Boxoffice-October.01.1955

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TOPIC
number one in the entertainment
business here has been televisioncommercial
television. On Thursday
night, September 22, history was made in
Britain when, before an estimated viewing
public of over a million people, the first
commercial television show was telecast from
London.
Blessed by the presence of no less than the
Postmaster General, Dr. Charles Hill, the
Lord Mayor of London and the chairman of
the Independent Television Authority, 800 or
more leading figures in the financial, political
and the entertainment world attended a
banquet at the historic ancient Guildhall to
celebrate the launching of the new opposition
to the British Broadcasting Co. and, in particular,
the film industry. The cameramen of
Associated Rediffusion and Associated Broadcasting
focused viewers attention on this distinguished
gathering which received almost
the same awed commentary as the BBC gave
the Coronation. The banquet was followed
by a slickly produced variety show, extracts
from three plays starring Margaret Leighton,
Sir John Gielgud, Alec Guinness, John
Clements and Kay Hammond; 50 minutes of
first-rate boxing presented by Jack Solomons,
a mannequin parade, a newsreel, some firstclass
cabaret, plus, of course, the commercials.
In Britain, all commercial TV programs
are the responsibility of the program contractors
and are not sponsored, as in the
United States, by the advertiser. Press comment
on both the shows and the commercials,
which were inserted before, at the end
of, and in between certain definite natural
breaks in the shows, ranged from "fair" to
"good." Many newspapermen, however, noted
that few of the commercials surpassed those
presented with much .skill and ingenuity on
British cinema screens by the J. Arthur Rank
and the Pearl and Dean .screen advertising
services.
Bearing in mind the commercial television
operators had slightly less than ten months
to organize a TV counterpart of the BBC,
the job was well done and commercial television
proved to possess as much know-how
and show-how of entertainment techniques
to satisfy the most critical viewers. The big
problem facing the program contractors,
A.s.sociated Rediffusion, Monday to FYiday in
the London and Home counties region, Associated
Broadcasting, London weekends and
Birmingham weekdays, Granada, Manchester
in the North weekdays, and As.sociated British
Cinemas (Television), Ltd., Manchester
and North, Birmingham and Midlands weekends,
will be the question of how much money
advertisers will place at their disposal. To
begin with, not a lot. The Midland and
Manchester stations will not be operating, at
least, before the end of the year, and a large
percentage of potential viewers are not hurrying
to have their sets adapted to the new
wave band.
There was hardly any reaction to business
in the London cinemas. A 5 per cent decline
was noticed In those cinemas showing below
average programs; the big films held their
own.
It Is difficult to realize that Wardour
Street will not see Maxie Thorpe, chairman
— By ANTHONY GRUNER
of Columbia Pictures, around any more.
Maxie died last week after a prolonged illness.
He was only 58. He represented a
breed of showman that is fast dying out in
the business. A shrewd, dynamic personality,
Maxie treated the film business in the way
that General Patton treated war ... he was
a blood-and-guts salesman who fought to the
last farthing for his company and its product.
Maxie entered the industry shortly after
the first World War, a student salesman with
Universal at Newcastle-on-Tyne. Soon he
became Manchester branch manager and then
London manager. He next became sales manager
of Warners and launched their talking
picture sales policy in Britain. He joined
Columbia in 1933 and three years later was
invited to join the board of directors.
Maxie did a terrific job of work in holding
the fort for his company during the war and
was appointed managing director of Colum-
affection.
Sir Alexander Korda must have got the
surprise of his life, when he learned that
"Richard III," with Laurence Olivier, had not
been selected as this year's choice for the
Royal Film Performance. Instead, Paramount's
VistaVision light comedy thriller "To
Catch a Thief," directed by Alfred Hitchcock,
starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant was
chosen. The committee responsible for the
choice had quite a selection to view, including
John Huston's "Moby Dick," "Oh. Rosalinda,"
with Mel Ferrer and Michael Redgrave,
but it was "Richard III" that everyone
in the know said would get the award.
Sir Alex had even cancelled a special premiere
which a member of the Royal Family
would have attended in order not to prejudice
his chances for this year's Royal Show. Now
he will have to think again. Knowing Sir
Alex, however, he is bound to turn up with
something quite sensational. Meanwhile
Queen Elizabeth and Piince Phillip will see
"To Catch a Thief" on October 31 at the
Odeon, Leicester Square, the night's proceeds
of which will go to Cinematograph Trade
Benevolent F^ind.
Sir Michael Balcon, chief of Ealing Studios,
has been airing his views on the effect
that television will have on the boxoffice.
In an interview with Roy Nash, film critic
of one of Britain's biggest national papers.
Sir Michael says he doesn't believe Britain
win suffer the drop In cinema admissions
that followed the reintroduction of television
in Britain Just after the war. "This, unfortunately,
coincided with a run of very poor
films. Those being turned out today are of
a much higher quality." In answer to
whether the cinema can bring back audiences
lost to television. Sir Michael Is very optimistic:
"People will never lose the urge to go
out to see a show. The cinema with its two
feature films and a newsreel is still the best
value-for-money entertainment of them all!"
Sir Michael, who has maintained a steady
output of four to five features a year, mostly
in color, has not yet been sold (as far as
Ealing Studios is concerned
i on the new
techniques, such as Cinemascope and stereophonic
sound. When Roy Nash asked him
whether film producers should concentrate on
the more spectacular type of story using all
the latest screen processes. Sir Michael said
•No—not merely for spectacle's sake, although
the cinema should. I admit, do the things
that TV cannot do.
"What interests people at the cinema is a
good story about real people with whom they
can identify themselves. All the rest is
really trimming."
Sir Herbert Wilcox is nothing, if not a
great showman. Unscared of television is
this veteran film producer, whether BBC or
commercial. Already he has amiounced plans
for his new film, "Kings Rhapsody," starring
Anna Neagle and Errol Flynn, to be thoroughly
publicized on television in no fewer
than six key spots. He scored a great achievement
in persuading Associated Rediffusion
to give him a 30-minute show on October 26
bia in 1949 . becoming a vice-president
of Columbia Pictures International Corp.
It was his serious internal illness that forced
him to resign the managing directorship last
in connection with the premiere of the film.
month. Maxie's belief in Columbia and the
The interesting point is that the viewers will
film industry was a byword in the trade. He
not see one minute of "Kiiigs Rhapsody."
never sought personal popularity, but he
They will see Miss Neagle leaving home for
achieved the respect of exhibitors and renters
the theatre, arriving there with the other
alike. When his death was announced
leading personalities, will watch performances
there were few people in the trade who did
not remember him with a warm burst of
of Robert Farnum's orchestra on the stage,
and will generally hear everything about
"Kings Rhapsody" from the cast, producer
and friends of the late Ivor Novello, who
wrote the original musical comedy. If this
shouldn't tantalize the viewers, nothing will.
"Kings Rhap.sody" will be distributed by
United Ai-tists in the U. S.
News in Brief: Arthur Abeles. British chief
of Warner Bros., held a three-day conference
of his branch managers on September 27 to
discuss the handUng of new product. They
were shown "Pete Kelly's Blues," "Mister
Roberts," "Land of the Pharaohs" and "Helen
of Troy" .
and Lady Mountbatten
are to be the guests of honor at the next
luncheon of the British Variety Tent on
October 11 at the Savoy Hotel, at which Sam
Eckman jr. will be King for the Day .
For the first time in the history of the circuit.
Associated British Cinemas will be
bringing back a film for general release
within a month of having completed its
London release. The picture is the recordbreaking
"Dam Busters," starring Richard
Todd and Michael Redgrave and directed by
Michael Anderson . Cinema Exhibitors
Ass'n will be holding a meeting on October 5
to consider proposals for a revision of the ne
association's constitution. Object being
streamline the organization in line with thi
current shortage of finance owing to th 3
absence of the Rank theatres affiliation witl"
this body . Film Industry Publicitj
Circle will hold a testimonial luncheon foi
Connery Chappell, former editor of Kinf
Weekly and Picturegoer, and now edltor-li
chief of Illustrated, one of Britain's top pic
ture magazines Robert Clark ha
.
bought the film rights of "H.M.S. Ulysses,
an outstanding first novel by Scottish school
master Allstair MacLean. This is the story c
the perilous wartime operations of the Britlsl
convoy route to north Russia.
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BOXOFFICE October 1, 19!