Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1953)

FIRST IN NEWS VOL. 73. NO. 9 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U. S. A., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1953 TEN CENTS Name Grainger President of RKO Pictures Republic 'V-P' to Take Over in About 4 Weeks By WILLIAM R. WEAVER Hollywood, Jan. 13. — James R. Grainger will take over the presidency of RKO Pictures in about four weeks. Motion Picture Daily learned today / from an unoffi cial but incontrovertible authority. Graing e r, executive vice president in charge of sales and distribution for Republic Pictures for the past 15 years, will spend the next three or four weeks arranging his affairs with that company, to which he was under contract for three more {Continued on page 6) James Grainger UA Will Make 6 Films in Mexico Mexico City, Jan. 13. — United Artists has arranged with Mexican producers to make a minimum of six pictures in Mexico this year. The pictures will have English as well as Spanish versions. The agreement was made by Edward Nassour, with Pablo Bush and Eddy Fernandez acting for the Mexicans. Under the pact, United Artists will supply financing, world {Continued on page 4) Record $50,000 from Para. 'Jazz' Benefit With tickets scaled up to a $100 "Golden Circle" section, a record New York Paramount Theatre "take" and crowd marked the premiere of Warner Brothers' "The Jazz Singer" last night, company officials reported, with all proceeds going to the National Foundation for Infantile Paraly{Continued on page 5) Allied Board Reaffirms Rejection of Arbitration Lesser Firm To Produce ' 3-D' Pictures Hollywood, Jan. 13. — In a three pronged advance into the three-dimension field, Sol Lesser today announced the formation of Stereocinema Corp., to produce and distribute three-dimension pictures and also to lease equipment to other producing companies. Lesser, already in the three-dimension field as the owner of the American rights to the British-made threedimension shorts known here as TriOptkon, said his organization will furnish 12 three-dimension programs per year (each consisting of a feature and shorts) to approximately 600 theatres throughout the world, under a franchise arrangement. He said about 400 of these will be in the United States, chosen on the basis of their ability to run each program four weeks or longer. The first such pro {Continued on page 5) Holds Pre-Release Engagements Violate Court Orders; Hits Advanced Admission Policies; Approves Recourse to U S. Bodies New Orleans, Jan. 13. — Allied States' board of directors at its closing session here today reaffirmed the action of its Chicago convention last November, rejecting the distributors' draft of a proposed industry arbitration plan and withdrawing Allied officers from further negotiations. The action was taken after a report to the board by Wilbur Snaper, president, on recent conversations with distributor representatives in New York on the proposed arbitration plan, and after consideration of a letter on the subject from Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America. The Allied board also adopted the Vlachos resolution which was approved at the Chicago convention, calling upon Allied to make an intensive survey to gather evidence of law violation in connection with film pricing policies and practices for presentation to appropriate government agencies and the courts "to the end {Continued on page 6) TNT Seeking to Theatre Televise 4 Oscar' Ceremonies A proposal that the March 19 Academy Award ceremonies in Hollywood be theatre televised nationally has been submitted to major film companies by Theatre Network Television, it was disclosed here yesterday. The TNT request, submitted through Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, is for general approval of the project by the film' studios insofar as their contract performers are involved. If the MPAA and member companies should approve, the pro{Continued on page 4) 44 Peter Pan [Walt Disney-RKO Pictures'] SHEER DELIGHT are the most descriptive words for Walt Disney's new feature length animated picture, "Peter Pan." Everyone who has had a day dream, every man, woman and child with a spirit of adventure and a delight in fantasy should find this film thoroughly enjoyable. The appeal, being that broad, spells smash box-office business. All the cherished fantasies of a child's world, pirates, Indians, mermaids and a flying pixie are encompassed in this film, which rolls on its merry way for 76y2 minutes. The talented voices, the clever animations, the incisive characterizations and the color by Technicolor, all combine to make this one of Disney's best full-length films. It will be talked about for some time. Added to the skillful adaptation of J. M. Barrie's venerable classic about a boy who just wouldn't grow up are a number of catchy songs, including "The Elegant Captain Hook," "What Makes the Red Men Red," "Your Mother and Mine," and "Follow the Leader." The story, which is loved by millions of people throughout the world, {Continued on page 5) Allied Reelects All Officers at N.O. Meet New Orleans, Jan. 13.— The Allied board at it s closing session here today reelected all officers for another year. The incumbents reelected are : Wilbur Snaper, president; Abram F. Myers, chairman of the board and general counsel; Ben Marcus, treas urer; John M. Wolfberg, secretary, and Stanley D. Kane, recording secretary. Wilbur Snaper Starring JOSE FERRER Directed by JOHN HUSTON A ROMULUS Production Color by TECHNICOLOR