Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

Idnesday, August 17, 1960 Motion Picture Daily 7 1 CE Company Albany Exchange Theatres Boost Use Of Radio and Television to Plug Films (Continued from page 1) for raising the third million but putting the fund "well on its " toward realizing the fourth ion. : is believed the participants repnt better than 85 per cent of the buying power of the country. H. Fabian, ACE chairman, in ;ing the announcement on behalf he executive committee, said that ■ that there is in excess of $3,000,in the bank, and the escrow ■ement has been "firmed," the 5 plan of operation will be f< lulated as quickly as possible. 'Solidly Financed Company' j abian also stated that with the $100,000 as a beginning, and with tl additional participation of other e:' bitors and affiliated interests, tog ier with either public financing or b king support . . . "we will have a sc. idly financed company of very si ;tantial proportions, that will be a rr Dr factor in production, able to rr1 e a significant contribution to the si jly of pictures— a company that e: bitors will be proud to be associal with." j xhibitor companies who have p;icipated in pledging the third m ion dollars of production funds ai Arthur Enterprises, St. Louis ai Los Angeles, Cal.; Claude Ezell, N Depinet and George Dembow, B< lertown Theatres, Dallas, Texas; H ry Brandt, Brandt Theatres, New Mi, N. Y.; Myron Blank, Central Sl| 3S Theatres, Des Moines, Iowa; M A. Cohen, Cinema Circuit, New Mi, N. Y.; Goldberg Brothers, Detr, , Mich.; Cooper Foundation, Li:oln, Nebraska; James Coston and A iur Wirtz, Coston Enterprises, C :ago, 111. Drawn from All Sections i so, D. R. Buttry, Crescent isement Co., Nashville, Term.; Cj Floyd, Floyd Theatres, Haines Cj, Fla.; H. J. Griffith, Frontier Tj atres, Dallas, Texas; William G Iman, Goldman Theatres, Phila., fij T. G. Solomon, Gulf State Thea Inc, McComb, Moss.; R. M. ledy, R. M. Kennedy Co., lingham, Ala.; George Kerasotes, Kjisotes Theatres, Springfield, 111.; MA. Lightman, Jr., Malco Theatres, Miiphis, Tenn.; E. D. Martin, Martiii Theatres of Georgia, Columbus, jso, Morton Thalheimer, Neighood Theatres, Richmond, Va.; ;am Forman, Pacific Drive-in Tl tres, Los Angeles, Cal., and Special to THE DAILY ALBANY, Aug. 16.— A substantial increase in the purchase of television and radio time, to advertise motion pictures, is reported for the Albany exchange districts. The increase was dictated by the "desire to reach more people," an informed source said. So-called censorship of copy by newspapers had nothing to do with this development. He emphasized that "acceptance standards" are just as strict — if not stricter — with television and radio stations, as they are with newspapers. Television exploitation is credited here with a major part in the box office success of some pictures. "The 'right' picture, if combined with 'right' trailer scenes, can be sold effectively on tv," experienced exchangemen and exhibitors are convinced. 20th-Fox Praised Twentieth-Fox, which has probably spent more money, during recent months, in the Albany exchange territory, on television and radio segments than any other distributor, places great stress on the selection of scenes to be televised. All trailer films are carefully screened and analyzed, by branch manager Clayton G. Pantages and his sales-booking assistants. Only the "best"— i.e., those thought likely to pack the most wallop via television— are used. All the major distributors, and, on occasion, the smaller ones in this area, buy television-radio time. In addition to Albany-Schenectady tv stations— Stanley Warner operates WAST (ABC network affiliates), and Capital Cities Broadcasting Company (CBS affiliate) WTEN-TV, here Honolulu, Hawaii; John H. Stembler, Publix-Lucas Theatre Co., Atlanta, Ga.; Michael and Sumner Redstone, Redstone Mgt. Co., Boston, Mass.; J. Meyer Schine, Schine Circuit, Gloversville, N. Y. Also, Sheldon Smerling, Smerling Enterprises, Newark, N. J.; Ernest Stellings, Stewart & Everett Theatres, Charlotte, N. C; Albert M. Pickus, president, Theatre Owners of America, New York, N. Y.; Henry S. Griffing, Video Independent Theatres, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Bedford Amusement Co. and Weiss Amusement Co., Stamford, Conn.; Mitchell Wolfson, Wometco Enterprises, Miami, Fla.; Mr. and Mrs. Weis, Weis Theatre Co., Savannah, Ga., and Charles Moss, B. S. Moss Theatres, New York, N. Y. outlets in Utica, Plattsburgh and Watertown are utilized. Dates for three or four theatres, in as many towns, usually are listed in the "billboard" following the "trailer." These are sometimes changed, from day to day. Drive-ins, as well as hardtops, receive spotlighting. Radio is also widely used, when conditions dictate. A Schine-owned WPTR, 50,000-watter, with studios on the Albany-Schenectady radius, is among those to whom copy goes. Exhibitors, in certain cases, have tieups with radio stations. These are effected under various arrangements. Before, at, and after the premiere in May of the new Hellman (near the city's outskirts), that 1060-seater had a promotion deal with WGY, Schenectady. And to a lesser extent, with WRGB-TV. 'Warning' Mailed The Times-Union, a Hearst publication and the only paper in this area with a Sunday edition, mailed a "warning," in the spring, to area theatres. The letter, signed by advertising manager Roger Coryell, set forth that film advertising codes had been promulgated by papers around the country— the latest, in Cincinnati. The Times-Union preferred that theatre managements be their own "censors," but made it clear that if they offended good taste and decency, the paper would do the "editing." Coryell's epistle emphasized that the T-U is, and would continue to be, "a family paper" and that theatres logically belonged in the same category. Since receipt of the letter, the procedure has been that if Mary Hastings, for long T-U acceptance editor on film copy, finds anything "objectionable," she notifies the theatre management. It is given the opportunity of deleting or of appealing through Coryell to publisher Gene Robb. Robb, a Variety Club member, is considered very friendly and sympathetic to the motion picture busi Forum Books 'Young9 Columbia's Hall Bartlett production, "All the Young Men," starring Alan Ladd and Sidney Poitier, is scheduled to open at the Forum Theatre here on Aug. 26. Report on Bowling Will Go to T0A The potential profits to theatre owners of converting closed or inoperable theatre locations into bowling alleys, will be dramatized by the Brunswick Corporation in its exhibit at the motion picture industry trade show in Los Angeles, Sept. 13-16, according to Albert M. Pickus, TOA president. Pickus said the Brunswick compmy Pickus said the Brunswick company will have several booths at the trade show, which will be staged in cooperation with the Theatre Equipment Dealers Association and Theatre Equipment Supply Manufacturers' Association, in conjunction with TOA's 13th annual convention at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Cliff Ellison, national dealer sales manager of Brunswick, who will man his company's display, said that not only will Brunswick attempt to show how theatre owners can capitalize on the growth of bowling, but that the conversion of a closed theatre property is relatively inexpensive due to the existence of the building shell. He said his company will also show how operating theatres and bowling alleys, physically located in the same neighborhood, have undertaken mutually profitable joint promotions of recreation away from home. National Carbon Company will also exhibit at the trade show, to display its carbon products and projection services. Manning its booths will be V. J. Nolan, W. C. McCosh, J. W. Cosby, W. T. Brenner, P. H. Freeman, C. W. Handley, H. B. Hoynes and S. Morley, Jr. TOA Puts $25,000 in ACE Production Kitty Theatre Owners of America has subscribed $25,000 to the ACE production program, it is announced by Albert M. Pickus, TOA president. Describing the program as "one of the great things that is happening for exhibition because it promises to give our theatres more good product," Pickus said the $25,000 check had been forwarded to S. H. Fabian, ACE chairman. "We consider the ACE program worthy of TOA's fullest support," Pickus said. "We are not only happy to participate, as a member organization of ACE, but intend to give if our utmost assistance to the end that it will be successful." Sales Offices and Varehouses A COMPLETE LINE OF PROFESSIONAL CINE FILMS k 321 West 54th Street New York 19, N. Y. 6370 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles 38, Calif. MmMmA 6601 N. Lincoln Ave. Lincolnwood (Chicago) VA 1355 Conant Street Dallas 7, Texas 1925 Blake St. Denver 2, Colo. Quality photographic materials . . backed by more than half a century of experience. li GEVAERT THE GEVAERT COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC.