im

, "EEN
. Executive
a
'^^ 7i(j^oft^^?/l(>ti(m^7^ic^^
{NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
Pllshtd in Hint Sectional Editions
BEN
SHLYEN
dar-in-Chief and Publisher
IMD M. MERSEREAU, Associate
'ubiisher & Generol Manager
k IAN COHEN . Editor
SHLYEN. . . .Managing Editor
I'
M FRAZE Field Editor
Eostern Editor
A SPEAR Western Editor
drHATCHER. .Equipment Editor
3|;IS SCHLOZMAN Business Mgr.
blition Ofnc»s: 825 Van Bruit Blvd.
a City 24, Mo. Nathan Colien, Exit
Editor; Jesse Shlyen. Manatcing
^ Morris Schlozman. Business ManrJHugh
Fraze, Field Editor: I. L.
il!r. Editor The Modern Theatre
^j. Telephone CHestnut 1-7777.
Ital Ottices: 45 Rockefeller Plaza,
iriork 20, N. Y. Donald M. Mera
Associate Publisher & General
i^t: A1 Steen, Eastern Editor: Carl
e' Equipment Advertising. Telephone
h'jus 5-6370.
^i Offices: Editorial—920 N. Mlch-
11. ve., Chicago 11. 111., Frances B.
«< Telephone Superior 7-3972. Adverlr-59
East Van Buren, Louis Dldler,
le)ne WAbash 2-2334.
s'n Offices: BJdltorial and Film Adverlr.-6404
Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
, allf. Ivan Spear, manager, Telem;
Hollywood 5-1186. Equipment and
n Im Advertising—672 S. Lafayette
rlj Los Angeles. Calif. Bob Wettliinanager.
Telephone DUnklrk 8-2286.
ml Office: Anthony Gruner, 1 Wood-
Wv Way. Flnchley, No. 12. Telephone
Bjjlde 6733.
I; MODERN THEATRE Section Is Inld|
In the first issue of each month.
I^i: Martha Chandler. 191 Walton NW.
M: J. S. Connors, 140 State St.
mtt: George Browning, Stanley Thea.
St: Frances Harding, HU 2-1141
MIe: Blanche Carr, 301 S. Cliurch
Wiati: Frances Hanford, UNlverslly
l{80.
Bind: Elsie Loeb, WAshlnglon 1-
W!, 137 Shaker Blvd. Apt. 104.
lius: Fred Oestrelcber, 52% W.
Hh Broadway.
iHi Mable Gulnan, 5927 Wluton.
rl: Brace Marshall, 2881 S. Cherry
«.
s 'lines; Russ Schoch, Register-Tribune
m-. H. F. Reves. 906 Foi Theatre
B., woodward 2-1144.
ir\d; Allen M. Wldem, CH 9-8211.
cBivllle: Robert Cornwall. 1199 Edge-
»'.l
Ave.
rails: Null Adams. 707 Spring St.
I«l Martha Lummus, 622 N.E. 98 St.
Ihkee: Wm. Nlchol, 2251 S. Layton.
Inl polls: Don Lyons, 72 Glenwood.
wirleans; Mrs. Jack Auslet, 2268H
8) Claude Ave.
iWma aty: Sam Brunk, 3416 N. Vlr-
•i^: Irving Baker. 911 N. 51st St.
*Mirgh: R. F. Kllngensmith, 516 Jeanej
Wllklnsburg, CHurehlll 1-2809.
f^id. Ore.: Arnold Marks. Journal,
'ot'nce: Wm. Trambukls, Loew's State.
-JHils: Joe & Joan Pollack. 7335
Rtsbury, University City. PA 5-7181.
Ul^lke City: H. Pearson. Deseret News,
ml-ancisco: Dolores Banisch. 25 Tay-
IijSt.. ORrdway 3-4813: Advertising:
i\r Nowell. 355 Stockton St.. YUkon
j:37.
'•Jgton: Charles Hurley. 203 Eye St.
V-
J
In Canada
«nal; Room 314. 625 Belmont St..
''< Larochelle.
'!m; 43 Waterloo. Sam Babb.
»rti; 1675 Bayvlew Ave.. Wlilowdale.
O) W. Gladlsh.
•nj'er: 411 Lyric Theatre Bldg. 751
QivUle St.. Jack Droy.
'Meg: 300 New Hargraves Bldg..
l^ieth Beach.
I^iber Audit Bureau of Circulations
«f Class postage paid at Kansas City,
•••ectlonal BdlUon. $3.00 per year.
'till Edition, J7.50.
MGUST 2 9, 1960
^'7 No. 19
NEW
NEW PRODUCT ON RISE
FILM production seems to be burgeoning,
judging by the many announcements
made during the past few weeks, and
which are continuing to be made, of new companies
entering the field. This, of course, is
aside from the production and distribution
organization that the American Congress of
Exhibitors is sponsoring that is looming bigger
with each passing day, and the plan being
implemented by Pathe Laboratories, which are
the two biggest projects under way.
Producing setups have been formed in
Florida, Illinois, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and
other parts of the country, adding to the growing
list of new Hollywood companies. These
include, not merely those independents with one
or two pictures planned, but a number who are
talking yearly schedules of up to 12 or more and,
as well, others who have been successful newcomers
to the field, who are laying plans to continue
on a long-term basis. Many of those who
have been making only one picture a year are
announcing two or more for the coming year.
Additionally, producers who departed the industry
for television filming are either dropping
television entirely or including several theatrical
features on their schedules. Even if only half
of these projected plans materialize, the net
product accrual will make a substantial addition
to the product supply, well advanced for the
coming year, to come from established studio
sources, from which increases in output also
have been reported.
Among the
important new sources of supply,
two—the ACE company and Pathe—hold considerable
promise. Pathe is ready to function,
has the funds with which to finance at least a
dozen features and, with the cooperation of
Theatre Owners of America, anticipates a
profitable volume of bookings. The low-cost
distribution plan recently set forth by Pathe is
expected to work as a profit-participating
arrangement for the exhibitors.
The ACE plan, while not yet completely revealed,
is indicated as being blueprinted on a
bigger scale than was originally planned. With
the initial fund requirement, provided by the
five major and more than a score of smaller
circuits, oversubscribed, implementation of the
plan seems assured. While actual filmmaking
may not begin until well after the first of the
year, that still could make a number of pictures
available for exhibition in 1961, perhaps early
in that year.
One reason for possible delay in getting production
under way, we learn via the grapevine,
is that the sights have been raised as a
result of the enthusiastic response of the larger
subscribers to the plan, plus a substantial waiting
list of many other exhibitors who have
offered to take smaller blocks of shares in the
project.
With these evidences of increased support
coming from ultimate exhibition outlets of
the pictures to be made, consideration is being
given to enlarging the scope of the ACE plan.
High on the agendum of the TOA convention
are talks scheduled to be given by S. H. Fabian,
chairman of ACE, and William Zeckendorf,
board member of the America Corporation,
parent company of Pathe, who will tell about the
production plans of their respective organizations.
Needless to say, not only exhibitors, but
all
others in the industry will eagerly be looking
forward to learning the details of these plans,
for never in the history of this business has there
been so much interest in—and such need for—
plentiful supply of good product.
Invaluable Service
The Council of Motion Picture Organizations
continues to render invaluable service to exhibitors
in their efforts to eliminate local admission
taxes. The record reported for the past year
reveals that 70 such taxes were repealed and 16
reduced. A remarkable example is that concerning
the state of Tennessee where the state
Legislature revoked the right of municipalities
to impose such special taxes. As a result. 18 of
these imposts were dropped in July, 1959. and
only one city, Knoxville, acting under a special
privilege revenue act, retains a local admission
tax.
In the last four years, 207 municipal admission
taxes were repealed. Additionally, 121
municipalities have reduced admission taxss
within the last two years, four have suspended
them temporarily and eight have raised exemptions
from previously imposed taxes.
For the approximate 331 that still are in
force, Charles E. McCarthy, executive secretary
of COMPO, urges exhibitors to continue the
fight and not be discouraged if their first repeal
campaign fails, "as many battles have been won
through persistent efforts."
And COMPO stands
ready to continue all assistance possible therein,
not the least of which is making available all the
material in its files that has so many times
helped to score local tax repeal victories.
\Ji^^ /jOUuui^'i^^