The Exhibitor (1954)

EXHIBITOR 19 PEOPLE Hollywood — The board of directors, Association of Motion Picture Producers, last week reelected all officers, Eric A. Johnston, president; Y. Frank Freeman, chairman; Charles Boren, B. B. Kahane, and Louis K. Sidney, vice-presidents; and James S. Howie, secretary-treasurer. Offi¬ cers of Central Casting Corporation, also reelected, include Freeman, president; Fred S. Meyer, vice-president and board chairman; Boren, executive vice-presi¬ dent; Arthur S. Bronson, general man¬ ager; and Howie, secretary-treasurer. Hollywood — It was announced last fortnight that George Murphy, for the ninth consecutive year, has been elected president, Hollywood Coordinating Com¬ mittee. Y. Frank Freeman was reelected first vice-president; L. K. Sidney, second vice-president; Don Tatum, third vicepx-esident; Eddie Rio, seci-etary; Claude McCue, treasurer; and Stanley Richard¬ son, executive secretary. New directors ai’e Fred Clark, representing SAG; Charles Glett, radio networks; and Danny Thomas, AGVA. Washington — Jack S. Connolly, former general manager, Pathe News, was last week named chief, domestic produc¬ tion division, United States Information Agency’s Motion Picture Service, by Andy W. Smith, Jr., Service head. Connolly had been acting chief of the New York office and head of the newsreel and special events branch. Hollywood — Wendell Bjorkman was last week appointed west coast sales repre¬ sentative for the Buena Vista Film Dis¬ tribution Company, Inc., with headquar¬ ters at the Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, Cal. Bjorkman was formerly associated with RKO in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and most recently was the sales manager in San Francisco. New York — Darrel Dance, foi'mer chief, technical services branch, International Motion Picture Division, U. S. Informa¬ tion Agency, was named last week as acting head, USIA New York office. He succeeds Jack Connolly, appointed chief, USIA domestic production bi'anch, head¬ quartering in Washington. Washington — Neil Agnew, veteran in¬ dustry executive and formerly assistant to Herbert A. Yates, Republic president, last week accepted the chairmanship of a coordinating committee to effect econ¬ omies and streamline Department of Defense motion picture activities. New York — Leon Brandt was last week retained by producer Lazar Wechsler as advertising-publicity representative on “Heidi,” the United Artists release. Nathan Golden Honored Washington — Nathan D. Golden, direc¬ tor, Scientific, Motion Picture, and Pho¬ tographic Products Division, Business and Defense Services Administration, Depart¬ ment of Commerce, was last week chosen to receive from Secretary of Commerce Sinclair Weeks the Department’s Silver Medal Meritorious Service Award for outstanding accomplishment and service in the promotion of foreign and domestic trade for the motion picture, photo¬ graphic, and allied industries. The Tip-Off On Business (The Tip-Off on business is a record of how pictures are grossing in various parts of the country. The rating given the pictures (see key) is a cross section of reports received from the field, and presents a summary of various types of runs. Inasmuch as the rating given cannot constitute the business of each individual engagement, an attempt is made to present a general average. By studying the ratings, which are constantly kept up-to-date, exhibitors may guide themselves in buying and booking. — Ed.) KEY TO "THE LITTLE MEN" RATINGS: (FEBRUARY 24, 1954) lAJtJtJI*.***. grosses in the highest brackets. Baa Just fair, nothing out of the ordinary, averaga. S AAA G°°d, although not breaking down the walls. Ba Disappointing, below what was expected. The Week's Newcomers MAN IN THE ATTIC (82m.) (20th-Fox) Baa ACT OF LOVE (108m.) (UA) | BAAA MISS SADIE THOMPSON (91m.) (Columbia) BAAA CREATURE FROM THE BLACK [ LAGOON (3-D) (79m.) (U-l) I BAAA MOGAMBO (115m.) (MGM) I Baaa MONEY FROM HOME (100m.) | (Paramount) Baaa PARATROOPER (88m.) (Columbia) Baaa RED GARTERS (90m.) (Paramount) Baa ROB ROY, THE HIGHLAND 1 ROGUE (82m.) (RKO-Disney) Baa SAADIA (81m.) (MGM) Baa SABRE JET (96m.) (UA) j Baa THE LONG, LONG TRAILER (96m.) (MGM) Baaa SINS OF JEZEBEL (75m.) (Lippert) Baa Continuing TAZA, SON OF COCHISE (79m.) 1 (U-l) Baa BENEATH THE 12-MILE REEF (102m.) (20th-Fox) (CinemaScope) Baaa THE BIGAMIST (80m.) (Filmakers) Baaa BORDER RIVER (80m.) (U-l) Baa THE COMMAND (94m.) (WB) (CinemaScope) Baaa CEASE FIRE (75m.) Paramount (3-D) baax THE FRENCH LINE (101m.) (RKO) (3-D) Baaa FIGHTER ATTACK (80m.) (AA) | lAA THE GLENN MILLER STORY (116m.) (U-l) Baaaa FORBIDDEN (85m.) (U-l) Baa THE GREAT DIAMOND ROBBERY (69m.) (MGM) Baa GO, MAN, GO (82m.) (UA) Baa THE LIVING DESERT (71m.) (Buena Vista) Baaa HELL AND HIGH WATER (103m.) (20th-Fox) (CinemaScope) Baaa THE NEBRASKAN (68m.) (Columbia) | Baa HERE COME THE GIRLS (78m.) [ (Paramount) Baa THE WILD ONE (80m.) (Columbia) Baa HIS MAJESTY, O'KEEFE (92m.) (WB) Baa THREE YOUNG TEXANS (78m.) (20th-Fox) Baa IT SHOULD HAPPEN TO YOU f (86m.) (Columbia) Baaa THUNDER OVER THE PLAINS (82m.) (WB) Baa KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES f (99m.) (20th-Fox) (CinemaScope) Baaa WAR ARROW (78m.) (U-l) | Saa KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE (115m.) (MGM) L (CinemaScope) £ AAAA WICKED WOMAN (77m.) (UA) Baa February 24, 1954