The Exhibitor (1964)

AIP Brightens Exhib Conventions; Concentrates On " Turn To Youth " STV Seen “Dying Duck” As Calif. Ballot Nears SAN FRANCISCO — Subscription Televis¬ ion, Inc., is a “dying duck” in these parts, in the opinion of the city fathers who, for a brief time feared the closed circuit telecast¬ ing of Giant home baseball games would im¬ peril attendance at Candlestick Park and thus reach into the city government coffers. Plans to file a breach of contract suit against the Giants, for whom the city built the $15 million Candlestick Stadium, have been put aside until at least after the start of 1965 major league baseball next April. “If pay-tv here isn’t already a dead duck, it surely is a dying one,” a spokesman for the city government told MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR. “We are now convinced that the poor attendance in the closing weeks of the baseball gams at Candlestick was the result of the Giants collapse as pennant contenders rather than pay-tv carrying the games into a bare 2,000 homes, which are all that STV could line up as subscribers after months of door-to-door canvassing.” Meanwhile, there is every indication that Proposition 15 on the Nov. 3 ballot, which would outlaw pay-tv of any kind in Califor¬ nia, will carry by a huge majority. Polls made here and in Los Angeles, where about 4,000 STV sets are installed, indicate that 65 to 70 per cent of the registered voters ques¬ tioned will vote “Yes” on Proposition 15 next month. A check with STV headquarters here re¬ vealed the firm is operating on a skeleton crew and the only salesmen still trying to drum up subscribers are those working strictly on a commission basis. Also as an indication that the firm anticipates defeat at the polls in three weeks time is the an¬ nouncement by president Sylvester “Pat” Weaver that plans are already under way to shift operations to another state if Propo¬ sition 15 carries on Nov. 3. A LLIED (Continued) Matt Michaels, and produced by SolomonSayles Advertising. Another feature of this most unusual, productive, and professional merchandising session will be the creative management clinic to be conducted by two nationally recognized authorities on marketing motiva¬ tion — Fred Klemp and Dr. G. Herbert True. This will be a hard-hitting, laugh-provoking, fact-finding, entertaining two-hour presenta¬ tion which will detail and dramatize the new management and selling techniques that as¬ sure profits and success. Leslie Caron, Weingarten Named Top Star, Producer Leslie Caron has been chosen by Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibi¬ tors as “Star of the Year,” it was announced by Jack Armstrong, president of the organi¬ zation. Miss Caron will be presented the sterling silver Star of the Year Award as the high¬ light of the banquet which will climax the organization’s 35th annual convention. Lawrence Weingarten, producer of MGM’s “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” and for 37 years one of Hollywood’s most distinguished producers, will receive the coveted Producer of the Year Award from the nation’s theatre owners. CHICAGO — Continuing expansion of Amer¬ ican International’s “turn to youth” policy via more pictures geared to the 15 to 25-yearold age groups; continuing introduction of “new face” stars and enlarged personal ap¬ pearance tours; plus utilization of a new “think tank” to keep abreast of audience needs were pledged by AIP executives James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff. As principal speakers before American In¬ ternational’s luncheon for 900 delegates to the Theatre Owners of America convention at the Hilton Hotel, Nicholson and Arkoff re¬ vealed the new plans for intensification of their company’s emphasis on product for the 15 to 25 age group which comprises 70 per cent of today’s movie-going audience. Special feature of the luncheon was a “Starburst of Youth for the World’s Young at Heart” presentation — special musical skit starring AIP personalities Vincent Price, Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Susan Hart, Donna Loren, Bobbi Shaw, and Cheryl Sweeten, with Don Rickies as master of ceremonies. Nicholson, in his talk to the TO A luncheon guests, said, “We feel that the exhibitor should be as hopped up, as enthusiastic and as active as we are in putting every ounce of showmanship into the promotion of a pic¬ ture. “We feel, also, that the exhibitor has an obligation to join in the making of a star,” and he asked theatre owners to herald the appearance of a new star on their marquees and to work to bring old and new fans to boxoffices. The AIP president said that the exciting young actors and actresses signed by the company will be used in a continuing series of pictures geared to the 15 to 25-year-old age bracket and they will also be used as “Hollywood super salesmen” in p.a. tours. Arkoff, AIP executive vice-president, re¬ vealed a motion picture innovation put into use by his company this year which was borrowed from General Electric Corporation and the United States Government — the “think tank.” While AIP’s “think tank” is on a smaller scale than the original, it keeps the principle of using top idea “thinkers” and brainpower all through the country to determine the likely conditions and needs of tomorrow’s Paramount Golden Gate HOLLYWOOD — Symbolizing a new golden era in the motion picture industry, the Para¬ mount Studio gate, one of Hollywood’s most famous symbols of color and glamour, was officially reopened by Howard W. Koch, production and studio head of Paramount Pictures, and glamorous Carroll Baker. With a brand new makeup job of glittering gold, the gate was given the finishing touches by Miss Baker. Using a large gold key and matching lock, Koch unlocked the massive gate while a battery of reporters, photographers, and tv newscasters recorded the event. The cere¬ mony was attended by many producers and directors who are currently headquartered at Paramount. world for the motion picture industry, he stated. “Our ‘think tank,’ ” Arkoff revealed, “is peopled with men whose ideas and progres¬ siveness we respect in the area of long-range deep thinking on broad and varied subjects. “Further, they are buttressed with this com¬ pany’s belief that a development program must be well balanced and that every corpora¬ tion should analyze such things as future distribution costs, potential new marketing outlets, and the value of product to the con¬ sumer,” Arkoff said. The AIP executive pointed to the com¬ pany’s newly announced “Golden Dozen” pro¬ gram of monthly top features set for 1965 release as an example of “think tank” recommendations. These 12 AIP releases all represent top production values, all-star cast¬ ing, and top-grade exploitation to fit in with the nation’s expanding and prosperous econ¬ omy, and are designed to provide “golden days” at theatre boxoffices, he said. Another feature of the AIP luncheon, at which Oscar Brotman, local Chicago exhi¬ bitor, acted as master of ceremonies, was the presentation of a product reel showing scenes from three major upcoming produc¬ tions: the teenage musical comedy “Pajama Party,” the terror thriller “The House at the End of the World,” and the science fiction specialeffects spectacular “Atragon,” all in scope and color. TOA delegates at the affair also received a special full-color brochure on “Pajama Party,” a special AIP-TOA edition of the Chicago American daily newspaper, and AIP’s “News Clips” magazine. Also given out by nine Playboy Club “Bunny” hostesses were special “Pajama Party” kits containing in¬ structions and ingredients for “setting up your own pajama party.” Exhibitors also received special prizes of gift packs of Barricini candies. Also representing American International at the affair were executives Leon P. Blender, vice-president in charge of distribution; David J. Melamed, vice-president, finance; Milton I. Moritz, national ad-pub director; Jack Zide, AIP distributor for Detroit; Jerry Sandy, Washington, D. C.; George Waldman, New York; Meyer Stem, Omaha; and AIP branch managers Don Grierson, Dallas; Eld Gavin, Milwaukee; Sam Seplowin, Chicago; and Tom Goodman, Indianapolis. Begins New Golden Era The huge Paramount gate, located at Mara¬ thon and Bronson, was closed in 1962. Its opening marks the rebirth of Hollywood and the currently booming activities of Para¬ mount Pictures, one of the oldest of the major motion picture companies. One of the world’s most publicised portals, it became recognized by movie fans the world over as the “magic door to the world of Hollywood make-believe.” For several decades, the famed gate was lined day and night by eager movie fans hoping to get a quick glance at their favorite movie star. Thousands of aspiring hopefuls each year made pilgrimages to the gate to be “dis¬ covered,” with many of them using artful dodges to crash the gate to stardom. October 14, 1964 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 21