Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

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10 Motion Picture Daily Friday, March 25, 1955 Youngstein (Continued from page 1) A A to Invest $25,000,000 (Continued from page 1) Sheraton-Astor on April 19th, it was announced. Elected as vice-presidents for the coming year were Marvin Kirsch, Milton Livingston, Sol Rissner, Norman Robbins, Cy Seymour, Robert K. Shapiro, Jack Weissman, Al Wilde and Lou Wolff. Trustees Elected Jack Hoffberg was elected treasurer ; David Kelton, secretary, and Burton Robbins, chaplain. Elected as trustees were Max Blackmail, Julius Collins, Harold Danson, Leo Jaffa, Moses L. Kove, Joseph Maharam, Louis Novins, and Arthur H. Schwartz. Elected as delegates' to the Metropolitan council of B'nai B'rith were Livingston, Hoffberg, Martin Levine and Jack Levin with John Trubin, Sheldon Goidell, Weissman and Norman Robbins as alternates. Elected as delegates to the District Grand Lodge convention of B'nai B'rith to be held at the Hotel Concord in May were Shapiro, Hoffberg, Levine and Youngstein, with Levin and S.. Arthur Glixon as alternates. Burton Robbins and Youngstein are automatically delegates to the council. 'Sports Smoker Night' Held A feature of the evening at the Hotel Sheraton Astor last night was the showing of the official 1954 World Series films and a discussion by Jack Lavalle, scout of the New York Giants. The evening was billed as a "Sports Smoker Night." tions on the production investments by the company saying that "exhibition will dictate the number of films to be produced" within a specificperiod by giving the product ready lor distribution "the proper playing time." The film company may cut its production schedule to 12 months, Broidy said, "if we get the play which has been indicated to us by exhibitors with whom I've talked." Broidy is currently touring the country meeting with groups of exhibitors. Unless Allied Artists can secure better playing time in certain theatres in certain situations about the country, Steve Broidy, president of AA, yesterday stated that "we may sue for divorce." According to a company spokesman, it is understood that Broidy's inference can be assumed to mean that AA will ask the government to look into the distribution of product in these situations unless AA gets better bookings in these theatres. Broidy, in addressing some 165 industry officials, said, "We are grateful for the support given us by other companies. We are now ready to do the job ourselves." The $25,000,000 roster of pictures which AA will produce and release, does not include the previously announced 34 films which the company will offer to exhibition during 1955, I the motion picture executive stated at I the close of the meeting. Leonard Goldenson, president of American Broadcasting Paramount Theatres, in introducing Broidy, declared that "Allied Artists has a tough job in breaking through the 'magic circle' in the industry." By using the term "magic circle," Goldenson explained that he referred to the major distributors dealings with exhibition for playing time. Sees 'Great Injustice' Goldenson stated that "unless exhibitors encourage AA or other independent producing organizations to attain the same opportunities given to the major companies, we as exhibitors are doing a great injustice to ourselves. We need competition and not limited sources of product." Goldenson said all exhibition welcomes the opportunity of joining in helping A A to attain its proper stature in the industry as the company is trying to do an outstanding job. The ABPT president commended William F. Rodgers, former M-G-M sales head and now a consultant and advisor to AA in saies matters, for helping Allied Artists in its efforts "to attain a place in the sun." Broidy, in reviewing some of his company's past history, declared that "we have tried to break the 'magic circle' 10 years ago and we took a beating of a lifetime then. Exhibitors know we have good product but we couldn't secure the playing time. 'We Are Now Prepared' "It took a tragedy and holocast in the industry to give AA an opportunity to get proper playing time when the 'fewer but better films' policy began. We are now prepared to give exhibition top pictures. I am pulling no punches and mincing no words in saying so." Broidy gave a resume of the pictures to be made at the AA studios, and said that William Wyler's first AA production will begin around July 15, Billy Wilder will start a film for AA in November, Jose Ferrer will begin production between Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and John Huston's "Man Who Would Be King" would start in January, 1956, with Walter Wanger's "The Body Snatchers" to begin soon. Fully Equipped, He Says "All we ask exhibition is to invest in the future of Allied Artists by affording our product some playing time," Broidy said. "We are equipped now to serve all of your needs," he said. At the head table of the meeting were : Goldenson, Broidy, Rodgers, Edward Morey, vice-president and assistant to the president ; Norton Ritchie, president of Allied Artists International Corp. ; Alfred Crown, vice-president and liaison officer ; John C. Flinn, director of advertising and publicity ; Roy Brewer, manager of branch operations ; Earl Revoir, assistant treasurer; Lloyd Lind, manager of special services ; and Harry Goldstein, director of exploitation. Boycott TV Films PITTSBURGH, March 24.— Theatremen attending the final session of Western Pennsylvania Allied MPTO's convention adopted a measure to avoid theatre presentation of motion pictures that have been shown on television. Quebec (Continued from page 1) ganizations was agreed upon at the session, but formal merger will await further exploration and a study of the bvlaws of the two bodies. Starr, in his address, said that it had been his desire for many years to develop an international organization and that the affiliation of the Quebec group would be of "tremendous importance to all." The TOA leader, who was on his first visit not only to Montreal but to Canada, spoke a few words in French to the great satisfaction of Quebec's French-speaking theatre owners. He declared himself highly honored to have attended the enthusiastic meeting and wished long-life to the TOA of Quebec. Compares U.S. and Canada Starr, discussing at length the problems faced by independent operators both in the U.S. and Canada, devoted a major portion of his speech to exhibitor-distributor relations. In Quebec, of course, he declared, the exhibitors are currently feeling the full impact of competition from television, while in the U.S., he declared, TV saturation seems to have been reached. The situation in the U.S., Starr went on, is that patrons are visibly returning to theatres, with installment-bought TV sets now paid up. Starr told Quebec operators to use ingenuity in programming and not to depend entirely on "heavily publicized films," maintaining that often seemingly "humble" films prove better draws at the box-office than "highly touted productions." Elect Tabah Head Of Quebec TOA MONTREAL, March 24. — E. N. Tabah, of the Montrose Theatre, Montreal, was reelected president of the recently-formed Theatre Owners Association of Quebec at the first annual meeting of the organization here yesterday. Ed Gauthier of the Rio of Sorel, was elected first vice-president ; Albert Berthiaume of Capri Theatre, Montreal, second vice-president; and Joseph H. Strauss of Empire, Montreal, was elected president of the executive committee. Mayer Speech . (Continued from page 1) fine programs on television and many fine personalities. These stars will continue to have a following, provided they can maintain the pace. However, burning up material as television does, their problem is far greater than is ours, with our quality of product." Concerning color television, Mayer said, "It will have its effect, certainly, but, I believe, only momentarily and of a rather short duration. Jane Wyman presented the awards to the cinema editors who will be candidates for the Academy Awards to be announced on Wednesday night. The editors honored are Ralph Dawson for "The High and the Mighty," William A. Lyon and Henry Batista for "The Caine Mutiny," Gene Milford for "On the Waterfront," Elmo Williams for "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," Ralph Winters for "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and Lynn Harrison and Grant Smith for "Operation Undersea." PRODUCERS-Small, Medium or Large WIDE SCOPE WITH Anamorphic Lenses for ALL Professional Cameras Nominal rental rates based on production cost. • Has same aspect ratio (2.66 to 1 ) as CinemaScope. o Fits easily on 35mm Mitchell and adapts to other 35mm cameras. • Optically bench tested — gives sharp focus edge to edge. • Can focus down to 4 ft. — ideal for animation, titles, etc. • Compatible and interchange able with CinemaScope. • May also bs composed to pro ject in standard aspect ratio. Today's demand for Wide Scope pictures cannot be ignored — You MUST shoot in this new medium or your films are outdated. VISTARAMA releases are projected through all anamorphic theatre lens systems such as Bausch & Lomb (CinemaScope), Bell & Howell, HiluxVal, Cinematic IV, Tushinsky, Vidoscope, Gottschalk, etc. INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS — come in, tell us your problems and discover how easily you can be set up for Wide Scope at minimum cost. EXCLUSIVE EASTERN U.S. DISTRIBUTOR: S. 0. S. Cinema Supply Corp. s W. 52nd St., N.Y.C. Laza 7-0440 . . . Cable: SOSO 19 UND