The Exhibitor (1965)

Corwin To Keynote TOA Convention; Highest Attendance Ever Predicted NEW YORK — Sherrill C. Corwin will de¬ liver the keynote address at the opening ses¬ sion of Theatre Owners of America’s 18th an¬ nual convention on Oct. 28 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, it was announced by Sumner M. Redstone, TOA president. Corwin, who is president of Metropolitan Theatres Corp. of Los Angeles, president of Southern California Theatre Owners Association, and general chairman of the convention, will base his keynote speech on the convention’s theme, “Make Mine a Movie.” The major emphasis of the convention will be on building attendance and improving the economic health of the industry, Corwin said. Corwin also will preside at the first busi¬ ness session of the convention and act as ex¬ ecutive producer of the activities. Original music and lyrics have been written to con¬ form with the theme and objectives of the convention. The official opening will be dra¬ matized using all of the showmanship know¬ how of the California exhibitors. As an active showman with a long record of business achievements, Corwin is regarded as well qualified to serve in the capacities as¬ signed to him. He is an assistant to the TOA president and a member of the executive committee. Final convention plans are nearing comple¬ tion, and the highest attendance in TOA his¬ tory is expected, Redstone said. All space at the Trade Show has been sold out. The pro¬ gram for the ladies’ activities, including studio tours, will be finalized shortly. William M. Thedford, co-chairman of the convention, will serve as chairman of “Prod¬ uct Day” on Oct. 29 when the various film companies will present highlights from forth¬ coming pictures via specially made product reels. Thedford, who is co-director of theatre op¬ erations for National General Corp. and a member of TOA’s advisory council, will co¬ ordinate the presentations in the Embassy Room of the Ambassador. All of the major companies will offer pre¬ view segments of their important pictures which will be available at the yearend and early in 1966. The annual President’s Banquet, sponsored by the Coca-Cola Co., will be the windup event of the convention on the night of Oct. 30. Robert W. Selig, executive assistnat to the president of Pacific Drive-in Theatres, convention co-chairman, an assistant to the president of TOA, and a member of its ex¬ ecutive committee, will serve as toastmaster of the gala affair. A highlight of the evening will be the pres¬ entation of the “Star of the Year” award, an honor bestowed each year on the screen per¬ sonality whose box-office magnetism has been outstanding. Last year, the honor went to Ann-Margret, and previous winners were Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Doris Day, Jerry Lewis, Deborah Kerr, John Wayne, Rock Hudson, William Holden, James Stewart, and Danny Kaye. Because of the tremendous advance regis¬ tration for the convention, the President’s Banquet has had to be moved to larger ac¬ commodations than the hotel could afford and will be held in the Hollywood Palladium. An outstanding program featuring stars of the entertainment field is being prepared by the convention committee. Music will be provided by Lawrence Welk and his company of ABC network person¬ alities. TOA Insurance Trustees Mail Dividend Checks NEW YORK — Dividend checks for premi¬ ums paid by members of Theatre Owners of America in the TOA Group Insurance Plan were mailed by the trustees of the TOA Group Insurance Trust. The dividends were for the policy year ended Feb. 28, and repre¬ sented the sixth consecutive year in which cash dividends were paid. During the policy year, claims totalling $60,000 were dispersed. Total claims paid since the inception of the plan on March 1, 1959, have amounted to $330,000. The surplus resulting from TOA administrative economies were refunded in full to all member partici¬ pants, and each member’s share was approxi¬ mately 13 per cent of the premiums paid during the policy year. The next reopening will be on November 1. Trustees of the TOA Group Insurance Trust are George G. Kerasotes, Albert M. Pickus, and Joseph G. Alterman. The plan is open to all dues-paying members of TOA, giving themselves and their employees im¬ portant insurance benefits which, in most cases, could not be purchased previously on an independent basis. A member may choose one of two options: One for salaried personnel only and the other for key management and supervisory person¬ nel. Among the advantages of the plan are the stipulations that no medical examination is required and there is no age restriction. There are high limits up to $20,000 per in¬ sured plus triple indemnity in case of acci¬ dental death, with benefits for loss of limbs or sight resulting from an accident. Pathe-Embassy Pact NEW YORK — Continuing an association of many years, Embassy Pictures has signed a new four year agreement with Pathe Labora¬ tories for its head end (production) and re¬ lease printing, in color and black and white, it was announced by Joseph E. Levine, presi¬ dent of Embassy Pictures, and Lawrence I. Weisman, president of Pathe Industries. Leonard Lightstone, Embassy executive vice-president, and Leo Lubin, sales execu¬ tive of Pathe Laboratories, participated in the negotiations for the contract. Under the terms of the pact, Pathe, together with its affiliates in England (Humphries Lab¬ oratory Ltd.), Italy, and Spain, will process Embassy’s expanding productiondistribution program. Pathe is also processing Embassy’s television releases. Hey... Something very funny is going on here... September 15. 1965 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 13