Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Big Problem Is Unity To the Editor: Until there is something that resembles stability appearing again in our industry it looks to me like our biggest problem is for our industry to unite and see that each segment, or as much of each as possible, weathers the storm of social change. I truly believe that unity is the best we can hope for for some time yet. I don't know if a strong personality whom everyone agrees upon and can trust would be the cohesive cement that would pull us together — or even if in all creation there could evolve such a character. But in a good ball team, in every business, in any battle there is a leader, a boss, a spark-plug that leads, drives and inspires the group to success. Lacking it the team, business or army loses more than it wins. To expect to eliminate differences is asking for Utopia. No one has yet figured out a way of making features without using people and money. No leader can stop all dissension in his following. A leader in our industry to impress us with our goals as an industry seems to me to be the best bet to reunite us and keep our vision in the proper perspective, not just the limited view of a particular company, corporation or individual. If the industry does not survive as an industry then the companies, corporations and individuals are not likely to survive either, except in some few, but changed situations. Recognizing that change is a law of nature we can change as an industry and survive. We might even change individually and survive, but we’re not doing it. And one reason why we’re not doing it is because of lack of leadership. COMPO is a good idealistic idea, but it doesn’t go too far and lacks authority and the confidence of its adherents. It’s half-hearted support. Besides, no corporation or company ever developed a personality or had a spontaneous idea or created anything or inspired a following. It is always a matter of a company individual doing that job. I’m plugging for an individual to rise among us and say, “Look, this is the way it should be and this is the way it can be if we unite, consider each other and tackle our problem as a team.” Somebody to explain to clucks as dumb as I am why selling to a medium which gives away the very thing they sell us which we have to charge for. There must be a logical reason for it better than the obvious one that nobody cares about us anymore. To say that it will help increase attendance at theatres, as was recently given by Spyros Skouras as the reason for 20th -Fox’s recent sale to TV is like telling your children the moon is made of Velveeta. It just THANKS FOR HELP To the Editor: Thanks for all the help that you seem to always give in The HERALD. — JOHN L. EVANS, U. S. Navy Motion Picture Booking Office, Los Angeles, Calif. ain’t so, or hasn’t been so far in the last five years. And I can’t imagine one single person actually believing that it is. Of course there are better pictures being made. We are going crazy showing marvelous pictures to empty seats. Quality is not as important as scarcity to the consumer. He’s got to have an appetite. Sure he tires of TV and is more and more hollering about the junk that is keeping him at home. Convenience and Americans’ love of going through life sitting on foam rubber is making TV the competitive monster that it is, not quality. TV is and has been for nine years the enemy of the motion picture industry. To face up to it as an industry, unite, mend our ways, create the leadership that will bring us to grips with the fact that we are in a battle to re-capture the public fancy is the problem we have. We haven’t lost the battle, but we’re losing. We didn’t lose it overnight and we won’t get it back overnight. But we won’t get it back at all unless there is a more united purpose in our whole industry than mere company or individual leadership and selfishness. We’re like the American Indian who warred away in inter-tribal suicide while the white man stole his land. At least the Indians were smart enough not to sell gunpowder to the frontiersman — or bring him venison for his commissary. — CHARLES L. JONES, Northwood Theatre, Northwood, Iowa. Commendation To Walter Brooks: You are to be commended as are the Quigley Awards committee judges in stimulating interest and keeping showmanship alive in the publicizing and promotion of screen entertainment offerings; by generating faith in the industry and screen product quality which is better today than yesterday and will be better tomorrow than today. As recipients of better product together with new presentation in photography and projection we as showmen should cherish our responsibility in bringing these quality factors of screen entertainment to the public attention and eventual enjoyment. — LEE E. FRASER, Manager, Bloomfield Theatre, Birmingham, Mich. MOTION PICTURE HERALD December 29, 1956 BOX OFFICES in key cities enjoy holiday boom 12 LOEWS reports 1956 earnings of 90 cents a share 12 FLICK urges MPAA to inform public about Production Code 12 THE YEAR IN REVIEW— special report by Etaoin Shrdlu 13 JACK L. WARNER named recipient of 1957 Brotherhood Award 16 BRITISH pictures, lead London Bureau's 1956 survey 18 1957 EDITION of Motion Picture Almanac is published 19 RESEARCH man says focus is top exhibition problem 22 ALLEN REISNER, of TV, makes the Big Switch to films 23 NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT— reports on personnel in key cities 24 MAGNA'S income gains in quarter, reports George Skouras 34 SERVICE DEPARTMENTS Film Buyers’ Rating 3rd Cover Hollywood Scene 23 Managers' Round Table 29 The Winners' Circle 22 People in The News 28 IN PRODUCT DIGEST SECTION Showmen's Reviews 201 Short Subjects Chart 202 The Release Chart 204 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, Marlin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Martin Quigley, Jr., Editor; Charles S. Aaronson, Managing Editor; Floyd E. Stone, Photo Editor; Vincent Canby, News Editor; Ray Gallagher, Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager. Bureaus: Hollywood, Samuel D. Berns, Manager; William R. Weaver, Editor, Yucca-Vine Building, Telephone HOHywood 7-2145; Washington, J. A. Otten, National Press Club; London, Hope Williams Burnup, Manager; Peter Burnup, Editor; William Pay, News Editor, 4 Bear St., Leicester Sq. Correspondents in principal capitals of the world. Member Audit Bureau of Circulation. Motion Picture Herald is published every Saturday by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., Rockefeller Center, New York City 20. Telephone Circle 7-3100; Cable address: "Quigpubco, New York", Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo. J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Leo J. Brady, Secretary. Other Quigley Publications: Better Theatres and Bette* Refreshment Merchandising, each published thirteen times a year as a section of Motion Picture Herald; Motion Picture Daily, Television Today, Motion Picture Almanac, Television Almanac, Fame. 8 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 29, 1956