Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

Television Jo day Motion Picture Daily Thursday, July 14, 196 WB Sells 110 ( Continued from page 1 ) $10,000,000 to be divided between the two, it is estimated. Earlier this week it was reported from Toronto that Creative had deposited $1,000,000 with Warners to be returnable if no agreement had been reached. While Warners is the first of the majors to make a large deal to sell its post-1948s to TV, the newer films have been available to stations for a long time in some quantity. Estimates are that there are over 1,500 post'48s now on the market, including a few each from Warners, RKO, and Universal as well as top pictures made by independent producers and distributed by United Artists. The latter include such films as "Summertime," "High Noon," and "Act of Love." In making the sale Warners still retains some 140 films made after 1948 in its library. Business Abroad Up 45.2% for CBS Films International business of CBS Films, Inc., during the first five months of 1960 increased by 45.2 per cent over the same period of 1959, it was announced by Ralph M. Baruch, director of international sales. Intensified sales efforts, he said, resulted in CBS Films' business on the European continent rising by 455 per cent, jumping 159 per cent in Japan, 56.9 per cent in Australia, 50.9 per cent in Canada, 44.6 per cent in Latin America, and 15.2 per cent in the United Kingdom. Baruch said he expected CBS Films to maintain this increase of international business during the rest of the year because of new stations opening in Australia, the new quota in Japan, and the fact that additional Canadian stations will soon be going on the air. To handle increased business, the company has expanded its staffs. 'Look' Commercials By Coastal Film Service The 16 Look commercials now being shown on the Democratic Convention NBC-TV broadcasts and those to be used on the Republican Convention on the same network were made jointly by Coastal Film Service and W.C.D. Lou LeMont, expert cameraman for Coastal working with an animation camera was able to pin point a single person with exact precision from a photograph of 50 people. With special optical effects these photographs were made to appear like motion pictures. The Look commercials were produced under the direction of Tom Dunphy. POUND RIDGE EXECUTIVE'S SMAIX ESTATE Commuter's dream. Country privacy. Gracious mod Colonial Ranch. 7 acres overlking breathless view. Liy rm. fam din rm w/fplce. 3 bedrms. 2 Hollywood bths, electric ktchn. Cut stone front, slate roof, 2-car gar. Private swimming pond. Sacrif at $55,000. Open house Sat & Sun 1-5 PM. Gargagliano, Rte 124 or call for directions. MAE ALTMAN Sole A«t MO 4-4044 or MO 8-3537 REVIEW: All the Fine Young Cannibals MGM — CinemaScope a fine production job, excellent performances and an interesting if somewhat obscure story about the confusions of youth should produce strong box office results for this Avon production. Its commercial assets are 'topped by Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood who give top quality to the lead roles, a bit by Pearl Bailey which will delight her admirers, and a slick production job by the durable Pandro Berman. The story contrasts the adolescence and loves of Wagner and Miss Wood, children of grinding poverty in a Texas back country community, with those of Susan Kohner and George Hamilton, son and daughter of a wealthy Dallas oilman. Wagner, son of a hell-roaring minister, is in love with Miss Wood, eldest daughter of a stern and inflexible farmer. T"he boy's only joy lies in playing the trumpet with friends he has made in a nearby Negro community. He gets Miss Wood with child and she, in terror of living a life of squalor and poverty, runs away. On a train bound for New York she meets Hamilton, on his way back to Yale, marries him and goes with him to New Haven to bear the child he thinks is his. Miss Kohner, spoiled and bored, runs away from a girl's academy and goes to New Haven to be with her brother of whom she is fiercely jealous, creating tension in the newlywed's household. Wagner, befriended by Pearl Bailey, famous singer who has abandoned her career to mourn a lost love, goes to New York with her and becomes an overnight sensation on the nightclub circuit. Emotions are further intertwined after Miss Wood and Wagner meet in New York and he marries Miss Kohner out of revenge, a motive which leads to a loveless marriage and an attempt at suicide by his bride. Out of it all comes mature love to each of the married couples in a story twist which is no more valid than the preceding confusions. The story is carried along by a series of rapid cuts revealing parallel character developments in all the people concerned, a cinematic device used -with great effectiveness albeit in an obscure cause. The restlessness, despair and longings accompanying the transition from youth to maturity lare well depicted but for the most part left unexplained except by the tired cliche of weak, selfish or imperceptive parental influence. The photography, in Metrocolor, is technically superb. Running time, 112 minutes. Release date, August. James D. Ivebs Record First 6 Months Reported by WNBC-TV The first six months of 1960 represented the most successful half-year in WNBC-TV's history, according to NBC vice-president William N. Davidson, general manager for WNBC-TV and WNBC. July sales are breaking station billing records for the 34th consecutive month, and Channel 4's sales for the half-year climbed 12.3 per cent over the like period in 1959, he said. Among the new clients advertising on WNBC-TV in the first half of 1960 were the Manufacturers Trust Co., Pepsi-Cola, Chemical Bank-New York Trust Co., Coca-Cola, Dodge Dealers, Howard Johnson, Yuban Instant Coffee, Schweppes, Jomar Instant Coffee, Holiday Car Wax, Tidewater Oil, and Golden Encyclopedia. IFIDA Pledges Fight (Continued from page 1) exhibition of Trans-Lux's "The Case of Dr. Laurent" and Times Film's "Naked Amazon," two other films, for which Atlanta has refused to grant licenses. These two pictures received Production Code Seals. 'Portrait' Booked Here Universal-International's "Portrait in Black" will have its New York premiere at the RKO Palace Theatre and the Trans-Lux 85th Street Theatre on July 27, it was disclosed yesterday by Henry H. "Hi" Martin, Universal vicepresident and general manager. 'Witness' Series Debuts In Sept. on CBS-TV "The Witness," a new, hour-long dramatic series in which the most notorious rogues of the past and present will be investigated by a "committee of inquiry," will premiere Thursday, Sept. 29, from 7:30-8:30 P.M. on the CBS television network. It will be sponsored on alternate week half-hours by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Helene Curtis, Esquire boot polish, and Shick, Inc. David Susskind is executive producer for Talent Associates Ltd. Some of the historical figures under consideration for the series are "Boss" Tweed, Leon Trotsky, John Dillinger, Billy the Kid and Serge Rubenstein. Jacqueline Babbin and Murray Susskind will alternate as producer of "The Witness." Creative Stocfe ( Continued from page 1 ) taken over, it was known as Unite ; Telefilms, Ltd., and last Dec. 23, tf company changed its name to Creativ General nature of business actual1} transacted by the company is exploit; f tion through the medium of TV an! otherwise a library of motion pictuij films and cartoons. It also has a reeorj subsidiary, headed by Morton Crafl known as United Telefilm Record > Inc., incorporated under the laws cl the state of Delaware. It also plans ll act as a talent agency. Authorized capital of the compami consists of five million common share! without par value, of which 1,003,25,' are issued and outstanding as full' paid. The company has yet to pay dividend. Heavy Sale in February In February of this year, the comi pany sold $10 million principal amount of convertible debentures pni vately. It granted an option on am other $5 million subject to share) holder approval. This was taken up, i! is believed, by Louis Chesler and limited group of investors. The company is controlled by Ches ler, although his name doesn't appea on the board of directors. Chesleil originally from Toronto, now lives ill New York. In 1957 it purchased a large num ber of motion pictures and cartoons o Warner Brothers for a total considi eration of $450,000 cash, and also pur ! chased the "Popeye" cartoons. David B. Stillman, of New York; was recently elected president of th«j company, indicating an American subi sidiary in the near future. He sue; ceeds Garfield P. Cass, of Toronto, j A vice-president will be electee after the shareholders meeting late ii July Abraham Cass Heads Sales Director of sales for Creative | Abraham B. Cass; comptroller, Ed ward D. Wright, and secretary, Jame: Rawlins, Jr. (Tex) McCrary of Nev!1 York, well known public relation! counsel, is on the board, as are A. C Cowan, an insurance executive of To ronto, and Garfield Cass, general manager. Also on the board is Gregsoi Bautzer, well known Hollywood at torney. The company is also to back th( Broadway musical of "Gone With the Wind" in an agreement with Davie O. Selznick. It will advance the cosi of the production and exploitation with loans not to exceed $1,250,000 with $500,000 already advanced for \ 40 per cent interest. Columbia Post to Lewis William Lewis, who during the pas few years has been handling specia exploitation assignments for Columbi; Pictures, has been named Southwes division exploitation manager by Rob ert S. Ferguson, Columbia national di rector of advertising, publicity anc exploitation. Lewis will continue t<| handle special assignments.