Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1956)

4 Motion Picture Daily Monday, November 5, . . . NEWS ROUNDUP No Pattern To Business The lack of any pattern of changing theatre business around the country was emphasized in four recent census Bureau reports comparing 1954 theatre business against 1948 business in St. Louis, Minneapolis, San Antonio, and Sacramento. In St. Louis, receipts picked up sharply during the six years for downtown theatres, picked up slightly for suburban theatres and dropped sharply in other neighborhoood theatres. In Minneapolis, receipts dropped slightly in downtown theatres, fell off sharply in neighborhood theatres and picked up in suburban houses. In Sacramento, receipts increased in all categories— some in the downtown theatres, more in the neighborhood theatres and still more in the suburban areas. In San Antonio, receipts fell downtown, but picked up sharply in neighborhood and outlying theatres. ■ To Screen W B Featurette A special screening of Warner Bros.' "Chasing the Sun," a four-reel film in Wamercolor, will be held under the auspices of the Air Transport Association for leading state and city dignitaries, top Air Force officials and industry executives, leading exhibitors in the Southeast, newspaper publishers and radio and television representatives, at the Hotel McAllister in Miami on Wednesday. ■ Gable To Be on Television United Artists' publicity campaign for Buss-Field's CinemaScope production of "The King and Four Queens" will be carried to a national television audience of 32,000,000 on Nov. 25 when the Ed Sullivan Show broadcasts a specially-filmed feature presenting Clark Gable, star of the film. This marks Gable's first tv appearance. Allied Conclave Agenda Set **************** * * * * * HAWAII HOLIDAY! * * * * * * **************** 7 days -$469.50 from New York, plus tax, including hotel and air fart Fly United DC-7s, world's fastest airliners, ALL First Class, or DC-6Bs, ALL Air Coach. 2-abreast seating comfort on all Mainlined flights. UNITED AIR LINES ( Continued ton Hotel in Dallas, Nov. 27-29. The 1956 convention of the national exhibitor group will honor Col. H. A. Cole for his "40 years of devotion to the film industry and Allied." Robert Morrell, convention coordinator, who is also an official of the S&S Amusement Corp. here, said that more than 10 nationally known corporations will exhibit over $1,000,000 worth of equipment at the trade show to be held in conjunction with the theatreman's conclave. Among the topics on the agenda of the board of directors' conferences, which National Allied will hold on Nov. 24-25, will be the issue as to whether -or not an agreemnt can be attained with the Council of Motion Picture Organizations on Allied's rejoining COMPO. A number of regional units of Allied States have been paying their dues to COMPO despite the fact that the national unit does not take part in COMPO activities. Discussion Topics Listed The agenda for the Allied meeting has been prepared from reports received at the Washington headquarters of the association from regional unit leaders. They ask also that discussions take place on the status of the industry as a whole, the Motion Picture Association's business building ideas, arbitration and the Senate Small Business report on industry trade practices. Other subjects which will be on the agenda, it is expected, will be the possibility of consolidation with Theatre Owners of America, trade practices, buying, booking, clinics on film prob from page 1 ) lems, theatre operations and how to increase box office receipts through new approaches to selling films. Morrell said the theme of the convention would be "see how, hear how, so that you will know how." Chairman of the proceedings in Dallas is Julius Gordon, president of the Jefferson Amusement Corp., of Beaumont, Tex. Sessions during the convention will open at 9 A.M. and run to 5 P.M., Morrell said, adding that he has been chosen to conduct "picture clinics'' daily at which time Allied members will discuss film buying and clearances, availability, run and various advertising methods. Among those speaking at the convention will be Abram F. Myers, general counsel and board chairman of national Allied, president Buben Shor, and Col. Cole. Arrangements for Women A women's organization recently started in Dallas, the Women of the Motion Picture Industry, will act as host to women attending the convention. Entertainment for them will be provided by the soft drink companies. Beservations will cost $25 for men; $20 for women, and $40 for man and wife, father and son, wife and daughter. Morrell stated that all booths will be guarded by bonded guards and he assured exhibitors that Allied "will never tolerate excessive charges foi handling the installation of exhibits." He also revealed he is readying a program for the drive-in convention in Cincinnati, early next year. School Drive ( Continued from page 1 ) a large following in the nation's schools, with 16mm. versions being made available after the theatrical runs through a Disney subsidiary. This gives the company ready access to a maximum number of educational institutions throughout the country. The current release, "Secrets of Life," is a worthy addition to the series. Prints with a final sequence picturing a volcano eruption are optional in CinemaScope. The balance of the production is on standard frame. It is an absorbing, colorful, beautifully photographed and lucidly narrated depiction of the life processes of plants, insects and fish, with a final sequence picturing the awesome destruetiveness of a lava flow from an erupting volcano, destroying all life in its path until it exhausts itself in the boiling sea. It will open at the Sutton Theatre here Nov. 19. S.K. Fox Warns TV Nets ( Continued from page 1 ) fullest extent against any infringement." The statement, issued by William C. Michel, executive vice-president of 20th-Fox, reported that a recent German motion picture "of the same or similar title" may soon be offered in this country for theatrical or television showings. Will 'Protect Its Rights' "This will serve to advise you that this company intends to protect its rights in this title and hold any party infringing these rights strictly accountable therefor," Michel asserted. World-wide motion picture rights to the stage play "Anastasia" were acquired by 20th-Fox in January, 1955. The picture is scheduled for release in December. Set 'Bundle' Premiere HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 4-RKO will launch "Bundle of Joy" with a premiere at the Egyptian Theatre, here, on the night of December 21, it was announced last week. 'Brave' Gross Sets Mark HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 4.-The King Brothers' "The Brave One," in its world premiere engagement at the Four Star Theatre, Los Angeles grossed $12,281. This was a two-year high mark for a week's take at the theatre. The CinemaScope film is being distributed by RKO. To Name Allied Commit, I On COMPO Negotiations From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Nov. 4-A mittee of Allied States Assoc, members will be shortly appointi president Ruben Shor to neg? with a committee representim Council of Motion Picture Org; tions to determine whether th. hibitor group should rejoin CO it is announced by national /< The committee will report t Allied directors concerning CO on whether Allied should coi its policy of cooperating with all fide industry groups in matte common interest independent! COMPO. Attendance I (Continued from page 1) earning comparisons for the in in the 1956 fiscal year, the said, but 1957 will be "substa improved" for both distributor exhibitors. The survey cited several reasc this. The big productions th doing well at large city box-^ have yet to be widely distribute! producers will probably have \ off most of the production cc 1956. Theatres will enjoy year's benefit from the recent c in federal tax laws. See Overhead Reduced More theatres will close in th future, but this will be aimed creasing the income of theati cuits, the survey stated. With theatres, the remainder may ex; better supply of product. The some maintenance and tax cost leave the circuits in a position duce their cumulative overhea: The survey noted factors th favorable indications of a con attendance trend. The numb quality pictures seems likely crease, the report said. The p tion of the 15 to 24-year-olds, lywood's most important cu: group," is expected to grow cantly over the next few years. The film industry also seems gaining on television. The showing of a major pre1948 n a Los Angeles tv station was u an example. Although the aui, for the tv program was more th the other six Los Angeles sH combined, there appeared to b< little effect on theatre business.i| : i SAVE MONEY ON PRUNES Use Filmo New, Deli 3 frames With Copy, Photos and Off Stags Tolk THAU** L IMMEDIATE StRVICE! Use at Used by manycirtui Prcvues, Advance or Cross WEE3M