Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY OL. 88, NO. 6 NEW YORK, U.S.A., MONDAY, JULY 11, 1960 TEN CENTS PC A Certificates Given 120 Features Chairman, Counsel 244-Years-Old B.C. Supreme Court Upholds Blue Laws' Theatre Operators Will 4ppeal to Higher Courts Special to THE DAILY SPARTANBURG, S. C, July 10. rhe Palmetto State's 244-year-old blue laws" have been upheld by the >outh Carolina Supreme Court. "If revision or repeal of the laws is lesirable in the public interest, that hould be addressed to the legislature, lot the courts," the high tribunal uled. Thus the court upheld a Greenville bounty decision by Judge T. B. Greleker that the laws in question were •onstitutional. After learning of the Supreme Court uling, attorney Chester D. Ward of ipartanburg, representing a number if theatre operators in various court (Continued on page 2) >0 to Attend V.C Iports Meet Here More than 50 sports writers and iersonalities in the New York metro>ohtan area will attend the luncheon neeting of the sports group of Variety Hub Tent No. 35 at the Astor Hotel omorrow. Plans will be discussed for he tent's "Day at the Races" event in Dctober. Forty acceptances had been eceived at the weekend and more are ( Continued on page 4 ) UA Opens Sales Meet In Toronto Tomorrow James R. Velde, United Artists vice president in charge of domestic sales, .nd Milton E. Cohen, Eastern and Canadian division manager, will hold two-day sales meeting in Toronto tarting tomorrow. David V. Picker, executive assistant o President Arthur B. Krim, will paricipate in the conferences. William ( Continued on page 4 ) In Six Months, an Increase over 1959 From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, July 10.— The Production Code Administration issued certificates to 120 feature motion pictures during the first six months of 1960, a five per cent rise over the comparable period in 1959, when 114 films were given PCA approval. Breakdown of total features, according to Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, shows that 14 feature films were produced and released by member companies; 98 features were produced by non-members and released by ( Continued on page 4 ) Disney Suit to Void AB-PT Contract Ended An anti-trust suit brought by Walt Disney Productions against American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres over the latter's exclusive right to broadcast Disney television shows has been discontinued according to a stipulation filed in Federal Court in New York Friday. Discontinuance of the suit followed the sale the preceding day of AB-Paramount's stock interest in Disneyland. The suit, filed in 1959 by Walt Disney Productions, charged violation of the anti-trust laws and sought to void the contract entered into in 1954 under which AB-PT was to have the exclusive rights to the Mickey Mouse and Zorro shows. MGM Slates Six Films For Release in Fall Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has set six films for release between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, Robert Mochrie, general sales manager, announced at the weekend. "The Angel Wore Red," starring Ava Gardner, Dirk Bogarde, Joseph Cotten and Vittorio De Sica will be ( Continued on page 4 ) MP A Board to Meet On Film Title Appeal A meeting of the board of directors of the Motion Picture Ass'n. has been called for tomorrow by Eric Johnston, president, to hear an appeal against a decision by the title arbitration committee. The appeal is being made by the April Company on behalf of its title, "Salambo." The arbitration board ruled previously that two titles held (Continued on page 4) Pension Plan Paid Out $329,000 in 6 Months From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, July lO.-The Motion Picture Industry Pension Plan paid out $329,000 in benefits to 713 retirees during the first six months of the year, George Flaherty, pension (Continued on page 4) TELEVISION TODAY— page 4 Code 'Significant Contribution' to Film Industry by Martin Quigley, Dr. Flick Says Special to THE DAILY ALBANY, July 10.— The motion picture Production Code has been of marked benefit to the industry and to the public, Dr. Hugh M. Flick, associate commissioner for cultural education and former director of the state Education Department's Motion Picture Division, said today. Dr. Flick said the Code was a "significant contribution" by Martin Quigley to the service of the industry. "The age of electronics demands dynamic leadership in this field and men like Martin Quigley can furnish it," Dr. Flick declared. Particularly now, he added, the Code should be revised and tightened because it has been "stretched too far by the pressures of economics and by a seeming let-down in high standards of moral conduct." "Every responsible leader in the industry must realize that motion pictures are a mass medium with a very great impact upon the young and immature," he said. In his new post Dr. Flick supervises motion pictures, television, audio-visual aids, the state library, state museum and state science service. Abram Myers Myers Resigns From Allied Leadership Set August Board Meeting On Plans for Changeover Abram F. Myers has resigned as chairman and general counsel of Allied States Association, effective last July 1. Announcement of the resignation was released to the trade press at the weekend in a statement by Al C. Myrick, Allied president, from his headquarters in Lake Park, la. Myrick said that Myers m a d e known the date of his resignation from both offices at the annual convention of Allied Theatre Owners of Wisconsin at Elkhart Lake, Wise, late in June. Reached in Washington on Friday, (Continued on page 3) Early 'Love' Release Prompted by Exhibitors Jerry Wald's production of "Let's Make Love," will be ready for distribution early next month, a full month ahead of the originally planned release date, because of mounting demands from exhibitors across the country, C. Glenn Norris, 20th Century-Fox general sales manager, announced Friday. In a wire to all Fox branches in ( Continued on page 4 ) Auerbach Resigns Post With Columbia Int'l. The resignation of Norbert T. Auerbach as continental supervisor for Columbia Pictures International was announced at the weekend by Mo Rothman, executive vice-president. Rothman said Auerbach had re(Continued on page 2)