Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

MOTION PICTURE 88, NO. 22 NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1960 TEN CENTS IT O RIAL :nsorship Defeat By S her win Kane I NNSYLVANIA's film censorship |w was a particularly dangerous ie to all branches of the industry, i efore, the unanimous decision of i Dauphin County (Harrisburg) i that the law is unconstitutional i inoperable is doubly welcome, lie Pennsylvania statute sought to H the taint of illegality which the Supreme Court visited upon all I censorship in decisions handed i'i in recent years, by specifying i its motion picture control board iise its censorship function after [res had opened in theatres, r than before. d this legal subterfuge been I valid by the court, industry Native observers were convinced nhe Pennsylvania law would have rd as a model for additional state ^municipal censorship legislation lery censor-minded section of the fry. I'enforcible, the law could require ifitors to withdraw a disapproved nfter it had opened at the thea'»d after thousands of dollars had I spent on advertising and pubt The theatre might be obliged tnedn closed for some time if suitr alternate bookings were not imntely available to it. I addition, the law required the j ration and licensing, for a fee, ; ery theatre and film distributor I,: state, and empowered the cenijoard to classify films for adults I; uncertainties, complexities, fikal considerations and economic t|ds of the law to all branches of ijidustry are apparent, the more lould such legislation ever be I valid by the courts and its con*i be spread about the country. • I a gratitude of the industry is sJOth Century-Fox and William tian, Philadelphia showman, who fssfully fought the Pennsylvania t s. However, their victory should (Continued on page 4) Censor Set-Back Hailed by Johnston The Pennsylvania court decision striking down the new state film censorship law was hailed yesterday as a "significant advance in the continuing fight t o maintain freedom of the screen" b y Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Ass'n. He said it "rolls back those in America who would short circuit democracy b y turning over screen freedom to the dictates of a censor." The Johnston statement continues: "The court has rescued Pennsylvania ( Continued on page 4 ) Stein to Join Warners As Advertising Manager Max Stein will join Warner Bros, early next month as advertising manager, it was announced yesterday by Richard Lederer, the company's advertising and publicity director. Stein, creative ad manager for 20di Century-Fox, will leave his present post this week and will assume his new duties following a vacation. A member of the 20th-Fox adver(Continued on page 5) Complete Victory for Industry Penn. Censor Law Is Voided in Court Test Eric Johnston Held Unconstitutional on All Counts, But State Official Plans Appeal Special to THE DAILY HARRISBURG Pa., Aug 1.— Pennsylvania's new motion picture censorship code was declared unconstitutional and inoperable in a 100-page opinion handed down by the Dauphin County Court here. Judge Walter Sohn found the "new act "so vague and indefinite as to be inoperable and therefore invalid," in his opinion finding the new act defective throughout, including its title. The ruling upheld attacks on the new code's constitutionality brought by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp., and William Goldman Theatres, Inc., and ( Continued on page 4 ) Compo Warns of New Censorship Moves Advocates of motion picture censorship are bound to continue their efforts despite the court decision nullifying the newly-enacted Pennsylvania censorship law, it was declared yesterday by Charles E. McCarthy, ( Continued on page 4 ) Phonevision Maps Plans Theatre Admissions Up F°r C°nn* Pay-TV ShoWS $110 Million in '59 From THE DAILY Bureav WASHINGTON, Aug. 1. -Total admissions paid to motion picture theatres in 1959 came to $1,278,000,000, an increase of $110 million from the $1,168,000,000 recorded in 1959, the Commerce Department reports. At the (Continued on page 5) Special to THE DAILY HARTFORD, Aug. 1. -Executives of the Hartford Phonevision Co. are holding conferences now with "top creative minds in every facet of the entertainment world" to set up a master programming plan for its proposed pay-TV service here. This is revealed in a brochure being distributed to the public describing plans of the RKO (Continued on page 2) Zeckendorf $5 Million Initial Payment Grave Problems' Cited Made For 20th-Fox Studio Property As I A Meeting Opens William Zeckendorf yesterday paid 20th Century-Fox an additional $2,300.000 to complete the basic $5,000,000 down payment on his new all-cash deal for the purchase of the 20th-Fox studio property in Beverly Hills, Calif. The binder accompanied the sign ing of the new deal under which holders at a special meeting called for Zeckendorf companies will pay 20th Oct. 17. Fox $43,000,000 in cash for the stu If the deal is approved by the dio property. However, the deal must shareholders, Zeckendorf will pay first be approved by 20th-Fox stock (Continued on page 6) Special to THE DAILY CHICAGO, Aug. 1. In the first session of the five-day convention of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees at the Conrad Hilton Hotel here, speakers indicated that this session, the union's 45th, is confronted with grave problems, Specific ones were enumerated by ( Continued on page 6 ) / LABORATORIES, INC. NEW YORK AND HOLLYWOOD • • • • Complete facilities for every film need in black and white or color