Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Sales Heads Consider Pinanski Area Plan . . . Many exhibitors in metropolitan locations are in favor, but others in smaller towns are reported cool to idea Distribution sales executives are “giving consideration" to the plan advanced several weeks ago by Sam Pinanski, president of American Theatre Corp., Boston, which urged utilization of outlying theatres in “growth areas” for opening pictures at the same time and at the same price as downtown theatres. According to a number of distribution sales heads, the Pinanski suggestion “is a certainty for our operations in the future.” One sales head said last week that his company is already playing top product day and date between neighborhood and downtown houses in Los Angeles and St. Louis. “ Food for Thought” Another sales executive pointed out that his company has no uniform policy and that each situation is closely studied on an individual basis. “Conditions are continually changing and our releasing plans for a film are determined following a survey of the situation, the theatres and other facets involved,” he said. All company distribution heads agreed that the suggestions of Mr. Pinanski were “food for thought.” Many exhibitors are likewise in favor of the Pinanski suggestion, particularly those located near metropolitan areas. However, theatre men in some other parts of the nation have been reported “cool” to the plan. In the North Central states exhibitors said they were in opposition to the plan “at the present time” as they regard themselves as “small town” exhibitors, comparatively speaking. Benjamin Berger, president of North Central Allied, said he is opposed to the idea as far as the Twin Cities are concerned. “It is all right for the big cities, but we are too small here. A suburban first run in competition with down town would kill it for both,” he said. Old Policy Is “Obsolete” Mr. Pinanski in his earlier statement had declared that the industry, in adjusting to a new business era, would have to rid itself of its “fanatical devotion” to showing its better product in downtown pre-release or first run theatres to the exclusion of other theatres in the same area. He said that in his opinion such a policy was daily being demonstrated to be an obsolete method of merchandising and distribution. Mr. Pinanski added that the method constitutes what he considers an attempt to force the public to see the most desirable films at the greatest inconvenience and cost in incidentals to the public. Mr. Pinanski, whose circuit operates downtown theatres in Boston as well as neighborhood and outlying theatres, contends that this change of policy would put the motion picture industry “in tune” with other industries that already have adapted themselves to the new times by establishing branch stores in new, commodious shopping centers, with available space and other patron conveniences. COMPO May Shift Audience Award Dates The Council of Motion Picture Organizations last week advised its membership that the production of promotion materials for the Audience Awards campaign, originally scheduled to be held from Christmas Day to January 3, has been temporarily held up pending a re-examination of the dates with a view of strengthening the promotion for the benefit of the theatres and to eliminate, if possible, any conflict with the Academy Awards. The re-examination of dates was requested by Elmer Rhoden, who with Leonard Goldenson will serve as national cochairman. Sam Pinanski and Robert W. Coyne, members of the COMPO governing committee, in a letter to the COMPO board and membership explaining the delay in putting the promotion materials into production, emphasize that this deviation from the plan tentatively set for the Audience Awards campaign does not reflect any friction with the Academy Awards group, or the MPAA advertising group which has come up with several projects requiring exhibitor cooperation. Brynner Forms Firm Yul Brynner, actor and director, has announced the formation of an independent company, Alcoins Productions, with Virginia Brynner as president. SB A Has Had No Mortgage Loan Pleas WASHINGTON : Small Business Administration officials said this week that the agency has not yet received any industry request to grant government loans to theatres for mortgage purposes. They also said again that they doubt very much that such a request would be approved if and when it’s made. The Administration does not permit loans for mortgage purposes to any other industry, these officials declared and “We can’t make any exception” for theatres. From the start, S.B.A. officials have said the agency might refinance a theatre mortgage where the refinancing is incidental to getting a Government loan for modernization or repair work and where it might be necessary to give the agency clear collateral. But they insisted that the agency could not make loans solely to pay off an existing mortgage. Some weeks ago, the Theatre Owners of America and the Independent Owners Association said they would ask S.B.A. to grant loans to pay off mortgages. TOA’s Philip Harling said this week that TOA would seek legislative changes so exhibitors could apply for “business loans for all purposes.” S.B.A. officials also said that “a few” theatre loan applications have now been received in agency field offices, but added they do not know what action, if any, has been taken. Some loan applications have been received, they said, from drivein theatre operators who apparently did not understand that S.B.A. loans were to be restricted to operators of conventional theatres. These applications have been returned, they declared, with an explanation of S.B.A. policy. Kintner to Join NBC as An Executive Vice-President Robert E. Kintner, who resigned last month as president of the American Broadcasting Co., has been elected an executive vice-president of the National Broadcasting Co., effective January 1, 1957. He will serve on the newly organized NBC executive council as co-ordinator of the television network’s color activities and expansion, according to Robert W. Sarnoff, president of NBC, who made the announcement. “Bob Kintner has a splendid record of achievement in the important positions he has held in the broadcasting industry,” Mr. Sarnoff said. “His over-all knowledge of this complex, fast-growing broadcasting industry will enable us to make wide use of his talents.” Mr. Kintner joined ABC as a vice-president in 1944. 12 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 10, 1956