Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

sion Motion Picture Daily 'Million-Dollar' AROUND THE TV CIRCUIT .wit* PINKY HERMAN. WALT FRAMER is due back from a trip to London where he is setting up plans to have BBC televise his perennial favorites "Strike It Rich" and "The Big Payoff." Framer's "Love Or Money" is currently one of the most popular quizzers there. . . . Official Films will handle national syndication of "Playboys' Penthouse" an hour-long series sponsored by Playboy mag and hosted by Hugh Hefner, the mag's editor and publisher. . . . Ex-vaudevillian Jimmy Clark doubling from the Lambs Club "Low Jinx" and a prominent running part "Laboratory Expert" in the new Horace MacMahon detective thriller series, "Naked City" currently being filmed in Gotham by Screen Gems. . . . W.K. theatrical attorney Jack London flies to coast next week to close a couple of TV and moom pitcher deals for Hugh Downs and John Raitt. . . . ABC Films have set for national syndication release 3 new properties, "John Gunther's High Road," "Exclusive!," and "Counterthrust," it was announced by Prexy Henry G. Plitt. . . . Allen (Pope-Eye" emcee) Swift has just created a new Moppet game which will be marketed this winter by a major toy mfr. . . . Ted Steele's promotion to WNTA chief has made many tin pan alleyites cheer. Ted has always lent an attentive ear to its music wares. . . . Robert Q. Lewis knows a playboy who's going to Paris for his health . . . that's where he lost it. . . . Ron Thompson "Morning Mayor" of KOMA, has just been upped to promotion director of the Oklahoma City station. . . . (Continued from page 1) films are featured. These are the films selected by viewer request as being the outstanding hits of the past year. They include "La Strada," "Hold That Ghost," and "Naked City." "Album Week" is a festival week but the station already has its programs planned for weeks ahead. The same picture is shown 16 times a week on "Million Dollar Movie." This formula has been borrowed in many areas throughout the broadcasting world as witness the increase of films and plays in multiple presentations on other outlets, WOR-TV points out. Arbitron's New York report shows that since last October, with the exception of January and February of this year when no reports were published, "Million Dollar Movie's" weekly rating exceeded those of New York's top network programs. WNTA Names Steele Radio General Manager Ted Steele, veteran broadcasting personality and industry business executive, yesterday was named general manager of WNTA AM and FM radio stations. He will supervise overall day-to-day activities of both outlets, according to Ted Cott, vice-president in charge of NTA owned and operated stations. He succeeds Irving Lichtenstein, who has been promoted to supervisor of special events activities and promotional merchandising. Steele joined WNTA-TV a year ago as host of "The Ted Steele Dance Party," currently televised six nights a week. Prior to joining NTA, Steele was an executive producer with General Teleradio, where he was assigned to WOR television and radio from 1954 to 1959. ITP Claims Record Set For Foreign TV Sales By making 150 sales of 30 shows in 31 countries last month, International Television Programs, Inc., foreign distributor of Ziv-UA properties, has claimed a company record for foreign TV film distribution. ITP sold advertisers and stations in Latin America, Europe, the Middle and Far East and in Canada. June reportedly was the biggest single month in company sales volume and dollar gross history. Five sales leaders were "Highway Patrol," "Men Into Space," "Man and the ^Challenge," "Mr. District Attorney" and "Sea Hunt." A foreign buying trend toward action adventure was noted. Lichtenstein Promoted Irving Lichtensetin, who for the past year has been general manager of WNTA, AM and FM, radio stations owned and operated by National Telefilm Associates, has been promoted to the post of general executive at NTA, in charge of special events, promotions and merchandising. Redell Heads Sales of TelePrompTer Division Don Redell, who has been with TelePrompTer Corp. since 1951, most recently as Eastern manager, equipment division, has been named director of sales in the programs and products division of the organization. Additionally, the company announced that George Kassimatis has been named manager of the New York television and film service division, and Leslie H. Read director of sales in that division. Schacker Sets Deal for 17 French, Italian Films Marshall Schacker, for his Premiere Video, Inc., has closed a deal with RKO-General for 17 French and Italian films for U.S. television use. On four of the pictures, theatrical rights are included. Arthur Good represented RKO-General in the deal. Additionally, Schacker and Good currently are completing negotiations for a second group of 13, also produced by Schacker's Italian clients. Lois Brandt on WNEW Lois Brandt, comedienne and actress—and wife of Richard Brandt, theatre and television executive— will substitute for vacationing Fred Scott on his WNEW-TV programs for one week, beginning Aug. 1. She will be featured on "Felix and Friends" and "Cartoon Playtime," Monday through Friday. NBC Names Telford Frank Telford has been named director, program development, West Coast, for the NBC television network. He will report to Felix Jackson, vice-president, NBC television network programming, West Coast. Round Table Luncheons Again Set by R.T.E.S. Plans for the 1960-61 season of "Round Table Luncheons" of the Radio and Television Executives Society have been completed by the committee for the monthly series. Meetings will extend from September through April, and will be devoted to discussions by leading spokesmen on subjects of general industry interest and value. Serving as chairman of the committee for the second successive year is Edward Reynolds, assistant director of press information, CBS Television Network. Last year's co-chairman, Albert B. Shepard, sales manager of Select Station Representatives, serves as the committee's liaison with the RTES board of governors, to which he was elected this spring. 'Shangri-La' to Reopen 'Hall of Fame' in Oct. The "Hallmark of Fame" will begin its 10th consecutive year on the NBC-TV network Monday, Oct. 24, with a 90-minute color production of "Shangri-La," a new play with music based on James Hilton's novel, "Lost Horizon." The show will be colorcast live from 9:30-11 P.M. EDT. It is the work of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, with music by Harry Warren. It will be the first of six "Hall of Fame" productions scheduled for the 1960-61 season. SG Appoints Hilford Lawrence B. Hilford has been appointed assistant to Lloyd Burns, vicepresident in charge of international operations of Screen Gems, Inc., Hilford has been assistant to John Mitchell, vice-president in charge of sales, for the past year. Friday, July 29, 191 National Pre-Selling —^—————— ( "\X7HAT I intend to be is tlj VV best gosh-darned actress the world." This is a statement Dii ! Merrill made to Isabella Taves fii an article in the August issue il "Good Housekeeping." Dina Merrill is the daughter of ] F. Hutton, wife of an heir of til Colgate soap fortune, and the mothi of three. Dina has important roles in thr< ; films, not yet released, "Butterfiel 8," "The Sundowners," and "A Ma' ter of Conviction." Isabella Taves, the author aske directors, cameramen, actors and sti dio mechanics how Dina was to wot with. They were unanimous in savin she was the essence of cooperation. • "Spartacus" will receive conside': able promotional help through tf| publication of Bantam Books' specii: edition of Howard Fast's magnificeri novel. There will be a special 1(1 page colorful illustrated souverii booklet bound into this edition. « Jill Haworth, age 14, who plaj | Karen in Otto Preminger's productio of "Exodus" is spotlighted on th color cover of "Parade's" July 3 issue. Lloyd Shearer has an article in th same issue written on the "Exodus location from Jerusalem. He says "Ji plays Karen with great perception." • "The Adventures of Huckleber^ Finn" is a good picture with warmt and high spirit according to Richar Marek in "McCall's" July issue. A for the actors, Archie Moore prize fighter turned actor, comes off besi investing Jim with more intelligent and breeding than Mark Twain mean' him to have, but making believabl his deep feeling for Huck and thj inherent quality of the soul. • "School for Scoundrels," the Con tinental Film based c:i the writing o British humorist Stephen Potter, re! ceived a laudatory review in the Jul; 25 issue of "Newsweek." The central character is Henr Palfrey, a timid young man who i the natural prey of taxi drivers, head waiters and automobile salesmen. Bui this is before Henry takes a quid course at the "College of Lifeman ship." Henry's aptitude at gettin;; his classmates one-down is remark able. It all adds up to some hilariou comedy. • A striking ad on Conan Doyle': "The Lost World" appears in th( August issue of "Argosy." • "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," the MGM version of Marl Twain's classic, received an upbeat review in the July issue of "Seventeen." Walter Haa*