Harrison's Reports (1958)

Entered ae second-class mailer January 1, 1321, at the post office at New Yorl;, New York, under the acl ui .March 3, 187S. Harrison's Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by ... .„ Harrison's Reports, Inc., United States $15 00 New Yopk 2Q N y Publisher U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 „ . 1Rt.n _, . _ . _ P. S. HARRISON, Editor Canada 16.50 a Motion Picture Reviewing Service AL pjcouLT Mexico. Cuba, Spain 16.50 Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors ManaWins Editor Great Britain 17.50 Australia, New Zealand, Established July 1, 1919 India, Europe, Asia 17.50 its 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. XL SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1958 No. 46 A SIGNIFICANT EXHIBITOR CONFERENCE On Friday morning, as this issue went to press, between 150 and 200 prominent exhibitors from all parts of the country, including representatives of all the principal exhibitor organizations, were scheduled to convene in New York City at a meeting called by Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox. This meeting was set up by Mr. Skouras in response to many requests that some action be taken in connection with the recent suggestions he made at both the National Allied and Theatre Owners of America conventions for more harmonious intra -industry relations to restore greatness to the business. In his letter inviting the different exhibitors to attend the conference, Mr. Skouras had this to say, in part: "The idea of a meeting stems from a resolution for an all-industry roundtable conference which was passed by the delegates to the Allied States Association convention, and sent to me by their president, Mr. Horace Adams. The members paid me the great honor of suggesting that I call such a gathering. "In my reply to Mr. Adams, however, I stated my feeling that there should be a preliminary meeting of the exhibitors, prior to a subsequent industry-wide conference, in order to set agenda and procedures. This will insure the success of the second meeting, because production and distribution executives will be informed of the results of the November 14th meeting and will then be in a better position to study and assist in whatever steps the exhibitors decide it is necessary to take. "Exhibition will also have a better opportunity to make an adequate study of, and prepare to deal with, the problems at hand. A united front of exhibition, which can emerge from the November 14th meeting, will be a better-equipped voice to meet with the leaders of production and distribution subsequently. "At the November 14th meeting I will open the proceedings, but I want to turn the conference over to the exhibitors directly, and I believe a chairman should be selected from the floor to preside over the day's activities. At this meeting also a time and place can be determined for the mixed meeting of exhibitors, producers and distributors which will follow. My own feeling is that such a meeting should be held in an off-place, away from New York. "I am very impressed by the suggestion of Mr. Adams that the general industry meeting be chaired by a distinguished American not connected with motion pictures, such as Justice William Douglas or someone of similar stature. "It is my deep conviction that the November 14th meeting and the mixed meeting which will come later must be held in a climate of confidence and mutual respect. Only in this atmosphere can we lead to the creation and development of one industry organization that will serve as a forum for all of us with present, or pending, or as yet unborn problems. "On the success of these meetings lies our only hope for bringing about a movement to re-establish the health and pre-eminence of the entertainment industry. By a united front of exhibitors, producers and distributors, I am convinced this can be achieved. "This is the time which will decide whether our industry lives and prospers, or withers and dies." There can be no question that Spyros Skouras, with a sincerity that is typical of his constant efforts to insure the survival of the motion picture business, has performed another great and constructive industry service in bringing the exhibitor leaders of the country together for what he calls "a preliminary meeting . . . prior to a subsequent industry-wide conference," in order to set agenda and procedures and, if possible, achieve a united exhibitor front before meeting with the representatives of production and distribution. Achievement by exhibition of a unified approach to the problems that face it is indeed desirable and necessary, for without such unity it is doubtful if much can be accomplished in a round-table conference with production-distribution. There is no dodging the fact, however, that such unity will not be easy of achievement, for in the all-important area of trade practices there is a sharp division of interests between the smaller exhibitors, of whom National Allied is representative, and the large circuit operators, of whom TO A is representative. Under current sales policies and trade practices, the smaller exhibitors, particularly the subsequentruns, have been and are being forced to the wall because the relatively few pictures that are doing outstanding business are not made available to them while they are reasonably fresh in the public's mind. The large circuit theatres, which naturally are favored by the distributors, not only get these pictures while they are new and fresh, but they also are given the opportunity to milk them dry through extended runs and moveovers, thus further diminishing their boxoffice potential in the smaller subsequent-run theatres. To remain in business, the smaller exhibitors need a break on the outstanding box-office pictures, because the ordinary pictures frequently do not draw enough patronage to meet expenses. (Continued on bac\ page)