Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

On the Oli onzon SUCCESSOR? Report and counter-report flowed through the industry the past week, stemming from New York and Hollywood, relative to a successor for Arthur M. Loew as president of Loew's, Inc. With Mr. Loew's recent unexpected resignation effective November 15, and the board meeting October 17 expected to result in a successor, reports gave two men the inside track as of HERALD press time. One was Sol C. Siegel, MGM producer, who confirmed that talks have been held, and whose name apparently was suggested by Nicholas M. Schenck, Loew's board chairman. The other was Lew Wasserman, quiet president of the widespread Music Corporation of America. Problems of his own independent producing situation color any Siegel decision, he said. The board meeting also will act on resignations submitted by Paul D. Mannheim and Charles J. Stewart, reportedly because of the Loew policy on the rental of its films to TV. FOREIGN DEAL Justice Department officials said there "might be an antitrust problem" in reported plans of two major film companies to merge overseas film distribution systems. There have been reports that Warner Brothers and 20th Century-Fox have been holding informal talks on pooling studio production facilities and merging picture distribution systems overseas. Justice Department spokesmen said that so far the Department has not been contacted on the matter. OPTIMISTIC Executives of Perakos Theatre Associates, one of the largest independent circuits in the east , were told by circuit president Peter Perakos, Sr., at their annual managers' Fall meeting that "certainly television and other entertainment media have made inroads on theatre attendance , but I still have tremendous faith in the exhibition of motion pictures and believe that the coming years will bring the industry's greatest era. " At the meeting Mr. Perakos also outlined coming major releases and noted a need for fresh faces in front of the camera. LONG PICTURES Arthur Mayer has come out in defense of three-hour films. Replying to an editorial in a New York paper decrying long films, he took note of "Gone With the Wind" which in spite of its length was one of the most popular films ever made, and added that very few long films have been made. "Double features run three and one-half hours. Surely it is more interesting to see one great picture than two of moderate merit." DRIVE-IN QUOTA Italy could not have more than three drive-ins, even if they should prove successful, according to the new regulations on the opening of new theatres there. A recent bill of the Cabinet Council states that the permit for drive-in theatres can be granted only "in the maximum number of one theatre only for each city with a population of more than 1,000,000 habitants, and also provided the spot be "outside the tollgates." Only Rome, Milan and Naples are over 1,000,000 population. No drive-ins have been opened in Italy up to now. OPEN AND SHUT Management of a western circuit of considerable size is prepared to cope with any Winter shortage of product, such as could be brought about by an Autumnal shortage of attendance, by converting to what might be called an open-andshut policy. That is, the circuit's theatres will forsake the standard open-every-day system of operation in favor of opening up when appropriate product is available, and closing down when it isn't. Fluctuating prices, going up for the good and down for the other kind, are a fixture of the contemplated policy, as it was way-back-when legitimate theatres across the land played touring road companies that WHEN and WHERE October 15-16: Annual regional convention of Independent exhibitors of New England and The Drive-In Theatre Association of New England, Winchendon, Mass. October 22-23: Annual convention of Theatre Owners of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, Hotel Gayosa, Memphis. October 22-24: Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana, meeting at the Marott Hotel, Indianapolis. October 27: Annual dinner dance of the Los Angeles Motion Picture Salesmen, Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles. October 28-30: Annual convention of the Motion Picture Theatre Exhibitors of Florida, to be held at Roosevelt Hotel, Jacksonville. November 13-14: Annual convention of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, Deshler-Hilton Hotel, Columbus. November 19: Annual convention of the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario, King Edward Hotel, Toronto. November 20: Annual convention, National Committee of Motion Picture Exhibitor Associations, King Edward Hotel, Toronto. November 21: Annual meeting of the Motion Picture Industry Council of Canada, King Edward Hotel, Toronto. November 22: Annual dinner of the Canadian Motion Picture Pioneers, King Edward Hotel, Toronto. November 25-27: 44th annual convention of the Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina, Hotel Charlotte, Charlotte, N.C. November 27-29: Allied' States Association, Fall board meeting and annual convention, to be held at Statler Hotel, Dallas. November 30: Eighteenth annual dinner of the Motion Picture Pioneers honoring Robert J. O'Donnell as Pioneer of the Year, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York. January 29-31: Allied States Association, national drive-in convention, Netherlands-Plaza Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio. February 26-27: Annual convention of the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Association, Pickwick Hotel, Kansas City, Mo. varied, even as pictures do, from excellent to acceptable and netherwards from there. The heads of the circuit in mention consider the projected policy far more manipulable than the open-every-day system. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 13, 1956 • 9