Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1953)

Monday, March 16, 1953 Motion Picture Daily 5 In the THEATRE Equipment World . . . • • with RAY GALLO OVER 400 Walker metallic screens were installed during the last two months by National Theatre Supply, according to W. J. Turnbull, NTS vice-president. Only part of these installations were in theatres showing third-dimensional pictures, for the screen is also suited to regular product and television, Turnbull said. "It is custom-coated for the particular requirements of each theatre," he added, "considering such factors as width and length of the auditorium angle of projection and type of light sources used." • Election to new posts on the board of directors of Henry Heide, Inc., New York, of three grandsons of the late Henry Heide, Sr., founder of the 84-year-old candy manufacturing firm, has been announced by Herman L. Heide, president. Andrew H. Heide, formerly vice-president, was named executive vice-president; Victor H. Heide, formerly assistant vice president, was elected vice-president and secretary, and Vincent H. Heide, formerly assistant vice-president, is now vice-president and secretary. • The Camera Equipment Co. of New York has been appointed as another distributor for the Prestoseal "buttweld" film splicer, known by the trade-name of "Presto-Splicer," and manufactured by the Prestoseal Manufacturing Corp. of Long Island City, N. Y. • H. J. Foster has resigned as vicepresident of Spacarb, Inc., manufacturers of automatic soft drink dispensers, according to an announcement by L. H. Houston, president. Foster's duties in the fields of sales, service and advertising will be assumed by Howard Richardson with the temporary assistance of Houston. Foster, who joined Spacarb in 1949, has not announced his plans but he intends to remain in the vending field. • For the prevention of injuries to fingers from accidental door closings the Magic Door Division of the Stanley W{)rks of New Britain, Conn., has developed a new flexible plastic stripping. Called "Stanvard," it runs the full length of the door at the door jamb, sealing off the danger area from top to bottom. It is fastened to the door frame with aluminum anchor mouldings. • A new. automatic hot chocolate dispenser with a capacity of 3 gallons, is now being distributed, by the Interstate Restaurant Supply Co., Los Angeles. Called the "Excel Dispenser," the unit has thermostatic control, designed to keep it at the right serving temperature and a motor-driven agitator which stirs the chocolate constantly to prevent milk scum. Television-Radio with Pinky Herman, A NEW series of half-hour NBCluedunits, "Eye Witness," will bow onto the TV scene, Monday, March 30, replacing "Hollywood Opening Night" in the 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. slot. The Neptune production will be directed by Perry Lafferty and will be sponsored on alternate weeks by Ennds. . . . The music goes 'round and around, . history repeats itself, life itself is a series of cycles so it is natural for station call letters to make with the gyrations. Some years ago, NB Chieftains came up with a bright idea to perpetuate the letters of the NBChain, by successfully petitioning the FCC to permit the change from WEAF to WNBC. WABC, the CBS N. Y. outlet, similarly effected a change to WCBS. Starting March 1, New York again began hearing WABC, this time, belonging to American Broadcasting Co., which discarded the ancient WJZ call letters. . . . Oliver A. Unger former v.p. for Snader Telescriptions and Harold Goldman, ex Eastern sales director of that firm, are now president and general sales manager, respectively, for Television Exploitations, Inc., with offices located in 29 key cities, guaranteeing clients and associated sponsors overall saturation coverage on filmed TV properties. . . . ft ft ft The Violin Virtuoso of Waukegan, 111., has been the nation's triple-threat star of show biz for so many years that it's news when he DOESN'T win. With his monthly TV show now a regular feature, Jack Benny is now eligible for the TV crown and though we're about eight months from the results of the 1953 television editors Fame poll, we're laying odds that Rochester's boss finishes in the money. . . . Producer Walt Framer, stars Bess Myerson and Randy Merriman and two regular models of "The Big Payoff" will head for the Coast where that program will originate for two weeks starting Monday, March 30. . . . Modern Screen (Dell) has finally recognized and accepted television. They've added a new regular feature, Paul Denis' gossip column. . . . Lakeside TV Co. is now handling national distribution of the popular western filmed TV series, "Oklahoma Chuck Wagon Boys." . . . Filmcraft Productions, which acquired the TV rights to the entire Mark Twain works, is currently filming a new video series, "Mark Twain TV Theatre." Siegfried M. Herzig, writer of numerous Broadway plays and screenplays, is assisting novelist Robert Nathan in adapting the Twain stories for TV. Gene Mann has just joined Filmcraft as veepee in charge of creative production and sales. . . . ft ft ft _ Starting Thurs., April 2, KHJ-TV will have an exclus ive two-year right to the Lewis Weiss & Co. TV film series (26 half-hours) "Craig Kennedy, Criminologist," which has been enjoying a terrific listening audience the past few months in Phila. via WCAU-TV. . . . Lonny Starr has been hired for the third consecutive year by Sunset Appliances to describe the wrestling bouts, Thurs. nites via WORTV. . . . Leo Israel of the 20th Century-Fox adv. dep't. visited John Reed King's _ "What's Your Bid?" TV ABContest last week and walked off with several thousand dollars worth of prizes. (But he's a loyal cineMAN. Still positive "Movies are your best entertainment.") . . . Memo to Dore Senary: — Alton Alexander, who was your assistant back in 1927, when you were head counsellor at Cedar Lake Camp, N. Y., has authored over 500 TV scripts for the ABCTV "Hollywood Screen Test" series. . . . Ralph Paul, announcer of "Strike It Rich," is now a real drum-beater. He returned from a Haitian vacation (a new rhyme, Fred Norman) with a Voodoo drum. . . . ft ft ft LOTS A DOTS . . . Bob Downing (he won the 1952 Dr. Christian award) flies to Houston where his 3-act play, "Around We Go" premieres, April 8. . . . Sid Pink Associates will handle Western Hemisphere distribution filmed TV series, "13 Tall Tales," produced in England by I. G. Goldsmith. . . . Walton & O'Rourke, whose puppets rate a rave in the current MGMasterpiece, "Lili," are currently in Gotham and will be seen pahlenty on TV guestings. . . . Red Buttons will emcee the Nat'l Press Club's shindig for Congressmen, March 31 in Washington. Jack Benny 310 Video Stations Approved to Date Washington, March 15. — The Federal Communications Commission has approved 29 additional television stations, the largest batch of approvals issued in any one day so far. The total approved since the lifting of the freeze now stands at 310. TV Series (Continued from page 1) Merman, star of "Call Me Madam," heading a motorcade to the Miami premiere of the musical to be presented on the March 22 show. A teaser trailer for the March 29 presentation of scenes from the Irving Berlin musical will also be featured that evening. The two "plugs" will be followed on the April 5 telecast by a six-minute program devoted to "The President's Lady." "Titanic" will be on the April 19 "Toast of the Town" and will get additional publicizing May 3. Hendricks, McManus Promoted by Warner Hollywood, March 15. — Bill Hendricks has been appointed by Alex Evelove as assistant publicity director for Warner Brothers studio. Hendricks begins his new duties tomorrow. At the studio for the past five years as chief exploitation man, Hendricks was with Warner Theatres in the South, Midwest and on the Pacific Coast for 19 years before that. Stepping up into Hendricks former exploitation spot is John G. McManus, former district and publicity manager for Warner's Pacific Coast theatres. Cinema Lodge Cites Liebowitz Tonight Civic and religious leaders will join Cinema Lodge B'nai B'rith officials at the Hotel Astor here tonight in paying tribute to Judge Samuel Liebowitz of Kings County Court. U. S. Senator Charles W. Tobey of New Hampshire, will present the Cinema Lodge "Honor Scroll" to Judge Liebowitz and will be the principal speaker. Kaye Drops Monday Night Performances After 81 consecutive performances, without a night off, Danny Kaye will take one night's rest each Monday, starting tonight. The policy will be; in effect for the rest of Kaye's reserved 'Corsica' A UA Film "The Bandits of Corsica" is being distributed by United Artists and not by Universal-International, as erroneously stated in a review of that production which appeared in Motion Picture Daily on Friday. TELEVISION COMMERCIAL • THEATRICAL 3 D Motion Picture Editorial Service 630 NINTH AVENUE, N. Y. 36, N. Y. LUxemburg 2-2988