Variety (November 1963)

Theatre Owners of. America delegates, gathered in New York. in national convention last. week, heard several comments on film production for the coming year, among them (1) long-awaited re port. from Sidney Markley on the State of Ace Fiims,. (2) comments: on American-International’s. plans ‘hy prez James H. Nicholson and -(3) remarks on exhibition-production relations by Carl. Foreman.. “Markley’s report was. a cheerful one for exhibits. He said that Acé Films, the production arm of. the! American Congress: of Exliibitors, j chad seven pictures either in‘ pro duction now or plansed for _pro| duction shortly, all to be. available in 1964. Sage _ Ace has” signed a ‘deal with. Edward. M. Chodrov,. he ‘said, ‘to. make pix for.it on-a continuing basis. He has: now completed a: ‘script ‘called: -“Traffic | In. Innocence,”. based on his own: original research and-is in England doing ‘pre-production work on the: .project which is slated for release. next June: Ace has also acquired’ a novel called. “Gondolier” and Chodrov will. make a film: version of it following “Traffic.” Markley also said that @.three pie: deal has been’ made: by Ace | with Louis: Edelman to. make. “Streets of Montmartre,” for: which Charles Lederer is. writing the ‘screenplay with { slated to begin next spring. ‘He'll additionally produce a screenplay based on -Harold Robbins’ -’‘79. Park Avenue” and an original of his own. ‘Ace: is also financing Philip ‘Yordan’s filmization of novelist James Jones’ “The. Thin Red. Line,” currently: lensing ‘in-Spain for "Allied Artists: release. next May. Also for AA, Yordan will make “White Savage,” nother. Ace-capitalized project. “Montmartre” “Park. Ave.” long been onillied ‘properties. Ace. ‘has additional. money in AA’s upcoming “Soldier in the Rain,” Markley revealed, and participated in: Samuel Bronston’s “55. Days to Peking;:” ' ATP Making 25 Nicholson outlined a five-pointprogram . his company ‘will follow in 1964, included in which will be: the release of 25 pix (no-re-iseues), 16 of which he categorized as “An features, Output in this latter category is the highest in AIP’s history, he said. The 1964. output one will include two Edgar. Allan |. ‘Poe’s, two. -.action spectaculars,: ‘formality atTOA. with:-lotsa pre ‘three horror pix, three teenage, dramas, five sci-fi. pix,. five action epics, three macabre comedies and two. musicals. Also included in the company’s program, Nicholson said, will be the continuation of AIP’s five-year ¢clearanee clause in its dis tribution contracts limiting the. re-. lease of its pix to tv. to no less than fives years. from the time’ of release. Other points contained a pledge for continued local. level publicity, a pregram which saw ‘AIP’s. pub. staff double: in ‘the past year, he said. Prez .additionally pledged terms on pix which would be compatable with both the busi ness needs of exhibition and the.|. company. . AIP . exec vice -prezSamuel Ze Arkoff also spoke to the delegates and fepeated his thenie at the. Allied ¢onvention that AIP: wasn't ‘going to take a lot of guff. and spend .a lot of money on. agents; actors and such who don't share the risks, in his opinion, but want a cut in "the profits: “We must. be the masters of:our’ ship,” he said.: Carl Foreman’s Thesis ‘twist on his “film. subsidy” crusade. in a talk before the theatremen| and: no} Feally the key. word. in. his. industry outlook. ‘He |. suggested that producers arid ex-{_ hibitors form a “working partner| stating tha not. “subsidy” is “revitalization” ship” to help bring this about. and also called for the formation of a| national film: schoo! to train film-: makers of the future. Producer-director-writer's part nership formula is predicated on the laying aside of. an -undefined percentage: of boxoffice receipts with the money so collected to. be. used for the production of more pictures. He pointed. out that. plans: like this are in effect. overseas | ‘where production has increased in'. ate ‘Yor Soon Play Aces’ nised From Nicholson; oreman Views on Trade Needs talent ‘resources, ‘that the top filmmakers in Amer| ica today are ‘all middle-aged and. |. _gsters are |-two about subsidy, saying that the. -abroad -atre attendance .and..opined that ‘there. is. ‘a relationship. between. . ‘Continued from ‘page 3 — Nt was more concerned with: providing a forum: for ideas: ‘and. gripes }and,’ although little. reform: “was |. forthcoming, the various -sessions, freely allowed members to get up. and ‘speak their piece. on: basic: is| sues of. exhibition’ in. public meet~ ing, It. was. surely more colorful and, in some ways, more enlightening -and instructive -to attend, Allied’s meetings than the more cau tiously: ‘programmed. TOA. . have {. forums for discussion. but. these. ‘were: mainly. for talk .about mer| chandising and theatre . operation, as opposed to Allied’s concern with | broader trade’ practicés. TOA had | one meeting ‘in:which these things: came up at all. It was. billed .as a“legal advisory council roundtable: meeting” and must have frightened: most people--off with its handle,. ‘judging from. the sparse attend: ; ance and, pernaps more. significant, the small room allocated for. the. meeting. | Hikely to be. ‘the Prophet. recent. years, as compared. with a vo production decrease in. the-U.S. ‘As. far as the film industry’s ‘decried the lack of youth in the business. He. posed the question of | who. was. going to be making films | 10. years. from “now,. saying: that |. “you'll have bejter. pictures at that }‘time. if: you -help get: new blood into the. industry today.” * Younginterested in. ‘picture making, -he commented; and ‘it is “heartbreaking” because. they’ have. no place to go. Foreman did. ‘get in a crack -or government has been helping busi- ness in the U.S..sincé 1789 and if |" anyone needs help. today, it’s the picture biz, particularly as far as its image both at home and. is. concerned, He cited statistics on production and the the number of pix, produced. and the number. of Beople who go to ‘see them,. just as theré is in the} number of theatres there are.. -Con-FU$--0n Not that TOA didn’t -provide | “Formality’ | There... was. considerable © ‘more: pared speeches. It is. perhaps this apparently prefers ‘to: work alone. There are those who: feel that.a ‘two-pronged attack by two exhib organizations -; is more. effective: in: {the end. : There are ‘other differences. The : {TOA convention.“ was bigger in ‘every way. TOA did more for. its. own in the way of entertainment. ‘Even’ so, both: conventions. were. ‘judged. by the. participants: -to be the: best ever: The fact remains,. however; that there. are ‘basic: differences in. the two. organizations, ‘differences ‘that mayhe:' cannot: be. |-resolved. or . at least. will: not. be. | ‘attempted to ‘be. ‘resolved . now.: Forenlan came up: with aniew | Allied. bo ae ‘shairinan Marsan Neventually”. and. Stembler. wants it.“now.” Fine seems much more 3 Out at. Penn, Pitt. ne ‘Pittsburgh, “Nov. 5. Bin Moclair, manager of the ‘Penn ‘Theatre. here, and. his two assistants, Ron McClelland and. Paul Kreémin, have . ‘resigned. Charles Funk, formerly.in the. { managerial staff of the house and | assistant to UTAC exec V.p.: Salah ‘M. Hassanein, is here running the house until replacements: can. be. found. Ne: explanation available, >. SDAA ae’ See a tatem ate en ain -. . rene ak ns wet « ae \ Canadian exporters. . Foreman. said |, "| features: were covered ‘in the. pres= entation,. =| trailer: and .others by clips. -and ‘Show’ was keyed ‘to. the} ‘| theme :“‘Columbia’s Biggest Year,” | celebrating °:the . company’ *S. 40th | year in’ the: film’ biz. About 1,200 delegates;. wives et’ al weré esti-. ‘mated fo have. attended. the SRO show ‘and: it created. ‘quite. a. stir ‘:slidés:. “jection. equipment and slides which} proclainied, in color, the Col slogan | | nouncing. : Actual trailers . included : | Yum, Yum: Tree,” “The. Victors,”. . “Kilith,” Strangelove.” A: ‘raft. of: ‘other pix screen ‘was. used. Itis Columbia’ i plan to ‘as: ier | t : Semble this presentation into. a ‘explained that growth. of. the com-. ‘pany, which . also. maintains sales. | upcoming ' ‘product; modified as. ‘Tiecessary, aswell .as serving asa |. herald. fer. the. 40th year slogan. formality andthe feeling that moste | decisions are made: by committees |}behind ¢losed .doors that. keeps Allied members uneasy. TOA. has ‘the’ stronger machinery. to. get. things done. in, ‘say,: ‘Washington. . But ‘on su¢h’ really pressing. mat|’ ‘ters Allied usually joins with TOA | ‘and .takes advantage: of its. con-: -ceded abilities... In. other’ ‘natters: ‘of local: agitation and ‘such, Allied }in 1964. This ‘was ‘revealed: by. ” novelist,. time she has worked on a feature. ““Group,”. the. story of the lives and. | Th “Those Girls From a Canada, -— ‘Ottawa; | Nov: 5. “Selling: abroad” should ‘have ..| . been two words, Crawley Films. 4:0 itd... v.p.. Graeme “Fraser: ad 41mits in ‘his current newsletter, --¢ following. the one’ with ‘the. °| goof. “Regretfully ‘we anmounce that we are “not pack-. aging girls,” he adds. Short. was” “made to. help Columbia’s Presentation At TOA Required Crew of While: most. releasing companies participated in .a.-product screen-. -ing.:show for delegates at the, ‘Theatre ‘Owners of . AMerica...con vention-at the. Rivoli Theatre,, NY., last. week, “Columbia Pictures took the. occassion to schedule ‘a. special “yeception. ‘and. showing’..of ‘its product in the Americana’ s Im: -perial Ballroom. ‘a special and elaborate 48-minute ‘presentation. The. show involved a crew. of ‘14, three rear. projectors and .a_ few. Jense-changes in the |. ‘pooth projector, two live narrators | and. many. hours of work: by: "Bob | ‘Ferguson’s..ad-pub staff.” In all, ‘about 20. ‘npeoming “seven -by theatrical among the-.viewers. ‘Gems which‘ is itself a division of ‘Columbia, provided . the rear pro and otherwise set. off. the screen: ings effectively. John Cannon: and ‘Bob: -Marcado. ‘did ‘the. live an “were “The Cardinal,”: “Under ‘the. “Ships,” “Dr. “The ‘Long, “Straight “Jacket” * and: * “were ‘discussed. ‘or. indicated: via. ‘slides or footage. A ‘special 40-foot ‘touring package. for use..at ‘various occassions ‘such as the’. TOA conclave. .Details are’ ‘still ‘being worked out, including. ways ‘and means ‘to. compress ‘the crew and. envisioned, the presentation ‘would prestige shéwease for: Al Plans 2 More*Pix “London, ‘Nov.: 5.° American ‘International, which has just Jaunched ‘its first Anglo| ' “American ‘coproduction in partner ship with Anglo-Amulgamated, has | ‘plans. for two more joint ventures ‘James H. Nicholson, AIP .prexy, last. week. . Initial venture, now. in. ‘produc: ‘tion: ‘at: Associated British : Elstree. studios, is -““Masque of -the Red. Death,” an Edgar Allan-Poe chiller ‘Corman. directing. Two. other ‘sub -coproduction. in. Britain ‘next year. They. are ‘another Edgar Allan Poe “When the le Steger © Wakes.” “FELDMAN. WRAPS. ‘GROUP’ “Charles ‘K.Feldman. has”. “pure {chased the. film. rights..to “The Group,” number ‘one fiction: Dest| seller ‘for: ‘the. past several weeks. an. indie: production. “Screenplay ° will. “involve Mary" McCarthy, ‘the loves. ‘of eight. young women of: a ‘given. college class,’ is now in ‘its ‘unrevealed.. : Feldman: came. to Gotham. ‘over ‘the. weekend from London to com‘plete his deal‘ on the property: He has been editing his indie pic-‘‘Ten ‘Days to Pariang,” ' a ‘United Artists’ 1 release, in. that: city. 2 “4 For 48-Minute. ‘Show’ | -$1, 831, 000. by the end of ‘the third. quarter. “Reason for Columbia’ Ss “choice. 7 was: that the company had prepared | $15,481, 000. forthe similar period ‘in 1962, Matthew. J. Culligan, chair-. kindred readily. identifiable per sonalities. . Beaucoup Jaughs for’ a. ‘nine* month ‘period of 1963 were:| puck. $110,199,000;' in the | ‘first three} revenues were $107,010,000. -Cellomatic,-a division: of ‘Screen: ‘transfer of all local: activities will indoor parking lot for employees. la good reference book in his “Dic (The Writer;. $6): which’ lists some 20,000. characters. lh Gt. Britain for 64 | . plays: and ‘operas; “by 500 British. toanthologists. et. al. is obvious... before leaving here: for. Hollywood \turned a. $32,000-.-verdict.. against. an $85,000 libel suit: filed by Mrs.. ‘Bertha. B. Moore,’ an Akron politi order has. tied:up the Cleveland. property of. the P. W. Publishing | Co. Inc., the ‘publisher. Mrs.:Moore}’ starring Vincent Price; with Roger. jects have been already picked for ‘yarn and:.an H. G.. Wells: i story, -her an’“Uncle Tom.” She said that7 Negroes. usé the term to designate {someone who. sells out. his con-. Victions. ‘and’. others .of the ‘group ‘for. moneéy or ‘prestige. a ‘her, ‘but caused. her. atito license. “*}He. will make the. film version as 1: : “|Tom” first |-riett.Beecher . Stowe’s novel, “but third. printing,. ‘Burchase Brice” is N.Y... An .estimated. consolidated ~ “net | ‘Hoss of.. . $1,831,000. has been © re: ported by the N.Y. Times. forthe “I nine months ended Sept. 30, 1963. _'¥For the same. period’ in. 1962; con Times* 9-Mo... Net. “Loss © _.) solidated -net. income “was. ‘$1,552;=| 000. Net: income from . dividends | "| of: Spruce. Falls” Power & Paper -1Co., : reflected ‘amounted to -$878, 000 in 1963.1}. “compared with $934,000. in 1962... ‘in these © ‘totals. AN. ‘operating loss of. $4,431 000. was incurred during | the first quar| ter: of 1963. Publication . of the Times. was suspended throughout six:-months after the strike were. improved over the ‘same. period | last year and the first-quarter loss. was reduced. from $4,431,000 to The loss from. ‘operations in the third quarter. of. 1963 amounted. to: ‘$36,000 compared with a loss in: the third quarter, Of .. 1963" of. $125, -. 000. Curtis Cuts Losses = Curtis ‘Pub © Co. reduced its. losses for the first. nine. months of 1963 ta™ $4, 798,000, compared with. manand: président, announced.. : Net ‘operating revenues: for the quarters of 1962 ‘net. operating. For the third . quarter of 1963 pet losses were: $1,342,000,..compared with $6,438,000 for the third. quarter. of 1962. : ~Bender’s. Expansion: Matthew Bender &..Co. Inc., founded in Albany 74. ‘years .ago,. now one of the nation’s largest law. publishing firms and:.a-wholly-. owned subsidiary. of Times Mirror. Co,, of Los Angeles, revealed. last week plans fora $250,000" expansion: : program entailing a ‘shift of ton .Ave. location to’ office and. warehouse facilities at: 1275: Broad-' way; ‘North. Albany.. Expected that: be completed. by. next spring. President John’ T.: Bender ° ‘Ir. offices in New York and San’ Francisco, made. larger. quarters: _imperative. New. location. includes’ “modern office and ‘cafeteria setups and an: A Good: ‘Reference Book | William Freeman. has. compiled jtionary of Fictional. Characters”. ‘These are ‘culled | from over. 2,000. novels, short ‘stories, poems,. and American ‘authors.: Its value’ Abel. Uncle Tom’ Libel ‘Award _ A: Summit County common pleas court jury at Akron recently: .re | the: Cleveland Call & Post, Cleveland Negro weekly ‘newspaper, in cal. and. civic: leader, and. a court. claimed ‘she was damaged when the. newspaper .. falsely: reported. that. former Gov. Michael . V.: DiSalle, a: Democrat, . had . called She said this not only. humiliated agéncy’s receipts. to. drop. “Uncle originally was a’. deeply: ‘religious, subservient hero. in Har-. the. meaning “of. thewords. has ‘However, William O. Walker, pub lisher of the. newspaper,.° serving as Ohio” Director of: .In~ _Literat ti the first quarter because of the | N.Y. City newspaper strike which } ended April. 1. Earnings in the ‘to the captions © which, ‘the ‘captions: -with. ‘peefcake -tain” changed over the years,” she. said. now |. ‘dustrial. Relations under..a Re-|: publican.‘ administration, said the | . ‘term means “one. with whom you} disagree”: but does not imply dis-|.. loyalty..to associates. Walker said}, the editorial to which. ‘Mrs. Moore. | J} objected was: written by. Llewellyn _ Wednesday, November 6, 1963. { Coles, now: ‘administrative assistant to © ‘Gov. ‘James. Rhodes. oe The verdict allows: Mrs. ‘Moore $5,000. for financial loss ‘to her. former: auto license. agency,: $2;000 ‘to pay’ her attorney, and. $2 5,000. ‘punitive: damages. The reference citing: Mrs. Moore purportedly was. ‘based ‘on ‘remarks by. Mr.. DiSalle ‘at-a conference with Mrs. Moore and other Negro leaders in ‘Akron. ‘during: the. 1962 election campaign. Two: Fun Books out Being Anybody”. -agency -in. New. York, graphic. ‘studies look like somebody out of the. B&B: agency’s ‘clients | file. All the cliche. Mad: Ave. and other business ploys are graph-'. ically illustrated. with Baker’s able and betimes captious captions to MInatch. It’s a mirror on. the Ameri|. can. business male;: most. of :whom: +t | will’. regard. most of ‘it. with...good | humor whether from a subjective. or objective stance. a : . “What. Goes On Here?” (Citadel; ae $1).: ig even.-broader . in: : humor,’. ‘Matching zany and: offbeat titles to closeups of ‘pix, politico and One’ of . ‘the best, thanks. chiefly: ‘of course, makes these picture books, is “Foreign Film Fun” (Acme. News;$1) by. Fred Marshall.’ Quondam deejay: 7 and: :phonograph’ record | . producer, os | he evidences a.fine sense of wit in | ‘Culled.. exclusively -| from. foreign films ‘with such.-rece ognizable. pérsonalities as . Bardot, -. |Loren, Anthony Perkins, ‘Burton,. © Fernandel, et-al., these: are replete. and cheesecake, : Some of ‘the. shots. ‘are. eyeopeners solely on their boudoirmanship and creates. wonder how: they. even got. ‘by. on: foreign ‘screens. |its operations from present. Clin-. 7 Abel... ‘Best. Articles’ Anthology : Gerald: Walker, now. with. ‘the : ‘N.Y. . Times ‘Sunday. mag,: is ‘edit-. ‘|ing an” ‘anthology: of . “Best “Mag~ ‘azine ‘Articles’ for 1964 publica... tion. He will provide a critique of” each piece, and. each of..the:15. ‘selected: ‘writers will be: invited to... ‘comment. on. ‘the origin of idea, ° problems. ‘of research and so. on: : Post-pubifeation » -Tesults;.. } will be analyzed... Idea,. in. short, is’ a. professional _ ..| panorama of the: ‘art of the modern. non-fiction. piece carried out under assignment after. negotiation . with | an editor. It’s: one of..the how-to” volumes: of Writers’ ‘Digest. ‘There’s a $25 -honorarjum ’ ‘to. .the writer. ‘Waiker,. who ig active in the. Soci}ety ~ of. Magazine’ Writers, ‘invites. | Submissions. oe, CHATTER | Time. ‘Ine. ‘will build: ‘a. million | dollar distribution centre in North-: .. “T-west Industrial Park, Indianapolis, ©: + to house Silver Burdett -Co.,. text-_ | book subsidiary. The ‘warehouse. will cover 125;000 Square feet, and. will . be-: réady.” for operation by early next. spring: “The new facility. will process “85%: of Silver‘ Bur-... dett’s .book shipments, and in ‘ad-.. dition, a part: of the Time. Inc.’s. ‘pook division operation. will -be >. transferred: from. Chicago . ‘to. the. on new. facility. American: ‘Negro novelist and es: . sayist James’ Baldwin ‘received an ‘honorary: degree of Doctor. of Let ‘ters: from the University of: Brit ish Columbia.. Baldwin, . ‘recipient. -of . Rosenwald: and Guggenheim ‘fellowships... isbeing cited. for his - “Go Tell. Tt-On The Moun-. and: novels, sored. by the Society for. the Ad _Vancement. of. Negro. People ° ‘in’ Canada. ice, sold a yé to the: SatEvet Post. $1600 0 eo : “ta Send fo r confest rules and free Brochure: ‘on publishing your beek. + J ocularly-titled: “How. To Look. Like Somebody .In. Business ‘With-.-: (Prentice-. Hall: $2.95)" is.a--kinigsize paper-. back ‘original . ‘by ‘Stephen Baker, | prez of. the .-Baker~ & Byrne ad: ‘illustrated. by Ormond Gigli whose: photo-~ if. “any, a >“Another Country.’’While ‘in: Vancouver. Baldwin also: ‘addressed. an open. meeting spon . San: “Diego. VARIETY. correspondent Don Freeman,.tv ed of. San. Diego Union-Copley News: ‘Serv“on: “Andy, Griftith, in case. of fle, ‘depltcate’s pri es ett | Pageant Press| ter Fifth ave. n Y ¥ ol ad a