Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1953)

Thursday, June 18, 1953 Motion Picture Daily 5 Cinerama Extension (Continued from page 1) holders will be reconvened. The spokesman acknowledged, though, that if the proposed deal still does not jell by Thursday, another postponement of the meeting may be necessary. Approval of the stockholders is necessary if the deal is to be consummated, he pointed out. Lawyers for both principals are currently working out the language of the agreement in an attempt to nail down all possible interpretations, it was learned. As far as Cinerama Productions is concerned, it was disclosed, the draft agreement is, as of now, "pretty acceptable," the spokesman stated. He held out the possibility, however, that new problems may arise. Major hitches still to be ironed out concern the contractual relationship between the projected Stanley Warner subsidiary corporation to be formed to operate Cinerama theatres and Cinerama, Inc., the licensing and manufacturing firm. In addition to a two-year exclusive extension, Stanley Warner is seeking to pare down the Cinerama production requirement from a total of eleven productions to two. The current agreement between Cinerama, Inc., and Cinerama Productions provides that the latter produce 11 Cinerama Productions by 1956, when its exclusive exhibition rights expire. Hope was expressed yesterday by a Cinerama Productions executive that this contractual arrangement with Cinerama, Inc., can be amended to the satisfaction of all parties. It was also learned that the management fee sought by the proposed Stanley Warner subsidiary has been accepted in principle by Cinerama Productions. This fee, said to be five per cent of the gross, is in addition to the 50-50 division of the box-office take between the subsidiary and Cinerama Productions, under the proposed deal. Still to be heard from, as of yesterday, is the Department of Justice, which has under advisement the broad outlines of the deal. Under the proposed deal, Stanley Warner would finance the equipping and opening of at least 20 theatres, as well as the production of the next Cinerama production, in return for its share of box-office receipts. Six Films in Legion's Class B; 14 in 'A' The National Legion of Decency has classified six pictures in Class B, six in Class A, Section 1, and eight in Class A, Section 2. Placed in Class B are "City That Never Sleeps," "Sangaree," "Sea Devils," "South Sea Woman," "Counterfeiters" and "Doomed." In Class A, Section 1, are "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms," "The Great Sioux Uprising," "Houdini," "Man from the Alamo," "Saginaw Trail" and "White Witch Doctor." In Class A, Section 2, are "The Affairs of Dobie Gillis," "Bellissima," "Below the Sahara," "Dangerous When Wet," "Flame of Calcutta," "Keepers of the Night," "Night Without Stars" and "Scandal at Scourie." C. of C. Honors Baldridge Minneapolis, June 17. — Tom Baldridge, Middle Atlantic States field representative for M-G-M Pictures in Washington and Charlotte, was elected to honorary life membership in the U. S. Junior Chamber of Commerce at that organization's 33rd annual meeting here. Soviet 3-D: No Specs, Only One Machine London, June 17. — Kenneth Rive, London specialist in Russian films and who recently returned here from Moscow, said he plans to install Russian 3-D equipment in one of his West End theatres devoted to Russian films. The Soviet system, he says, requires neither polaroid glasses nor twin projectors. The only adaptations necessary are an attachment to the conventional projector and a special screen. Goldwyn, Mutual In 'Hans' Promotion Mutual Broadcasting, in cooperation with Samuel Goldwyn Productions, has prepared a half hour feature presentation on "Denmark, the Land of Hans Christian Andersen," with a narration by Jean Hersholt. The program will be aired over the entire network Saturday at 5 :30 P.M. (D.S.T.). Material for the program was gathered when 25 Americans went to Denmark as winners of the "Hans Christian Andersen" contest sponsored by Goldwyn and Scandinavian Air Lines in connection with key city openings of the Danny Kaye starrer. The program will be re-broadcast in all foreign countries in connection with the exploitation of "Hans Christian Andersen." U.K. Unit Got Film Of Everest Climb London, June 17.— National Film Finance Corp.'s Group Three has commissioned the production of a film of the recent conquest of Mt. Everest by a group headed by Edmund Hillary. Group Three is the organization formed to encourage new producers and technicians. It is financed by N.F.F.C., the government film financing agency. Hillary had with him on his Mt. Everest climb a specially adapted, light weight Bell & Howell camera. He had been trained by John Stobart, the only professional film technician in the party. The film will be in color. Rintoul WPTR Manager Albany, N. Y., June 17. — Stephen R. Rintoul, president and general manager of the Champlain Valley Broadcasting Corp., will become general manager of WPTR, controlled by the Schine interests, when WXKW signs off on Aug. 1. It is believed that WPTR will pick up WXKW's affiliation with the ABC network. How to put a profit cushion underneath your pictures Book SEVENTEEN selections — particularly our Picture of the Month selections. That automatically draws teens! Girls and their boyfriends and their families. Multiple admissions that put your operation in the black, even before you start your exploitation. So if you're an exhibitor who wants high midsummer grosses (who doesn't!) you're booking . . . seventeen JULY PICTURE OF THE MONTH Stalag 17 A PARAMOUNT PICTURE Produced and Directed by Billy Wilder seventeen— The Magazine That Sends Teens To The Movies