Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1957)

r 10 Motion Picture Daily Monday, July 8, 19i Doob Named (Continued from page 1) $100,000 to set up an organization whereby the public relations work for the industry would be expanded and placed on a permanent basis. While this activity is being sponsored and financed entirely by the MPAA, representing distribution and production, and is independent of the current business-building projects, the continuing public relations work will aim to serve all phases of the industry, with particular emphasis on exhibition. The ultimate purpose is to sell motion pictures to the public and to stimulate ticket-buying at the boxoffices of the nation, it was explained. Will Name Coast Coordinator Within a short time it is planned to appoint a coordinator for the West Coast public relations activities, working in conjunction with the EastCoast office. "With many of us feeling that the motion picture business has passed through the worst of its problems and is now poised for steady resurgence, we believe that this is a good time to plan an organized, continuing public relations effort," Lewis said. "This plan is not to be confused with crisis-thinking or temporary expediency. For many years other industries have carried out established public relations policies with great success. We visualize a long-range effort rather than a miraculous panacea. No matter how good our business may become, we should always be on the alert to build and maintain good public relations." Welcomes Doob Lewis commented further: "Speaking for myself and the other members of the advertising and publicity directors committee, I want to say how pleased we are to be able to have Oscar Doob work with our committee." Doob retired from Loew's in September, 1955. For some 20 years he was national advertising and publicity director for Loew's Theatre circuit. Then for five years he was an executive in the Loew Theatre operating department. When he retired he was doing special promotion work for M-G-M pictures. He now makes his home in Washington, D. C. /. S. Borenstein, 52 HARTFORD, July 7-Funeral services were held last Wednesday, for Joseph S. Borenstein, 52, veteran manager of the StanleyWarner Strand Theatre, New Britain, Conn., who died suddenly July 2 at his West Hartford, Conn., home. World' to Hartford HARTFORD, July 7-Connecticut premiere of Michael Todd's "Around the World in 80 Days" is slated for July 24 at the downtown StanleyWarner 1500-seat Strand. 7954 Census Bureau Report Shows: Concession Sales Total One-Fifth Of Drive-in Receipts; Indoor, 1/10 By J. A. OTTEN WASHINGTON, July 7-Drive-in theatres got over one-fifth of their total receipts from concession sales in 1954, while indoor theatres got only one-tenth their total receipts from this source. Extend SBA This was revealed as the Census Bureau published further details on its 1954 census of all branches of the film industry. The Bureau last fall issued major totals on receipts, payrolls and numbers of establishments. Theatre Total Is 18,491 The earlier report had shown there were 18,491 theatres with $1,407,151,000 of receipts in 1954. This was both indoor and drive-in theatres. The new report showed the details for 11,469 theatres reporting major sources of receipts. These 11,469 theatres had total receipts directly from customers of $1,183,914,000. Of this, $940,234,000 was admissions excluding taxes, another $112,065,000 was admissions taxes including $98,201,000 of federal taxes, and another $131,615,000 consisted of direct sales of refreshments, not including commissions or earnings from similar facilities owned or operated by others. In addition to the receipts directly from customers, these theatres had $21,780,000 of rentals and concessions, $4,939,000 from advertising, and $527,000 from theatre television. Half-Million from Theatre-TV Earlier figures had shown 14,716 indoor theatres with $1,179,371,000 of receipts and 3,775 drive-ins with $227,780,000 of receipts. The new figures showed receipts for 9,462 indoor theatres reporting income sources. These theatres had $1,018,758,000 of receipts directly from customers, including $820,766,000 of admissions excluding taxes $100,033,000 of admissions taxes, and $97,959,000 of direct refreshment sales. In addition they had $18,902,000 from rentals and concessions, $3,869,000 from advertising, and $500,000 from theatre television. The 2,007 drive-ins reporting sources of receipts had total receipts directly from customers of $165,156,000, including $119,468,000 of admissions excluding taxes, $12,032,000 of admissions taxes, and $33,656,000 of direct refreshment sales. Another $2,878,000 came from rentals and concessions, while $1,070,000 came from advertising and $27,000 from theatre TV. Double Features in Minority Another breakdown covering a different group of 12,566 indoor and drive-in theatres showed that less than half of all showings were double features. This table showed 10,928,116 showings, of which 4,451,559 had two or more features. For 10,170 indoor theatres, shows of two or more features accounted for 3,897,348 out of 9,832,829 showings, while for 2,396 drive-ins, programs with two or more features accounted for 554,211 out of 1,095,287 showings. Earlier distribution totals had indicated 798 film exchanges distributing films other than for television, with total receipts of $625,982,000. The new figures showed details on the receipts of 646 exchanges. These had total receipts of $615,190,000, including $359,542,000 from U.S. distribution, $211,623,000 from export operations, $6,912,000 from rentals of foreign films exhibited in the U.S., $6,690,000 from U.S. rentals on nontheatrical films, and $30,417,000 from other sources. These same firms had operating expenses of $587,153,000, including $443,948,000 paid to others for their share of film rentals, $71,565,000 for payroll expenses, and $71,640,000 for other expenses. Earlier production figures showed 541 firms producing films for other than TV use, with total receipts of $75,607,000. The detailed figures showed a breakdown for 300 firms with $57,778,000 of total receipts. These firms received $8,698,000 as rentals directly from exhibitors; $26,144,000 from contract productions for industrial, educational and other organizations; $10,267,000 from studio rentals, laboratory work and other services performed for others; $3,802,000 from loans of players or other employes; and $8,867,000 from other sources. These same 300 firms had total operating expenses of $327,743,000, of which $13,030,000 were outside the U.S. The expenses within this country included $44,608,000 for materials and supplies, $11,164,000 for rights and royalties, and $258,941,000 for payroll and all other purposes. 'Eden' Not Indecent, Says N. Y. Appeals Court Special to THE DAILY ALBANY, July 7-The Court of Appeals has held that the State Education Department exceeded its motion picture censorship authority in banning "The Garden of Eden," in which are shown scenes of nudists. The state's highest court affirmed, 4—3, a finding by the Appellate Division that the film was not indecent within the scope of the state law. In the majority opinion of the Court of Appeals, Judge Charles S. Desmond wrote that "this picture cannot lawfully be banned since it is not obscene . . . nothing sexually impure or filthy is shown or suggested in 'Garden of Eden' and so there is no legal basis for censorship." Judge Desmond said that the word indecent has been used in a limited sense "so the license denial was unconstitutional." ( Continued from page 1 ) cy's business loan fund from $23C 000,000 to $305,000,000, but mal no other changes in the present se up. The Theatre Owners of Ameri< and many other groups have bee proposing a permanent agency ar many liberalizations in SBA loa policy but the Senate committee d cided instead to simply extend tl present law another year. House Increased Loan Fund The House, has already passed bill making SBA permanent, increa ing the loan fund to $500,000,00t abolishing the loan policy board, an making other changes. If the Senaf passes the Banking Committee bil as expected, a House-Senate confei ence will have to work out a final measure. This final bill will almo; certainly go beyond the Senate vei sion, though perhaps not as far as th House measure would go. Senator Clark (D., Pa.), who is ij charge of the SBA bill in the Senate! indicated the Banking Committee ha two reasons for approving the simpll; extension instead of a more far-reach ing bill. For one thing, he indicated it's important that the bill becomj law before the end of the month, an< a more far-reaching measure migh become tied up in the impending civj rights fight, while the simple measun may clear the Senate early next wee) before the civil rights fight. FRB Study Awaited Secondly, he said, the Federal Re) serve Board, at the committee's ra quest, is making a comprehensive study of the credit problems of smal business. This will be ready earlj next year, and the committee decided it would wait on more far-reachinj SBA changes until it has this repor before it. Rank Films Big in Drive-Ins, Art Houses Rank Film Distributors of Americi has been having much success it placing its films with drive-in thea-i tres, art theatres and many neighborhood outlets, according to Kennetr Hargreaves, RFDA president. Inasmuch as many first run houses have made prior commitments fo? July and August, Hargreaves said Rank has decided to concentrate oD these other operations. They have proved quite profitable, he said. As an example, Hargreaves cite| Los Angeles, where Rank has soil films to nine drive-ins and three injj door theatres and in a seven-day period ending June 12 netted ove| $60,000. The Los Angeles success has iii spired J. Arthur Rank to set up sevfj eral multiple openings, two of which1 are in Providence and Milwaukee.! Hargreaves also said that a multiple; first run booking has been set in New York on July 31 for the picture "Value1 for Money." to