Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Census Unit Reports on '54 Film Receipts WASHINGTON: Firms engaged in producing and distributing theatrical films had gross receipts of $706,489,000 in 1954, the Census Bureau has reported. Receipts of companies servicing production and distribution firms were put at $160,149,000, but these, of course, came out of and duplicated the receipts of the production-distribution companies. Producers and distributors of films for TV had additional receipts of $85,400,000, the Bureau said. Comparable figures for earlier years are not available, Bureau officials said, explaining that earlier figures were collected and issued on different bases than the 1954 figures. More detailed reports are due shortly on the operation of production, distribution and service firms in 1954, based on the comprehensive censuses of business and manufacturing taken last year. The Bureau also revised slightly its earlier-released figures on theatre business in 1954, showing 18,491 theatres with total receipts of $1,407,151,000 two years ago, compared with 18,532 theatres with $1,614,235,000 of receipts in 1948. Preliminary figures released in May had shown 18,560 theatres in 1954 with $1,415,763,000 in receipts. The production-distribution receipts naturally come largely out of the theatre receipts, and are not receipts from the public in addition to the theatre receipts. According to the Bureau, 775 firms were engaged in actual film production in 1954, with total receipts of $130,355,000. These firms included 541 companies engaged in producing films for theatres and other nontelevision use, with receipts of $69,007,000 and 234 firms producing TV films, with receipts of $61,348,000. Another 421 companies were engaged in casting services, scenery rental, camera rental, and other services allied to film production, and these firms had $136,279,000 in receipts. The revised figures for theatre receipts published last week showed 14,716 conventional and portable theatres with receipts of $1,179,371,000, and 3,775 drive-in theatres with receipts of $227,780,000. The 1948 census showed 17,721 conventional theatres with receipts of $1,567,402,000 and 811 drive-ins with receipts of $46,833,000. All receipt figures include admissions taxes. The previous film industry censuses took figures from production and distribution in different years — the former in 1947 and the latter in 1948 — and included different types of companies and different types of receipts. For example, the 1947 census of manufacturing showed 277 firms engaged in film production and service activities, with “total cost of work done” reported at $460,143,000. The 1954 census counted more companies, but used the artificially-calculated “receipts” figure. Sees German Trade Styled On Hollywood HOLLYWOOD: A resurgent post-war German film industry, striving to attain its pre-war status, may need to look to Hollywood as its model, Horst von Hartlieb, head of the West German Film Distributors Association, said here last week. Dr. von Hartlieb is in the United States studying problems of self-censorship and foreign distribution. Speaking of Germany’s censorship body, he said it is made up of individuals from the industry, the state and the church. Pictures, he added, are censored only after they are completed. “We are working for closer cooperation between this censor body and the producers, so that if possible it may read and advise on pictures while they are still in the script stage, as the MPAA does here,” he said. Began in 1949 “Self-censorship,” he said, “began in Germany in 1949, after the occupying allies turned the job back to the state. Already,” he notes, “there is a strong movement among churchmen to raise the age limit for viewing adult films from 16 to 18 years. Industry would like all films made for all audiences, instead, as in most European countries, of having films made for both adult and juvenile audiences and the separation enforced by law.” Dr. von Hartlieb said that the burgeoning German film industry should not attempt to send its pictures abroad until the foreign public has been prepared with proper publicity and exploitation to receive them. A new UFA organization, he said, was now operating, although it will not enjoy the virtual monopoly of the old UFA. “We are making pictures which can and should be seen in America,” he said, “but up to now they have been seen — and very few of them have been seen — in the art houses. We are now studying the problem of whether to dub in English or to release them in German with English subtitles.” Belong to Group YOU WOULDN'T LET A PLUMBER TINKER WITH YOUR CAR! Your car plays a vital part in the life of you and your family. You wouldn't dream of letting a plumber tinker with it. So, too, your sound equipment is the most important property in your theatre. It deserves the expert technical attention only ALTEC can give it. 6,000 satisfied ALTEC SERVICE customers have learned this. HOW ABOUT YOU? SPECIALISTS IN MOTION PICTURE SOUND 161 Sixth Avenue • New York 13, New York a Division ol ALTEC COMPANIES. INC. Most major American film export companies belong to the German Distributors’ Association which Dr. von Hartlieb heads. American films shown in Germany number about 230 yearly of the 500 films exhibited there. The “take-back” money — which the German Government insists should be taken out of the country because of its efforts to avoid foreign debt — amounts to about $10 or $12 million, or 40 per cent of the gross $25 million earned by American films there. The balance of this earning is spent for distribution costs within that country. 52 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 3, 1956