The Exhibitor (1966)

SW Income, Profit Up; Another New Record Set NEW YORK — The consolidated operating profit of Stanley Warner Corporation for the fiscal year ended Aug. 27 was up 41 per cent over the profit for the same period one year ago, it was announced by S. H. Fabian, presi¬ dent. The profit for the 1966 fiscal year was $8,885,000, equivalent to $4.27 per share on the outstanding stock, which compares with $6,295,000, or $3.07 per share, earned during the prior year. In commenting on the outlook for Stanley Warner, Fabian stated: “There is every indi¬ cation that there will be significant increases in both Stanley Warner’s gross income and profits in the 1967 fiscal year, notwithstanding some uncertainties in the general business out¬ look.” The 1966 year was the eighth consecutive year in which the gross income of Stanley Warner rose to a new record. Gross income amounted to $225,030,000, as compared with $191,815,000 for the 1965 fiscal year. Merchandise sales increased to $184,509,000 from the $150,068,000 reported for one year ago. In 1966, consumer products sales ac¬ counted for $130,038,000 of this total, chemi¬ cal sales for $43,886,000, and other products for $10,585,000. Theatre and television revenues for 1966 totalled $39,557,000, which compares with $40,749,000 for the prior year. Stanley Warner now operates 166 motion picture theatres com¬ pared with 195 a year ago. In the 1966 fiscal year, a net amount of $449,000 was added to earned surplus arising from a profit on the sale of a subsidiary com¬ pany and from losses on sales of certain the¬ atre properties. In addition, a charge of $2,500,000 was made to earned surplus reflecting the establishment of a reserve for possible fu¬ ture losses under the company’s program for disposing of marginal theatre properties. In 1965, the charge to earned surplus totalled $619,000. Lewis Maps “Ready, Set1, Die” HOLLYWOOD — Jerry Lewis has named Joe E. Stabile as associate producer, Howard Pine as unit production manager, and Rusty Meek as assistant director on the Jerry Lewis production for Columbia Pictures release, “Ready, Set, Die.” The comedy will be produced, directed, and starred in by Lewis and will begin filming in color on location in San Diego on Dec. 5. The script was written by Lewis and Bill Richmond from an original story by Richmond. Virna Lisi, star of Warners' "Not With My Wife, You Don't!" met the nation's press recently at a gala New York reception in her honor. She is seen here with Bob Freund, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) News. :<iiiimmiiiiiimimimimim . inmimiii lumimiiiiiiiiitiiimiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimimimmimiiiiiiiiimimuiiiiinimiimumimmiiiiiimiimiiit The NEW YORK Scene By Me/ Konecoff THE NEXT DAY HE WAS TO ENTER THE HOSPITAL FOR AN OPERATION, but at the moment, Sam Rinzler, veteran exhibitor, was having his day in the Americana Hotel, where over 350 guests and members of the New York Variety Club were honoring him on his 80th birthday and his 50th year in show business. He heard recollections from distributor representative Charles Boasberg, vice-president and general sales manager of Paramount Pictures, covering a 25-year period during which they’ve had a running gin game. Exhibition was represented by ITOA president and circuit head Harry Brandt, who lauded Rinzler as both a friend and oft-times competitor, noting that they have suffered together and grown together during their long tenure in the industry. Brandt summed up the feelings of many with the observation — “I never met a man who didn't like Sam Rinzler.” Spyros P. Skouras, board chairman of 20th Century Fox, was a surprise speaker, who insisted on relating some stories with regard to his old friend, who also acted as an advisor to him throughout the many years. It was a time for awards as well. Charles Levy, advertising and publicity director for Walt Disney and Buena Vista, presented Rinzler with a special award given to few outside the Disney organization — “The Duckster” — a replica of Donald Duck. Disney wanted him to have it, terming him “an endearing and enduring showman.” Irving Dollinger, the Tent’s chief barker and spokesman for both the Club and Rinzler’s many friends, presented him with an engraved silver bowl. A humorous and touching response was in order from the veteran exhibitor, who years ago received the fond nickname “the Mark Twain of the industry” for his witticisms and bright sense of humor at industry functions. Throughout the years, Rinzler has been prominently identified with every industry philanthropic and communal activity and has been honored for his many contributions during war and peace. Said he, “Other people have paintings on their walls at home. Me, I got plaques.” He admitted that they came in handy when it came time to apply for a loan and for processing an insurance claim. Both investigators were duly impressed and approved both applications after reading several of the inscriptions. Salah Hassanein was luncheon chairman, with Phil Harling serving as co-chairman. Aboard the dais were Burton Robbins, Gene Picker, Seymour Poe, Milton Rackmil, Eliot Hyman, Dollinger, Brandt, Rinzler, Hassanein, Boasberg, Robert H. O’Brien, Arnold Picker, Walter Reade, Jr., Skouras, Morey “Razz” Goldstein, Manny Frisch, Joseph Sugar, Samuel Clark, Claude Giroux, Harold Roth, Harold Klein, Jack Levin, Nat Nathanson, George Waldman, Milton Weisman, Levy, James Velde, Arthur Tolchin, Harling, David Rosen, Leslie Schwartz, Morris Strausberg, Edward Seider, Donald Rugoff, Bernard Myerson, Norman Jackter, Wilbur Snaper, James O'Gara, D. J. “Bud” Edele, Norman Weitman, Charles Smakwitz, Ira Meinhardt, Charles Alicoate, and Edward Finneran. BOOK REPORT #1: FOR THE PRE-PUBLICATION PRICE OF $8.95 (AFTER Dec. 26 it goes to $10), you can share in John Springer’s fabulous collection of motion picture memorabilia via his new book, “All Talking! All Singing! All Dancing!” The pictorial history of the movie musical opens with an introduction by Gene Kelly after the usual credits, and then we’re off on a grand tour of the movies of yesteryear and their musical accompaniments. The stills in the opening chapters going back to the earliest years are almost worth the price of admission by themselves, showing John Gilbert, Mae Murray, Nancy Carroll, Dolores Del Rio, Gary Cooper, Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, Buddy Rogers, among many others, and it gets better and better. It swings into coverage of the Forty-Second Street Special; the entry of Crosby on the musical scene; Fred Astaire and his dancing; lovemaking via duets; etc., all profusely illustrated with fine photographs. So it goes for 256 pages, bringing things up to date with a look at the present and the future. There’s also a list of top songs and composers in each era covered. Springer is a top-rated public relations man with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton amongst his clients. Citadel Press published. BOOK REPORT #2: ANOTHER TOME OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME size but more expensive, 15 dollars, is “Double Exposure” by Roddy McDowall, actor, executive, and a fine photographer. The book should appeal to the show business fan and enthusiast with a raft of personalities (98) featured. Their portraits in moments both guarded and relaxed, as well as a free-wheeling word back-up by a personality of equal note, is the format. Some are shorter than others, but all are deserving of attention. Look forward to an interesting session when you get enmeshed in this cast of characters. A brief sampling includes Simone Signoret by Rosalind Russell; Rex Harrison by Beatrice Lillie; Sammy Davis, Jr., by Anthony Nevvley; Lauren Bacall by Katherine Hepburn; Brooks Atkinson by A1 Hirschfeld; Julie Harris by Christopher Isherwood; Dick Van Dyke by Carl Reiner; Barbra Streisand by Jerome Robbins; Elizabeth Taylor by Irene Sharaff; Oskar Werner by Stanley Kramer; etc. It’s a Delacorte Press book. THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: HARVEY CHERTOK OF SEVEN ARTS TELEvision sent over 6| ounces of champagne with which to toast “the ineffable Salvador Dali” and his show, “The World of Salvador Dali”. . . . Universal didn’t send over a salami to an¬ nounce a “Kosher Chuck Wagon Sandwich Recipe” contest in connection with local engage¬ ment of “Texas Across The River” with Hebrew National Kosher Foods. . . . The famous Jerry K. Levine appointed director of roadshows advertising and publicity for Columbia Pictures and he sent neither champagne nor salami, so now he owes us two lunches. . . . The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, Ballet Company, and stage singing ensemble will be the featured highlights of the theatre’s participation in the annual Thanksgiving Day parade tomorrow. 1 1 November 23, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR uiiiiiiiiiimiiimiiiiiiimr