Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1953)

4 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, June 18, 1953 Cowdin (Continued from page 1) film consultant, Cecil B. DeMille, to "scour the field" for the best man, and that DeMille had reported that Cowdin had been the unanimous choice of industry leaders. The film service distributes government films overseas through 135 information posts in 88 countries. Cowdin has been an important figure in industrial finance for many years. He began his career as a partner in Bond & Goodwin, later becoming vice-president of Blair & Co. and the Bancamerica Blair Corp. He is a board member of Curtis-Wright Corp., Douglas Aircraft Corp., Whitehall Securities Co., Ltd., Sperry Gyroscope Co. and other organizations. 20th Revises Release List (Continued from page 1) Johnston (Continued from page 1) George Weltner, Paramount International president, for Europe on the same day. Johnston and Weltner will be away about three weeks, visiting Germany, France, Belgium and England. While in London, Johnston may initiate preliminary discussions of an extension or revision of the Anglo-American film agreement which expires Sept. 30. However, actual negotiations are likely to be held in Washington in the late summer, depending upon the availability of Sir Frank Lee of the British Board of Trade, or his chief deputy, at that time. Johnston was here yesterday, will be in Philadelphia today and will go to Washington from there. Technicolor, one in 3-D and Technicolor, and two re-issues. In addition to switches in releases, the new lineup was increased by one. July releases are : "White Witch Doctor," by Technicolor, starring Susan Hayward and Robert Mitchum, produced by Otto Lang and directed by Henry Hathaway ; "The Glory Brigade," starring Victor Mature, produced by William Bloom and directed by Robert Webb ; "The Farmer Takes a Wife," Technicolor, starring Betty Grable, Dale Robertson, Thelma Ritter and John Carroll, produced by Frank P. Rosenberg and directed by Henry Levin, and "The Kid from Left Field," starring Dan Dailey and Anne Bancroft, with production by Leonard Goldstein and directed by Harmon Jones. Two re-issues for July are "Road House," starring Richard Widmark, Ida Lupino, Cornel Wilde and Celeste Holm, and "Kiss of Death," starring Richard Widmark, Victor Mature, Brian Donlevy, and Coleen Gray. August releases are "Inferno," starring Robert Ryan, Rhonda Fleming and William Lundigan; "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," Technicolor, starring Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe and Charles Coburn, produced by Sol C. Siegel and directed by Howard Hawks ; "Dangerous Crossing" starring Jeanne Crain and Michael Rennie, produced by Robert Bassler and directed by Joseph Newman, and C. S. Forester's "Sailor of the King," starring Jeffrey Hunter, Michael Rennie and Wendy Hiller, produced by Frank McCarthy and directed by Roy Boulting. Daff Finds (Continued from page 1) Republic Joins (Continued from page 1) House of a Thousand Candles," was shown at the demonstration. The other film cleared by Republic was "Who Killed Aunt Maggie?" The other companies which cooperated in the demonstration were M-G-M, RKO Pictures, and Walt Disney Productions. A Skiatron spokesman reported that about 3,000 persons attended the demonstrations, which were held over an eight-day period. He said the results in the compilation of questionnaires would be made public shortly. TODAY All Members of Amusement Industry Invited to the (jata NEW YORK VARIETY CLUB LUNCHEON In Honor of Our Past Chief Barkers MAX A. COHEN FRED J. SCHWARTZ WILLIAM J. GERMAN ALBERT DEKKER, Guest Speaker TODAYJune 18-12:30 P M. HOTEL PICCADILLY 227 West 45th St. Cost: $3.00 3-D Prints (Continued from page 1) lenses and projector attachments in 30 days and keep up a steady flow thereafter, according to Nathan Supak, an official of the Minneapolis company. It was pointed out that manufacturing could start as soon as distributors give the green light for printing their own 3-D pictures on one film strip and when installation orders gather momentum. Exhibitors who saw demonstrations yesterday appeared to be impressed with the simplicity of the Nord process. Color Corp. Plans (Continued from page 1) started. The company feels that television-in-color may be started "any time — maybe inside of the next few months." Stating that Color Corporation America is adequately financed, and management stabilized, Yarnall said the company's break-even point is 35,000,000 feet of release printing per year, and that present commitments of 37,700,000 feet and expectations for the future, indicate the plant will handle about 53,000,000 feet in 1953. McCarthy (Continued from page 1) under the bureau, including motion pictures, radio, and television. McCarthy said yesterday that he would confer with Johnson in Washington next week about the offer. The former MPEA executive returned here last weekend from a global tour on behalf of the government's overseas film program. As a result of the tour, McCarthy will make recommendations for the reorganization of the international project. Rogosin IMPPA Counsel Hollywood, June 17. — Irving Rogosin, formerly an executive of the National Labor Relations Board, has been named general counsel of the Independent Motion Picture Producers Association. Rogosin will head the association's labor negotiations committee, which consists of Walter Mirisch, Lindsley Parsons, Vincent M. Fennelly, Jay Grippo and Eugene Arnstein. manufacturers abroad have gone into the 3-D field as yet, he said. In addition, theatre business generally in Europe continues good and exhibitors there feel little compunction to put an investment into the new medium, particularly in view of the fact that admission price ceilings in force in many European countries, together with high admission taxes, would act either to prevent them recouping the investment through increased admission prices or would leave them little after taxes, Daff pointed out. Some 3-D in Germany Some 3-D equipment is being made in Germany, he reported, and a good 3-D system of Italian make was shown in Rome while Daff, with Milton R. Rackmil, U-I president, were there to conduct the company's foreign sales convention. He estimated that about 20 Ital ian theatres are equipped with 3-D and that a total of 50 in England will be so equipped in the near future. The latter number should rise to several hundred by the end of the year, Daff believes. However, the European exhibitor's attitude toward 3-D is likely to change very slowly, with the result that distributors of that product must be prepared for long term playoffs, Daff said. Despite this, keen interest in the experience with the new mediums in this market is encountered everywhere in Europe. Some 3-D production is in the planning stage now in Germany, France and Italy, he reported. Daff claimed that wide screens suitable for a 2-to-l ratio are most popular abroad at this time. He attributed this to the fact that native product, as well as American, can be displayed equally well on the wide screens, which are encouraged by native producers because of the limited domestic markets on which they must depend. Daff said he believes the European economic situation to be sufficiently stabilized to free the American industry of any new trade barriers of a serious nature for the next year or so. However, he does not regard the improvement as substantial enough to permit the American industry to expect the removal of any important remittance or import restrictions. "Fed Up with Propaganda" European audiences, he said, are fed up with propaganda and want entertainment films only. Producers there are not disposed to imitate Hollywood but, rather, are intent upon continuing to make their own type of films. Despite the limited number of outlets for 3-D films in Europe, U-I will set no policy for the release of its 2-D versions until all 3-D possibilities have been played off. "Right now," said Daff, "we are selling only the 3-D print. The situation hasn't jelled sufficiently, even here, to establish policy." Two U tah Exhibitors Die Salt Lake City, June 17. — William Firmage, Sr., of Beaver, and D. D. Rasmussen of Moroni, veteran Utah exhibitors, died here only a day apart last weekend. Funerals for both were held Monday.