The Exhibitor (1966)

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiMiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiimiiimiiiiniiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiimiiiiiiimiiiimiiiiiiiimmiiiimiiiiiiimmimmiiiiiiiimmimnimiiimmiiiiiiiiimii LONDON Observations Stern Announces New Theatre For Pittsburgh By Jock MacGregor SIR CHARLES EVANS, THE BRITISH FILM PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION’S director general, took advantage of the national press and radio coverages afforded the MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Laurel Award poll results for some propaganda of his own. He issued a statement welcoming the success of British films, stressing that now more than 50 per cent of their revenue comes from overseas, and expressing surprise that the gov¬ ernment is apparently so unaware and unappreciative that production has to carry the full burden of the new Selective Employment Tax without refund. The evening and leading morning papers carried extracts, particularly his claim that the centre of international pro¬ duction has shifted to London thanks to the brilliance of British artists and technicians, the imaginative thinking of producers and studio owners, and the efforts of all to make produc¬ tion here truly competitive. My original suggestions that the Wilson squeeze would affect production were treated as alarmist, premature at the most, by some, but the National Film Finance Corporation has had to stop considering applications for loans from producers. Because of the freeze, it cannot raise the $3,500,000 which it is statutorily empowered to do from non-government sources, and its remaining funds are committed. The trade got little joy from the second reading in parliament of the bill to extend the Films Act when it was alleged only 10 members were present at one time, and the Board of Trade’s Roy Mason said: “It is not reasonable to expect that the credit squeeze should have no effect on the corporation.” At any moment, we can expect further squeals about American finance taking over British production. ON A HAPPIER, OPTIMISTIC NOTE, MICHAEL BROMHEAD AND BILL GELL of Alliance International had the trade press to their Piccadilly offices to celebrate the finalizing of a 50-50 cross-collateralized deal with WBC Productions, Inc., to produce 27 action-adventure-high drama color features over the next four years and nine months with a $13,500,000 budget. Three will be made during the first nine months and six annually for the next four years. All will be British pictures qualifying for Eady Levy, and none will be shown on American tv until at least 18 months after theatrical release. American stars will be used in each picture. Unlike many grandoise schemes that producers announce presumably only to get their names in print as one rarely hears of them again. Bill and Mike did not seek premature publicity though I knew a deal was pending. Within a week, the first picture, “Man Outside,” was being shot at Twickenham Studios in Techniscope under director Samuel Gallu. Van Heflin stars with German actress Heidi Linde Weis. With such a deal, they can be cocky and hit at the professional pessimists by claiming this is the time to go into major production as there is a big future in the foreign markets if, as they said, “You know your market first.” That is something they certainly do. There is no greater expert on overseas sales than Mike. This product is additional to that which they plan for Sydney Box’s London Independent Producers, and a special company, Trio Films, with Leslie Elliot as managing director, has been formed. LISTENING TO DISCUSSIONS AT THE FIRST NATIONAL MEETING OF UPTAKE, the all industry committee to boost boxoffice, it was apparent that some neither realize how few feature films are actually televised here nor how many free boosts the cinema gets on tv. While the trade bars films under five years from tv — a British picture transmitted without clearance would even forfeit its Eady Levy — each channel presents two to four fea¬ tures weekly. Though on Saturdays and Sundays they have prime time, they rarely make the ratings. The BBC package some into series as “Love Story,” “The Western,” or “Hollywood Musical,” and sometimes do make the Top 20. Some were only supports when theatrically released, and others never made their negative costs. On the asset side, the trade gets excellent boosts in the weekly “Cinema,” which is seen in five to eight million homes and is often in the Top 10. Here clips from current releases and classics are taken to present fascinating peeps at aspects of movie traditions. Clips from pictures are also incorporated in a number of national and regional programs with full credits. TFIOUGH I ONLY HEARD WHISPERS ABOUT “THUNDERBIRDS ARE ‘GO’ ” during production, those who have seen this color feature, based on a popular tv series, in “Super Marionation” for UA, are raving, and prime Christmas playing time is being hur¬ riedly found for it. . . . After 82 weeks at Bournemouth, a seaside resort of 149,800 popula¬ tion — yes, study those figures — “Sound of Music” is being replaced at the Odeon by “My Fair Lady.” . . . When the Windmill went over to movies, sexploitation pictures proved unattractive. Classic Cinemas took over and put on a revival of “Darling” which is now in its sixth month, suggesting there is a greater audience for quality than sensation in London. . . . The new $300,000 800 seat ABC in a central Bristol development will open as a road¬ show house with “Doctor Zhivago.” . . . For months, producer Harold Bairn has been telling me that I won't be able to stomach “Our Incredible World” and regaled me with gory details. This 90 minute color feature has opened at the Cinephone, and I now know that I can take anything — not that I consider operating theatres as attractive as cinemas. . . . Variety Club notes: Earl Mountbatten of Burma opened the new Poplar Boys Club for which chief barker Sir Billy Butlin gave $42,000. Jim Carreras and his associate Tony Hines, Ken Rive, and Pepsi-Cola have given Sunshine Coaches to bring the British total to 106. Tent 36 has donated $42,000 to establish a three year fellowship in Paediatric Ophthalmology at London University’s Institute of Ophthalmology to cover a specialist’s salary and the running and equipping of a department. . . . Natalie Wood attended the premiere of “This Property is Condemned,” sponsored on behalf of the Order of St. John and the Lord’s Taverners. . . . During the stay of the Mobile Cinerama at Leeds, a three strip feature, “How The West W as Won,” which has completed its theatrical bookings in the area, will be shown for the first time in the Big Top in addition to the travel extravaganzas. . . . Julie Christie and the “Far from Madding Crowd” unit had to take cover while a mine, washed up in a storm opposite their location hotel, was defused. Nearby, a marker commemorates that the major part of the American Assault Forces took off from Weymouth for D-Day. PITTSBURGH — Ernest Stem, President of Associated Theatres, announced still another addition to their present circuit of 40 drive-in and indoor theatres. Now under construction is the first new movie theatre to be built in the center of the downtown Pittsburgh entertain¬ ment area since 1929. It will utilize 13,000 square feet of the ground floor of the new building now housing the 6th & Penn Parking Garage. The building is owned and operated by the Tenney Realty Corporation of Pitts¬ burgh and Julius Epstein of Chicago. The entire theatre will be located in the below street level of the building, but the entrance will be on the first floor. Patrons will be whisked by escalator downstairs to the boxoffice and lobby. This theatre will be the first in Pittsburgh to utilize an escalator in getting patrons to and from its environs. However, patrons parking in the building garage will not need to use the escalator as they will be able to enter the theatre lobby direct from the garage elevator. The projection room will be equipped to handle all of the latest and finest in motion picture techniques. Chairs will be of the reclining “Lounger” type for the ultimate in seating comfort, and will be widely spaced. Completion of the new theatre is scheduled for early spring. Architects are Avner and Slutsky of Pittsburgh. Negotiations for the rental of the theatre were completed by local agent E. Louis Averbach and New York agent Jack Marius. Union Reelects Coniglio BUFFALO — Frank E. Coniglio of Local 253 of Rochester has been reelected president of the New York State Association of Motion Picture Projectionists. Other new officers are George Samuelson, Jamestown, Local 266, first vice-president; John Short, Corning, Local 480, second vice-president; Antone P. Ralbovsky, Gloversville, Local 290, third vicepresident; George F. Raaflaub, Syracuse, Local 376, secretary-treasurer. Members of the executive board are H. Paul Shay, Elmira, Local 289, southern division, N.Y.S.; Henry O’Neil, Watertown, Local 338, eastern division; Fred W. Messman, Utica, Local 337, central division; Fred J. Young, Niagara Falls, Local 121, western division; Steve D’inzillo, New York, Local 306, metro¬ politan division; Charles Johnson, Bingham¬ ton, Local 396, sergeant-at-arms. Hames joins 7 Arts NEW YORK — In line with his promise to enlarge the Seven Arts Pictures’ sales force, vice-president and general manager James V. O’Gara announced the appointment of Rob¬ ert L. Hames as southeastern district man¬ ager. Hames will headquarter in Atlanta. Prior to joining Seven Arts, Hames was southeastern district manager for United Screen Arts, and held key sales positions with Paramount Pictures for 1 1 years. N.J. Allied Beefsteak Set NEW YORK — Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey will hold their annual Beefsteak on Dec. 6 at the Westmount Country Club, West Paterson, N.J., president Howard Her¬ man announced. 14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR November 2, 1966