The Exhibitor (1957)

10 motionpictureexhibitor $8S Million Warners Investment Reflects Faith In Industry Future New York — An investment by Warners of more than $85,000,000 in 35 pictures scheduled for future release was an¬ nounced by Jack L. Warner, president, at the conclusion of the film company’s na¬ tional conference of district executives at the home office last fortnight. “This large investment reflects our faith in the bright outlook for our company and offers concrete evidence of our con¬ fidence in the future of theatrrical mo¬ tion picture exhibition,” Warner stated. In “The Spirit Of St. Louis,” starring James Stewart as Charles A. Lindbergh, Warners has one of the most important productions in the many years of com¬ pany production, Warner declared. The film was three years in the making and cost $6,000,000. It is scheduled for its world premiere at the Radio City Music Hall this month to be followed by 50 or 60 selected key city engagements across the country at Easter time. The picture will be accorded a gala European pre¬ miere in Paris on May 21, commemorat¬ ing to the day the 30th anniversary of Lindbergh’s arrival at LeBourget field on his epoch-making flight. Currently in various stages of produc¬ tion are such properties as “No Time For Sergeants,” starring Andy Griffith; “Sayonara,” with Marlon Brando; “The Old Man And The Sea,” starring Spencer Tracy; “The Story Of Mankind,” with an all-star cast of 50 “name” players; “A Face In The Crowd,” starring Andy Grif¬ fith; “Band Of Angels,” starring Clark Gable and Yvonne de Carlo; “The Prince And The Showgirl,” starring Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier; “The Pajama Game,” starring Doris Day and John Raitt; “Lafayette Escadrille,” star¬ ring Tab Hunter and Etchika Choureau; “Bombers B-52,” co-starring Karl Mal¬ den and Natalie Wood; and “The Helen Morgan Story,” with Ann Blyth and Paul Newman in the principal roles. In addition, the Warner release sched¬ ule of completed pictures for the next few months includes “The Wrong Man,” starring Henry Fonda; “Top Secret Affair,” co-starring Susan Hayward and Kirk Douglas; “The Big Land,” starring Alan Ladd, Virginia Mayo, and Edmond O’Brien, and “Paris Does Strange Things,” starring Ingrid Bergman and Mel Ferrer. “We are constantly watching the stage and book markets for material that will make the best boxoffice attractions,” Warner stated. “To these vehicles we will continue to add the creative talents of outstanding stars, directors and producers so that the finished product will be en¬ dowed with the highest possible quality.” Warners Net Increases For First Fiscal Quarter Wilmington, Del. — Net profit of Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc., and subsidiary companies for the first quarter of the cur¬ rent fiscal year showed a substantial in¬ crease; over the comparable quarter of the previous year, it was announced last week at the annual stockholders meeting here. Ernie Sands, center, new midwest district man¬ ager, Warner Brothers Pictures, was recently tendered a farewell luncheon at Toots Shoe's Restaurant, New York, and is seen receiving a testimonial from Roy Haines, left, Warners gen¬ eral sales manager, and Larry Morris, vice-presi¬ dent, B. S. Moss Theatres, who acted as toast¬ master and luncheon chairman. Sands was formerly head, Warners' playdate department in New York. Two Join Warners' TV Unit New York — Jack L. Warner, president, Warners, last week announced the ap¬ pointment of Joseph D. Lamneck and Burton A. Neuburger as regional division managers for Warners’ television com¬ mercial and industrial film department. Offices are being opened in New York and in Chicago, providing direct services to advertising agencies and executives of industrial film accounts. Income from film rentals, sales, and other sources for the three months ended Dec. 1, 1956, amounted to $20,718,000, with a net profit of $1,569,000 after provisions of $1,900,000 for federal income taxes and $150,000 for contingent liabilities, equiva¬ lent to 85 cents per share on the 1,843,296 shares of stock outstanding, after deduct¬ ing the shares held in treasury. For the first quarter of the preceding fiscal year, income reached $19,132,000, with a net profit of $927,000 after $1,000,000 for taxes and $100,000 for contingent liabilities, which equalled 37 cents a share on the 2,474,263 shares then outstanding. Based upon the operations for Decem¬ ber and January, Warners anticipates that the profit for the second quai’ter, ending March 2, will be substantially less than the profit for the first quarter. However, it is expected that the results of opera¬ tions for the six months ending March 2 will exceed those of the corresponding six months last year. It also was announced at the meeting that Harry M. Warner, Albert Warner, Jack L. Warner, Charles Allen, Jr., and Serge Semenenko were reelected direc¬ tors for two year terms, and Benjamin Kalrrienson, Thomas J. Martin, Waddill Catchings, and Robert W. Perkins for one year terms. The stockholders approved stock options for Jack L. Warner, Kalmenson, Herman Starr, Wolfe Cohen, and Steve Trilling. U. S. Film Industry Pierces Iron Curtain New York — The Motion Picture Export Association revealed last week that long range negotiations, primarily by conti¬ nental manager Marc M. Spiegel, who headquarters in Paris, had at last re¬ sulted in sales behind the Iron Curtain of some 60 American-made features for approximately $2,000,000. Set for screening by Poland, East Ger¬ many, and Czecholsovakia were said to be product from nine member companies plus United Artists. Final selection should be made within another month. It was understood that Poland will take a mini¬ mum of 45 features, Czechoslovakia 20, and East Germany 25. The three-year license deals for these three countries by the MPEA member companies and UA give a per company picture limit of five features. One of the difficulties in the East Ger¬ many deal is the insistance by that coun¬ try that any features taken must be re¬ dubbed there, whereas the MPEIA is holding out for the delivery of German prints dubbed for the West German market. Eric Johnston, head, MPEA, laid the groundwork for the deals during his Iron Curtain country trip last fall. 20th-Fox Stars To Tour New York — In one of the lai'gest pro¬ grams ever undertaken to pre-sell motion pictures at the local level, six personal¬ ities associated with 20th-Fox’s “Oh, Men! Oh, Women!,” “The True Story Of Jesse James,” and “Boy On A Dolphin” will tour the United States and Canada during the next month, it was announced by vice-president Charles Einfeld. The six stars, Robert Wagner, Ginger Rogers, Barbara Rush, Tony Randall, Julie London, and Felicia Sanders, will visit 38 cities in the two countries meet¬ ing the local and statewide press, appear¬ ing on national and regional television and radio shows and at local theatres, and will participate in a host of other pro¬ motional activities in connection with their films. Personality tours have been found a most effective way to sell pictures to the public and the press. Conley Joins B-V Seattle — Don Conley has been ap¬ pointed sales representative for the Se¬ attle area, it was announced last week by Leo F. Samuels, president of Buena Vista. Formerly a salesman and branch man¬ ager for RKO in Des Moines and other branch cities, Conley was with that or¬ ganization for many years before joining the Disney distribution subsidiary. Photoplay Winners Named New York — Winners of the annual Photoplay Magazine “gold medal awards” in a poll of the American theatre-going public were announced last fortnight. Kim Novak, Rock Hudson, and War¬ ners’ George Stevens production “Giant” were the winners. Others named were Cecil B. DeMille, Buddy Adler, Michael Todd, and Barbara Stanwyck. February 13, 1957