The Exhibitor (1957)

8 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Republic To Handle AB-PT Productions UA Stockholders Hear Benjamin Krim Report Rise In Net Earnings The first public stockholders meeting in United Artists history was held recently in the Rivoli, New York. Seen on the dais, standing, is Robert S. Benjamin, board chairman; and, from the left, John Peoples, of the accounting firm of Peat, Marwick and Mitchell; Leon Goldberg, UA vice-president and treasurer; Max E. Youngstein, vice-president; Seymour M. Peyser, vice-president and general counsel; Arthur B. Krim, president; Seward I. Benjamin, secretary; Robert C. Porter, board member; William J. Heineman, vice-president in charge of distribution; and Joseph Ende, controller. New York — United Artists Corpora¬ tion’s net earnings for the first quarter of 1957 show a 19.2 per cent increase over the comparable period of 1956, Robert S. Benjamin, chairman of the board, re¬ ported last week to the first public an¬ nual stockholders meeting in the com¬ pany’s history. UA’s gross world-wide film income for the first quarter of 1957 totalled $14,389,000, an increase of 14,6 per cent over the $12,553,000 grossed in the like period last year, Benjamin told the meeting at the Rivoli Theatre. The first quarter net, after provisions for taxes and year-end adjustments, re¬ presents 57 cents per share on approxi¬ mately one-million shares outstanding. The first quarter earnings during 1956, when the company was still privately owned, was 48 cents per share. Arthur B. Krim, UA president, said indications are that gross for the re¬ mainder of the year ending Dec. 31 would exceed last year’s gross revenue of $64,771,784. Krim forecast the full year’s net earnings would be higher than last year’s $3,106,000. The president pointed out that UA was now in position to finance a sub¬ stantially greater quantity of quality product. He said he expected the gross "80 Days" Opens In 35mm. St. Louis — The Esquire here opened last fortnight with the first American showing of Mike Todd’s “Around The World In 80 Days” in its 35mm. version. William J. Heineman, United Artists vice-president, and distribution head, was in for the premiere, which followed in all other respects the established road show policy for the picture. The film is also being shown in Paris in 35mm., but all other engagements are in the Todd-AO 70mm. process. COMPO To Meet June 1 9 New York — COMPO’s executive com¬ mittee will meet on June 19, it was an¬ nounced last fortnight. The committee was to have met earlier this month. income from TV would more than double in the current fiscal year. Krim voiced optimism over the growth potential of United Artists and disclosed that successful major pictures are bring¬ ing in record revenues. “Successful pictures are constantly reaching new heights,” he continued. “We believe that with sound, alert manage¬ ment, the growth potential is bigger to¬ day than it was in 1951 and is compar¬ able to that of almost any other industry on the American scene. We hope to prove this.” Following the meeting it was an¬ nounced that the United Artists board had been reelected. The members are Robert S. Benjamin, chairman; Arthur B. Krim, president; William J. Heine¬ man, vice-president in charge of distrib¬ ution; Max E. Youngstein, vice-president; Arnold M. Picker, vice-president in charge of foreign distribution; Seymour M. Peyser, vice-president and general counsel; Leon Goldberg, vice-president and treasurer; Seward I. Benjamin, secretary; Joseph Ende, controller and assistant treasurer; Robert W. Dowling, City In¬ vesting Company; and Robert C. Porter, F. Eberstadt and Company. All company officers also were reelected. Copyright Suit Filed New York — Attorney Walter J. White last week filed a complaint on behalf of Lou Shipman and Mrs. Eleanor Hymer in the Southern District Federal Court against Matty Fox and the C and C Cor¬ poration charging infringement of the copyright law and demanding an account¬ ing of all profits of TV showings of a film released by RKO in 1938 called “Law Of The Underworld.” Not only will C and C be required to show its books if the court so orders, but individual TV stations will be asked to make their records available. Shipman and Hymer, heirs of the writers of the play on which the film was based, claim the film was shown and distributed with¬ out their permission and consent. New York— AB-PT Pictures Corpora¬ tion has concluded a deal whereby all of its film productions will be distributed in the United States and its possessions and Canada by Republic, it was jointly an¬ nounced last week by Sidney M. Markley, vice-president, American Broadcast¬ ing-Paramount Theatres, Inc., and Her¬ bert J. Yates, president, Republic. Under the deal, the Markley-Yates an¬ nouncement pointed out, Republic will handle the physical distribution of ABPT Pictures to the parent company’s own theatre affiliates, and both selling and physical handling to all the other theatres. “Beginning Of The End” and “The Un¬ earthly,” AB-PT's first two completed pic¬ tures, are booked into over 240 theatres starting on June 20 in the Chicago, In¬ diana, Illinois, Florida, Texas, and Louisi¬ ana territories. AB-PT Pictures Corpora¬ tion has announced five additional pro¬ ductions on its schedule this calendar year. First of these, “Young Mother,” goes before the camera June 10 with Joe Parker directing, Edmond Chevie pro¬ ducing. The other properties are “Eight¬ een And Anxious,” “Ten Hours To Doom,” “Jazz Street,” and “Volcano Monsters.” Columbia Aids Hospital New York — The home office employees of Columbia Pictures and Screen Gems in New York have donated a “Heinicke Typhoon Washer” for use in the labora¬ tory at the Will Rogers Memorial Hos¬ pital in memory of the late Jack Cohn, co-founder and long time executive vicepresident of the company. Presentation of this equipment which does the equivalent of eight hours hand work in 15 minutes, was made to Abe Montague, president of the Hospital and also vice-president of Columbia, by Miss Lillian Stark, Columbia print department, who served as chairman of the employees committee which collected funds. Also present at the ceremony were Mrs. Jack Cohn, one of her sons, Ralph M. Cohn, vice-president and general man¬ ager of Screen Gems, and Abe Schneider, first vice-president and treasurer. Gov't Film Funds Okayed Washington — Congress last fortnight okayed funds to keep the industry di¬ visions of the Commerce Department’s Business and Defense Services Adminis¬ tration, including the film division head¬ ed by Nathan D. Golden, going. It is understood it is a compromise bill, not as much as the Administration sought and not even as much as the program had this year. Charles Donohue Dies Philadelphia — Charles Donohue, 65, formerly a booker at the local RKO ex¬ change for nearly 20 years, died last weekend at the Northern Division of Ein¬ stein Medical Center, after a short illness. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. His brother, Walter Donohue, formerly with Columbia exchange here, is now with Columbia in Washington. June 12, 1957