The Exhibitor (1955)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR CAN NEWS (Trade Headlines Of The Issue) Deaths James Dean, young Warners star, dies in an auto accident (page 10). Distribution UA is bullish on foreign operations as vice-president Arnold Picker foresees a 1956 foreign gross of $30,000,000 (page 10). Lacy W. Kastner, president, Columbia International, will preside at the com¬ pany's fii-st Far East sales convention in Manila (page 31). Exhibition Elmer Rhoden, NT president, is baffled over Hollywood opposition to the exhibi¬ tor-sponsored Audience Awards poll (page 12). Financial Columbia’s fiscal year ended June 25 breaks all records with an income of $4,949,000 (page 9). International Japanese film executive reveals that his country’s censorship system is currently under fire (page 25). Student rates return in Famous Players Canadian houses; open stores on Friday nights help theatres (page 30). Legal A Federal Judge makes an effort to speed the government’s presentation of evidence in the 16mm. anti-trust against major distributors (page 10). Times fights “Game Of Love” censor¬ ship in Chicago (page 12). Legislative Alfred M. Loew and the U. S. State De¬ partment agree to disagree over the with¬ drawal of “Blackboard Jungle” from the Venice festival (page 31). Mel KonecofF Another junket for the bow of a top feature takes a reporter to Barre, Vt., as the guest of Paramount to view Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Trouble With Harry”; no speeches at “Oklahoma!” luncheon; Lauren Bacall eats egg-roll to boost “Blood Alley”; and other miscellany fills a busy metropolitan week (pages 9 and 32). Organizations TOA directors at the organization’s Los Angeles convention elect Myron Blank new president; E. D. Martin terms arbi¬ tration a step in the right direction and endorses tax repeal (page 9). TOA and Allied are slated to be invited to a Rome international meeting in an effort to form a global exhibitor unit (page 9). Production Hal Makelim announces that the first three features produced under his exhibi¬ tor participation plan will be personally financed (page 10). U-I executive A1 Daff reveals that the company’s new global thinking approach has led to the signing of top European and other film stars (page 12). Technical The new Todd-AO process and “Okla¬ homa!” by Rodgers and Hammerstein bow at New York’s Rivoli (page 14). Sikor Film Distributing Company recently signed a contract with Continental Films Distributing, Inc., New York, for the latter to act as sales representative in the U. S. of "Hill 24 Doesn't Answer," produced in Israel. Seen signing the contract are, left to right, Frank Kassler, presi¬ dent, Continental; Zui Kolitz, producer of the 61m; and David Karny, Sikor board vice-chairman. NEW YORK By Me! Konecoff 1955 MAY WELL go down in history as the year of the short junket. It’s gotten so that we keep a bag packed and ready to go at the slightest provocation, and some of them have been slight. Not that we’re complaining, y’ understand, nor are we referring to this particular item. The other day we received an invite to view the wonderfully colorful scenery of Vermont in autumn, and there is very little that can beat it, as well as to attend the world premier of Alfred Hitchcock’s lat¬ est film for Paramount “The Trouble With Harry.” It’s off via chartered airliner from LaGuai'dia Field shortly thereafter with a stopover in Boston to pick up that city’s distinguished critics, and then off for Bur¬ lington where we landed via instruments because of a heavy dew in the air. Then a bus trip to the capital of the state, Montpelier. Then a short ride to Barre for dinner at the auditorium, a welcome by Governor Joseph B. Johnson and local and imported dignitaries, as well as the premiere at the Paramount. This aforementioned heavy dew in the air fell now and again but an entertained audience never gave it a thought as it sat fascinated by Harry and his troubles on the screen. Following the premiere showing. Gov¬ ernor Johnson, a grand guy, was host at a special buffet supper party in Mont¬ pelier. The next day, a guided tour by Hitchcock describing the shooting of the film in the area and pointing out the lo¬ cations was called off on account of heavy ra . . . er that is dew the day before. In¬ stead, before taking off for the plane and BROADWAY CROSSES (As of this Monday) Average Business On Broadway New York — Despite the advent of three new pictures, Broadway first runs were only doing average business last week¬ end. According to usually reliable sources reaching Motion Picture Exhibitor, the breakdown was as follows: “Blood Alley” (Warners). Paramount claimed the first week would hit $47,UU0. “Ulysses” (Paramount). Globe expected the eighth week to reach $14,000. “Seven Cities Of Gold” (20th-Fox). Roxy announced $15,387 for Friday through Sunday, with the opening weex heading for a rather poor $31,000. “Night Of The Hunter” (UA). Mayfair was sure of a $21,000 second week. “It’s Only Fair Weather” (MGM). Radio City Music Hall, with stage show, an¬ nounced $85,000 for Thursday through Sunday, with the fourth and last week sure to tally $138,000. “The McConnell Story” (Warners). Astor expected the second week to reach $15,000. “The Desperate Hours” (Paramount). Criterion reported $43,000 on the opening week. “My Sister Eileen” (Columbia). Victoria dropped to $18,000 on the third week. “To Hell And Back” (U-I). Capitol was down to $31,500 on the third week. “The Phenix City Stoi'y” (Allied Art¬ ists). Loew’s State claimed $10,000 for the sixth and last week. reversing our arrival pattern, we had a chance to sit down with Hitchcock and Shirley MacLaine, newcomer-star of the film, and yack it up for a while. Hitchcock reported that the film cost $1,030,000, due to Technicolor costs in the main, with other costs being kept reason¬ ably low . . . the latent ham in him is the reason he appears in all his pictures and not superstition ... he reported previews all over had audiences pleased with the film . . . He used unknowns to keep the costs down and also because they fitted the parts, something “names” might not be able to do . . . his next is a real scary suspense film with Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day called “The Man Who Knew Too Much” . . . he’s off shortly for a two month tour of Scandinavian countries and Japan to make sure “Harry” gets the right sendoff as well as the proper trans¬ lation in titling and dubbing . . . his next will be “The Wrong Man” with Henry Fonda and is being written by Maxwell Anderson ... re his TV series of half hour shows, he will direct six of the 39 scheduled; but will supervise the others ... he opined that the industry must use new people more and more to develop a reservoir of new talent, to keep costs low, and to insure proper casting for many roles . . . the American public is (Continued on page 32) October 12, 1955