Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Short Subjects On The March BY LAWRENCE J. QUIRK SHORT SUBJECTS are on the march this year as never before. This seems to be a unanimous view among the companies, who expect the 1956-1957 season to set new highs in short subject quality. As they look forward on the coming 12-month period, they are giving special consideration to their short subject output. For one thing, they are evolving more adult conceptions in short subject content, for they have noted a steadily rising adult appreciation of their cartoons, travelogues and other offerings in this category. What was once a diversion for the kiddies is becoming a stimulating entertainment for adults, they feel, and they are evolving higher-standard programs accordingly. The companies are developing new cartoon characters, traveling the world in search of unique customs and peoples, and keeping their planning boards humming with new ideas all along the line, aimed at making the short a bigger and better feature of the exhibitor’s program. One consistent note is struck by the sales managers of all the companies. This is that exhibitors need short subjects, now more than ever, and they are in many cases under-estimating the box office lure of cartoons, sports shorts, comedies, travelogues and others in that category. Short subjects, they note, round out a program, help to meet successfully the competition from TV, which seems to be thriving on the theory that “variety is the spice of life.” Short subjects, they are reminding us, are entertaining, educational, inspiring. They serve many purposes, all worthwhile, and, the company spokesmen declare, exhibitors who fail to appreciate this fact are short-sighted. False economy measures by some of the exhibitors, who sacrifice their shorts on the dollar-saving chopping block, will backfire, the sales managers are warning. But all agree: shorts are here to stay. COLUMBIA Maurice Grad, Columbia’s short subjects sales manager, is currently urging more use of the short subject by exhibitors as a weapon in the competition with TV for the public’s time. He points out that a varied program, such as is provided only by a featureshort combination, enhances the value of the patron’s entertainment time. Noting that many theatres are using shorts as much or Maurice Grad more than in pre SHORTS TYPE-CAST In the 1956-1957 short subjects picture, the studios offering a variety of cartoons, in CinemaScope, color and standard screen, are MGM, Paramount, 20th Century-Fox, Columbia, Warners, U-l, and RKO. Travelogues in all shapes, sizes and localities are offered exhibitors by Warners, Columbia, Paramount, U-l, RKO and the British Information Service. Columbia alone is offering comedies this season, and also is the sole distributor for serials. Only Universal is handling tworeel featurette musicals. Offering sports reels are 20th Century-Fox, Columbia and RKO. On hand with a wide assortment of "specials" in 1956-1957 are MGM, Warners, Columbia, RKO and Universal. Numerically the cartoon seems currently the biggest crop of shorts. vious seasons, he scored theatres that have cut shorts because of “short-sighted economizing policies.” He said of this: “Patron reaction to less entertainment than before must eventually result in a diminishing desire to attend the theatre. Such reductions in operating expense become false economy.” Mr. Grad is particularly proud of Columbia’s new idea for shorts: star identification contests, to be included in the Screen Snapshots series and called “Guess Who?” Winners will get screen tests and trips to Hollywood. The contests will call upon the viewer to identify disguised personalities in the full-color one-reelers. A strong accent on color is indicated in Columbia’s projected short subjects output for 1956-1957. Of 49 new subjects in work, 22 will be in color, and there will be 15 color subjects among 39 reprints to be distributed. Two of the color shorts will be CinemaScope two-reelers in the Musical Travelark Series. Entitled “Wonders of New Orleans” and “Wonders of Washington,” these will follow in the wake of the successful “Wonders of Manhattan” of last season. Musical vocals are used in place of a spoken narrative in all three subjects, produced and directed by Harry Foster. Ten Mr. Magoo cartoons are on hand from UPA, all in CinemaScope and color by Technicolor. The Three Stooges will also be on hand for eight two-reelers. A new series of two-reel comedy specials called “Girly Whirls” will star Muriel Landers. An Andy Clyde two-reel comedy, “Pardon My Nightshirt” is also on the upcoming schedule. Rounding out the program will be 10 of Mr. Foster’s World of Sports one-reelers and a half-dozen miscellaneous “Topnotchers.” Reprints will include four serials, box office winners in the past: “Hop Harrigan,” “Congo Bill,” “The Green Archer” and “The Vigilante.” Other reprints will include 12 two-reel comedies, divided between Assorted Favorites and Comedy Favorites series, 15 color favorite Technicolor cartoons, six Candid Microphones and six Cavalcades of Broadway. MGM A note of high optimism was sounded by William Zoellner, Loew’s shorts subjects sales manager, who expects the coming season to bring a new high in popularity to such staple MGM offerings as the Tom and Jerry cartoons. “They will delight audiences more than ever,” he said, and pointed out that the characters, wellloved by adults and children alike, have been honored for 13 consecutive years by Fame. At this point Mr. Zoellner took note of the three successful weeks of the Tom and Jerry Cartoon Festival at the Plaza theatre, New York in September. “Think — over 70 per cent of the patronage during that festival was adult,” Mr. Zoellner declared, “and then they say only kids like cartoons!” He added: “Cartoons are steadily growing more adult, more subtle, and we are adding some interesting new characters. This is bound to attract an even ( Continued on page 28) William Zoell ner 24 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 27, 1956