The Exhibitor (1966)

NATO Broadens Operations Base Three Committees Set; Corwin In Blistering Rap On "Race" Of Films To TV; Small Theatres Defended HOLLYWOOD — The formation of three new national committees, planned to expand the operations of the National Association of Theatre Owners in additional areas of activity, was disclosed by Sherrill C. Corwin, president, in his speech to the Wisconsin Theatre Owners Association convention in Milwaukee. The NATO leader also blasted at distribu¬ tion’s policies of rushing theatrical features to tv. Other topics he discussed were the future of National Movie Month and aid for the little theatre owner. Describing the new committees which he had recommended to the executive board, Corwin said: “The public affairs committee will devote its efforts and talents to national promotions, public relations, civic activities, community relations, and other matters in the sphere of public affairs. We will thus have, at the national level, a working group ready to handle matters of such scope as, for instance, a National Movie Month or a Savings Bond Drive. They will also devise and develop new campaigns designed to stimulate business and polish the image of exhibition. They will serve as .a clearing house for ideas and be available for many matters of universal concern. “The new audience trends committee will be composed of film buyers and bookers from all sections of the country and from various types of operations. They will gather periodically to discuss booking patterns, audience reactions, changing tastes, film ideas, and other things which might aid each of us. These experts, whose duty it is to keep a finger on the public pulse and an ear to the boxoffice heartbeat, will, in addition to their meetings, be in con¬ tact by phone.” Corwin made it clear that under no circum¬ stances would this committee engage in any¬ thing which might be suspect under anti-trust laws. “Their’s will be conferences on ways and Northwest Exhib Unit Adds NATO To Name SEATTLE — The Theatre Owners of Washington, Alaska and Northern Idaho have changed their name to the National Association of Theatre Owners of Wash¬ ington, Alaska and Northern Idaho, as re¬ quested by Sherrill C. Corwin, president of NATO. Dwight L. Spracher, Seattle, is presi¬ dent; Joseph Rosenfield, Spokane, Wash., vice-president; Harry J. Moore, executivesecretary; and Bud Saffle, treasurer. Rosenfield will represent the association on the national board of directors, and Fred Danz will be an alternate. means of improving business through improved bookings, based on experience throughout the land.” The third new committee will be the Young NATO committee, according to Corwin, who stated that the goal of this group would be to organize into a vital force the youthful mem¬ bers of exhibition, the young executives and, in some cases, the second generation of exhibi¬ tion’s pioneers, who will be looked to for lead¬ ership in the NATO of tomorrow. He stated, “When they are rolling in high gear, we will anticipate from them a new, unprejudiced, youthful look at our business and our opera¬ tions. They will confer and work on items of particular interest to their age group, such as the recruitment and training of new man¬ power and how to step up the appeal of movie¬ going to today’s generation.” In treating with the subject of movies on television, Cowin pointed out, “It was not too long ago that video movies were spoken of in terms such as ‘pre 48’ or ‘post 48.’ Then it became ‘movies of the 50’s.’ Now we are ap¬ proaching a point where our living room com¬ petition may soon be described as ‘last month’s movie’ or maybe ‘last week’s’ — and we might wake up tomorrow to find that we are playing day and date. Whereas until the past year or so, the features which were telecast ’hot off the screen’ were generally second rate movies, now caution, wisdom and logic seem to have been thrown to the wind. Major calibre pic¬ tures, the multi-million dollar type of attrac¬ tions, are being rushed to our customers’ 21inch screens sometimes before they have even finished their first theatrical cycle. Important pictures in some cases are playing on tv con¬ current with sub-run showings. “Why must these films be raced — and that’s the best description I can think of — ‘raced’ to TV in a bare 18 months, 15 months, or some¬ times a short year after we have used our best efforts to earn money for their distributors in our first-run theatres? I specify ‘first-run,’ be¬ cause the periods I have mentioned mean a year or 15 months after the first release. This, with today’s limited number of prints, means that the sub-runs are being cold-bloodedly ignored and all theatres endangered.” Corwin pointed out what he termed another “fearsome” aspect of the problem — that the present and future treasury of all-time classics is now being raided. He referred to the type of colossal hit which could be brought back several times for re-release to substantial grosses. He named such profitable examples as “Gone With The Wind,” now being pre¬ pared for future release in 70mm; the many Disney reissues; and, just this year, the rerelease of “The Ten Commandments.” Then he said, “But now we read that such block-busters as ‘Cleopatra’ have been sold to tv long before their full theatrical potential has been explored. Will we read tomorrow that ‘Sound of Music’ is on its way, too?” Corwin emphasized that, as yet, no distribu¬ tor had taken the step of making a condition of tv sales the running of at least a one-minute trailer selling that company’s new movie which will be playing in theatres when the older one is on tv. He stated, “1 believe the hour is at hand for company president to answer our challenging queries: Do they want to preserve the primary market — our theatres — which deliver millions and millions in grosses, and which build repu¬ tations for their films that make them highly desirable to tv networks? Will the distribution ( Continued on page 9) The Richard F. Walsh Silver Anniversary Testimonial Dinner in New York right, also present at the Walsh Testimonial were Rt. Rev. Msgr. Francis A. attracted, among others, Jack J. Valenti, Ed Sullivan, Samuel Rosen, Ralph Growney, Harry Van Arsdale, William Schnitzler, Walsh, Joseph Keenan, and Pries, John A. Shuff, Robert Weitman, Charles Boren, and Eugene Picker. At Sir Tom O'Brien. Back row: Joseph Lewis, Fred O'Neil, Willard Butcher, Conrad Nagel, Hunter P. Wharton, David Sullivan, and Herman Kenin. 6 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR December 21, 1966