Harrison's Reports (1962)

Batoned as second-class matter Januarj I, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of Marah 3, 1879. Harrison's Reports Yearly Satecrrption Rates: Pnblished Weekly by United States $17.00 Harrison's Reports, Inc., U. S. InsnhiT Possessions... 19.00 Canada and Mexico 19.00 A Motlon FictuTe Reviewing Service iSOO Broadway Other Countries 19.50 New York 19, N. Y. 45c a Copy Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors COlumbus 5-4434 Established July 1, 1919 Martin Starr, Editor A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XLIV SATURDAY, MAY 26, 1962 No. 20 Movie Morals Stand Test Whatever the ailments of the motion picture industry, and never in its turbulent history has it been beset by so many as in these days, it never had to face up to the scathing nature of Washington probing that the television industry has just gone through. The Senators were investigating the abundance of crime, violence and sex that were riding a great deal of the Tv programming " via all the three networks " like a mesmerized child an ever-revolving merry-go-round. The hearings, to be sure, were part of the overall investigation of the state of juvenile delinquency in which our nation finds itself. That Hollywood had reason to follow these Senatorial hearings, " which (on and off) was in progress for nearly a year, " is easy to perceive. Crime, vio' lence and sex are also some of the stronger skeins out of which many a motion picture pattern is woven. But, the difference in the use, of the two media, if you followed the proceedings, are like day and night. And, that's because Hollywood picture making is not dependent, as is Tv, on just a handful of decisionmakers who have the unbelievable power to rule as to what goes into the homes of the nation's viewers or what goes into the wastebasket because it lacks the explosives of rating'risings. Sex, Violence, Crime Ride Tv Waves Under sworn testimony, the Senate investigation brought out that the writers, the directors, the actors are just coolies who don't have to put on a clean shirt of morals everytime they take on a Tv chore in their respective ends of the creative business. Just how much sex, violence and hair-raising crime is to be put into a script is decided by the commercial sponsor (or his agency representative) perhaps the program director, and in the final analysis, when the viewing audiences don't seem to respond, the president of the network takes matters in hand to hypo the ratings. The injection of "broads, bosoms and fun" into sexless, innocently nice shows was as common as a narcotic-craving victim caught in the convulsive throes of a lift via a shot-in -the-arm. In fact, one Tv major-domo built his reputation on this nature of audience-hypoing prescription, "broads, bosoms, etc." As soon as it caught on, the other networks adapted the formulae. It had a listener lollipopping alchemy in it that made the films' morals-controlled pablum taste like the baby-bottling weanings of grandma's days by comparison. To be sure, all the three Tv networks had to give quite an accounting to the Senatorial investigating committee. (Continued on Bac\ Page) 201 li1 ox. AB-PT Report In some quarters of Wall Street Nostradamusing, it is felt that the first quarter of a year can be considered as a reasonable barometer for the remainder of the year. Weather, the national economy, industrial operations throughout the nation can set the sights ahead. Thus, the annual stockholders meetings of 20th Century-Fox Film Corp., and American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, held recently (and in the same hours by some odd timing) proved that some of the economic storm that has engulfed the industry may have begun to spend itself. The first quarter in film rental revenues (1962) showed a slight improvement as compared to the same period a year ago, something like seven-hundred-thou (Continued on Bac\ Page) Old Unit Rejoins Allied States Another link has been added to the evergrowing strong chain of the Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors with the return to the national body of the Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. The move to reaffiliate was made at a meeting of the full board presided over by Neal Houfz, president of the tri-state unit. Another strong force in back of the move to join up again with the Allied States Association, is Harrison Wolcott, unit secretarytreasurer . . . The exhibitors of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota seceded from the national organization last year. Since then, as Houtz pointed out, Allied States Association has done "-a really good job." The invitation to become allied with national Allied came from Milton London, executive secretary of Allied States Association . . . The unit directors acted upon the official invite worthwith and with unanimous consent rejoined . . . There will be a concentrated drive for membership in the territories embraced by the tri-state unit. It was also announced that regional Allied officers will be established in Des Moines and Omaha. Thus, it is becoming more evident that the exhibitors of the nation appreciate that in organizational unity there is strength.—and, the more who are enrolled in state units that are linked up with the national organization, the stronger can be the overall operations of an exhibitor association like Allied States.