Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

FILM CONTINUED supply the creative talents needed for the production of films for industry. Establishment of the combination of entertainment industry resources for the service of manufacturers, called the first of its kind, was ann©unced Thursday by Jack L. Warner, president of Warner Bros., Abe Lastfogel, president of William Morris Agency, and Nat Wilkes, president of Heyward-Wilkes. Eells Appointed Exec. V. P. Of United Artists Tv Inc. Bruce G. Eells, vice president of national and syndicated sales in the western and central divisions, Television Programs of America, has been appointed executive vice president of United Artists Television Inc., the recently-formed UA subsidiary. Announcement of Mr. Eells' appointment was made Wednesday by UA President Arthur B. Krim. Mr. Eells will MR. EELLS head the tv produc tion activities of the studio, the exact nature of which has not been announced [Film, Nov. 4]. He also will take charge of the company's syndication of post1948 theatrical films. Tv Sales Director John Leo will report to Mr. Eells. Official Films Reports Record Sales, Earnings Official Films Inc., New York, has reported record sales and earnings for the company for the fiscal year ended June 30, during the company's annual meeting of stockholders. Sales were listed at $6.5 million as compared with $6.1 million in the previous period and earnings at $983,000, equal to 16 cents per share on 2,644,000 shares, as compared with $908,000 (also equal to 16 cents per share) last year on 50,000 less shares then outstanding. Harold L. Hackett, chairman and president of Official, told stockholders that one important yardstick of the company's growth since 1954 is the large increase in the number of its properties. Today, he said. Official distributes 27 series totaling 1,319 half-hours as against five series covering 129 half-hours in 1954. Official's major departure this season, he said, was to offer stations three new series on a syndicated basis, contrasting with the company's previous practice of servicing stations with re-runs of programs originally carried on networks. New series are Sword of Freedom, starring Edmund Purdom; Decoy, starring Beverly Garland, and The Big Story, starring Burgess Meredith. Mr. Hackett also announced the company has declared a cash dividend of five cents per share payable Dec. 2 to stockholders of record Nov. 15. He noted this is the second cash dividend this year, the company having declared an earlier five-cent dividend last June. MR. LEVEY MR. SPIRT TPA Promotes Spirt, Levey; Plant Reassigned to Coast Two staff promotions and one sales executive reassignment at Television Programs of America were announced last week by Michael M. Sillerman. executive vice president of TPA. Arthur Spirt, account executive in the central division, Chicago, has been promoted to manager of the central division. Stanley Levey, spot manager for TPA, has been promoted to the newly-created position of national director of stations sales. Walter Plant, recently named vice president for the central division, has been reassigned to Los Angeles where he will succeed Bruce Eells as vice president in charge of the western division. Mr. Eells has resigned to join United Artists (story this page). Messrs. Plant, Spirt and Levey all joined TPA during the past year. TPA will hold a national sales meeting in New York Nov. 18 for the benefit of new account executives now being added to the staff under Mr. Plant, Mr. Spirt and Hardie Frieberg, vice president of the eastern division. Loew's to Omit Two Dividends In his first move since a victorious battle to retain control of Loew's Inc., President Joseph R. Vogel, backed by the board of directors (some elected at a special stockholders' meeting Oct. 15), has voted to omit dividends normally paid in the first two quarters of the company's fiscal year, which began Sept. 10. Stockholders had been receiving 25 cents quarterly with the last such payment in June. Said Mr. Vogel: "Loew's is embarking on a major program for rebuilding and reorganizing" while "restoring its profit potential." Efforts, he indicated, will be to strengthen and support a cash position while cutting costs and increasing revenues. Warner Bros. Plans New Series Warner Bros., Burbank, Calif., has announced plans to produce a new series of 39 one-hour films entitled The House of Wax. The new series brings the Warner Bros, schedule to a total of W2 hours of tv drama a week and is the studio's first step towards its goal of five hours weekly for the coming season, it was reported by William T. Orr, the company's tv executive producer. James O'Hanlon, writer, has been assigned to the new mystery and intrigue series. FILM CLIPS RANDOM SHOTS Majestic Motion Pictures Inc., N. Y., producer of tv commercials, documentaries and industrial films, has announced opening of new offices at 15 E. 48th St. Ten tv markets outside U. S. will use INSTelenews' yearend News Review of 1957 and Sports Review of 1957, both half-hour shows. Signed: two Midnight Sun Broadcasting Co. stations in Alaska (KENI-TV Anchorage and KFAR-TV Fairbanks) and a coaxial cable closed-circuit operator, Ketchikan Alaska Tv Inc. (affiliated with Midnight Sun), and CMAB-TV Havana. Six stations which make up the French network of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. also will carry the programs. U. S. Air Force Recruiting Service announces it is distributing "The Thanksgiving Song," three-minute, 40-second film featuring USAF Band Singing Sergeants choral group, to all tv stations Nov. 13. Film contains no recruiting messages, is said to be suitable for program filler during Thanksgiving season or for use in civic and religious programs. SALES ABC Film reports sale of Spanish-dubbed versions of Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, The Three Musketeers and Code 3 to CMBF-TV Havana for one year starting late this year. AAP announces six sales. WOLF-TV Orlando, Fla., bought entire package of Warner Bros, features and cartoons and "Popeyes"; WBUF-TV Buffalo bought last available Warner pictures and WCAU-TV Philadelphia and WDAU-TV Scranton, Pa., bought AAP's "horror" package; WMT-TV Cedar Rapids (Iowa), WOOD-TV Grand Rapids (Mich.) and WMTV (TV) Madison (Wis.) bought AAP's "Popeyes." Official Films reports sale of its new halfhour adventure film series, Sword of Freedom, in 32 markets. Medallion Tv Enterprises, Hollywood, reports sale of syndicated version of High Road to Danger, which was broadcast live in Los Angeles during 1956-57, to seven west coast stations. Standard Radio Transcription Services Inc., Chicago, reports sale of special Christmas package that includes three half-hour dramas and instrumental and vocal selections, to WGRV Greenville, Tenn.; KCOG Centerville, Iowa; KSLM Salem, Ore.; KTRM Beaumont, Tex.; WTON Staunton, Va.; KDBM Dillon, Mont.; KRTR Thermopolis, Wyo.; WEAV Plattsburgh and WDOS Oneonta, both New York; WFLA Tampa, Fla.; WSIC Statesville, N. C, and WWKY Winchester and WHOP Hopkinsville, both Kentucky. Official Films Inc. reports sale of half-hour tv series, The Big Story, to Pacific Gas & Electric Co., S. F., for showing in eight California markets starting early January. November 11, 1957 • Page 57