Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY VOL. 86, NO. 70 NEW YORK, U.S.A., THURSDAY, OCTORER 8, 1959 TEN CENTS Expansion Planned AIP Schedules 5 Top -Budget ilms for 1960 Nicholson's Heavy Slate Follows 'Gladiator' Success By JAMES D. IVERS The program of five top-budget productions — "blockbusters with gimmicks"—was announced for release with the next year by James H. Nicholson, president of American-Interna|tional Pictures yesterday at a press I conference here. The expansive deiparture from the company's previous program of exploitation productions was definitely signaled by the present spectacular successes of "sign of the Gladiator," starring Anita Ekberg, presently in its third week of release and rolling toward a total goal of $3,000,000. The new production policy will be supplemented by an increase in the sales staff, advertising and publicity budgets and the exploitation field staff. (Continued on page 7) MPAA Advertising-Publicity Directors Group To Weigh Film-Tie-Ups with Wine, Beer Again The Motion Picture Assn. advertising-publicity directors committee will take up the subject of film tie-ups with liquor, wine and beer brands at its regular monthly meeting here today. When last discussed several months ago, the committee rejected the idea of liquor tie-ups but was divided on the advisability of approving wine and beer tie-ups. The question was left to be presented to company presidents at the next meeting of the MPAA board of directors. Only one such meeting has been held since and the subject was not raised then. In view of this, it appears likely that no final action will be taken on the subject at today's meeting of the committee. The session also will discuss further the questionnaire which has been prepared by members of the committee in conjunction with the American Congress of Exhibitors' advertising committee. The questionnaire, which will be distributed to exhibitors throughout the country, is designed to provide specific information of a wide variety for the guidance of advertising-publicity-exploitation directors and their staffs in preparing all types of advertising and promotion material, in space buying and in the use of radio and television broadcasting time. Texas Showman Buys 2,000 Shares in PMI More than 2,000 shares of stock were subscribed to at a special luncheon in Dallas last week held by Motion Picture Investors, Inc., it was announced here by Walter Reade, Jr., president of MPI. The meeting was attended by over 100 industry people and was addressed by Howard E. ( Continued on page 7 ) UA, U-l Mass. Drive-In File Trust Countersuits Special to THE DAILY BOSTON, Oct. 7. Three countersuits have been filed in the U.S. District Court here by United Artists Corp., Universal International, and Suburban Drive-in Theatre, Inc., of Medford, Mass., against the Meadow Glen Drive-in Theatre, Medford, Rifkin Management Company and Julian S. Rifkin, owner of the Meadow Glen. These countersuits are in reply to the anti-trust suit filed in July, 1959, by the Meadow Glen Drive-in against the Suburban Drive-in Theatre operating the Medford Twin Drive-in, three exhibitors and six distributors in which the plaintiff claimed $750,( Continued on page 6) Million Dollar Prize To Promote '4-D Man' By JERROLD WEITZMAN A one million dollar cash award will be given to the first person who performs the feats assigned to the "4-D Man" in the picture of the same name, producer Jack H. Harris said yesterday in a press conference here to describe promotion of the film. Basically, Harris explained, this would mean that the man would have to arrive at the fourth dimension, time. This would enable him to penetrate solid materials, such as walking through a wall. The offer is being advertised on a worldwide basis in connection with the picture's release. Harris claimed this is the first time a prize of one ( Continued on page 7 ) REVIEW: 4Best of Everything' To Bow Here Tonight Notables of the civic and entertainment worlds will gather at the Paramount Theatre here tonight to welcome 20th Century-Fox's "The Best of Everything" at a gala world premiere sponsored by the New York City Hudson Celebration. From the entertainment field will ( Continued on page 7 ) The Best of Everything Wald — 20f h-Fox — CinemaScope Chalk up another big hit for hit-maker Jerrv Wald. From the best-selling novel by Rona Jaffe, "The Best of Everything," telling the stories of several young girls in New York looking for romance and adventure while holding down jobs as typists in a publishing company, the producer with the golden touch has fashioned another picture destined for strong commercial success. Exteriors were photographed— in CinemaScope and Color bv De Luxe— on location in New York, and there are several eye-stopping shots, parfELEVISION TODAY— page 4 tieularly some of the Seagram Building, which is shown from everv con (Continued on page 7) Resolution Passed CBA Board Asks Boycott Of Selznick Takes Action in Producer's Sale of Films to Television By WILLIAM PAY LONDON, Oct. 7-A resolution calling for "firm action" by its exhibitor members against David O. Selznick because of his sale of a group of pre1948 features to the BBC was passed today by the executive committee of the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association. The resolution, in effect, recommends that all CEA members cease to book any pictures with which Selznick is concerned. The statement points out that CEA "considers such a situation as coming within the ambit of the CEA Llandudno conference and the resolution of 1952." The latter resolution condemning the sale of films to TV "remains in full force," CEA said today. The committee declared further (Continued on page 4) U.A. Prepays Final Part Of RK0 Theatres Loan From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 United Artists has prepaid a final $1,000,000 note to RKO Theatres and has issued a new note for $2,000,000 to Loew's Theatres Clearing Corp. bearing interest at the rate of 6%, in exchange for an earlier 12% note, according to papers on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The papers indicate that U.A. had (Continued on page 4) Special Welfare Fund For Industry Retirees From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 7. The Motion Picture Industry Health and Welfare Plan has been amended to provide a special fund for health and welfare coverage for retirees under the Motion Picture Industry Pension (Continued on page 4)