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MGM executives Robert H. O’Brien, president (top), and
Morris Lefko, vice-president and general sales manager, preparing for the company’s 40th anniversary celebra¬
tion, announced the most ambitious production schedule in MGM history. See story on Page 8.
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NO DOUBLE-TALK FROM THE SENATOR . . .
see editorial — page 3
ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1964
OUOL^
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The Greatest Raffle In Motion Picture Pioneer History!
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• 16-mm. Bell & Howell Sound Projector. . 1965 RCA Color TV set.
Winners need not be present to qualify for raffle prizes.
The Trade Paper Read by Choice-Not by Chance
founded in 1918. Published weekly except first issue in January and first issue in September by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporated. General offices at 317 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107. Publishing office at 109 Market Place, Baltimore, Md. 21202. New York field office: 1600 Broadway, Suite 604, New York 10019, West Coast field office: William M. Schary, 818 S. Curson Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90036. London Bureau: Jock MacGregor, 16 Leinster Mews, London, W. 2, England. Jay Emanuel, publisher and gen. mgr.: Albert Erlick, editor; George Frees Nonamaker, feature editor; Mel Konecoff, New York editor; Albert J. Martin, advertising manager; Max Cades, business manager. Subscriptions: $2 ^er year (50 issues); and outside of the United States, Canada and Pan-American countries, $5 per year (50 issues). Special rates for two and three years on apolication. Single copy 25<. Second class postage paid at Baltimore, Maryland. Address all official communications to the Philadelphia offices. Telephone: Area Code 215, WAInut 2-1860.
Volume 72 • No. 14
OCTOBER 21, 1964
OUR 46+h YEAR
NO DOUBLE-TALK FROM THE SENATOR
One of the dangers of unfair sales policies in the motion picture industry is the rapid way they spread from one com¬ pany to another. If good ideas and sensible policies made the rounds that quickly, the industry would be in far better shape.
Currently, a new gimmick is being practiced on theatremen by a few distributors which smacks of old-time monopolistic practices against independent theatres. This involves refusal to sell a picture to subsequent run situations until it has played the previous run despite the standard exhibition contract which has always provided for 14 days notice of availability.
Of course, this complicates the already muddled clearance pattern since theatres can’t be properly booked seven days in advance. Indeed, it is obvious that many bookings are lost forever as a result of this unfair sales policy.
This and other abuses of common sense make one wonder just what the word “policy” means as applied to motion pic¬ tures. The dictionary describes the word thusly— “plan of action”; “way of management.” To this we would add that a “policy” must have some permanence if it is to be understood and effectively applied. There was a time when sales policies in the motion picture industry had this permanence, and business was the better for it.
Today, exhibitors are kept in the dark as much as they are informed. Pictures are withheld from theatres 100 miles away from a key exchange town until that town has played them, all because one company started the idea. Yet some out¬ lying areas play other pictures long before they are available in exchange towns. The result is chaos and confusion, ac¬ companied by hardship for every theatre caught in the web
of uncertainty.
There is currently a concerted exhibitor effort to eliminate the evils of blind bidding. It should meet with success. The practice has been brought to the attention of the Justice De¬ partment, the Federal Trade Commission, and other federal agencies. They have studiously avoided taking a stand. While they vacillate, theatres close, and angry exhibitors begin look¬ ing to the courts for relief. One lawsuit could start a flood of court actions, and that will help no one but the lawyers.
No other industry treats its customers in such a fashion. One powerful U. S. Senator, made aware of blind bidding practices, replied as follows: “I am very much surprised at the motion picture industry practice of bidding and blind bidding, as this would certainly seem to he a case of inappropriate business practice.” Thank you, Mr. Senator, for stating in clear language what everyone else seems to be afraid to say.
While there is always a vast gray area between the white of right and the black of wrong, men of courage and vision must stand up and be counted. Blind bidding and chaotic practices in the selling of film are wrong. They must be eliminated.
Their prevalence is due to the product shortage and the lethargy of federal agencies, particularly the Department of Justice.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Not being certain whether or not the Senator would approve our using his name without permission, we have kept him anonymous. Rest assured, his letter is in our file.
COMPETITION FROM A CHOO-CHOO
It seemed that things were looking up for theatres as most of the distributor companies began to clamp down on the showing of 16mm films in competition with commercial houses. However, it remains true that no other industry competes with itself so continually as does the motion picture industry.
The latest in the films for free craze which spread from television to jet planes will begin shortly on crack trains of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. They will show movies for free and in color. However, the railroad’s head man says that if demand for seats in the movie cars exceeds the supply.
“We may eventually have to place a nominal charge on the service to control the space problem.”
It only takes one to start a parade. Movies on one inter-con¬ tinental jet flight took no time to spread to other airline com¬ panies and then to domestic flights as well. Now, large ads are taken by the airlines promoting strictly first-run photo¬ plays. There is a well founded report that distributors get from $65,000 to $100,000 per picture— which ain’t hay. However, it remains to be seen what the long range effect of such com¬ petition will be.
THE MAN MUST
If you ever tried to keep track of Joe Levine, you would have time for nothing else. The man must be sextuplets. He i crosses oceans as casually as we cross streets. He spans con¬ tinents more often than we change socks.
Filled with bounce and enthusiasm and the energy that an Olympic athlete must envy, he turns everything he touches into headlines. The latest Levine whopper involves transforming Carroll Baker into Jean Harlow while crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the company of the world’s press. You just know that one will turn into reams of newspaper space and photo coverage.
BE SEXTUPLETS
Joe goes out and does the things that most publicity¬ conscious executives only dream about. We have the sneaking suspicion that it is all possible because Joe doesn’t have to account for his actions to anyone but Rosalie and the two youngsters.
The motion picture industry used to be glamorous and ex¬ citing. For a while, it seemed to get deadly dull and monot¬ onous. Now it is fun again, and the reason is Joe Levine. Keep going, Joe! It’s a pleasure to follow you around the world and watch you make people everywhere movie-conscious again.
f stacked just right- to succeed /
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she’s got ^ just one thing on her mind- V the business L
CHARLIES
QUITE A
They don t make girls like “Charlie" anymore!
(They never did! )
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PACKAGEI
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Co-starring
Also starring
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Produced by
Directed by
Screenplay by
. ? j-p/ .7 I r r . - 77* / tt 7/ . Based on the play by George Axelrod
David Weisbart / Vincente Minnelli / Harry KurnitZ Produced on the Stage by Leland Hayward A Venice Productions Picture • CINEMASCOPE ■ COLOR by DE LUXE
Available for selected Thanksgiving dates. ..and genera! release at Christmas!
NEWS CAPSULES
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FILM FAMILY ALBUM |
FORMS FOR THIS PAGE CLOSED %jj^ BROADWAY AT 5 P.M. ON MON., OCT. 19 GROSSES |
Arrivals
Mr. and Mrs. Ray C. Ayrey, he is Stanley Warner Theatres contract manager in Pitts¬ burgh, became the grandparents of their sixth grandchild when their daughter, Mrs. Jack J. Gasparre, Jr., Haddonfield, N. J., gave birth to a daughter. They also announced the mar¬ riage of their son, Raymond.
Obituaries
Captain Harold Auten, 73, retired member of the British Navy and holder of the Vic¬ toria Cross, and former executive vice-presi¬ dent of the J. Arthur Rank Organization, and owner and operator of the Bushkill Manor Motel and Restaurant and the Bushkill Play¬ house, died at Bushkill, Pa. Survivors include a son, a daughter, and a brother.
Leslie C. Blakeslee, veteran Connecticut pro¬ jectionist, working in recent years in Bridge¬ port area theatres, died.
George Borthwick, 77, one of the early execu¬ tives of the Motion Picture Association of America, died at his Hillsdale, N. Y., home. He had been treasurer under Will Hays and Eric Johnston, until he retired in 1948. He is survived by his wife and a son.
Ollie Rufus Browne, 85, Raleigh, N. C., a pioneer in the motion picture business, died. At one time he operated a chain of houses in the two Carolinas and Georgia, and for more than 25 years was associated with the late Barney S. Aronson in the operation of the old Grand, combination motion picture and vaudeville house on Fayetteville street in downtown Raleigh. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and four grandchildren. Eddie Cantor, 72, famed entertainer, died of a heart attack in his Beverly Hills, Cal., home. He was a Florenz Ziegfeld star. Sur¬ vivors are four daughters.
William Infald, past-president, Allied Theatre Owners of N. J., died at his Passaic, N. J. home. He was owner of the Franklin, Nutley, N. J., and the Iselin, Iselin, N. J. He is sur¬ vived by his wife and a son.
James Hassell McKoy, 62, Wilmington, N. C., former theatre operator who for the past several years had been manager of enter¬ tainment at Freedomland, New York City, and at the time of his death was man¬ ager of Pirate Land, Myrtle Beach, S. C., died. In 1936, he pioneered in the 16mm entertainment and education field in Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. He is survived by a daughter, a son, a sister, a brother, and five grandchildren. Curtis H. Miller, 48, vice-president in charge of publicity and advertising and theatre supervisor for Claughton Theatres, Miami, Fla., died. He is survived by his wife and four brothers.
Joe Redanauer, employee of Meyer Adle- man at New Jersey Messenger Service for 39 years, died at his Barrington, N. J., home after a lengthy illness.
James Sandford, 64^ chief accountant for K-B Theatres, died at Sibley Memorial Hos-
Chrysler Chief Keynotes National Allied Convention
DETROIT — In his keynote address before the opening luncheon at the 35th annual Na¬ tional Allied convention, Lynn A. Townsend, president of the Chrysler Corporation, held:
Movies and autos should exchange ideas, especially in common areas such as drive-ins.
In both industries, large investment profit depends on volume sale.
The time-lapse between conception and final product is long.
Wheels and reels should study their diminishing share of Gross National Product.
Movies faced competition from tv, autos from such as boats.
He referred to advertising in both fields, mentioning that at the Detroit premiere of “The Lively Set,” the queues reminded him of press previews on introductions of cars each year.
He was optimistic for cars and theatres in 1965, but said the task of achieving success would be “demanding.”
Sochin To Rizzoli Films
NEW YORK — Irving Sochin has been named vice-president and general sales manager of Rizzoli Film Distributors, Inc. Sochin was formerly head of sales for Times Films.
pital, Washington, D. C. He was formerly a zone manager with Schine Theatres in Gloversville, N. Y. He was a member of Variety Club Tent 11. He is survived by his wife and a daughter.
"Poppins," "Topkapi" Lead Way
NEW YORK — Walt Disney’s “Mary Pop- pins” and United Artists’ “Topkapi” were the only bright spots in a dull Broadway week.
“MARY POPPINS” (Buena Vista). Radio City Music Hall, with usual stage show, re¬ ported $107,400 for Thursday through Sunday, with the fourth week sure to top $165,000.
“THE OUTRAGE” (MGM). DeMille claimed $13,000 for the second session.
“IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD” (United Artists-Cinerama). Warner Cinerama announced $14,990 for the 48th week.
“FAIL SAFE” (Columbia). Loew’s State did $20,000 on the second week.
“CIRCUS WORLD” (Paramount- Cine¬ rama). Loew’s Cinerama had $6,000 for the 17th week.
“LILITH” (Columbia). Victoria garnered $22,000 on the third week.
“TOPKAPI” (United Artists). Astor had $27,000 for the fifth week.
“FOUR DAYS IN NOVEMBER” (United Artists). Rivoli stated the second and final week was near $5,000.
“CLEOPATRA” (20th-Fox). RKO Palace on a showcase run reported $19,500 on the third week.
The Criterion was closed preparing for Warners’ “My Fair Lady.”
Suit Attacks Bidding
NEW YORK — Town and Country Theatres, which operates the Concord, Miami, Fla., has instituted a $210,000 triple-damage anti-trust suit against six distributors and competing theatres. The suit seeks to outlaw bidding as allegedly practiced in Miami, Fla.
Theatre Owners of America past president John Rowley officiates at presentation honoring American International Pictures’ toppers James Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff as “Showmen of the Decade."
Star Annette Funicello looks on.
October 21, 1964
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
5
Small Exhibs Urged To Unite
Boost In Buying Power Seen Via Franchise Plan Offered By Steve Saunders, Carmel, N. Y., Theatreman
(A MOTION PICTIRE EXHIBITOR Exclusive )
CARMEL, N. Y. — Stephan L. Saunders is an upstate New York exhibitor who believes that the industry climate, at least as far as exhibitors are concerned, has been getting progressively worse.
Saunders says, “Like the weather, every¬ one has been complaining about it, but no¬ body has been willing to do anything about it.” Saunders wants to do something about it.
Saunders told MOTION PICTURE EXHI¬ BITOR that he, like thousands of other small exhibitors throughout the country, is facing possible extinction. In 1948, he built his 430- seat theatre in upstate Carmel. He has owned and operated it since that time. He has also been active in many industry efforts to solve difficult situations. He conducted a personal campaign against the federal admissions tax which received national attention.
When tv made its initial inroads, he launched a national publication promoting movies. His magazine PREVIEW enjoyed a national circulation of over 300,000 copies monthly for seven consecutive years. He addressed the national convention of Allied on two occasions and received their whole¬ hearted support of his publishing venture.
When the televising of the Academy Awards was announced, he offered COMPO a pro¬ gram that would have meant industry spon¬ sorship of the show from the very begin¬ ning.
A few months ago, someone prominent in the industry told him that it would be a good idea to shut his theatre down. Saunders assumed that this advice would probably apply to thousands of other small independent theatres throughout the country. His house has always maintained a comfortable gross of approximately $50,000 per year. Two factors in his opinion contribute to the present des¬ perate situations: mounting and unfair film rentals and practices and spiraling increases in the costs of necessary materials and sup¬ plies. Faced with the prospect and advice to “get out of the business,” instead he has come up with a plan aimed at improving the lot of every small independent exhibitor.
Saunders is organizing “United Independent Theatres.” United will be a franchising or¬ ganization and is initially open to all inde¬ pendent theatres not grossing over $2,000 per week. There is one basic concept — every ex¬ hibitor who converts his theatre to a fran¬ chised United Independent Theatre gives com¬ plete film booking and buying rights to United. Other than this, the entire operation of the theatre remains the same. All theatre booking policies will remain unchanged — gen¬ eral house policy — number of weekly changes, single or double feature, clearance, etc. With five hundred, a thousand, or more franchised theatres, United will be in position to ne¬ gotiate more equitable film terms, Saunders said. There is no intent to bring unfair pres¬ sure, but only to work out deals that serve both parties.
Also, by unified direct buying for all the franchised houses United hopes to acquire
Charlton Heston, following completion of his role as Michelangelo in 20th-Fox's “The Agony and The Ecstasy,” recently conferred with Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., left, vice-president and director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation, in New York.
and offer to the theatres such items as car¬ bons, trailers and display materials, programs (including mailing to patrons), etc., all at savings over their present costs as a result of bulk buying. United will maintain a legal department to constantly combat unfair prac¬ tices in the industry and offer legal advice to any franchised member. A monthly news¬ letter will be sent to keep each exhibitor informed of current situations — offer selling promotions, etc. Advertising in national pub¬ lications promoting both the movies and United Theatres will be instituted. National contests will be organized through the fran¬ chised theatres.
To become a franchised United Independent Theatre, the fee will be $100 annually in advance, plus $10 per week. An additional small charge on every flat rental and V2 of 1% of the gross on a percentage booking will be made. It is hoped that the latter charges can be worked out at the distributor level.
United expects to send men overseas to acquire foreign film to improve the product shortage, Saunders said. Also, as capital re¬ serves build up, to establish a small loans department to make funds available at low interest rates to member theatres.
The fees to become a franchised theatre are in most cases less than present booking fees and costs, says Saunders. The distribu¬ tors would have a ready market for their product, run cn an organized basis.
Saunders hopes to start his operation on Jan. 1, 1965. It will be necessary for exhibi¬ tors to franchise their theatres now so that the business machinery can be put into op¬ eration immediately. Saunders stated to MO¬ TION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, “If we can franchise at least 500 theatres we can start. However, it is hoped that thousands will see this as the last hope for the small theatre. With rental terms and booking practices what they are now, the exhibitor gives up very little when he turns over his booking op¬ eration to United, and he has everything to gain. United could very well become the Howard Johnson of the movie industry. Make no mistake, we will die one by one or we will prosper together.”
To become a franchised theatre, advises Saunders, just send the following addressed to United Independent Theatres, Carmel, New York. “I want to franchise my theatre, send me the necessary forms.”
Early Response Good To Selig Research Plan
NEW YORK— The proposal by Robert W. Selig, vice-president of theatre operations for National General Corporation, to have the motion picture industry conduct an inde¬ pendent research study of movie-going habits and attitudes has met with favorable re¬ sponse among distributors and exhibitors.
Selig’s plan, a highlight of the seven points outlined in his keynote speech at the Thea¬ tre Owners of America convention in Chi¬ cago, has received TOA’s endorsement.
Peter C. Latsis, NGC’s publicity director, who attended the convention and then flew to New York to discuss the research program with distributor advertising-publicity chiefs, said he was gratified with the enthusiasm which has greeted Selig’s call for the survey.
Latsis said that the proposed project, sub¬ ject to approval by the advertising-publicity committee of MPAA, will be conducted by the Denver Research Institute of the Uni¬ versity of Denver. The project will cost a maximum of $7,200 and would be completed within four months of its inception.
According to Selig, the in-depth motiva¬ tional research survey by professional inter¬ viewers would be conducted in Denver. The Denver Research Institute is one of the most highly regarded in the nation and is classed with Stanford.
The reason given for the selection of Denver is that this city is far removed from either the east or west coasts and its entertain¬ ment influences, and yet is typically American in its movie-going habits. Denver has a pop¬ ulation of approximately 700,000 people and has been the scene where many successful motion pictures have been launched with big openings.
“This is an industry project certainly long overdue,” Latsis said. “In these times, only an intelligent, scientfic research project can furnish the answers to the questions which surround us in this changing age.”
New Classification Bid
ALBANY — Careful preparation by the Re¬ gents of a public statement on film classifi¬ cation for school children, and of a bill to effect this for introduction at January ses¬ sion of the Legislature, resulted in a delay until Board holds its next meeting here the latter part of October.
Plan is to “pre-file” proposal some time after Nov. 15, with Education Department’s “package.”
Belief is that new bill will propose volun¬ tary or advisory classification, with a tight¬ ening of conditions under which schcol-agers may be admitted, where they shall be seated; and what the supervision will entail. If a parent, guardian, or authorized adult is in their company, children of specified ages could view films classified as “unacceptable” otherwise.
Mounting signs point to a renewed attack by Motion Picture Association of America, Allied Theatres of New York State, and other industry organizations against “classification.” Strong support is anticipated from church, civic, and veterans’ groups. Also, possibly, from State Congress of Parents and Teachers.
6
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
October 21, 1964
MADE TO
Kill OR LOVE ON COMMAND
'!!
WOOLNER BROS.
presents
r- 1
...a masterpiece of SHOCK, in COLOR,
GEORGE BARBARA GEORGE DOLORES Wrth u CTTI
NADER NICHOLS ■ MACREADY - FAITH ^ICHARDARLEN T LONNIE SARIN™
Directed by HUGO GRIMALDI Written by ARTHUR C. PIERCE Produced by HU GO GRIMALDI and ARTHUR C. PIERCE E.ecutive Producer LAWRENCE WOOLNER A WOOLNER BROS. PICTURES RELEASE
BROS.
“FASHION HOUSE OF DEA TH” CAMERON MITCHELL EVA BARTf
MGM Celebrates Anniversary
begins
at iorty
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER, the larg¬ est entertainment enterprise in the world, has entered a vigorous new era of modem business expansion through the bold, imaginative programs and policies put into effect by Robert H. O’Brien since he assumed the presidency of the com¬ pany on Jan. 8, 1963.
Now celebrating 40 years of show business leadership, MGM is a growing organization that is international in scope and one that is constantly expanding into related field's of entertainment. While film production and distribution remains the core of the com¬ pany’s international operations, it is only one facet of the numerous business activities which substantiate MGM’s position as the total entertainment company.
The official celebration of MGM’s 40th anniversary will commence on Oct. 30 and will continue through March 18 of next year. O’Brien has made the celebration the occasion for a confidently optimistic and at the same time realistic appraisal of the company’s future. With the 1963-64 fiscal year, which ended Aug. 31, showing a dramatic and substantial upsurge in profits, MGM’s presi¬ dent foresees 1964-65 and 1965-66 as two of the most profitable years in the company’s history. Moreover, for the first time since its founding four decades ago, MGM will have its entire production and distribution pro¬ grams planned out two years in advance — through 1966.
Last July, O’Brien revealed that film rentals were at an all-time high, with the company earning a net profit of $3,729,000 or $1.43 per share for the first three quarters, as com¬ pared to a loss of $12,338,000 or $4.79 per share for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
Beginning with the first week in July, the company exceeded the $3,000,000 mark in weekly world-wide film rental revenues five times in eight weeks — an unprecedented event in industry history — climaxed by a fiscal year-ending 11-day period, Aug. 21-Aug. 31, during which MGM amassed more than $4,000,000 in combined domestic and interna¬ tional film rental gross.
The films contributing the most to these record-shattering figures were, domestically, “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” which garnered $2,001,566 in its recently-completed 10- week run at Radio City Music Hall (the first film to top the two-million- dollar mark in the 32-year history of that famed show- place); “The Night of the Iguana,” currently one of the country’s top grossing films; “How the West Was Won,” a film that is expected to exceed $20,000,000 in domestic film rev¬ enues; and “Viva Las Vegas,” which has
smashed drive-in and sub-run box office records nationwide.
Internationally, MGM prospered heavily at the box office with “How the West Was Won,” “Love in Las Vegas” (overseas title for “Viva Las Vegas”), “The Love Cage” (scheduled for November domestic release under the title “Joy House”), “Sunday in New York,” and “Separate Beds” (released in the U. S. as “The Wheeler Dealers”).
During the 20 weeks of its 40th anniver¬ sary celebration, MGM will distribute 15 new features and will have in production or scheduled for production the most prestigious, diversified and pre-sold list of properties in its history, in addition to continuing play- dates for two of the country’s top box office attractions, “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” and “The Night of the Iguana.”
Major attractions that MGM will distribute in the upcoming months are Martin Ranso- hoff’s “The Americanization of Emily,” starring James Garner, Julie Andrews, Melvyn Doug¬ las, and James Coburn; Martin Ritt’s “The Outrage,” with Paul Newman, Laurence Harvey, Claire Bloom, and Edward G. Robinson; “Joy House,” starring Alain Delon, Jane Fonda, and Lola Albright; “Murder Ahoy,” Miss Marple adventure with Academy Award-winning Margaret Rutherford in the title role; “Of Human Bondage,” Seven Arts Production starring Kim Novak and Laurence Harvey; “The Young Lovers,” Samuel Gold- wyn, Jr., production starring Peter Fonda,
Sharon Hugueny, and Nick Adams; “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” starring George Hamilton as famed folk- country singer Hank Williams; Sam Katzman’s “The Swingin’ Set"; Perlberg- Seaton’s “36 Hours,” starring James Gamer, Eva Marie Saint, and Rod Taylor; “Signpost to Murder,” with Stuart Whitman, Joanne Woodward, and Edwhrd Mulhare; “Quick, Before It Melts,” romantic comedy with George Maharis and Robert Morse; “The Rounders,” comedy-western starring Henry Fonda and Glenn Ford; Martin Ransohoff’s “The Loved One,” directed by Tony Richard¬ son and starring Robert Morse, Anjanette Comer, Jonathan Winters, Sir John Gielgud, Robert Morley, Roddy McDowall, and Rod Steiger; “Girl Happy,” an Elvis Presley musi¬ cal; and Ivan Tors’ “Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion.”
For the spring and summer months, MGM will have for release such outstanding films as “Young Cassidy,” starring Rod Taylor as the young famed Irish playwright Sean O’ Casey; George Pal’s “The Power”; the World War II espionage drama, “Operation Cross¬ bow,” with Sophia Loren, George Peppard, Trevor Howard, John Mills, and Lilli Palmer; “Joy in the Morning,” starring Richard Chamberlain and Yvette Mimieux; “Tiko and the Shark”; Martin Ransohoff’s “Flight of the Sandpiper,” with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Eva Marie Saint; “The Cincinnati Kid,” also a Martin Ransohoff production, with Spencer Tracy, Steve McQueen, and Kail Malden; “Murder Most Foul,” another Miss
8
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
October 21, 1964
Marple mystery starring Margaret Rutherford; and “The Yellow Rolls-Royce,” produced by Anatole de Grunwald and directed by Anthony Asquith from a screenplay by Ter¬ ence Rattigan, with an all-star cast headed by Ingrid Bergman, Rex Harrison, Shirley MacLaine, Alain Delon, Jeanne Moreau, George C. Scott, Omar Sharif, Art Carney, Joyce Grenfell, and Edmund Purdom.
Among the major properties that MGM has scheduled for forthcoming productions are “Dr. Zhivago,” based on the Nobel Prize- winning novel by Boris Pasternak, to be produced by Carlo Ponti and1 directed by David Lean from a screen play by Robert Bolt; “Scratch a Thief,” Jacques Bar-Fred Engle-Ralph Nelson production starring Alain Delon, Ann-Margaret, and Van Heflin; Carlo Ponti’s “Lady L,” to be directed and written by Peter Ustinov and starring Sophia Loren and Paul Newman; Seven Arts’ “The Hill,” a Kenneth Hyman Production starring Sean Connery, Michael Redgrave, and Ossie Davis; “A Fine Madness,” based on Elliott Baker’s Putnam Award-winning best-seller, to be produced by Jerome Heilman and directed by Delbert Mann; James B. Donovan’s “Strangers on a Bridge,” to be directed' and written by Peter Ustinov; “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh,” based on the Franz Werfel classic, to be produced by Pandro S. Berman; Hammer-Seven Arts’ “She,” starring Ursula Andress, Peter Cushing, and Rosen da Mont- eros; and “Caravans,” based on the James Michener best-seller, to be directed by Henri Vemeuil.
Also, Irving Berlin’s “Say It With Music,” to be produced by Arthur Freed and directed by Vincente Minnelli from a screenplay by Arthur Laurents; “The ABC Murders,” starring Tony Randall as Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot; “The Venetian Affair,” based on Helen Maclnnes’ best-seller, to be pro¬ duced by Pandro S. Berman; Leon Uris’ “Armageddon,” to be produced by Uris and A. Ronald Lubin; Evan Hunter’s “Buddwing,” to be produced by Douglas Laurence and di¬ rected by Delbert Mann from a screen play by Dale Wasserman; Alexander Cohen’s “Baker Street,” to be adapted from the up¬ coming Broadway musical based on the ad¬ ventures of Sherlock Holmes; “Nobody Loves an Albatross,” to be directed by Michael Gordon from his own screenplay; Morris L. West’s “The Shoes of the Fisherman”; “The Most Dangerous Game,” based on the novel by Gavin Lyall; and “The Secret of My Success,” Andrew and Virginia Stone produc¬ tion starring Shirley Jones, Stella Stevens, Honore Blackman, and James Booth.
Each and every one of these productions will be supported by an extensive advertising, publicity, and exploitation campaign specific¬ ally tailored to fit the production and designed to gamer optimum results.
With the advent of the new fiscal year and the launching of its 40th anniversary celebra¬ tion, MGM has announced a $50,000 domestic sales drive, announced Morris E. Lefko, vice- president and general sales manager.
To run concurrently with the anniversary celebration, the drive will divide MGM’s 30 domestic branches into three categories ac¬ cording to size, with a first prize of three weeks’ salary, a second prize of two weeks’ salary, and a third prize of one week’s salary going to the branches in each category that show the largest increase in sales. Every em¬ ployee in the winning branches will partici¬ pate in the cash prizes, as will the field press representatives assigned to the various divi¬ sions, while a separate contest will be con¬ ducted for the six Canadian branches.
“Girl Happy”
“The Americanization of Emily”
Additionally, prizes of three weeks’ salary and two weeks’ salary will be awarded to the two division managers whose divisions score the highest overall increase in total sales during the 20-week contest period. Too, the branch or division manager who has the most outstanding individual performance will receive an all-expenses paid European vaca¬ tion for two.
To aid the sales drive and draw attention to MGM’s 40th anniversary celebration, the company is making available a long list of accessories, including valances, paper burgee pennants with titles, buttons, bumper strips, decals, table tents, stationery and envelopes, anniversary slugs for ad mats and posters, and pens and pencils.
All communication media will be utilized, spearheaded by a special eight-page adver¬ tisement in the film trade publications and a comprehensive publicity, promotion, and ex¬ ploitation campaign created for newspapers,
“The Outrage”
“The Young Lovers”
“Joy House”
radio, and television that will underscore MGM’s position as the total entertainment company and its bright present and future prospects.
Being produced for theatres and television release is an anniversary film, “The Story of MGM,” which will contain film clips of 1964-65 releases integrated with scenes from memorable films produced by the company over the years, plus a visual description of MGM’s busy studio operation as it is today.
There also will be published, for distribu¬ tion to press, radio, and television representa¬ tives throughout the U. S., as well as to employees and theatre circuit executives, an elaborate, in-depth book that will cover present and future feature productions, memorable films of the past, and every MGM operation: studio, records, television, music.
Equally contributing to MGM’s 40th anni¬ versary celebration will be the company’s television production, records, and music arms. MGM-TV has five network shows at the present time, the returning “Dr. Kildare,” starring Richard Chamberlain and Raymond Massey, and “Mr. Novak,” with James Franciscus and Dean Jagger, and a trio of newcomers: “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” an hour-long modern-day suspense series; “Flipper,” a half-hour adventure series in color; and “Many Happy Returns,” a half- hour comedy series.
MGM Records and its Verve Records Divi¬ sion continue to release a succession of top¬ selling long-playing albums, featuring such recording stars as Connie Francis, Stan Getz, and Ella Fitzgerald, while Robbins, Feist and Miller — MGM’s “Big Three” — remains one of the most successful and prominent music pub¬ lishing firms in the U. S.
October 21, 1964
MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR
9
Wall Street Taking New Look At Industry
Allied Merchandising Manual Ready; Marcus Article Hits Erratic Release
DETROIT — Tomorrow there will be dis¬ tributed at the Merchandising Session of the National Allied 35th annual convention at the Sheraton- Cadillac Hotel here, the Allied Merchandising Manual, which has become a convention feature. One of the leading articles written by chairman of the Executive Com¬ mittee Ben Marcus is called “Let’s Stay on the Toll Road.”
In it Marcus likens and links today’s ex¬ pressways to the motion picture profession.
Expressways were developed to facilitate orderly traffic, and now, he writes, motion pictures must build a route for orderly ex¬ pansion and progress. “Feast or famine” re¬ lease create product jams, and the old route has become time-worn. This has given birth to blind bidding and disorderly release which are barricades “to the highway of security for exhibitors.”
To analogy he adds the likage by stating the expressways have encouraged the build¬ ing of shopping centers where exhibitors are now building, and urges other exhibitors to “re-locate in these centers whenever possible.”
While production has delivered outstanding attractions recently, “blind bidding, sporadic releasing, unwarranted playtime, and exces¬ sive percentage terms are strangling.
“No one is worthy of the name showman if he does not keep his establishment clean, bright, and attractive, with the theatre staff alert, courteous, helpful, and picture merchan¬ dising “intelligent and imaginative.”
“In any code of ethics,” Marcus concludes, “there must be a sincere desire by exhibitors and distributors to work in each other’s be¬ half. If this can be accomplished, more new theaters will be built, more older theaters modernized, and more people will be at¬ tracted to the theaters, large and small. It is only then we can truly say this industry is on an expressway route to a great and pros¬ perous future.”
After the convention, the handbook will be made available without charge to almost 6,000 Allied member theatres across the nation.
“The 112-page hard cover manual is a practical tool for converting a little effort and a little time into a lot of money,” Milton H. London, executive director, states. “Success¬ ful merchandising ideas and proven sales promotions guaranteed to make theatre opera¬ tion more profitable are completely and simply detailed. The book contains separate sections on market research, group sales, public rela¬ tions, newspaper services, promotions, ex¬ ploitation, special tie-ins for children and students, playground promotions, new season opening instructions for drive-ins, and vend¬ ing and concession tips.”
Basic Speeches Included
Recognizing the important role which the theatre owner and manager play in the public relations image of the industry and of the community theatre, the manual pro¬ vides basic speeches for theatremen to give before service clubs and church groups. Several effective speeches are included which can be presented in opposition to local agita¬ tion for either classification or censorship.
“Based upon the experience of prior years, it is certain the demand for this unique publi¬ cation, so highly valued by the nation’s theatremen will again exceed the supply,” London predicted.
Host of Honored Guests To Decorate Allied Dais
Among the honored guests who will be on the dais at the banquet climaxing Na¬