Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

riday, July 8, 1960 Motion Picture Daily 3 REVIEW: The Bellboy Jerry Lewis Production — Paramont HOLLYWOOD, July 7 Exhibitors will find it an easy chore to lobby for this box office natural. Jerry Lewis has linked together a plotless pot pourri of zany satirical sequences, tailored to his multi-faceted personality, and came up with an unusual presentation of pure escapist entertainment. The entire idea, which he wrote, directed, produced and stars in, is built on incidents in the workday life and duties of a bellboy; arousing svmpathv for himself as the "monkey-mental" fall guy character among a corps of confederates similarly employed at the plush Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. All of the sequences are vignettes that have punch-line action payoffs; and Lewis proves himself an outstanding pantomimist of our time, going through the entire film without uttering a word, until challenged at the end on his ability to speak. Drafted with obvious effect as word-of-mouth assets are names like Walter Winchell for opening narration, and Milton Berle for one of the episodes. Alex Gerry and Bob Clayton are effective as the hotel manager and bell captain respectively, among a score of familiar "Catskill Mountain Comics." Bill Richmond's takeoff on Stan Laurel in a scene with Jerry earned applause at the preview of the film, held in the Village Theatre in Westwood. Jack Kruschen puts the film into orbit in a clever prologue, with his humorous portrayal of the head of the studio trying to explain the presentation of a film that has no story and no plot. Some of the film's highlights include a few acts appearing in Miami Beach nite clubs; a scene in which Jerry leads a phantom orchestra; one in which he makes Cary Middlecoff miss a putt during a golf tournament with Jack Keller; and a sequence in which he kids himself as Jerry Lewis the movie star arriving with a large entourage of studio sycophants at the popular Florida hotel. Running time, 72 minutes. Release in July. Samuel D. Bekns 3itt. Drive (Continued from page 1) lanager, Stanley Warner, Erie, Pa., id Bob Davis, manager, Dipson laza Theatre, Erie; Zone 2 — Mike /ellman, Hickory Drive-In, Sharon, a:, and Leo Mickey, manager, Penn heatre, New Castle, Pa.; Zone 2A — enneth Winograd, Oriental Theatre, ochester, Pa., and Ray Lewis, Tusea 'rive-In, Beaver, Pa. Zone 3 — Henry Burger, district anager, StanleyWarner, Pittsburgh; one 3A — Joe Bugala, general manner, Manos Circuit, Greensburg, Pa.; one 4 — Mrs. Elaine Hauser, State heatre, Altoona (Fabian Circuit), Irs. Laura Ainger, State Theatre, ate College, Pa. (Eskin Circuit). Zone 4A — Joe Freeman, manager, 'ate Theatre, Johnstown, Pa. (StanyWarner), Mel Katz, manager, Emissy Theatre, Johnstown (Fabian Cir: lit); Zone 5 — C. S. Brown, Temple heatre, Kane, Pa. Zone 6 — B. F. Moore, district anager, StanleyWarner (West Vir'nia Circuit), Mrs. Madge Staut, Ronson Grand Theatre, Clarksburg, '. Va.; Zone 7 — John Osborne, CaLtol Theatre, Wheeling, W. Va. (Dipn Circuit). Meeting Slated Tuesday A meeting of zone area chairmen r seven zones within easy access to i ttsburgh will be held Tuesday, at 1:30 P.M., at campaign headquarters, j the office of Allied MPTO of WestIn Pennsylvania. Chairmen attending 'ill represent Zone 2, 2A, 3, 3A, 4A, and 6. JAlso present at this meeting will be :3orge Stern, Associated Theatres, ank Lewis (Blatt Brothers), chairan of the Central Exhibitors Comjittee; Harry Hendel, Allied MPTO Western Pennsylvania; Jules Curley, janleyWarner, Pittsburgh, and Moss. Chairmen of zones not represented ' Tuesday's meeting will meet in the har future at a central point of points 'itside of Pittsburgh. At that time ley will be briefed by Moss on what ok place at the Pittsburgh meeting lid will be filled in on all plans and mpaign procedures. irobe of Censorship j ( Continued from page 1 ) Pcretary: "If he will set up a commitI ; to investigate the system whereby, i,der the Cinematograph Films Acts, i.irade organisation and local authorij| s at present censor films, to consider 'hether such censorship is necessary 11 desirable, and to make recommenlitions on legislation," and "If he will !, up a committee to investigate all ltrns of censorship now existing in p United Kingdom, and to make recI imendations on legislation." Explaining his reasons for wanting s inquiry, Swingler said that one is that while the "X" certificate, in neral terms, was designed to curb b showing of certain kinds of mate1, it could, in fact, "acquire a cern glamour and attractiveness that i feats the very object of it and conS ions a kind of market for a particu 1 sort of exciting film." 6 UFA Films Acquired By Casino for U.S. Negotiations have been completed between UFA International G.M.B.H. and Casino Film Exchange, Inc., for the acquisition by Casino of a considerable number of UFA films. Casino, which specializes in the distribution of German language films in the United States, will release the films during the early part of 1961. Two Plead Guilty in Theft of 16mm Films Two men charged with stealing 16mm films from the U.S. Navy Shipyard in Brooklyn have pleaded guilty, it was reported yesterday by Assistant U. S. Attorney Nathan K. Trynin, who handled the prosecution for the Government. Pleading guilty were Emanuel Goodman and Daniel Senese. The indictment against them in Federal Court, Brooklyn, charged them with the felony of having conspired to steal the pictures from the U. S. Navy Motion Picture Service at the shipyard. The films were rented by the Navy from major film producing companies. Following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of thefts of feature films from the Brooklyn Navy Shipyard, two sailors and 'Hercules' Contest Set by 4N.Y. Mirror' An eight-day "Hercules Unchained" coloring contest in the New York Daily Mirror will kick off Wednesday's mass saturation opening of the Joseph E. Levine presentation throughout the Greater New York area. Two thousand dollars in United States Savings Bonds will be awarded the winning entrans in the contest which begins Sunday. Lined drawings from key scenes in the Warner Brothers release will be prominently placed in the newspaper, while the Daily Mirror's promotion department this week is blanketing the metropolitan area with placards heralding the film and the youngsterappeal contest. two civilians who had been arrested in September, 1958, pleaded guilty to criminal informations filed against them by United States Attorney Cornelius W. Wickersham, Jr. Further investigation by the FBI led to the conspiracy indictment by the Grand Jury of the defendants Goodman and Senese. Sentencing of Goodman and Senese has been set for July 21, 1960. Each could receive a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and $10,000 fine. N A C Adds Local V.P.s to Board Special to THE DAILY CHICAGO, July 7. The National Association of Concessionaires has revised its constitution and by-laws to add seven regional vice-presidents to the board of directors. These men will serve NAC as special representatives from their respective areas in promoting NAC, gathering news, arranging regional meetings and representing NAC on special assignments. Appointments to date include Irving Shapiro, Boston (comprising New England States, New York and New Jersey); James O. Hoover, Columbus, Ga. (Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia, North and South Carolina, Delaware, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi); J. C. Evans, Cincinnati (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin). Also, Sam Rosenblum, Omaha (Colorado, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Wyoming); Arlie E. Beery, Kansas City, Mo. ( Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico ) , and Sidney Spiegel, Toronto (Canadian region). Others to Be Appointed A vice-president is to be appointed for one other region comprising Pacific Coast States, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona and Montana. Announcements of the appointments was made by Spiro J. Papas, NAC president and head of the Alliance Amusement Co., Chicago. Charles E. Darden of Richardson, Tex., was appointed to fill the one year unexpired term of Harold Chesler on the board as senior director for the popcorn processor, manufacturer and merchandising operators. Welcome I. Weaver, Van Buren, Ind. (popcorn processor), was appointed to fill the two-year unexpired term of A. J. Schmitt as junior segment director of the same segment. 'Time Machine' Slated For Saturation Dates M-G-M will launch H. G. Wells' "The Time Machine" with full-scale saturations in key areas throughout the country. The first seven have already been set with a total of more than 300 prints. The Chicago exchange area will lead the saturation bookings with openings beginning July 22. A week later, Charlotte will be the focal point for another series of openings, followed by similar saturations in the Los Angeles and Jacksonville territories Aug. 3. The Philadelphia and Milwaukee exchange areas will begin Aug. 10 with New England set for Aug. 23. Terry Turner is supervising the radio and television campaign in conjunction with MGM and the local exhibitors. Emphasis will be placed on television exploitation to take full advantage of the area bookings.