The Exhibitor (1963)

New Construction Brightens Wisconsin Theatre Scene Busiest Allied Board Session Maps Agenda For Upcoming N. Y. Meeting CHICAGO — The board of directors of Na¬ tional Allied met at the Sheraton Blackstone in one of the busiest sessions on record. There were all-day meetings, and they lasted until past midnight. The main preoccupation was plans for the forthcoming annual convention at the Americana Hotel, Oct. 21-24, in New York, concerning which the full convention commit¬ tee met separately and together with the directors. Arrangements and programs were finalized. Due to plans already revealed to Allied members, there will unquestionably be the greatest convention population explosion that has taken place in the increasing number of conventoineers over the years. Executive secretary Milton H. London re¬ ports that registrations accompanied by checks, six weeks in advance of the gathering, already exceed those received in any previous year the day before the event. Why the meetings were so time-consum¬ ing is shown by the fact the agenda not only took up most of its time on the convention, but went thoroughly into the following topics as well: Classification and Censorship: While subject was reviewed nationally, the emphasis was on New York state. Action is to be taken to urge both Board of Regents and the Legisla¬ ture not to enact the proposed classification law. Production Situation: Discussed were blind bidding, elimination of runs and distribution availabilties, compulsory bidding between non¬ competitive theatres by means of forced zon¬ ing, and specific sales policies seemingly de¬ signed to eliminate any possible profit to theatres. Discussion of COMPO-Marcus Plan in Pittsburgh: This has doubled— even trebled— anticipated grosses in Pittsburgh on films ex¬ pected to do well, and has equalled grosses on top pictures on films which have done poorly elsewhere. Direction of thinking was application of the COMPO-Marcus plan to other areas. The board requested the Industry Joint Committee Against Pay TV to lend all-out assistance to California exhibitors in opposing their local pay tv threat. In addition, the board committed itself, as it has done else¬ where, to give what aid Allied can directly. In the complaint department, due note was taken of increasing protests from all over regarding condition of prints., Some prints are received by exhibitors in bad condition, some are even unplayable. Where this has happened the public has been distinctly ar¬ ticulate. Allied will once again call this to attention of indicated distribution executives, pointing out that licensing agreement film contracts contain among their provisions, the obligation to deliver prints in good condition. Twentieth Century-Fox was criticized for its policy — and/or lack thereof — in its cur¬ rent release, “Lassie’s Great Adventure.” This consists of four episodes, spliced together, each already shown on free tv. The many objectors had nothing against the attraction per se. What they did resent was that 20th-Fox did not inform exhibitors in advance of what the attraction consisted. Allied-COMPO Plan Adds Plenty To Pitt Grosses PITTSBURGH. PA. — Harry Hendel, executive secretary, Allied Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western Pennsylvania, revealed that 10 features released in the territory under the Allied-COMPO plan of multiple bookings coupled with big pro¬ motion grossed approximately $1,400,000. He declared that Columbia’s “Gidget Goes To Rome” achieved record breaking grosses despite a tornado and violent elec¬ trical storm which closed 10 drive-ins. Rank's Record Year LONDON — John Davis has announced an all time record profit of $31,673,600 for the Rank Organization, against $23,497,600 for the previous year. The dividend is being raised 2V2 per cent to 27 per cent. The proportion of group profits before interest derived from non-cinema activities amounted to 51 per cent compared with 34 per cent last year, in spite of the fact that profits from cinema activities showed a reduction of only $700,000. Capital expenditure during the year totalled $35,243,600, of which $15,318,800 represented equip¬ ment on rental. To finance a heavy capital development program, a 10 million pound new convertible loan stock will be offered by way of “rights” to stockholders. Details have yet to be finalized. In announcing the figures, John Davis stated, “Unless there is a serious down-turn in the national economy, I anticipate that our profits for 1963/64 will show a satisfactory in¬ crease over those for 1962/63, and this favor¬ able trend should continue.” Theatres were taken by surprise when many patrons either in person or by phone, called to tell the houses it was wrong to solicit their business, have parents bring or send children, to find the moppets had already seen the series on tv for nothing. Allied feels it has no role in telling Fox its business, or making recommendations to thea¬ tres to play or not to play the film. However, its members have obligations to their custom¬ ers to represent correctly, but cannot do so unless the distributor in turn informs them in advance. The action stemming from this will be to communicate immediately with members, ad¬ vising them what this “Lassie” situation ac¬ tually is. The Allied board is recommending members play a new Internal Revenue short, showing the behind-the-scenes working of the Treas¬ ury Department. It was reported where the featurette attraction has been shown, audi¬ ence reaction has been excellent. A resolution is to be sent Sol Lesser, presi¬ dent of The Hollywood Museum, extending congratulations for the ground-breaking cere¬ monies in October, endorsing proposals and objectives of the museum, and adding Allied good wishes and blessings. Each of the foregoing matters was turned over either to an individual or special com¬ mittee to follow it up and to take appropriate action. MILWAUKEE, WIS.— The G & G Theatre Corporation of Wisconsin will take over the operation of the Strand. Joseph Gruenberg, of G & G, said also that the corporation would build two theatres in shopping centers here before next June, one to be an “all weather” theatre with two screens, one for drive-in patrons and the other for indoor viewing. The Prudential Management Corporation, which operates several area theatres, an¬ nounced it would remodel the Wisconsin into a “double deck” house. Albert P. Frank, general manager for Pru¬ dential, said that the Wisconsin would be able to present road shows which it has been book¬ ing at the Strand. He said Prudential would not renew its contract at the Strand next September. Attorney Eugene Posner, co-owner of the Strand with Leo Levy, said they declined to renew the lease because the terms offered by Prudential were not “acceptable.” Gruenberg said G & G’s lease with the Strand owners will be for 15 years with an option for 15 more. Remodeling of the Wisconsin into two dis¬ tinct theatres will begin at once and be carried on after and before show times until late in November when the theatre will close to reopen about Dec. 22. The theatre will then be called Cinema I and Cinema II. Cinema I will be located on the main floor and will present road-shows which Prudential had been booking for the Strand. Cinema II will be located in the balcony and will be used to present standard films. The theatres will have separate entrances and concession and rest room facilities. Gruenberg said the Strand would continue its policy of showing road-shows. He declined to name the shopping centers here where the proposed theatres will be built. The Prudential corporation is building a theatre at Mayfair shopping center and has another planned for Southgate shopping center. TOA Honors Cary Grant NEW YORK — Cary Grant has been selected by the Theatre Owners of America as their “Star of the Year,” he was notified by John H. Stembler, president of TOA. Grant will be presented with his award, the highest honor TOA bestows on a film actor or actress, at the President’s Banquet which will conclude TOA’s 16th annual convention at the Americana Hotel in New York on Oct. 31. Grant has just completed co-starring op¬ posite Audrey Hepburn in Stanley Donen’s production of “Charade,” which has been booked by Universal as the Christmas attrac¬ tion in major theatres around the country, in¬ cluding the Radio City Music Hall and Grauman’s Chinese in Hollywood. He is the 10th recipient of the annual TOA award, which has previously gone to Danny Kaye, James Stewart, William Holden, Rock Hudson, Deborah Kerr, Jerry Lewis, Doris Day, John Wayne, and Gregory Peck. Joseph E. Levine, president of Embassy Pictures Corporation, will present “A World of Showmanship for the Showmen of the World” in the grand ballroom of the Ameri¬ cana on the first night of the convention. 6 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR September 18, 1961