Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

Motion Picture Daily Thursday, December 8, lfi) PERSONAL MENTION ERIC JOHNSTON, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, left here by plane yesterday for Europe. • Jack Kibsch, president of Allied States Association, is hospitalized in Chicago. • Morton A. Spring, president of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer International, will leave New York at the weekend for Europe. • Nancy Kwan, star of "The World of Suzie Wong," will leave New York today for London. • Lou Marks, M-G-M Central division manager, Detroit, and William A. Madden, Midwest division sales manager, Chicago, have arrived in New York from their respective cities. • Julie Newmar, star of 20th Century-Fox's "The Marriage-Go-Round," will arrive in Washington today from New York. • Morris Lefko, in charge of "BenHur" domestic distribution, will return to New York today from New Orleans. 'Entertainer,' 'Herod' In Legion's Class B Two films, "The Entertainer" ( Continental) and "Herod, the Great" (Allied Artists) were placed in its Class B ( morally objectionable in part for all) by the National Legion of Decency this week. Objection to "The Entertainer" was "despite the serious intent of the theme of this film certain elements in treatment ( suggestiveness ) are objectionable." The objection to "Herod" was "suggestive costuming and situations." The Legion put "Cimarron" (M-G-M) and "Serengeti Shall Not Die" (A. A. ) in Class A, Section 1 (general) and "The Facts of Life" (U.A.) and "The Grass Is Greener" (U-I) in Class A, Section 111 (adults). Gamble Estate Set PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 7. The estate of Ted R. Gamble, well known motion picture-television executive who died last May, has been appraised at $812,526. He left his estate to his widow, two daughters and a son as beneficieries of a trust fund for the bulk of his estate. Two sisters received $20,000 bequests each. Local Commercial Radio System in UK Is Urged by Screen Advertising Ass'n. By WILLIAM PAY LONDON, Dec. 6 (By Air Mail).-The Screen Advertising Association, representing 95 per cent of the cinema advertising turnover in Britain, puts forward a case for a possible local commercial radio system in the U.K., in its submission to the Government's Pilkington Committee which has been set up to decide the future of sound and television broadcasting. The Association believes that a proportion of the air time of a local radio service should be taken up by paid advertising, whose revenue would contribute all, or a major part, of the financial support for each station. The more media there are competing for the appropriation of advertisers, the greater their efforts will be to promote the quality of their work. It is a proposal which will work against monopolistic trends, adds the submission. Confining its case solely to the financial aspects of local broadcasting, the Association states that its member companies should be given the opportunity of acting as station representatives in respect of such advertising. It is also stressed that— as with the cinema, so with commercial radio— advertising must be made up of a combination of local and national clients. The whole structure of cinema advertising is related to this policy, and the Association's members are geared to meet this dual requirement. At present, the non-commercial British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has a monopoly of radio broadcasting here. Shanahan Named ( Continued from page 1 ) tion for both the theatres and the hotels. Russ Grant has been named assistant to Emerling in charge of advertising and publicity for Loew's out-oftown theatres, and Ted Arnow playing a similar role for Loew's theatres in the New York area, including the State and Capitol, on Broadway. Ann Bontempo, who has been handling publicity and advertising for Loew's Theatres in New Jersey, has been assigned to hotel promotion. Roach and Case (Continued from page 1) duction, which will be made in January on the Roach lot is "Pirate Women." Two other features scheduled for production early next year are "The Rapist" and "Mixed Marriage." Roach, Jr., and Case were formerly associated in television production with such series as "Racket Squad" and "Public Defender," and both plan to integrate other television productions in their renewed association. Censor Threat ( Continued from page 1 ) ceding its annual beefsteak dinner next Tuesday in Maplewood, N. J. Sidney Stern, N. J. Allied president, said yesterday that the organization had offered its assistance to Sidney Franklin, operator of the Little Theatre, Newark, who was charged with a violation of the city's anti-burlesque ordinance after having shown the film. Stern said the censorship threats were cause for increasing concern on the part of the New Jersey organization, as they are in many other states, and that a report would be prepared for the Council of Motion Picture Organizations after next week's meeting. "We consider this a case that Compo should know about," he said. Among other subjects on the agenda for the meeting is a discussion of local business-building activities and consideration of the advisability of part-time closings of theatres in some localities during the pre-Christmas week. Pay-TV Argument ( Continued from page 1 ) all parties to the case have earlier agreed that five days notice of argument would be sufficient. Since this is the case, argument would not interpose any extra significant delay in the consideration of whether to grant a pay-tv license to Hartford Phonevision, Inc. If FCC decides to grant Cohn's request for oral argument, it is understood that proceedings will be brief. The Broadcast Bureau suggests that allowing each of the parties to the case about 30 minutes of argument would suffice. Under this proceeding —which would be quite unusual for FCC— it is probable that the attorney for Hartford Phonevision would be allowed to reserve a portion of his time for rebuttal of the arguments advanced by both the Broadcast Bureau and Cohn, who represents the Connecticut Committee Against PayTV and five exhibitors in the Hartford, Conn., area. 'Alaska9 Over $1 Million "North to Alaska" has pushed past the $1,500,000 mark in 27 days of national release, making the attraction one of the top-grossers of 1960 for 20th Century-Fox, the company reports. Special Matinees fa 'Ben-Hw' in Britain From THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, Dec. 6 (By Air MailfJ All theatres playing Metro's "B Hur" here will stage matinee perfo ances every day from Boxing Day Jan. 7 inclusive. So great is the demand for se during the Christmas season that es screenings of the picture have becc essential. In London it is already possible to obtain seats for Bo> Day as well as for several days af wards. Matinees every day are already rule at the Empire Theatre, Lew ter Square, where the picture's anniversary will be celebrated on I 16. In provincial centres, matinees staged twice weekly at present, bo is still difficult to accommodate customers. Playing in Scotland, Ireland "Ben-Hur" is now playing to pacity houses in Birmingham, Dutl Glasgow and Manchester. Schneider Acquires 'Last of Vikings' "The Last Of The Vikings," large-scale adventure film in Eastm Color and TotalScope, starring C; eron Mitchell, Edmund Purdom ; Isabelle Corey, has been acquired United States and Canadian distri tion by Major Productions, Inc., was announced by Samuel Schneic president. This is the second Itali made film acquired by Schneider his recent trip to Rome, the other ing "Maciste The Giant." The Major Productions head rently is finalizing deals for the quisition of other foreign films, addition to plans for co-produ deals abroad. Mexico Reassures ( Continued from page 1 ) Co. and the Gold Chain, which gether consist of 329 theatres, > confirmed by Mexican governrra sources this week. Eric Johnst MPEA president, who visited Me?j City last week, told a Metropolfl )er M. P. Theatres Ass'n. meeting in N 4 York last Tuesday that the devel L ment "could have a profound efl on the industry all around world." MONET MAKING MERCHANT IMAS SALES MANUAL FREE ON REQUEST "'Si For The Quickes And Best Holida Promotion Trailet Send Your Order To FILM AC I "3!7"^5£ 1327 S°' WABASH ■ CHICAGC MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief _«nd Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Gertner, News Editor; Herbert V Fee f 11 ' ' Aaronson. Editorial Director; Pinky Herman, Eastern Editor. Hollywood Bure > Advertising Manager; Gus H. 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