Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Benjamin Thau Named MGM Studio Head Benjamin Thau, vice-president and an executive of MGM since 1932, was appointed administrative head of the studio this week by Joseph R. Vogel, president of Loew’s, Inc. Mr. Vogel also announced that E. J. Mannix, general manager, will work in close association with Mr. Thau, as will J. J. Cohn, Lawrence Weingarten, Marvin Schenck, Kenneth MacKenna and Saul Rittenberg, who will function as executive staff. In confirming the selection of Mr. Thau as head of the studio, Mr. Vogel said, “Mr. Thau is one of the best known executives in the motion picture industry and perhaps one of the least known to the public.” Mr. Thau originally was brought to the studio by L. B. Mayer and he worked closely with the late Irving Thalberg and Mr. Mayer, who later made him his executive assistant. Prior to his new appointment, he was in charge of contractual negotiations and the studio’s relations in various other ways with the stars and other personalities. Before coming to Loew’s, Inc., Mr. Thau was with the Keith Vaudeville Booking Office and later with the Orpheum Circuit Booking Agency. W ilby Honored at Dinner in Atlanta ATLANTA: R. B. Wilby, president of Wilby-Kincey Theatres and a director of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, was honored at a dinner at the Capital City Country Club here Tuesday. He will retire January 1. Among the friends and associates attending the dinner were Leonard Goldenson, president of AB-PT; Mike Kincey of Wilby-Kincey Theatres, Charlotte, and E. V. Richards, New Orleans. Hutner Named Warner National Publicity Head Meyer M. Hutner has been appointed national publicity manager for Warners and. Charles S. Steinberg has been advanced to home office publicity manager, it was announced this week by Robert S. Taplinger, Warner vice-president and director of advertising and public relations. Mr. Steinberg will assume many of the duties of the late Larry Golob. Mr. Hutner recently joined Warners as a special assistant for liaison with leading independent producers associated with the company. A successor to Mr. Hutner will be announced by Warner Brothers in the very near future. Fox 39 -Week Is $3,182,099 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation and wholly-owned subsidiaries have reported consolidated earnings of $3,182,099 for the 39 weeks ended September 29, 1956. This amounted to $1.20 per share on the 2,644,486 shares of common stock outstanding, as compared with earnings for the 39 weeks of 1955 at $4,446,851, or $1.68 per share on the same number of shares. Total income for the period ending September 29, 1956, was $87,157,860. This compares with income of $86,832,411 for the same period in 1955. The earnings for the third quarter ended September 29, 1956, amounted to $1,025,429, equal to 38 cents per share, compared with $1,656,051 for the third quarter of 1955, equal to 62 cents per share. The earnings for the second quarter ended June 30, 1956, amounted to $1,695,931, equal to 65 cents per share. Felix Variety Club Barker in Denver DENVER: Jack R. Felix, branch manager for Allied Artists, has been elected chief barker of Variety Tent 37 here for the coming year. Others named include James R. Ricketts, Paramount branch manager, first assistant chief barker; Robert G. Sweeten, Centre manager, second assistant chief barker; Joe B. Stone, National Theatre Supply branch manager, dough guy; Bruce Marshall, Columbia salesman, property master. Rounding out the crew will be Duke Dunbar, attorney general of Coloradio; Marvin Goldfarb, Buena Vista district supervisor; Fred Knill, office manager Gilbraltar Enterprises; Phil Isaacs, Paramount division manager; Robert Lotito, publicity man. MPAA Told Credit System Unacceptable A survey conducted by the A. J. Wood research organization of the Marion County-Indianapolis area to find the public’s reaction to a credit card plan for theatres has indicated that a system of charge account admissions does not offer “promise of appreciably increasing movie attendance,” Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, informed the board of directors yesterday. In view of what he called “the disappointing result,” Mr. Johnston recommended to the board that no further action be taken on a credit card plan. The MPAA head, in his report to the MPAA directors, which was presented by Ralph Hetzel, vice-president, as Mr. Johnston was delayed, said that two plans of credit were studied: a charge plan similiar to that in department stores whereby the patron would receive a credit card good for any theatre and be billed monthly by some central agency: a plan whereby a patron could be issued a “movie scrip” book for $10.00 containing $12.50 worth of admissions, with the original purchase price being paid for by cash or by charge as in the other plan. The company sales managers were also appraised of the Wood survey results in a meeting at MPAA headquarters in New York to hear an analysis of the report from the distribution sub-committee that supervised the survey. The subcommittee included William C. Gehring, chairman; Charles M. Reagan and Charles Feldman. Mr. Gehring will shortly leave for Indianapolis and Marion County to meet with exhibitors there to report on the survey results. The study was initiated and financed by the MPAA after consultation and in cooperation with these exhibitors. A total of nearly 1,400 personal interviews were held, with key questions asked of those 18 years old and over. Ohio Manager Aids In Veto of Tax PORTSMOUTH, OHIO: Phil Zeller, city manager for the Columbia and Garden theatres, here, is said to have been instrumental in getting the City Council to pass an ordinance eliminating the three per cent admission tax as of January 1, 1957. Mr. Zeller said of this: “I have been trying for the past three years to get this tax removed and have been putting a lot of hard work and long hours in doing so. I appeared before the City Council on a number of occasions, and had Bob Wile, executive secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, at one time appear before the City Council.” MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 8, 1956 27