Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Warners Plan Realignment of Publicity Setup Warner Brothers will organize two additional publicity units at its coast studios — one to handle pre-production publicity and the other to work with talent, it was announced last week by Robert S. Taplinger, vice-president in charge of advertising and public relations. He added that Warners plans to launch heavy advertising and publicity campaigns on all its forthcoming releases on local, state, regional and national levels. Hendricks Will Supervise Mr. Taplinger added that these additional publicity units would be supervised by Bill Hendricks, studio publicity director. “The units would continuously put out publicity about Warner properties, and talents, from the time of their acquisition to the time of the film’s release,” he said. Meyer M. Hutner has been appointed a special assistant for liaison with leading independent producers associated with Warners, Mr. Taplinger also announced. Director of advertising and publicity for Samuel Goldwyn Productions, Mr. Hutner will assume his new post at Warners November 12. This newly created position is regarded as a forward step in the expansion of Warner operations, offering increased promotional services to the important independent productions at Warners. Plans Heavy Emphasis Going over the company’s releasing schedule for the coming year, the Warner executive said he plans “to bring heavy advertising and publicity guns to bear on each of our films.” Mr. Taplinger said that one part of this program, commencing with “Baby Doll,” provides for the department to produce “a pre-release publicity manual in which will be included all publicity breaks, ideas on what has been done, what will be done, national stories, etc.” He added that in many instances this “pre-release publicity manual” would be of better service than a pressbook which has lost its effectiveness. Mr. Taplinger feels that the exhibitor’s utilization of a pressbook now is quite routine, to a point where he just uses the advertising mats, and in some instances, nothing at all. “Our idea,” he explained, “is to have all of our home office personnel, field men, salesmen and others work with the manual on each film. They would then have a complete knowledge of all ideas concerning publicity and could be of better service.” Famous Players Buys Vending Firm Interest TORONTO: Famous Players Canadian Corp. Ltd. have purchased an interest in Carlton Automatic Vendors Ltd., Toronto. Gurston Allen, president, said that interest in the company would be divided three ways, with Famous Players owning an interest, Premier Operating another share, with Trans-Canada Distributing Co. Ltd., of Montreal, owning the other share. Carlton Automatic operates 250 vending units in the Toronto area, while it sells vending machines in Ontario and Western Canada. Plans are being made to open offices in the west. J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of Famous Players, and R. W. Bolstad, vice-president, have been named to Carlton’s board of directors. Gurston Rosenfeld is secretary-treasurer and general manager of Carlton Automatic Vendors, Ltd. LICHTMAN ( Continued from preceding page) light of current industry conditions and legal opinions exhibitor and distributor disagreements would be best settled in individual meetings, at which time a better grasp of the conditions and problems could be had by both parties. He also commented on the Senate Small Business Committee report on industry trade practices, saying “in my opinion it was very just.” Mr. Lichtman recounted some of his experiences in the attempts to set up an industry arbitration system, the last draft of which was approved and then disapproved by Theatre Owners of America. “That draft was a one-way street favoring the exhibitors. No business man in his right mind would have accepted it as the distributors could have never been a plaintiff under its setup and the distributors would have borne the cost of operating it, perhaps up to $250,000 per year. However, now that it has been shunted aside by TOA, I feel that the distribution companies do not feel kindly about getting together with exhibitors again to draw up another arbitration draft.” Considers Pinanski Plan He also took cognizance of the proposal presented by Sam Pinanski, president of American Theatres Corporation, Boston, which concerned the playing of top product in neighborhood theatres in “growth areas” on a day-and-date basis with downtown theatres at the same price. “This suggestion should be given consideration by the distributors,” he said. Mr. Lichtman once again said that “our business has a great future if we take care of it. Everyone should realistically aopraise his operations and change for the better.” Approve Plan For " Jubilee " Program in' 57 The Motion Picture Association of America’s business building coordination committee last week approved a coast suggestion for a “Golden Jubilee” program for the industry in 1957 in which mer. chandising and promotional ventures will be employed to revitalize the box office, it was reported following a meeting in New York. The committee, which includes representatives of the company’s domestic and foreign sales departments and the advertising and publicity directors committee of the MPAA, heard reports from Roger H. Lewis, Paul N. Lazarus, Jr. and Robert S. Taplinger on the coast attitude toward the MPAA’s six-point program, which includes the Hollywood press conference, the merchandising and promotional plan for an “Oscar Sweepstakes,” executive field trips, revision in advertising billings, an industry market survey, and advertising campaigns. The business-building group liked the idea of the “Golden Jubilee” plan for this coming January, which would be launched by the executive field trip, it was said. The industry figures who would make these field tours would discuss the motion picture industry and its “state of the union” with newspaper publishers and editors. The tours would be followed by the Hollywood press conference, in which critics from newspapers in 300 cities with 100,000 or over population would go to the production center. The MPAA committee referred back to the advertising-publicity subcommittee on merchandising and promotion headed by Alfred H. Tamarin the proposal on staging of the “Oscar Sweepstakes.” The plan will be further developed and strengthened so that it also could be launched this coming year in conjunction with the Academy Awards, it was stated. New Orleans WOMPI Makes Season Plans NEW ORLEANS: The local chapter of Women of the Motion Picture Industry (WOMPI) plan a busy schedule of activities from now until New Year’s. Among the forthcoming events are the regular monthly luncheon November 14 with Mrs. Rodney Toups, wife of the manager of Loew’s State theatre and director of Women’s Affairs, New Orleans civil defense, as chief speaker. In November 15 they participate in the T.B. Seal Walkathon Parade and will handle the distribut'on of T.B. Seal Trailers to theatres in the area. 14 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 10, 1956