Motion Picture Herald (1954)

Present Problems To the Editor: I believe that B. B. Poblocki’s letter in The Herald of October 2 is one of the most revealing of the present-day problems in the motion picture business. Many of the smaller theatre owners doubtless wonder what they could do, had they available to spend between $25,000 to $50,000 in putting in everything they thought would increase business in their small town theatres. Here is a man of long experience, not only in the equipment field but also in the theatre management end of the business, who has put into a town of 5,000 people the finest money can buy. CinemaScope pictures were played right after first run in Milwaukee 35 miles away. The first six months the theatre lost $2,878 on all pictures played. Not a fair return on his large investment, to say the least. We are trying to do in a small way what Mr. Poblocki did in a more substantial way, in a larger town than ours. Our position is a strange one — the people took to CinemaScope and are still praising it to us six weeks after opening with almost solid bookings of it. But the crowds do not show up. It is too soon to know what our net will be but based on past overheads, there will be little left after paying film rental and current bills. We have played one flat rental CinemaScope picture and made a nice profit on it. It would seem a fair flat rental to the small theatres is the only way they can survive even with CinemaScope. We hope that Mr. Lichtman of Twentieth CenturyFox will follow up his thoughts on the smaller situations being able to buy on a fair flat rental basis. His company has certainly been the one to help us get started in CinemaScope. — SHIRLEY BOOTH, Booth Theatre, Rich Hill, Missouri. Subscription TV To the Editor: Subscription TV for UHF stations is another atomic bombshell on the horizon maybe to spell our doom. What can we do about it? The first thing we have to do is to recognize it for all it is worth and the many potential threats it contains. Let’s not “poo poo” it like many of us did television and color TV before they become a fact. They are here to stay. Let’s not make jokes of the various systems for presenting toll TV and kid ourselves that “it can’t be done,” “it won’t work,” “it isn’t practical,” “the public will figure out a way to beat it,” etc., etc. Remember the coin in the slot telephones and toilets still do quite a business. Leave it up to the American inventive genius. If it can be sold, it can be manu factured— but good. If not, call in the Russians, they claim they invented everything; anyway. So, as long as it is possible and probable, then it should be fought tooth and nail with every resource at our command and the place to fight it is in Washington and nip it in the bud if possible. What a need for one unified organization, taking in COMPO, Allied TO A, the independent-independent associations and thousands who belong to nothing and contribute not one penny — to anything even to save the industry. With one great organization this job could be done and pressure could be brought to bear upon Senators, Congressmen and others in high places who still live off our taxes, who are voted in and appointed by those who we can vote in and vote out. These are the ones who now are asking us for favors and they can be influenced. Let’s not make the mistakes made by the railroad who waited until the busses, trucks and airlines nearly ruined them before they started their fight. Nothing would be so hopeless as to try to convince people that first run home movies for $1, 50 cents or maybe even 25 cents for the entire family and neighbors are not good for them after they get them. Therefore, if we are going to do anythin?, let’s do it now. There must be some avenues of attack available when it comes to giving out the free air above us to private individuals to monopolize such a business which certainly will put a large group of us out of business. Surely the Government cannot continue to take our tax money (in 44 different ways) and use this money to support or subsidize a business which will dry up the very source of the money we provide. Even both the Democrats and Republicans could not fail to agree on this particular point. There is no use to appeal to the film companies to not sell them, some of them have already indicated how they will go and some are actually in the business, indirectly if not directly. The rest are going to sell their film to whomever and wherever they can get the best prices, as they always have. Then, of course, there is the last resort and a rather forlorn one at that, “if you can’t lick’em, join’em.” So if you think that nothing can be done about it or that no one will do anything including you, then you had better hotfoot it to Washington and get yourself on the line for a UHF permit right now for your town and if that is already spoken for, then get one for someone else’s town, then it will be “dog eat dog” for darned sure. There is the picture, now let someone else come up with the solution. — BEVERLY MILLER, President Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Kansas & Missouri, Inc., Kansas City, Mo. WHEN AND WHERE October 27: Allied Theatre Owners of Kansas and Missouri, annual convention, Aladdin Hotel, Kansas City, Mo. October 31: Ninth annual film industry ball, sponsored by Famous Players Theatre Managers Association of British Columbia, Commodore Cabaret, Vancouver. October 3 I -November 4: Annual combined convention of the Theatre Owners of America, Theatre Equipment Supply Manufacturers Association, Theatre Equipment Supply Dealers Association, and International Popcorn Association, Conrad Hilton Hotel, Chicago, Illinois. November I: Washington Variety Club luncheon for the election of officers for 1955, Willard Hotel, Washington, D. C. November 3: Quebec Allied Theatrical Industries, annual meeting, Toronto. November 8-9: Missouri-lllinois Theatre Owners, annual convention, Chase Hotel, St. Louis, Mo. November 14-16: Theatre Owners of North & South Carolina, annual convention, Hotel Charlotte, Charlotte, N. C. November 16-17: Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana, annual convention, Marott Hotel, Indianapolis. November 17: Annual dinner of the Motion Picture Pioneers, Hotel Astor, New York City. November 19-20: Colosseum of Motion Picture Salesmen of America, annual convention, Drake Hotel, Chicago, Illinois. November 21: Screen Producers' Guild, annual milestone dinner, honoring Nicholas and Joseph Schenck, Statler Hotel, Los Angeles. November 21: Pittsburgh Variety Club, Tent No. I, annual banquet, William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh. November 21-23: Motion Picture Exhibitors of Florida, annual convention, Roosevelt Hotel, Jacksonville, Fla. November 22: Annual meeting of the National Committee of the Motion Picture Exhibitor Associations of Canada, Toronto. November 25: Annual dinner of the Canadian Motion Picture Pioneers to honor Jack Arthur as "Pioneer of the Year," Toronto. December 5-7: Theatre Owners of Oklahoma, annual state convention, Biltmore Hotel, Oklahoma City. December 7: Independent Exhibitors of New England annual convention, Hotel Bradford, Boston. 8 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 23, 1954