Variety (June 1959)

Wednesday, June 17* 1959 yARIEff PICTURES -SIX MONTHS FROM N.Y. Fred Schwartz, president of Hal 4- Roach Distributing Co. and of Dis-' tributors Corp. of America, is ne¬ gotiating with the parent Scranton Corp. to take over the Roach re¬ leasing outfit- Scranton is in re¬ ceivership and is being run by trustees. ... Schwartz disclosed in N. Y. last week that he was seeking to untie Roach Distributing from Scranton in the hope of running the organi¬ zation on.a profitable basis. Status of Scranton, with no funds avail¬ able to Roach Distributing, makes it difficult for Schwartz and his group to . operate, . though .the Roach Co. has handed the. releas¬ ing arm a successful picture in “Go, Johnny, Go.” rif Schwartz originally negotiated, the deal under which DCA trans- ! ferred its product arid physical assets; including its exchanges, to Hal Roach Distributing. DCA now. continues largely on paper, simply collecting advances which. it made to producers and to which Roach Distributing Isn’t. entitled. -Under the original deal. Scranton was to provide Hal Roach Distributing With considerable funds to allow it to acquire product,, etc. However, soon after the arrange¬ ment was concluded, Scranton’s bag of financial troubles . opened and the new outfit never got more than 20% of its promised funds. Schwartz said that, if a deal could be made with Scranton to divorce Hal Roach Distributing from the parent company, he now' had new financial backing that (Continued on page 6) Warner Likes TV, Exchange’s Fluke Mishap Dallas, June 16. When a . delivery boy dropped a large carton con- . taining four one gallon bottles of ammonia on the stairway of the. M-G-M office here, there . was a hasty, exodus of per¬ sonnel. The vapor of the liquid was so strong there .. were three vie ti m s hospitalized.. The vapors, were picked up by the. air conditioning ' system and. spread throughout the. build¬ ing. Unless the distri- antiquated' bution system that has been tra¬ ditional With’ the distributors Is revised, theatres in northern New Jersey and other areas in the United States where the strict “over-the-river” clearance policy prevails face disaster; Inability of theatres in these zones to obtain product when it is fresh and in the. public mind has resulted in wholesale closings: More and more exhibitors, are throwing in the towel because “they can’t fight any longer.” At least four more the¬ atres in northern New Jersey will .close between now’ and July be- , cause of the refusal of the distribs i to alter the distribution system. : : The foregoing is a sumup by Sidney Stern, president of Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey, of the problem confronting theatres in at least 10 sections of the country and particularly in north¬ ern New’ Jersey. Employing his area as an example, Stern, who was reelected Jersey Allied prexy at the unit’s annual, convention last . week, explained that the majority Cinerama Inc., the patent hold-' of theatres cannot obtain block¬ ing and manufacturing firm, has buster entries until the films have Jersey Allied Plans Appeal to State To Fight 55% Hike in Fire Insurance Rates; Conclave Reelects Stern Prez Pasternak on Actors Dallas, June 16. . Joe Pasternak, MGM pro¬ ducer, here for the opening of his “Ask Any Girl” at the Palace, was quoted by the Times Herald’s Don Safran: “There isn’t an actor worth a million dollars a picture. The only man. I’d give a million to would be the man who cured cancer.” “Actors, are like children. They’re adorable to look at, hut you’re glad when they’re in school;”. Harrisburg. June 16. Jack L. Warner, president of Warner Bros. Pictures, and one of 80 tbp military and civilian ex¬ perts who are participating in the fifth annual National Strategy Seminar at the Army War College in Carlisle, told newsmen “most television actors have failed in movies or have never acted in them with • success.” Warrier was quick to stress that he does like television. “Television has been a very* very healthy influence on the mo¬ tion . picture industry. It’s the ninth-wonder of the.world.” He said that most actors and actresses, if they have the choice, still prefer to work in motion pic¬ tures and if they are not success¬ ful there or can’t get started, then turn to tv to make a living, and. frequently do quite well: v Warner pointed out that the re¬ duction in production of motion (Continued on page 6.) The increase in fire insurance rates for theatres in New Jersey, up 55% since 1955, came to the attention of Allied Theatres of New Jersey at its annual conven¬ tion last week at Grossinger’s. This year alone, it was reported the rate was 24% higher than in 1957. The high insurance rate resulted in the appointment of a committee to discover the reasons and to see what could be done io reduce it. The committee visited the N. J. insurance rating bureau and dis¬ covered that theatres were brack¬ eted, with auditoriums and that as a result of three major fires in 1951, resulting in 100% remunera¬ tion, the insurance carriers had hiked their rates. Argument of the theatremen is that the insurance companies are basing their rates on the entire period of 1247 to 1957 and haven’t taken into consideration the dras¬ tic drop in maior disasters. Since most theatres have five- year policies, the Jersey Allied , „ ._ - __ _ _. . .... . rrvuu wsuui/u uniit has a ? re °d to wait another been holding . talks- with United played first-run in Newark, just 1 : year to see if the trend is suffi- Artists on the possibility of join- across: the river from New. York: .: , ... • cient so that, it can demand a dras- ing with the latter , in the produc-.'And the Newark downtown houses, I Aitnougn universal is senam 0 tic rate rc{ j llci { on plans are to tion of. a; new .Cinerama film: UA’s; he added, are riot permitted to play Cindy Robbins, a young starlet on consult with the N. J. Dept, of experience in the distribution of these pix until after they . have ; tour to plug “This Earth Is Mine,” ; Banking and Insurance. i com Pl eted their Broadway runs. : veteran screenuTiter Casey Robin- : . The convention, which reviewed Newark Far Behind | son, scripter and co-producer of. industry problems, reelected Sid- In many instances, he noted, the contends that the prac- officers anv -films dn Tint nnmft to New- .. . ... . . . oiiice.b :nev Stern as president. All other certain foreign countries. . many years • Productions banner. Out on a per- ago,”: Stern stated, “but With the ; sorial “selling” job for the first general exodus to the suburbs and - time /he receives a percentage of the. deterioration of downtown' the gross of the $3,000,000 produc¬ er eas hardly any Jerseyites bother ; tion), - Robinson whose previous to go to downtown Newark or to ; associations have been with the Jurgen’s Credo: Keep Hollywood Not Enough By WHITNEY WILLIAMS Hollywood, June 16/ Importance of a European actor making feature films in Hollywood to also continue appearances in films abroad for foreign producers is stressed by Curt Jurgens, Aus¬ trian thesp who last week com¬ pleted male star role in 20th-Fox’ “The Blue Angel.” Otherwise, said Jurgens, - who left,for London to make a person¬ al appearance July 3 for opening of J. Arthur Rank’s “Ferry to Hong Kong,” his popularity in the world market will wane, audiences, abroad will soon forget the actor. Chances of his being seen by for¬ eign spectators in American pix might be remote, due to the com¬ parative few shown abroad, he pointed out. Jurgens, who may be the most . active international star today, will make a total Of five pix this year, (Continued on page 15) Chaplin In Atlantic City. . Atlantic City/ June 16; For the first time.in many years ... T . ; . . ... ,, _ ir . , . . ■..■■■ . , ■ , . a Charlie Chaplin picture is here York to : see a film ” What is hordes of individuals involved In “The Gold Rush " which played, most frustrating to theatremen in; the production of a picture, said an all season stand on the board- this so-called “never-never” land,' he was impressed by the ’large walk when it was first released ! he Pointed out,. is the. arbitrary , number of people connected with opened at the Hollywood, a m id-i 35-mile limit set up by the dis- the selling of a picture. On his city house playing first run pic- 1 tribs. While the film companies tour he’s been running into Uni- tu.res, Sunday (14). (Continued on page 15) (Continued oii page 16) Frustra ting As East- West ‘Summit’ By HY BOLLINGER In many ways, the efforts of ex¬ hibitors to hold a summit confer, ence with the presidents of the film companies resemble similar attempts en; the international lev¬ el. Frustration arid delay have been the result so far. Last month’s “Geneva’? meeting, be¬ tween : exhibitors and distributors concluded, officially on a note of hope, but as far as the more pes¬ simistic. exhibitors are concerned, it was merely “a lot of hogwash.” The latter appraisal Came from a highly-placed exhibitor leader who, on the basis of the initial and precedental meeting between ex- hibs and distribs, sees little, hope for a summit conference or con¬ crete results if one is held. “I feel exhibitors are. just being kidded along,” he declared. . Despite! tlie herculean efforts of Stanley Warner topper S. H. (Si) Fabian: and RKO prexy Sol Schwartz to provide the leadership in bringing about a rapport with the film companies and the con¬ viction of many smaller theatre- men that the chains are facing the same problems as the independ¬ ents and are sincere in their asso¬ ciation yrith the American Con- I gress of4Exhibitors, there are in- i dications, of a growing disenchant- ] merit with the ability of ACE and • a deep-seated mistrust of the sin- 1 cerity of the film companies.. Angles A number of planned actions, ! involving ■; either lawsuits or ap- | peals to the government, have . been held off in the hope, that the | Congress of Exhibitors would I reach a peaceful settlement with [ distribution without the necessity | of exhibitors seeking recourse out- | side of the industry. However, there are signs that exhibitor j groups are preparing to unleash j their planned moves unless the j Congress of Exhibitors provides [them shortly with concrete assur- 1 ance-ihat the distributors are pre¬ pared to alter some of alleged damaging trade practices. Among the actions, set to go are'-Allied- States Assn/s appeal to the Senate Judiciary Committee for an inv.es-. tigation of the Dept, of Justice, for alleged laxity in enforcing the an¬ titrust laws: In addition. Allied Theatres of New Jersey has a com¬ plaint prepared asking the. Federal Court to upset the distribution system in the northern N6w. Jersey area. In light of the fact that It’s a few months short of year since Spyros Skouras, president of 20th- Fox, summoned exhibitors to his office and urged them to organize the. Congress of Exhibitors, there is general; disappointment at the progress that has , been made to date. As far as can be ascertained, Skouras and perhaps United Art¬ ists prexy .Arthur B. Krini and Loew ? s chieftain Joseph R. Vogel aappear to be the only company presidents that seem wMng to sit down at a roundtable conference with exhibitors. Would They Come? There is considerable doubt in exhibitor circles that Paramount’s Barney Baiaban, Warner Bros.’ Jack L. Warner and Universal’s Milton R; Rackmil would ever agree to such a meeting. Colum¬ bia’s Abe Schneider is an uncer¬ tainty, but based on exhibitors’ experience with Col exec v.p. Abe Montague at the fruitless arbitra¬ tion conferences. Schneider is be¬ ing ruled out at. the moment; Therp w?s some disappointment, (Continued on page 15) Kalmensons 10,000 WB Share Buy Ben Kalmenson, exec v.p. of Warners, has loaded up on the WB common stock. It’s revealed that on May 25 he bought 10,000 shares of the issue at about $43 per share, for a total investment of $430,000. (Not an option, note.) Previous to this Kalmenson held no WB stock, according to, rec¬ ords of the New York Stock Ex¬ change. Brigitte’s Confusion Week Honored in France While Slammed by US. Legion This must have been a confusing Week for Brigitte Bardot. In France, she was voted the best French actress of the year and honored with the Victoire Du Cinema, France’s highest film award, for her performance in “En Cas De Malheur” (called “Love Is My Profession” in the States). In New York, the Roman Cath¬ olic Legion of Decency condemned the same picture for its “unre¬ lieved emphasis on sensuality of a highly gross nature” Which, said the Legion, “makes <it) a serious threat to public and private moral¬ ity.” The Catholic rating body not¬ ed that the picture contained cos¬ tuming, dialog and situations con¬ stituting “an open flouting of Ju- daeo-Christian standards of com¬ mon decency.” The picture is distributed in the States by Kingsley-International in both dubb°d and titled versions. Company s*» ? d the film stood to gross over $1,000,000.