The Exhibitor (1964)

The NEW YORK Scene By Mel Konecoff LOCAL CIRCUIT REPRESENTATIVES WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED LAST week by the refreshing frankness and candor of relative newcomer to the industry Ron Gorton, who is a producer, writer, and president of Gorton Associates, which is distribut¬ ing as its first film “Panic Button,” starring Maurice Chevalier, Jayne Mansfield, Michael Connors, Eleanor Parker, and Akim Tamiroff. In a short, snappy speech following lunch at the Spindletop, which was taken over for the affair, Gorton expressed the hope that someday he would become a real profes¬ sional with more than one picture under his belt. He didn’t think that “Panic Button” was a great picture, and he did think that it needed a campaign. In line with that thinking, he and his associates are launching it in each area where it plays on a saturation basis with a bang, stating that you can’t wear Sneakers to open the release. They’re playing all the angles in each locality, going for extensive radio use, tying in the music with disc jockeys, using giants, midgets, good-looking girls clad to get attention, floats, throwaways, one sheets in transportation areas, television, heavy newspaper ad¬ vertising prior to openings, etc. They expect to spend $40,000 o $60,000 in the New York area alone on the pre-opening campaign, and at least $100,000 worth of publicity will be the result. He believes that the populace will come to see th picture if they know about it. Gorton holds great store by the theatre managers, calling them “very important” in the overall operation, and he asked for cooperation from them as well as from buyers and bookers. He wants to make money for himself as well as for others not only as regards this picture but others that he has scheduled. He is financed for the future, stating that he is talking with American producers for product. Already lined-up are “Jason,” his next, which will be completed iin February, to be followed by “Cousin Harry, Country Style” to go in November, and a musical, “Oddball.” He expected that five or six pic¬ tures will be handled over the next 18 months. Bernie Jacon, sales director, reported that they hoped to open in the New York area on or about Sept. 23, and since it’s a 40 per cent picture, he expected that participating theatres would do above normal business, especially after the campaign gets rolling. Executive vice-president George Skigen was also introduced to the assemblage. Irving Kaplan, veteran executive of the Randforce Circuit, took the opportunity to admit that he was impressed with the presentation and by the new vitality being brought into the industry by Gorton. On behalf of local exhibitors, he welcomed him and his efforts. THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: LATERNA MAGIKA CLOSED DOWN AFTER PLAYing only 27 performances at Carnegie Hall. The production, which combines live talent with on-screen magic, was imported from Czechoslovakia by Richard Fleischer and Harry Bernsen. . . . Arthur Perles forcibly calling attention to the forthcoming MGM-TV line¬ up, which looks impressive. . . . We like Walter Reade's idea of inviting youngsters to a new theatre opening as well as adults. When his new Community Theatre made its bow in Eatontown, N. J., last week, there was a special afternoon premiere for the children of the township to see “Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear,” and refreshments were on the house. Adults got their turn later in the evening. . . . Lady Arrow Shirts had a party for “My Fair Lady”. . . . Max Youngstein sending out an official U. S. government brochure with information on the fighting unit called the Green Beret, about which he is making a picture.We are almost ready to join up. . . . Steve Ellman is the new trade paper contact at MGM. . . . MGM’s “Lili” begins its 94th week at the Trans-Lux 52nd Street Theatre. It’s first 93 weeks were completed in 1954. . . . 500,000 copies of “Cheyenne Autumn” in paperback out to help in the selling of the Warner film. . . . EDITOR’S NOTE: Our man in New York now leaves his typewriter and heads for Mercy Hospital, Rockville Center, Long Island, where he will undergo minor surgery. Allied Board To Meet MILWAUKEE— The fall board meeting of National Allied has been called for Sept. 22-24 at the Pfister Hotel here. First scheduled is a reception and dinner at six p.m. Tuesday. After diner, there will be a closed session for film buyers. At nine a.m. Wednesday, formal sessions commence. Those having suggestions for discussion or consideration are asked to send them to president Edward E. Johnson, Allied Theatre Owners of Wisconsin, Suite 7166, 161 West Wisconsin ave., Milwaukee. Officers and directors of Allied units will be welcomed as observers. Whaley Joins Wometco MIAMI — -Gerald F. Whaley has been named director of public affairs of Wometco Enterprises, Inc., Wometco president Mitchell Wolfson announced. Whaley formerly was manager of informa¬ tion services for National Automatic Mer¬ chandising Association, Chicago, national trade group of the $3.2 billion automatic vending industry. MGM To Film "Baker St." NEW YORK — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has asquired the motion picture rights to the forthcoming Alexander H. Cohen musical, “Baker Street,” it was anounced by MGM president Robert H. O’Brien. It is believed to be the first time a pre-production deal for film rights to a Broadway musical has been made by a major motion picture com¬ pany. In addition, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which has made a substantial undisclosed investment in the production, has also acquired rights to the original cast album for MGM Records. Another Big MGM Week NEW YORK — For the week ending Aug. 20, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer recorded a weekly film rental gross from both the domestic and international markets in excess of $3,000,000, it was announced by president Robert H. O’Brien. This is the fifth time during the past eight weeks that MGM has recorded a weekly film rental gross in excess of $3,000,000. Siegel To Film “Chatauqua” For Release By Columbia HOLLYWOOD — Mike Frankovich revealed that Sol C. Siegel, who recently signed a multiple independent producing pact with Columbia, would film “Chatauqua” as one of the company’s most ambitious projects in the spring of 1965. Dick Van Dyke, who scored his initial screen success in Columbia’s “Bye Bye Birdie,” has been signed for one of the starring roles in the film with music. Blanche Hanalis is now writing the screenplay, based on “Morally We Roll Along,” a book by Gay MacLaren, a well-known performer who was in the Chatauqua circuit herself. Siegel, who has been interested in this project for a number of years, regards the story of “Chatauqua” as one of the priceless phases of Americana and as a forerunner of modern day show business. Siegel stated that “Chatauqua” will trace the development of this unique institution which has never been fully explored cn the screen. In addition to bringing entertainment and culture to rural America, the traveling Chatauqua trainload of people which set up its tent in the small towns of this country ran the gamut of personalities with attractions ranging from William Jennings Bryan to Madame Schumann-Heink to John Philip Sousa and Edgar Bergen and Charlie Mc¬ Carthy. The first picture under Siegel’s Columbia deal is “The Richmond Story,” for which preparations are now in progress. Max Is For Lyndon HOLLYWOOD — Max E. Youngstein, inde¬ pendent Hollywood film producer, has ac¬ cepted the chairmanship of the motion picture and entertainment division of the Citizens for Johnson Committee in California. Youngstein said the motion picture indus¬ try’s support of the Citizens Committee would be in the form of financial assistance and the voluntary help of many Hollywood stars, writers and producers. Mayor Samuel W. Yorty, Los Angeles; Jules Stein, MCA board chairman; and Tippi Hedren, newly elected Mayor of Universal City, participate in ground-breaking ceremonies for the new 10-acre Visitors’ Village to be erected as exhibition and recreation area for the Universal City Studios Tours. 14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR September 2. 1964