Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1956)

8 Motion Picture Daily Lewis Says Showmanship Forum Planned by TO A (Continued from page 1) diet what the result would be should there be no increase of exhibitor support to the campaign, he said "there may be a sizeable decrease of future advertising and exploitation or other steps taken to remedy the situation." Lewis said his aim was "to level with the major exhibitors" who have highly criticized rather than supported the million-dollar promotional campaigns carried out for "Alexander the Great" and "Trapeze." $600,000 for 'Trapeze' He declared "the major problem is not in spending a large amount of money to promote the film or films but in signing commitments that involve over $500,000. We made commitments in national advertising, posters and general promotion on 'Trapeze' totaling $600,000 and this is of more concern to us than the overall advertising total. Why should we commit ourselves when we fail to have the support of exhibitors one way or the other on what we are trying to do?" Lewis said considerable comment to date coming from the major exhibitors has been critical in nature while "there has been a complete lack of support or approval of what we are trying to achieve. There was some good comment received by the national magazines on the 'Trapeze' campaign but our office failed to hear any responses from exhibitors how they felt about the situation." Asks "What Is Over-Selling?" It was his belief that the criticism to date "has been aimed directly at our possibilities of over-selling films but exactly what does over-selling mean? Who knows the distinguishing line or the point where we know whether or not we are over-selling a film? No one, not even the exhibitors, has offered to answer that question and so it eventually rests upon our judgment." The United Artists executive labeled the "Trapeze" promotional program as the "test case" to determine exhibitor interest and said "steps will be taken one way or the other later to determine exactly what kind of programs should be carried out or if they should be limited." He declined to say whether or not the national pre-selling campaigns would be cut but he warned "if there is no exhibitor support, cutting our expenditures is the most likely thing." Says They're Taken for Granted He charged that "exhibitors take the promotional and national pre-selling campaigns for granted and they had better begin supporting them or they will find themselves without it." It was his opinion that the preselling campaigns work for the industry, bringing the theatre into attention and restoring the popularity of films to the public. But, he added, "promotion campaigns are waged to sell films and the campaigns lose their importance if there is no exhibitor interest." (Continued from page 1) forthcoming Windy City convention. Blank and Reade stated that the TOA pre-convention meeting will be restricted to members of exhibition. They pointed out that "there will be no collaboration with any distribution committees working on the same problems," but said that there were some possibilities of meetings with distributors following the forum. Points to Rebuffs' Reade indicated that any meeting which may take place with representatives of distribution concerning a collaboration and possible merging of efforts to find ways and means of stimulating the box office would have to be instigated by the film companies as exhibition has "been rebuffed" in its recent calls for an industry conference. He said that if distribution comes up with any good, new ideas, "they will have to sell us now." However, both TOA officials, along with general counsel Herman M. Levy, and executives Claude Mundo and Joseph Alterman, agreed that any plan which would bring more people to the theatre box office should be supported. The Chicago forum, Blank stated, would bring together 40 to 50 showmen, a cross section of exhibition, to discuss ideas by which theatres could boost business. These ideas, he said, would be compiled and furnished to all registrants to the 1956 International Convention and Trade Show at the New York Coliseum, Sept. 20-25. "The convention will be the exhibitors' guarantee of taking home new methods of improving their services to their communities and of revivifying their box offices," Blank stated. Approve Credit Cards The TOA executives disclosed that they were in favor of distribution's proposal concerning theatre credit cards. Reade said that he tried such a credit card plan in one of his New Jersey drive-ins some years ago and that results were "mediocre" due to economics at that time. Blank disclosed that he currently is trying the credit card plan at his drive-in theai in Cedar Rapids, la. Blank disclosed that he has sent wire to the presidents of all dist bution companies calling for assii ance and participation in the organiz tion's convention. He asked in telegram for "Convention short re with cuts of your 1956-57 produ This type of presentation has be; very successful in the past. It is mc important that exhibitors take hor a fresh outlook for the future. V know of no more effective way th; showing them your array of prodt that will be available for them present in their communities." Urges Home Office Talks Blank said that he also has aski the sales managers to set aside oi A to two days during the TOA meetii ti time to allow for individual meetinn with TOA members at each hom office. Sales managers' reaction to til was favorable, he said. With Reade, he injected a note optimism for July and August bus ness, citing the excellent produ. which is forthcoming. VOI ft S P Goldenson (Continued from page 1) all companies now in view, and those in prospect for the remainder of the year. Goldenson conceded that the final quarter last year was not a particularly good one, but that if the final quarter this year bears out his prediction, it will be significant, nevertheless, because it will follow upon one of the most prolonged slumps that exhibitors have experienced in recent years. The AB-PT president said that current reports on business in AB-PT's theatre operations indicate that the expected upturn may be under way now, with this week adding considerable momentum to the trend. In widely separated AB-PT situations "Trapeze" opened to strong business last week, and with "The Eddy Duchin Story," "The King and I" and other strong attractions set for openings this week, and in the near future, Goldenson said he was confident that business would rapidly attain an impetus sufficient to carry it forward to healthy levels. Wants Box Office Values He expressed the opinion that many Hollywood producers at present are too preoccupied with artistic goals and the attainment of perfection in turning out the higher budgeted productions. Much of this, he suspects, is being pursued to the detriment of box office values. "Hollywood just has to get commercial," he declared. In reply to a question, Goldenson said AB-PT has a continuing interest in further diversification, particularly in the electronics field. However, no specific decisions have been made yet. Blank Calls Critics Of Theatres Stupid IB Gov't Survey vl Hollywood people who have reflected the attitude that theatre personnel are "more interested in selling popcorn than in keeping their theatres in the best possible operating conditions" were assailed here by Myron N. Blank, president of Theatre Owners of America, who called their statements and remarks "stupid." The Des Moines circuit executive said, "You can not condemn all exhibition for the actions of a few. There are good and bad exhibitors. Ninetynine per cent of all U. S. theatremen are interested in getting more people into their theatres and keeping their houses in the best operating condition is one way of doing so." al Install New Equipment At Sutton For 'Moby' A wide-screen as well as stereophonic sound equipment are being installed at the Sutton Theatre which, with the Criterion Theatre, will offer the dual New York premiere engagement of Warner Bros.' film version of Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" on Wednesday. Work on the new screen and sound track installation has been in progress for six weeks at the Sutton. Producer-director and screenplay author John Huston and Gregory Peck, who stars as Captain Ahab in the Technicolor presentation, meanwhile, will share honors with Natalie Wood, Michael O'Shea and Tom Fransden as co-emcees at the Hollywood premiere of the film tonight at the Pantages Theatre. The stars will assist Art Linkletter in interviewing and introducing the screen and industrial leaders who attend. ( Continued from page 1 ) business for the year as a whole wi ^ be above 1955. This prediction was contained i the department's semi-annual surve of the outlook for major industrie g( Commerce Department film chi< Nathan D. Golden prepared the poi tion on the film industry. "The outlook for the second ha: is brighter by comparison with th first half-year's business," the surve said with respect to the film industrj It predicted that gross box-office r<; ceipts for 1956 would be some foii to five per cent above the 1955 tots of $1,300,000,000. Foreign remittances for U. S. conj panies this year will total about $210) 000,000, the survey said. It gave nl figure for 1955 remittance total. Th last estimate commerce published fq the 1955 remittance figure was $200; 000,000. As a major reason for the strengtl in domestic business, the survey cite< figure for 1955 remittance total. .1 London Likes 'Trapeze* LONDON, July 1-A record open ing day gross of $3,280 at the Odeon Marble Arch, for the opening q Hecht-Lancaster's "Trapeze"; was re ported by United Artists. The film i; being shown five times daily rathej1 than the usual four. Harling in TOA Post Philip M. Harling, an executive Fabian Theatres, has been named di rector of convention finances for th| 1956 TOA International Conventioi and Trade Show, it was announce< by Myron N. Blank, TOA president 1