Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

ON THE MMj^MMCJff Eagle-Lion Into by red kann Latin America EDDIE GRAINGER, once eastern district sales manager of 20th CenturyFox and a circuit operator since 1936, finds the M. A. [Mort] Shea circuit of which he is president looking a problem squarely in the face. He can't be alone in giving vent to his concern over declines in children's patronage. It takes no fancy kind of wisdom to know illegitimate offspring, narcotics, gunplay, liquor, mistresses, murder and rape hardly are subject matter for impressionable minors who are getting lots of it on celluloid these days. His typewriter in hand, Grainger writes On the March : "Starting with about 1942 we, along with other theatre operators, started a gradual increase in admission prices believing this increase, which the public would accept because of generally rising prices, would offset the reduced attendance brought about by so many of our patrons— boys and girls— leaving our cities to join the armed forces or to migrate to industrial centers for high wages. "When the war ended and the mustering out process started and there was a tapering off of industrial activities in the big cities, 1 cautioned all of our men to watch attendance records closely ; that a drop-off might indicate the public was getting price-conscious and that we might find some of our prices too high. "Our total attendance record, which we keep quarterly, continues to be satisfactory, but the following is something I have given a lot of thought. Frankly, I haven't found the answer .to it and it occurs to me that maybe the producers should give more thought to it. "Children's attendance is constantly falling off. * As you know, we operate in 23 cities [Ohio: Akron, Ashtabula, Cambridge, Conneaut, Dover, Geneva, Lancaster, Marietta, Newark, Neu> Philadelphia, Yoangstoiwi, Zanesvillc. Massachusetts: Amherst, Greenfield, West field. Pennsylvania: Bradford, Erie, McKee's Rocks, Pittsburgh. New York : Jamestown. New Hampshire : Manchester, Nashua.'] There is only one city — Cambridge, O. — where children's attendance has not fallen off. In Newark, O., during 1946, children's attendance was more than 12,000 less than 1945. "In Zanesville, O., such attendance was more than 25,000 less than 1945. The same facts prevail in every other city in which we operate except in big cities such as Akron, Youngs town and Pittsburgh where our children's attendance is not too important because of downtown locations. Cambridge is the only city where we did not increase our prices for children. We merely added the Federal tax. In •every other situation, we have gone up to 16 or 20 cents, including tax. "Some of our managers do not feel it is price, but that it is the quality of pictures being produced which is the cause of this decrease in children's attendance. [We don't go along on their price slant. But on that, more later.] They point out that, apparently, none of the producers is making drives for kds' business. There is no Andy Hardy series. There are no Shirley Temples, Jane Withers, Freddie Bartholomews." Now, no one should jump to the conclusion this is a plea for a rainbow at the end of every film. Grainger is not arguing against meaty themes; his experience protects him against that. His disturbance is over a diminishing curve in patronage of the youngsters in most of his houses, a means of stemming the tide and a method of re-attracting those already gone. This becomes a logical problem in practical theatre management. Moreover, he is cautious enough not to presume he has the complete cure-all although the series like those suggested by some of his managers, no doubt, would help toward a solution. Whether or not soaring production costs would make them feasible for Hollywood to undertake is something else, however. A Shirley Temple doesn't happen merely by wishing it. The Jane Withers' were B's, as were practically all others in that production category. Times, and costs, have changed so sharply that Hollywood executives today maintain B product has been priced right out of the market. By this they mean costs have risen so precipitously, and rentals have not, that the entire business of turning out any B film is a steadily losing enterprise. If their analysis were to be accepted without challenge, Grainger and/or others similarly placed won't be getting the specially tailored merchandise they feel required to keep the young ones coming. Not unless there develops the vision which is sufficiently far-seeing to take it on the chin, if need be, in order to preserve the juvenile audiences of today because they are the audiences of tomorrow. This puts vision squarely athwart the balance sheet. Usually, it's a losing contest. Outburst of a Midwest exhibitor, tying. directly to the above : "Pictures are loaded with crime, horrorand sensuality. It is becoming a problem to avoid booking and playing two, three or even four mwrder pictures in a row." — Edward G. Zorn, president of the United Theatre Owners of Illinois, bombarding at Peoria. Three out of six on the Academy Awards this year, and not so good. Like this: Best Film: Prediction — "The Best Years oi Our Lives." — Winner — On the nose. Best Actor Performance: Prediction — Laurence Olivier for "Henry V."— Winner— Fredric March for "The Best Years." Best Actress Performance: Prediction — Celia Johnson for "Brief Encounter." Winner— Olivia de Havilland for "To Each His Own." Best Supporting Actor Performance: Prediction—Harold Russell for "The Best Years." Winner — Ditto. Best Supporting Actress Performance: Prediction — Ethel Barrymore for "The Spiral Staircase." Winner — Anne Baxter for "The Razor's Edge." Best Direction: Prediction — William Wyler for "The Best Years." Winner— No other. After experiencing a boom right after the liberation, business in the Philippines has fallen off about 40 per cent, but big pictures still draw well, according to Sam Seidelman, foreign sales head of Eagle-Lion and Producers Releasing Corporation. Mr. Seidelman has just returned from a fourmonth survey of the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Siam and IndoChina. Mr. Seidelman announced expansion plans for Eagle-Lion in Latin America where, by the end of this year, the company will have 14 offices. By June of 1947, branches will have been established in Mexico City, Panama City, Lima, Sanitago, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and Cuba. He will leave for Mexico City in May to organize the first Latin American office. "We will have offices wherever other American companies have offices," he said. PRC, which has its own arrangements with local distributors, is not included in the Latin American expansion. PRC soon will open an office in Manila, Mr. Seidelman said. This will be the first and only PRC office abroad. The branch will handle J. Arthur Rank product, domestically handled by Eagle-Lion and distributed through PRC facilities. Goetz-Brulatour May Have Six on Republic's Board Six of the 14 members on Republic's board will represent the interests of the Harry M. Goetz-Jules Brulatour, Inc., Corporation if stockholders approve the slate of nominees at their annual meeting April 1 at the New York home office, it was disclosed last Wednesday in the company's proxy statement. Up for election for the first time as Goetz-Brulatour nominees are Mr. Goetz, described in the statement as consultant and assistant in connection with Republic production ; Samuel Becker, member of the law firm of Becker & Berman, and Harry C. Mills, an executive of J. C. Penney, Inc. During the course of the year three other directors representing Goetz-Brulatour interests were elected to Republic's board to fill vacancies. They are: W'illiam M. Collins, Jr.. president of the Inland Rubber Corp. ; Charles T. Fisher, president of the National Bank of Detroit, and Thomas F. Brown, vice-president of National Distillers Products Corp. Selznick and Goldwyn End Astor Sharing Deal New York's Astor theatre will become available for product other than from Samuel Goldwyn and David O. Selznick when the agreement between the two expires early next month, according to Maurice Maurer, who manages the house for City Investing Company. The two producers contracted to share the house on an alternating basis, but their deal will not be renewed. '26 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 22, 1947