Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1953)

VOL. 74. NO. 119 NEW YORK, U. S. A., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1953 TEN CENTS Stockholder Plan Col. to Study Proposal For Subsidiary Would Rent or Sell Old Films; Board Elected Columbia's board of directors yesterday was asked to consider the formation of a new company which would hold old product and other assets that are carried on the company's books for il. The proposal was made by Lesjter Martin, a stockholder, at the company's annual stockholders meeting here. Martin said that the old pictures could be sold or rented for the benefit of the shareholders and that the new company could operate on a tax-free basis. Charles Schwartz, Columbia secretary, said the matter would be considered by the board. Earlier in the meeting, Martin was nominated from (Continued, on page 7) To Determine 20th's Lenticolor Status Twentieth Century-Fox's status on Lenticolor may be determined this week with the return here from Europe of president Spyros P. Skouras. For the past five years, 20th-Fox has been working on the development of the color process. However, the recent deal between DeLuxe Laboratories, a 20th-Fox affiliate, and Technicolor, whereby DeLuxe will process Technicolor prints, may change the (Continued on page 3) Canadian Council to Sponsor Trade Show TORONTO, Dec. 21.— To give national scope to the feature event, a move has been made to transfer the sponsorship of the Canadian Theatre Equipment Trade Show from the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario to the broader Motion Picture Industry Council of Canada for the staging of the second exhibition here next fall. The step is voluntary. The Council is expected to have the co-operation of the Canadian section of the Theatre Equipment Dealers Association. Columbia's Spingold Retires in March to Semi-Active Status N. B. Spingold, vice-president in charge of advertising-publicity of Columbia Pictures, will retire to a semi-active status in the company's management when his current contract is concluded in March. Spingold said here yesterday that he would continue as a director and would be available for counsel on company matters when the occasions arose. .The day-to „T „ _ . day details now N" B" Spingold handled by Spingold will be taken over by Paul Lazarus, Jr., home office (Continued on page 3) McCulloch Reelected By Ontario Owners TORONTO, Dec. 21. — John M. McCulloch of the Iroquois Theatre, Petrolia, has been reelected president of the Ontario Theatres Association by the new board of directors. Other officers for 1954 are : vice-president, E. G. Forsyth, Odeon Theatres, Toronto ; secretary, Lionel Lester, Studio Theatre, Toronto ; treasurer, Jack Clarke, Loew's, Toronto ; executive secretary, Arch H. Jolley; membership committee chairman, Lionel Lester ; chairman of budget and finance, Angus Jewell, Jewel Theatre, Cannington, Out. TOA PLANS JOINT INDUSTRY MEETS Says Arbitration in Distributors' Hands Theatre Owners of America is awaiting word from distribution on arbitration, TOA president Walter Reade said here yesterday. He said until such word is received from distribution there can be no roundtable talks on setting up an arbitration system. "We can't arbitrate with ourselves," Reade declared, reaffirming TOA's position in favor of arbitration with or without Allied. Subpoena to Protect Distributor Witness COLUMBUS, O.— To protect distributors' representatives requested to testify in legal actions, the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio will "resort to the subpoena," said Robert Wile ; ITO secretary. Wile's disclosure followed a protest sent to the Paramount home office by L. C. Gross, Cleveland film carrier, who objected to the appearance of John Gentile, salesman for Paramount in the Cincinnati territory, at recent hearings before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in the Huntington-Cincinnati trucking lines, rate hike case. Wile said that Gentile consented to appear after Cincinnati branch managers had been requested by Wile to (Continued on page 3) ' 'King of the Khyber Rifles 9? \_20th Century-Fox CinemaScope] CINEMASCOPE AS A MEDIUM again takes top honors in this production, the fourth to be filmed in the anamorphic process. Scenes of deserts and villages of India are breath-taking and the color in Technicolor is brilliant, offering the patron a pictorial treat. The splendor of the wide-screen image should, in part, compensate for weaknesses in the story such as a formula plot, lack of sufficient action and inability in some parts to achieve sufficient suspense. There are moments, however, when action and suspense do unfold on the screen and in those intervals, with a tremendous assist from the medium, the film is engrossing. Heading the cast is Tyrone Power, who looks resplendently handsome in uniform. He is assisted by Terry Moore, a young, comely lady living at the garrison, and Michael Rennie, commandant of the garrison and Miss Moore's father. The romance, which has a rocky start but finishes nicely, is adequately handled by the two principals. The story opens with a near ambush of a British contingent of troops led by Tyrone Power, the captain. The native rebels are commanded (Continued on page 3) Reade Discloses Plan for Exhibition-Distribution Talks on Trade Problems By MURRAY HOROWITZ _ A proposal to hold regular exhibition-distribution meetings is being drafted by the Theatre Owners of America, it was disclosed here yes _...a_T.._i.._ terdaj by VVal j^fijttBtf^ ter Reade, JB Hl TOA president, ^^f^^^^fc The meetings m would be held with the sales managers committee of the Motion Picture Association of America and representing exhibition would be a committee named by the Walter Reade T °, A • Reade explained. In outlining TOA's program for 1954, Reade said that the organization hopes and intends to set up a (Continued on page 3) ■ -4 Sales Heads to Talk Shipping Plan Today Further study of the central shipping project will be made here today at a meeting of general sales managers who comprise the national distributors committee of the Motion Picture Association of America. Charles Feldman, chairman of the committee, said that he expected the session to be devoted exclusively to the proposal to pool the shipping and inspection facilities of the various distributors in key cities. The subject of arbitration is not on the agenda, he said, but that topic and others may be brought up by individual committee members. Boasberg to Head Distributor Group Charles Boasberg, sales manager of RKO Radio, has been named chairman of the national distributors committee of the Motion Picture Association of America. He succeeds Charles Feldman, general sales manager of Universal. Boasberg will hold the post for a one-year term, starting Jan. 1.