The Exhibitor (1954)

NEWS (Tradle Headlines Of The Issue) Corporate Loew's asks a two-year extension of the deadline for distribution of stock in; the new theatre company as prescribed inj the consent decree (page 7). j Distribution i A 20th-Fox sales session in New York,] led by AI Lichtman, distribution chief,! stresses the company’s production and merchandi$ihg\plans (page 14). ’ Distributors Corporation of America names three new outlets (page 14). I. J. Schmertz, Cleveland branch man-i ager, celebrates his 50th-year of service with 20th-Fox (page 16). Exhibition Exhibition’s anti toli-TV committee schedules its first fall meeting in New York to map campaign strategy (page 7). Financial Si Fabian tells Stanley Warner stock-, holders that all company interests are proceeding successfully and that earnings are up over last year (page 11). Loew’s reveals executive salaries in re¬ port to the SEC, as well as payments to retired officeix (page 14). International A Canadian report reveals that although | more money is being spent by the public | for motion picture entertainment, admis¬ sions are down; the British Film Produc j tion Fund reports On Eady payments by; exhibitors; and “This Is Cinerama” bowsj in Japan (page 10). | Legal The Supreme Court denies Fanchon and Marco’s appeal of a lower court decision ; throwing out its anti-trust suit against eight distributors (page. 7). , The Schine contempt trial in Buffalo; continues with the government attempting ! to prove monopoly charges (page 14). i Legislative Eric A. Johnston, president, MPEA and MPAA, asks the Treasury Department to include the motion picture industry in foreign earnings tax benefits and also to allow foreign producers credit on earnings in this country (page 7). Mel Konecoff Some astute observations from junketeer Konecoff on RKO’s underwater screening of “Underwater!” at Silver Springs, Fla., a land abounding in pretty girls and orange Juice; a welcome party given by UA for new producer Kiric Douglas; and other metropolitan miscellany are covered (pages 6 and 17). Organizations The National Conference launches its Brotherhood campaign for 1955 in New York as more than 1,000 industryites honor J, Robert Rubin, permanent national ! chairman, amusements division (page 11). Technical i Skiatron, toll-TV company, starts high i frequency tests in Hartford, Conn., area, ■ where 250,000 UHF convertors are in use ! (page 11). j Harold Hecht, seated In arm chair, recently dis¬ closed the program of seven films Hecht-Lancaster Productions will make in 1955 for United Artists release at a press conference in New York City, attended by Mel Konecoff, MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR associate editor, with pipe. Hecht is president of the production company. NEW YORK By Mel Kongo ff THE OTHER DAY someone told us we looked pale and that we ought to go south and soak up some of that Florida sunshine. We agreed with him and the next thing we knew, we were on one of two special planes bound for Florida and the special underwater premiere of “Underwater” at Silver Springs. Those TWA planes are wonderful and we disembarked at Jack¬ sonville loaded with wonderful food, champagne, and good thoughts to be whisked aboard buses to make the trip to Ocala and our destina¬ tion a few miles beyond behind a police escort. It was pitch black, so no chance for a sun tan that day. Cocktails for several score newspaper, magazine, and radio and TV representa¬ tives were served in a wonderful museum containing old-time carriages and auto¬ mobiles and appropriately enough named “Carriage Cavalcade” after which the group adjourned across the road to the Silver Springs Restaurant for southern fried chicken y’all. By this time, two plane loads of west coast newsmen, stars, and starlets and studio representatives arrived and they went through the same pro¬ cedure. The next morning, up bright (?) and early, breakfast and then rides in glass bottom boats, a jungle cruise down the Silver River where some of the old “Tarzan” films were made with Johnny Weiss¬ muller, and hundreds of photographs were taken at the Silver Springs dock as stars and starlets poseif in and out of the water, with and without equipment. Just about the only ones without cameras were the monkeys and us, and I sometimes sus¬ pected the monkeys had ’em, too. Lunch beneath Florida skies near Tommy Bartlett’s Deer Park, then a visit BROADWAY CROSSES (As of this Monday) Broadway Business Average New York — Despite the arrival of sev¬ eral new films, business was just about average in the Broadway first runs. According to usually reliable reports reaching Motion Picture Exhibitor, the breakdown was as follows: “The Silver Chalice” (Warners). Para¬ mount reported $18,000 for the last lour days of the fourth week. “There’s No Business Like Show Busi¬ ness” (20th-Fox). Roxy claimed $19,959 for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with the fifth week anticipated at $37,000. “Deep In My Heart” (MGM). Radio City Music Hall, with Christmas stage show, garnered $73,000 for Thursday through Sunday, with the sixth week sure of $105,000. “The Country Girl” (Paramount). Cri¬ terion reported that the fifth week would hit $49,500. “Prince Of Players” (20th-Fox). Rivoli expected the opening week to reach $12,000. “Theodora, Slave Empress” (IFF). Globe claimed the first week would tally $15,000. “Green Fire” (MGM). Maytair was heading toward a $13,000 fourth, and last, week. “A Star Is Born” (Warners). Vic¬ toria held up well with $18,000 claimed tor the 14th week. “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea” (Buena Vista-Disney). Astor claimed $39,01)0 on the fourth session. “Vera Cruz” (UA). Capitol expected the fourth week to reach $30,000. “3 Ring Circus” (Paramount). Loew’s State was heading toward a $20,000 fourth week. to Ross Allen’s Reptile Farm and some fascinating demonstrations, after which came a few moments of relaxation before going into town where the majority of the attendees were able to view the film in SuperScope on the screen of the Marian. While there we also got a chance to walk over to the opposition house, a Moss operation, the Ritz, managed by Harold Privalle, formerly with Loew’s in NYC. He reported that business was pretty good with television not too dis¬ turbing a factor in the area as yet and that the house was just about ready to convert to CinemaScope. Back to Silver Springs, a few miles out of town, for dinner and the premiere of the film which had Jane Russell, Richard Egan, and Lori Nelson, who star in the film, going down to sit on the underwater benches for the benefit of the scores of photographers on hand along with the other starlets and Gordon Scott, the new actor selected to play Tarzan in forthcoming films. There were a few hardy newspaper people who ventured down in the cold waters with aqualungs, masks, and waterproof Timex watches, but on the whole most of the others saw parts of the film from the boats with under¬ water portholes that are used for view¬ ing the undei’water splendors of the springs. A cocktail party climaxed the proceedings at the edge of the spring. (Continued on page 17) January 19, 1955