The Exhibitor (1960)

Seven Arts Firm Details Activity In All Branches Of Entertainment NEW YORK — Seven Arts Productions, Lim¬ ited, of Toronto, Canada, revealed details of a broad-based schedule of activities that cov¬ ered the whole entertainment industry, from motion pictures and literary properties to feature films for TV, David B. Stillman, president, detailed the steps by which the Canadian company, for¬ merly “Creative Telefilm and Artists, Lim¬ ited,” acquired the name and properties of the American company founded by Eliot Hy¬ man, Seven Arts Productions, Inc. The wholly owned American subsidiary under Hyman as president brings to the parent Canadian company extensive prop¬ erties and distribution facilities, unsurpassed in the industry. Included are the following motion pictures in production: “The Misfits”: Starring Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Thelma Rit¬ ter, and Eli Wallach. The director is John Huston. It is based upon an original story and screenplay by Arthur Miller. It will be distributed by United Artists. “Two For The Seesaw”: Starring Elizabeth Taylor, and produced by Seven Arts with the Mirisch Company, Inc., for distribution by United Artists. “West Side Story”: Starring Natalie Wood. Produced by Robert Wise, and co-directed by Wise and Jerome Robbins. Now being produced by Seven Arts in association with the Mirisch Company, Inc., for distribution by United Artists. “By Love Possessed”: James Gould Cozzens’ best seller will star Lana Turner, to be produced by Seven Arts in association with the Mirisch Company, Inc. Other pictures in which Seven Arts will be co-producers or will participate include: “The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone”: Based on the novel by Tennessee Williams, this will star Vivian Leigh, to be produced by Louis De Rochemont and distributed by Warner Brothers. Listed also by Stillman are literary prop¬ erties from which motion pictures will be produced, including “The Sergeant,” “Powder Keg,” and “The Watch That Ends The Night.” Under the executive direction of Hyman, the “Fabulous Fifties” post-’48 Warner Brothers Library will be distributed to tele¬ vision stations throughout the United States and Canada by Seven Arts Associated. Louis A. Chesler financed the first acquisi¬ tion from Warner Brothers; he was chairman of the board of Associated Artists Productions, Seven Member Committee To Head Video Circuit OKLAHOMA CITY— Directors of Video Independent Theatres, Inc., decided last fortnight not to name a new president to replace the late Henry S. Grilling, but in¬ stead selected a seven-member executive committee for the top managemnt function. This will leave all officials of the firm in their present posts. The executive committee will include J. Carlton Updike, certified public ac¬ countant who is executor of the Grilling Estate, as chairman; C. O. Fulgham and C. F. Motley, both vice-presidents; Mrs. Lois McColgin, Video secretary; Jack Brooks, treasurer; Ernest L. Williamson, controller; and Larry Boggs, vice-presi¬ dent, Vumore, Inc., Video’s community antenna organization. as he is now chairman of the parent Canadian company, Seven Arts Productions, Ltd. Drawing on Chesler’s experience in home development, Seven Arts has announced that the company will make substantial invest¬ ment in the development of resort areas in the Bahamas off the Coast of Florida. The Seven Arts Television distribution or¬ ganization (Seven Arts Associated) has been formed and its sales staff is headed by Robert Rich, formerly vice-president and general sales manager of United Artists Associated, Inc., and Donald Klauber, formerly national sales manager at United Artists Associated, Inc. As soon as a definite number of pictures can be set on a long-term basis, the or¬ ganization will open its own distribution set-up with offices in a limited number of cities to take care of the top 70 per cent of theatre accounts which are the most profit¬ able, and presumably turning over the films to others for the smaller accounts and for mopping-up. The company will presumably be involved with the production of about 15 features be¬ tween now and the end of 1961 for theatrical exhibition, with total investments of up to 30 millions. Seven Arts will put up about 17 millions with United Artists putting up the balance for four or five of the features. Stillman reported that an announcement will be forthcoming within the next few months on production plans. Schine Expansion Brings Promotions GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. — G. David Schine, president, Schine Enterprises, announced that in keeping with their expansion program, the Schine executive offices at 375 Park Avenue, New York City, were being enlarged and an increased staff would be based there. Heading the Hotel Di¬ vision advertising, pub¬ licity and promotion de¬ partment will be Sey¬ mour L. Morris, who moves to the New York office from the Cloversville Theatre Division, where he has been director of advertising and publicity for the Schine Theatre Circuit for 20 years. Taking over as director of the Schine Thea¬ tres’ advertising and publicity department in the Gloversville office will be Seymour H. Evans, who has been assistant director for the past nine years. Prior to his moving to Gloversville, Morris was district manager for the Schine Theatres, and his affiliation with the organization totals more than 28 years. A veteran of 35 years in the motion picture industry, he was pre¬ viously affiliated with the Fox and Skouras circuits, and for several years ran a circuit of his own theatres. His publicity and ex¬ ploitation experience goes back to the C.B.C. Film Corp. in 1924, and he was also con¬ nected with several other distributors before going into the exhibition field. Evans joined the Schine Theatre Circuit in 1951 as assistant advertising and publicity director. Earlier, he was a member of the exploitation department of Universal-Inter¬ national in New York. Schine Enterprises were the first of the the¬ atre circuits to diversify when in 1946 they entered into the hotel field by purchasing the Roney Plaza, Miami Beach, first of their many interests in this field. The Bowling Division is another rapidly expanding division of Schine Enterprises. Jack Mitchell, former Schine Theatre zone man¬ ager, now heads the bowling division after having spent the past year visiting bowling alleys from coast to coast and attending the Brunswick and AMF bowling schools. Kramer Plans Comedy NEW YORK — Stanley Kramer’s next proj¬ ect following “Judgment at Nuremberg,” will be a switch to comedy with a farce entitled “Something A Little Less Serious,” the pro¬ ducer-director announced at an industry press conference. Both films will be released by United Artists. “Judgment at Nuremberg,” which will go before the cameras in Germany in January of next year, stars Spencer Tracy, Sir Laur¬ ence Olivier, and Maximilan Schell. A third Kramer project for UA release will be “My Glorious Brothers,” to be directed by Richard Fleischer on location in Israel. Teens Want Movie News NEW YORK — Pointing out that a recent survey showed that 99 percent of high school students queried read newspapers and that 82 percent of them, the highest percentage listed, were interested in amusement news, the 120th in the series of COMPO ads in Editor & Publisher suggested that newspapers which neglect this profitable field of reader interest should review their editorial policies. Seven Arts Productions, Ltd., of Toronto, Canada, recently revealed details of a broad sched¬ ule of entertainment activities, including extensive theatre film production. Seen, left to right, are Donald Klauber, vice-president and national sales manager; W. Robert Rich, vice-president and general sales manager; David B. Stillman, president; Tex McCrary; and William Blowitz. EVANS 10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR September 21, I960