The Exhibitor (1959)

10 January 7, 1959 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITO Columbia Stresses Blockbusters Through Independent Producers WASHING T ON — Columbia Pictures launched the first of a series of four regional sales meetings here this week at the Statler Hotel with Rube Jackter, vice-president and general sales manager, presiding. The sessions here were attended by home office executives Milton Goodman; Joseph Freidbex-g, manager, sales accounting and contract department; H. C. Kaufman, ex¬ change operations manager; Saul Trauner, New York branch manager; and Robert S. Ferguson, director of advertising, publicity and exploitation, as well as field sales execu¬ tives from the Eastern divisions and Canada. Harvey Harnick, sales manager of Columbia Pictures of Canada, was present from Canada, and division managers present included I. Harry Rogovin, from Boston; Harry Weiner, from Philadelphia; and Samuel Galanty, who makes his headquarters here. Branch managers were present from Al¬ bany, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New Haven, New York, Pittsburgh, and Wash¬ ington. Jackter said that “the new Columbia is geared to handle 30-36 entertainment pack¬ ages a year, which will be made by inde¬ pendent producers at a cost of $58 to $70 million dollars.” He said that “president Abe Schneider and the other members of the management team have decided that there was still a world of opportunity in the motion picture industry for a company willing to meet the challenge and they have decided to fight it out with a reorganized and reoriented distribution sys¬ tem and a program consisting mainly of big ‘blockbuster’ type films from independent producers under the Columbia formula.” The sales executives were told of more than 25 leading producers who had made re¬ leasing deals with Columbia in the last few months to give it “the fastest growing list of independents in the industry. “But, he added, “there will always be room for a few pictures made at lower budgets which still have the elements which will enable Columbia to merchandise them in the same style as the blockbusters. “From now on,” Jackter continued, “it will be imperative that each of our entertainment packages receives complete individual atten¬ tion. We are convinced that we are on the right track to not only solvent but highly profitable operations. We will have the kind of motion pictures that will give the theatres the best chance for success in today’s market.” Ferguson told the meeting that “every Columbia release would receive the full treat¬ ment of advertising, publicity and exploita¬ tion, from the cradle right through subsequent dates.” Subsequent meetings will be held on Jan. 12-13 in New Orleans for the southern divi¬ sions, and in Chicago on Jan. 19-20 for the far western divisions and on Jan. 21-22 for the mid-western divisions. Golding Joins Preminger HOLLYWOOD — David Golding resigned last fortnight as vice-president of Seven Arts Productions to join Otto Preminger as his executive assistant and director of adver¬ tising and publicity of Carlyle Productions, whose next production will be “Anatomy Of A Murder.” Golding will headquarter in New York. Conn. Exhibs Study Means To Better Children's Shows NEW LONDON, CONN. — Russel E. Newton, American Theatre Corporation’s Capitol, and John E. Petroski, Stanley Warner’s Garde, New London, and Palace, Norwich, meeting with the juvenile pro¬ tection committee of the New London dis¬ trict, Parent-Teachers’ Association, and St. Bernard’s Guild, have agreed on a threepoint program to assure showing of “suit¬ able” motion pictures for teen-agers and children on weekends and during school vacations. Both Newton and Petroski said, however, that since their theatres are part of cir¬ cuits, decisions on specific films, hooking dates, and advertising quality are not al¬ ways theirs, and stressed, particularly, that advertising material from New York does not always include a choice of pictures and copy by individual theatre managers. Three-point program includes consulta¬ tion by managers with school calendar to facilitate arranging suitable films to be shown when youngsters are most likely to attend film showings. Para. Seeks Return Of Ohio Censor Fees COLUMBUS, O. — Paramount Film Distri¬ buting Corp., of New York, filed suit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court here to force the state to pay back $55,846 which the firm paid under “unconstitutional censor¬ ship statutes.” Named defendants were Roger W. Tracy, state treasurer; James A. Rhodes, state audi¬ tor; Joseph T. Ferguson, former state auditor; Edward E. Holt, state superintendent of edu¬ cation; and Clyde Hissong, former superinten¬ dent of education. The suit alleges Paramount paid the state the money during 1952, 1953, and 1954. It con¬ tends the money was paid involuntarily and under duress of a threat that the penalty section of the law would be fulfilled. The suit points out that the Ohio censor law re¬ quired all films to be publicly exhibited “shall be examined and censored by the Ohio De¬ partment of Education for approval. . .” The fee was $3 for each reel not to exceed 1000 linear feet and $3 for each additional 1000 feet or fraction thereof. The suit claims this was in violation of the First and the 14th Amendments and that the state ceased mak¬ ing collections at the end of 1954. Rank In U.S. Record Field NEW YORK — John Davis, managing direc¬ tor of the Rank Organization, London, Eng¬ land, announced that it has formed a new American organization which will be a joint venture with Bob Shad, who has also been appointed its president. Shad will be responsible for the establish¬ ment of record labels in the United States for world wide distribution in conjunction with Rank Records, Ltd., London. Intention is to coordinate the American record com¬ pany, Rank Record Company of America, Inc., with Rank Records of London, to mutual advantage. Ohio Group Favors Censorship Revival JASKSON, O.— Judge Tom Mitchell, of the Jackson County Common Please court, and the county board of education have both made public protests against “a growing tendency toward public displays of obscenity and im¬ morality in movies, movie posters, and news stand publications.” By formal resolution, the board of education has urged the revival of movie censorship in Ohio. The board has made arrangements for wide distribution in the county of a report of movie poster “obscenity,” published by the Greenfield, Ohio, board of education, which urges censorship of movies. Judge Mitchell says he feels this to be a “moral issue to which we should give some attention for the sake of our children.” He added: “Some of the lurid movie posters on display and the content of some of the filthy magazines on public news stands should be of serious concern to all parents.” The jurist said he was recommending study of the Greenfield report by the Jackson ParentTeacher Association. Robert Oda, manager of the Markay, only theatre in Jackson, said he had not been contacted by Judge Mitchell or the county board of education on any phase of the matter. The Markay is owned by Chakeres Theatres, with home offices in Springfield, Ohio. Guinness, Taylor Top Poll NEW YORK — According to results of the 1958 Film Daily poll last fortnight the best performance by a male star was Alec Guin¬ ness in Columbia’s “The Bridge On The River Kwai”; the best performance by an actress was Elizabeth Taylor in MGM’s “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof”; the best performance by a supporting actor was Red Button? in Warners’ “Sayonara”; and the best perform¬ ance by a supporting actress was Hope Lange in 20th-Fox’s “Peyton Place.” Other winners were David Ladd for the best performance by a juvenile actor in Buena Vista’s “The Proud Rebel,” and Patty McCormack for the best performance as a juvenile actress in Universal’s “Kathy O’.” “Finds Of The Year” w'6re Maria Schell in Continental Distributing “Gervaise”; Diane Varsi in 20th-Fox’s “Peyton Place”; John Gavin in Universal’s “A Time To Love and A Time To Die”; Gwen Verdon in Warners’ “Damn Yankees”; and Hope Lange in 20thFox’s “Peyton Place.” Phila. ACE To Meet PHILADELPHIA — The local committee of American Congress of Exhibitors, William Goldman, chairman, has called a meeting of area exhibitors for Jan. 12 in the Pennsyl¬ vania Room of the Sheraton Hotel at 2:30 P.M. Every exhibitor in the territory is invited and expected to attend as. matters of para¬ mount importance will be discussed and acted upon. Des Moines Variety Elects DES MOINES— The local Variety Club, Tent 15, elected Woodrow Praught, vicepresident, Tri-States Theatre Corporation, chief barker. Other officers are Larry Day, first assistant chief; Ralph Olsen, second as¬ sistant chief; Lou Levy, dough guy; and Dave Gold, property master. The Crew for 1959 includes Max Rosenblatt, Richard Frank, Cato Mann. Bill Luftman, and Ralph Olsen.