The Exhibitor (1960)

Para. Sets Sales-Merchandising Drive Balaban Marks 25 Years With Firm As Toppers Outline Plans For Peak Production During 1961 NEW YORK — Marking 25 years of service to Paramount Pictures Corp., company presi¬ dent Barney Balaban was presented with an engraved Zodiac wristwatch by George Weltner, president of Paramount Film Distribu¬ ting Corp. The ceremony took place at the opening session in New York of Paramount’s 1961 Sales-Merchandise Drive, presided over by Jerome Pickman, vice-president and newlyappointed domestic general sales manager. The inscription read: “To our respected president, 1936-1961, from a devoted sales organization.” Speaking before the sales executives under the direction of vice-president and eastern Sciles manager Hugh Owen, Pickman called for the “development of new ideas to realize the full potential of the sales power in our new attractions.” Flanked by virtually every key corporate executive, Pickman’s message followed ad¬ dresses by Balaban, Weltner, Jack Karp, studio head; Sidney Deneau, vice-president and western sales manager; and Owen. Balaban’s speech was noted for its highlypositive affirmation of faith in the future of the motion picture industry and Paramount’s place in that future. “We plan to devote ourselves to theatrical film production more than ever before,” he stated, citing an in¬ vestment of $21,400,000 in nine films started since August, 1960, and $30,000,000 in current preparatory work. Referring to the results of this expenditure, Balaban affirmed, “Not since I saw the first rough cut of ‘The Ten Commandments’ have I been so enthusiastic about the future of this company.” George Weltner read a telegram to the assembly from Adolph Zukor, chairman of the board and founder of the company, who was 88 years old on Jan. 7. “I want to offer my every assistance and do anything that I can to contribute to the future success of our great company. I feel certain that this year and years to come will add greater glories to the great name of Paramount and its .continuing presentation of great enter¬ tainment to the audiences of the world.” Pickman added, “We cannot depend on hard work alone to accomplish this objective. We need some healthy dissatisfaction and the realization that things can be done dif¬ ferently. We want more direct sales contact and less paperwork. There is a comprehen¬ sive program in work to simplify our pro¬ cedures.” Pickman declared that he would travel across the country this year and visit with every Paramount salesman and every im¬ portant Paramount customer with the object of intensifying his first-hand knowledge at point-of-sales. Reacting to a presentation of Paramount film production plans by Karp, Pickman declared, “I defy anyone to take any other company’s lineup and match it with ours.” Karp analyzed the eight pictures completed and awaiting distribution: Hal Wallis’ “All in a Night’s Work,” “The Counterfeit Traitor,” Perlberg and Seaton’s “The Pleasure of His Company,” Jurow and Shepherd’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” Bryain Foy’s “Blueprint for Fox Sells Goumont British Interest To Rank Group NEW YORK— It was announced by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation that it had reached an agreement to sell its share of Gaumont British, Ltd., for $11,200,000 to the Rank Organization, Ltd. Gaumont operates about 200 theatres in England, while the Rank Company is a producer and exhibitor of motion pictures in England. The agreement provides that 20th-Fox will sell its interest in Metropolis and Bradford Trust, Ltd., a company in which is vested voting control of Gaumont British. 'The 20th-Fox company acquired a 50 per cent interest in Metropolis and Bradford in July, 1929. The investment is carried in the Fox company’s books at $4,940,000. Rank, the armouncement added, is to pay Fox $1,400,000 immediately and the balance by installments over 11 years at 41/2 per cent interest. L. A. Okays Film Museum HOLLYWOOD— The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors after previously stal¬ ling progress on the Hollywood Motion Pic¬ ture and Television Museum finally ap¬ proved and voted to underwrite the proj¬ ect. Museum Commission chairman Sol Lesser gave leadership to the project. Lesser convinced the Commission that the film companies will equip the museum and supply exhibits far in excess of the $4,000,000 of the County’s credit for funds for building the museum. He also pointed out that the museum will provide a cash reve¬ nue for the County instead of a deficit. Expenditure of $162,500 for architectural fees and an estimated $300,000 for purchase of ground, subject to legislation by the State Assembly, were okayed. Robbery,” Shavelson and Rose’s “On the Double,” Jurow and Shepherd’s “Love in a Goldfish Bowl,” and Marlon Brando’s “OneEyed Jacks.” Four pictures are currently before the cameras. In Hollywood, Hal Wallis’ produc¬ tion of Tennessee Williams’ “Summer and Smoke” starring Laurence Harvey and Ger¬ aldine Page, and Jerry Lewis’ “The Ladies’ Man,” starring Lewis, Helen Traubel, Diana Dors, George Raft, and Harry James; in Tanganyika, Howard Hawks’ “Hatari!” star¬ ring John Wayne; and in Japan, Steve Par¬ ker’s “My Geisha,” starring Shirley MacLaine and Yves Montand. Within the next few months, the studio plans to start production of John Cassavetes’ “Too Late Blues,” Edmond O’Brien’s “The Soft Touch,” Hal Wallis’ “Hawaii Beach Boy” starring Elvis Presley, Robert Pirosh’s tenta¬ tively-titled “The War Story” starring Bobby Darin, Bob Newhart, Fess Parker, and Harry Guardino, and Bryan Foy’s tentatively-titled “The Prison Story,” starring Stella Stevens. New Promotional Ideas Developed By Para. Execs Pledging exhibitors that 1961 will be “an¬ other year of new ideas at Paramount,” Martin Davis, director of advertising, pub{Continued on page 9) Distribs Lose Battle For Pa. Censor Refund PHILADELPHIA — Film distributors in Pennsylvania were turned down by the State Supreme Court unanimously in their attempt to recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees paid under the now defunct 1915 Motion Picture Censorship Law. The distributors moved to get back the $2 fees paid to have their films censored when the state’s high court declared the 1915 act unconstitutional in 1956. The test action was brought by Box Office Pictures, Inc., and Screen Guild Productions of Philadelphia, seeking refunds of $8,564 and $2,942, respectively, for 1947 through 1951. They appealed to the court when the State Board of Finance and Revenue and the Dauphin County Court denied the refund petition. Judge Michael J. Eagen, writing the Su¬ preme Court opinion, said the distributors had not complied with the requirements of the state fiscal code concerning refunds and did not claim they paid the fees under “dur¬ ess or compulsion.” He also noted that they did not bring the action within five years as required, and that although motion picture censorship was in effect since 1911 the dis¬ tributors never questioned its validity until 1956. The fees, said the judge, were paid without protest . . . for the inspection service of the censorship board. They received “sub¬ stantial benefits” from these services. “There was a benefit without resulting loss to those now complaining,” Judge Eagen observed, “inasmuch as the costs incident to these serv¬ ices were, undoubtedly, cast upon the the¬ atre-going public.” Loew's House To Be Razed NEW YORK — Loew’s 72nd Street, located on the west block-front of Third Avenue between 71st and 72nd streets, drew its cur¬ tains for the last time after the Jan. 1 pre¬ sentation of “The World of Suzie Wong.” It will fall beneath the wrecker’s hammers to make way for a 20 -story luxury apartment house to be erected by the Tishman Realty Company, which, eight months ago, consum¬ mated a 99-year ground lease with Loew’s Theatres, Inc., owners of the property. Unlike such theatres as the Roxy and Em¬ pire, latter-day victims of Manhattan’s bur¬ geoning commercial and residential demands, Loew’s 72nd Street will leave no memories of live acting talent. Tbe ornate showplace, which opened its doors on Feb. 20, 1932, and is young as theatres go, has always main¬ tained a policy of presenting motion pictures alone. In fact, it is one of the city’s few the¬ atres of its size (2,673 seats) without a stage. Jaffe Heads Fund Drive NEW YORK— Leo Jaffe, Columbia Pictures’ first vice-president and treasurer, was named chairman of the amusement division of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies at a luncheon meeting called to formulate fund¬ raising plans. Jaffe extended the group’s appreciation to Arthur B. Krim, president. United Artists, the 1959 chairman, and to Herman Robbins, National Screen Service, who was guest of honor of the industry dinner last year. January II, 1961 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 5