Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1951)

Thursday, November 15, 1951 Motion Picture Daily Says Spectacles Trend Is Hard On Independents In the light of the success of such pictures as "Quo Vadis" and "David and Bathsheba" there is developing in Hollywood a trend for mammoth spectacles that may put the independent producer in a precarious position because he can not compete with them, Clarence Greene, co-producer of the United Artists release, "The We'll," declared here, prior to his departure for the Coast. Caused in Part by TV The demand for the spectacle is in part caused psychologically by TV, Greene explained, since the public wants to see something they cannot get on TV in their homes. However, the independent who is shrewd in the selection of his story does not have to worry because he can overcome the trend, Greene said. "The trend for good stories is everlasting ; the trend for mammoth productions passes," Greene pointed out. He said stories that awaken public interest are those which have a dynamic quality and also have in them elements that make for good showmanship, such as imaginative locales. Greene asserted that spectacles will continue to have box-office appeal only if there are a comparative few. Once they are abundant the public appetite will fade and the studios may be hit hard. Ontario MPT A Gets 3 New Directors Toronto, Nov. 14. — Three new directors elected to the 1951-52 board of the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario are announced as follows : Angus Jewell, Jewel Theatre, Cannington ; W. J. McLaughlin, Espanola, and William Summerville, Jr., supervisor of Bloom and Fine Theatres, Toronto. They succeed Sam Fine of Toronto, who retired as a director ; Clare J. Appel, who resigned to become executive secretary of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association, and Stan Gosnell of Toronto, who died last June. New officers have not yet been elected. Legion Report Puts 11 of 12 in Class A The latest Legion of Decency report places 11 films in Class A and one in Class B. The latter is M-G-M's "The Light Touch." The 11 in Class A include : "The Barefoot Mailman," Columbia ; "A Christmas Carol," United Artists ; "Elephant Stampede," Monogram ; "Hong Kong," Paramount; "Quo Vadis," M-G-M; "Starlift," Warner ; "Superman and the Mole Men," Lippert; "Double Confession," Monogram ; "FBI Girl," Lippert; "The Racket," RKO, and "Young Scarface," M. K. D. Distributors. Dayton Variety Charity Dayton, O., Nov. 14. — The Dayton Variety Club has assumed responsibility in providing a permanent site and building for Variety Manor, a guidance center clinic for emotionally unstable children, the operating costs of which will be underwritten by the Community Chest. Likens Advent of Eidophor To First Talking Picture The industry potentiality of 20th Century-Fox's Swiss Eidophor CBS theatre color television system was compared to the advent of the first talking picture by Charles P. Skouras, president of National Theatres, yesterday following a demonstration of the system in Zurich, Switzerland. Color in Para. TV Possible in 1952 The possibility that Paramount may incorporate color in its scheduled production output of 50 Paramount Theatre TV sets in 1952 was raised yesterday by Richard Hodgson, president of Chromatic Television Laboratories, Inc., a Paramount subsidiary. He said the incorporation of color in the Paramount TV equipment, which will make use of Paramount's tri-color tube, is now being discussed. TV for 275 Theatres (Continued from page 1) spokesman acknowledged that more than 200 sets were on order, while General Precision Laboratories placed the number on order at 40. Hodgson of Chromatic Richard Hodgson, president of the Paramount subsidiary Chromatic Television Laboratories, said six new installations of Paramount TV equipment are scheduled to be completed before the end of the year and Paramount's production schedule for 1952 calls for the manufacture of 50 theatre TV sets. Paramount, he added, is feeling the scarcity of certain materials due to the defense effort. Among the cities slated to be equipped with Paramount TV sets are Denver, Dayton, Chicago, Toledo and Indianapolis, Hodgson said. While installations in larger theatres are continuing at a rather steady pace, the biggest development today appears in the theatre TV outlook for smaller houses. Trad, whose forecast for 1952 contemplates 100 installations in a six-month period, currently has 14 orders on hand and expects to complete installation on these within the next 60 to 90 days. Eight of the 14 installations are destined for the Walter Reade circuit. Another television system designed for the smaller houses, ■ — TheatreView TV, which sells for $3,750— will have its first demonstration today for distributors at the Rex Theatre in East Rutherford, N. J. A test demonstration was held yesterday with network shows emanating from New York being picked up. Demonstrations of the equipment will continue for a number of weeks, a spokesman said, adding that in about three weeks the equipment will also be demon strated in Boston. The initial produc tion run of the Theatre-TV equip ment was said to be 150 sets. As reported previously, the overall estimate of the number of theatres expected to be equipped with TV by the end of the year is 110. In a cable to Gael Sullivan, executive director of the Theatre Owners of America here, the NT president said the demonstration "surpassed in definition and life-like portrayal anything that I have ever seen before on the screen. . . . The color is real, actual, with all the delicate shadings of life and sparkles with animation. Its magnetic radiance and dimensional depth will bring millions of new theatre-goers to our show houses." Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th-Fox, called Tuesday's Zurich demonstration "a magnificent success," according to press reports. He said he expects to unveil the system in New York some time in December and that a production target for projection units is set for February or March but due to current shortages of materials, Skouras doubted if this deadline could be reached. Among others who witnessed the demonstration were Dr. W. R. G. Baker, vice-president of General Electric ; Dr. Edgar Gretener, a color film and arc lighting expert now in charge of the development of Eidophor ; George Skouras, president of Skouras Theatres; Elmer Rhoden, president of Fox Midwest Theatres, and Frank H. Ricketson, president of Fox Inter-Mountain Theatres. Want No Film Stars On Weekend TV Omaha, Nov. 14. — Members of the Iowa-Nebraska Allied requested that film makers do not permit their stars to appear on television on weekends in a resolution passed at their meet ing here. They also requested action by their national board against pro ducers releasing prints to television until 10 years after they had been re leased to theatres. Other action included an okay on national convention resolutions. Leo Wolcott of Eldora, la., chairman of the board, said Iowa and Nebraska exhibitors both rapped the "so-called security picture contracts as beingunfair in today's market, when intermediate pictures have little meaning." Chi. Auto Dealer Pays Small $150,000 For 27 TV Films Holman in London, To Paris Meet Next London, Nov. 14. — Russell Holman, Paramount home office production representative, has arrived here for meeting's with James Perkins and Richard Mealand, following which he will go to Paris with Mealand for further production talks with Paramount's French and Italian representatives. Holman will attend the charity premiere tomorrow at the Plaza Theatre here of "Encore," the film made jointly by Paramount and the J. Arthur Rank Organization. Yergensens Buy Two Salt Lake City, Nov. 14. — In a $200,000 transaction, the Cedar and Parks theatres at Cedar City have been sold by John Rowberry and Melvin R. Thorley to Glen Yergensen, who operates a theatre at Monroe, and his brother Elden Yergensen. Chicago, Nov. 14. — Hauser Nash, local automobile dealer, has paid Edward Small close to $150,000 for the first Chicago television showings of 27 . feature-length pictures formerly shown in motion picture theatres throughout the country. 'The films will be shown on WNBQ from 10 P.M. to midnight Saturdays and 11 P.M. to midnight Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Pictures which run over an ' hour will be split into two sections for showings on two different nights during the week, where they cannot be fitted into the Saturday night spot. Pictures Listed The group of pictures includes : "The Duke of West Point," "King of the Turf," "Man in the Iron Mask," "Kit Carson," "My Son, My Son," "South of Pago Pago," "The Son of Monte Cristo," "International Lady," "The Corsican Brothers," "A Gentleman After Dark," "Annie Rooney," "Twin Beds," "Friendly Enemies," "Up in Mabel's Room," "Abroad with Two Yanks," "Brewster's Millions," "Getting Gertie's Garter," "The Count of Monte Cristo," "Last of the Mohicans," "T-Men," "Raw Deal," "The Challenge," "The Creeper," "Counterfeiters," "The Red House," "Intrigue," and "Our Town." Brand new thirtyfive millimeter prints will be used for all showings. 15 More to Aid the Federation Campaign Fifteen additional film executives have pledged their support to the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies drive for $20,000,000, it was disclosed here yesterday by Emanuel Frisch, who shares with Barney Balaban and Si Fabian the leadership of the amusement division of the Federation campaign for $20 million. Among those who have joined the corporate gifts committee — which is co-chairmaned by Leonard Goldenson, Herman Robbins and Sol A. Schwartz — are Harry Brandt, Leo Brecher, Jack Cohn, George F. Dembow, Emil Friedlander, Leopold Friedman, Henry Jaffe, Malcolm Kingsberg, Al Lichtman, Samuel Rosen, Fred J. Schwartz, George Skouras, Spyros Skouras and Albert Warner. Six Heroes Here for 'Bayonets' Opening Summoned by the Department of the Army, six Congressional Medal of Honor winners will arrive in New York today to prepare for the world premiere of 20th Century-Fox's "Fixed Bayonets !" at the Rivoli Theatre next Tuesday. Their presence will aid the benefit performance of the film for the New , York Journal American War Wounded Fund, and help spark the national blood drive. The Medal of Honor winners are to meet with Mayor Impellitteri, and appear publicly on behalf of the blood collecitions for (soldiers fighting in Korea. Sells Realart Franchise Memphis, Nov. 14. — The Realart franchise here was sold yesterday by J. D. Jernigan to Clifford Wallace.