Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

4 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, March 13, 1951 Rhoden (Continued from page 1) speaks for us on the industry level. We sit and take it and do nothing." Rhoden reviewed a number of factors that have been injurious to the industry's standing in the eyes_ of the public and pointed out indications of the industry' unwillingness or inability to counteract them. The investing public, he said, "thinks we are going down-hill. Motion picture stocks in the past five years decreased in market value from a former worth of $900,000,000 to a present worth of something over $400,000,000. Many financial spokesmen, have without challenge, made the assertion that television will mean the end of motion pictures, he pointed out, and critics and columnists through adverse and frequently unwarranted statements have contributed to the industry's bad press, often without being answered. For itself, Rhoden said, the industry has experienced a letdown of good old-fashioned press-agentry and its advertising no longer dominates popular media as it once did. While citing figures to show that over-all American advertising expenditures have more than doubled since 1940, film advertising actually has decreased in display space used, and what increase in expenditure for advertising there has been is explained by increases in rates, he said. "We have not kept pace in advertising with other lines and other industries," Rhoden said. Even the Main Street theatre today has become a "drab" thing, the Fox Midwest chief asserted. At one time, he recalled, the theatre with its animated lights was the one bright spot at night on Main Street. Today, wedged between the brighter neons of even supermarkets, "it looks drab." While many good pictures still come from Hollywood regularly, Rhoden said, "we have introduced nothing new that people can talk about." In this respect he commended 20th CenturyFox for its Showmanship Campaign of last year and 20thFox's Charles Einfeld for the scheduled-performances policy for "All About Eve." The latter, Rhoden admitted, may have had indifferent results but it did give critics and columnists something to write about with the result that the picture was highly successful in his own and many other theatres. "Distributors' advertisingpublicity departments are doing a good job within their orbit," Rhoden said, "but we must select better selling angles on the exhibitor level." Television, he suggested, should make a very effective advertising-publicity medium for theatres and, commending "The M-G-M Story," supervised by Frank Whitbeck, Rhoden said it is ideally suited to television presentation. He holds that television is not fatal competition for theatres by any means, asserting that since its introduction in the Kansas City area a year ago his theatres have experienced no decline in business. In fact, it's better, he said. Rhoden mentioned competitive bidding and earlier liquidation of pictures as among the few new things introduced in distribution in recent years, adding that he feels both are bad for the industry — bidding because it often results in putting the best picture in Saville (Continued from page 1) Quigley Publications Photo 71 /f ART IN QUIGLEY, chairman of the 17th annual Motion 1 VI Picture Herald Managers Round Table judging meeting and luncheon for the Quigley Publications' "Showmanship Competition," introduces the guest speaker, Elmer C. Rhoden, president of Fox Midwest Amusement Corp., at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria here yesterday. Rhoden is seated to the left of Quigley. They are flanked by Louis Schine of the Schine Circuit (left) and J. J. O'Connor of Universal (right). the poorest theatre and faster liquidation because it destroys some of the great value of word-of-mouth advertising. Exhibition, he said, is still using the same media, with the exception of television, for selling pictures that it used years ago. However, he paid tribute to trailers, reporting that a recent poll conducted in Kansas City theatres showed that 47 per cent of the patronage had been sold by trailers. Rhoden also pointed up the great publicity value to the industry of the annual Academy Awards. He suggested better information to exhibitors on production operations in order that exhibitors may know who is making the economically sound as well as the successful pictures. "Production must be successful if exhibition is to succeed," Rhoden said. "Waste must be eliminated in Hollywood and exhibitors should know whether production costs are all on the screen or whether a large part of them are errors to be wrung out." He commended Universal for production of successful pictures at reasonable costs and also mentioned Robert Lippert's "Steel Helmet" and Republic's "Sands of Iwo Jima" in the same category. "The industry needs to act," he concluded. "I hope the COMPO Film Festival starts next fall, as planned. We must put the circus back on the road. We must bring Hollywwood to Main Street, as we brought the Bond Shows there in the last war." Rhoden expressed his appreciation of the Managers Round Table work in promoting business on the exhibi tor level and said its importance is demonstrated by the fact that when one of his men wins the annual Quig ley Showmanship Award, "I either have to give him a promotion or someone steals him from me." He com mended Martin Quigley, the Hearld and Walter Brooks, director of Managers Round Table, for their services to the industry in inspiring managers to showmanship excellence. In introducing Rhoden, Quigley cited the Fox Midwest head's contributions to community and industry welfare as well as his successful administration of his own business. Quigley reported that this year's entries of campaigns by theatre managers in the annual Showmanship Awards constituted the largest number in the 17-year history of the competition, and that more than 3,500 current members of the Mangers Round Table also sets a new record. Quigley called for a pause by the approximately 80 luncheon guests for a silent tribute to Louis S. Lifton, advertising-publicity director of Monogram-Allied Artists, who died suddenly last Saturday in Hollywood. At the dais with Rhoden and Quigey were E. C. Grainger, Shea's Theatres ; Louis Schine, Schine Circuit ; A. W. Smith, Jr., 20th Century-Fox; J. J. O'Connor, Universal ; Oscar Doob and Ernest Emerling, Loew's. Former winners of the Quigley grand award for showmanship who were present included Charles Hacker Radio City Music Hall ; Harry Goldberg, Warners, and Lige Brien, Eagle Lion Classics. Distribution and theatre advertising publicity executives served as judges of the campaign entries. Their ballots will be tabulated during the week and winners will be announced at the end of the week. The judges for the Showmanship Awards were: PAUL ACKERMAN, advertising and publicity director, Paramount International Films, Inc.; LEON BAMBERGER, sales promotion manager, RKO Radio Pictures; EMIL BERNSTECKER, district manager, Wilby-Kincey Theatres; DAVID BLUM, publicity director1, Loew's International Corp.; SID BLUMENSTOCK, advertising director, Paramount Pictures; LIGE BRIEN, exploitation manager, Eagle Lion Classics; RICHARD BROUS, legal department, Fox Midwest; DENNIS CARLIN, advertising manager, Republic Pictures; MILTON E COHEN, general sales manager, Eagle Lion Classics; SAMUEL COHEN, foreign publicity director, United Artists; RICHARD DE ROCHEMONT, The March of Time; OSCAR A. DOOB, general theatre executive, Loew's Theatres; the interests of his forthcoming independent production activity. The post-war hostility which was. evident in some quarters a few years ago when foreign film industries opposed invasion by Hollywood, even in the form of location troupes, has vanished, Saville stated. "Stage space, camera equipment, and other production facilities are readily available in England and in Italy in particular, and are obtainable in almost every country in Europe," the producer-director said. "In addition, they offer several advantages, including a lot of spectacular scenery that has not been worn out as screen backgrounds. And of course it is very easy to find bit and character players who are experienced actors and yet haven't worn out their welcome on the American screen." Saville made preliminary arrangements to film "The Director," his forthcoming independent film, in Ireland. Before he left England he completed, in collaboration with L.A.G. Strong, Irish novelist, the screenplay for this picture which is based on a story by Strong. In addition, Saville has launched pre-production activity on several other independent projects, including "Order of Release," and "I'm Going to Maxime's," the latter to be filmed in Paris. He will also remake his 1936 production, "Storm in A Teacup." licity department, Loew's Theatres; STEVE EDWARDS, director of advertising and publicity, Republic Pictures; ERNEST EMERLING, advertising publicity director, Loew's Theatres; LYNN FARNOL; MELVIN L. GOLD, director of advertising and publicity, National Screen Service; HARRY GOLDBERG, advertising and publicity director, Warner Bros. Circuit; LARRY GRABURN, advertising director, Odeon Theatres of Canada.; E. C. GRAINGER, president, M. A. Shea Theatrical Enterprises; BEN H. GRIMM, advertising manager, RKO Radio Pictures; CHARLES HACKER, administrative assistant, Radio City Music Hall; WILLIAM J. HEINEMAN vice-president in charge of distribution, United Artists; B. G. KRANZE, vicepresident in charge of national distribution, Eagle Lion Classics; TED LAZARUS, advertising manager, Eagle Lion Classics; HOWARD LESIEUR, national director of advertising and publicity, Eagle Lion Classics; HENRY A. LINET, sales promotion' manager, Universal International; LARRY LIPSKIN, foreign publicity director, Columbia; JEFF LIVINGSTON, Eastern advertising manager, Universal International. Also GEORGE LYNCH, head film buyer, Schine Circuit; HARRY McWILLIAMS, exploitation manager, Columbia; HARRY MANDEL, national director of advertising and publicity, RKO Theatres; SIDNEY MESIBOV, director of expliotation, Paramount Pictures; SEYMOUR MORRIS, advertising and publicity director, Schine Theatre Circuit; JAMES R. NAIRN, director of publicity and public relations, Famous Players Canadian; RUTGERS NEILSON, foreign publicity director, RKO Radio Pictures; JOHN J. O'CONNOR, vice-president, Universal International; JERRY PICKMAN, acting national advertising and publicity director, Paramount Pictures; DON PRINCE, director of publicity, RKO Radio Pictures; HARLAND RANKIN, Rankin Enterprises, Canada; ELMER RHODEN, president Fox Midwest Amusement Corp.; WILLIAM F. RODGERS, vice president, Loew's; JONAS ROSENFIELD, advertising manager, 20th Century-Fox; SIDNEY SCHAEFER, director of media and printed advertising, Columbia; LOUIS W. SCHINE, secretarytreasurer, Schine Circuit; CHARLES SCHLAIFER; SILAS F. SEADLER advertising manager, Loew's: MILTON SILVER, executive assistant, Republic PicturesGEORGE SKOURAS, president, Skouras Theatres; A. W. SMITH, Jr., vice president, 2H*h CenturyFox; DAN TERRELL, director of exploitation, Loew's; PHIL WILLIAMS, sales manager. The March of Time; FRANCIS M. WINIKUS advertising manager, United Artists, and MAX E. YOUNGSTEIN, vice president and national director of advertising and EDWARD C. DOWDEN, advertising-pubpublicity United Artists,