Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1955)

Iotion Picture Daily Monday, December 5, 1955 rV Getting Great Big Bite 3f "Conqueror" Budget TV Today jHEY'RE for TV in selling "The Conqueror": Terry Turner, General Teleradio conVJjtalfant; Frank Shakespeare, WCBS-TV general sales manager, and Perry Lieber, RKO A adio executive. Television, as a medium for the romotion of theatrical motion pic'10llrares, has done some remarkable :things. In a history-making campaign several years ago, a reissue MPf RKO's 1933 "King Kong" was romoted for a gross that exceeded hat of the original release — and it m't being unkind to suggest that not Fay Wray, was responible. Today all the major comanies regard the TV medium as | ne of the foremost selling tools ! nd, at times, with certain humrum effect. j With that in mind, RKO, with tactically the same team that did he "King Kong" job, has designed . campaign for its forthcoming loward Hughes' $6,000,000 theatical spectacular, "The Conqueror," 1 hat undoubtedly will be creating iew variations on the theme of TV iromotion. The men behind the job .re Perry Lieber, head of advertisng, publicity and exploitation, ind Terry Turner, a special conultant on the campaign but who vas RKO's exploitation manager it the time of the reappearance of 'King Kong." "The Conqueror" is scheduled to lave simultaneous world premieres it the end of January in 20 world :apitals, ranging from Washington o Rome, Bangkok and Sydney, and ;ach for the benefit of a prominent ocal charity. On hand for each of -hese galas will be special teams vhich will film and tape-record the events which, in turn, will form the basis for the encompassing TV and radio campaign accompanying the film's openings in key U. S. cities in February. The major share of the radio campaign will be via the General Teleradio stations, while the TV campaign will go to General Teleradio stations and to hundreds of others such as the CBS-TV flagship station in New York. In addition, Mr. Lieber and Mr. Turner, who have about one-third of the total "Conqueror" promotion budget of $1,300,000 to devote to TV radio, plan to utilize a wide variety of programs for both promotion and direct advertising. News commentators, women's programs, sportscasters, fashion shows and variety programs will be used to pinpoint various facets of the film to particular audiences. The domestic premiere of "The Conqueror" in Washington next month will follow another unique event: the first telethon ever produced for the sale of tickets to a motion picture opening. The telethon, over WTOP-TV, the CBS Washington outlet, will feature prominent Government and diplomatic figures who will be plugging a charity cause and not so indirectly the motion picture in question. Who's Where NBC today names five new vicepresidents: MICHAEL H. DANN, program sales; MATTHEW J. CULLIGAN, national sales director; JULES HERBUVEAUX, general manager of WNBQ-WMAQ; WALTER SCOTT, national sales manager, and MORT WERNER, national programs. JOHN H. MITCHELL, vice-president in charge of the ABC television network, and DON DURG1N, similarly in charge for the radio network, have been named to the 1956 March of Dimes National Radio-Television Committee. WORTHINGTON MINER TV Today Jelev'is'ion Jo day THERE'LL ALWAYS BE A LIVE SHOW, SAYS MINER by FLOYD STONE To Worthington "Tony" Miner there always will be a live show. Producer of "Medic" and "Frontier," known for "Studio One" and others, a maker of programs unique for NBC — and incidentally, a skilled user of the motion picture — Mr. Miner is convinced there is room in television for film, and always for "live." "Try to explain what happens on an opening night in the theatre, to the actors, to the directors, and to the audience. It is the same in TV. You have an atmosphere which is electric, the actors accumulate momentum, they have vibrancy which in the pictures is too difficult to duplicate. There are little slips, and they help TV only." According to Mr. Miner there never was in pictures a variety show with the intimacy and the spontaneity of one which is live; nor opera — which in TV is "vital" and needs no dubbing nor pre-dubbing. He is all for hour and one half shows, now that spectaculars have educated us to one hour shows ; and he feels the ultimate, toward which we are moving, is the evening entertainment thesis. One highly absorbing program, as in the theatre. Believability is another belief, whatever the program. "Medic" is realism; some of his others are not so drastic ; the denominator is truth or its simulation, and this does not have to have tears. Some programs suffer because spectators, not believing, listen to the commercial, also not believing. And he doesn't believe in cycles. "There is room on the medium for everything these days." Taste is always changing, in any event. "I have had criticism of 'Medic' That was last year. Much less now. Doctors like it now. Most critics are negative. They begin to be absurd. There never is a public clamour. Sincerity is the measure. I will leave taste in the hands of network management, which I believe is competent." Writers have in television their metier, he comments. For one thing, in television they are notable. They receive credits. People want to know ivho wrote a play. There is in television a fulfillment. And in pictures?" "More money. But if they're left out of the credits, it doesn't seem to be minded." Not resolved and an obstacle in use of the film for the desired one hour and a half show is the problem of dealing financially with writers and such, for reiterative television usage, Mr. Miner said. GEORGE T. SHUPERT, president of ABC Film Syndication, Inc., has announced the following appointments: JOHN B. BURNS, vicepresident in charge of national sales; WILLIAM L. CLARK, vicepresident in charge of western sales; RICHARD P. MORGAN, vice-president in charge of business affairs. JAMES E. DUFFY has been named account executive in the ABC-TV central sales division, it was announced by JAMES BEACH, division sales director. BERNARD TABAKIN has been named director of national sales for National Telefilm Associates, and CY KAPLAN has joined the firm as eastern director of national sales. ARCHIBALD U. BRAUNFELD has been named comptroller of the company. TELEVISION TODAY— Editorial Director: Charles S. Aaronson; Eastern Editors: Pinky Herman, Vincent Canby; Hollywood: William R. Weaver, Samuel D. Berns; Washington: J. A. Otten; London: Peter Burnup; Photo Editor: Floyd E. Stone. YOUR PICK OF TWO GREAT LIBRARIES FOR STOCK FOOTAGE FILM DIVISION MARCH OF TIME LICENSE FEE PER 35MM FOOT NBC LIBRARY MARCH OF TIME 1.00 Local TV One-Time Use 1.50 1.00 Network TV One-Time Use 2.50 2.50 Single Film Short Subjects 2.50 Unlimited use TV or NON-TV 2.50 TV Sales Commercial 2.50 5.00 Feature Picture for Theatrical 5.00 Release Quantity discounts available For detailed rate card, or any further information, address: TED MARKOVIC. SUPERVISOR NBC FILM DIVISION LIBRARY 105 EAST 106 th STREET NEW YORK 20. N. Y. CIRCLE 7-8300 EXT. 3438 B. EHMANN NBC FILM EXCHANGE SUNSET & VINE. HOLLYWOOD. CAL. HOLLYWOOD H-6161. EXT. 640