The Exhibitor (1960)

Loew s Theatres To Enter Production D of J Attorney Reveals Talks With Circuit Execs; Cites Need For Increase In Film Flow To Exhibs LOS ANGELES — It was divulged by Maurice Silverman, attorney in the Govern¬ ment’s anti -trust division of the Department of Justice, that Loew’s Theatres have been consulting with the DofJ on plans to produce and distribute theatrical motion pictures. The discussions between Loew’s and the DofJ were said to be “in an advanced stage.” Eugene Picker, president, Loew’s Theatres, said that Loew’s expected to be in production by the fall of 1961. Silverman said, “If full agreement can be reached on the difficult problems involved, the proposal will be submitted to the Court by Loew’s in the near future, possibly during October.” He said the DofJ, of course, “will insist on safeguards and will insist that li¬ censing injunctions presently applicable to the defendants in the Paramount case be applicable to Loew’s in the distribution of its pictures, including an injunction requiring each picture to be licensed among competing theatres on the merits and without discrimi¬ nation . . . putting a generalized ceiling on what Loew’s may bid for its own pictures.” Silverman stated that the making of money available for the American Congress of Ex¬ hibitors plans for encouraging the production of more pictures also was in line with “a position we took which did not discourage it.” This, he declared, “is another indication that, if there is a position we can properly take calculated to get more product, we will.” He added, “If we talk in terms of mere number of pictures, it may well be there is no product shortage.” He reasoned that the shortage should be defined rather as one of “quality pictures meaningful at the boxoffice,” adding, “such a shortage there clearly is.” “Only more qualitv pictures will cure the shortage. The Department of Justice is all for having more quality pictures produced,” he concluded. Magna Seeks New Pix NEW YORK — Joseph M. Sugar, vice-presi¬ dent and general sales manager, Magna Pic¬ tures Corporation, announced it is expanding' in the distribution field by acquiring nonTodd-AO product. The first acquisition was “Magdalena,” with Magna obtaining the U. S. and Canadian rights from William Shelton Films, Inc. Sugar said additional pictures will be ac¬ quired to supplement the Todd-AO produc¬ tions. MGM Reactivates Branch PORTLAND, ORE. — Metro-GoldwynMayer’s Portland exchange became a fullscale branch last week. Since July, 1958, it has not functioned as a full branch, as some of its activities were performed by the Seattle office. Louis Amacher is the Portland branch manager. He and his staff will now perform all normal exchange operations. The Port¬ land exchange Was never closed. Shipping and inspections were performed there and MGM kept a branch manager, a salesman, and booker in Portland in the interim period. Seen standing, left to right, are Bernard Mack, Don Mack, and the newly elected president of Filmack, Joseph Mack. Seated are retiring pres¬ ident and new chairman of the board, Irving Mack, and Mrs. Mack. Ohio Exhibs Prepare 25th Annual Meeting COLUMBUS, O. — Silver anniversary con¬ vention of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, to be held Oct. 12 and 13 at the Neil House here, is shaping up, with several speakers announced by Ken Prickett, exe¬ cutive secretary. A. W. Smith, president, Popcorn Institute, will speak at the Wednesday afternoon ses¬ sion and there will be talks by Professor Fred Wirt, Denison University, on “Again: Censorship,” and by Don LeBrun, promoter of the “Trade at Home” merchant plan. In addition, there will be talks by a newspaper representative, a radio promotion executive, an Ohio State University professor who is an outstanding promotion expert, and “sev¬ eral other speakers who understand their business and can point out many things from their lines that may be incorporated in ours,” said Prickett. There will be displays of various types of new merchandise available for examination and discussion. There will be a buffet dinner Wednesday evening, to be followed by the screening of an outstanding upcoming fea¬ ture. The Thursday morning merchandising ses¬ sion will feature discussion on ways of mer¬ chandising four new pictures. Penna. Seeks Reversal of Censorship Ruling HARRISBURG — The commonwealth hopes to obtain a decision on the constitu¬ tionality of its new movie censorship law at the November meeting of the State Su¬ preme Court in Philadelphia. State Attorney General Anne X. Alpern said she had hoped to have the court make a decision earlier. The Justice Department is seeking to have set aside a Dauphin County Court decision of July 30 declaring the 1959 act unconstitutional. The Dauphin County Court held, among other things, that “the act is so vague and indefinite as to he in¬ operable and therefore invalid.” Irving Mack Retires As Filmack President CHICAGO — A testimonial cocktail party and farewell dinner was tendered Irving Mack, retiring president of the Filmack Cor¬ poration, at the company’s headquarters. The affair was attended by all employees, and Mack was presented with a television set as a token of esteem for his many years of service as head of the concern. Mack started the Filmack Trailer Com¬ pany in 1919 in a one-room location with four employees and one camera. Today the firm occupies the entire building at 1327 South Wabash, employs 100, and has approximately three-quarters of a million dollars worth of equipment. Under Mack’s guidance Filmack’s opera¬ tions were enlarged over the years to include the production of TV commercials, both live and animated, industrial films, and slide films. In attendance at the party were Mack’s three sons, Joseph, Bernard, and Don, who take over the operation of Filmack. Joseph Mack was recently elected president of the corporation at the stockholders’ meet¬ ing. Bernard will assume a vice-presidency in charge of production, and Don a like posi¬ tion handling the company’s television busi¬ ness. Irving Mack will serve as chairman of the board and as Filmack’s southern sales repre¬ sentative and consultant. Mack and his wife, Belle, will take up residence in Miami Beach. Cinerama Shows Net Loss NEW YORK — President Nicolas Reisini re¬ ported that Cinerama, Inc., had a net loss of $288,985 for the six months ended June 30 as compared with a loss of $8,069 for the similar 1959 period. Income from theatre revenue, film rentals, and royalties for the recent six-month income was $3,107,025. Loss occurred after a $669,836 deduction for amortizing costs of exhibition rights and properties including the five origi¬ nal Cinerama films acquired from Stanley Warner Cinerama Corporation for $3,000,000. Full cost of properties is expected to be re¬ covered by late 1961. Stockholders at a special meeting on Oct. 18 will vote on restricted stock options for vice president B. G. Kranze, 15,000 shares, and secretary-general counsel Sam Boverman, 10,000 shares, and the election of six directors. Vets Rap WB's "Ocean's IT" WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A resolution ex¬ pressing strong disapproval of the recently released Warners’ motion picture, “Ocean’s 11,” was expressed in a resolution adopted by the executive committee of North Carolina’s Disabled American Veterans. The film recently was shown here and the veterans group unanimously adopted a reso¬ lution charging that the motion picture is an attempt to “besmirch and ridicule” American veterans. The film involves airborne troops, com¬ rades trained during the war to disrupt enemy installations who decided to put their knowledge to work after the war by short circuiting power lines and looting Las Vegas casinos. 8 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR September 28, I960