Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

If Tuesday, December 27, 1960 Motion Picture Daily 3 'Facts of Life7 Selected For Royal Performance From THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, Dec. 26.-United Artists' "The Facts of Life," starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball, has been selected for the Royal Film Performance at Rank's Odeon in Leicester Square on Feb. 20 by the Cinematograph Trade Benevolent Fund selection committee. The committee voted for the picture unanimously. 'U' 1960 Net (Continued from page 1) ' company in its 48 years of existence. The current financial district estimate thus is higher than the $6.80 per share earnings which Milton R. Rackmil, Universal president, estimated for 1960 when addressing the New 11 York Society of Security Analysts in October. 1 Universal's audited annual report is ■expected to be ready shortly after the middle of January. •] 76 'Ben-Hw' Openings Abroad for Holidays j Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's "Ben-Hur" opened in 16 overseas cities last week in time for the Christmas holidays. This brings the total number of international engagements to 83 with I another three set to debut on Jan. 3. Following the pattern in its en j gagements, the overseas theatres will be offering extra performances during the holiday week. MGM to Film 5 (Continued from page 1) for British productions, also will supervise "The Seagulls," a story of the women who follow the itinerary of the American fleet in the Mediterranean; "Village of Daughters," a -omantic comedy to be filmed in Italy; "Postman's Knock," and "See No Evil." While in Hollywood, Bachmann 'met with Valentine Davies, who is writing the screenplay for "Seagulls." Three pictures filmed during recent "months at the MGM London Studio ire in final stages of editing and scor j ng; "Silent Partner," starring Stewart Granger and Haya Harareet; "Inva ; don Quartet," starring Bill Travers; md "Green Helmet," starring Travers md Nancy Walters. Bachmann has returned to London o begin immediate preparations of the ; projects. Services for Schultz CLEVELAND, Dec. 26-Services i vere held here Friday for Nathan Schultz, 55, resident of Allied Artists 7ilm Dist. of Cleveland, at BerkowitzCumin. Survivors include his widow, ?ay; a son, Jay and daughter, Arlyn, j ind a brother, Samuel Schultz, branch nanager of Allied Artists Film Dist. if Cleveland. Ky. Theatre Reopens After Water Damage Special to THE DAILY SOMERSET, Ky., Dec. 27 -The Kentucky Theatre has been reopened here on its regular schedule following periodic closings for several days after damage by heavy smoke and water when a nearby laundry and gas company were gutted by fire in the worst blaze seen here in a decade. Owner and manager of the theatre is Mrs. Anna Bell Ward Olson, veteran exhibitor. It was the second time in recent months that the Kentucky Theatre had been damaged by water. A new roof was being installed on the building in September when a hard rain storm blew off part of the temporary roofing and sent a deluge of water down on the theatre screen and equipment below. Remodeling of the theatre was nearing completion when the fire caused heavy water damage throughout the theatre. Personnel of the theatre worked throughout the night and all day Saturday, Dec. 10, in order to open late that afternoon. For a week the theatre was open only at night. But now it has reopened on its regular matinee and evening schedule. Texas TOA Meet ( Continued from page 1) 9, 1961, Al Reynolds, convention chairman, said. In the past, TD-ITOA conventions have drawn 500 or more drive-in operators. A feature of the still incomplete convention program will consist of a field trip to a modern, Texas-size drive-in for a seminar on operations. Concessionaires will take over the concession stand for practical demonstrations, and suppliers will have an actual showcase for their equipment and services. The convention will be the organization's ninth. Rubin S. Frels and Bovd Scott are co-chairmen. Cost of Living (Continued from page 1) rose by one-half of one per cent during November, and 2.1 per cent over the past year, "primarily because of higher average prices for movie admissions and newspapers." The government noted that "movie admissions have increased both because of increased charges for children's tickets and the prevalence of special features." Detroit Welcomes 'Suzie' DETROIT, Dec. 26.-"The World of Susie Wong" opened the new United Detroit Theatres plus Grand Circus on Thursday to an audience comprised of 1,000 Detroit Athletic Club members, other selected socialites, celebrities, and press, proceeding the premiere. The once famous name of the new house replaces the Broadway-Capitol, and has been unused since 1870. 'Sons and Lovers' Named 60 s Best "Sons and Lovers," a black-andwhite film made in England by 20th Century-Fox, with an almost exclusively British cast, has been chosen as the best motion picture of 1960 by the committee on exceptional films of the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. In announcing the choice, Henry Hart, chairman of the committee, said the vote for "Sons and Lovers" was the result of the committee's belief that it "was a creative adaptation of one of the great autobiographical novels of English literature, and that it contains, in small as well as leading roles, some of the finest acting ever seen on the screen." The Board's list of 1960's ten best pictures follows : 1 ) "Sons and Lovers"; 2) "The Alamo"; 3) "The Sundowners"; 4 ) "Inherit the Wind"; 5 ) "Sunrise at Campobello"; 6) "Elmer Gantry"; 7 ) "Home from the Hill"; 8) "The Apartment"; 9) "Wild River"; 10) "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs." The Board chose "The World of Apu" as the best foreign film shown in the U.S. during 1960. Its other choices for the best foreign films were: 2) "General Delia Rovere"; 3) "The Angry Silence"; 4) "I'm All Right, Jack"; 5) "Hiroshima, Mon Amour." Jack Cardiff was named the best director of the year for "Sons and Lovers." Greer Garson was chosen the best actress of the year for her portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt in "Sunrise at Campobello." Robert Mitchum was voted the best actor of the year for his performances in "The Sundowners" and "Home from the Hill." Shirley Jones was chosen 1960 s best supporting actress for "Elmer Gantry," and George Peppard best supporting actor for "Home from the Variety Clubs ( Continued from page 1 ) International Chief Barker, will preside at this intensive one-day meeting of chief barkers of the Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas and Oklahoma Citv tents. He will be joined by Rotus Harvey, San Francisco, First Assistant International Barker, Ezra Stern, Internationa] Property Master of Los Angeles, and Eugene Murphy, Las Vegas, who is Variety's International Representative for the Western area. The assembled barkers will review plans of their tents to continue and strengthen Variety's charitable endeavors as well as for the celebration of Variety Clubs Week scheduled for Feb. 12-18. The heavy agenda, said Chief Barker Emanuel, will be concentrated on "anything and everything" that can expand Variety's work for needy children everywhere. Other regional meetings are to be held in Chicago on Jr>n. 5, New Orleans on Jan. 7. PEOPLE Spyros Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox, is chairman of a committee of distinguished citizens of the film industry who will present the annual March of Dimes humanitarian Award to Bob Hope. Presentation will be at the Commodore Hotel here on Friday night, March 3. □ Robert Ellis, formerly with the A. M. Ellis Theatres, Philadelphia, has joined Steer Inn Systems, Inc., in that city, operating drive-in beefburger restaurants, as vice-president. □ Arthur Cox has been elected an assistant vice-president of Bell & Howell Company's Photo Products Division, Chicago, it was announced by Peter G. Peterson, executive vicepresident. As assistant vice-president, Cox will be responsible for all photooptics in the company's photo products division and for providing design and counseling services for other optical activities of the company's operations. " □ Lee Traver, for the past six years associate casting director for Walt Disney Productions, Hollywood, has been moved up to studio casting director, succeeding Jack Baur, who has returned to Universal International. Prior to joining the Disney organization, Traver was casting director for Samuel Goldwyn, Universal and Republic studios, also Bing Crosby Productions. Columbia in 4Pepe' Tie With L. A. Bus Lines From THE DAILY Bureau LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26. The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority and Columbia Pictures Corp. have completed arrangements whereby reserved seat tickets to the George Sidney-Posa International Production, "Pepe," purchased at the MTA Ticket Office, will include free round trip transportation from any point in the Los Angeles inner zone to the Stanley Warner Beverly Hills Theatre. "Pepe" begins its reserved seat West Coast premiere Wednesday. Dec. 28, with an invitational premiere tomorrow. Will Repaint Bus As a promotional adjunct, an MTA bus will be repainted, calling attention to the special gratis transportation to the theatre for the showing of the production, which stars Cantinflas, Shirley Jones and Dan Dailev with 35 international celebrtiies. MTA will additionally print 100,000 pamphlets to be distributed in all buses in Los Angeles, selling "Pepe" and the . engagement at the theatre. The ticket office will be bannered and brilliantly displayed with "Pepe" promotion.