Variety (February 1959)

Wednesday, Febmary 11, 1959 P'SsuEfr PICTURES BRITISH TOLLVISION OKAY? See Doob Whipping ‘Ben-Hnr’Chariot Veteran Loew’s pub-ad executive Oscar Doob may emerge from re¬ tirement to assume full charge of a special unit charged'^th the ex¬ ploitation efforts on Metro’s $15,- 000,000 production of “Ben-Hur.” Doob was long associated with prexy Joseph B. Vogel. He’s living ■in Washington but has interrupted -his retirement on special occasions to assume industry assignments, the most recent being a campaign for the Motion Picture Assn, of America. Before exiting the company, Doob had been pub-ad chief and a general executive of Loew’s Theatres and a special assignment exec Of Metro’s pub-ad department under former pub-ad v.p. Howard Dietz. Maiden Interview For - Weingarten: There’s Coin By JIM POWERS Hollywood, Feb. 10. A cut in Hollywood film produc- . -tion doesn’t necessarily mean an accompanying cut in the number of film theatres, says producer Lawrence Weingarten. Patterns of exhibition are changing, and given . good, strong pictures, theatres can do better with fewer films than with a steady stream of the mediocre. Weingarten, partnered with Pandro S. Berman in Avon Pro¬ ductions at Metro, claims there is about $2,000,000 in additional rev¬ enue to be picked up by a really strong film from “fringe” houses alone, even after it has see ming ly played out in ether engagements. He is in a strong position to speak, as producer of Metro’s “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,” which is re¬ versing or upsetting many previ¬ ously rigid ideas about release and exhibition. Weingarten ' doesn’t claim to be any expert in that field, but like many film-makers he has sdme ideas on the subject. In his first interview since he has been a producer (31 years), Weingarten made clear he doesn’t think "Cat” is going to be the only film to hit top b.o* down the line. He thinks in the current crop that “Auntie Marne” probably will do the same, and that “The Ten Com¬ mandments” and (when the time comes) “Around The World in 80 Days” probably will also. What he’s cautioning against, is the idea that a cut in Hollywood production automatically means a cut in theatres. The idea has been propounded, most often by Samuel Goldwyn, that Hollywood ‘Should concentrate on big productions, and drop the program fare. Some of those in basic agreement with this idea have projected it to mean that it would eliminate all but top first and second run houses. Not so, says Weingarten. He points out that when “Cat" played houses which are ordinarily open on week-ends only, the film was played through the week for •engagements of 10 days to two weeks. He says in theatres ordinar¬ ily open the >eek-through, but set up to have three changes of bill a week (a total of six pix), 'tat” has held—often sold—for two to three weeks. Weingarten doesn’t claim he can turn out a “Cat” everytime, but points out that this proves that all the gross on a picture is not taken even on extended first-runs, multiple-theatre followups, etc. The exhibitor cry for more film wouldn’t be necessary, he points out, if the exibitor could get a dozen or so pix of this calibre a year. Such extended runs would take the place of literally, scores of program pix that are only barely profitable to all concerned. Weingarten isn’t expecting to follow “Cat** with anything similar. His production schedule, for Avon and Metro, is varied, at the moment . consisting of “The Travels of Jamie McPheeters,” “The Gazeb o,” “Sweet Bird of Youth/’ and “Strike Heaven in the Face/* among others. While the leadership of exhibi¬ tion has gone all out in trying to get pay-tv systems outlawed by U.S. Congress, there are some the- atremen who still look to-the box- office in the home as the ultimate solution, in the battle against “free” television. One such exhi¬ bitor is Dan Weinberg, who oper¬ ates Marva Theatres Inc., a cir¬ cuit of hardtoppers and drive-ins spread throughout Maryland. Conceding that he’s a voice cry¬ ing in the wilderness, Weinberg thinks the theatres are 'committing the ultimate folly in lining up with the networks and tv stations in fighting toll-tv. “The. exhibition wing of this business should be on the opposite side from the net¬ works by working to get toll-tv ap¬ proved, not outlawed,” he argues. “If exhibition gets another blow, and it may be the fatal one, it will come from the present system of free films on television in the form of the post-1948 pictures— and here we have all our exhibi¬ tor associations fighting side-by- side with the very medium that will ultimately destroy another major segment, if not all of our industry.” Can’t Be Good Both Ways The way Weinberg reasons it, “If outlawing or killing pay-tv is a good thing for the networks and tv station owners,' then by any line of reasoning it’s got to be the Dan Weinberg Sees Exhibs’ Blunder; Cable Ultimate Antidote to Ad-Video worst thing in the world for us. Instead of exhibition trying to kill toll-tv, it’s more important to kill .the thing that’s killing us—free ’movies. The logical way to stop pictures from being given away is to put a boxoffiqe in the homes.” Weinberg, who has more sym¬ pathizers among exhibitors than he thinks, believes that the exhi¬ bitor organizations should -“get on the right track and reverse them¬ selves by supporting pay-tv” which, ultimately, “could provide the means of great prosperity for the alert exhibitor who jumps in and becomes the owner and oper¬ ator of pay-tv in his community, whether alone or in association with his competitors.” Exhibition, via the trade asso¬ ciations, officially has taken a strong stand against any form of pay-tv, even to the extent of try¬ ing to get wire-tv into the homes outlawed. In the process this would also knock out theatre tele¬ vision. However, despite this “of¬ ficial” stand, a surprising number of theatremen retain their interest in the potential of pay-tv, and the various toll systems insist they’re getting a good many inquiries from local exhibitors on how they might fit into the systems. Theatre Experiment It was, after all, a theatre chain in Oklahoma which undertook the costly experiment at Bartlesville which was designed simply to es¬ tablish whether or not the public would pay for good pictures on tv. At the opposite end of the argu¬ ment are those who, argue that any toll'system would kill the theatres stone-dead since people would just stop going to the theatres except for some special attractions. The networks take the view that, should pay-tv arrive at the scene, it could easily destroy the present structure of sponsored video. For them, any pay system would set up an intolerable competition for programming, a competition that certainly would* extend to motion pictures. To Weinberg, the exhibition at¬ titude is foolish because “We are doing the same thing today about toll-tv that the film industry did when television was in its infancy. Instead of nursing and pioneering television years ago, our industry saw fit to ignoiie it and fight it when we had the opportunity to play a major role in bringing it to life and ultimately control it." Pay-tv, he believes, could give exhibitors the vital “in” on the tv business and could “provide a better and more lucrative market for the post-’48 films whereby ex¬ hibitors and owners of those films will benefit. Home viewers will be paying to. see both the old and new films, and we won’t be com¬ peting with the present system of free movies—commercially spon¬ sored.” Yanks Soothed National Boxoffice Survey Re Argentina Serious situation facing Amer¬ ican film importers under the new Argentine import regulations has resolved itself, with Yank outfits now assured, they won’t have to pay any surcharges and, very like¬ ly, also will be exempt from having to make deposits. News has been received. with considerable relief by the Motion Picture Export Assn. For a while, it. had looked As if the burden of the new regulations would be too much to continue operations in Argentina, which is a $6,000,000 market. Specific status of U.S. films in the Argentine trade scheme hasn’t been established yet. If nothing is changed, films may go free, subject only to a prior agreement under which annual imports are held to 200 tops. At this moment, and for the past several months, the U.S. companies have been paying a 100% deposit on invoice value, re¬ fundable in 80 days. This practice may or may not be continued. If films are put into category one, they may have to pay a raised deposit, refundable in 180 days, but they'll still be exempt from the surcharge. The general status of the Yank product was clarified in'the wake of conversations between Robert J. Corkery, the MPEA v.p, in charge of Latin America, and two high Argentine officials, Del Cario, Minister of Economic Affairs, and Horatio A. Portela, economic ex¬ pert in the Ministry of Foreign Af¬ fairs. Both were in the States re¬ cently. Argentina has established four “essential” import categories. Items not listed in them have to pay a 300% surcharge-and a 500% cus¬ toms bond. Under these rules, films would have had to ~pay $880,000 in annual surcharges and $1,500,000 in deposits annually. Trade Still Strong; ‘Marne’ Again No. 1, ‘Running’ 2d r ‘Inn’ 3d, ‘Furlough’ 4th, ‘Gigi’ 5th Even though most key cities are loaded down with longruns, first- run biz still is continuing at fast • clip, particularly for this season of [ year. Several communities had a ] respite from a long stretch of j frigid weather, and this was help¬ ful. Some of the films launched over the year-end holidays still are proving strong in keys covered by Variety currently. “Auntie Marne” (WB) again , is No. I picture, same .as last week and for many sessions prior to that. “Some Came Running” (M-G) again is finishing second, same spot it held a week ago. “Inn of Sixth | Happiness" (20th) wound up third : as compared with fourth place last round. “Perfect * Furlough” (U) is cop¬ ping fourth money. It was third a week ago. “Gigi” (M-G) is moving up from eighth to land in fifth spot. “South Seas Adventure” (Cinerama) is finishing sixth as compared with fifth last week. “South Pacific” (Magna) is cap¬ turing seventh position. In eighth place is “Rally Round Flag, Boys” (20th), first time it has been out enough to place in the ratings. “Separate Tables” (UA) again is landing in ninth spot • - “Windjammer" (NT), with a burst of strength in some keys; is pushing to 10th place/ “I Want To Live” (UA) will wind up 11th while “Up Periscope” (WB), a newcom¬ er, rounds out the Top 12 list.' Romulus Eyes Geo. Nader Hollywood, Feb. 10. George Nader, Who exits as the lead of NBC-TV’s “Ellery Queen” series shortly, is being paged by Romulus Films to star in .“SOS Pacific/’ Written by Eric Ambler. Film is. due to roll in.. England early in April. “Bell, Book, Candle” (Col), “Anna Lucasta” (UA). “My Uncle” (Cont) and “Horse’s Mouth” (Lopert) are the runner-up pix. “The Trap” (Par) shapes drab to nice on its four playdates this ses¬ sion. “Black Orchid,” from the same company, is rated smart in Philly. “Sleeping Beauty” <BV) still was smash in second L.A. week. “Last Mile” (UA), good in Seattle, looms fair in Frisco and so-so in Providence. “Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker” (20th), big in K.C., looms socko in Omaha and sturdy in St. Louis. “Last Blitzkrieg” (Col), okay in Minneapolis, is highly disappoint¬ ing in N. Y. ard Toronto. “House on Haunted Hill” (AA), smash in Detroit, is lofty in Boston. “Roots of Heaven” (20th), okay in Cincy, is fair in Philly. “Around World in 80 Days” (UA), solid in L.A., is rated near capacity on sec¬ ond week in Toronto. “Old Man and Sea” (WB) shapes soft in L.A. “Doctor's Dilemma” (M-G), fine in Balto, looms good -in ]Jf. Y. and Detroit. “Tonka” (BV), nice in Louisville and Portland, shapes gopd in Minneapolis. “Tom Thumb” (M-G) is socko in Chi. “1,000 Hills” (20th) looks fair in Balto. “Night To Remember" (Rank) shapes fine in N. Y. on longrun. (Complete Boxofice Reports on Pages 8-9-10 ). Cable Advance On Oscar ? National Broadcasting Co. has offered a free half hour of closed circuit time to the industry;to preview some of the arrangements for the April 6 Academy Awards telecast. NBC also will undertake an ad campaign in key cities to plug the Oscar show. Date for the closed circuit pow hasn’t been set. It’ll be part of a host of other activities designed to generate maximum interest in the Awards radio and telecast, Harry McWilliams, the industry promotional coordinator for the show, told the ad-pub directors committee in N.Y. last week. Top stars are currently preparing 10 and 20 second tape spots plugging the Oscar show, which again will be sponsored by the film biz and will be produced by Jerry Wald with a format said to be radically different from that of former years. Promotional drive for the Oscar telecast goes into full gear on Feb. 23 when the nominations will be announced.' , According to the Academy, 217 North American and 35 Canadian tv stations will carry the Oscarcast which is due to run 105 min¬ utes. With Alaskan stations added, there’ll be 199 radio outlets covering the full show. Last year’s NBC telecast of the awards' was seen by, anjestioiatsd 80,000,000 viewers and by additional mil-, lions via film bn foreign tv stations. London, Feb. 10. Britain’s Postmaster General, Ernest Marples, has agreed in principle to the adoption of a pay- as-you-view television system in Britain, modelled on the Skiatron process. Introduction of the sys¬ tem, however, would probably call for special Governmental legisla¬ tion and it is unlikely that toll tv could be introduced into Britain before a number of years. Matthew Fox, who acquired con¬ trol of the Skiatron process in America a few years back, is due in London this week. It is believed that the main purpose of his visit is to confer with Isaac Wolfson, the head- of Great Universal Stores, who is one of Britain's leading financiers. Wolfson, who was one of the orig¬ inal backers of the Kemsley-Win- nick tv group, and who is also contemplating entering the record business, is reportedly ready to find the British coin necessary to finance the introduction of a toll television system in Britain, pro¬ vided the Government greenlight went in favor of Skiatron. That method, if adopted, would elimini- nate much of the financial risk involved, as the system would be linked directly to telephone ex¬ changes and advance payments from subscribers would cushion losses from possible defaulters. With 8.000,000 receivers already in use in Britain, a pay-as-you- view system could yield a fast and handsome return to any film pro¬ ducer, as well as contributing to a substantial “gate” for sports pro¬ moters. The Skiatron process could, of course, also be used in picture theatres. Harris Cold-Eyes Skiatron Coast Baseball Deals Washington, Feb. 10. Rep. Oren Harris (D-Ark.), a po¬ tent pay-tv foe, had a comment af¬ ter reading widely published Asso¬ ciated Press report last Friday (6) that Skiatron TV, Inc., hoped to have Los Angels Dodgers and San Francisco Giants on subscrip¬ tion television by approximately July 1. “We,” said Harris of the House Commerce Committee which he chairmans, “intend to go carefully into this Skiatron baseball matter when we open our pay-tv hirings at an early date.” Skiatron has previously said its Coast tollvision deal with baseball and telephone companies is outside any federal jurisdiction. And Harris has previously said h’s committee wants to see what the law says about it and (signifi¬ cantly) take under studv whether the law should be changed. Harris’ own feevee bill, forming the basis for his subscription tv hearings which are expected to start late this month or early in March, would outlaw pay-tv except for limited experiments (trial runs in selected cities). Harris, in an interview, said there are “questions” in his mind as to whether Skiatron Is now im¬ mune to federal regulation in the Coast deaL Meanwhile, it appeared the Sen¬ ate Commerce Committee will sit still on the tollvision issue until after the Harris committee finishes its hearings and sends legislation on the subject through the House to the Senate. Frisco Very Skeptical San Francisco, Feb. 10. San Francisco reaction toward AP’s New York report that Skia¬ tron expects to cable Giant-Dodger ball games on Coast by July 1 was a stifled yawn.