Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

2 Motion Picture Daily Friday, February 5, 1954 Personal Mention CARL LESERMAN, president of International Telemeter Corp., left New York yesterday by plane for the Coast. • Arthur Rosen, member of the Cinerama production supervisory staff, and son of Samuel Rosen, executive vice-president of Stanley Warner Corp., has been admitted to membership in the Variety Club of New York and the Cinema Lodge, B'nai B'rith. • Fred Lee, manager of the Florida State Theatre, Jacksonville, and Mrs. Lee, have been given a vacation in Hollywood, Fla., as the theatre's guests. • Louis Novins, assistant to Barney Balaban, president of Paramount Pictures, was in Washington yesterday from New York. • Herb Steinberg, Paramount Pictures publicity director, will return to New York over the weekend from Texas. • F. J. A. McCarthy, Universale Southern and Canadian sales manager, will return to New York Monday from Houston. • E. K. O'Shea, Paramount distribution vice-president, will return to New York at the weekend from Phoenix. • Harry Gold-berg, Stanley Warner Theatres advertising-publicity director, left here yesterday for Detroit. • Howard Wallace, president of Wallace Films, Atlanta, has returned there from Florida. • Ed Stevens, president of Stevens Pictures, Atlanta, has returned there from Chicago. • Cliff Giesseman, of Cinerama Corp., left San Francisco yesterday for Los Angeles and Chicago. • Mrs. Bonnie Sudar, of Realart Pictures, Atlanta, has been married there to Paul Moody. • Adele Weiss, treasurer of I. F. E. Releasing Corp., will leave New York tomorrow by plane for Dallas. Harry Fellerman, head of Universale special sales division, will return here today from Philadelphia. J. M. Salzburg, president of Cornell Pictures, has returned here from the Coast. Truman Ferguson, manager of the Whitney Theatre, Hamden, Conn., is hospitalized in New Haven. • Robert Schwartz, of the Park Theatre, Thomaston, Conn., has returned there from a cruise. Harry Callahan, manager of the Clinton Theatre, Port Clinton, O., has been hospitalized there. 'Jimmy' Fund Drive Raises $445,384 BOSTON, Feb. 4. — A total of $445,384 was raised in the 1953 "jimmy" Fund drive, sponsored jointly by the Variety Club here and the Boston Red Sox for cancer research, it was announced by co-chairmen Martin Mullin and Joseph Cronin. In making the announcement, the co-chairmen said that the record contributions were collected entirely by volunteer efforts, with expenses totaling less than four per cent, mostly for postage, printing and incidental expense. The 1953 campaign started with a $100 a plate "welcome home banquet" for ball player Ted Williams and a $50,000 donation from the Kennedy Foundation. It was climaxed by the Stanley Warner Corp.'s contribution of the receipts from the opening performance of "This Is Cinerama" here. Columbia Employes Protest Pact Delay Approximately 270 Columbia home office employes did not report for work yesterday morning until 10 :30 in protest over the deadlock in negotiations for a new contract between the management and Local No. H-63 of the Home Office Employes Union. It is reported that Columbia and the union are still "far apart" on the provisions for a new pact. Columbia employes met at 8 :30 yesterday morning at the Capitol Hotel to discuss the situation. They threaten to continue a policy of reporting late until the disputes are adjusted. MGM Gets Japanese Bonus for 'Lili' M-G-M's "Lili" has been judged the best picture shown in Japan in 1953, thereby entitling the company to a bonus film award and permitting it to import one additional picture over its regular yearly quota. The judging is done on the basis of cinematic quality and entertainment merit, according to a cable received at the M-G-M home office. The judging committee consists of Japanese newspaper men, producers and government officials. "Lili" was the unanimous choice. Ecker Named Rep. Salt Lake Manager Appointment of James L. Ecker as Salt Lake City branch manager has been made by Republic's director of sales, C. Bruce Newbery. Ecker was formerly senior salesman in the company's Denver branch, and was appointed Salt Lake City manager following the resignation of Thomas McMahon. Pat he Expands Color Pathe Laboratory has announced that it has expanded its 16mm Pathecolor processing operation, entering the commercial field. While Pathe has been processing color for three years, Pathecolor was perfected only recently. Lives in Trailer To Sell 'Trailer' DETROIT, Feb. 4. — Inspired by the booking of M-G-M's "The Long, Long Trailer" for Feb. 17 at the United A-rtists Theatre here, Richard Krepps, the managing director, will set up house in a trailer parked in front of the theatre for a week preceding the film's opening. Krepps and his wife will live in a duplicate of the trailer used in the film and will be at home to newsmen there in advance of the picture's opening. 'Scope Ad-Publicity Data in New Manual Suggested programming, advertising, publicity and exploitation procedures for premiere showings of CinemaScope and stereophonic sound are embodied in a special manual which has been prepared by 20th CenturyFox. The manual is being sent to theatres that are preparing for the new media. Campaign information based on experiences in launching "The Robe" in situations ranging from the 350seat Main Street Theatre in Elwood, Ind., to the 6,000-seat Roxy in New York is included in the manual. $5,250,000 Trust Suit Filed Here Eight distributors were named in two anti-trust actions filed jointly in New York Federal Court here yesterday. A total of $5,250,000 in treble damages was asked by the Combined Bronx Amusements, Inc., and the 740 Allerton Ave. Realty Co., operating the Allerton Theatre in the Bronx. It is charged that the defendants conspired to favor other theatres and circuits in granting them first run product, despite the allegation that the Allerton was entitled to first-runs. Jack Labow Named RKO Canadian Head Jack Labow has been named RKO Canadian district manager, effective today, by Charles Boasberg, RKO Radio general sales manager. Formerly branch manager in Toronto, Labow succeeds Carl Peppercorn who resigned last month. Chief Barker Montes MEXICO CITY, Feb. 4.— Luis R. Montes, provincial theatre circuit operator, has been named chief barker of the Mexico Variety Club for the ensuing year. He succeeds Jesus Grovas. He has been an international representative for Variety heretofore. 'Banana' Phila. Opening "Top Banana" will open at the Goldman Theatre in Philadelphia, Feb. 17, two days before its New York premiere at the Victoria Theatre, according to William J. Heineman, United Artists vice-president in charge of distribution. List Boosts Holdings In RKO Theatres By 11,796 Shares WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.— Albert A. List increased his RKO Theatres holdings with the purchase of another 11,796 shares, according to a report by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The report covers transactions by industry officers and directors between Dec. 11 and Jan. 10. The List purchase increases his holdings in RKO Theatres to 929,338 shares. A. Montague reported buying 10,506 shares of Columbia Pictures common, for a total of 16,739 shares. Joseph A. McConville bought 5,384 Columbia shares to boost his total to 6,620. Jack W. Warner bought 18,300 Warner shares, for a total of 247,299 shares in his own name and 12,750 shares in trust accounts. Preston Davie sold 600 shares of Universal common, leaving himself with 709 shares. Maurice A. Silver bought his first 500 shares of Stanley Warner Theatres. Willard W. Keefe bought 500 shares of National Theatres, for a total holding of 2,000 shares. Robert L. Huffines, Jr., sold his entire 1,000 shares in American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres. 'Can Happen* Third Week Tops Second The third week of "It Can Happen to You" at Loew's State topped the first week by $8,000, it was disclosed here yesterday by Eugene Picker, head of operations for Loew's in New York, who cited the State's experience as proof that good pictures build at the box-office despite adverse weather conditions at the beginning. The picture, he related, had a bad start three weeks ago when it opened on a snowy weekend, registering only $27,000 for the first week. The second week went to $28,000 and the third week to $35,000, Picker continued, crediting word-of-mouth advertising from satisfied customers for the climb, which he expects to continue through the fourth week, beginning todav. NEW YORK THEATRES RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL , Rockefeller Center i "KNIGHTS of the ROUND TABLE" in CinemaScope ROBERT AVA MEL TAYLOR GARDNER FERRER An M-G-M Picture in COLOR and SPECTACULAR STAGE PRESENTATION BURT LANCASTER a: HIS MAJESTY O'KEEFE' TEclMfc°l0R PARAMOUNT 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." Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Tlieo. J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer: Raymond Levy, Vice-President; Leo J. Brady, Secretary; Herbert V. Fecke, Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager; Hollywood Bureau, Yucca-Vine Building, William R. Weaver, Editor, Hollywood 7-2145. 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