The Exhibitor (1966)

Trans-Lux Half-Year Net Rises; Better Grosses For Fewer Houses Soviet, U.S. Writers Discuss Co-Production LOS ANGELES — A deeper exploration into solving the problems of co-production between American film companies and the U.S.S.R. was one of the highlights of the session IWG president James R. Webb had with Russian representatives at the Yugoslav Film Festival at Pula, it was reported. With Oto Denes, Dep. International Secre¬ tary of IWG (Yugoslavia) acting as interpreter and coordinator, Webb met with a leader in the association of film makers of the USSR, Grigory Mariamov, and two screen writers, M. Blayman and the writer of “Ballad of a Sol¬ dier,” V. Ejov. “The Russians evidently had been given highly favorable reports of IWG by Alex Kap¬ ler, who had been an observer at our executive committee meeting in London last October,” Webb said. “They had many questions to ask and many excellent suggestions to make, all of them designed to increase the stature of the screen writers in the public mind. “Other subjects discussed,” Webb added, “were the publishing of screenplays; screen writing awards to be made by IWG in connec¬ tion with the winning motion pictures at the various recognized film festivals; and the en¬ tertaining, non-political type of stories needed that would lend themselves to co-production.” Webb said he assured both the Yugoslavians and the Russians that IWG “would do its best to make sure that the producers who approach them are legitimate — as there has been some difficulty about that in the past. They are, of course, most anxious to attract American stars.” Webb concluded, “The Russians assured me they would be sending observers to our first IWG Congress here in Hollywood starting Oct. 10 and may very possibly become official members of the organization before that date.” Allied Circuit Ups Goldman CHICAGO — Saul Goldman has been ap¬ pointed chief film buyer and head booker for 35 theatres of Allied Theatres of Ill., Inc., Jack Clark, president, announced. Goldman has been associated with Allied in the film buying department for the past 10 years. Prior to this, he owned and operated three theatres in addition to his own distri¬ bution company, Variety Pictures, for 20 years. Before being elevated to head film buyer for' the circuit, Goldman supervised the film buying for the largest single block of first run deluxe theatres in the Allied cir¬ cuit. Jack Clark also announced the appoint¬ ment of Mike Kominsky as assistant to Gold¬ man. Kominsky comes to Allied from the man¬ agerial level of several circuits in Chicago. Josephine Halik has also been appointed to assist Goldman. “Zhivago” Near $18 Million NEW YORK — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “Doctor Zhivago,” which is currently play¬ ing roadshow engagements in 85 situations, has grossed $16,000,000 to date and is antici¬ pated to gross $18,000,000 by Labor Day. The announcement was made by Morris E. Lefko, MGM vice-president and general sales man¬ ager, and Mel Maron, MGM roadshow man¬ ager. Lefko and Maron based the $18,000,000 projected gross on the consistently high boxoffice performance and sustaining power that the film has exhibited in every situation. Sammy Davis, Jr., star of Embassy's "A Man Called Adam," is seen with Mae Wong, Fleurette Carter, and Nancy Davison, who accompanied him on a re¬ cent tour of 14 RKO theatres and Loew's Victoria, New York, in connection with openings of the film. Houston Church Women Want Movie Clean-Up HOUSTON — The United Church Women of Houston praised three city councilmen for calling for a clean-up of movies and offered to help them in any further steps they might make. “Is there any area of this work in which we can do something to help alert the citizens of Houston?” Mrs. Clarence Swartsfager, presi¬ dent of the church women, asked Councilman Robert S. Webb in a letter. Councilmen Bill Elliott and Johnny Goyen, who have been quietly checking a number of theatres where girlie movies are shown, urged parents to attend some of them. Elliott said he believed that once parents are aware of what is available to young people, they will become indignant and do something about it. He and Goyen say that the movies they have seen are “foul and filthy” and that many deal with perversion and other things. Mrs. Swartsfager asked the councilmen to let her know of anything the church women could do to help alert parents. “Since movies are a . . . form of entertain¬ ment for young people, they must be kept clean,” she said. “There already are so few places where young people can go. And they don’t like to have home parties all of the time.” She urged the councilmen to check the “adults only” movies. She said that “many teen age boys and girls see them by paying the adult prices, with no one asking for proof of age.” Scheffler Joins Fox NEW YORK — Karl Heinz Scheffler has been named 20th Century-Fox publicity direc¬ tor in Germany, with headquarters in Frank¬ furt, it was announced by Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., vice-president in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitation. Scheffler, who will work under Emil Buyse, 20th-Fox Continental publicity supervisor, succeeds Horst O. Hermanni. He was most recently publicity man¬ ager in Frankfurt for the Walt Disney organiz¬ ation. NEW YORK — Net income from operations, after taxes, of Trans-Lux Corporation for the six months ended June 30 was 12.5 percent above that of a year earlier, while gross rev¬ enues from operations were virtually un¬ changed from those for the corresponding 1965 period, Richard Brandt, president, reported. Net earnings from operations for the first half of 1966 totaled $284,653 and were equiva¬ lent to 40 cents a share on the 718,037 shares of common stock currently outstanding. For the comparable 1965 period, net earnings from operations amounted to $253,110, or 35 cents on the same number of shares, exclusive of nonrecurring income of $12,379, equal to two cents a share. Brandt reported that consolidated net work¬ ing capital amounted to $2,494,684 as of June 30. Reflecting the company’s strong financial position, current assets of $3,530,750 were 3.4 times current liabilities of $1,036,066. Substantial progress was made during the second quarter with regard to the company’s program for the introduction of its new TransJet electronic stock quotation device, and a 10foot working model is currently in operation at the Trans-Lux Long Island City plant, Brandt reported. Preparations for the produc¬ tion of the Trans-Jet are under way, he said, and it is anticipated that the first units will be available for installation in brokerage offices around the end of the year. He added that installations of the company’s closedcircuit television units and Dow Jones news ticker projectors, as well as Trans-Lux ticker projectors in Canadian brokerage houses, again reached new highs. Substantial orders have been received re¬ cently for Trans-Lux rigid rear-projection screens in connection with New York’s State University Construction Fund school construc¬ tion projects being sponsored by the Federal government, Brandt said, and additional orders are anticipated. Gross revenues from comparable theatre units, he reported, were approximately 33 per¬ cent above those of a year ago, although over¬ all theatre revenues were below those of a year earlier by reason of the elimination of the company’s Baltimore theatre complex, and the closing of the Lexington Avenue and 52nd Street Trans-Lux. Operations in the field of children’s tele¬ vision programs are continuing at satisfactory levels wtih respect to both new contracts and renewal business, he said, and sales of the company’s most recent series, “Gigantor,” are highly encouraging. Brandt stated that negotia¬ tions are under way for the production of an¬ other children’s television series, and that the company is actively exploring the possibility of a game-panel show for network broadcast¬ ing, as well as several other varied content pro¬ grams for general distribution. During the quarter, Brandt reported, the contractual arrangement whereby the company books motion pictures and television programs for American Airlines’ “Astrovision” entertain¬ ment system was renewed to Dec. 31, 1967. Merrick Marks Birthday MERRICK, L.I. — The Merrick celebrated its fourth anniversary with a champagne cock¬ tail and theatre party. Prominent civic leaders attended. August 24, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 7