is wholly unable to pay same, is equivalent to and no less reprehensible than the actions of a thief in burglaring the box-office. It is inevitable that righteousness and decency must eventually triumph. Otherwise this great industry, as we now know it, will completely disintegrate. The most reasonable solution, and one for which our Indiana unit has been fighting, will be the return of autonomy to branch managers, so they will be cloaked with authority to make deals based on their customers' ability to pay. I feel that when these managers are elevated from the present 'office-boy' status and restored to the dignity which they once enjoyed, this action will go far in resolving our present chaotic condition." (Continued on bac\ page)