The Exhibitor (1951)

EXHIBITOR 15 PEOPLE New York— Hai'i’y Ginsberg, who re¬ signed last July as vice-president and general manager of studio operations for Paramount, last fortnight was appointed general consultant for the National Broad¬ casting Company. As a consultant Gins¬ berg will be closely associated with John West, vice-president in charge of NBC’s western operations, headquartering in Hollywood. Ginsberg will continue to be active in the film industry in addition to his new work in radio and TV for the network. New York — Setting plans for the second of three major exploitation tours to be run by 20th Century-Fox on behalf of Darryl F. Zanuck’s Technicolor pro¬ duction “David And Bathsheba,” the com¬ pany announced last week that Irving Rubine, well-known film publicist, will accompany Francis X. Bushman on his swing around the country. New York — Harold J. Salemson, former eastern publicity manager for Robert Still¬ man productions, will head up the Stanley Kramer Company’s field exploitation or¬ ganization for the general release of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” it was announced last week by vice-president Max E. Youngstein, United Artists. New York — A1 J. O’Keefe, former assist¬ ant general sales manager, U-I, announced last week he joined Ted R. Gamble, head. Gamble Enterprises, in an executive capacity in connection with the operation of Gamble’s expanding theatre interests in Southern California. SEC Reveals Changes Washington — The Securities and Ex¬ change Commission last fortnight an¬ nounced the following film stock tradings: Columbia — Trust accounts of Jack Cohn purchased 2,000 shares of common during April, bringing their total holding to 23,557 shares. Cohn holds 43,624 shares addition¬ ally outright. Abe Schneider, treasurer, gave away 300 shares, and bought 300 shares, leaving his total at 8,466 shares and options for 12,500 more. Universal — John J. O’Connor, vicepresident, sold 100 shares at 414 per cent cumulative preferred, leaving him with 100 preferred and 100 common shares. 20th Century-Fox — F’l'ed L. Metzler bought 10 shares of common, his entire holding. Diamond Winners Announced New York — MGM announced last week the winners of the Keepsake Diamond ring contest held on “King Solomon’s Mines.” The national board of judges selected Dorothy O’Donnell, Marshall¬ town, Ta., as first prize winner, a $5,000 ring; Josephine Smith, Hawaii, second prize, a $3,000 ring, and Lee Johnson, Watertown, N. Y., third prize, a $1,000 ring. SWG Against Cuts Hollywood — The Screen Writers Guild board, following an emergency meeting here last week, urged all members em¬ ployed at the 20th-Fox studio not to accept salary reductions propo.sed by the com¬ pany. 20th-Fox Men Hear Production Plans Los Angeles — Detailed production plans for the remainder of the year based mainly on product to be released for 1952 is being outlined by Darryl F. Zanuck, vice-president in charge of production, at the 20th Century-Fox sales convention this week. Zanuck already is working on the 1952 schedule, with virtually all releases for the current year either completed, before the cameras, or ready to start in the next few weeks. Zanuck will also show several of the company’s major releases to the delegates. A program of nightly screenings at the studio will top off the day’s working ses¬ sions so that the picture may be discussed thoroughly at the meetings the next morn¬ ing. Advertising, exploitation, and sales plans for the pictures shown will be cov¬ ered thoroughly. Surveys by branch managers on the usage and distribution of advertising accessories in their areas were due to come up for serious discussion at the convention. During the last few months, company exchange heads have been conferring with representatives of National Screen Serv¬ ice in an attempt to gauge to what extent and how forcefully advertising accessories are being used to merchandise pictures. Their reports will be correlated over the conference table, with representatives of National Screen Service on hand. Home office executives, and sales per¬ sonnel on hand include: Spyros P. Skouras, president; A1 Lichtman, director of distribution; Charles Einfeld, vice-president; W. C. Gehring, assist¬ ant general sales manager; Arthur Silverstone, eastern sales manager; Edwin W. Aaron, western sales manager; Lem Jones, assistant to the distribution director; Jack Bloom, New York circuit contact; Peter G. Levathes, short subjects sales manager; Clarence A. Hill, manager, branch opera¬ tions; Ulric Bell, director of information; Harry A. Mersay, manager, print depart¬ ment; Roger Ferri, editor. The Dynamo, and H. B. Johnson, legal department. The international department is represented by Emanuel D. Silverstone, vice-president and general sales manager, and Leslie F. Whelan, director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation. Paul Terry, producer of “Terrytoons”, is also on hand. Division managers attending from, their territories are: Martin Moskowitz, Empire State; Edward X. Callahan, Atlantic; Ray E. Moon, central; Harry G. Ballance, southern; Herman Wobber, western; Mor¬ ton A. Levy, midwest, and Peter Myers, Canadian. Assistant division managers present are Paul S. Wilson, southern, and Bryan D. Stoner, western. Branch managei's and sales managers are on hand. Members of the home office publicity, advei'tising, and exploitation department attending are: Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., advertising man¬ ager; Rodney Bush, exploitation manager: Stirling Silliphant, promotion manager: David Golding, publicity manager; Abe Goodman, advertising department admin¬ istrative assistant, and Ira Tulipan, trade paper contact. Trade Ballyhoo Ideas Given Companies' Approval NEW YORK— Heads of film companies met last week as the MPAA executive committee to give further consideration to COMPO’s proposed “Theatre Jubilee” in September and October, and okehed the project sub¬ ject to backing of distribution and advertising-publici t y-exploitation heads. Arthur L. Mayer, COMPO executive vice-president, outlined aspects of the jubilee plan, which calls for the avail¬ ability of top product from all dis¬ tributors for the two-month period. He is now expected to meet with sales chiefs and ad. -publicity directors. The company heads also gave further attention to the Spring Motion Picture Exposition at Grand Central Palace March 29-April 6 under sponsorship of the joint public relations committee, Motion Picture Theatres of Greater New York. Theatre Company Okehs AB-PT Merger New York — Leonard H. Goldenson, president. United Paramount Theatres, Inc., announced last week that the pro¬ posed merger of American Broadcasting Company, Inc., into United Paramount Theatres, Inc., the resulting company to be known as American BroadcastingParamount Theatres, Inc., had been ap¬ proved by the board of directors of the theatre company. A special meeting of stockholders is scheduled to be held on July 27. McCarthy Reports On French Deal New York — John G. McCarthy, vicepresident in charge of international affairs, MPEA, announced last week upon his re¬ turn from a European tour that French officials had confirmed a new films arrangement permitting unrestricted dol¬ lar remittances for MPEA companies. Terms of the new pact provide for full remittances. The new agreement means several mil¬ lion dollars annually. "Bowery Boys" Deal Set Hollywood — Steve Broidy, Monogram president, announced last fortnight that a deal had been concluded with Jan Grippo, independent producer, whereby Mono¬ gram will take over the “Bowery Boys” series. Grippo will retain an interest in the product. Also signed over to Mono¬ gram are the contracts of Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall. Regional exploitation representatives are: Ted Tod, Chicago; Harold “Chick” Evans, Kansas City; Jimmie Gillespie, Dallas; Phil Engel, Boston, Eddie Yar¬ brough, San Francisco; Sam Glasier, Tor¬ onto, and Joe Lebworth, New York. Refreshment Service for DRIVE IN THEATRES OUTDOOR REFRESHMENT, SERVICE from Coast to Coast 1 ovor % Contury SPORTSERVICE CORP. SPORTSIRVICC BIDG. • BUFFAIO, N. Y. WA. liOA June 13, 1951