The Exhibitor (1957)

10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR December 11, 1957 Adams Again Heads Ohio Exhibitor Unit Exhibitor-Distributor Cooperation Hailed As Orderly Release Triumphs NEW YORK— Declaring that he felt “great about the future of orderly distribution, American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres vice-president Edward L. Hyman last week said that on the basis of distributor indica¬ tions, he had hopes “for quality product every month of the year in 1958.” Hyman added his information indicated that there would be strong product “with legs” available from each company for Thanksgiv¬ ing so that they could play right through to Christmas in any territory and beat the doldrums of the pre-Christmas period. He based his opinion on assurances of 10 companies, which follow alphabetically: Allied Artists, which promised “every ef¬ fort” for a top picture a month backed up by package shows; Buena Vista, which listed 10 films, including the release of “Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs,” but which did not indicate release dates in some instances for several pictures; Columbia, which listed 45 pictures, 32 with release dates, the remainder with possible dates; MGM, with 16; Para¬ mount, with 15; Republic, which promised cooperation; 20th-Fox, with 35; United Artists, with 16; Universal, with 23; and Warner Bros., with 21. Warner Bros, had previously declared that it had no official statement on “orderly” dis¬ tribution; Buena Vista had declared that be¬ cause of its few pictures, it had to release them at the time best suited for the company and the exhibitor. Hyman frankly stated that there was noth¬ ing hard and fast in the schedule, reminding a luncheon press conference that “if produc¬ tion does not make pictures for distribution, distribution has not the picture to give us.” “However”, he added, “the quality pictures are more evenly spaced over the year,” and the cooperation of distribution involves an obligation on the part of exhibition that it would advertise and publicize these pictures so as to get the best results. Hyman intends to take to the field to sell exhibition on the idea. Grass roots cooperation on the part of ex¬ hibitors would achieve results “far greater than any campaign that can be conceived in New York,” he claimed. Orderly distribution of product, he con¬ tinued, “would revive attendance” at theatres if “recoupled” with showmanship, and “if the [release] schedule is adhered to. . . .” Hyman was asked whether he thought “The Bridge Over The River Kwai” would be re¬ leased generally in January as Columbia in¬ dicated, since it would open in December as a roadshow. He replied he thought it would. Develop, Publicize New Stars With Youth Appeal— Goldenson NEW YORK — Producers should devote time to training and publicizing young talent for stardom, and the talent in turn should go out and work to publicize their pictures, American Broadcasting-Paramount Pictures president Leonard Goldenson declared here last week at a press luncheon in the AB-PT home office. He emphasized the need of new faces and held that the industry did not have a suf¬ ficient number of young stars. He also urged a campaign industrywide to create “excite¬ ment” in theatre going, which he thought might be instituted under the banner of the TOA Group To Aid Business Building Effort CHARLOTTE, N. C.— Ernest G. Stellings, president, Theatre Owners of America, last fortnight announced the appointment of a committee to cooperate with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on various projects to aid the box office and with the studio advertising and publicity heads in the development of new per¬ sonalities. The committee, which will function as the liaison between exhibition, production, and the Academy in furthering of worth, while ideas, comprises Henry Plitt, New Orleans, chairman; Roy Cooper, San Fran¬ cisco; John Stembler, Atlanta; and Dave Jones, Springfield, Ill. Tax Cut Hopes Dashed WASHINGTON — Any hopes for a reduction or elimination of the motion picture theatre admission tax were dashed last week when Administration leaders told Republicans in Congress that excise and corporate levies “can not and must not” be cut during the coming year due to the cost of missile and other programs. Certain excises — motion pictures not among them — as well as some corporate taxes are slated for automatic reductions next June 30. However, it is believed that the larger pro¬ ducing excise taxes due to expire then prob¬ ably must be continued for at least one more year; the same is true of existing high cor¬ porate taxes, it was said. Council of Motion Picture Organizations. An¬ other suggestion was an industry exposition which could travel. The young talent, he declared, should be groomed to appeal to audiences of 16 to 35 who account for 70 per cent of the total revenue of motion picture audience. But, Goldenson warned, “you can’t throw these young kids on unknown . . . these people have to be treated like thoroughbreds . . . they deserve more, but they get a lot less.” The AB-PT chief added another warning: “You can’t put these kids in inadequate stories and hope to make them into stars.” This new talent, he said, should be built up exclusively for movies. They could make oc¬ casional appearances on TV to get known, but their talents should be kept so that the “only place these stars can be seen is in motion picture theatres,” since the public would not pay for what could be seen for nothing reg¬ ularly on TV. Goldenson offered the following other sug¬ gestions: 1) Publicity on a picture to start when the idea of the picture is first suggested to pro¬ vide a proper build up time. 2) Correction of a situation whereby news¬ papers give radio and video programs free listings on programs and do not follow the same policy for motion pictures, which are advertisers. 3) Building up the Academy Award Night by “holding annually at that time a motion picture exposition” which could travel through the country showing new product, new stars, new methods of presentation, etc. COMPO could handle this also, he thought. COLUMBUS, OHIO— Horace Adams, Cleve¬ land, was reelected president, Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, at the 22nd annual convention held Dec. 3 and 4 at the Fort Hayes hotel here. Adams was unable to be present because of illness. Other officers reelected were F. W. Huss, Jr., Cincinnati, first vice-president; Hoy L. Russell, Millersburg, second vice-president; Charles Sugarman, Columbus, treasurer; and William A. Carroll, executive secretary. Leonard Greenberger, Cleveland, and William Clegg, Dayton, are newly elected members of the board. Resolution condemning Metro-GoldwynMayer “for withholding availability of ‘Les Girls,’ ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ and ‘Don’t Go Near The Water’ from small -town exhibitors” was adopted. Resolution urging all exhibitors “to quit crying and sell movies to the public vig¬ orously” was adopted, as were all 11 National Allied resolutions adopted at the Kiamesha Lake Meeting. James McDonald, Cincinnati, reporting for the small towns’ clinic, said many small-town exhibitors want to be able to book Para¬ mount’s “The Ten Commandments” so that it can be shown at no more than 90 cents admission and with run limited to one week. He pleaded for unity among small town ex¬ hibitors on film buying, booking, and promo¬ tional activities. Abram Myers, National Allied general counsel, said that the distributors’ “new con¬ cept of clearance — that they are not required to supply prints at expiration of clearance period — presents insuperable obstacles to the working out of arbitration.” He said the one big industry need is a business-building plan that all segments of the industry can support and one that will benefit all. MPEA Names Hochstetter NEW YORK — Leo D. Hochstetter, veteran newspaper man and one time mideast cor¬ respondent for the Columbia Broadcasting System and the North American Newspaper Alliance, has been appointed continental man¬ ager of the Motion Picture Export Associa¬ tion, president Eric Johnston announced last week. Hochstetter succeeds Marc M. Spiegel, whose resignation takes effect on Jan. 31, 1958, at which time he will become asso¬ ciated with a film production company, whose name was not announced. Johnston praised Spiegel’s record highly and noted the part he had played in the negotiation of the new Franco -American film agreement. Hochstetter will headquarter in Paris. SW Seeks Three Houses NEW YORK — It was learned last week that Stanley Warner was seeking Federal District Court approval to purchase two theatres in Punxatawney, Pa., the Jefferson and Alpine; and the Capitol, Cincinnati. Petitions will be heard on Dec. 12 by Judge Edmund L. Palmieri. SW Cinerama Corporation has been oper¬ ating the Cincinnati house. Heidt Joins Columbia NEW YORK — Joseph Heidt has been ap¬ pointed press director for “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” Columbia ad and publicity vicepresident Paul N. Lazarus, Jr., announced last week. Heidt is a former theatrical press agent who headed the ad and publicity de¬ partment of the Theatre Guild.