Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1953)

2 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, April 30, 1953 Personal Mention BEN KALMENSON, Warner Brothers vice-president in charge of distribution, is scheduled to return to New York from the Coast this weekend. Eric A. Johnston, MPAA president, and Harry F. Shaw, division manager of Loew's Poli-New England Theatres, have been named to a committee in charge of a testimonial dinner at the Hartford Club in Hartford, Conn., Monday, honoring Francis S. Murphy, retiring editor and publisher of the Hartford Times. • Jerry Pickman, Paramount advertising-publicity vice-president, is scheduled to address the May 5-6 convention of the Independent Theatre Owners of Arkansas in Little Rock. • Ed Rosenfeld, formerly manager of the Trans-Lux 85th St. Theatre here, has been promoted to city manager for the Trans-Lux circuit in Boston. • George Weltner, president of Paramount International, is scheduled to leave New York Sunday night by plane for Hollywood. • Paul Theophilidis of the United Artists publicity department here has been drafted and will leave the company today. • J. R. Grainger, RKO Radio president, will return here tomorrow from New Orleans. • David Cantor, home office exploitation manager for RKO Radio, left New York yesterday for Denver. • George Stevens, Paramount producer, will leave here today by plane for Chicago. • Henry J. Reiner of National Screen Service will leave here today for a Miami vacation. LF.E.'s Serpe in Rome for Product Italian Films Export is arranging co-production deals between American and Italian television producers, according to Ralph Serpe, director of the I.F.E. television and short subjects division, who arrives in Rome today to finalize arrangements on several such projects. Serpe also will survey Italian product to select a program of shorts for American theatres. It is expected that as many as 150 subjects will be made available as a result of this survey. Palsy Drive Starts Sherry Jackson, 11-year-old actress who plays a lead in Warner Brothers' "Trouble Along the Way," which opens at the Roxy Theatre here on May 6, will represent America's children among New York's leading entertainment personalities in launching the national campaign of United Cerebral Palsy here today. Johnston to Address UJA Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, will be one of two guest speakers at the annual luncheon-meeting for the United Jewish Appeal of the amusement industry, to be held on Tuesday, May 26, at the Plaza Hotel here. The other speaker will be Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, executive vice-chairman of the United Jewish Appeal. Johnston will address the luncheon, a testimonial in honor of S. H. Fabian and Sam Rosen of Fabian Theatres, on his experiences in Israel during his recent survey trip. Two more committees have been formed in the amusement industry to aid the UJA, among purchasing agents, headed by Charles B. Moss, B. S. Moss Corp., and among independent exhibitors, headed by Solomon M. Strausberg, Interboro Theatres. "Dedes and Dreams," film sponsored by the United Jewish Appeal and produced with the cooperation of the motion picture industry, will be screened today at the Preview Theatre here_ before an invited audience, including members of the press. The film was produced in the studios of Universal-International, utilizing the talents of Lloyd Nolan, Lynn Bari and Gene Evans as stars, of Frederick de Cordova as director and of Leo Tovar as cameraman. Republic to Unveil 'Sun Shines' Tonight Nashville, April 29. — John Ford's Republic production, "The Sun Shines Bright," will have its premiere here tomorrow night at the Tennessee Theatre, with stars of the film sparking local activities. Charles Winninger, Arleen Whelan and John Russell will be joined by Chill Wills for the ceremonies. Exhibitors from the territory, as well as newspaper and radio representatives, will meet the stars at a buffet luncheon at the Hotel Hermitage. Also here for the festivities are Republic executives and R. E. Baulch and J. C. Stengel, heads of Crescent Amusement Co. Tribute to Greenfield Albany, N. Y., April 29.— The local Variety Club will give a hachelor dinner on May 17 at the Shaker Ridge Country Club for Leo Greenfield, Universal-International branch manager, who will marry Muriel Lanahan, of Ted Baldwin Associates, in New York City. The committee men are : Norman Jackter, Columbia; Nat Rosen, 20th Century-Fox; Eugene Lowe, Harry Alexander and Al Marchetti, U-I. Mayer Here for Meetings L. B. Mayer, chairman of the board of Cinerama Productions Corp., left Hollywood last night by plane to attend meetings at the company's New York offices. Departure time made it impossible for him to attend the West Coast premiere of "Cinerama" at the Warner Hollywood Theatre last night. Wants Marshall Aid For His Theatre Charlotte, April 29.— In a letter to the Charlotte News urging exemption of theatres from the 20 per cent admission tax, Julian Thompson, manager of the Star Theatre here, asks the editors why "the U. S. Government helps many groups, both local and foreign, with subsidies and the Marshall plan, and at the same time puts a 20 per cent tax (or penalty) on theatres. Is that fair?" he asks. Thompson adds that he would "like a little of that Marshall aid for my theatre." Fitzgibbons Lists 410 FP-C Houses Toronto, April 29. — At the annual meeting of stockholders of Famous Players Canadian Corporation, John J. Fitzgibbons, president and managing director, referred to the cir-. cuit's successful operation during the year ending Jan. 3 of 410 theatres, including 27 drive-ins, and paid tribute to its 7,046 employes. He expressed special appreciation to the 270 members of the company's 25-Year Club. His report told of the entry of Famous Players into the fields of television and Telemeter and its study of three-dimension developments. "We have every reason to be optimistic about our business for 1953," he stated. The audited financial statement for 1952 showed a net profit of $3,480,126, compared with $3,032,018 for the previous year. Carle Heads Studio Publicity Committee Hollywood, April 29. — Teet Carle has been elected chairman of the studio publicity directors committee of the Association of Motion Picture Producers. Carle, Paramount's studio publicity director, will serve, until next January. He succeeds Perry Lieber, RKO Radio studio publicity head. Sam Israel of Universal-International was named vice-chairman. Jeffee Screening Room Saul Jeffee, president of Movielab Theatre Service, Inc., will open a new motion picture preview room here today, for the use of both major and independent producers and distributors. The room seats 47, has facilities for both 3-D and conventional projection, and is equipped for 16mm. and 35mm. AMP A to Elect The annual meeting of Associated Motion Picture Advertisers will be held today at Trader Tom's Steak House here, with the principal business the election of a slate of officers headed by the nominee for president, Lige Brien of United Artists. Rallying to Fox Support Industry support of the present 20th Century-Fox management against outside forces seeking control is moving on several fronts, spearheaded by exhibitor and other industry leaders. George Schaefer, veteran distribution executive, is heading up one phase of the campaign to rally stockholder support on the side of 20th-Fox management, seeking proxies in the Long Island and New Jersey areas exclusively. _ Schaefer said here yesterday that his plan is working out "quite well." Personnel of leading circuits in this territory are contacting stockholders for proxy support and Schaefer said "we are getting in the. proxies." The project shaped up last week at a meeting of circuit heads with Schaefer. Matty Fox, who also called a meeting of exhibitors for the purpose of aiding Spyros P. Skouras, 20th-Fox president, and company management, is seeking a similar goal but from a different angle. Fox yesterday withheld details pending further developments. Meanwhile, 20th-Fox employes in exchange areas are rounding up stockholder proxies in their territories. Schaefer said yesterday that the passing of 20th-Fox control to the group led by Charles Green might mean a serious product shortage because of the reported intentions of Green to liquidate the company if he gains control or disposes of current product to television. More Time for UA On Towne Filing Chicago, April 29. — The United Artists petition for additional time to file objections to master-in-chancery William Saltiel's recent recommendations in the Towne Theatre case, which would force U. A. to return its stock in the Towne Corp. and deprive U. A. of any share in the Towne settlement, has been granted, it was revealed here today by attorney David Levinson, representing U. A. The company has been granted an extra 30 days in which to prepare its arguments against the master's findings. Snel grove Named RKO Radio Manager Kenneth Snelgrove has been named branch manager of RKO Radio's St. John exchange in Canada, replacing Arthur LeeWhite who resigned. For the past three years Snelgrove was a salesman at the company's Montreal exchange. Get Christopher Awards Producer Sol Baer Fielding, director Gerald Mayer and writer Emmet Lavery have received Christopher medallions for their work on "Bright Road." 'Wax' in St. Louis Record St. Louis, April 29. — Warner Brothers' 3-D "House of Wax" is said to have, set a new all-time high in its opening at the Fox Theatre here yesterday with a gross of $7,200. MOTION PICTURE DAILY. Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; Terry Ramsaye, Consulting Editor. Published daily, except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, N. Y. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address: "Quigpubco. New York. ' Martm Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Tlieo. J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Raymond Levy, Vice-President; Leo J. Brady, Secretary; James P. Cunningham, News Editor; Herbert V. Fecke, Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager; Hollywood Bureau, YuccaVine Building. William R. Weaver, Editor. Chicago Bureau, 120 South LaSalle Street. Urben Farley, Advertising Bepresentative, Fl 6-3074; Bruce Trinz, Editorial Representative, 11 North Clark Street, FR 2-2843. Washington, J. A. Otten, National Press Club, Washington, D. C. London Bureau, 4 Golden Sq., London Wl; Hope Burnup, Manager; Peter Burnup, * 'l?r;-C ]?• address "Quigpubco, London." Other Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Herald; Better Theatres and Theatre Sales, each published 13 times a year as a section i tlon ■Picture Herald; Motion Picture and Television Almanac; Fame. Entered as second-class matter, Sept. 21, 1938, at the post office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year, $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign; single copies, 10c.