Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, July 13, 19 PERSONAL MENTION EDMUND C. DeBERRY, assistant to Paramount vice president Hugh Owen, is at the Cleveland branch from New York this week. • Byron Adams, of United Artists, Jacksonville, has returned to his duties there following an operation at Baptist Hospital. • Mel Heyman, of the M-G-M home office advertising-publicity department, has become a grandfather with the birth of a daughter, Deborah Kay, to his daugther, Mrs. Harris Lovice. • James Hudgens, office manager for Columbia Pictures in Atlanta, has returned there from Jacksonville. • Mike Simons, sales manager for NTA Pictures, was in Buffalo this week on his way back to New York from a northern Michigan vacation. • Floyd Morrow, buyer and booker of Indianapolis, was a visitor from there this week in Atlanta. • Clayton Pantages, manager for 20th Century-Fox in Albany, N. Y., was a visitor last week in Jacksonville. • William M. Shirley, on the exploitation staff of United Artists, is recuperating in Buffalo following a virus attack. 'Apartment9 in 5th Week Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" has been held over for a fifth week at the Astor and Plaza theatres here after grossing $53,901 for its fourth week of the dual engagement, it was disclosed yesterday by United Artists. The combined gross, UA explained, included $35,773 for the Astor and $18,128 for the Plaza. gems of showmanship!... by national screen servi< Loew, Laskey ( Continued from page 1 ) five different states, not all in New England. In the legal battle for the division of these theatres, there have been filed suits, counter-claims, bills in equity and other legal actions including demurrers, restraining orders, and injunctions on both sides, all seeking relief aimed at the division of the theatres. Max Finn, former general manager for E. M. Loew Theatres, is a stockholder with Laskey in several of the situations, while Phil Berler, former head booker and buyer for the circuit, attorney George Rittenberg and exhibitor Louis Richmond are also stockholders, while there are other stockholders whose interests are aligned with E. M. Loew. They Own 50% of the Stock Laskey and Finn together own 50 per cent of the stock in some of the theatres, with Loew owning the other 50 per cent. Purpose of the proceedings is to have the courts make an equitable division of the properties of all 17 theatres, as the parties themselves are unable to agree. The theatres involved are: in Massachusetts, the Hollis, Framingham; Charlestown, Charlestown; Center, Boston; Stuart, Boston; Puritan, Roxbury; Kingston Drive-in, Kingston; Riverdale Drive-in, Springfield, and Fairhaven Drive-in, Fairhaven; in New Hampshire, the Civic, Portsmouth; in Maine, the Bangor Drivein, Brewer; Augusta Drive-in, Manchester, and the Wells Beach Theatre, Wells Beach; in Connecticut, the Milford Drive-in, Milford, and the Hartford Drive-in, Newington; in Virginia, the Mt. Vernon Drive-in, Alexandria; and in Maryland, the Governor Ritche Drive-in, Glen Burnie. Some Cases Not Yet in Court Many of the situations in dispute have not as yet reached the courts although the suit was started a year ago. The cases heard to date are the Kingston Drive-in proceeding, seeking dissolution of the company because of the 50-50 split in ownership, still pending; the Civic Theatre, Portsmouth, N. H., where Loew asked the court to distribute the assets in proportion to the shareholders, still pending, although Laskey and Finn filed a demurrer stating this was an improper petition. This has been heard before Judge Smith, with no decision as yet. In the case of the Milford, Conn., Drive-in, there has been some litigation in the lower court at Hartford, consisting of a petition for partition of the real estate, asking the court to divide it. This is also still pending and is expected to be decided in the fall. The most important one to date and the only one filed in the Federal Daniel Heads Variety Club Sports Division Dan Daniel, sports writer for the New York World Telegram, was elected chairman of the sports division of Variety Club Tent No. 35 at a luncheon meeting of sports writers and sports figures at the Hotel Astor here yesterday. Max Kase, sports editor of the Journal American, who has been temporary chairman, will serve as associate chainnan of the sports division. The club will establish its own charity, which will be set up under the name of the Bill Corum Fund. Sports writers, numbering approximately 40, attended the meeting and pledged their cooperation in the "Night it the Races" event on Oct. 3 at Yonkers Raceway. A committee will be named by Daniel to select a charity. It was voted by the tent crew to make all sports writers active members of the tent. 'Ocean' s IV to Capitol "Ocean's Eleven," a Warner Brothers release, starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Angie Dickinson, will have its New York premiere at Loew's Capitol Theatre following the current engagement of "Elmer Gantry." District Court is the one involving the Gov. Ritchie Drive-in, Glen Burnie, Md., which reached the District Court of Maryland before Judge Roszel Thomsen late in June. In this setup, Laskey owns 37M per cent of the stock, E. M. Loew 37& per cent, George Rittenberg 12K per cent and Louis Richmond 1232 per cent. In 1959, in Middlesex Court here, Loew filed a suit against Laskey and the Governor Ritchie Corporation seeking to prevent Laskey from voting certain of his shares in the corporation. Laskey 's attorneys immediately filed a demurrer stating there was no claim for the legal suit. The demurrer was sustained by Judge Robert Sullivan. Loew then amended his original suit to a personal one against Laskey on a promissory note. This part of the case is still pending. Convinced of Deadlock After certain other legal procedures in Maryland heard before Judge Thomsen, he semed convinced that the case was a true deadlock and made an order appointing a receiver for the Gov. Ritchie Drive-in Theatre, who was directed by the court to submit to the Judge on or before Oct. 1, 1960, a memorandum recommending what procedure is to be followed for a sale and liquidation of the property. On July 5 the receiver stepped in. In effect, the Gov. Ritchie Drive-in is now operated under the supervision of the court, in order to protect the rights of both parties. Hyams Namec ( Continued from page 1 ) "Porgy and Bess" and Batjac's "HI Alamo," formerly was publicity ma ager for Figaro, Inc., and West Co; publicity manager for Hecht-Hill-La caster. He entered the industry in 1947 a. member of Columbia's home-offi publicity staff. Weaver Directs N.Y. 'Spartacus' Campaign Dick Weaver has been retained j Universal Pictures to direct the N<H York publicity campaign for the | served seat engagement of "Spartaci j at the De Mille Theatre in October,; was announced by Jeff Livingston, t film company's executive coordina \t of sales and advertising. Weaver, who publicizes Broadw legitimate theatre attractions, as w. as special road show films, will assui his new assignment in behalf the film, immediately. On Saturd Weaver resigned a similar post Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer where he : pervised the publicity campaign i the New York engagement of "Bt Hur." He was also in charge of t New York campaign on "Gigi" for t same company. Weaver, who maintains his on publicity office in the Playhouse Tli atre building, will coordinate the N> York publicity and advertising ca paign with Jeff Livingston, who is charge of the national campaign "Spartacus." D. A, Doran Resigns HOLLYWOOD, July 12. D. Doran active in Paramount product! for the past 15 years, has resign* effective Sept. 15, it was announc today by Jack Karp, studio head. JET TO BRITAIN aboard BOAC's daily MONARCH ROLLS ROYCE INTERCONTINENTAL 707 (fastest of all big jets) with 'Golden Service' reservations through your Travel Agent BRITISH OVERSEAS AIRWAYS CORPORA!] Jet and/or jet-prop flights from N< York, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Honolu San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto. MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Gertner, News Editor; Herbert V. Feci Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager, TELEVISION TODAY, Charles S. Aaronson, Editorial Director; Pinky Herman, Eastern Editor. Hollywood Burea Yucca-Vine Building, Samuel D. Berns, Manager; Telephone HOllywood 7-2145; Washington, E. H. Kahn, 996 National Press Bldg., Washington, 4, D. C; London Bureau, Bear St. Leicester Square, W. 2. Hope Williams Burnup, Manager; Peter Burnup, Editor; William Pay, News Editor. Correspondents in the principal capitals of the world. Moti Picture Daily is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockeleller Center, New York 20, Circle 7-311 Cable address: "Quigpubco. New York" Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo J. Sullivan, Vice-Presxlent and Treasurer; Raymond Gallagtn Vice-President; Leo J. Brady, Secretary. Other Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Herald, Better Theatres and Better Refreshment Merchandising each published 13 times a ye as a section of Motion Picture Herald; Television Today, published daily as part of Motion Picture Daily; Motion Picture Almanac, Television Almanac, Fame. Entered as seco class matter Sept. 21, 1938, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year, $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign. Single copies, H