Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1958)

Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, November 19, 195) Presshooks {Continued from page 1 ) company's pressbooks were late at times. This was due, he said, to the fact that Spyros P. Skouras insists on releasing pictures as fast as they are finished instead of allowing them to "lie around and season." Martin Davis and Joseph Friedman of Paramount said they could not promise earlier release of the campaign books. This led into explanations that some companies with independent producers' pictures had to wait for the approval of these producers. Charles Simonelli of U-I said his company's campaign material had been prepared well in advance of release in the past, but he could not predict this situation would continue. The discussion took in the use of radio and TV, with some criticism of the spot announcements contained in press sheets. In the course of this phase of the discussion Ernest Emerling of Loew's Theatres said that he did not consider press sheets of great importance for first run theatres. Mandel, Goldberg, Goth Heard Harry Mandel of RKO Theatres, Harry Goldberg and Edgar Goth of Stanley Warner, and several other theatre men also aired their views. After lunch yesterday the conferees saw a screening of United Artists' "Anna Lucasta" and, after dinner at Paramount, that company's "The Black Orchid" (both to be reported in The Daily tomorrow). Analysis and discussion of campaign plans followed each screening. Today, "Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!" will be screened and discussed at 20th Century-Fox and "The Voyage of Sinbad" at Columbia. In addition to those attending Monday's sessions, exhibitor guests at yesterday's screenings included Willard Matthews, Comerford circuit; Harry Mandel, RKO; Tom Rogers, TransLux; Charles M. Reagan, Greater Indianapolis Amusement; Paul Baisse, Walter Reade; and Dan Finn, Astor theatre, Boston and the E. M. Loew circuit. Kodak Board {Continued from -page 1) the new executive committee are Thomas J. Hargrave, chairman of the Kodak board, and Albert K. Chapman, president. The directors also elected William S. Vaughn as vice-president and general manager of the company, to succeed MioMaster. In their announcement, the directors said that the executive committee will function as a committee of the board and will act for the board when necessary in interim periods between board meetings. The directors also declared a quarterly cash dividend of 65 cents a share and an extra dividend of 25 cents a share on the common stock. They declared the regular IV2 per cent quarterly dividend ($1.50) on the preferred stock. These dividends axe payable Jan. 2 to share owners of record Dec. 5. Universal's advertising and publicity executives, with the star of "Perfect Furlough," Linda Cristal, are introduced by Martin Quigley, Jr. at the start of the discussion of that Universal picture at yesterday's Merchandising Conference session. Left to right, Jeff Livingston, Miss Cristal, Charles Simonelli, Quigley, Philip Gerard. M. P. DAILY picture UA's Earnings ( Continued from page 1 ) 1,276,148 shares outstanding on September 27. This compares with net earnings of $1.85 per share for the first nine months of 1957, after adjusting the shares then outstanding to the number outstanding at September 27, 1958. UA Ad Publicity ( Continued from, page 1 ) was told yesterday by Bruce Eels, executive vice-president of UA-TV. Roger H. Lewis, national director of advertising, publicity and exploitation for United Artists, the parent oompany, explained at yesterday's meeting the adaptation processes by which bis staff will promote the UATV productions. "Field men in our 33 key exchange areas," he said, "know how to arrange merchant tie-ups and window displays, organize star tours, plant publicity stories with the press and effectively follow through on tailor-made campaigns, one of which will be designed for each TV series." Discussing the TV projects coming up for UA-TV, Eells referred particularly to Bryna Productions' "Vikings" series, Cypress Productions "Dennis O'Keefe Show" and "Hudson's Bay," North Star Productions' "Troubleshooters" and Hyman Brown's "International Airport," each of which is being filmed as 39 half-hour programs financed and distributed through UA-TV. To Raffle Chevrolet At Pioneers' Dinner A 1959 four-door Bel Air Chevrolet sedan will be raffled off at the 20th anniversary Motion Picture Pioneers' dinner honoring Robert S. Benjamin and Arthur B. Krim as Motion Picture Pioneers of 1958. Drawing of the raffle will take place at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Monday, where the dinner will be held. Proceeds will be donated to the Foundation of the Motion Picture Pioneers benefitting Pioneers in need of financial assistance. Outline Campaign for Universal's 'Furlough' Circuit executives attending the product merchandising forums sponsored this week by Motion Picture Herald on Monday night saw Universal's "The Perfect Furlough" at the Paris Theatre. A discussion of the exploitation possibilities was then held at the U-I home office yesterday morning. Charles Simonelli, eastern advertising and publicity head for U-I, said the technique of building the picture as an attraction has been the same to date as was used on the famous 'Francis," the talking mule. He also stated that after many favorable audience reactions the Sindlinger Research organization was employed to clock the laughs. That company reported 287 laughs. This is to be used as an important part of the advertising campaign. Another catchline is "first picture ever offered with certified laughs." Jeff Livingston, eastern advertising manager, gave the principal details of the ad campaign and predicted the picture would add to the "joie de vivre." Simonelli explained that Livingston had picked this up in France last year. Philip Gerard, eastern publicity manager, asked for and received a number of suggestions on handling the publicity. All three promised to aot on all suggestions received. Simonelli presented Linda Cristal, one of the stars of the picture, and said she would be available for personal appearances on requests received early. The picture will be made available for one-night showings New Year's Eve. GPEC Net Drops General Precision Equipment Corp. had consolidated net income of $915,612 for the nine months ended Sept. 30, it was reported by Hermann G. Place, chairman of the board. This compares with $3,616,978 for the same period last year. Net income for the three months ended Sept. 30 was $160,678, compared with $954,725 for that period in 1957. Rank 'Night' Shown m Herald Product Forum By CHARLES S. AARONSON Circuit executives attending th Motion Picture Herald's three-da series of product merchandising cor ferences on Monday afternoon attend ed a screening of "A Night to Rdi member," the J. Arthur Ran presentation, at the Bonded Filrr Projection Room. Following the screening, after intrc duction by Martin Quigley, Jr., th session was opened by Kenneth H greaves, president of Rank Film Di< tributors of America. Participating i the discussion for Rank were Geo: frey Martin, advertising and publicit director; Steve Edwards, publicity di W rector; Andy Gebstaedt, and Williaj »l Schneider, of Donahue & Coe, advej tising agency. 'New Concept' Promised The British promotional material c ipj the film was shown and discussed, am ft) to the point was made 'that practical1 all of it is available and adaptable t this market. Stress was laid by promotion men present on the sd problem stemming from the fact the a film on -the same subjeot was mi several years ago, and that there wa a comparatively recent double expos ure, five weeks apart, of a TV sho\| ^ based on the same Robert Lord boo I n a of the Titanic sinking. For that r©3j vm son it was emphasized the campaign in connection with the launching c the Rank film will stress a "new coe cept" in the presentation of tihlj catastrophe. Schneider showed and explained tk technique and approach of the ad vertising campaign devised for th' New York opening, which, Hargreave. explained, would be on a hard ticke basis to give the film added prestig, value. The advertising, it was indii cated, could be adapted to the local level very easily. It featured a silhou, ette effect of the ship, on a spread, on on an even, horizontal keel, the other up-ended, vertically, as though sink, ing. It was agreed that it made for 3 most effective eye-catching display, i suggestion for a variation in the fHus tration by one of the promotion mei was welcomed and praised by Hai greaves and Schneider. Praised by Edwards Edwards cited the publicity plan, for the film and exploitation materia was shown and explained by Martk! Contact with and stories about aw; by survivors of the disaster shaped uji as important promotional material, i; was indicated. "•mi int. 'a| I mi Cj r,],,,, D! n f Ohio Circuit Schedules Pre-Christmas Closings Special to THE DAILY CLEVELAND, Nov. 18.-For th<: first time all theatres in the Washing! ton Circuit, owned by M. B. Horwitz1 will be closed three days befoul | Christmas this year. Previously libhouses were closed only on Christmaj Eve. Theatres affected are the Statij and Falls in Cuyahoga Falls; the Astor, Plaza and Haltnorth, Cleveland.