Variety (December 1954)

December IS, 1954 A®/fTr PICTURES 7 ‘U. S. RULE WOULD BE MURDER’ Universal Shooting the Bankroll Flexible Policy on Print*—Open Valve* for Picture- By-Picture Ballyhoo This is going to be “up the budg- et" year at Universal. Company’s production, sales and ad pub execs, at a Coast sales con- fab last week, heard U toppers out- line plans to make 1955 the biggest vear yet for the outfit which in *1954 has set new earnings records both at home and abroad. Bigger pictures, supported by U pped preselling budgets to mer- chandise the product, are the 1955 keynote for U whose execs reaf- firmed their determination to serv- ice the largest number of custom- ers with the widest variety of qual- ity product. “We believe in all systems. We will produce in any system the ex- hibitor and the public demand,” declared Alfred E. Daff, U exec v.p. “But, basically, we believe in giving the public the best we can in subject matter, performance and production value because- we believe the motion picture audi- ence buys its entertainment on the basis of three vital factors. They want entertaining stories, they want outstanding performances by personalities, and they want good production values which embrace directing and producing talent . . . We believe we are getting more dollars on the screen today, and we will continue to maintain the overall improvement in the qual- ity and boxoffice value of our product.” In line with U's “bigger and bet- ter'’ theme, Milton R. Rackmil told the sales session that the company had allocated the highest produc- tion budget in its history to the 1955 product. And David A. Lip- ton. v.p., stressed the extent to which U would go in exploring every publicity and advertising me- dium in plugging its pix. Feldman's Sales Drive Kicking off the new year for U will be a 17-week “Charles J. Feld- man Annual Drive,” which starts Jan. 3, 1955, and runs through April 30. According to Feldman, U v.p. and general sales manager, the first four months of 1955, cov- ering the drive period, will see the release of 13 top pix, three in CinemaScope and all but three in Technicolor. Two of the releases will be J. Arthur Rank productions considered to be of wide commer- cial appeal. Feldman, stressing the flexibil- ity of U’s releasing policy, said that the three CinemaScopers would be made available with both magnetic and optical tracks and could be booked also in regular standard widescreen form. Promotional activities Dy U on behalf of its release lineup in ’55 are expected to reach a new peak, according to Lipton. “In addi- tion to the normal pre-selling channels, we also are reaching into more specialized magazine, televi- sion and promotion fields "with both publicity and advertising in order to create a real impact on the infrequent as well as the fre- quent moviegoers,” he stated. Part of its promotional blue- PJint is a stepped up campaign to utilize tv both in the key and the sub-key situations. Acceleration of the company’s national merchan- dising tieups also is in the works. rust step in an intensified use ® r .tv came Sunday (12) when the Colgate Comedy Hour on NBC de- • c entire time to plugging bo This Is Paris,” the latest U musical from U. Stars of the film Curtis, Gloria de Haven u Gene Nelson—appeared on the show, and so did Jeff Chandler, , !' vai 'bled a tune he had re- oided lor Decca. Similar “teaser” : ' 0 , ws ' amounting in effect to an elaborate trailer for new pix, will v„n^ nanged in the futur e and "ont necessarily be restricted to Mml? 3 S '( U eXeCS S3id in N * Y * u !h day j 3) they were flighted t ! excited over the impact of YZ Colgate program which, in p ^ n opinion, demonstrated the *v >o n ' t h fi L c r go in uslng Author-Actor Bill Halligan Recalls Some Great News - jHtpermen I Have Known—and How! * * * a bright byline place in the forthcoming 49th Anniversary Number of USnlETf DI E SOON SCHOEPPEL RAPS By HERMAN A. LOWE Washington, Dec. 14. Opposition to Government regu- lation of motion pictures or any subsidy for exhibitors has been de- clared by Sen. Andrew F. Schoep- pel (R., Kan.), chairman of the Monopoly Subcommittee of the Senate Small Business Committee. Schoeppel made his points in re- ply to a letter from Albert Hanson, chairman of the trade relations committee of the Southern Califor- nia Theatre Owners Assn. Schoeppel. obviously angry, ac- cused Hanson of writing “misstate- ments of fact.” “half-truths,” “com- U Sales Policy Keeps Smallies In Foreground Hollywood. Dec. 14. Universal will continue its policy of selling standard widescreen prints simultaneously with the re- lease of anamorphic prints on all CinemaScope productions in the future, Charles J. Feldman, sales veepee, disclosed at the conclusion of sales session held at the studio. Company started practice with its first C’Scoper, “The Black Shield of Falworth.” so that exhibs not equipped for C’Scope films wouldn't be obliged to wait for C'Scope showings to exhaust them- selves before having a crack at the pictures. Service, it’s felt, will be on particular value to small town exhibs and operators of smaller theatres in cities. Coming under the sales policy will be such upcoming pix as “Sign of the Fagan.” “Captain Light- foot,” “Chief Crazy Horse” and “To Hell and Back,” all filmed in the 2.55-1 medium. Company is placing more and more importance on the small the- atres, according to Feldman. One of the reasons why studio upped its production schedule next year to 32 films was to help out such exhibs, he said. Big key theatres don’t require so many releases, he indicated, be- cause they get longer runs on their bookings, but the smaller operator | is in need of as many good pic- tures as he can get. To reach audiences for the small theatre, UI has started taking ads in the Family Weekly, a small town supplement, as a means of advising them of what’s coming up. Feldman reported. Studio like- wise plans to send players to small towns on personal appearances, in conjunction with big-city tours. “We believe that as the exhibitor has success so will we have suc- cess,” Feldman stated. the the a dis- the fa- plete falsehood.” “insults to Senate” and of seeking to use Monopoly Subcommittee as “catspaw” to pressure the film tributors. The senator reasserted that Small Business Committee vored industry arbitration but saw no fairness in arbitrating film rental prices. He declared that, despite Hanson's charges, there was no proof a monopoly in mo- tion picture production was re- sponsible for a product shortage. “You suggest as one of three so- lutions for the problems of the in- dustry,” wrote Schoeppel, “regu- lation by the Government. If I were an exhibitor, I would think a long time before I would urge Government regulation of my busi- ness. Government regulation is no one-way street. “I would not want the Govern- ment telling me what price I could charge at the boxoffice, what re- turn I could get on my investment, and having bureaucrats drawing up schedules telling me what pictures. I could play, for how long, and when. Nor do 1 see how’ Govern- ment regulations would cure the product shortage, unless you also expect the Government to enter into, or subsidize, picture produc- tion. Analyzes Problem “If I follow your argument cor- rectly, it boils down to the conten- tion that small motion picture houses cannot afford to pay the rentals paid by larger houses, and that some arrangements must be made to insure smaller houses getting pictures for lesser sums. If the exhibitor is to be guaran- teed against losses, some kind of subsidy is entailed. I don't .know whether motion picture producers and distributors would favor a sub- support one.” sidy, or in fact whether they can Schoeppel agrees an effective arbitration system would be the industry's best solution but adds that the Government cannot “prop- erly dictate the terms of an arbi- tration formula.” He reminds that “the Committee on Small Business felt that film rentals are not prop- erly a matter of arbitration for the very simple reason that a seller cannot be expected to do busi- (Continued on page 21) DAFF TO AUSTRALIA $36,000 in Prizes For Universal Sales Staff During 17-Week Drive Hollywood. Dec. 14. Total of 13 pictures will be re- leased by Universal during its “Charles J. Feldman Annual Drive.” starting Jan. 3 and ex- tending 17 weeks. Releases will be backed by one of the com- pany’s strongest ad-promotion cam- paigns. according to Alfred E. Daff, executive veepee, during the sales conclave at the studio. Program for the Feldman drive calls for the disbursal of more than $36,000 in prizes to U’s domestic division, district, branch and office managers, salesmen and bookers for the best selling results. Universal Worried About Lag In C’Scope Installations With one CinemaScope picture already in release and »t least one other completed. Universal is now- pushing the Australian chain book- ing its pix to install the wide- screen medium. Alfred E. DafT. U exec v.p., left for Australia from the Coast last week (11>, part of his mission be- ing to discuss such installations with Greater Union Theatres, the J. Arthur Rank chain, which plays the U films 'in Australia. Other U. S. outfit concerned is Columbia. 20lh-Fo$ and Warner Bros, go through Hoyts which, being 20th owned, is fully geared for C’Scope. U is facing similar problems in New Zealand and also on the Rank circuits in Britain. Latter, how- ever, are expected to have 400 the- atres equipped for C’Scope by the end of ’54. Rank houses in Canada have C’Scope and theatres in Sin- gapore, in which Rank owns a mi- nority interest, also are'equipped. PR’s Same Song, New Words Film Industry Clings to Traditional Picture-by«, Picture Selling—Neglects Broad Public Relations Indepondont Thoatro Manager John A. Goodno voices Hie indie exhibitor’s prayer: Good Pictures at Fair Terms * * * one of the many editorial foatnres ie the upcoaiieg 49th Anniversary Number of Pfc&iEfr DUE SOON Military to Run Films Fortnight Behind Theatres? • Washington. Dec. 14. Although Pentagon officials have not made any official decisions, In- dications are that they’ll agree to a plan whereby theatres on mili- tary posts will play new pictures two weeks after competitive local first-run houses. Present agree- ments with the film industry gives | the military situations three-weeks’ clearance over the first runs in | their local areas. Exhibitors have I beefed that this cuts in on their ! trade unfairly, particularly since admission prices are relatively low at Army, Air Force and Navy bases. Reps of both distribution and exhibition already have had two meetings with D. Walter Swan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of De- fense for Public Affairs. Pic indus- try is now trying to work out a map showing which of the Army and Air Force posts are so close to commercial theatres that the present three - week clearance should be abandoned. Presence is seen for the Defense Dept, relaxation of the clearance advantage. Not long ago the Pen- tagon abolished low prices of goods in many post exchangQs when mer- chants in nearby towns complain- ed. Denver Telecast Cost $1,500 Theatre Rentals, Eagle Asserts in Suit Los Angeles, Dec. 14. Eagle Lion Classics has filed suit for $51,500 in Superior Court, con- tending that television showings of “My Outlaw Brother” ruined its theatrical bookings in Denver. De- fendants are Benedict Bogeaus Productions, Quality Films, Bo- j geaus and Charles Weintraub. Plaintiff claims that Bogeaus, al- : though under contract to Eagle j j Lion, gave prints of the picture | : to Quality and one of them was shown over KFEL-TV. Denver, j causing a loss of $1,500 in can- i celled bookings. In addition to the $1,500, another $50,000 is asked for depreciated value of the film. The film industry, w'hile the most active user of bally methods to exploit pictures, are still ne- glectful In selling the industry as a whole, experts in the public re- lations field point out. All efforts, it’s no^ed, are pointed toward the exploitation of an individual pic- ture and no comprehensive plan has been established to bring about a favorable reception of the industry. The advertising series of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations in Editor & Publish- er to explain the industry to news- paper publishers and editors is considered a step in the right di- rection, but is regarded as merely scratching the surface. Metro’s announcement this week that it will spearhead a drive "to sell” the local theatre as a force in the community is also rated on the plus side. However, it’s main- tained, that the industry rarely takes advantage of its own special annis as a teeoff point “to sell” the industry as whole. There are many of these milestones which, properly exploited on an industry- wide basis, could benefit all seg- ments of the industry. These annis, as listed in Leonard Spinrad’s Day & Date Service, in- clude many historical dates which the industry can latch on to. For example, Feb. 11. the birthday of Thomas A. Edison; April 3, the birthday of the Pony Express, a date can be used for a nationwide celebration of western films; April 14, the anniversary of films, being date of the opening of the first Edison Kinetoscope parlor; July 6, anni of first all-talking picture (preem of “Lights of New York” on Broadway; July 12. birthday of George Eastman, 1954 being his lOOtti anni. (Eastman’s invention of flexible film made possible films as we know them today.) In addition, there was the cele- bration during the year of “Lights Diamond Jubilee,” which was marked on tv by the nation’s elec- tric companies but had no film in- dustry connection. Since electric light is a basic essential of films, it’s felt that the pix business could have entered the celebration in some manner. Coming up in 1955 will be the 75th anni of the New York’s Great White Way. This, it’s felt, should serve Broadway houses as a jump- ing off point to promote the down- town theatres. The first electric lamps were lighted on Broadway, from 14th to 26th streets, on Dec. 20, 1880. Christmas Shutdowns Oklahoma City, Dec. 14. Two downtown theatres closed here last week until Christmas be-j cause of lack of new pix. Harber Theatre will reopen Christmas day. The Warner will resume Dec. 22. Eddie Thorne, Cooper Founda- tion theatres’ general manager here, said the Harber’s doors were definitely closed because of “the shortage of pictures. No one is releasing any in December.'’ SUE BRYAN FOY ON PRC CONTRACT ANGLE Hollywood, Dec. 14. Chesapeake Industries and Con- temporary Productions have filed a $25,000 breach of contract suit in Superior Court here against Bryan Foy seeking to recover coin al- legedly owed because his last two PRC features failed to make money. Complaint recites that Foy in 1946 was PRC producer at $1,500 per week when he got chance to switch to Warners. To escape his contract, he signed agreement that he’d make “Trapped.” and “Port of New York,” for PRC with un- derstanding that any unrecouped coin by time these films were in release. Eighteen months could be recovered by PRC from Foy’s 15 r o of net profit on his first two Warner features, which were “Great Jewel Robbery,” and “Highway 301.” Former made no coin but latter made net of $117,614 as of last year-end, and more since, so that Foy’s share is $25,000. Plaintiffs who took over PRC setup say un- recouped coin on “Trapped" as of Aug. 31, 1954, was $196,124; on “Port,” same date, $265,059.