The Exhibitor (1966)

Buena Vista "Follow Me " Campaign Features "Evening With Disney " NEW YORK— Buena Vista has just con¬ cluded a series of 10 Exhibitor’s Family Pre¬ views of Walt Disney’s “Follow Me, Boys!,’ its Christmas release, as the first step in an un¬ precedented marketing plan that will cul¬ minate in early December with a nationwide event called “An Evening With Walt Dis¬ ney.” The first Exhibitor’s Family Preview was held in Dallas. Roy O. Disney, chairman of the board of Walt Disney Productions, headed a Disney-Buena Vista contingent that arrived via the company plane with a special pre¬ release print of “Follow Me, Boys. They acted as hosts to an invited audience of 250, including exhibitors and their families. In outlining the concept of “An Evening with Walt Disney,” Buena Vista president Irving H. Ludwig explained that on a single given night in early December, 200 theatres in cities "throughout the country will be given over to Invitational Premiere Previews of “Follow Me, Boys!” Each theatre will be filled to capacity with guests invited on the basis of their influence in the community, “from media people to youth group leaders, from educators to the cop on the beat. “The management of each theatre will act as host on behalf of Walt Disney, and all the packaging of the event will proclaim a gala occasion — announcement ads, following-day ads, special theatre decorations, souvenir pro¬ grams, and everything else that such an occa¬ sion calls for. Each city will participate in an important local event, and the entire country will join in a unique national experience. “We expect approximately 200,000 ‘first nighters,’ ” Ludwig declared. This is the opposite of a sneak preview. We want every¬ one to know about An Evening with Walt Dis¬ ney and about Walt Disney’s extraordinary motion picture, ‘Follow Me, Boys! We believe that this is the way to spread the word. Ludwig went on to say that the Evening with Walt Disney is just one part of a total marketing effort for the Disney holiday at¬ traction. A saturation tv campaign, starting in early September, will spearhead the earlier phase of the campaign, and following the Evening with Walt Disney showings there will be an all-out, all-media campaign that will continue right through the holiday period and into 1967. “Our job now is to present ‘Follow Me, Boys!’ and the marketing concept to the na¬ tion’s showmen, and to enlist them as the cornerstone of our working team. I know they will respond enthusiastically to our in¬ vitation to act as hosts on behalf of Wait Disney in December.” SW Shifts Personnel ALBANY — Supervision of Stanley Warner theatres in Albany, Troy and Utica were shifted from the New Jersey — New York State to the New Haven zone, directed by James A. Totman. All reports were routed to the Con¬ necticut city, effective Aug. 24. The shift back to New Haven followed the transfer of zone manager Charles A. Smakwitz to the position of national director for advertising, publicity and public relations, and the dispatch of Henry Burger from the latter to Smakwitz’s former zone job. President S. H. Fabian made the changes. “FOLLOW ME, BOYS’’ If you’ve read the accompanying news story, you know that Buena Vista’s “FOL¬ LOW ME, BOYS” is going to hit 200 of the nation’s theatres for the Christmas sea¬ son as one of the most heavily pre-sold properties in screen history. We are happy to add the observation that all the hoopla is well justified. Here is another Disney blockbuster for family audiences everywhere, with Fred MacMurray at his best, supported by a cast and story that provides the kind of fun for which the Disney name is famous. Nobody sells a film harder, and nobody sells a film better than the Disney organi¬ zation. We attended the preview screening and meeting in Philadelphia, and Buena Vista president Irving Ludwig generated enthusiasm and excitement that will carry the picture to top grosses. It looks like a very merry Christmas for exhibitors everywhere. JAY EMANUEL Trans-Beacon Buys Pan World NEW YORK — Sheldon Smerling, president of Trans-Beacon Corporation, and George Waldman, owner of Pan World Film Ex¬ change, have announced the purchase by Trans-Beacon Film Distributing Co., Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trans-Beacon Cor¬ poration (American Stock Exchange), of cer¬ tain of the assets and the business of Pan World, independent motion picture distribu¬ tor in the New York, Buffalo, and Albany areas. The purchase was for an undisclosed amount of cash. Trans-Beacon will operate the existing Pan World exchanges in New York, Buffalo, and Albany with George Waldman as general man¬ ager and Howard Mahler as district manager for the three exchange cities. Kraemer Resigns After UC Acquires Schine Chain ALBANY — The resignation of Schine cir¬ cuit chief booker Bill Kraemer, on the heels of United Cinemas’ acquisition of 52 Schine houses in five states, triggered speculation in Albany film circles that other changes might be coming. News releases by United Cinema had stated that all department heads and ex-Schine home office employees at Gloversville would be re¬ tained by the new owners. The same went for house managers and their staffs, according to the press. The position of the departed Kraemer was not to be filled, insiders here reported. Kraemer, employed at the Gloversville base for more than 20 years, had occupied desk space in the office of chief film buyer George V. Lynch. He was considered one of the “team” guiding the destinies of Schine the¬ atres, after Donald Schine retired in July, 1965. The other key officials were Lynch, Lou Hart (general manager), and Charles A. Horwitz (named “supervisor” by president J. Myer Schine. after the latter’s nephew quit). Horwitz, who had been director of personnel for Schine theatres and hotels, subsequently left to take the position of general manager at the new $4 million Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Hart was appointed executive director of theatres for United Cinemas. Albany filmdom believed the highly valued Lynch also would continue with UC. Could any other “home” staffers go, and would there eventually be a shift of the loca¬ tion to another city, were the questions being asked here. Semenenko Plans Retirement BOSTON — One of the best known men in the country in film industry financial circles, Serge Semenenko, vice-chairman of the First National Bank of Boston, will retire in 1968 under the bank’s mandatory retirement age of 65. Semenenko, a member of the board of directors of Warner Bros. Pictures for many years, has a quarter of a century association with the film industry. He was one of the first bankers to under¬ write motion picture corporations and has been identified with many financing projects for production-distribution companies, theatre companies, and producers. Chicago exhibitors recently attended "A Day With Universal" and screenings of "Texas Across The River" and "Gambit" at the Esquire Theatre. From left to right are Herb Martinez, Chicago U branch manager; Peter Rosian, U regional sales manager; Milton R. Rackmil, president of Universal; Henry Plitt, president, Balaban and Katz Theatres; Henry H. "Hi" Martin, U vice-president and general sales manager; Harry Lustgarten, vice-president in charge of film buying for Balaban and Katz. 6 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR August 31, 1966