The Exhibitor (1959)

Charges, Countercharges Fly Fast As HOLLYWOOD — The Writers Guild of America continued its strike against the • major studios last week. Layoffs resulting have been minimal thus far with the exception of Columbia, but it was indicated that as the strike continues, layoffs will grow more severe. Columbia let 32 stenographers and clerks go, and it was said this studio plans additional dismissals this week. Meanwhile, contract talks between the Screen Actors Guild and the majors broke down, and the Guild mailed strike ballots to its 14,000 members. John L. Dales, the Guild’s national executive secretary, said, “No further talks with the eight majors are scheduled.” If Guild members vote to strike, they can shut down all production. Seventyfive per cent of the membership must au¬ thorize a strike before it can be called. One of the principal issues is the Guild’s demand for a share in the proceeds of post-1948 movies sold to television. A1 Floersheimer, director of public rela¬ tions, Theatre Owners of America, issued a list of 185 firms scheduled by the majors for release during the full year of 1960. He pointed out that if there is a shut-down due to a strike, it is likely that the com¬ panies will spread out their completed pic¬ tures to make them cover a longer period of time. If production is not interrupted, he said, the release of more films than this can be anticipated. Charles S. Boren, executive vice-president, AMPP, charged that only one major point, “an unrealistic and unreasonable demand” by the SAG “to be paid twice for doing one job” stands in the way of an agreement with the Guild. The residuals question “threatens to throw thousands of studio and other major motion picture employees out of jobs and affect other groups allied with the industry,” Boren stated. “Other guilds and unions have taken steps to make similar demands if the actors and writers are paid for all post-48 films and films made in the future exhibited on TV. If all the demands are met,” he continued, “the total outlay would be prohibitive. In effect the producers would be precluded from licensing or selling theatrical motion pictures to TV.” “The American motion picture industry,” Boren asserted, “produces motion pictures for which they must be able to obtain film rental from every possible source. The economy of the industry is such that not all films recoup their cost. The successful films must carry the cost of the full production program. “If the SAG strikes the major companies because of its demand for a second pay¬ ment for a TV exhibition of theatrical mo¬ tion pictures the results would be incalcu¬ lable,” he claimed. “In addition to the fellow workers of the actor in Hollywood who would be jobless, thousands more in the dis¬ tribution branches, theatres, and allied in¬ dustries here and overseas might be dis¬ placed, some of them permanently.” In reply, Dales said, “The major companies are seeking to force the Guild to give them preferential treatment over their 400 inde¬ pendent producer competitors with whom the Guild has firm legal contracts” which pro¬ vide for “reasonable payments to actors for their TV rights in theatrical films sold to Their Strike King Brothers Reject TV Sale Of Backlog HOLLYWOOD — King Brothers last week announced rejection of several ofTers to buy their back-log for television, and completed arrangements with Jem Dis¬ tributing Corporation, headed by Seymour Borde and Irwin Joseph, for the theatrical re-release of their pictures on a national basis. The King Brothers explained, “We owe the exhibitors the opportunity to handle the pictures theatrically again. We have done very well through theatrical dis¬ tribution, and we feel we can make more money through reissues than from tele¬ vision.” Para. Names Gould NEW YORK — Joseph Gould has resigned as advertising manager of United Artists Corporation, the post he has held during the past four years, and has been named advertising man¬ ager of Paramount Pic¬ tures Corporation, it was announced by Je¬ rome Pickman, vicepresident in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitation. The appointment is effective Feb. 22. In his new position, Gould will work under the direction of Martin Davis, national ad¬ vertising, publicity, and exploitation manager. An executive with broad experience, Gould held key advertising jobs with 20th-Fox and Universal-International before joining UA. Customs Releases "Ikiru" NEW YORK — U.S. Customs finally released the Japanese import “Ikiru” to Thomas Bran¬ don Films after holding it up to alleged “ad¬ ministrative censorship.” It is claimed that an identical print was passed through the Port of Los Angeles in 1956 and it was with this earlier print that the Little Carnegie opened on time for sched¬ uled showings. This print carried a New York State censor seal, acquired last fortnight. Continental Launches Drive NEW YORK — Continental Distributing, Inc., last week launched a four-month dis¬ trict manager’s sales drive running through May 31, with $10,000 in prizes to be awarded, it was announced by Carl Peppercorn, vicepresident and general sales manager. TV.” Dales added, “If the major producers are really worrying about actors being ‘paid twice’, the Guild offers to withdraw its money proposals for television showings of theatrical features if the producers promise to keep these pictures off television . . . By putting these pictures on television they are killing the very theatrical markets on which they primarily must rely. If anyone doubts this, let him ask any theatre exhibitor.” Writers Continue GOULD MPAA Hears Outline Of "Oscar” Promotion NEW YORK— The full MPAA advertising and publicity directors’ committee, under the chairmanship of Silas Seadler, heard reports last week from several of the coordinating groups who have been meeting on the Acad¬ emy Awards promotion. Seadler opened the meeting commending all of the members of the four coordinating groups, covering exploitation, radio and TV, advertising and publicity, for the generous giving of their time and effort toward the Academy Awards promotion. Every man has taken on special assignments to develop and promote tie-ins, which should make the Awards program the most publicized TV show that has ever hit the air waves. Taylor Mills of MPAA reported on develop¬ ments concerning Eastman Kodak tie-ups with the Academy. Charles Levy and Jeff Livingston reported on the meeting of the advertising coordinating group, headed by Martin Davis. All distributing companies have agreed to include in their national advertis¬ ing, fan magazine ads, trade paper ads, and press books, plugs for the Academy Awards telecast. It is hoped that National Screen will arrange for a special flyer to be inserted in all press books from all companies going out into the field. The advertising agencies serving the in¬ dustry, Lennen and Newell, Donahue and Coe, Charles Schlaifer and Monroe Greenthal, are being asked to support the telecast by promoting tie-ins with other than motion picture advertisers, and to obtain the sup¬ port of national magazines, New York news¬ papers, and the newspaper syndicates, in men¬ tioning the Academy Awards telecast in their columns. Harry McWilliams gave a summary report on the status of the press book, the theatre trailer, the possible use of a 15-foot “Oscar” to be put on the island in Times Square and made a special request for TV and radio statements from a number of stars that will be used by NBC during the three weeks pre¬ ceding the telecast. A report from Roger Lewis, who met with the full west coast committee, also was heard. The west coast committee indicates full co¬ operation on all phases of the program re¬ quested by the New York promotional unit. Lewis also reported that the Academy has already ordered the middle station breaks so that the program will be a continuous 90 minutes without commercials. The half-min¬ ute station break, however, will make a strong pitch for the local motion picture theatre. The committee judged the Academy Awards poster contest. Some 20 excellent poster lay¬ outs were entered. The winning poster was prepared by A. Winfield, Donahue and Coe. Bob Ferguson, representing the distributors on the Marcus radio plan committee, gave a complete report on the proposed Pittsburgh meeting which will be held next month. The Committee heard a proposal from Fox InterMountain Theatres for developing a continuing program of the industry’s “I960 — The Big Year of Motion Pictures” publicity campaign. The group indicated a desire to work with National Theatres and Fox Mid¬ west Theatres in developing a continuing in¬ dustry campaign. UA Declares Dividend NEW YORK— The board of directors of United Artists Corporation declared a regu¬ lar quarterly dividend of 40 cents per com¬ mon share, payable March 25 to stockholders of record March 11. 10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR February 10, I960