Harrison's Reports (1962)

12 HARRISON'S REPORTS January 27, 1962 Exhibs Need Help... (Continued from Front Page) Embattled Theatre Men Helped by Allied Of the many accomplishments of this exhibitor organization of very recent times, two of them bear recalling: Because local exhibitors in New Jersey refused to play "Fanny" at the special matinee performances for children the Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey took up their cudgels and went into battle, with Warner Bros., on the hot issue. The newly elected president William Infald judiciously realized that this was a big fight and it had to be staged with big force. Infald sought the help of Marshall H. Fine, president of Allied States Association. It wasn't long ere Warner's general salesmanager, Charles Boasberg yielded (see our story Oct. 7). Many exhibitors, throughout the nation, complained about some of the phrasing in the Universal Pictures contract. Again, Fine resolved the matter amicably. U's general sales manager, Henry H. "Hi" Martin ordered rephrasing of the contract. " and so, as we get back to the exhibitors who find reason to complain as they seek relief. Alone, on such issues, the best of results cannot always be accomplished. That's why exhibitor organizations were born. They are the concentrated, almost consecrated, lifeblood of exhibition. The state heads, the national overseer (men like Fine) are dedicated to the proposition that the exhibitor's road (especially the small operator) is a hard one, an uphill climb and a most difficult one, especially these days of unsteady revenues; a dearth of product; an unstable assurance that what is released is of quality (box office) stature. Exhibitor-subscribers of Harrisons Reports know, via these columns, how often we've emphasized the necessity, yes the urgency, of theatre operators belonging to their state unit of a national exhibitor association. If we've continued to recommend the Allied States Association, it's because we've been close to their operations. We've seen what they've already accomplished for the exhibitors of the nation. We know how truly dedicated to the cause of exhibition are: Ben D. Marcus, chairman of the board of Allied States Association; Marshall H. Fine, president; Milton H. London, executive director; the other officers, the presidents of the state units. Lesson in Victory: In Xumber There's Strenyth So, it behooves the complaining exhibitors to join up with their state unit of Allied. If already a member of the local exhibitor setup, take your troubles to it. It will run interference for you. If the problem is big, the national association will swing into action. Nor will you always find the distributors to be the Simon Legrees they're pictured to be. The home office sales executives are willing to listen to reason. They're willing to arbitrate just disputes. They too know, that these are terribly challenging times. Pulling apart isn't going to help bolster the position of the film industry, nor strengthen its condition at the box office. A weak box office spells anemia for all factors involved. New, cooperative, clearer dawns loom on the horizon of our business. Brushing back the clouds of costly inter-industrial battling, raising the curtain on more understanding vistas, is your exhibitor organization. Go to it when in trouble. If you, Mr. Exhibitor, oper The battle to stop the invasion of toll-Tv is on at Little Rock, Ark. The other day, the exhibitors got a severe set-back when a Circuit Judge in Pulaski County sustained the approval of the Arkansas Public Service Commission to allow toll-Tv. Thus, the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company will provide Midwest Video with all the necessary facilities for a cable system to carry the tee-Tv programs into the homes of the subscribers. Midwest Video holds a Telemeter (Paramount subsidiary) franchise . . . The Arkansas Circuit Court ruling finds the Alabama exhibitors marshalling their forces to fight the issue all the way up to the United States Supreme Court, if no headway is made in the next exhibitor move, an appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court. «— t Paramount Pictures wants to mould a closer relationship with the exhibitors of the nation. A move the distributor hopes to wor\ out with the theatre men is the circuiting of its stars to attend, address (perhaps) and otherwiwse dress up local and state theatre owner conventions . . . More importantly. Paramount will try to time these personal appearances of the stars to their films that may be playing (or will play) on the screens of the theatres at the time of the convention-meetings ... A spokesman for Paramount told us, that these are the times when everything possible should be done to help the exhibitor. "Let's not \id ourselves," he said, "in helping the theatre operator, we're also helping ourselves." That higher revenues is a reflection of a better understanding and a more harmoni' ous wording arrangement between the seller (the distributor) and the buyer (the exhibitor) there can be no doubt, he pointed out. Herman Robbing,,. (Continued from Front Page) Robbins (groomed in the early tug-of-war days at Fox Film Corp.) knew what the film fan would respond to. He compressed into the trailers the ingredients that made for palatable "come-on" to the films to come. Both success and enviable stature have come to National Screen. But, they didn't change Herman Robbins' almost self-effacement. Like a barnacle, he continued to cling to this state of modest retirement. His is an overwhelming popularity with exhibitors. He is one of the true stalwarts of the industry. He will bring stature and dignity and the kind of profound understanding that his new post, - president of the Motion Picture Pioneers, needs. We, of Harrison's Reports, wish Herman Robbins well, indeed! ate in a territory that has no Allied unit, get some of your fellow exhibitors together and start one. It'll be for your own good. For further information write to : Milton H. London, Executive Director, Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors, 1008 Fox Building, Detroit 1, Michigan.