The Exhibitor (1954)

10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR The International Scene Iviiiiaclii Reporter Is At Sea Over Ship Film Setup Toronto — Revenue from Canada’s marine movie shows is a question mark, leaving the reporter completely at sea. Fact is there are so many distributors supplying the films to vessels plying out of Mon¬ treal that there is no way of computing the total amount taken in. There is no central booking agency like Movies En Route, Inc., N. Y., although the closest parallel is Associated Screen News, Mon¬ treal, which arranges the supply for the Canadian Pacific Steamship Lines. These, however, are the known factors in the supplying of films for movies-cnships-at-sea. Both 35mm. and 16mm. are used, with many of the latter being what is known as non-theatrical. The connection between ASN and the CPR began in the days when the CPR owned the majority of ASN stock, at the time the film-lab was first organized. Most of ASN’s business is done out of Montreal, although a few of its bookings are for ships out of Vancouver, on the west coast. The films are taken aboard at the home-port in lots of five or six, from the various companies, and staying aboard the ships for their round-trip on the ocean. Many of the pictures are first-run, utilizing prints awaiting release. All deals are flat, since most of the ships charge no admission. Greatest share of the income is derived from the 16mm. films, equipment for which the ships have for the most part. Another source of income is that from the Royal Canadian Naval Film Society, which supplies the naval ships. Much of the screen time is taken up by CPR and CNR films, films which extoll the praises of the vacation-land resort hotels operated by the railroads, and films from the National Film Board. These films are supplied free-of-charge, but distribu¬ tors are not squawking because it was they who opened up an otherwise un¬ known market for 16mm. CINE CHATTER: Hansel and Gretel, released in Canada by RKO, was booked into seven Toronto hoiases, four Famous Players, one Twinex, and one B and F, all day and date. Playing the picture Christmas week were the Tivoli. Capitol, Nortown, Alhambra, St. Clair, Westwood, and Century. . . . Movie in the Tavern is what John Murray Anderson calls his presentation of films at the Brant Inn, Burlington. The movies are presented in the Tavern of the Inn, and the pictures are all from Warners, including such titles as “Johnnv Belinda,” “Casablanca,” “Bright Leaf.” and “Always In Mv Heart.” . . . Duncan Campbell heads up the Ham¬ ilton Theatre Managers Association. Paul Turnbull, Canada, is vice-president, and Jean Ford, secretary-treasurer. . . . Called to jury duty was Famous Players head office booker John Heggie. Some of the Ava Gardner, star, UA's "The Barefoot Contessa," now on a world tour, was hosted in Japan recently by Motumo Ohno and Tadayoshi Asao, Schochiku Films, Japan's largest distribut¬ ing and producing organization. The star's 22,000 mile jaunt is the longest personal appearance. film bookers are wondering who did most of the talking in the jury room. . . . Win¬ ner in gi'oup “A” in the first month of Dan Krendel’s ballyhoo contest was Bob Harvey, manager, Capitol, North Bay, followed closely by Don Edwards, man¬ ager, Tivoli, Hamilton. In Group “B”, George Forhan, Jr., manager, Capitol, Welland, pulled off first prize, while second spot was shared by Len Goyin, manager, Capitol, Peterboro, and A1 Hart¬ shorn, manager. Regent, Oshawa. . . . United Amusement Corporation, Mon¬ treal, declared an extra dividend of 15 cents a share along with dividends of 25 cents on the A and B shares and vot¬ ing trust certificates, all payable Dec. 15 to holders of record, Nov. 30. Harry Allen, Jr. England In London, Sidney Bernstein’s Granada Theatres, Ltd., showed a net profit of 84,786 Pounds for the year ended Sept. 30, as compared with 72,572 for the pro¬ ceeding year. Bernstein announced a divi¬ dend of five per cent will be paid on the ordinary shares, which are privately held. The 55 house Granada Circuit is converting completely to CinemaScope, Latin American Record Seen For UA '55 Films _ NEW YORK — United Artists’ Latin American surpervisor, Sam Bekeris, last week predicted a “record year” for his company in South and Central America. Bekeris also stated that 1954 had been a “great” one for UA in Latin America with business “substantially” ahead of the previous year. Bekeris attributed the improvement of busi¬ ness primarily to the improved prod¬ uct available in 1954, but also men¬ tioned the reorganization of the company and the greater cooperation of the home office to those in the foreign field as contributing factors. Bekeris confirmed that the “frozen funds situation” is improving in Latin America. COMPO Ad Assists Community Efforts New York — How two newspapers made use of a recent COMPO advertisement in Editor and Publisher to fight a local ad¬ mission tax and to aid local retail busi¬ ness was revealed last week by COMPO headquarters. The advertisement was the 32nd in the COMPO series in the newspaper indus¬ try’s trade paper. It reprinted a story in Variety that told how the merchants of Ellsworth, Wis., finding their business hurt by the closing of the local theatre, were raising a fund to keep the theatre operating. In its issue of Dec. 20, The Radford (Va.) News Journal reprinted the adver¬ tisement as an argument for repeal of the local 10 per cent admission tax. The next day, in Seattle, Russell W. Young, advertising manager, Seattle Times, sent the advertisement to each of the 12 members of the Downtown Promo¬ tion Committee, a group made up of adver¬ tising executives representing the larger downtown Seattle stores. The commit¬ tee is responsible for planning and set¬ ting up most united promotional activi¬ ties for the downtown Seattle stores and it works with the theatres each year on a huge “Back To School” show which uses the facilities of six of Seattle’s firstrun theatres. In his memorandum to the promotion committee. Young said, “The attached is an interesting announcement showing that the public likes to be entertained, and when they are entertained they are in a better frame of mind, resulting in a happy community, making all business better. Just another reason for events like the Santa Claus Parade and the Back To School program.” Hempstead Case To Be Tried New York — The State Court of Appeals last week ordered a trial for the case of Hempstead Theatre Corporation vs. Met¬ ropolitan Playhouses, Inc., and Circuit Vendors, Inc., wherein Hempstead is seek¬ ing to share in an anti-trust settlement of $2,000,000 won by Metropolitan, which is a tenant of the Hempstead Theatre Corporation. Hempstead is claiming that an anti¬ trust settlement constitutes “gross re¬ ceipts” upon which they, as landlord, can claim additional rent under the leases. The court upheld the lower court in its decision that the case could not be dis¬ missed for legal insufficiency, and must therefore go to trial. UA Theatres Register Stock Washington — United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc., New York, has filed a regis¬ tration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission seeking the regis¬ tration of 400,121 shares of its $1 par com¬ mon stock. Money raised from the sale of the stock will be used to retire outstanding bank debts, one with the Bank of America Na¬ tional Trust and Savings Association of Los Angeles and one with the Marine Midland Trust Company of New York. The balance will be retained for general working capital. I ' Janvbary 12, 1955