The Exhibitor (1961)

The NEW YORK Scene By Me / Konecoff UNIVERSAL has a great trailer in its 55-minute presentation plugging the company’s top six pictures which will be released from November through May and which have an approximate negative cost of 18 mil¬ lion dollars. The presentation is scheduled to advise exhibitors of the quality of the program, and it is the company’s vice-president and general sales manager, handsome “Hi” Martin, who does the advising. He said that 20 prints were made and that it has already been shown in 40 cities with as many more scheduled as are necessary. Many who have seen the film have set advance bookings as a result of it. Included were portions of “Flower Drum Song,” with Nancy Kwan; “Back Street,” with Susan Hayward and John Gavin; “Lover Come Back,” with Rock Hudson and Doris Day; “The Outsider,” with Tony Curtis; “The Last Hero,” with Kirk Douglas; and “Cape Fear,” with Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Polly Bergen. The footage is quite impressive and exhibitors like what they’ve seen, according to ex¬ pressed reaction. They also like the method of presentation, which allows showmen-exhibitors to judge what’s coming and to plan accordingly. A series of back-to-back screenings of “Flower Drum Song” and “Lover Come Back” are being planned in a number of cities over the next few weeks to which press and ex¬ hibitors will be invited, with lunch planned between showings. Incidentally, an additional six films will be added to the schedule for release during the November-May period to bring the total to at least 12 features. HURRAH FOR CONTINENTAL: Irving Wormser, president of Continental Distributing, upon his return from Europe, stated at a press luncheon that there is no shortage of prod¬ uct, he having concluded negotiations abroad for one co-production and distribution of four new films, bringing to 13 the total number of pictures to be released by his company over the next 10 months. This is the highest number of releases for that period in the history of the company. He estimated that Continental has about three million dollars invested in the 10 or 11 films that will have been released in 1961. He reported that the company is presently operating 10 exchanges throughout the country, and eventually this number may be increased to 13 to handle the expanding number of releases. He's looking for 6,000 to 8,000 bookings as an ideal number to service. He and general sales manager Carl Peppercorn weren't enthused about servicing the last 5,000 theatre accounts in the country because the low flat rentals (between $12.50 and $17.50) didn't cover the servicing costs much less allow for a profit. They estimated that these latter theatres represented 25 to 30 per cent of national playdates. Questioned as to whether the company would submit their films for Production Code seals, he replied that he didn’t think so and that such submission was never made in the past. The company is more concerned with ratings issued by the Legion of Decency which can affect the course of a film more than can a Code seal. Many theatres will play a Code-less film, but prefer not to play one condemned by the Legion, said Wormser. Incidentally, the company has plans for Hollywood productions in the near future. Wormser stressed that he was concerned still with quality and not quantity, and in line with this, he enthused about such releases as the fortcoming “A View From The Bridge,” “A Taste of Honey,” and “Waltz of the Toreadors,” as well as “Harold Lloyd’s World of Comedy,” “La Belle American,” “Operation Snatch,” “Call Me Genius,” “Never Let Go,” “The Mark,” “From A Roman Balcony,” “The Man Who W’agged His Tail,” “The Pure Hell of St. Trinians,” and “Rififi for Girls.” “Waltz of the Toreadors” is one of three films in a deal set with the Rank Organization, with two others to be set at a later date and with Continental having “veto” power as to which these will be. TO A ( Continued from page 10) He reiterated National Screen’s continued plan to support the exhibitor’s showmanship efforts, and added, “If you will use the show¬ manship tools — we’ll make them!” Paramount Hosts Luau Paramount hosted more than 1,000 at a “Blue Hawaii” Luau Party preceded by the screening of the film at the Pitt. Guests re¬ ceived souvenirs and gifts including Waikiki shirts and MuMu dresses, Hawaiian leis, Ha¬ waiian perfumes, RCA Victor soundtrack al¬ bums, and other souvenirs. Acting as official hosts were Jerome Pickman, Paramount vicepresident and general sales manager; Joseph Friedman, executive assistant to Martin Davis, the company’s director of advertising, pub¬ licity and exploitation; and Herb Steinberg, studio publicity manager. Attending in person were Stella Stevens, star, Paramount’s “ManTrap” and “Too Late Blues,” and Joan Black¬ man, Elvis Presley’s co-star in “Blue Hawaii.” Star Of The Year John Wayne received the “Star Of The Year” award from Theatre Owners of Amer¬ ica. Retiring TOA president Albert M. Pickus, Stratford, Conn., and Robert W. Selig, ex¬ ecutive vice-president, National Theatres and Television Company, Los Angeles, presented the award to Wayne on a star-studded dais which included 14 “stars of tomorrow” — young Hollywood personalities whom TOA also honored as new screen personalities. Wayne, who has been a top Hollywood star since 1930, has more than 100 movies to his credit. His biggest was “The Alamo,” which he produced as well as starred in, and his most recent is “The Comancheros,” which will be 20th Century-Fox’s Thanksgiving re¬ lease. Officer Slate Selected John H. Stembler, president, Georgia The¬ atre Company, Atlanta, was unanimously elec¬ ted the 12th national president of Theatre Owners of America. He succeeds Albert M. AMPA Achievement Awards Highlight Meet NEW YORK — The Associated Motion Pic¬ ture Advertisers’ second annual achievement awards to outstanding industryites will be presented at AMPA’s first luncheon of the 1961-62 season on Oct. 26, at the Piccadilly Hotel, it was announced by the organization’s incoming president, A1 Floershemer. The 45-year-old organization of motion pic¬ ture advertising, promotion, and exploitation men and women has again selected the award winners for their meritorious service to the industry. The selections made by a special AMPA committee, with the approval of AMPA’s board of directors, are: The exhibitor making the year’s greatest contribution: Robert W. Selig, executive vicepresident, National Theatres & Television Corp., Los Angeles. The film company making the greatest prog¬ ress in the year: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. The best showman: Walt Disney. The award will be accepted by Malcom B. Decker of the Disney organization if Disney has not returned from Europe. For sustained service to the industry: Spyros P. Skouras, president, 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. Special award for providing the industry with the greatest sustained flow of film, in¬ cluding many top hits: Columbia Pictures Corp. Arthur Mayer, industry veteran and toast¬ master of many AMPA affairs, again will be master of ceremonies. Two Join Showcorporation NEW YORK — C. Robert Manby, president, Showcorporation of America, announced that Seymour Krawitz and Merle Debuskey have been signed to do the publicity for the film releasing organization. Pickus, Stratford, Conn., who served two terms. Pickus was elected chairman of the board, succeeding George G. Kerasotes, Springfield, Ill. Roy Cooper, San Francisco, was reelected chairman of the executive com¬ mittee. H. F. Kincey, Charlotte, was reelected sec¬ retary; S. H. Fabian, New York, was reelected treasurer; Joseph G. Alterman, assistant sec¬ retary; Herman M. Levy, New Haven, general counsel; and Myron H. Blank, Des Moines, chairman of the finance committee. Three new assistants to the president named were John G. Broumas, president, Maryland Theatre Owners Association; E. Lamar Sarra, Florida States Theatres, Jacksonville; and Robert W. Selig, Beverly Hills, Cal., opera¬ tions head, National Theatres. Two new vice-presidents were elected: Horace Denning, Jacksonville, long active in the Motion Picture Exhibitors of Florida, and T. G. Solomon, McComb, Miss., prominent Mississippi-Louisiana exhibitor leader. Newly elected members of the executive committee are George Aurelius, Phoenix, Ariz.; Will J. Conner, Tacoma, Wash.; Kelly Crawford, Raton, N.M., Robert Davis, Sher¬ man, Texas; Lloyd Franklin, Clovis, N. M.; James Gaylard, Jr., Troy, Ala.; John Krier, Salt Lake City, Utah; Chris Gorder, Poplar, Mont.; Jeff Hofheimer, Norfolk, Va.; Harry Mandel, New York City; Ted Mann, Minnea¬ polis; David Milgram, Philadelphia; L. C. Montgomery, New Orleans; Harry Nace, Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.; Spiro J. Papas, Chicago; Tom Smiley, Denver; Richard Smith, Boston; Wil¬ liam Thedford, Los Angeles; and Preston R. Tisch, New York City. 12 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR October 18, 1961