Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

VOL. 88, NO. 71 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1960 TEN CENTS Up Next Week High Court Lets 3 File In Times Case MPAA, ACLU, IFIDA Given Amicus Curiae Status From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 10. The Supreme Court today granted leave to the Motion Picture Association, American Civil Liberties Union, and Independent Film Importers and Distributors of America, Inc., to file amicus curiae briefs in the Times Films case. The pre-censorship case involving the film "Don Juan" is due to be argued next week before the high court. VIPA, ACLU, and IFIDA had asked :o file friend of the court briefs because of their interest in the case. In addition, IFIDA in its brief noted: "A major issue of peculiar imDortance to applicant was not dealt (Continued on page 5) electrovision Sells 12 Coast Houses to Stein From THE DAILY Bureau LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10. Elecrrovision Corp. and Fred Stein Enterprises today concluded arrangements :or the sale by Electrovision of 12 of ts Los Angeles indoor theatres at a Drice in excess of $2,500,000, Robert L Lippert, chairman of board anlounced. Concurrently, Lippert announced he election of Martin Stone as new president of Electrovision, succeedng Edwin F. Zabel, who rejoins (Continued on page 5) Brien Named 20th-Fox ^ss't. Exploitation Mgr. Lige Brien has been appointed asistant exploitation manager for 20th 3entury-Fox, it was announced yeserday by Rodney Bush, exploitation Erector. Brien, whose appointment is ffective immediately, resigned his tost of national director of special vents at United Artists. In his new position, Brien will (Continued on page 5) TOA Sets Alpha Production Advisory Committee; Appraisal of 14 Begun The committee which will review all proposed pictures of the new Alpha Production and Distribution Co. was announced yesterday by Albert M. Pickus, president of Theatre Owners of America. At the same time Pickus disclosed that the committee was currently reviewing the script and production program for the first of the 14 pictures which Alpha announced at TOA's recent national convention in Los Angeles. Selection of the committee and the current appraisal activity on the first picture was hailed by Budd Rogers, president and general sales manager of Alpha, who declared the TOA co( Continued on page 4) In Britain Deny Stay to Triangle On Post-1949 WB Films Triangle Stations yesterday was denied its motion to restrain Seven Arts Associated Corp. from licensing the post-1949 Warner Bros, pictures for television exhibition in Triangle markets. The motion was denied by New York Supreme Court Justice Saul Streit. Triangle, which has its headquarters in Philadelphia, filed suit in September asserting that when it pur(Continued on page 5) Smith Named NSS Director in London The appointment of Edwin J. Smith as managing director of National Screen Service, Ltd. (London) was announced here by Herman Robbins, chairman. Smith was formerly vice-president and general manager of Allied Art(Continued on page 4) Alliens Attendance Committee Is Named Special to THE DAILY CHICAGO, Oct. 10,-The national attendance committee for the 1960 Allied States' convention, to be held here at the Conrad Hilton Hotel, Nov. 6 through 9, has been named by Jack Kirsch, president of Allied Theatres of Illinois and general chairman of this year's conclave. The attendance committee members, charged with the duty of getting (Continued on page 4) British Censor Views Violence in Films With Greater Concern Than Problem of Sex From THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, Oct. 10.— Of the two main censorship problems today one is that Americans are more worried by sex in films than the British but less strict about scenes of violence, John Trevelyan, secretary of the board of film censors, said here today prior to his departure for the U.S. to meet with Geoffrey Shurlock, director of the Production Code Administration. Purpose of the visit, which he is making at the invitation of member companies of the Motion Picture Ass'n., will be to discuss censorship problems with top executives at the studios and home offices. He hopes to create a better understanding of the British censor approach as well as to study at first hand the American system of assessing both domestic and imported films. The other main problem, Trevelyan said, is that "no category system is in operation in the U.S. Any child can walk into a film like 'Psycho'." "At the moment Americans shoot a brutal scene all in one piece," he continued, "and it is not designed for cutting so that we mangle it when we have to chop a piece out of the middle. If they would shoot it in three separate parts, that would enable us to remove objectionable parts without mangling the film." The Motion Picture Ass'n. will be host at a press conference and cocktail reception for Trevelyan at the Harvard Club here today. Producers Back Stand On 'X' Films Generally Commend CEA On 'Dangers'1 Memorandum By WILLIAM PAY LONDON, Oct. 8 (By Air Mail)Producers queried here generally commended Cinematograph Exhibitors Association memorandum calling on them to heed the dangers of making too many "X"-certificated (for adults only) films. The exhibitor memorandum emphasized that it was not seeking to interfere with the making of "X"films of merit which rely on mature and adult themes, but called on producers to pay great heed to the following basic points: (1) Cinema-going was a form of mass entertainment and the industry could only survive if everything possible was done to avoid public criticism which affected attendances. (2) Cinema patrons wanted the standard of outlook and behaviour in (Continued on page 5) AMP A Cites lukor lor Service to Industry When the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers presents its first annual achievement awards at the luncheon Wednesday, Nov. 2, it will have a special award for Adolph Zuk o r, veteran chairman o f the board of «"**■! Paramount Pictures, it was rwKm a n n o u n c ed yesterday b y Bob Montgom^ erv, A M P A Adolph Zukor president. M o n t g ornery said the AMPA board and its special awards committee had voted special recognition for Zukor, as a means of voicing its "affectionate (Continued on page 2)