Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

MOTION PICTURE DAI VOL. 86, NO. 123 NEW YORK, U.S.A., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1959 TEN CENTS DITORIAL. plobal Campaigns | By Sherwin Kane |tNITED ARTISTS now can begin to appraise the worth of its reJL> cently inaugurated "global campaigns" which have been giving the ard-sell treatment to "On the Beach" nd "Solomon and Sheba" from their >roduction stages through their recent ;lobal premieres. On the basis of the initial returns, he global treatment has benefited imjortantly the earning powers of these mtstanding attractions. William J. Heineman, U. A. vicewesident, revealed, for example, that 'On the Beach" has tallied $314,000 n its first six domestic engagements, vhich have included more than a »eek of playing time during the tradiionally slow, pre-Christmas week. Results abroad are equally impressive. Because of the picture's nature and he global pre-sell given it, countless olumns of newspaper and magazine pace, television and radio time, have ieen devoted to it already, and it is air to assume that much of it might (Dot have materialized had not the campaign generated the advance public interest in the picture it did. • It was also revealed that "Solomon and Sheba" has turned in a gross of $519,632 in the first four days of 28 jf its total of 30 domestic engagements, many of which involved the setting of new house records. Early reports indicate similar results for the picture's other opening engagements in 41 overseas centers. "On the Beach" had simultaneous world premieres in 18 theatres on all seven Continents. Mort Nathanson, U. A.'s international publicity director, has literally covered the globe to show exhibitors, promotion men and all connected with the selling of these films how best to use the materials created for them. Both films, although completely dissimilar, possess elements of universality which make them particularly suited to global promotion. That they were selected for this treatment early enough for it to be effective is a credit to the Max Youngstein-Roger Lewis forces' acumen, and that the early results indicate the benefits about to be derived from it is itestimony to the lightness of the campaigns created for each. Today's market requires such exactitude in order to realize every picture's full grossing potential. Says Tisch May Fancy Loew's Sites For Erection of Downtown Motels The Tisch brothers— Laurence and Preston Robert— have been thinking for the past several years of extending their hotel operations to huge new motels in downtown city areas, and this may explain why they have made a $6,000,000 investment in Loew's Theatres in the past year, theorizes William R. Shelton in presenting the amazing success story of the brothers in the January issue of Fortune magazine. In fact, Shelton writes, Larry Tisch began negotiations with Rockefeller Center last year for the purchase of (Continued on page 6) Four Hollywood Films Sold to Soviet Union Four Hollywood pictures have been sold to the Soviet Union for $254,000 in a deal that does not call for the American companies involved to acquire any Russian features in return. Announcement of the transaction was made here yesterday by J. Jay Frankel, president of M.J. P. Enterprises, Inc., who conducted negotiations in Moscow. The sale of the films is not a part of the Soviet-American cultural exchange agreement, but titles of the pictures were approved by Turner B. Shelton of the U.S. Department of (Continued on page 6) Fox Short to Promote 'Ruth' and New Star Twentieth Century-Fox is preparing a special short subject on "The Story of Ruth," which will promote the film now in production along with its new star, Elana Eden. The short, in CinemaScope and De Luxe Color, will be supplied to the company's regional advertising-publicity manager in each branch and exchange city for a series of "premiere previews" early next month. Groups to be invited include exhibitors, edu( Continued on page 6 ) 'Solomon/ 'Beach' Set New Records for U.A. Edward Small's "Solomon and Sheba," and Stanley Kramer's "On the Beach" are setting new records in their first engagements, William J. Heineman, vice-president of United Artists, which is releasing both films, said yesterday. "Solomon" is establishing 16 alltime theatre records with a gross of $519,632 in the first four days of just 28 domestic premiere engagements, he said. Among the theatres where it ( Continued on page 6 ) Postpone SEC Hearing On Skiatron to Jan. 13 From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Dec. 29. The Securities and Exchange Commission has postponed until Jan. 13, 1960, the hearing it had scheduled on Dec. 30 to consider suspending the stock reg(Continued on page 6) Cross-Plugging by Trailers Gains in Momentum; Holiday Activity Is High By SAUL OSTROVE Cross-plugging of films primarily through the use of trailers is gaining in momentum, a survey of distributors reveals. Although major companies do not restrict such "hook-up" plugs to specified periods of the year, it is felt by many for "L'il Abner," which opened recently in Dallas, shown at all Interstate houses in Texas, advising patrons of the Dallas booking. Generally, Paramount feels that cities with large circuits do the most effective selling job. "Cross-plugging of trailers does the greatest job of pre-selling at the point (Continued on page 2) advertising and exploitation men that the holiday season best lends itself to greater cross-sell of product. And they have many going for them currently. Paramount Pictures arranged with the Interstate Circuit to have trailers TELEVISION TODAY-page 7 In Reading Warn of Pa. Closings If No Tax Cut City Council Told Theatres May Be Forced to Shut Special to THE DAILY READING, Pa., Dec. 29.-Theatres in this city may be forced to shut down completely unless they are granted at least partial relief from the 10 per cent admissions tax, city council was advised here by Lester Stallman, chairman of the Reading Theatre Managers Ass'n., and city manager for William Goldman Theatres. Also addressing the council at the hearing on the matter was Louis Golding, general manager of Fabian Theatres in Pennsylvania and New York State. He told the city repre(Continued on page 2) Coast Independents Gird To Fight New Tax Bill From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 29. Independent television and theatrical producers in this area are banding together to combat a new threat to, possibly, tax them out of existence; (Continued on page 2) Poor Prints Scored By Va. Theatre Unit Special to THE DAILY RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 29.-A resolution calling on the film companies to take action to stop shipments of film prints in bad condition to theatres was adopted by the board of directors of the Virginia Motion Picture Theatre Assn. here yesterday. The poor condition of some prints is "shocking," the board said, and plans were made to write film company presidents, sales managers, and branch managers as well as film shipping concerns. The letters will point out that the poor prints are "hurting the box office and placing fringe theatres in an even more precarious position constantly."