The Exhibitor (1959)

April 8, 1959 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR England's Gala Films In Pix Deal With T-L 15 LONDON Observations by Jock MacGregor WITH THE “Don’t take your wife for granted — take her to the pic¬ tures” campaign concluded, Associated British Cinemas Jack Goodlatte and Bill Cartlidge can congratulate themselves on one of the most imaginative and successful promotions ever within the industry. Not only have British independents adopted the slogan, but queries have poured in from over¬ seas. TOA’s director of public relations A. Floerscheimer showed great interest. Mrs. Lucille E. Price, secretary of the Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina, wrote for full details and offered to buy samples of all advertisements which were, of course, presented without cost. N. A. Taylor of Canada’s International Film Distributors has signified his intention of using the campaign in the Dominion, while “down under,” Ernest Turnbull of Hoyt’s Thea¬ tres, Australia, adopted the layouts and notified ABC later, reminding them that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” ABC concluded a deal with J. B. Milne, the Scottish independent, whereby they acquire his new Capitol in Dundee, and he purchases from them the Plaza, Dundee; King’s, Mon¬ trose; and Playhouse, Galashiels, bringing his total up to 24 halls. ABC are equipping the Capitol with Todd AO and will reopen with “South Pacific.” Can’t get away from ABC personnel these days. Flying to Dublin recently, I found myself on the same plane as Jack Foster, the chief architect, Bill Carpenter, and Stanley Winch, who were going over for the opening of a bar and restaurant at the Adelphi. At breakfast in the Shelboume Hotel, I saw Dr. Eric Fletcher and Jimmy MacDonald, who were attend¬ ing the board meeting of an associate company. The gossip, incidentally, is that the group may be extending its interests in Ireland. At the air terminal I met Stan Mills, and for a companion on the return flight, I had Bill Mclnally of the engineering department. ABC gets around. MIKE FRANKOVICH hosted a Dorchester lunch to introduce Sam Goldwyn’s Douglas Netter, who is here to launch “Porgy and Bess,” and is looking for a suitable theatre of between 1,200 and 1,500 seats. It is almost sure to be a legit which may need gutting and refashioning. Meanwhile, Mike, the exhibitor, has a proud boast. The Columbia Theatre has not had a single empty seat since it opened. “Gigi” is now heavily booked into the summer. . . . Back to America after a long stay here during which he has made many friends has gone Herman Cohen to confer with his company, American International. He has taken with him prints of “Horrors of the Black Museum” and “The Headless Ghost,” which he has produced in conjunction with Nat Cohen (no relation). Herman hopes to return to make a big scale production in the summer. I hope he does. . . . Sorry to hear that RFD’s Fred Thomas has been hospitalized for a nasal operation. Here’s to a speedy recovery. NEW YORK— An agreement with TransLux Pictures in the United States has been concluded by Gala Film Distributors, Ltd., of England, it was announced by Kenneth Rive, managing director of Gala, who is presently in New York with his co-director, Ben Rose. Negotiations were conducted by Rive with Richard Brandt, president of Trans-Lux Pic¬ tures Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will jointly acquire important continental European prod¬ uct for distribution through both organiza¬ tions. In a further move to strengthen his Ameri¬ can tie-up and prepare for the expansion of Gala’s activities in the United States, Rive completed arrangements for the personal rep¬ resentation of Gala Film Distributors, Ltd., in New York by Richard Gordon of Gordon Films, Inc. Gordon will act as liaison for Gala with Trans-Lux Pictures, as well as han¬ dling other important deals in America which Rive will shortly announce. Gala Film Distributors, Ltd., is the lead¬ ing distributor of continental European prod¬ uct in the United Kingdom, and the only such company to control its own circuit of theatres throughout the country. Its chain in¬ cludes three first-run houses in London, the Continentale and the Berkeley, each with 600 seats, and the Cinephone with a seating ca¬ pacity of 500. In addition, the circuit has key first-run houses in every major city in Eng¬ land. The company distributes approximately 25 features annually, including 90 per cent of the output of Titanus Films of Italy. It has a long-term tie-up with Pathe Overseas of France, guaranteeing it distribution in the Far East, and with U.F.A. of Germany. A co-director of Gala Films is the South Afri¬ can magnate, William Boxer, whose Empire Films is the largest distributor of foreign product in South Africa with the only cir¬ cuit of theatres regularly playing such pic¬ tures. Merger Faces Court Test NEW YORK — It was learned last fortnight that the revived merger plans between List Industries Corporation and Glen Alden Cor¬ poration faces possible court intervention. Judge A. David Benjamin, in Kings County Supreme Court denied the corpora¬ tion a continuance in a Glen Alden stock¬ holder’s suit seeking a permanent injunc¬ tion against a merger unless they agreed to put over their annual meetings to give him time to rule on the case’s merits. List stockholders are scheduled to meet at the Wellington Hotel here on April 10; and Glen Alden at the Sterling Hotel, Wilkes-Barre. Pa., April 21 to vote on the merger. Judge Benjamin said he needed time to determine if the new merger plan might be tied in to the old one, which was ruled invalid last year by the Pennsylvania Su¬ preme Court. "Imitation" Ad Ban Hit NEW YORK — The MPAA’s Advertising Code Administration last week queried the Pittsburgh Press asking where the advertis¬ ing on U-I’s “Imitation Of Life” was wrong. The Scripps-Howard newspaper refused to run U-I copy on the film because it dealt with the race problem. No question of morals was concerned. AFL Fights "Runaways" HOLLYWOOD— The Hollywood AFL Film Council last fortnight called upon Congress to “require that all motion pictures and tele¬ vision films made in foreign countries and exhibited in the U.S. be plainly labeled in the main screen title with the country of origin in order that the American public no longer be hoodwinked by American run¬ away producers.” The Council also urged that the next na¬ tional AFL-CIO convention vote support of a nation-wide consumer boycott of all pic¬ tures made by such producers. Abe Schneider, right, president, Columbia Pictures, recently welcomed Dick Cask, idol and trend-setter of American teenagers, to the growing list of independent producers affiliated with Columbia. TV personality Clark will make two films for Columbia release. Albany Exhibs Look At N ew Fox Setup ALBANY — Local autonomy for 20th Century -Fox exchange here was generally welcomed by exhibitors on the ground that it would effect quicker decisions in matters concerning them. This was thought true be¬ cause “deals” would not have to await ap¬ proval by higher echeloners based in New York City or elsewhere. Exhibitors also thought that the Albany selling group for Fox would better under¬ stand their needs and potentials, because the sales team is “on the ground and in the field.” They are held to be intimately ac¬ quainted with all situations. At the same time, Film Rowers believed the changed arrangement might make it “tougher” for the branch manager and his sales crew, because they could not “pass the buck” or contend deals must be “okayed by New York,” They are now “on the spot," according to colleagues. The arrangement is both a challenge and an opportunity for Clayton Pantages, 20thFox’s Albany manager, the industry holds. He and his assistants have the power to make virtually all decisions, but there will be “a day of reckoning” when possibly un¬ wise or costly actions come up for review. In all events, the Fox development, which lodges circuit selling within his territory on the branch manager, along with decisions as to advertising moneys allotted and other major matters, will be closely watched here.