Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

6 Motion Picture Daily Friday, January 29, 1954 'Scope Prints (Continued from page 1) two-day meeting here, Lichtman said that stepped-up production at the Technicolor Laboratories in California and DeLuxe Laboratories here will enable full servicing of prints by the middle of March. Increased print production will also improve availability of CinelnaScope short subjects, Lichtman said. Some 1,500 theatres in the United States and Canada are presently equipped for CinemaScope, Lichtman said, with 100 orders per week currently being received by equipment dealers. Lichtman further predicted that 10,000 theatres would be equipped for the process by the end of 1954. Re-emphasizing the importance of stereophonic sound to CinemaScope, Lichtman said it was an essential and necessary component and cited the "tremendous" public and press enthusiasm for the system as supporting this position. In concluding his remarks, Lichtman declared that he stood behind his pledge, made at the October sales conclave, that all exhibitors will — and must — profit by the showing of CinemaScope, and that by its introduction the entire film industry has been re vitalized. Merchandising Plans Formulated by 20th Merchandising plans on six 20th Century-Fox pictures, three filmed in CinemaScope and three standard films made by Panoramic Productions, were formulated at the company's eview "Taza9 Son of Cochise" ( Universal) (3-D) A FINE production for devotees of action and excitement, what sets "Taza, Son of Cochise" apart from most frontier Indian stories is the scenic locale, which, viewed in 3-D photography, really is something special. It strongly suggests some of the valuable contributions to marketable productions which can be made by that medium. The story, starring Rock Hudson as Taza, Barbara Rush as his Indian sweetheart, Gregg Palmer as a cavalry captain, and with Jeff Chandler in a brief and unbilled appearance in the Cochise role familiar to him, carries on the Apache adventures of earlier films from the time of Cochise's death. Leadership of the tribe is assumed by Cochise and the chain of action, both perilous and romatic, begins to unwind. How Taza eliminates the warring faction from his tribe and wins for them the understanding of the Cavalry is the burden of the story. When Taza's brother and his followers begin their warring activities, the cavalry allows Taza to set up his own police force to maintain order among his people. Geronimo, the most feared of all Indian warriors, is captured by the army and turned over to Taza to be guarded. Geronimo has money with which he is able to buy guns and ammunition from renegade white traders. He and the others break out of the reservation and go on the warpath with the cavalry in pursuit despite their promise to let Apaches punish Apaches. Geronimo's forces ambush the troops and are about to annihilate them when Taza appears on the scene and, despite the broken promise, turns on the Indians and wins the battle. His brother is killed but Geronimo surrenders. Performances are uniformly good as is Douglas Sirk's direction. Ross Hunter produced. The screen play is by George Zuckerman, based on a story and adaptation by Gerald Drayson Adams. Running time, 79 minutes. General classification. Release in February. sales meeting here yesterday. The pictures consist of "Hell and High Water," "Night People" and "Prince Valiant" in CinemaScope and "Three Young Texans," "The Siege at Red River" and "Gorilla at Large," from Panoramic. Shy from 'Line' (Continued from page 1) ALTEC SERVICE has the answers! Altec Engineers assisted in the research and development of the new motion picture sound projection and techniques. Their advanced technical background and unequalled know-how work for you, when you call on your Altec Service Man to install and service your booth and sound equipment. An Altec Service Contract is your assurance of trouble-free operation at minimum cost — get the facts now. The finest in technical service for theatres. 161 SIXTH AVE., NEW YORK 13, N.Y. not speak for all of the company's regional theatre operations, as far as he was concerned it "would not be played unless it gets a Code seal." He said he knew some of the AB-PT field men have made the same decision. The Howard Hughes production originally had been scheduled for state-wide premiere openings on the Interstate Circuit, Texas, an AB-PT affiliate headed by Karl Hoblitzelle and R. J. O'Donnell, but these were cancelled last month when the picture was denied a Code seal. Joseph R. Vogel, Loew's theatre vice-president, said unequivocally that the circuit will not play the film "unless it gets a seal." The same decision was asserted by an official of Skouras Theatres Corp. here. He said the circuit will not play the film "unless it is removed from the Legion of Decency's 'condemned' list and is given a Code seal." An executive of Walter Reade Theatres said it had notified RKO Radiojthat it would not play the picture without a Code seal but that final action will not be taken until the picture has been viewed, probably today. Oppose Wage Bill BOSTON, Jan. 28.— A bill which would raise the wage scale for parttime workers from 65 cents an hour to 75 cents will be opposed by the Independent Theatres, Inc., of New England. The amusement industry here has its own Minimum Wage Board which set a 65-cent minimum for part-time theatre workers. Astor N.C. Changes CHARLOTTE, N. C, Jan. 28.— Melvin Cook, of the booking department of Astor Pictures here, has been named a sales representative, while Harry Kerr has been named booker, and Walter Pinsqn has been shifted to South Carolina as a sales representative. Universal Net (Continued from page 1) $4,309,924 for Federal taxes and $500,000 for contingent liabilities. Those earnings, after deducting dividends on the preferred stock, were equivalent to $2.15 per share on the 961,698 shares of common stock outstanding on Nov. 1, 1952. Film rentals and sales for the 1953 fiscal year were the highest in the history of the company, amounting to $70,490,254 compared with $64,128,719 for the previous fiscal year. Current assets for the 1953 fiscal year were listed at $36,911,545, compared with $35,444,537 in 1952. Current liabilities were $8,688,530 and $8,424,524 for 1952 and 1953, respectively. Net working capital was listed at $28,223,015 in the last fiscal year and $27,019,013 for the previous fiscal year. It is noted in the company's annual report to stockholders that it continues to be the practice of the company to reflect in its accounts the operating results of subsidiaries in foreign countries having exchange restrictions only to the extent that net earnings resulting therefrom have been realized in U. S. dollars, regardless of the period or periods in which such revenues may have accrued. The report also notes that during the 1953 calendar year two semi-annual dividends of 50 cents per share each and one extra dividend of 25 cents per share were paid on the common stock. 'LP Annual Meeting Set for March 10 Here The annual meeting of Universal Pictures stockholders has been set for March 10 at 11:00 A.M. in the company's home office here. The principal item on the agenda is a proposal for the reelection of the present 11 directors. They are N. J. Blumberg, Alfred E. Daff, Preston Davie, Albert Garthwaite, R. W. Lea, John J. O'Connor, Milton R. Rackmil, Budd Rogers, Daniel M. Sheaffer, Harold I. Thorp and Samuel Vallance. The designation of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. as the independent public auditors of the company also will be asked of the stockholders. Report Big Demand For 'BYOU Tickets WASHINGTON, Jan. 28. — Demand for tickets for the premiere of Samuel Goldwyn's reissue of "The Best Years of Our Lives," at Keith's Theatre here Feb. 3 exceeds the supply, Robert Donovan, president of the White House Correspondents Association, which is hosting the affair, reports. Manager 'Evicted' By Hot Dog Stand BUFFALO, Jan. 28— The Lafayette Theatre, Basil circuit flagship here, has installed a hot dog counter on the mezzanine. It is strictly a de luxe operation, complete with refrigerator and other apparatus, with the result that Manager George H. Mackenna has had to move from his small, attractively located command post to a more convenient location in the director's office.