The Exhibitor (1966)

. . . 1 . . . 111 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mm . . . . The NEW YORK Scene By Mel Konecoff THE OTHER DAY ACROSS THE LUNCHEON TABLE, DAN TERRELL, MGM executive director of advertising and publicity, noted that his company has other proper¬ ties to release besides “Doctor Zhivago,” and it’s going to inform exhibitors nearly every¬ where about them through a good part of the year. Morris Lefko, vice-president and general sales manager, related how he visited the studio recently, and after a look-see at the available footage, thought exhibitors ought to be allowed to share his enthusiasm. One of the future releases, “The Singing Nun,” with Debbie Reynolds, has been booked as the Easter attraction at Radio City Music Hall. Lefko noted that every picture to be discussed at a series of meetings with exhibitors and MGM staff members will be available for screening well in advance of release between now and the summer. This is in keeping with president Robert O’Brien’s stated policy of trying to provide both company and exhibitors with the necessary tools as far in advance of release as possible. Twenty-six features are expected to be released in 1966 or the same number as last year. He reported that “Doctor Zhivago” is doing great, far better than anyone could hope for, and though unable to estimate a gross at this stage, he did report that he expected it be playing in 84 situations by the end of June. The reissue of “North By Northwest” is doing very well in its initial engagements, and he expected it to play in at least 8,000 good accounts by the time the replay is finished. Another goodie is “Patch of Blue,” as is “The Loved One.” Two expanded tv shows from “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” series ( The Spy With My Face” and “To Trap A Spy”), with added footage bringing the run¬ ning time up 'to 90 minutes each, are doing so well he can’t get enough prints to satisfy the demand. From Feb. 7 through Feb. 21, exploitation manager Andy Sullivan (broken right wrist and all) and exhibitor relations representative David McGrath will meet with about 3,000 exhibitors, theatre advertising personnel, field men, branch managers, etc., from 28 exchange areas. BUDGETS AND PRODUCTIONS: WHO SAID YOU CAN’T MAKE FEATURES THESE days for under $100,000? Irving Sunasky, director and screen writer, and Samuel Zerinsky, co-producer, are doing just that. They recently completed “W.I.A.,” standing for “wounded in action, in the Philippines for $92,000. Their next, “Impact,” with an interracial struc¬ ture, is budgeted at $80,000, to be filmed in Greenville, Ohio, this spring. Financing is done through private channels, which permits them to retain control over story and property. Costs are kept down by using competent no-names, by rehearsing three weeks before filming, and by using live sound instead of re-recording with dubbing later. They opined that Hong Kong and the Philippines are the only places left abroad where films can be made cheaply. Japan, they reported, has priced itself out of the area of reasonable costs. “W.I.A.,” which contains a love story as well as drama involving wounded soldiers, will be released in New York shortly along with “The Year of the Horse,” a recently com¬ pleted feature about a Chinese boy. Also in their schedule in the future is “Ask For Me Tomorrow,” dealing with the teen-age point of view. This will be filmed in the fall in some of the high schools in New York City. THOUGHT IN PASSING: IT’S NOT NEWS ANYMORE THAT RUSSELL DOWNING, president of the Radio City Music Hall, has retired from that post and that Jim Gould has taken over. It’s just that we are going to find it hard to believe after all these years. We used to talk to Russ once a week for more years than we care to remember, and we had a wonderful relationship. We’re not going to get sloppy about it, but we will miss him. At this point, we wish Jim Gould, his successor, a wonderful and rewarding future THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: EXHIBITORS AND PRESS REPS THROUGHOUT the country are receiving a colorful portfolio from Columbia containing enlarged scene stills and star portraits from Sam Spiegel’s production of “The Chase.” . . . Aside to R, Ferguson: Don’t forget to give those wonderful titles proper perusal. . . . Millicent Martin, musical star of “Stop The World— I Want To Get Off,” was guest at a press cocktail party recently at the Warwick. . . . One of the Macy suburban stores is showing movies to kiddies for free on Saturday matinees. Feb. 19 they’ve got “Pied Piper of Hamelin,” with Van Johnson, scheduled. “Gulliver’s Travels,” feature length cartoon, is scheduled for Feb. 26. . . . We’d like to see some of the theatres in the area set-up tables with catalogues from Sears, Montgomery Ward, Spiegels, etc., available for easy ordering, perhaps even tying in admission bonuses. NAME THREE KEY COMMITTEES cuit, Kansas City; Dan A. Polier, National General Corp., Beverly Hills, Calif.; John H. Rowley, Rowely United Theatres, Inc., Dallas; Alden W. Smith, Oak Drive-In Theatre, Royal Oak, Mich.; Richard A. Smith, Gen¬ eral Cinema Corp., Smith Management Com¬ pany, Boston; and George Stern, Associated Theatres, Pittsburgh. Asked to comment on what might be the primary goals of the Film Product And Orderly Release Committee, chairman Dollinger stated: “Two of the greatest problems that face exhibitors today are not having sufficient top product and not having all pic¬ tures released in a steady stream. Our pres Continned from page 15 ent diet is one of feast and famine. “It has always puzzled me that distribution has been willing to spend— along with ex¬ hibition — millions of dollars to get the public into the habit of attending motion picture theatres and then break this flow of atten¬ dance by releasing no pictures for weeks at a time. Instead of spending new money to get new patrons, we spend new money to get old patrons back. “With the quality of men on this commit¬ tee, if we cannot convince distribution of the value of an orderly flow of product to thea¬ tres, then no one can.” N. Y. Tent Names Konecoff NEW YORK — Irving Dollinger, chief barker, Variety Club of New York, Tent 35, an¬ nounced the appointment of Mel Konecoff, New York editor of MOTION PICTURE EX¬ HIBITOR, as press guy for 1966. This marks the third consecutive term for Konecoff in that post. Para. Declares Dividend NEW YORK — The board of Paramount Pictures Corporation voted a quarterly divi¬ dend of 50 cents per share on the common stock, payable March 7 to holders of record Feb. 21. 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