Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

4 Motion Picture Daily Monday, August 1, W FCC Sets Interim Program Policy7 From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, July 31.-An "interim" programming policy has been adopted by the Federal Communications Commission. It will remain in effect at least until FCC gets further along in its study of the extent of its powers to regulate programming. The new policy requires applicants for new and renewal radio and TV licenses to show how they are meeting the public service needs of their local communities. FCC rejected quite firmly any notion that it could or should engage in censorship. It said: "The communication of ideas by means of radio and television is a form of expression entitled to protection against abridgement by the First Amendment to the Constitution. The commission may not impose its private notions of what the public ought to hear." FCC went into the matter of "the public interest" in connection with its licensing activities. It said that this might constitute a program schedule in which— in addition to entertainment—opportunity was offered for airing local issues, presentation of local talent, presentation of children's programs, and material in the general public affairs and educational areas, such as political news, farm news, sports, and religious programming. New Closed Circuit Network for Business Proposed formation of a closed circuit TV network by TelePrompTer embracing eight cities contemplates communications, rather than entertainment objectives, company officials stated at the weekend. TelePrompTer has applied t o A.T.&T. for coaxial cable connections for the circuit which, it is planned, will include New York, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cleveland and Chicago, and would cover the hours from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Currently, on a one-time basis for its communications closed circuit hookups, TelePrompTer is obliged to pay the standard charge of $1.25 per mile, per hour. If A.T.&.T. approves the proposed new hookup on a permanent basis, a lower long-lines charge would apply, entailing economies which could be passed along to customers and which in turn would help attract new ones, TelePrompTer officials pointed out. In addition, they said it would make it possible to establish some continuity in the company's industrial closed circuit TV operations, and would provide in Open New York Office of TV Code From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, July 31. The New York office of the National Association of Broadcasters TV Code will open tomorrow. Stockton Helffrich, former network executive, is director of the office, temporarily located at 380 Madison Ave., in the Transcontinent Television Corp. offices. Harold Goldman Forms New TV Film Company Formation of Television Enterprises Corporation (TEC), a new television film distribution organization, was announced today by Harold Goldman, veteran TV film figure and a former vice-president of National Telefilm Associates, Inc. Goldman, who will be president of the firm, said the organization will handle specialized product for television exhibition throughout the world. He also said that negotiations are in progress for the acquisition of a number of important properties of a specialty nature which will be put into distribution shortly. Headquarters for the new firm will be in Hollywood. Goldman currently is in New York to establish an Eastern headquarters. He will be in Chicago next week to set up a Mid-western division in that city. Capital Cities Reports $455,870 6-Month Net Net income for the first six months of 1960 amounted to $455,870, Frank Smith, president of Capital Cities Broadcasting, has reported to stockholders. This is an increase of $234,821 over last year for the same period. Net earnings per share were equal to 40 cents compared with 19 cents for 1959. Income from sales for Capital Cities was approximately 39 per cent over last year. This period includes results for a full three months operation of WPRO stations in Providence during 1960. WPRO-AM FM-TV were acquired on April 16, 1959. For the sixmonth period, sales increased 77 per cent over last year. creased use for equipment where it is installed and without necessitating its being shifted to new locations. The objective will be to get more events lined up for the new network than has been practical heretofore, such as company conferences, new product introductions to dealers and special industrial events. A customer, it was pointed out, will be able to take any of the eight cities desired, or could have more added, if needed. REVIEW; For The Love Of Mike 20th-Fox — Chergari "For the Love of Mike" goes out of its way to insure acceptance by every family member. It espouses religion, children, disabled animals and a speedy colt, and little-boy awe. "Mike" is 12-year-old Danny Bravo, an Indian lad who wants to see a new church built at his impoverished New Mexican pueblo as badly as do the priests, elderly Arthur Shields and his successor Richard Basehart. Daniel D. Beauchamp's screenplay has Mike, an orphan, play cook and footman to Shields, who is critically ill and expected to die within the year. The boy nurses sick animals back to health in his spare time. In short, he is what every nice little boy should be. When Basehart comes to the village to succeed Shields, the boy determines to find a way to build a church before Shields dies. The boy enters his colt in a county fair race and wins the $2,000 purse. Because the villagers have bet a fair share on Mike's horse, so much more money is gathered for church construction. But it is learned that the horse belongs to cowboy star Rex Allen (who plays himself). Mike didn't steal the horse, it simply strayed away. But the boy, crushed, runs off into the mountains with the horse. He is fetched finally by a "posse" composed of Basehart, Allen, Stu Erwin, the village doctor, and Armando Silvestre, a willing Indian. The ending is logical and happy. The boy has his horse and village shall have its new church. The picture is presented by F. H. Ricketson, Jr., and Ted R. Gamble, and produced and directed by George Sherman. It is a Chergari Corp. production in CinemaScope and De Luxe Color. Running time, 84 minutes. August release. Saul Ostrove Cleveland Meet Today For Will Rogers Fund Special to THE DAILY CLEVELAND, July 31.-A general industry meeting to form plans to try to reach the $100,000 goal set for the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital Fund from northern Ohio has been called for tomorrow at 1:30 P.M. in the 20th Century-Fox screen room here by distributor chairman Raymond Schmertz, 20th-Fox branch manager, and Frank Murphy, Loew's Theatres division manager and exhibitor chairman. O'Donnell Meet Today BOSTON, July 31.-A meeting to set plans for the O'Donnell Memorial Year drive of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital has been called for tomorrow by Tom O'Brien, branch manager of Columbia Pictures, and George Roberts, of Rifkin Theatres. It will be held at the Universal screening room. TO A Meetiri ( Continued from page 1 ) M Company, New York; Coca-iM Company, Atlanta; American Sc A Company, Grand Rapids; Bruns\l Balke-Collender, Chicago; Enc.M paedia Brittanica, Chicago. National Vendors, St. Louis; la tors and Company, Nashville; Ma y Inc., Kansas City; B. F. Shearer,'] Francisco and Los Angeles; RJ« Vide Co.; National Carbon Co., J York; Switzer Licorice Co., St. LIB Cole Products Corp., Chicago; 1 tinental Vending Machine 1 Westbury, N. Y.; APCO, Inc., | York. Royal Crown Cola Co.; Stanfonl dustries, Oaklawn, 111.; BallarJ Co., Omaha; Great Books of J Western World, Los Angeles; Sel Dispensers, Long Island City, X 1 Strong Electric Corp., Toledo. Carbonic Dispensers; Dr. Pell Co., Dallas; International Seat 11 sion, Union City Body Co., U.l City, Ind.; Savon Co., Paterson, Towne Talk Co., Los Angeles; (1 tury Projector Corp., New "M Lorraine Carbon Co., Boonton, Nl Heywood Wakefield Co., Garol Mass., and Menominee, Mich; Mil graph, Chicago; A. & M. Karagha an, New York; Wagner Sign Serf Chicago. Two Associations Co-Sponsorir The Theatre Equipment Suil Manufacturers' Association and 1 Theatre Equipment Dealers Assii tion have joined TOA in co-spon ing the trade show. Cooper Found. Enlist $25,000 to ACE Proi Special to THE DAILY LINCOLN, Neb., July 31-KeJ E. Anderson, general managerj Cooper Foundation here, has j nounced that the Foundation has I thusiastically" subscribed $25,00(1 the projected American Congress] Exhibitors production company. Anderson said, "I have advised) five theatre ex-affiliates that we i they are to be commended for lea<ij the way in establishing a company finance the production of more q? ity motion pictures. I am certain I the advent of this new company! the production scene will have a terially beneficial effect on the ni; ber of quality motion pictures aif able to exhibitors as a whole." DiFonso Treasurer Of America Corp. Rocco J. DiFonso has been eleCj treasurer and chief financial officei' America Corp., it was announced j Gordon K. Greenfield, presidi America Corp. is the parent of Pat Laboratories, among other subs aries. DiFonso, a former controller i assistant treasurer of H. K. Pot Co., joined America Corp. earlier I year.