The Exhibitor (1959)

41 Years of Service to the Theatre Industry Founded in 1918. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporated. Publishing office: 246-248 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. New York field office: 8 East 52nd Street, New York 22. West Coast field office: Paul Manning, 8141 Blackburn Avenue, Los Angeles 48, Calif. London Bureau: Jock MacGregor, 16 Leinster Mews, London, W. 2, England. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhalgh, general manager; Albert Erlick, editor; M. R. (Mrs. "Chick ) Lewis, associate editor; George Frees Nonamaker, feature editor; Mel Konecoff, New York edtor; Albert J. Martin, advertising manager; Max Cades, business manager. Subscriptions: $2 per year (50 issues); and outside of the United States, Canada, and Pan-American countries, S5 per year (50 issues). Special rates for two and three years on application. Second class postage paid at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Address all official communications to the Philadelphia publish¬ ing office. VOLUME 62 . NO. 22 OCTOBER 14, 1959 WANT A "CONCILIATION" SCORE KEEPER? Just the other day, in a round robin letter to the presidents of some 64 industry organizations, MOTION PICTURE EX¬ HIBITOR volunteered to record the results of all “CON¬ CILIATION” efforts, tried anywhere across the nation, and each week to present to the industry at large a “box score” of their successes and failures. The reasons for this offer were our observations of the first few faltering efforts to conciliate. Had the old Film Boards of Trade been in existence, or had there been some other industry center through which the appeals could be filed and the dates noted, “CONCILIATION” might have a chance. But, without a coordinator of some sort, its very loose in¬ formality seems to be its greatest enemy. When John Doe puts the wheels of “CONCILIATION” in motion, his progress, if not the intimate details of his case, should be known to his contemporaries. On his progress through the established sys¬ tem of “CONCILIATION” will depend their confidence in its ability to serve them. So— MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR is volunteering to be “scorekeeper.” If all exhibitors who submit their controversies to “CON¬ CILIATION” will record with us: (a) the date when “CON¬ CILIATION” is requested; (b) the subject (i.e. film prices, clearances, availabilities of prints, cooperative advertising, etc.); (c) the date of the meeting at the local branch; (d) whether settled, appealed, or withdrawn; (e) the date when the Sales Manager meeting is held and (f) the final disposi¬ tion of the case; MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR will re¬ cord such facts in chart form. We are agreeable to devote whatever weekly space is necessary, to keep all data as care¬ fully as possible, and to record it in an unbiased and impartial manner. As progress is reported it will be added, and careful tallies of final agreements, or failures to agree, will be kept. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR is making this offer in the interest of intra-industry fair play and cooperation. Should some other trade paper, or trade papers, wish to adapt this idea to their format and to carry it also, we will have no ob¬ jections. The important thing is the public “record,” whether we do it alone, or combine our efforts with others. If we are really sincere about “CONCILIATION,” this will help “get it off the ground”! And keep it rolling, too! THE COLUMBIA "SALUTE TO OUR PRESIDENT" DRIVE The five Columbia pictures officers (JAFFE, LAZARUS, ROSENFIELD, MONTAGUE, and BRISKIN) who are cur¬ rently touring the country, and holding sales meetings and luncheons with exhibitor leaders, are making friends for their company in a very positive way. Just recently, Execu¬ tive Vice-President and Treasurer Jaffe, drive captain for Albany, Buffalo, Boston, New Haven, and Philadelphia, told exhibitors that they could expect to receive 41 playable fea¬ tures from October, 1959, through September, 1960. He then proceeded to delineate titles, producers, casts, and character¬ istics of the whole 41. This is the kind of talk to which exhibitors want to listen. Coupled to the recent announcements of upped production at 20th Century-Fox, and similarly optimistic plans at United Artists, Allied Artists, U-I, MGM, Paramount, and Warners, those 41 Columbia features make the coming 1959-60 season look a lot better. During the past years, more and more stories have dealt with less and less features. RKO and Re¬ public folded. Other normal sources of industry supply teetered on the verge of liquidation. Still others threatened to dry up. The most recent 1958-59 season hit a new low in available industry supplies. But the last four or five months were good ones at the nation’s boxoffice. There were probably more multi-milliondollar grossing features in 1959 to date than at any time in the industry’s history. Exhibitors are facing the future with new hope. And this announcement by Columbia, and this assured increase in a quality supply source, will add substance to the optimism. So Columbia can expect exhibitor support in their “Salute to Our President Drive” that ends in late December. By that time, Columbia should be deep into the season so ably de¬ scribed by Mr. Jaffe, and by his fellow officers. We need more 41-picture-per-year sources. MR. T'S "HOT POTATO" A few weeks ago a New Jersey theatreman dropped into our lap what he himself has termed “a hot potato.” The the¬ atreman was DICK TURTELTAUB, born to theatre business, a Cornell graduate, secretary of New Jersey Allied, and now operating two first-class theatres in the northern part of his state. The “hot potato” was a summary of his views of what is wrong with distributors, with some distribution policies, and with many intra-industry business methods. On page eight of today’s issue, you will find Mr. T’s ‘Tot potato” in its entirety— and it hasn’t cooled a bit! We recommend it. It’s controversial— and stimulating! THE PHILOSOPHY OF ADVERTISING Said president Charles g. mortimer of General Foods, to the company’s recent annual stockholder’s meeting: “ One thing our long experience has taught us is that the surest way to overspend on advertising is not to spend enough to do a job properly. It’s like buying a ticket three-quarters of the way to Europe; you have spent some money, but you do not arrive ” Let us hope this view is remembered when economy drives dominate our thinking. Spend enough— or don’t spend at all.