Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

MOTION PICTURE VOL. 88, NO. 117 Already Underway Compo Starts New Minimum Pay Campaign All Exhibitor Groups, MP A Join in Exemption Drive Compo has already started its campaign for exemption of motion picture theatre employees from the provisions of any wage and hour law that may be adopted at the coming session of Congress, it was asserted yesterday by Charles E. McCarthy. Compo executive vice president. Exhibitors throughout the country have been contacting their Senators and Representatives since Election Day, McCarthy said. He emphasized also that all exhibitor organizations and MPAA are participating in the campaign, just as they did in the drive last summer that resulted in the inclusion of exemp(Continued on page 6) 'Impostor1 World Debut In Saturation Series Universal^ "The Great Impostor" will have its world premiere as a territorial saturation series of openings out of the Boston and New Haven film exchanges on Feb. 16 to be followed by Pittsburgh, Florida and Kansas City territorial openings, it was announced by Henry H. "Hi Martin, Universal vice-president and general sales manager. A total territorial saturation tele(Continued on page 4) NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1960 TEN CENTS Film Cash Dividends Up to $1,704,000 for Nov.: II Months of '60 Total $22,049,000 A From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON Dec. 19.-Cash dividends paid by motion picture companies issuing public reports totaled Sl,704,000 in November up from the S 1,3 12,000 reported in the same month of last year, and also higher than the Sl',353,000 reported by the companies in October, 1960. For the year's first 11 months, film companies paid dividends of S22,049,UUO compared with 820,643,000 in 1959. In the U.S. economy as a whole, cash dividends of $387.6 million were reported in November, a bit less than the S390.6 million reported in November 1959. Total October dividends were S921.5 million. For this years nrst 11 'months, industry dividends totalled §11,118,800, an increase from the 810,587,400 reported last year. In Milwaukee Allied Meets Jan. 14-15 on New President Marcus Will Assume Duties Until Successor Is Elected New Titles for Rank Executives From THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, Dec. 19-John Davis has been appointed deputy chairman of Circuits Management Association, the Rank division which manages the Group's Odeon and Gaumont theatres. Succeeding him as managing director is Kenneth Winckles, previouslv assistant managing director. V. P. Powell has been elected a director and appointed general manager. George Pinches is promoted to booking controller while Richard (Continued on page 5) Jock Y/arner Honored By Queen Elizabeth From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 19.-Jack L. Warner, president of Warner Brothers, has been named Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, it was announced today by F. H. Gamble, British Consul General in Los Angeles. One of highest honors bestowed bv British Government on nationals and non-citizens, the CBE parchment, signed by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, and a medal, will be presented Warner in ceremonies now (Continued on page 4) Legion of Decency, Humane Societies Join Against Film Violence, Brutality From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON Dec. 19. -An agreement for cooperative action against "increasing" Science and brutality in motion pictures and television was reached by the Legion of Decency, the World Federation for Protection of Animals and The Humane Society Special to THE DAILY MILWAUKEE, Dec. 19.-A special meeting of the Allied States board of directors has been called for Jan. 14 and Jan. 15 at the Schroeder Hotel here by Ben Marcus, chairman, to elect a successor to Jack Kirsch of Chicago, who" resigned recently because of ill health. Marcus, who with Kirsch had been elected to the top national Allied offices only last month at the organization's annual convention in Chicago, said he will assume the president's duties until a successor is elected. Marcus also announced that the committee charged at the convention with drafting plans for Allied's future ( Continued on page 4 ) Spec/a/ films Seen Attracting Investors Spectacular productions and their earnings possibilities have centered securities buyers' attention on motion picture stocks in recent months, sending many of them to new highs for the year, N. Y. Herald-Tribune financial writer Ben Weberman reported in the Dec. 18 issue. Special attention was given "Ben(Continued on page 4) A. W. Schwalberg Joins ZRB Productions Here From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 19.-Alfred W. Schwalberg, former head of the Paramount distribution organization, has joined ZRB Productions as Eastem associate overseeing all distribution phases of the company. Producer Alfred Zimbalist, who recently completed two features at MGM, and Bvron Roberts, production executive, will film Jules (Continued on page 4) of the United States, the humane societies announced today. The announcement was made following a meeting in New York City of representatives of all three organizations. Mel L. Morse, San Rafael, Cal., representative of the World Federation for Protection of Animals which has more than 400 affiliated humane societies in 41 nations, said that the three organizations agreed that "the Motion Picture Code, by which the industry purports to govern itself, has become largely ineffective." The same is true, he said, of the Code of the television industry. The Legion of Decency conferees were the Very Rev. Msgr. Thomas F. Little, executive secretary of die Legion, and Mrs. James F. Looram, chairman of the motion picture department of die International Federation of Catholic Alumnae. The Humane Society of the United States was represented by Fred Mvers, executive director. 'Morse recalled a recent statement by the Catholic bishops of America that the motion picture industry ^ is guiltv of "hyprocisy and duplicity whereby it self-righteously hides from public censure behind a Code which is largely ineffective and which (Continued on page 2) Storey Circuit Remodels Theatre at Atlanta Special to THE DAILY ATLANTA, Dec. 19. Storey Theatres, Inc., operators of 10 theatres in the Atianta area, is remodeling the Decatur Theatre here. A new front, lobby and concession stand will be part of the renovation program and new seats will be installed, plus a new screen. This will be completed about Christmas.