Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, October 20, 195^ PERSONAL ME1VTID1V SAMUEL GOLDSTEIN, president of Western Massachusetts Theatres, has returned to Springfield following a trip to Central America. • Edward L. Hyman, vice-president of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, and Bernard Levy, his assistant, have returned to New York from Boston. • Earl Collins, president of Hollywood Television Service, has returned to Los Angeles from a 13-week crosscountry trip. • Meyer Friedman, manager of the Rialto Theatre, Baltimore has returned there with Mrs. Friedman from Atlantic City, N. J. • Rex Harrison has returned to New York from London via B.O.A.C. • Robert M. Sternberg, of New England Theatres, has returned to Boston from Hartford. • Luree Nicholson, daughter of James H. Nicholson, president of American International Pictures, was married on Saturday at Encino (Calif.) First Presbyterian Church to Christopher Holmes. Disney Dividends Set HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 19. Directors of Walt Disney Productions at a special meeting today declared a quarterly cash dividend of 10 cents per share on the company's common stock, together with a three per cent stock dividend on the company's .common stock, each payable Jan. 1, 1960, to stockholders of record on Dec. 3, 1959. Morton Spring Returns HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 19. Morton Spring, president of Loew's International, returned to New York over the weekend after a week of meetings at MGM with Sol C. Siegel, studio head, and other executives and producers. NEW YORK THEATRES — RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL — , Rockefeller Center • Ci 6-4600 "THE FBI STORY" Slarrinj JAMES STEWART VERA MILES A WARNER BROS. Picture In TECHNICOLOR® and GALA NEW STAGE SPECTACLE Kerasotes Plea ( Continued from page 1 ) uct supply, legislation affecting theatres adversely and keeping the small theatres in business. The TOA president gave first place in his discussion to the product supply, pointing out that it had decreased further this year and asserting that "all indications point to a smaller supply in 1960." He attributed the decline of production directly to theatre divorcement imposed by the Federal anti-trust consent decrees affecting the major companies. Sees Patient 'Nearly Killed' "The exhibitor leaders who advocated this," Kerasotes said, "have nearly killed the patient with the remedy. When we destroyed vertical integration in our industry, we destroyed the greatest need for Hollywood to supply thousands of their own theatres with programs, and their greatest necessity of operating a 52week business with orderly releases. "We can say without any hesitancy or question of doubt that if divorcement was not in effect, our former production-theatre companies would be making sufficient production to supply their own theatres," Kerasotes said. He said other contributory factors in the decrease in production were sales of old films to television and the competition for material and talent aggravated by the entry of major studios into film production for television. Cites Injury from Films-to-TV Kerasotes said that the availability of pre-1948 films to television kept people at home and made the public more selective in its film tastes. The result was closed theatres and loss of public support for all but blockbusters, with an inevitable further reduction of production. The exhibitor is partly to blame for this result, however, he said, pointing out that top films get 15,000 theatre dates and smaller pictures get 1,000 to 4,000, thus discouraging producers from making more program films. "Let me urge you," Kerasotes told the exhibitors present, "to try and play as many pictures as possible, and give special attention to these secondary features. Your play dates will encourage the companies to make more pictures." 'Must Attack,' He Says He said exhibitors also "must attack the challenges of the future and come forth with new innovations in our theatres to attract greater audiences. While the present production outlook is extremely critical, the shortage of programming has existed before in our short history. It was wirephoto At the convention of Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina in Charlotte yesterday: Ernest Stellings, Rodney Bush, and George Kerasotes. Velde 9s Plan ( Continued from page 1 ) vice-president of United Artists, told the Carolina exhibitors, holding their annual convention here, that "one of the pitfalls of our business has been the lack of such a program." "Spacing of releases is an absolute necessity," he said. Velde then lauded the industry for the number of big blockbusters soon to be released. The association also passed two other resolutions, one complaining about the shortage of short subjects, and the other against distasteful material. Frank Beddingfield Elected The theatre owners elected Frank H. Beddingfield president to succeed Sam Irvin of Asheville. H. George Meyer of Charleston, S. C, and W. H. Hendrix, of Reidsville, were elected vice-presidents. Irvin was named chairman of the board. solved by exhibition playing a part in production. This is inevitable if the present crisis continues." Kerasotes also urged the exhibitors to undertake area saturation promotions for selected pictures, such as those which proved so successful in midwestern territories earlier this year. Calls Pay Law a Threat He warned that exhibition faces a serious threat in the new Federal minimum wage legislation and that it must face the competition of cable toll TV unless that system is brought within FCC regulations also, as proposed by the Harris bill. The TOA president also urged the theatre owners to avail themselves of industry conciliation whenever they have legitimate grievances. Bush Outlines ( Continued from page 1 ) panded regional advertising and put licity force as a group which wouj "work with exhibitors, collective] and individually to insure personajf ized promotion." "When we talk about doing moi for the exhibitor than any other filij company," Bush declared, "we go or and do it." The executive called aj tention to the film company's receij; announcement that it would provic,j an ad-pub manager for each of its dt,j mestic exchange areas. The program is now under way, with recent a^ nouncements bringing the field fori from 19 to 24, on its way to the gol of 38. ;i, Points to Local Company Men r "Our attitude is particularly appliig able here in the Carolinas," said Bus1^ "We are, so far as I know, the on},] film company with an advertising publicity representative permanent;, stationed in the Carolinas and devo( ing his time exclusively to the twl state area. This is what we mean wh^ , we say 'personalized promot ion . jq "Each one of our regional ad-pv(: managers is equipped with the natio>.| al campaign picture on our release^ He also has the know-how and wherr withal to apply this campaign afej concept locally. Wherever we hay tied-in with manufacturers, merchai : disers or publications, there is a locp application which can be utilize! This is the job of our regional many J Tells of Clinics, Seminars Bush also went on to outline company's plan for local merchandij ing clinics and exploitation seminarHe also described 20th advertising publicity and exploitation plans f<j forthcoming attractions. 'Odds' in 200 Keys Harbel Productions' "Odds Againi1! Tomorrow," a United Artists releasi1' will open in 200 key situations aero/: the country during the next foii weeks. • 'I WANT E D Motion Picture Theatre Manager with: previous road show experience for deluxe operation in New York State. 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