The Exhibitor (1954)

20 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR LETTERS TO Gentlemen: Whereas, Motion Picture Exhibitor, a trade publication which consistently seeks to advance the interests of the motion picture industry, has given this 1954 con¬ vention of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners and Operators of Georgia and Alabama Theatres Association desirable publicity, and thus made a worthwhile contribution to interests of the members of the convention, Now therefore be is resolved, that we express to Motion Picture Exhibitor our thanks and our desire that this resolution be received by Motion Picture Exhibitor as a testimonial of great esteem. J. H. Thompson, president Motion Picture Theatre Owners and Operators of Georgia R. M. Kennedy, president Alabama Theatres Association Unanimously agreed to this 10th day of May, 1954 Dear Sirs: We expect to open this new drive-in soon. I am enclosing check for $9.75 covering two years’ subscription to Motion Picture Exhibitor, also $5 in boxoffice statements and one booking book, $1.25. Cecil Curtis, Galax Amusement Com¬ pany, Inc., Galax, Va., referred you to me. Thanking you. Yours very truly, William Mackenzie, Jr., manager Park Drive-In Marion, Va. ( Thanks to you and a special bow to friend Curtis. However, you’d be sur¬ prised how many exhibitors have done the same thing, recommended us to a fellow theatreman. — Editor.) Gentlemen: I have been getting a number of con¬ tract cancellations because you included a picture in your TV listing in a recent issue. I had been given to understand by the producer that the film hadn’t appeared on TV. A Salesman (Name withheld) New York City (Sorry that the cancellations resulted, but our records show definitely that the film in question has played on TV. Per¬ haps you ought to recheck with the pro¬ ducer — Editor.) Gentlemen: During March, 1954, I subscribed for Motion Picture Exhibitor and requested 1953 Pink Sheets. I am comparatively new at buying film and these pink sheets are priceless to me. Thank you. Joe Murphy Bath Drive-In Bath, N. Y. Dear Sir: Thank you for an excellent service in all respects. Ed Poteet Jefferson Falls Church, Va. THE EDITOR All Unsolicited (The letters from readers of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR which appear on this page are all unsolicited. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR does not suggest questions to readers in order to provide a flow of letters to the publication. — Editor) Dear Sir: Just a few words to let you know I’m an avid reader of Motion Picture Exhibi¬ tor and The Servisection. For a long time I’ve noticed in the Warner lineup of com¬ ing attractions the listing of “North Of The Rio Grande,” starring Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, and Dorothy Malone. This picture has been listed in The Servisec¬ tion since 1949, and here it is 1954. The picture was completed and shown a long time ago as I showed it at my theatre sometime in 1950. How you came to slip up on this picture I don’t know, but anyhow, it finally got on my nerves to see it still listed as coming. Thought I’d finally let you know. Thomas C. NeuKam Westport Baltimore, Md. ( Now everyone is confused. WB tells us that it never had a film called “North Of The Rio Grande,” but it will come out of The Servisection listing anyway. — Editor.) Gentlemen: Received my new Motion Picture Exhibitor and the revised format is really terrific. It certainly has eye appeal and should receive a most favorable welcome from the trade. Sincerely, J. J. Fitzgibbons, Jr. Theatre Confections Limited Toronto, Ont., Canada Dear Friends: I think your new cover and interior format are excellent. They seem to give the publication a lot more bounce and certainly more eye appeal. John C. Flinn Director of Advertising and Publicity Allied Artists Productions, Inc. Hollywood, Calif. Dear Sir: I certainly can’t see how any exhibitor can do without Motion Picture Exhibitor. He’ll certainly receive more benefits than the small charge the subscription costs. Best wishes to a continued success of a fine magazine. J. C. Balkcom Gray Gray, Ga. Gentlemen: I want to add my words of thanks to the many others you have doubtless re¬ ceived in response to the Checklist of Feature Motion Pictures Available To Television. This is a valuable reference both now and for the future, and will certainly be kept on permanent file. Very truly yours, R. D. Fisher Ozark Playgrounds Theatres Willow Springs, Mo. Seen at the recent premiere of Warners' "The High and The Mighty" at the Egyptian, Holly¬ wood, were Mrs. Harold J. Powers, the wife of California's Lieutenant Governor Harold J. Powers, and WB vice-president Jack L. Warner. Korda To Make Nine New York — Sir Alexander Korda’s London Films will produce nine pictures during the next 18 months on a $15,000,000 budget, it was announced last week by Morris Helprin, president, London Film Productions, Inc. All these motion pictures will be participated in by R. W. Downing, City Investing Corporation. The schedule includes the completed production, “The Man Who Loved Red¬ heads,” starring Moira Shearer. Ready for production immediately is Arthur Larents’ play “The Time Of The Cuckoo,” starring Katherine Hepburn and directed by David Lean, co-produced by Ilya Lopart; a color version of Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” starring Laurence Olivier; two pic¬ tures starring Alex Guiness, the first George Bernard Shaw’s “Arms And The Man” and second, “Noah,” by Andre Obey; “Taj Mahal,” a color spectacle to be shot in India starring Richard Burton, who will also co-produce, and Claire Bloom; another spectacle in color, Jules Verne’s “Around The World In Eighty Days,” and two others. NT Gets Court's Okeh New York — National Theatres was per¬ mitted last fortnight to invest $1,000,000 in Magna Theatres Corporation, producer of features made in the Todd-AO wide¬ screen process, via an order signed by U. S. District Court Judge Augustus N. Hand. The Department of Justice had approved the order giving the circuit the right to buy 1,000,000 six per cent Magna debentures and exercise 10-year warrants to purchase 73,300 shares of Magna com¬ mon. TV also received permission to receive and exercise stock rights to pur¬ chase 14,000 more shares of common within 10 years. NT, under the order, is also allowed to receive participation cer¬ tificates entitling it to receive a total of 41/6 per cent of all profits from ToddAO’s first production, “Oklahoma.” GPEC Dividends Declared New York — Dividends declared last week by directors of General Precision Equipment Corporation include 40 cents on the common stock; 72 V2 cents on the $2.90 cumulative preferred; $1.25 on the $5 cumulative preferred Series A, 1952; 62V2 cents on the $5 cumulative preferred Series A, 1954; and $1.25 on the $5 con¬ vertible preference. June 9, 1954