Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

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New Zealand Plans Circuit Of Drive-ins WELLINGTON: Work is expected to begin soon on the first of a circuit of drive-in theatres in New Zealand. Authority for the project is sought from the Capital Issues Committee. Plans are under way to build seven drive-ins, the controlling company to be known as Skyline Drive Ins (N.Z., Ltd.) a joint venture of the ;i Kerridge-Odeon (J. Arthur Rank Associate) and Amalgamated Theatres, Ltd. (20th Century-Fox Associate). Three of the drive-ins will be in Auck} land — one on the North Shore — one at Hamilton, two. at Wellington and one at Christchurch. The cost is expected to be £1,000,000 sterling. A statement issued by the two companies says that all sections of the community have benefited by the operation of drive-in cinemas overseas. Kerridge-Odeon and Amalgamated have found it desirable to work together on this project because of the high construction cost and the complexity of the technical requirements, but more importantly because of the need to secure adequate film supplies, having regard to the needs also of the conventional theatres. Through the association of the two major organizations, films will be available from all British, American and Continental sources. Each drive-in is planned to occupy about 25 acres and accommodate 700 cars or about 2,500 people. Italian-Spanish Pact Effective to February ROME: A new Italian-Spanish co-production agreement, signed in Venice during the film festival in that city, is effective until February 28, 1957, and will be extended automatically year by year. By its terms there is no limit on the number of co-productions which can be made with the participation of companies of the two countries. Among the conditions are: the pictures’ directors must be either Italian or Spanish; stories chosen must have “an international value.” File Anti-Trust Suits Two anti-trust suits were filed against seven major distributors by the Atlantic Theatres circuit in U.S. District Court here in behalf of their Laurel theatre, Bridgeton, N.J., and their Grove theatre, Pennsgrove, N.J. A run on national release date and treble damages to be specified by the court are asked. Named as defendants are Columbia, MGM, Paramount, RKO, Universal, United Artists and Warner Bros. Charles Moss Named Drive Division Head Charles B. Moss, president of the B. S. Moss Corp., New York, has been named chairman of the Movie and Amusement Division drive for the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, it was announced by Adolph Schimel, vice-president and general counsel of Universal Pictures and general chairman of the division. In announcing the appointment, Mr. Schimel urged the entire industry to cooperate fully with Mr. Moss, declaring the Federation’s network of hospitals and social welfare institutions will need all-out support to continue and expand the high level of service established. Mr. Schimel urged overflow attendance at the division organization meeting which is set for the Hotel Astor on Monday. The 1956-1957 campaign of the Federation is seeking $18,100,000 to maintain a network of 116 hospitals, childcare and family agencies, homes for the aged, community centers and camps that annually serve more than 620,000 New Yorkers of all races and creeds. Electronicam Seen on Coast HOLLYWOOD: Upward of 400 producers, directors, production personnel and press representatives who witnessed the first demonstration of the DuMont Electronicam System last week at Paramount’s Sunset Studio were expressing predominantly favorable reactions. Frank Ross, producer of “The Robe,” said, “There are features I like very much. The finder and focusing system can be exceptionally helpful in deriving the full value from the rehearsal period.” Irvin N. Clary, executive vice-president of City National Bank, Beverly Hills, said “A new process in any industry which increases production and saves time and money is interesting to a banker and has his support. I was impressed with Electronicam and am hopeful that this merging of electronics with photography for the first time will be adopted for use in future production.” Producer Stanley Donen said, “It is a very interesting development and I hope to be able to use it.” Actor-producer Jerry Lewis said it was “a truly great advance, and I’d like to use it in my own production activity.” Electronicam was demonstrated several nights last week for cameramen, directors, television producers, unit managers and film editors. Among those attending last Monday’s demonstration were Frank Capra, Jesse L. Lasky, Charles Brackett, Robert Fellows, Fredric Brisson, Frank Rosenberg, Harry Tugend, Paul Jones, Charles Glett, Harriet Parsons, George Bagnall and Ben Bogeaus. Arthur Asks Production by Circuits Now “There is no need for a roundtable conference unless all segments of the motion picture industry have an honest desire to work together for a better industry,” in the opinion of Harry C. Arthur, Jr., president of the Southern California Theatre Owners Association. Mr. Arthur, in New York last week for conferences with the production-distribution companies, also said that his organization is “in favor of divorced theatre circuits going into production and distribution of motion pictures with proper safeguards as a means of making more product available.” Commenting on the Allied States Association bid for a roundtable meeting, the SCTOA president declared that a “rapprochement among all facets of the industry could be brought about if all segments come to a realization that we are dependent on one another for a livelihood. There should be a change in the thinking between distribution and exhibition. There is no victory or defeat in the report by the Senate Small Business Committee on industry trade practices. Mr. Arthur indicated that his organization would have something to say about the SSBC report, specifically arbitration and reconciliation, in the near future. In discussing the announcements by American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres and Stanley Warner Corp. concerning going into production and distribution, Mr. Arthur said, “Proper safeguards should be entailed in these ventures or we are likely to return to the days prior to the consent decree.” The SCTOA head explained that he favors “pre-emptive rights as it is logical that the guy who puts up the money should have first call on the films, especially in territories where he currently operates theatres. However,” he said, “caution should be exercised with ‘preemptive’ rights in territories where these exhibitor-producers do not operate theatres now.” Mexico Producers Vote Suspension MEXICO CITY: Forty-five of the 61 members of the Producers Association recently voted here unanimously at an emergency meeting to suspend their operations indefinitely if the Picture Production Workers Union (STPC) persists in its decision to limit to two pictures yearly those which foreigners can direct. The producers’ decision would stop 90 per cent of picture production in Mexico. They regard the union demand as limiting their contracting rights. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 6, 1956 25