The Exhibitor (1957)

8 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR The NEW YORK Scene By Mel Konetoff KICKING OFF Hollywood’s Golden Anniversary celebration, Eric Johnston, piesident, Motion Picture Association of America, was guest of honor and featured speaker at a meeting of the Sales Executives Club at the Hotel Roosevelt here. Before an audience that contained a goodly number of industry executives as well as club members and guests, and aboard a double-decked dais that bore some of the top names in the business, Johnston set the lecord straight as to the importance of the industry in world affairs as well as in the world of everyday living. Said he, “First, Hollywood motion pictures are the great stimulators of mass pro¬ duction — the assembly line — at home and overseas. Second, the Hollywood film is the pioneering and still tireless agent for American democracy and the fruits of democracy throughout, the world. “I don’t think you can over-emphasize the importance of the motion picture the¬ atre as the center of family entertainment and as the magnetizing force for trade and growth. The local theatres have sustained neighboring merchants because they attract the audience out of the home. Those who come out for the show will stay out to shop. What’s more they’ll be in a mood for shopping. The lights on the theatre marquee have kept on and keep on the lights of restaurants, drug stores, and merchant outlets on the Broadways and the Main Streets all over the country. The theatre sells the community and. what the community has to sell.” He recounted a number of personal experiences involving the motion picture all over the world and also showed how potent an influence it could be in home life, dress, and habits of people. Concluded Johnston, “I can assure ycu that in the year 2007, 50 years hence, someone will surely remark ‘Movies are better than ever’ and he will be right.” Aboard the dais were Roy Haines, Benjamin Melniker, William Heineman, Martin Quigley, Sol A. Schwartz, Abe Montague, Robert Coyne, Leopold Friedman, Frank McCarthy, Burgess Meredith, Charles Reagan, Paul J. Quinn, Mrs. Charles Lewis, Ben Shlyen, Morey Goldstein, Norton Ritchey, Charles Alicoate, Lacy Kastner, Jay Emanuel, Sol Strausberg, Ben Cohen, Len Coulter, Earl W. Hammons, Si Fabian, Dina Merrill, v Arthur Kiim, Elmer Rhoden, Arthur Loew, W. C. Michel, Claude Lee, John Hubbell, \ Barney Balaban, Robert S. Benjamin, Abe Schneider, Martha Scott, John J. O’Connor, \ Theodore Black, and Ed Morey. QUESTION: If you had a chance to make “Baby Doll” all over again would you change it? Answer: Only possibly to improve it artistically. I wouldn’t change the story line nor any of the parts objected to. Thus spoke Elia Kazan at a press conference for himself and Budd Schulberg called S ' the pair could talk about their latest, “A Face In The Crowd,” made for Warners release. This is the tale of a country boy who made the top in a manner that was fast, furious, and fascinating, and they admitted that the central character could be a mixture of Arthur Godfrey, Jimmy Dean. Herb Shriner. Walter Winchell, Bill.V Graham, Huey Long, etc. ‘ ^ ~ v They made the film in New York and liked filming it here since they found lots of studio space, fine cooperation, a wealth of acting talent, and a healthy atmosphere. Kazan admitted that the subject matter should dictate where a film should be made, 'this was a natural for New York, except for a few scenes. The cost of the more than two-hour-long feature was $1,700,000, all of it put out by Warners with a hands-off policy. Said Kazan, Hollywood talks about new faces but does little about it. New York has a tremendous reservoir of new talent in TV, Broadway shows, little theatre groups, etc. Kazan analyzed the chief problem of the industry, getting the people out to sep entertainment on the big screens that they can’t get on their TV screens. Therefore, pieturemakers must come up with new daring, new excitement, and different stories winch TV can’t touch since they must please the majority. Pack to new talent, he had several reasons for liking to work with such actors: because they are hungry and go all-out to show what they can do. After they become successful, these same people become cultured, satisfied, and less savage in their desire t come across to audiences. Secondly, when realistic pictures are made, new faces are more authentic. Some of the newer talent under contract for pictures to his company include Andy Griffith, Lee Remick, Tony Franciosa, Carroll Baker, Rip Torm, Eli Wallach. * , With regard to “Baby Doll,” he estimated that the playoff on this should see a gross of five millions world wide, with three millions already in. Since the cost was $1,200,000 he is satisfied with the returns. Incidentally, he revisited the south where it was made, and the local inhabitants loved the film and bore no resentment. Kazan's next will he for Fox, whom he owes a feature under an old contract. Schulman will do a film for Warners in the fall, and they expect to do more together in the future. . THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: The Authors League of America, the Dramatists Guild, and the Authors Guild have appointed Lynn Famol public relations consultant. . . . Burgess Meredith addressed the Japan Society on the subject of making films in Japan and referred specifically to “Joe Butterfly.” Ah sooo . . . Etta Segall of Allied Artists tells us her exhibitor buddies are just wonderful helping out in the sales drive in her honor which ends June 15. . . . Jerry Pickman’s secretary, Lotte Vorseheimer, is getting married in July to Milton Rogers. We wish her well BROADWAY CROSSES (As of this Monday) Openings, Holiday Provide Boost New York— The four-day Memorial Day weekend, aided by a couple of good openings, spurred business in the Broad¬ way sector, with the Globe and the Capi¬ tol doing particularly well. According to usually reliable sources reaching Motion Picture Exhibitor, the breakdown was as follows: > “China Gate” (2Qth-Fox). Paramount ($47.654)* — Second, and last week, drop¬ ped to $17,000. “Desk Set” (20th-Fox). Roxy .($81,388) • — Thursday through Sunday accounted foi* $40,041. The third week was expected to tally $56,000. Stage show. “Designing Woman” (MGM). Radio City Music Hall ($146,192)— Thursday through Sunday hit $88,200, with the third week heading toward $128,000», Usual stage show. “G unfight At O.K. Corral” (Paramount). Capitol ($39,813)— Opening week was big, with $70,000 anticipated. “Face In The Crowd" (Warners). Globe ($11,854) — First week a sensational $36,000. “Joe Butterfly” (U-I). Mayfair ($15,087) r — First week to reach $12,000. “Something Of Value” (MGM). Astor ($24,578)— Fourth week bound to top $21,000. \ “The Bachelor Party” (UA). Victoria \ ($2),930) — Eighth, and last, week antici¬ pated at $15,000. “Monkey On My Back" (UA). Loew s , State (^ 18,644) — Opening week estimated at $17,000. * Figures in parentheses are 1956 weekly averages based on Motion Picture Ex¬ hibitor reports. Globe Sale Finalized New York — Harry and Louis Brandt last fortnight sold the Globe to Roger L. Stevens, Robert Whitehead, Robert W. Dowling, and William Zeckendorl' for a reported $1,200,000. The purchasers issued a statement that they will spend approximately $500,000 in renovations and turn the house back into a legitimate theatre. Goldwyn Suit To Trial San Francesco — July 1 was tentatively set last fortnight as the date for the long pending anti-trust suit of Samuel Gold¬ wyn against Fox West Coast Theatres and others. The action was filed in 1950. / N P J x Volume 58. Number 6 June 5, 1957 Section One Editorials . 3 The New York Scene By Mel Konecoff . 8 News Of The Territories . 15 Studio Survey . 21 Section Two The Servisection . . SS-1 — SS4 (The Yellow Check-Up) June 5, 1957