Boxoffice-May.12.156

: May
National Film Service
Eyes Trailer Market
NEW YORK—The motion picture Industry
may get a new entry in the field of producing
trailers and manufacturing accessories.
This step may be taken by the rapidly expanding
National Film Service, which already
is servicing a number of companies in the
handling of prints, including inspection, shipping
and delivery, and is putting up central
shipping buildings in a number of cities.
The development came at the semi-annual
meeting of the organization here this week.
The meeting continued unexpectedly to the
weekend because of "developments pending in
negotiations."
Chester M. Ross, executive vice-president,
would say only that the negotiations were
with an unidentified distributor, concerned
nationwide service and that several announcements
can be expected in about a week.
He said the meeting also had been called
to discuss the billing, collection and backroom
work done for Buena Vista—the Walt
Disney distribution firm—which is handled
in all 33 NFS depots.
The board heard a report on the recent
signing with BKO in Chicago and New York
and Allied Artists in New York for backroom
work, as well as a rundown on the new
facilities in Salt Lake City and Butte and
the proposed new depot in Atlanta.
National Film Carriers at the .same time
held its annual meeting. Ira S. Stevens, NFS
executive secretary, was named to the same
post with NFC, replacing Clint Meyer, who
resigned because of ill health.
Ray Trampe. Milwaukee, was elected president.
M. S. Wycoff, Salt I^ake City, vicepresident,
and George Callahan, Pittsburgh,
treasurer. Named to the executive committee
were M. H. Brandon, Memphis, chairman:
Callahan, Earl Jameson jr., Kansas City:
Trampe and John Harmon Vickers jr., Charlotte.
The new board of governors consists of
Meyer Adleman, Philadelphia: George Altman.
Canada: L. D. V. Benton, Atlanta: Dan
Brandon, Memphis: James P. Clark, Philadelphia:
Frank Gartner, Omaha: Thomas E.
Gilboy, San Francisco: Paul Gruenwald.
Seattle; Charles Isles, Des Moines: R- V.
Smith. Atlanta, and G. A. White, Houston.
Named to the executive committee were
Brandon, chairman; Callahan, Jameson.
Trampe and Vickers.
WB Television Show
To Continue Over ABC
HOLLYWOOD—"Warner Bros. Presents"
will continue as a weekly television entry on
the ABC-TV network, it was announced
jointly Monday i7> by Jack L. Warner and
Robert E. Kintner. ABC president. The program,
which made its debut last September,
will retain its present one-hour format, with
Warner personally supervising and William
T. Orr as executive producer.
The spotlight will continue to be on "Cheyenne."
a series of western dramas.
DCA Reports Package Deal
NEW YORK—Distributors Corp. of Ameriica
has teamed "Brute Force," 1947 Burt
Lancaster film, with "Naked City," released
in 1948, for reissue, according to Irving
Wormser and Arthur Sachson, sales executives.
BOXOFTICE :
Distribution Policy Is Set
For Tbrillarama Feature
DALLAS—Distribution plans for "Thrillarama
Adventure," the first production in
the new dual-camera process which a Texas
company headed by Albert Reynolds and
Dowlen Russell has developed were announced
here this week. The pictui-e will be
distributed on a worldwide basis by a newly
organized company, Thrillarama Releasing
Corp.
The distribution plan devised by the company
is unique, in that the exhibitor will be
offered a package deal to include the film
itself, the giant .screen required for the picture
and all necessary booth attachments.
Reynolds and Russell said they felt this was
the best procedure in order to have a company
familiar with the technical aspects of
the new process also handle the distribution.
Both Reynolds and Russell are stockholders
and officers of Thrillarama Productions,
which produced the first picture. Conley
G. Cox. a veteran Texas theatreman, is associated
with them in the releasing .setup.
The new company's general offices are located
at 2011';; Jackson St.. Dallas. A branch
office already has been opened in Hollywood
and is located at 5631 Hollywood Blvd. This
office, headed by James A. White, will serve
the West Coast and other western states.
Shortly following the world premiere of
"Thrillarama Adventure." plans call for the
opening of branch offices in New York and
Chicago.
The date of the new picture's world premiere
in Houston will be announced soon.
Twenty-five key cities have been earmarked
for immediate runs following the premiere,
and approximately 700 other cities in the
United States and Canada will be served as
rapidly as the supply of equipment packages
permits.
A foreign distribution program will be
launched shortly after the Houston opening,
with South and Central American countries
MGM to Release 28 Films
1956-57: Schary
In
NEW YORK—For the next fiscal year,
starting in August 1956, MGM will produce
approximately 20 features in its own studios
while another eight features will come from
independent producers, according to Dore
Schary, vice-president in charge of the studio.
Schary is in New York for home office conferences
and to attend the Loew's board of
directors meeting May 15.
The MGM 1956-57 schedule of 28 wlU be
approximately the same as the current season,
which will have a total of 22 pictures
made at the studio, plus six from the independent
producers, including Samuel Goldwyn's
"Guys and Dolls" and the Desilu production
of "Forever Darling." Another.
"Svengali." was produced in England by
George Minter for Renown Pictures.
Commenting on TV story material for pictures.
Schary mentioned that the company's
first, "Ransom," which was released in January,
did "pretty well" but this was not a fair
test as the title was changed from the orig-
Albert Reynolds (left), president of
Thrillarama Productions, and Dowlen
Rus.sell, vice-president, as they completed
plans for distribution of their new-process
motion picture.
being the first slated for foreign exhibition
of "Thrillarama Adventure." A veteran in
the field of foreign distribution will be named
shortly to head up this phase of the distribution
company's operations.
Arrangements have been completed for a
staff of engineers and technicians to conduct
the technical phase of the new company's
operations. J. C. Skinner of Sterling
Sales and Service, Dallas, who was in charge
of all phases of the development and experimental
work on the new process, apart from
the development of the camera equipment,
will provide the technical supervision necessary.
The new company, it was announced, soon
will be ready to negotiate film contracts
for "Thrillarama Adventure." Interested exhibitors
will have an opportunity to see the
picture in Houston. Because of the special
installation required, no definite plans have
yet been made for a tradescreening.
inal TV drama. "Fearful Decision." Two more
features made from TV dramas. "The Rack"
and "The Catered Affair," will be released by
MGM in May and June, respectively. The
last should offer a definite test
point of view, Schary said.
from MGM's
AA Votes Dividend
HOLLYWOOD — Allied Artists' regular
quarterly dividend of ISli cents a share on
the company's 5U- per cent cumulative convertible
preferred stock wa-s voted at a meeting
of the executive committee of the board
of directors. The dividend is payable June 15
to stockholders of record as of June 4.
Fox Title Correction
NEW YORK—"D-Day the Sixth of June"
the new title of the 20th Century-Pox
is
Cinemascope picture made under the name
of "The Sixth of June." The new title was
erroneously reported last week to be "Day
the Sixth of June."
12. 1956 IS