The Exhibitor (1959)

14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR August 12, 1959 LONDON Observations by Jock MacGregor PRESS LUNCHES to meet celebrities, once so overdone as to become tedious, have become a rarity. UA’s Monty Morton revived the idea with excellent effect to introduce King Vidor, Bill Heineman, Roger Lewis, Moi't Nathanson, and Seymour Poe, who had flown in specially to preview “Solomon and Sheba.” Their enthusiasm infected everyone present. Before old timers even had time to check which menu was being served — it was, of course, choice fare, complete with champagne and all the trimmings — luscious, scantily clad hand¬ maidens were handing out the most lavish handouts in years. The standard had been set and was only sealed when each guest received personally inscribed gold discs attached to sovereigns to commemorate the lunch. King Vidor delighted the press by saying he would not read a speech as it was all in the folder! Here were facts to make exhibitors happy. He admitted having been “on a private soapbox, trying to make the largest package of entertainment for the largest number of peo¬ ple, that elusive mass audience.” His outlook: “The highest goal of a film-maker is to entertain, to stun, to move, to enthrall — and only in a secondary sense are we to instruct. We not not apologize for our caprices with material, our so-called ‘formulas’, our ‘excesses’, our unsophistication — as long as our base responsibility and motive is to make palatable and exciting entertainment for our audi¬ ences. “I have a new film, one which pleases me and I think pleases everyone who has been close to it. I consider Solomon and Sheba my best effort — a realization of the most important motives I have felt as a film maker.” “Solomon and Sheba” will be world premiered in full “Super Technirama 70” at the As¬ toria, London, on Oct. 27. Incidentally, the difficulties in procuring theatres for West End runs increased. “South Pacific” continues to do holdover business after 15 months at the Domin¬ ion. There has not been an unsold seat at the new Columbia for an evening show since it opened with “Gigi” six months ago. “NUN’S STORY” has hit the top as a booked seat show at the Warner. Before the pre¬ miere there was no great demand. Then manager Lee Morgan just did not know what hit him, so great was the rush. The theatre had its biggest week-end ever and will be busy for months. The Gaumont and Rialto are shut for extensive reconstruction and now MGM’s Empire is to close for the installation of a ground floor projection box and 70mm equipment. When it reopens around Christmas with “Ben Hur” on a two a day basis, it will have lost more than 1000 seats. A year's run at least is anticipated. The prospects for roadshows in the UK are greatly improved. A number of ABC, Rank, and independent provincial halls are now geared for 70mm and/or road shows, and the ini¬ tial acceptance by the public has been gratifying. In most cases, managements take advan¬ tage of the entertainment tax concession when live artists form part of the program by including small orchestras. This has been done in London for some time. Roadshows have not yet really hit the London suburbs. “The Ten Commandments” played selected halls with success, and “Around the World” will be similarly treated in the near future. Otherwise, the London pattern which grew from wartime emergency economies into a far from satisfying peacetime hangover shows little signs of changing. Londoners and producers are the poorer for it. THE PRINTING STRIKE is over. This will save publicists and showman having to chase unaffected printers for urgent jobs. Incidentally, The Kine Weekly was a temporary victim of the strike. It will reappear with its issue dated Aug. 13, which American subscribers will receive shortly, thereby dispelling New York rumors that it has ceased publication. Fasick Exits Loew's Post NEW YORK — Karl E. Fasick, in charge of the advertising and publicity for Loew’s Boston Theatres, the State and Orpheum, will resign on Sept. 1, according to announce¬ ment by Ernest Emerling, Loew’s vice-pres¬ ident in charge of advertising and publicity. Fasick plans to engage in public relations in the Hub City area. Lou Brown, for the past 19 years ad-publicity director for the Loew’s-Poli New Eng¬ land Theatres, will succeed. Fox Details ' Angel Plans For Exhibitors NEW YORK— The 20th Century-Fox “Blue Angel” merchandising team made its fourth presentation recently at a conclave of over 75 executives representing leading circuits in the metropolitan New York. The merchandising team, which previously made presentations on the national buildup for the film to executives of RKO, AB-PT, and Loew’s, detailed to the circuit heads the elaborate activities surrounding the interna¬ tional launching of the Jack Cummings pro¬ duction and its star, May Britt. The team, headed by 20th exploitation di¬ rector Rodney Bush and advertising director Abe Goodman, was aided at the meeting by Eddie Solomon, exploitation manager; Martin Michel, director, 20th’s radio and TV pub¬ licity; Christy Wilbert, vice-president, Charles Schlaifer Agency; Bert Lang, mar¬ keting services manager for Life; Bob Seamon, director of motion picture advertising for Look; and Abe Dickstein, 20th’s local exchange manager. “The pre-selling job 20th-Fox is doing on “The Blue Angel” is one of the most im¬ pressive campaigns I have ever seen and should serve as an inspiration to exhibitors everywhere,” commented Robert J. O’Don¬ nell, head, Interstate Theatres, following its fifth presentation held in the office of 20thFox general sales manager Alex Harrison. Meanwhile, impressed with the boxoffice strength of “Blue Denim” in its opening week showing at the Victoi’ia, 20th-Fox moved up openings in several key cities to take ad¬ vantage of the momentum created by the Gotham playdate. The film is reported to have grossed over $39,000 in its first seven days at the Victoria. AB-PT Buys Preferred Shares NEW YORK — American BroadcastingParamount Theatres, Inc. has purchased on the New York Stock Exchange 225,028 shares of its five per cent preferred stock held by the estate of Edward J. Noble and 15,740 shares of its five per cent preferred stock held by the Edward John Noble Foundation, at a price of $19.25 per share. The company will maintain a bid on the New York Stock Exchange until Sept. 30, to purchase, at the same price of $19.25 per share, all or any of the remaining 78,531 shares of its five per cent preferred stock which may be offered during such period. The elimination of all or part of the five per cent preferred stock is being made in order to simplify the capital structure of the Company and to eliminate the dividend requirements on such stock. Seen at three recent New York City merchandising meetings on 20th Goodman; and, right, Goodman, Harry Mandel, RKO division manager; Fox s Blue Angel" were, left to right, Charles Schlaifer, Martin Michel, Charles Oelrich, 20th-Fox New York branch manager; Abe Dickstein, Abe Goodman, Rodney Bush, Ed Hyman, Abe Dickstein, and Bob Shapiro; Sig Wexo, RKO division manager; Mike Edelstein, division manager; center. Bush, Ernie Emerling, vice-president of Loew's Theatres, and and Bush.