The Exhibitor (1959)

January 14, 1959 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 7 World Showmen Mark Variety Week 10,000 Barkers Active As "Heart" Of Industry Highlights Humane Work, Seeks Public Awareness NEW YORK — Variety Clubs International, the “heart” of show business, is currently celebrating Variety Week (Jan. 12-18) in 46 tents in the United States, and in Toronto, Mexico City, London, and Dublin. More than 10,000 showmen from all branches of the entertainment industry, who have dedicated themselves to helping the ailing and under¬ privileged children of the world, are parti¬ cipating in the salute to Variety’s manyfaceted efforts. Founded in Pittsburgh in 1927, Variety Clubs have since its inception raised more than $75 millions, and in 1957 spent $2,894,216 on charities. For 1958, $2,519,000 was pledged by the various tents. George Eby is international chief barker. In addition to the main charitable projects of each Tent, all VCI Tents carry on other humanitarian activities designed to brighten the lives of the less fortunate. These include the showing of movies to shut-ins in hospi¬ tals and other institutions; providing radios, television sets, athletic equipment, and other facilities to Boys’ Clubs, Camps, and hospi¬ tals; providing free tickets to boxing and wrestling matches, circuses, theatres, and other attractions; providing taxi service for the blind; etc. VCI also bestows an annual Humanitarian Award to the person who has rendered con¬ spicuous service each year toward mankind’s betterment. The recipient is not chosen by the Variety Clubs but by a committee con¬ sisting of editors, publishers and college presidents. This week-long observance will highlight the humane work of show business people. An effort will be made to gain the greatest possible public awareness and achieve the understanding and good will of editors, radio and TV stations, and civic leaders. Clearances have been obtained by Ralph Staub, producer of the short subject distri¬ buted by Columbia, “The Heart Of Variety,” from all personalities who appear in the sub¬ ject, so that selected clips from the film may be shown on television during Variety Week. Highlights of the week will be ceremonies by many Tents for the induction of new Barkers, who are public figures, and the installation of new officers. The 32nd anniversary convention of Vari¬ ety Clubs International will be held in Las Vegas, with Tent 39 the host, on March 31, April 1-2-3. Disney Profit Up BURBANK, CAL. — Consolidated net profit of Walt Disney Productions and domestic subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended Sept. 27, 1958, was $3,865,473, equal to $2.51 per share on the 1,537,054 common shares out¬ standing, president Roy O. Disney told share¬ holders last week. This compares with the previous year’s net income of $3,649,359. Melamed Joins NTA NEW YORK — David J. Melamed has been named vice-president in charge of business affairs of National Telefilm Associates, Inc., according to an announcement by Ely A. Landau, chairman of the board of NTA. All Loew s Operations Register Profit— Vogel NEW YORK — Loew’s, Inc., has achieved a clear-cut turnabout, Joseph R. Vogel, presi¬ dent, declared last week. He announced a net profit of $774,000 after taxes for the fiscal year which ended Aug. 31, 1958, and a net profit of $2,625,000 after taxes for the new fiscal year’s first 12-week period which ended Nov. 20, 1958. The 1958 fiscal profit of $774,000 — which amounts to 15 cents per share on the 5,336,777 shares outstanding — contrasts with the $455,000 net loss after taxes experienced in fiscal 1957, Vogel said. The fiscal year’s first quarter net profit of $2,625,000 — which amounts to 49 cents per share — contrasts with the net loss after taxes of $1,291,000 which Loew’s experienced in the similar 12 -week period of the past fiscal year. “At the present time,” Vogel declared, “every branch of our operations throughout the world are profitable. “Sometime this spring we expect to com¬ plete the division of the assets of the company as approved by the stockholders and the Fed¬ eral Court, and distribute the theatre com¬ pany stock to our stockholders. I am confident the two companies resulting from the sepa¬ ration will have sound and satisfactory results for the full fiscal 1959 period.” The major source of the upturn was in film production and distribution, which achieved a pre-tax profit of $2,187,000 during the 12 weeks, compared to a pre-tax loss of $4,378,000 in the same period a year earlier. Para. Sells Broadcasting Stock WASHINGTON — Following approval by the Federal Communications Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, and other governmental agencies, Paramount Pic¬ tures Corporation last fortnight consummated the sale of 335,200 shares of capital stock in Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation to John Kluge and associates for a reported $4,000,000. This was said to be Paramount’s entire holding in the company, which was spun off several years ago from the Allen B. DuMont Enterprises. Metropolitan owns television stations WNEW-TV in New York and WTTG-TV in Washington and radio stations WNEW in New York and WKH in Cleveland. The transaction does not in any way affect Paramount’s interest in DuMont Laboratories, nor does it have anything to do with Para¬ mount’s 100 per cent ownership, through its subsidiary, Paramount Television Produc¬ tions, of TV station KTLA-TV in Los An¬ geles. Paramount had three representatives on the Metropolitan board, Barney Balaban, Paul Raibourn, and Edward L. Ward. In addition, Arthur Israel, Jr., of Paramount, has been secretary of Metropolitan. Cleveland Exhibs Elect CLEVELAND— At an election held last fortnight Henry Greenberger was reelected to a fifth term as president of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors Association. Oth¬ ers returned to office were Joseph Rem¬ brandt, vice-president; and Louis Seitz, sec¬ retary. Leonard Mishking is treasurer. This scene in Atlanta calling attention to Old Newsboys Day is typical of the many fund raising activities of Variety Club Tents all over the world as they lend a helping hand to handicapped and needy youngsters. Samuel Quits As BV President, Sales Head NEW YORK— Leo F. Samuels, president and director of Buena Vista, last week an¬ nounced his resignation from the film dis¬ tribution company, ef¬ fective immediately. A veteran of 34 years in the motion picture in¬ dustry, Samuels joined the Walt Disney organ¬ ization in 1938. In the more than 20 years with the company, he has held a number of major executive and sales posts, including foreign world-wide sales super Samuels played a key role in the organiza¬ tion of Buena Vista in 1952 and was elected president and general sales manager of the Disney film distribution subsidiary that year. Prior to joining the Disney organization, Samuels was affiliated for 13 years with United Artists where he was liaison between stockholders and the board of directors, as¬ sistant to the president, and assistant secre¬ tary of the company. Telemeter Merged Into Para. HOLLYWOOD — Barney Balaban, president of Paramount Pictures Corporation, last week announced the corporate rearrangement of the International Telemeter Corporation and total acquisition of the Telemeter pay-as-you-see television system by Paramount. International Telemeter, which previously had been a 90 per cent Paramount-owned subsidiary, has now been merged into Paramount and will operate as a division of Paramount Pictures Corporation under the name of International Telemeter Company. Two former subsidiaries of the International Telemeter Corporation, Telemeter Magnetics, Inc., and Palm Springs Community Television Corporation, as a result of the merger be¬ come direct subsidiaries of Paramount Pic¬ tures Corporation. sales manager and visor. at ntmM MU tir mtnm im