Harrison's Reports (1962)

124 HARRISON'S REPORTS August 11, 1962 iV.J.-IV.l7. Allied . . . (Continued from Preceding Page) of New York. McCarthy felt that the industry should not find itself too much on the defensive side of an issue. That to take a strong offensive is important. Jerome Pickman,. former vice president of Paramount Pictures in charge of domestic and Canadian distribution, dealt with the importance of keeping the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital as one of the foremost in the country. He appealed to the assembled exhibitors to do their share and make an all-out effort to help support this great institution. Pickman digressed from the charity pitch and dealt briefly with the state of the industry itself. "Our business is facing parlous times," he said. He was sure, that no matter what the challenge, the exhibitors will meet it. Pickman will continue to head up the distribution division end of the drive for funds for the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital. Marcus-COMPO Plan Makes Big Gains The Marcus (Ben) -COMPO Plan, it was admitted at the meeting, didn't quite succeed everywhere. But, the blame was put on the choice of release which was wrong for the Plan. Most areas did very well, however, because the product was right. But, it was agreed that the Marcus-COMPO Plan is one of the business building ideas that will continue to gather strength as it goes along. "It's here to stay" said some of the exhibitors. A survey of theatre advertising conducted among the showmen brought out these results: Hardly any of them use television. "Too expensive," was the general reason. Radio proved a favorite, but some exhibitors told the man from Harrisons Reports that the disk jockeys don't give some releases the dignity of handling the films need. "The disk jockey takes everything lightly. And that's not the best approach to some dramatic subjects," we were told. Newspapers still rate first when setting up an advertising campaign, it was agreed. Combined Convention All Business While conventions (state or national) are expected to be productive of explosive fireworks, this one was devoid of any unnecessary pyrotechnics. There were no heated outbursts. It was strictly business, which pleased the conventioneers. If there was any anger it was aimed at the distributors and their alleged extortionate percentages. But, from that part of the meeting the trade press was excused. To probe on our own for some of the things said behind the closed doors would have been a breach of professional etiquette in spite of the fact that there is always a friend or National Allied Coverage, Next Week The board of directors of the Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors convened for its quarterly (summer) session at the Concord Hotel, Kiamesha Lake, N. Y., a day before the New Jersey and New York units went into their annual (combined) meeting. Presided over by Marshall H. Fine, president of National Allied, it was an action-packed, resolutioncrammed session. The highlights of this meeting will be covered in next week's issue of Harrison's Reports. It promises to be an exciting story for exhibitors everywhere, no matter what their association affiliation. Exhibs9 Tv Threat... (Continued from Front Page) argue. But, in its delivery of better entertainment, finer quality shows the "vast wasteland" will still remain guilty as indicted by Newton N. Minow, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. There will still be a superfluity of westerns; a deluge of shows where violence and mayhem dominate the story; an increase in quiz shows and the other trivia that have supported the medium. Tv Snereases Movie Hours To be sure, there will be more movies, the better broadcasting hours being set aside for them now. Negotiations with some of the film companies continue for post '48 product that may bring the releases very nearly up to date with the pictures of some Tv-money hungry motion picture companies. That will be the exhibitors greatest menace,--the films his own suppliers (distributors) will be selling to the opposition, -Tv. But, when television boasts of new talents that will be trotted before the cameras, it's a joke what is written off for talent in Tv. The year ahead will not differ much from the recent ones gone by. There will be new names, new faces, maybe new program formats, but that won't necessarily mean that it will all add up to new talent. Whatever outstanding new talent that will be seen in forthcoming television shows will be the old talent that isn't being used much in pictures. The big film names continue to be Tv holdouts. They refuse to go for Tv for all the money at Fort Knox. So, there is no great cause for exhibitor worry. The costlier harm has already been done to him. The enterprising theatre operator has withstood the early onslaughts on his box office. He has rallied from the opposition. He'll never find too much to complain about, for all of Tv's threats that this is their big year. If the exhibitor gets a run of good pictures, early availabilities of the big blockbusters and gives his theatre operation a sleeves-rolled-up go-to-itness in letting his people know what he's got in his comfortable, inviting theatre, they'll respond. For, the little idiot box in the living room still has to take a back seat when comparing its entertainment impact to the wondrous, exciting, thrilling things a picture does to the emotionalities of people of all ages when within the portals of their neighborhood theatre. To be sure, this isn't going to be an easy year for the theatre operator. It will be one of challenge, a period of decision, one of redeeming results only because the exhibitor knows how to meet competition. It's the story of his whole business existence, -competition from a thousand assorted sources, Tv notwithstanding! two who is willing to help out an inquisitive reporter and spill the confidential stuff. All in all, it was a fruitful annual state convention combining the membership forces of Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey and Allied Theatre Owners of New York State. Votes of thanks were tendered William Infald, president of the former and Sidney J. Cohen, who presides over the latter. A special salute was given the convention chairman, Howard Herman.