Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

VOL. 86, NO. 68 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1959 TEN CENTS Optimistic Warner Sees '59 Best Since Divorcement Says Firm's Net Will Top All Others; Future Bright From THE DAILY Bureau I HOLLYWOOD, Oct 5. Warner j Bros, profits for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31 will exceed those of any other motion r picture com pany this year, Jack L. Warner, president, predicted today. Although he disclosed no figures, he said 1959 will be the company's best year since theatre divorcement six years Jack L. Warner ag0; an(j pre. dieted a continuance of the advances which, he said, have put the company in a ( Continued on page 12 ) NSS 40th Anniversary Trailer Contest Set Because of the interest and enthusiasm displayed by exhibitors across the country in the recently announced "Once-in-a-Lifetime Tribute to Trailers," National Screen Service, through its president and board chairman, Herman Robbins, has announced ( Continued on page 12 ) Sperie Perakos Heads Conn. Drive-In Group Special to THE DAILY HARTFORD, Oct. 5.-Sperie Perakos, general manager, Perakos Theatre Associates, New Britain, Conn., has been elected president of the Connecticut Drive-in Theatres Assn. Fellow officers are Bruno Weingar(Continued on page 13) TELEVISION TODAY p. 12 Curtis Urges SMPTE Members Bring 'New Look to Art of Entertainment1 Compo Annual Meeting, Election Oct. 22 in N. Y. the di By JERROLD WEITZMAN Members of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers were warned yesterday not to become "so preoccupied with space technology that you forget we need a few mundane things like better projection in motion picture theatres and improved kinescope recordings." The message came from Edward P. Curtis, vice-president of the Eastman Kodak Company, in a speech at the opening luncheon of the 86th semi annual convention o f the Society at the Statler-Hilton Hotel here. Taking as his subject, "Engineering in the Space Age," Curtis stressed the idea that the recent assays in space prove there are "few limits to what engineering can accomplish in pushing back the frontiers of man's (Continued on page 11) Within Next 2 Weeks Johnston Will Meet with ACE For 'Oscar' TV The annual meeting of COMPO membership, board of rectors and executive committee will be held Thursday, October 22, at the Hotel Astor, it was announced yesterday by Charles E. McCarthy, the organization's information director. Election of officers will be on the agenda, as required by the by-laws. The rest of the agenda is now being prepared, McCarthy said. Edward Curtis Goldwyn in Hospital For Knee Surgery Here Samuel Goldwyn was in Harkness Pavillion of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center here yesterday preparatory for surgery to remove a damaged cartilage in his right knee. The producer will be operated on this morning and is expected to remain in the hospital for several weeks, according to Dr. Dana Atchley, his attending physician. The operation will be performed by Dr. Frank Stinchfield. Goldwyn entered the hospital Sunday following diagnostical study of the injury, suffered some months ago (Continued on page 14) Lester Isaac Leaving S-W Cinerama Friday Lester B. Isaac has resigned as national director of exhibition for the Stanley Warner Cinerama Corp., effective Friday. He was head of the Cinerama operation for the past six and one-half years, during which he was responsible for inaugurating the merchandising and group selling poli( Continued on page 2) 'Promotion-in-Depth' to Be Pushed For 20th-Fox Films, Says Solomon By VINCENT CANBY (Picture on Page 14) "Twentieth Century-Fox is going into 'promotion-in-depth' to a greater degree than ever before," Eddie Solomon, the company's exploitation manager, told the trade press yesterday at luncheon here preceding a screening of "The Best of Everything." Special guests at the luncheon were Lawrence Goodman, vice-president of Stern's Department Store; Harold Marahn, of Long Island's Gertz department stores, and Sam Cuff, promotion director of Allied Stores. They and Solomon outlined the "promotionin-depth" which 20th-Fox and Allied Stores have jointly worked out for "The Best of Everything." Stern's and Gertz are units of the Allied Stores group. "Until now," said Solomon, tie-ups between motion pictures and department stores have been more or less (Continued on page 14) MP A President in Move To Assure Sponsorship By SAMUEL D. BERNS HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 5.-Industry sponsorship of the spring Academy Awards telecast seemed closer to consummation today as Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, at a press conference held in the board room of the MPAA, declared that if the $600,000 cost of the program is not subscribed by member companies he will meet within the next two weeks with representatives of the American Con(Contitiued on page 13) Heineman, Velde Hold Sales Meetings Here William J. Heineman, United Artists vice-president, and James R. Velde, vice-president in charge of domestic sales, will hold a two-day series of top level conferences with the company's division and district managers here starting today. Meetings will be devoted to discussion and plans for (Continued on page 13) 'Ben-Hur' Running Time Three Hours, 37 Minutes From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 5. "BenHur," with filming and editing now completed, has been turned over by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to the Technicolor laboratories here. 'Trip film, which runs three hours and 37 minutes, thus enters the final stage of its long pre-release history. Joseph R. Vogel, president of Loew's, Inc.; Sol C. Siegel, MGM studio head, and director William Wyler screened the picture over the week-end and today gave the okay for it to be printed and made ready for its world premiere in New York City at Loew's State Theatre, on November 18.