Variety (November 1963)

-.. Legion .of . Decéncy.: an always accompanied: ‘by. admira _« .. Wednesday, November 6,-1968 * Paramount Li lites | va "After a review of: the. fax’ situa-4 tion ‘involved and: other factors, |] “LAURENCE M. -Paramount: Pictures: has : now ' eided to go back to.a-plan it: had JANIFER devised‘ a: while. .ago ‘to © ‘distribute |] its post-1948 features ‘to: tyitself.. Not: only: that, it. is. ‘expected that | Whe. Is @ prolific. author. binhsetf. dwells on why end how writers ‘Par’ will. begin ‘this. distribution "waste their lives chasing that -soon, within the next couple. of One Right Perfect’ ‘months perhaps... * . -_ _ The company ‘has: no. “mechanism | on “Sentence 1 to handle et distribution oP on. a cee “ent bu is Ww ne, 7 _ Row: arid some details of:the plan}|: © cnether terestog Feetare a5 @ expected. to be forthcoming inj] upcoming: the next. couple .of weeks: Para-. . 58th Annivgreary. Number Y youn had said it was clése to such | fe Ow “of 2: ‘§ move once’ before-but that never |] ‘happened. Now. -the.‘company “Is! ‘believed ready to. follow the. plan |} “through. . | ‘For the past ‘several months, Par -: has-been talking. with various tv | ” distribs.-but made no deal. The. ‘eompany had’ seriously: considered. making ..an outside. deal for the release .of its . post-’48s ‘to. tv: but. ‘the present:-tax situation. involved.| in making. such . arrangements op-} poses such.a plan; it-is felt: This |“jpasn’t ‘stopped the deal-makers |: .. from -‘ stopping. by :. with ° offers | ‘though, only now they come with |” all. kinds of tax angles in addition | to the. usual © dickering © provisos. As. one. Par exec put it: ‘gend.a.tax man, not just an . -at1923. that Jack «and: Harry torney, “when: they, come. to ‘talk! both deceased, ‘founded. the. ‘film: these days.” ‘| corporation — but: -there’s Paramount: has thelast remain: “ing: large film: library of” post"48s service” © in: ‘the ~ ‘promotion... ‘This. ‘ground, totalling over 200 ‘pix. ‘Thel } gets' a mention. but Col, says ‘ite only ‘other. -such. package, . Univerppokesmen, would | much * rather -gal’s 215 features, went to Seven | draw attention to 1963" as. a. “ban‘Arts: some. months ago’ for a tidy ner ‘year. gum. U was forced to. deal-outside |. . its| own: realm bythe government “which had ruled accordingly. when -MCAtook over ‘Universal-Decca _a-while back. | ‘In. addition toits. decision to handle distribution of-the pix. it “ gelf, Par is planning. to undertake such a -move: in the near future, |_ “it is. believed, Company is under. stood. seriously. considering. beginCardinal,” “The Victors,” ning tv ‘distribution during the | Strangelove,’ ” ‘buying seascn for the upcoming tv} «pp» Long: Ships” and. “Behold ‘s semester, .which ‘usually’: swings. ‘Pale Horse.” . | into“ high gear at. the’ start. of the! © “these are but a few. on. the linehenc year, now less than two months. lip. ‘and. there’s. no ‘telling as -to .hence. . | Msgr Lit tle eP us | most critical of film production Onus on Ad Copy! nea The ‘film industry. got: a scolding ‘during last ..week’s Theatre ‘Owners’ of . America. national conven< . tton: in New York for ‘not, créating -. the proper: public image ‘of itself ‘with its advertising’ | -policies.. Speaker: was Msgr. Thomas F: Lit“tle, exec secretary of the: ‘National | Importantly to.benoted. is that |: Screen ‘Gems. used to be. a. minor | Pls other satitical end detetled. But Columbia Pics Barely Takes Note ‘Life Begins at 40 Columbia ‘is. celebrating. ite 40th Hight the: -present and --the ‘immediate future. They ‘insist that. ‘elally and product-wise. aos Beaucoup pride is being shown in ‘such... productions: as: “The | possible, ‘boxoffice ‘wrong. : .The ‘| historic facts ‘are that Col in. the |-years gorie. by has envolved into a “Like “Lost ‘Horzon” or. “From: Here | a Rita. Hayworth. starrer. Now the |. . Heremarked that: if: ‘there. is: a “Jot of talk about the’film biz. these * “days not ‘all.of it is flattering. He ..gaid that there is widespread. ‘opinfon.among: the’ public: that pix are: “worse than ever” and. this Is be-| cause. “parents. of ‘all ‘faiths. are: ..: forever bitterly complaining about i+: present-day film content and ‘exe. ' -ploitation.” ~~ Little ~ ‘told: éxhibs. ‘american: ’. -films. provide the world. community | _ ‘with'the: best “of well-tailored: en-+ : tertainment -but..it. is distressing | that some American: ‘producers are | . content to fiddle with romadtielsas | puerile sex and glamorized. brutal-| “ity. while the. world: around them burns with confusion,. fear.and incipient despair.’ ” ~ He: saidthat there “is considerable interest . in: = Yank pix but that this . interest isn’t. powerhouse. television. ‘ent which is majority-owned. by. Col: . anni is rich in sentimental. values but: it’s: today. that: genuinely -matters. in ‘the fiscal scheme: of. things. | | THAT GLOBAL GLOSS:. Hollywood, ‘Nov. 5. “Returning here.. from ‘a trip ‘through’ European. film producing market, no. :. _ “He. told: ‘exhibs: thatalthough ‘the: _ Legion. found 85% of . last. yéar’s domestic .films morally. -unobjec-] -tionable ‘for some’ ‘segment of the audience, there is..still widespread criticism .of the ‘sell, ‘Monsignor ‘said: that. it is evident “that ‘the average theatre. man deliberately |: debauches the young: and.innocent in his unscrupulous pursuit: of the _. almight dollar.” -He.. advised: that. "s your first. step -in building ‘a| entertainment : that: will lick. ‘in (Continued on page 20) nearly ail markets. . stolen rp ues: tents see — v7 a) government, ‘Italy is. still busy but less the boom spot it was.. duct: that. lacks. universal ‘audience appeal.. Hollywood ‘still is the most consistently expert. ‘in turning ‘out ~. woe tele ‘ 3 id twee oes Do ae a, te IY foe 28 et ao’ . NN ET FRALEY TTS | anniversary curréntly—it: being in] . Cohn, “little ‘focusing : on: the ‘past “40 years of: Col execs from. president ‘Abe: Schneider. and. his. top-echelon: "as-| -sociates -ondown. ‘prefer to spot-. | to: overlook -all the. cooperation be 40-year-old Col'is in. better’ shape |. ‘than. it: ever has-been, both finan-' . Dr, . “Straight : -J acket, had | ’ ‘l-which ‘will beboxoffice. right: or,. _major..producer, according tothe _[ ventions in. the’ very. same roonis Col -in, the. past was ‘counted on to provide perhaps one outstanding | : -picturé a -Year—or. mebhbe : two. } -to. Eternity.” And now and. again | | Schneider-Léo Jaffe-Mike ' Franko|: Vich, et:al., regime antes up strong | in new ‘production each. of | those | “12: months in the ‘calendar: year. .~ ‘Unit engaged: in. the = making -of ‘short. subjects. SG is.now ‘a cor-|. porate title..giving. identity to 2 ing biz generally: across the ‘coun ~ |try. this’ session: Feeling ‘at-Col is that a fortieth. | ing ‘real. strength. | “Mary, Mary” (WB) (24 wk), just ‘out © in circulation. to. any. ‘extent HOLLYWOOD'S COT IT! ‘centres: agent. George. Chasin com‘Inented that ‘Hollywood: alone. de| ‘spite all downbeat stories of recent |years, has maintained. production | leadership. ‘Fewer. films,. yes. But. ‘loss :of initiative in the. world: film Chasin remarked’ that: Britain faces troubles, .Germany has. been | in-a. slump for two years or more, France is dependent upon. the 14%. subsidy money “from: the’: National : her-up last. week. © “Lilies: ‘of Fiela’™ (WAY: (3d: wk), week ago,’ is. finishing «109 000 =Leagues' Under Séa” (BY) (reissue) (Sth. wk) is. tak-|~ ‘ing: ‘oth Place. tt was. eighth. last }round. a The European failure. lies in pro| 56 Ter rae By. EDDIE KALISH: Allied out. the TOA. convention ‘last. week: Some “Allied -:execs. stayed’ after ||: |i their own convention.-which ended |} I} just a few days before TOA's } ‘}| started. and there were. some in| formal. discussions between them |] Hi and TOA execs on. the. subject. Net result was no result. Some 1 high-ranking: TOA execs want. it {| and | ‘most Allied: toppers are for _. | waiting longer before making such |: -.~f| @ move. The spirit seénis to be ‘one || | of mutual: cooperation. but not. to 7 the point of .actual alignment. “One realignment ‘was made: durj | ing’ the. convention. . Aled Theatre |" Owners: of ‘Indiana: voted to affiliate with. TOA: -: “Board chairman of TOA,-Jchn|i) H. Stembler, . considers a merger among. his ‘major objectives... He |! has ‘long advocated such a move} and . reiterated. ‘at informal sessions with Allied leaders. : ‘the Allied’ execs who remained after his vention ‘was: over and who participated. in: .the: sessions, sald that he. doesn’t .see fusion: soon: He,. like Stembler, stressed. the cooperation . between the or-| | ganizations on. vital issues facing. exhibition. He also. ‘said that it. | was unfortunate, at least from the| Allied point © of: ‘view, .that there} has been ‘so. much ‘talk. about the merger possibility because: it tends tween the two -associations. « +" Swallowable?: ~ Onebasic. fear of Allied’s hibs. -While..Allied ‘has some, too, it:is made up mostly ‘of : grassroot independents who. -wouldn’t’ want | ‘their interests. sidetracked by big. ti recently, Allied -has. -shots: Un been the “rabble-rouser” of : the two. TOA. ‘tends fo. be more: conservative.. = . Certain . “basic.” ‘differences -evi denced themselves during. the re-. cent: back-to-back New: ‘York -con at’ the “Americana . Hotel. Aled: “Continued, on age 16) West’ 3d, ‘Tove’ ‘ath; . Some. new, strong ‘product plusf | more: normal fail’ weather -is help While.. all ‘the fresh fare is not: ‘blockbuster by any. means, “enough. of it. is show (20th) (19th wk) is dropping back to second position against this strong newcomer. . < “How ‘West Was Won” (MGM) ‘| (48th. Wk) is winding up a strong! third. is finishing fourth, with some new openings.a ‘help. a. week. ago, is landing fifth place. “Irma: La. Douce”. (UA). (22d wk): again is. capturing .sixth position, same as. last. session ‘in. key” cities ‘ga covered by -VARIETY. . “Fantasia” (BV)... “(reissue)” wk) is. moving up to seventh spot. It was ninth last round. “Twilight ‘of Honor” (MGM) (3d.?wk). will: take eighth position, It Wwasia Tun seventh. a ninth. ss | mare LIND HAYES . ‘Phat. possible merger of Theatre: : Owners . ‘of America. and A || States Assn. was in the.air through: |[ : His ob om view: “it is the fault of poor man-|. *™ agement on the part. of.-both: or-} ganizations that nothing ‘has. been. done about it-until now.” — “Milt. London: of Detroit, “one. “ot ly ‘National Boxoffice Survey Trade Holds Stoutly; Mary’ Ne ew Champion, ‘Cleo’ 2d, led S Equal Be, in.a big first week in ‘N.Y. | . It: was. :second. last week: NY. “New Kind of. Love” (Par). (Sth' wk), |. . “VEPs”. (MGM (Ith. wk), fourth. “Battle” (AA) continues: Very ‘slUg-| ner months (June through August). ‘this: situation was alleviated with ‘better. product.. in. release for bigger: and longran Pix: are designated: in such cases.. ‘Author-Comedian ' decided to do some editorial » Teseerch: elong the 3d Avenue. bistros end came te the 7 conclusion that ‘Some ‘Saloons Are Sety Unliterary. : seth Anniceraary Number Plas other statistical ond dete-Ailed dickering -for' major productions | took'a step forward last week: when.|. ‘New. York Allied “unanimously” voted ‘to back the. idea. bership for a poll, he said; and expressed his: surprise. that the fight from at least a few exhibs but said that there was none. — In holding ‘his regional meeting, Cohen. was heeding. the advice of Allied officials who, during the convention, had. suggested that the best way. to put Snaper's ‘plan inj. motion was. to. get. regional sup-/ ‘port from all the Allied units and. thereby empower the board t6 act.: “Milt London, Allied exec. direc tor (Detroit): who also attended the |. f Theatre Owners of . America | con-. __ (Continued. on. page 14). “WE Pay ‘Irma’ Next 12th last. week, also, “Conjugal: Bed” (Embassy) and. “812,” also from Embassy, are the two runerup films. Last-named. hints possi bilities of go higher. ‘| this‘ week, is taking over first place.|. & ing | “Cleopatra” “AT Way Home” (Par) turned Told. Tales’” (UA),. also new, looms -1 mild in L.A.: “Wuthering Heights” (Cont), back’: on. reissue, shapes good. in. Providence. and fine in “Lawrence of “Arabia”. (CoD, |. which: is’ doing. excellent. trade: on}. continuous-run in :NLY., also is hotsy: in Toronto. “French | Style”. (Col), -mild in: Boston;. shapes. okay in K 'C. and good in LL: AL “Cry of gish this ‘round. | “Under Yum Yum Tree”. (Col) fs bearing out the: great Fromise. of teeoff engagement. in. LA, with |. one . Sessions . in’. Toronto and], Chi “Sporting Life” ‘(Cont). is: doing™ well «in. Some five ‘keys: this. Session.” Note: The. number ‘of weeks out om ¢ Complete Boxoffice. Reports. on. +Pages 89-10). oe otra Be oo ea ie ce . , : ° aking With Showcase Experiments 1+ “We have enjoyed our best sum|mer in three years. We have no. notion. was received without op-| position: He had expected some Leopard”. | (20th) (12th wid is} capturing 11th place while “Lord | of Files” (Cont) {6th wk): rounds out the Tep. 12 pictures. It was “Twice. need for and no interest in any | Plan similar to Premiere Show case.” The above statement approxl || mates the comment offered Variety which inquired as to . } Loew’s. circuit policy and attitude.. The spokesman was Arthur. M. Tolchin,; executive assistant to. ' president Lawrence A. Tisch and himself .a-mentber of the board. ‘IL. Significance lies in the fact that || Loew's, .like. the RKO -chain, has refused to go along with the Pre | miere Showcase idea. initiated by. 4] United Artists and joined in, some| what, ‘by 20th-Fox. Under this, . perhaps 17 outlying theatres play firstrun on a day-date basis with |a Broadway showcase. They play the firstrun films at advanced ad: : missions. ‘Loew’s, it’s evident,. will con | tinue aloof ‘from showcase, pre| ferring to remain with the tradl_| ditional status. quo; which is now paying off so nicely. Distributors. ‘| other than UA and 20th-Fox, such -|-as Paramount, have talked about shay | new. approaches to the very im ‘3 | portant-N: Y. market but: so: far: “allied States Assn. proposal 1 ‘n; troduced by. Wilbur: Snaper at. the| organization’ srecent national con-. ‘vention that Allied form a buying. ° | committee to. represent a block of several thousand : theatres when. have not changed their ways dis-. cernibly. They open on Broadway and one or two -: off-Broadway ‘houses... concurrently but the Loew's-RKO ‘split of product. substantially remains the. same. The Loew's feeling is that showease has had neither positive nor negative effect on Loew's. ‘Loew's had a good season in 7 | the This .per Sidney J: Cohen, N-¥.| from Columbia. via the ‘product Allied prez, whopredicted. that| Allied already. has 1,000 theatres behind the. plan. ‘His first. ‘order _ J of’ business “upon. his return. to : | Buffalo. was to summon his memthat it: will: be swallowed: -whole by! TOA, which has among: its ranks} the large ‘circuits..and. major ex from Columbia, Paramount and Metro. Among. ihe better grossers were “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Come. Blow Your Horn,’ “Wonderful World. of Brothers’ Grimm,” “Jason and the Argonauts,” “Duel of the Titans,” “Flipper” and, now, “Lawrence. of Arabia.” It’s’ understood further. . that. ‘Loew's rebels against charging upped scales at. a neighborhood house. This situation was particudarly' in evidence with a so-called Golden. Showcase of 20thFox's “Longest Day” after this production had played Broadway firstrun, Century Theatres’ Kingsway, a Flatbush: (Brooklyn) nabe, charged $2 top for this, one, and. provided a six-wéek run guarantee. This sort of thing just doesn’t. ht. in with the Loew's scheme of hings. Latter chain also notes it has a ” network k of “class” houses =| around the N. ¥. area, ee a oes not partici| pating in either fere or Golden Showcase. Plus Capita Loew's Theatres: for the year ended Aug. 31 had an operation. profit of $933,384, equal to 38c per. share, and capital gains of $1,581,098, or per share, for & total of |so.s14ana, equal to $1.01 per share.. brought operating . | Preceding year profits of $1, 339,209, or 50c a share, capital gains of $706,057, or Z6c 8 a share, for totals. of $2,045,262, and 76c per share. Latter figures da not include a.net profit of $7,647, 11626, equal to $2.85. per share, on. |the sale of radio station WMGM in New York. In his annual report, Laurence |&. Tisch, chairman, noted a “long-. drought in the supply of audience-. attracting motion picture. productions” but added that in the sum Receipts during this period helped considerably, Tisch said the year ahead points to a more “evenly flow of boxoffice product. . (Chief exec said the policy con tinues to call for expansion “into new and fertile areas” and at. the |Same. time divestiture. of ‘unprofit.jable ‘theatres. Eight | “marginal” houses: were dropped since the last (Continued ‘on page 18)" a oe 2 "retrace pe aenotne aires. ?