Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1951)

8 Motion Picture Daily Monday, July 9, 1951 Rembusch (Continued from page 1) channels for theatre TV would be taken up by the Federal Communications Commission starting Sept. 17, and that a clearer picture of where theatre TV is heading would come out of the hearings. Although guardedly optimistic about the future of theatre TV, he strongly emphasized the necessity for caution and careful study in purchasing the equipment. His letter was read to a general membership meeting of Illinois Allied on Friday by Kirsch. B. & K. to Charge Regular Prices for Marciano Fight Chicago, July 8. — Balaban and Katz will charge regular prices for the telecast of the Layne-Marciano fight, 74 cents, including tax, at the Southside Tivoli and 98 cents, including tax, at the Downtown State-Lake. A second showing of the fight, on the Paramount film-storage equipment, will be presented at the StateLake if permission is granted by the International Boxing Commission and if business warrants it. District Theatres Will Not Carry Layne-Marciano Fight Washington, July 8. — District Theatres will not carry theatre telecasting of the Layne-Marciano fight, Thursday, president Morton Gerber announced. District's Lincoln Theatre did carry both the Louis-Savold and the Murphy-LaMotta telecasts. Gerber said he felt the portable equipment which he has been using produced too small and poorly lighted an image for use in any but the very top events, and that it had been removed by RCA for use elsewhere. He said he still felt he would try to get it back "for another Louis-Savold fight" and that District still is considering installing regular equipment in some of its theatres. Review "Maniacs on Wheels (International Releasing Organization) A BRITISH IMPORTATION, "Maniacs on Wheels," goes behind the scenes of motor-bike speed racing to follow the checkered career of a youngster who rises to be speed king. The story unfolds against the background of World War II in England and obliquely portrays the war's effect at the home front. ... , . In documenting the intricacies of speed racing, the picture achieves a certain documentary freshness. In developing the narrative, however, it falls into a boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl pattern of little distinction. Dirk Bogarde has the lead as the youngster who rides to glory on a motor bike while his brother goes off to Spain to fight in its civil war. Bogarde meets and eventually marries Renee Asherson, who hates racing and all of its hazards. Thus in time Bogarde' s insistence on remaining in the profession produces a marital rift. And when he tries to organize racing drivers into a union he is thrust into oblivion. There follows a stint in the army and return to civilian life for Bogarde. In the climax Bogarde finally realizes that his wife means more to him than racing and thus the story closes on the happy ending. Others in the cast are Bill Owen and Bonar Colleano, both speedsters, and Moira Lister, "the other woman." Ian Dalrymple produced and Jack Lee directed, from a screenplay by William Rose and Lee. Running time, 72 minutes. General audience classification. Release date, july 11. Mandel Herbstman NEWS in Brief . . . Further Delay for Canadian Video K-B Amusement Orders General Precision TV Washington, July 8. — The K-B Amusement Co. has ordered theatre television equipment to be installed in two new theatres which the circuit will open this fall. The equipment, to be supplied by General Precision Equipment Corp., will go into the circuit's Ontario Theatre, opening in October, and the Langley Theatre, opening in November. K-B is also trying to get two mor large-screen TV installations for use in the Apex and one other of its existing theatres. Toronto', July 8. — Any idea that private companies in Toronto might secure government licenses for telebroadcasting this year has been dampened by the announcement by Dr. J. J. McCann of the Canadian Cabinet that no applications for private licenses woul'd be approved because of the shortage of steel and other construction or equipment materials. Amplifies Statement Amplifying this declaration, the minster referred to the recommendation of the Massey Royal Commission that no private TV studios be set up until the television programs of the government's Canadian Broadcasting Corp. lad been established. Dr. McCann said the proposed CBC television station in Toronto would not be in operation until next year because of the delayed delivery of $1,000,000 worth of Marconi equipment. Famous Players Canadian Corp. is one of four Toronto applicants for a TV license. Bill Would Compel Run Designation Chicago, July 8— A bill passed by the Illinois House of Representa tives and sent to the State Senate would require advertisements by motion picture exhibitors to show whether a film had been shown • pre viously in a locality. The measure would require that ads designate in print "at least half as large as any other used in the advertisement" whether a film is a second, third or fourth run. Rep. Hubert D. Considine said the bill would "enable the people to de mand and receive a better class of entertainment." Disney's 'Acre' Bow To Be Held Aug. 1 Third of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventure series, "Nature's Half Acre," will be. given its world pre miere at the Criterion, New York, Aug. 1, with the opening of Disney's latest all-cartoon feature, "Alice Wonderland." Tour ABC Stations (Continued from page 1) will report back to their colleagues including Robert Weitman, slated to become programming vice-president of the combined company, but that any major changes will remain in the planning stage until the merger is closer to consummation. UPT and ABC stockholders are to meet on July 27 to vote on the mer ger, which must then be approved by the Federal Communications Commis sion. A formal petition of approval is being readied for the FCC and may be filed this week in Washington Stockholder approval is expected be fore the expiration of the FCC's 30 day waiting period. Sales Lull Closes Chicago TV Plants Chicago; July 8. — With television set sales lagging, several TV manufacturers in the Chicago area are shutting down completely for two weeks in July. The Motorola, Hallicrafters, Scott, and Sentinel factories will be idle for two weeks, with the Zenith plant closing for the last two weeks in July. M. F. Darling, business manager of the Electrical Workers Union, Radio and Sound Division, Local 1031, said that more than SO per cent of the production workers he represents in this area have been placed on furlough. Sales, which dropped sharply in April still are below normal, in spite of price-cutting of dealers to reduce heavy inventories. Detroit, July 8. — The Studio Theatre, located at Livernois and Davison, will open on July 12 with a policy of first-run art and foreign films. Formerly known as the Dox Theatre, The Studio will be under the management of Irving Teicher and Edward Shulman, who sponsor the Detroit Cinema Guild ; also interested in this new venture are Albert Dezel, operator of the Coronet Theatre, and his manager, William Flemion. • "A Sound of Hunting," the Broadway stage production that launched film careers for Hollywood stars Burt Lancaster and Frank Lovejoy, has been bought by Stanley Kramer Company for filming for Columbia. The play was written by Harry Brown when he was stationed with the Army in England. NPA Approves Five; Rejects Five Others Washington, July 8. — The National Production Authority during the period June 4 to June 16 approved five theatre construction projects and turned down five others, the agency announced over the week-end. Turned down were five applications for new drive-ins. Approved were plans for two new drive-ins, one in door theatre and alterations to two others. Cooper Foundation Opens New 1st -Run Oklahoma City, July 8. — A new first-run house has been opened here as the Harber Theatre on the site of the old Liberty Theatre. It is Cooper Foundation theatre, as is the Criterion, here. The manager is Gordon D. Leonard, who came here re cently from Colorado Springs. The new house, which seats 1,200 persons was built and furnished at a cost of more than $250,000. Get Materials (Continued from page 1) Most allotments were made at a 100 per cent rate for "defense" orders and at a rate upwards of 50 per cent of "normal use" for other production "Comin' 'Round the Mountain," latest Bud Abbott-Lou Costello comedy, will begin its Broadway engagement on Friday, July 20, at the Holiday Theatre. Robert Kronenberg of Manhattan Films International, Los Angeles, has been appointed distributor for the Scalera film, "Angelo," in 11 states West of the Mississippi. 0 Mexico City, July 8.— The 129 local theatres here are estimated to be losing! $40,000 weekly because of the munic ] ipal government's ban on children as a precaution during a polio epidemic here. • Chicago, July 8. — M i 1 1 o n M. Schwartz has been named director of advertising and promotion of Ideal Pictures Corp., by A. L. Blinder, president. • Hollywood, July 8. — Average weekly earnings of craft workers in the studios declined from $104.66 in April to $103.72 in May. The average in May, 1950 was $101.09. RCA Color Tests (Continued from page 1) week, with the public to be invited beginning next week. Frank M. Folsom, RCA president, will greet the press today and Dr.; E. W. Engstrom, research vice-president, and O. B. Hanson, chief engineer and vice-president, will discuss the technical aspects. As the RCA system is "compatible," sets tuned on Channel 4 will receive the colorcasts in black-and-white. Appearing on the experimental shows will be Nanette Fabray, stage actress who will act as mistress-ofceremonies; Yma Sumac, South American singer; Ray Malone, dancer; Bob Smith with "Howdy Doody," and George Burton and his birds. A group of Conover models will present a fashion show. Ben Grauer will be the announcer. Haire Joins NTS R. G. Haire has joined National Theatre Supply's sales organization. Haire was formerly a member of the sales staff of General Register.