Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Goldenson, Rhoden Head Audience Awards . . . Agree to serve as chairmen of COMPO project in the second annual campaign, with 10,000 houses expected to participate Leonard Goldenson, president of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, and Elmer C. Rhoden, president of National Theatres, have agreed to serve as cochairmen in the film industry’s second annual Audience Awards campaign, it was announced in New York this week by Sam Pinanski and Robert Coyne, members of the governing committee of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations, which sponsors the campaign. Served Last Year Mr. Rhoden was chairman of last year’s Audience Awards campaign, in which 6,500 theatres participated and more than 16,000,000 votes were cast by the public. It is expected that nearly 10,000 theatres will take part in this year’s election, to be held in the 10-day period from Christmas Day to January 3. The public vote this year is expected to be more than double last last year’s vote, it is said. After canvassing the results of last year’s voting, the Audience Awards planning committee, composed of theatre representatives from all over the country, made some changes in this year’s procedure. The date of the voting was changed from November 17-27 to December 25January 3 so that all pictures released during the year ended September 30 will have had a chance to be played by participating theatres. Another change is that this year all distributors were asked to put into competition only those pictures, performances and new personalities that they believe will have good chances of winning. As a result, the distributors have named only 65 pictures this year, against 192 last year. On One Ballot These pictures and personalities will be submitted to the country’s theatre operators on one nominating ballot. Last year all pictures released during the year were put into competition and were submitted to exhibitors for their nomination on three nominating ballots. This, it was said, caused some confusion. This year the ballot submitted to the public will list 10 nominations made by exhibitors in each of five categories. The categories are: best picture of the year, best performance by an actor, best performance by an actress, most promising new male personality, most promising new female personality. Last years’ ballot listed 20 nominations in each of the five categories. COMPO announced Tuesday that the ballots would be put in the mail late this week through National Screen Service exchanges to more than 17,000 theatres. Besides the distributors’ choice of 65 pictures, the ballot will list performances by 56 actors and 50 actresses, 28 as the most promising new male personalities and 28 as the most promising new female personalities. Distributors who are presented on the ballot, and the number of pictures listed by each, are: Allied Artists, five; Columbia, six; MGM, 12; Paramount, 11; RKO, three; Republic, three; Trans-Lux, two; 20th Century-Fox, four; United Artists, three; Universal, 10; Warner Brothers, six. Tri-States Exhibitors Meet Opens Monday MEMPHIS: The annual convention of TriStates Theatre Owners, TOA affiliate, convenes Monday and Tuesday at the Hotel Gayoso here with 300 to 400 delegates and their wives expected from all sections of the Memphis trade territory. There will be a luncheon Monday with welcome speeches and reports, a business session at 2 P.M. for a discussion of small business administration loans, a board meeting at 4 P.M., and a dinner at Hotel Claridge given by Film Transit, Inc., at 7:30 that night. Tuesday, a 10 A.M. business session for election of officers and a discussion of the Exhibitors Motion Picture Association plan will be held. Dick Kennedy, Birmingham, will speak on industry problems at Tuesday’s luncheon. A banquet and dance Tuesday night will close the convention. Embargo on U.S. Film Is Lifted in Burma The two-month embargo on U. S. films in the Burmese market has been lifted, with American distributors assured of a “virtually free’ remittance arrangement and a “very liberal” allocation plan, it was announced last week by a representative of the Motion Picture Export Association. Irving A. Maas, vice-president of MPEA, who has been in Rangoon for the past few weeks, wired the organization’s headquarters that agreements have been reached with the Burmese Government which will allow an import of 2,100,000 feet of film from the seven major companies operating in Burma. Says Allied Eager to Aid In Recovery WINCHENDON, MASS: Allied States Association is pursuing a constructive policy in a conciliatory manner in hope of contributing to the business recovery of the industry, along with other elements desirous of bringing about a healthier business state for production and distribution as well as exhibition, Abram F. Myers, Allied chairman and general counsel, told the 25th anniversary convention of the independent Exhibitors of New England at its opening session here Monday. Mr. Myers said that there are many subjects on which all exhibition can and should agree and cooperate. Among them, he said, is support for Federal authorization for divorced circuits to engage in production to help relieve the product shortage. While calling for increased exhibitor organization cooperation in all matters on which they see alike, Mr. Myers said that this is not the time for merging all exhibitors into a single organization. He also declared that the policy of fewer pictures at higher prices would be one of a number of subjects which might be properly discussed at a joint meeting of exhibitor leaders with top company executives, such as suggested by Ruben Shor, Allied president. Says Board Will Decide Whether or not Allied would agree to individual meetings with distribution company heads, rather than joint meetings, said Mr. Myers, was a matter to be decided by the Allied Board, which meets in Dallas November 25-26. Edward W. Lider, IENE president, introduced the Myers keynote speech. Tuesday morning Phil Lowe, of Theatre Candy, Inc., and Nap Buchman, of Theatre Merchandising Corporation, led the open discussion on concessions, and Jack G. Wallen, vice-president of A. Yarchin and Company, spoke on the insurance problems of conventional theatres and driveins. William C. Gehring, vice-president of 20th Century-Fox, gave the major address of the day. Introduced by Nathan Yamins, Allied States leader, Mr. Gehring stressed the importance of uniting all exhibitors into one organization for strength and survival. He claimed the key to TV competition was in theatre comfort and convenience, since the product was superior, and urged small town exhibitors to ally themselves with other mechants and to get children to become “movie conscious.” The convention closed Tuesday night with a manquet at which George Roberts was toastmaster. 20 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 20, 1956