The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTUR E EXHIBITOR 7 Exchange Workers ' Pension Plan Included In Ne w I A TSE A greement BROADWAY GROSSES (As of this Monday) New Films Greet Holiday New York — Holiday openings stimu¬ lated activity on Broadway last weekend, with two strong holdovers at Radio City Music Hall and the Roxy also contributing to business that was generally above average. According to usually reliable sources reaching Motion Picture Exhibitor, the breakdown was as follows: “The Wrong Man” (Warners). Para¬ mount ($45,000)* — First week registered a strong $53,000. “Anastasia” (20th-Fox). Roxy ($40,000) — Sensational business continued with $91,752 in the till Friday to Tuesday and the second week headed for $123,000. Ice show on stage. “The Teahouse Of The August Moon” (MGM). Radio City Music Hall ($144,000) — Continued strong with $162,225 in from Thursday to Tuesday and the fourth week sure of $190,000. Christmas stage show. “Bundle Of Joy” (RKO). Capitol ($49,000) — Opening week estimated at $26,000. “Huk” (United Artists). Globe ($14,800) — Down to $7,000 on the last five days of the second week. “The King And Four Queens” (United Artists). Mayfair ($15,000) — Opening week was headed for a good $20,000. “The Rainmaker” (Paramount). Astor ($29,000) — Slipped to $26,000 on the second week. “Baby Doll” (Warners). Victoria ($20,400) — Controversial film opened to sensational business to the tune of $55,234. “Hollywood Or Bust” (Paramount). Loew’s State ($28,700) — Opening week was headed for a good $38,000. *Figures in parentheses are 195 5 weekly averages based on Motion Picture Ex¬ hibitor reports. Legion Condemns “Woman" New York — The National Legion of Decency last fortnight placed on the “Condemned” list DCA’s Italian-made “Woman Of Rome.” The Legion stated, “The immoral at¬ mosphere in which the theme of this pic¬ ture is developed is replete with sugges¬ tive situations, dialogue and costuming. Furthermore, its subject matter is highly questionable for entertainment motion picture purposes.” / H P E X Volume 57, Number 9 December 26, 1956 Section One Editorials 4 The New York Scene By Mel Konecoff 7 Showmanship Sweepstakes 14 The International Scene 18 News Of The Territories . 19 Section Two The Servisection SS-l-^SS-8 (The Pink Reviews Section) New York — Employer contributions to create a pension fund for more than 6,000 workers at motion picture film ex¬ changes in 34 key cities throughout the United States have been negotiated by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Machine Operators. Blanket wage increases of $3.75 per week also are included in a new two-year agreement, retroactive to Dec. 1, signed by 13 major distributing companies, War¬ ners, National Film Service, RKO, Para¬ mount, United Artists, Columbia, Re¬ public, 20th-Fox, Universal, National Screen Service, Loew’s, Allied Artists, and Buena Vista. The pension fund established by the agreement is to receive six cents for each hour worked, up to straight-time maxi¬ mum of 371/2 hours per week, thus aug¬ menting the weekly wage increases by $2.25 per full-time employee. The fund will be administered jointly by the em¬ ployers and the I.A.T.S.E. Special provisions remain to be worked out in light of the fact that three of the companies, Loew’s, RKO, and 20th-Fox, prior to the industry-wide agreement, had pension plans of their own in effect In addition to the monetary benefits, the new contracts provide a number of others. Previously, the maximum annual paid vacation was two weeks. Hereafter, there will be a third week for employees who have worked 15 years or more for one company, and other benefits are also included in the pact. In the past, the top severance allowance was the equivalent of seven weeks’ pay. That has been upped to eight weeks’ pay after 16 years of employment, nine weeks after 18 years, and 10 weeks after 20 years. A new seniority clause provides that “all lay-offs and all rehiring follow¬ ing lay-offs shall be made according to seniority within each of the respective exchanges covered by the agreement, provided that the senior employees shall, in the judgment of the employer and the union, have the necessary qualifications, experience and ability to perform the available work. In the event of a dispute the matter shall be referred to the general office of the I.A. or the home office of the distributor involved.” The NEW YORK Scene By Mel Konecoff MEMO TO EVERYONE: May the Year 1957 be the best ever. ASSOCIATED MOTION PICTURE ADVERTISERS came through as usual with its Christmas party, this one being the 40th, at the Hotel Piccadilly, where about 125 industries and others attended with the majority walking off with some prize or other. Master of ceremonies for the occasion was Bob Rothafel, managing director, Roxy, who opined that the year ahead will prove a challenge to the business and the people in it to get the masses back into the theatres. With everyone doing his job to the best of his ability, this can be done, he believed. Aboard the dais were Martin Starr, Dave Bader, president, Hans Barnstyn, Leon Bamberger, Bob Montgomery, Lige Brien. THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: The world premiere of “Bundle Of Joy” at the Capitol brought in $21,000 for Hungarian aid and CARE last week. It was an impressive affair with loads of glitter and glamour, attended by celebrities, civic, business and society leaders, as well as representatives of the press. It was covered by TV, radio newsreels, and the Voice of America. There was a short stage program preceding the film and a party later at the Waldorf for the celebrities. . . . The spirit of Christmas and the flavor of the old frontier joined hands last week as gift-laden stage coaches rolled through the mid-town area calling attention to the opening of “The King And Four Queens” at the Mayfair. Cuties and cowpokes handed out orchids and cigars to pedestrians. . . . The theatre that was once the Gotham and then became the Holiday to feature films and plays both has been done over and has reverted to films again under the name of the Central. Opening epic is “Dance With Me Henry,” an Abbott and Costello. . . . Holiday greetings in from the Ed Feldmans, Norman Elson, Ed Rosenfeld, George Waldman, the Gil Goldens, the Leo Brodys, Jack Levin, George Weltner, Robert Mitchum, Burt Robbins, Jeannette Sawyer, Herb Steinberg, the Milt Livingstons, Marathon Newsreel, Bob Dorfman, the Steve Edwards, Charles Jones, the Gene Pleshettes, Walt Disney and staff, Phil Gerard, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert J. Yates, the Chet Bahns, William F. Rodgers, the Monroe Goodmans, the Picoult family, Bob Rothafel, the UPA gang, the Walter Kleins, Bea Ross, Fred Goldberg, Marty Blau, Syd Gross, Leon Bamberger, British Information Service. Charlie Okun, Fortunat Baronat, the Les Sugarmans, Bill and Bessie Ferguson, Sol Handwerger, Carol Levine, the Jeff Living¬ stons, Mel Gold Productions, a character with bloodshot eyes whom people identify ouickly as Nat Lax, etc. . . . Latest U-I promotion piece is on “Rock Pretty Baby.” It becomes a one-sheet for lobby use. . . . Last week saw U-I hold a midnight preview' tor show-biz people who couldn’t attend regular showings of “The Great Man,” yarn about the radio and TV field. December 26, 1956