Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1952)

2 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, May 13, 1952 See Johnston-French Meet Today on Pact Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, will begin negotiations today or tomorrow with members of the French Commerce and Finance Ministeries to decide how many U. S. films will be admitted into France, according to dispatches from that country. Johnston said, "France is the most restricted film market in the world outside of the Iron Curtain countries." Francis L.Harley,57, 20th-Fox Executive Francis L. Harley, 57, a vice-president of 20th Century-Fox International Corp., who a year ago was forced by illness to retire from regular work schedules, died here on Saturday. Funeral services were held yesterday afternoon at St. Bartholomew's Chapel. The widow, Nadja, and a daughter, Julia, survive. Primarily in foreign sales posts t h r o u g h out his career, Film Corp. in 1926. He was sent to England in 1927 and was then appointed assistant to the managing director of the Fox Paris office. In 1929 he became Near Eastern manager, and the next year managing director of the Fox branch in Brazil. In 1935 he headed the company's French section, and a year later headed the offices of 20th Century-Fox in London. In 1946, he was in charge of Europe, Scandinavia, Near East, North Africa for 20th Century-Fox International Corp., with headquarters in Paris. For three years, until his illness a year ago, he had headquarters at the company's home office. Francis Harley Harley joined Fox 30,000 'Knot-Holers' Guests of Loew's Over 30,000 members of Loew'sM-G-M "Happy Felton Knot-Hole Gangs" and their mothers were the guests at Loew's neighborhood theatres on Sunday as a Mother's Day treat. This was the initial free show for the youngsters in a series of planned get-togethers that will be held during the season for members of the Gangs. Presentation of the Knot-Hole Gang membership card made the child and his or her mother a guest. Happy Felton, through his KnotHole Gang TV shows, awards baseball equipment to youngsters who appear with him. Personal Mention EK. O'SHEA, vice-president of • Paramount Film Distributing Corp., and Sid Blumenstock, assistant ad-publicity director, returned here yesterday from the Coast. Company president A. W. Schwalberg will return here tomorrow. • Arthur Cole, president of the Motion Picture Association of Greater Kansas City, and Senn Lawler of Fox Midwest Theatres, represented the industry in the "Vocational Choice'' day at the Shawnee Mission High School in Mission, Kan., recently. • Cecil B. DeMille received a special scroll from the Circus Fans Association of America yesterday in Milwaukee for his film, "The Greatest Show on Earth." Leonard Goldenson, United Paramount Theatres president, and Robert Weitman, vice-president, returned here yesterday from the Coast. • Bob Montgomery, Paramount publicist, returned here yesterday from Denver. HOWARD DIETZ, M-G-M vicepresident and director of advertising, publicity and exploitation, and John P. Byrne, Eastern sales manager, returned here yesterday from the Coast. Advertising manager Si Seadler is due back here Thursday. Thomas J. Hargrave, president of Eastman Kodak Co., today will receive the 1952 award of the Rochester Rotarians at a luncheon in that city. • Stirling Silliphant, 20th Century-Fox publicity manager, was in Washington yesterday from New York. • R. M. Savini, president of Astor Pictures, has arrived here from the Coast, after stopoffs in Dallas and New Orleans. • Albert Lewin, M-G-M producer, will arrive here from the Coast May 24 en route to Paris and Morocco. • Joseph Kaufman, producer, returned to the Coast from here over the weekend. Brando and Grant Win Cannes Awards Marlon Brando, for his role in "Viva Zapata!," won the "Best Masculine Performance" award at the fifth Cannes International Film Festival, according to dispatches here from France. Lee Grant won the award for actresses with her performance in "Detective Story." The best picture award was given jointly to Orson Welles' film version of "Othello" and the Italian picture, "Two Cents Worth of Hope." Wilcox, Miss N eagle Due Here Today London, May 12. — Herbert Wilcox and Anna Neagle are scheduled to arrive in New York tomorrow from here aboard the Queen Mary, to set deals for American distribution of their latest films, "Lady with A Lamp," "Derby Day," and "Trent's Last Case." Wilcox and Miss Neagle will be in New York from 10 days to two weeks. Prior to their departure they announced the signing of Margaret Lockwood to a long term contract. Television City Confab J. L. Van Volkenburg, president of CBS Television, will meet the press tomorrow afternoon at the company's home office here to explain details and operations of the new CBS Television City now being built in Hollywood. A two-ton all-electronic scale model of the "city" is being flown here from the Coast for demonstration during the interview. Noris on JARO Board London, May 12. — Henry N orris, who joined the J. Arthur Rank Organization here in 1950 as coordinating accountant, has been elected to the board of the company. Coyne Opens COMPO Speaking Tour in Va. _ Buena Vista, Va., May 12.— The significance of the motion picture industry was discussed this evening by Robert W. Coyne, special counsel to the Council of Motion Picture Organization, in an address before the Rotary Club of this community. It was the first of a series of speeches Coyne will make this week in various towns in Virginia. Coyne's tour is the second launched this spring by COMPO. Maurice Bergman, public relations executive of Universal-International, is on the other tour, in Ohio, where he speak tomorrow night before American Legion of Cincinnati. will the Knecht Will Assist Hastings at Studio Hollywood, May 12. — Peter Knecht has been named executive assistant to Ross Hastings, RKO Radio executive in charge of contract negotiation and administration. Knecht replaces Leonard Picker, who recently resigned to become associated with American Pictures Co., an independent. For 10 years Knecht was associated with the law firm of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp, and for the past six years he has been with this firm's staff in the RKO legal department. He is terminating his association with the law firm. Sidney Lipsitch continues as head of the RKO legal department. A. E. Newbould Dead London, May 12. — Alfred Ernest Newbould, veteran of theatre circuits which later became the GaumontBritish group, and former president of the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association, died at his home in Sussex. He was 79. NEWS in Brief . A special institutional ad on "Wait 'Til The Sun Shines, Nellie" has been prepared by 20th Century-Fox as part of the industry's continuing public relations campaign spearheaded by the Council of Motion Picture Organizations. The ad pegs its "Movietime, U.S.A." message with the slogan "Even Then Nellie Couldn't Wait To Go To The Movies." • New and expanded quarters of Jack Shaindlin, musical director for majors in the East, and his subsidiary, Filmusic Co., have been set up in the West 54th Street Warner Building, he disclosed here yesterday. Angelo Ross, who has resigned as chief editor for Louis DeRochemont Productions, will be in charge of the Filmusic unit. • Cleveland, May 12. — The Lyceum Theatre has reduced its playing time to Thursday through Sunday ; the Lake to Friday through Sunday; the Mayfield to Friday only, while the Imperial has closed altogether for the Newsreels Top BBC TV Program Voting London, May 12. — Newsreels were voted the most popular British television program material by viewers polled by British Broadcasting Company's audience research department. The poll covered 57,000 families, representing 180,000 viewers. With 98 per cent of the voters expressing a preference for newsreels, other programs showed the following percentages : spectacle shows (circuses, ice shows, etc.) 95 per cent; plays, 92; magazine programs and floor shows, 90 ; quizzes, 88 ; music hall, 86 ; visits to places of interest, 82 ; public events, 81 ; comedy shows, 80; documentaries, 74; short stories and discussions, 61 ; illustrated talks, 58 ; soloists and orchestral items, 53 ; ballet, 45 ; speakers, 34, opera, 29. Sporting events were preferred by 90 per cent of the men and 55 per cent of the women. NEW YORK THEATRES RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL Rockefeller Center — — — 'SCARAMOUCH E" Stewart GRANGER Eleanor PARKER Janet LEIGH Mel FERRER Colorby TECHNICOLOR . An M-G-M Picture plus SPECTACULAR STAGE PRESENTATION ROBERT MITCHUM JANE RUSSE1L WIUIAM BENDIX MACAO jdnight Fiofwr* NigKllr MOTION PICTURE DAILY. Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chiet and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; Terry Ramsaye, Consulting Editor. 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