The Exhibitor (1960)

The NEW YORK Scene By Mel Kenecoff NEIL HELLMAN, president of Heilman Enterprises, has himself quite a theatre in the Heilman in Albany. We know because we were there on opening night last week along with other industryites who took great pleasure in the event. The house, the first new deluxe theatre in Albany in 31 years, cost $500,000, seats 1,050 and is dedicated to the memory of the late Albany pioneer exhibitor Harry Heilman. It’s located adjacent to Heilman’s luxurious Thruway Motel and stands to draw from the 500,000 popula¬ tion in the tri-city area of Albany-Schnectady-Troy, Free parking for 500 cars is provided and all efforts have been made to give the audience the finest in sound and projection. The specially-designed 52-foot wall-to-wall screen will take pictures projected at an eight degree angle of throw and projection machines will take films in any of the processes presently available. All seats are said to be good seats. Sound has been catered-to as well with the multiple -speaker system providing for eight stage speakers plus 14 wall horns which can envelop the entire auditorium when the surroimd effect is called for. Some extras to be found are a tasteful coffee lounge with the beverage to be supplied free, a modernistic concession stand, dual boxoffices, a private viewing room off of the offices for spyecial guests, wonderful all-around decorating, etc. Heilman told us he thought that the industry was well on the road to recovery. One of the stumbling blocks, he believed, was that while the distributors and producers have made wonderful strides, many exhibitors haven’t kept pace and are still showing their pictures in old-fashioned 2-D. His brethren must realize that we’re living in a new era where going to the movies should be a night out for patrons. Don’t defy the public, said he. Give them free parking, fine fa¬ cilities, conveniences and good pictures. So enthused is he about the business that he’s planning two other similar theatres in the near future to be located within 200 miles of Albany. He reiterated that there is nothing wrong with the industry. All we have to do is give the public what it wants in the proper presentation. Said he, “Pay TV or no pay TV, people will still want to go out.” He will have fashion shows at matinees at no extra cost, and there will be no sitting still, with active promoting to be continued at all times. As the emcee from local radio station WGY, which had seven hundred contest winners at hand as guests that night, noted on stage, “There are as many theatres being built these days as blacksmith shops,” ergo the hullabaloo was definitely in order. Heilman, his mother Mrs. Nettie Heilman, general manager Allen Iselin, Irwin Ullman, Ed Potash, Joe Pentak, theatre manager Mannie Friedman, Sandy Buchstein — all of the Heilman Organization — were introduced that night as were stars Thelma Ritter and Nancy Kovacs. Miss Ritter took the occasion to slap at the prophets of doom who are always moaning about theatre closings and she suggested that they come up and take a look at this “fantabulous theatre.” A recorded interview with Doris Day, who was on the set in Hollywood, preceded the film “Please Don’t Eat The Daisies.” “Windjammer” will follow in late May for about five weeks. Some of the industryites who helped in the celebration were George Waldman, Minna Zachem, Herman Kass, Bob Perilla, Mel Fox, David Milgram, Saal Gottlieb, Byron Lirm, etc. I SHALL RETURN; Robert Montgomery has come back to the fold after an 11-year ab¬ sence, this time as producer and director of the UA release, “The Gallant Hours,” the story of Admiral William F. Halsey’s victory at Guadalcanal in World War H. James Cagney plays the part of Halsey. He reported at a press conference that the Navy will cooperate to the greatest extent yet to help in the selling, and he and Cagney will cover some of the key openings. The film took 18 months to research and cost a million dollars. Montgomery intends to be more active in the production of films and plays with one of the latter, “The General’s Other Son,” due on Broadway in the fall, after which it will be made into a film if it’s successful. TVo other properties are in the works for filming with no distributor set as as yet. He thought today saw more of an opportunity for the independent producer who has topped the huge corporate structure in the Hollywood scheme. Audiences haven’t changed in his absence, he found, rather the style of entertainment has changed which perhaps should be credited to the film-makers. Disney Dividend Set NEW YORK — At a special meeting of the board of Walt Disney Productions, the board declared a quarterly cash dividend of 10 cents per share on the company’s common stock, payable July 1 to stockholders of re¬ cord June 17. E. Garden Walker was elected a director and a member of the board’s executive com¬ mittee. Lawrence E. Tryon was elected treasurer of the company, and Donald A. Escen, assitant treasurer and controller. Paul Pease resigned recently to accept a post outside the industry. Byrne Heads MPAA Unit NEW YORK — At a meeting of the MPAA Sales Managers Committee last fortnight, John P. “Jack” Byrne, vice-president and general sales manager, MGM, was imanimously elected chairman succeeding James Velde, United Artists sales chief. Md. Exhibs Set Meet BALTIMORE, MD. — It was announced last fortnight by president John Broumas that the annual meeting of the Maryland Theatre Owners of America affiliates will be held at the George Washington Hotel, Ocean City, Md., on June 28-29-30. Ore. Exhibs Discuss Fight Against Toll-TV PORTLAND, ORE. — Roy M. Cooper, San Francisco, chairman of the TOA executive committee, told the Oregon TOA convention at the Benson Hotel here last week that pas« age of House Resolutions 130 and 6245 now reposing in the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee would delay for years a Congressional decision as to whether toll TV is in the public interest or “merely the money-making device of a small group of promoters.” “We have been campaigning for passage of these bills,” Cooper declared, “we urge you to ask your Senators and Congressmen to work for these bills.” The resolutions were introduced by Rep. Oren Harris, D., Ark., chairman of the House Committee, but have not been acted upon by the committee. Harris warned that if toll TV ever suc¬ ceeded it “could put us all out of business.” Cooper said he was “most optimistic about the future” and reported that meetings be¬ tween the TOA and the Screen Producers Guild “will resume quickly now that the actors’ strike is settled.” The theatre men were urged “to continue writing” to Senator Wayne Morse and their other legislators in Washington asking their support for “complete exemption” of thea¬ tres from the provisions of the new minimum wage legislation. Cooper said that TOA was expanding. N.Y. Tent Aids Fund Drive NEW YORK — Harry Brandt, president of the Cancer Control Research Foimdation of the Variety Club of New York and chief barker of Tent 35, announced renewal of the Tent’s successful “First Nighters” program for the benefit of the heart project. He has extended invitations to 100 com¬ munity and civic leaders to take $500 tax de¬ ductible contributions to the Foundation which entitles the contributor to a pair of reserved seats to 10 opening nights during the coming year. The program has proven highly successful and has done much to pro¬ vide funds for cancer research and cancer care. Partial memberships will also be ac¬ cepted with a portion of the opening night tickets being reserved commensurate with the amount of the donation. B-B Theme of Ohio Meet COLUMBUS, O. — Theme of the 1960 con¬ vention of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, to be held here Oct. 12-13, will be business -building aids, said Ken Prickett, ex¬ ecutive secretary. Board of directors meeting will be held Oct. 11 on the eve of .the con¬ vention. “There will be talks and demonstrations on equipment, advertising, concessions, and thea¬ tre operation,” said Prickett. President Marshall Fine appointed the fol¬ lowing members of the convention commit¬ tee; Jack Armstrong, Bowling Green; Park Belden, Akron; Chris Pfister, Troy; Sam Schultz, Cleveland; John Tender, Lorain and Lou Wiethe, Cincinnati. Sigmon Joins Seiznick NEW YORK — Sam Sigman last week joined Seiznick Releasing Organinzation as head of its New York operations. He suc¬ ceeds Ben Siegel, now with Atlantic Films as general sales manger replacing Thomas V. McCue. 14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR May 4. I960