The Exhibitor (1956)

The Year In News And Personalities THIRTY-EIGHT years is quite a chunk out of any lifetime, and that is precisely how long this publication has been commenting on industry hap¬ penings and extending its services to theatremen everywhere. Prosperity, depression, full theatres, closed houses, we have seen and reported them all. One thing remains constant. Motion pictures are the finest mass enter¬ tainment the world has ever developed. Regardless of all other factors affecting the industry, this is as true today as it was more than half a century ago when a popeyed public first thrilled to “pictures that moved.” The past is a shining story of success and good to think back on. Of course it had its failures, its shortcomings, its disappointments. Success is never as sweet without these bittersweet contrasts. Ele¬ gies have been sung before to the motion picture industry, but the corpse just wouldn’t stay buried. Those are some reflections after 38 years of reporting this industry. Here are some of the people and events responsible for the page in the film business’ diary marked 1956. December, 1955 7 — Paramount’s pre-release system is defended by general counsel Louis Phillips in a letter to National Allied’s board chairman Abram F. Myers. . . . Exhibitors hail first Audience Awards poll as builder of good will. . . . MPEA concludes three-year film agreement with Italy. . . . MPAA company counsels approve arbitration draft. 14 — Industry wins Government’s 16mm. anti-trust action, establishing right to withhold product from TV. . . . United Artists resigns from MPAA as Production Code seal is denied Otto Preminger’s “The Man With The Golden Arm.” . . . Jennifer Jones, James Dean, Tab Hunter, Peggy Lee, and “Mister Roberts” score in first Audience Awards poll. . . . Arthur Krim forecasts United Artists world gross of $65 million in ’56. 21 — Federal Judge Sidney Snaper denies motion of Keyport Theatre Corpor¬ ation to intervene in New Jersey expansion of Loew’s Theatres. . . . Arthur M. Loew named to succeed Nicholas M. Schenck as Loew’s, Inc., president. . . . COMPO endorses a new campaign for relief from fed¬ eral admissions tax. . . . Trans-Lux founder Percy N. Furber dies. . . . Court decree favors independents in suit against National Screen Service. 28 — MPAA president Eric Johnston de¬ nies rumors of forthcoming changes in the Production Code. . . . Ellis Films brings federal suit against the MPAA charging anti-trust law vio¬ lation by the Production Code. . . . 20th-Fox International Germany head Robert A. Kreier dies. . . . New York censor statute challenged in the state’s Supreme Court by Capitol Enterprises. January, 1956 4 — Federal Judge Sidney Sugarman grants petition of Loew’s Theatres to acquire New Jersey drive — in over objections of Keyport Circuit. . . . MPAA head Eric Johnston names Charles F. Baldwin Mediter¬ ranean manager, MPEA. . . . Slower playoff of CinemaScope product blamed for 20th-Fox earnings dip. 11 — The Senate Small Business Sub¬ committee sets hearings as National Allied seeks federal regulation of film terms. . . . RKO Teleradio sells “The Conqueror” and “Jet Pilot” back to Howard Hughes. . . . Sen¬ ator Paul Douglas (D., Ill.) comes out in favor of admissions tax relief. . . . E. K. O’Shea named Magna The¬ atres sales head. . . . Paramount shorts and Columbia features reach television outlets. 18 — AB-PT’s Leonard Goldenson and Edward Hyman report that dis¬ tributors have assured them an orderly release pattern for 1956. . . . COMPO states that it will press tax campaign despite discouraging pros¬ pects of success by the President’s State of the Union message. . . . Pennsylvania’s Board of Censors crippled by budget cut. . . . Charles Boasberg named Paramount special sales supervisor. . . . United Artists gets Todd-AO’s “Around The World In 80 Days.” . . . TOA members to answer questionnaire to guide organization’s actions at Senate hearings. 25 — Washington exhibitors prepare to battle ticket tax. . . . 20th-Fox dem¬ onstrates its new CinemaScope-55 before an appreciative trade audi¬ ence in the Roxy, New York. . . . TOA members respond to question¬ naires, showing a lively interest in forthcoming Senate industry hear¬ ings. February, 1956 1 — Government rules Western Electricmust divest Westrex Corporation. . . . English producer Sir Alexander Korda dies. . . . RKO sells 740 fea¬ tures to TV. 8 — David Snaper, veteran exhibitor and head, Snaper Theatres, dies. . . . Chicago police censors overruled by court on “Game Of Love.” . . . Theatre Owners of America hold convention in Charlotte. 15 — CinemaScope inventor Professor Henri Chretien dies. . . . James R. Velde becomes UA sales head. . . . Buddy Adler becomes 20th-Fox studio boss, replacing Darryl F. Zanuck, who plans to enter inde¬ pendent production. 22 — Variety Clubs International plans New York convention. . . . Allied ( Continued on page A7) LOEW SCHENCK CLARK December 19, 1956 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR