Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

Motion Picture Daily Friday, February 2, 1951 Decision on 'Twist' Is Due Next Week Joseph I. Breen, Production Code administrator, and William C. MacMillen, Jr., president of Eagle Lion Classics, are scheduled to be in Coastto-Coast telephonic communication on Monday relative to the cuts which the former has stipulated for "Oliver Twist." It is expected that the conversation on Monday will result in indication next week by ELC whether the company will make the cuts that are deemed necessary to make the film eligible for a PCA seal of approval. MacMillen and other company officials recently viewed here a print from which Breen clipped some 730 feet The PCA chief made the cuts following return of the picture, which he had refused a PCA seal, by the board of the Motion Picture Association of America. The board took that action on MacMillen's appeal of the Breen decision. OTTO A. HARBACH, president of ASCAP, and past presidents Gene Buck, Deems Taylor and Fred , . Ahlert will appear on WJZTV's salute to the Society Sunday evening on the "Family Hour" show. • Sol Schwartz. RKO* Theatres resident, is in Los Angeles from San Francisco, accompanied by Mrs. Schwartz en route to Palm Springs for a vacation. While in San Francisco he conferred with Mark Allng, manager of the Golden Gate Theatre. Big Grosses Hold 'Halls" in Loop Chicago. Feb. 1.— "Halls of Monte zuma," which took in a big $36,000 gross for its first week at Balaban and Katz' State Lake Theatre and is expected to draw $24,000 for its second, will be held three days beyond the Jackson Park decree two-week Loop run limit. The 20th CenturyFox film, however, will be released on Monday to neighborhood houses opening at the Alex and Rockne theatres on that day and at the Windsor on Feb. 6. SDG to Elect, Install Officers Tomorrow Officers elected at the business ses sion of the Eastern Screen Director Guild's sixth annual convention here tomorrow will be installed at a banquet in the evening at the Hotel Shelburne. "Gentleman of the Jungle," tentative title of a new film shot in Africa by Hassoldt and Ruth Davis, will be shown in a rough cut. Dana Noyes is chairman of the convention committee. Personal Mention RKO Boston Will feature 'Live Shows' Alfred E. Daff, Universal worldwide sales director ; Charles J. Feldman, head of domestic sales, and P. T. Dana and Maurice J. Bergman eft here last night for Pittsburgh. • Harry Stern, special representative m charge of the special features divisions of Azteca Films and ClasaMohme, is due to leave here for Los Angeles next Wednesday. • Charles Johnson, former assistant editor of Business Screen magazine, has joined the sales staff of station KGO. • Joseph H. Hazen is in Florida from New York for a two weeks' vacation. • Gene Markey, film writer and producer, has returned here from a lengthy trip to Europe. • Peter Scully, Monogram producer, has returned here from a tour of England. • John P. Byrne, M-G-M Eastern sales manager, is in New Haven from New York. ROBERT W. COYNE, special counsel of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations, is slated to return to New York today from Washington and Memphis. • Benedict Bogeaus, independent producer, is due in New York today from the Coast to discuss with Eagle Lion Classics executives distribution of his new film, "My Brother the Outlaw." • Joy N. Houck, president of Joy Theatres, Inc., New Orleans, was presented with a bronze plaque by his executive staff to commemorate his 25 years in exhibition. • James R. Grainger, Republic ex ecutive vice-president, left here last night for Boston, accompanied by New England division manager John P. Curtin. • Dick Shell, motion picture repre sentative of Good Housekeeping magazine, is due to leave here foi Hollywood on Sunday. • Gael Sullivan, executive director of the Theatre Owners of America is due to return to New York today from Memphis. Boston, Feb. 1. — Ben Domingo, New England district manager for RKO Theatres, stated tonight that all possible available television, motion picture stars and vaudeville attractions will be booked into the RKO Boston Theatre. He said every attempt will be made to keep the house open as a "live show" theatre in Boston. He further commented, "The first stage show which opened yesterday, grossed $2,750." Inclement weather, he said, kept the gross down. NEW YORK THEATRES RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL Rockefeller Center Joan Fontaine Joseph Cotten in Ha! Wallis' Production "SEPTEMBER AFFAIR" A Paramount Picture Plus SPECTACULAR STAGE PRESENTATION Alexandro Ragozzino is the third member of the Cleveland National Screen Service staff to be called into the Armed Services. • Jack Ellis, president of Ellis Films, is due to return here on Monday from Chicago. • Billy Wilder is scheduled to arrive from Europe on the S.S. Liberie on Monday. Blumenstock to NY On 'Pass' Bow Plans Mort Blumenstock, Warner Brothers vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity, now in Albuquerque, is en route to New York to set final details for WB's world premiere of "Raton Pass." There will be a simultaneous bow on March 6 in Raton and Albuquer que, N. M., featured by the presence of stars from the film and state and city dignitaries. Pickman in Sarasota Sarasota, Fla., Feb. 1.— Jerry Pick man, assistant to Max E. Youngstein, Paramount advertising-publicity vicepresident, has arrived for conferences with Cecil B. DeMille, here shooting scenes for his "Greatest Show on Earth," on advertising and promotion plans for the production. Pickford and Chaplin Study Proposed Deal Hollywood, Feb. 1.— United Artists owners Mary Pickford and Charles Chaplin tonight were studying the terms of the proposed Krim-BenjaminHeller contract which would take over the management of the company on the basis of providing operational financing and funds for independent producers releasing through the company. Although the terms of the proposed contract, which is said to have been completed Wednesday night, have not been divulged, it is reliably understood that the contract sets up an optiontype arrangement looking toward ultimate acquisition of the controlling stock interest in the company by the syndicate. SMPTE Unit to Meet A demonstration-lecture on the use of micro-waves will be given by Dr. J. O. Perrine, A. T. & T. assistant vice-president, at a meeting of the Atlantic Coast Section of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers this evening at the Western Union auditorium here. All interested persons are invited to attend, it was announced. Popkin Counsel Here; Plans No UA Action Prospects of producer Harry Popkin's taking legal action here with respect to United Artists' release of his "The Second Woman" diminished yesterday with the disclosure by Herbert Silverberg, Popkin's attorney, that he did not come to New York to take any restraining action in connection with the producer's dispute with UA. The Popkin picture opened yesterday at the Rivoli here. The producer earlier had protested booking of the picture by UA on the ground that the company has not straightened out its financial affairs. He also expressed the intention of disputing in court the company's releasing of his picture, his contract with UA notwithstanding. Eisenhower Telecast General Eisenhower's report on his military mission to Europe will be telecast tonight at Balaban and Katz Tivoli Theatre in Chicago. Theatre TV-equipped houses in New ^ York carrying the telecast are Fabian's Fox in Brooklyn and Palace in Brooklyn; Century's Marine in Brooklyn and' Queens on Long Island, and RKO's Fordham in the Bronx record week! • dfHWPBW-—: A Columbia Picture VSAN JERRY AT WAR WITH THE ARMV in fiersgn A Patamount Picture ElU FITZGERALD Steve Condos S Jeny Brandow tossfaetj Boyd Raebura JMRVEY STONE Midnight Ftolur* Nightly iff s Js?^ B ^ " DISTRIBUTED BY #F RKO RADIO PICTURES SHOT'S GLOBE B' WAY & 46lh ST. LIZABETH SCOTT JANE GREER DENNIS O'KEEFE "The Company She Keeps" • CRITERION Broadway at 45th Street mg\ Including Tax, to One P. M. 5UC Exc. Saturday, Sunday, Holidays Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane Editor; Terry ^^Tdffle cS ^^^L^^ MOTION PICTURE DAILY. Martin Quigley, "c:,rh~ "Avenue Rockefeller Center, New York 20, N. Y. 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