The Exhibitor (1960)

TOA Toppers Tackle Tough Problems Product, Laws, Pay-TV In Spotlight As 1,000 Exhibitors Attend L. A. Eye On "Tomorrow" Meet LOS ANGELES — Over 1,000 theatre owners and their wives from throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Canada attended the 13th annual convention and trade show of the Theatre Owners of America last week at the Am¬ bassador Hotel. Representing the majority of the nation’s 16,000 motion picture the¬ atres, the theatre owners were welcomed to the organization’s third convention in this city, the last being in 1955, by president Albert M. Pickus, Stratford, Conn., who pre¬ sided over the sessions. Pickus delivered a report on his first year in office and the state of the industry. He outlined TOA achievements and accomplish¬ ments during the year, citing the theme of the convention, “Make Way For Tomorrow.” The TOA’s office slate, headed by Pickus. will carry on for the organization during 1960-61. The slate, with only a new secre¬ tary, a new vice-president, and several new executive committeemen, was unanimously re-elected by the organization’s combined board of directors and executive committee. The nominations were reported to the board by a committee headed by Ernest G. Stellings, Charlotte, a former TOA president. He declared that in view of important industry projects underway, the nominating committee felt it imperative to maintain the present administration to insure continuity. George G. Kerasotes, Springfield, Ill., will continue as chairman of the board, and Roy Cooper, San Francisco, will continue as chairman of the executive committee. The new secretary is H. F. Kincey, Char¬ lotte, head, Wilby-Kincey Theatres. He suc¬ ceeds Robert R. Livingston, Lincoln, Nebr., who retired from the post after nearly a decade of service. John G. Broumas, Chevy Chase, Md., pres¬ ident, Maryland Theatre Owners Association, is the new vice-president. Eugene Picker, New York City, president, Loew’s Theatres; Laurence Tisch, New York, Fox Stockholders Vote On Proposed Studio Sale NEW YORK— A special stockholders’ meeting of 20th-Fox set for Oct. 17 at the home office will vote on the sale of the company’s main studio property. Fox Realty Corporation of California, a subsidiary, has already received $5,000,000, against a cash purchase price of $43,000, 000 from the buyer, the 91091 Corporation, sponsored by Webb and Knapp, Inc. If the stockholders approve a new all¬ cash deal, the closing for the 260-acre studio property will take place on or before April 17, 1961, with 20th-Fox receiving an additional $48,000,000. This deal replaced the previously-approved sale to the 91091 Corporation at a price of $56,110,000, pay¬ able over a 10 to 20 year period. The all-cash deal is termed “more de¬ sirable economically than the contract for the sale of the property over a period of years” considering the “immediate right to the use of the money and the elimination of the risks involved in deferred pay¬ ments.” chairman, Loew’s board of directors; John Keiler, II, Paducah, Ky.; Lloyd Wineland, Jr., Washington, D.C., Michael Chakeres, Springfield, Ohio; M. S. McCord, Little Rock, Ark.; Louis J. Jablanow, St. Louis; Stacey Wilhite, Cookville, Tenn.; Leonard Gordon, Newport News, Va.; Jack Fuller, Columbia, S.C.; John Q. Adams, Dallas; Roy Richard¬ son, Suffolk, Va.; P. J. Sones, Tampa, Fla.; and Laney Payne, Fredricksburg, Va., are the new members of the executive committee. Pickus and Jerry Bresler, chairman of a special SPG committee, disclosed that as a result of meetings which started last Febru¬ ary, means of obtaining exhibitor evaluation of pictures before they are produced; of get¬ ting factual information on picture perform¬ ance as a guide for future productions; and of bringing distributors into their new liaison program had been found. “TOA has agreed that it will serve as a clearing house for producers for information which can be of invaluable help in guiding Mirisch Proposes 'Eady Plan For U.S. LOS ANGELES — Walter Mirisch, president, Screen Producers Guild, called on delegates to the TOA convention here to consider an American version of England’s Eady Plan. Mirisch said a new and radical approach was needed to solve the product shortage and stimulate production of quality features in these days of sharply rising production costs. Exhibitor financing of films and guaranteed playing time could affect only a relatively few pictures and producers. The Eady Plan originated as a voluntary tax collected at theatre boxoffices and paid by exhibitors to producers of locally made films. The bonus paid to individual producers is based on the proportion of any given film’s gross to the overall annual national theatre gross and payments are made to a central fund out of the theatre’s gross receipts. The Eady Plan has been credited with stimulating a sagging British film industry and increasing the flow of films to that na¬ tion’s theatres. Translating the plan into American terms, Mirisch pointed out that the national gross of the U.S. motion picture busi¬ ness has averaged out at about $1,300,000,000 per year. A contribution of three per cent of this total, he estimated, would establish a fund of roughly $40,000,000 per year, sufficient to produce 10 more blockbusters or 20 more major pictures. The fund, Mirisch said, could be administered by representatives of the pro¬ ducers, exhibitors and other neutral parties. Mirisch asked that an appropriate commit¬ tee of TOA study his proposal and give it serious consideration. Turning to distribution, Mirisch said some streamlining was certainly necessary. He called attention to the Columbia -Paramount merger in Canada and the cooperative dis¬ tribution setup some of the majors have in certain foreign markets. He also called for an increased flow of sug¬ gestions, ideas, and information among repre¬ sentatives of exhibition, distribution, produc¬ tion, and the trade press. Mirisch also touched on the need to find new stars and new ways to combat the com¬ petition of TV. On the censorship front, he thought some classification system might be in the industry’s future to assist in combating censorship. future production. To this end TOA will establish a council or committee which will take synopses of proposed pictures as sup¬ plied by the producers, circulate them to TOA’s complete membership, and provide the producers with an exhibitor evaluation of the boxoffice potential of the proposed films; cir¬ culate to its membership the itinerary of every producer planning a trip anywhere in the country, so he can meet and talk with exhibitors along his route, and so that indi¬ vidual exhibitors can promote, exploit and capitalize on the field trip through the media of press, radio, TV, civic meetings, etc.,” the joint committee stated. “The program of the TOA administered Council for the Improve¬ ment of Theatres and Motion Pictures Pro¬ jection should be reactivated and revitalized; that industry advertising be replanned with the aim of creating new and exciting ap¬ proach to merchandising mediums; and that a study be undertaken to find means of ( Continued on page 18) On the team that will lead Theatre Owners of America during the coming year are, front row, left to right, S. H. Fabian, New York City, treasurer; George G. Kerasotes, Springfield, 111., chairman of the board; Albert M. Pickus, Stratford, Conn., president; Roy Cooper, San Francisco, chairman of the executive committee; Samuel Pinanski, Boston, honorary chairman of the board; Robert W. Selig, Denver, vice-president; and standing, left to right, J. J. Rosenfield, Spokane, Wash.; John H. Stembler, Atlanta; John H. Rowley, Dallas; and Sumner M. Redsone, Boston, all assistants to the president; Herman M. Levy, New Haven, general counsel; and Joseph G. Alterman, New York, assistant secretary. Missing when the picture was taken were H. F. Kincey, Charlotte, the new secretary, and four assistants to the president, Philip F. Harling, New York; M. Spencer Leve, Los Angeles; John H. Rowley, Dallas; and John B. Schuy¬ ler, Butler, Wise. 8 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR September 2 I, I960