Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1947)

OfUJS DIGfSI Bi 'Weekly Reoiew of the Trade's Eoents Top, N. Peter Ratlivon, president of RKO Ka<li«, adrtressing the <'<>nipaii.v'!< annual convention at tlie Waldorf-Astoria in New York, July 9-11. At left is Ned Depinet. executive vicepresident in charge of distribution. Below, frcni left, Dore Schar.v, head of pnMluction; Uathvon, Depinet, and Robert Mm'hrie. gene/al sales manager. Spyros P. Skonra-s, president of '2l)tli (entur.vPi>\, telling the |)ress about the new distribution arrangement with Sir .Alexander Korda. At SkiiiuMs' left is Morris Helprin. Korda's Niw ^ iir ii n iire.sentative. Mrs. Kleanor Roosevelt accept, the Brussels World Film Festival awar<l given to "The K<M>sevelt Story" via trans-oceanic broadcast with .Mary .Margaret McBride a,s emcee. Martin Irvine, co-producer, is in the background. MINIMUM Of 36 FOR RKO RADIO ^'^ features on RKO Radios 1947-48 season ,it was ansaTes convenUoi fn ^"'""v ' f f "^'^•'^ vice-president at the company's sixteenth, annual S Slerof which 90 't'' The listing revealed by Depinet revealed 00 titles, of which 20 are complete, six shooting and three being edited. At least ten independent producers will contribute 15 features to the new feason's program' it w^s P.th/TilV°"w^''^' distribute eight-five short subjects, and 104 issues of RKO pi^gL . which'!"nch?Jp i' RKO short subjects sales manager, announced that the ZTn I' I '"eludes 13 more subjects than the 1946-47 season, V7ill consist of 18 Disney cartoon shorts m Technicolor, plus six Disney cartoon reissues; four two-reel do^^ story shorts; six two reelers each of the Edgar Kennedy and Leon Errol series 13 This Is America releases; 13 Sportscopes; seven Flicker Flashbacks; four two-reel Ray Whit Iwo-Te^f spectarsrbjS ^^•^^^^^= ^^^^ Rank to Make Two The list of feature films shows 43 titles to be made by RKO Studios inrludine six Z tlZ'^iuie'Zr"'' — Of the productions from outside ^roduc rnr.; ; i f o ^^^^^e^'-it'O" ^ith J. Arthur Rank (cne in England); three will R.Tnn^w P ^^l^^^''^: ''^^ Walt Disney and one each from Leo McCarey's Rainoow Productions, Lasky-MacEwen, Hakim Bros., Independent Artists; Argosv P cnim.n T <both John Ford-Merian C. Cooper), and Sol Lesser. One Frederic iniman, Jr., production will be made in New York. Outside this country, in addition to the J. Arthur Rank Technicolor production of Ivannoe in England, three will be made in Mexico at the Churubusco Studios, and one will be a French import, Rene Clair's "Man About Town" starring Maurice Chevalier The four-day session featured sales talks, separate division meetings and screenings of the new product. Talks by Robert Mochrie, general sales manager who presided after Depinet opened the convention, and James Mulvey, president of Goldwyn Productions, Highlighted the sessions. Mochrie revealed that grosses for the first half of 1947 are over the same period last year. Mulvey Calls Runs, Clearance Obsolete Mulvey predicted that the present system of runs and clearances will soon be obsolete and be replaced by a new system of simultaneous release. He called on the industry "to recognize that the whole public is entitled to see our pictures just as soon as possible, rather than to wait for the courts or public opinion to force us into that position." He attacked the system where pictures are "sold at identical prices regardless of differences in quality" where "one picture gets a 'free ride' on the strength of another." Mulvey also called for a "revival" of showmanship on the part of exhibitors. The Sioux Falls branch, under Sherman Fitch, was first prize winner of the 1947 Ned Depinet Drive. The Minneapolis, Denver and Chicago branches were runners-up in that order. ♦ • * OHIO ITO GETS SHOWMANSHIP PLEAS Citing record high production costs, Andy W. Smith, Jr., 20th-Fox general sales manager, told delegates at the ITO of Ohio convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, last week, that the only way to meet these increased costs is to utilize every ounce of showmanship in selling the picture to their audiences. He termed this effort one of mutual benefit to exhibitors and distributors, noting, "It is obvious that if film companies are to stay in business they must recoup their negative cost and the only source of that revenue is at the boxofRce." Smith cited figures which showed labor costs up 57 per cent since 1942, talent increases up to 129 per cent and "better directors have received a 134 per cent increase in the past five years." He claimed increased quality with the higher costs. Myers Takes Exception Allied chief counsel A. F. Myers took exception to the 20th-Fox executive's mountting costs remarks, noting dryly that judging from published profits reports, with production dov.n to about half in the past year, producing companies have managed to stay free of adverse effects of the increased costs. Smith also outlined his new sales plan and informed that the New Haven experiment was proceeding v/ith 25 theatres eligible and seven of those in deals with the company. H. M. Richey, M-G-M promotion head, was another advocate of increased showmanship on the part of exhibitors. He said that competition is due to be increased through regulation of the industry, whether it be by auction bidding or some other method, and that "the fellow who thinks the business owes him a living is strictly out cf luck." "Good Chance" of Fed. Tax Repeal National Allied Board chairman Myers vouchsafed his belief that the Federal tax on theatre admissions has a "good chance" of being repealed on the basis of having the industry classified as dealing in communication, giving it the same standing as newspapers. Re-elected without opposition were Martin G. Smith, who was returned as president for his 18th term; C. W. Huss. Jr., first vice-president, and Leo Kessel, treasurer. Heniy Gieenberger of Cleveland was named to the new post of second vice-president. The board of directors was re-elected, with the addition of Roy Russell of Millersburg and Roy Wells of Dayton. (Continued on Page 10) JULY 21, 1947 7