Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1954)

4 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, March 25, 1954 'Oscars' (Continued from, page 1) to have no effect on theatre business along the Eastern coast as the ceremonies will be aired from 10 :30 P.M. to 12 midnight EST. However, business in Midwestern and Western houses, may experience a drop, for the telecast begins at the peak of theatre hours. NBC officials announced that 106 TV outlets will carry the program to some 43,000,000 viewers while 195 NBC radio stations out of the network's 211 will enable some 3,800,000 to tune in. The Academy show is also being beamed to the Armed Forces through the Armed Forces Radio Services. Price Said to Be $115,000 At an over-all approximate cost of $300,000 to the Oldsmobile division of General Motors, the Academy Awards presentations is expected to draw a huge crowd of celebrities from pictures, radio, television, theatre, etc., to the Center Theatre here for the simulcast. It was said that NBC purchased the airing rights from the Academy for around $115,000. Nominees for awards who will attend the New York ceremonies are Deborah Kerr, Marlon Brando, Charles Walters, Brandon DeWilde, Jack Palance, Audrey Hepburn, Maggi McNamara, Thelma Ritter, Boris Vermont, Geraldine Page, Ray Ashley, Morris Engel, Bruce Orkim, it was announced by NBC. Mitchell Leisen to Direct Charles Brackett, Academy president since 1949, will be on the Hollywood dais along with Mitchell Leisen, general director for the program. Donald O'Connor will emcee the West Coast proceedings while Fredric March will do likewise in New York. The presentations which have been handled for, and as a normal television production, will have a producerdirector team at each end. William Kayden and William Bennington will handle the Hollywood side while George McGarrett and E. Grey Lockwood will be their Eastern counterparts. Music will be furnished by a 36-piece orchestra conducted by Andre Previn. Commercials will originate from NBC in Burbank. Skouras to Sponsor Red Cross Luncheon Spyros Skouras will give a luncheon in the interest of the Red Cross for the industry at the Metropolitan Club on Tuesday. E. Roland Harriman, national chairman of the Red Cross; George H. Coppers, city campaign chairman, a Red Cross liaison officer just returned from Korea, and Miss Phyllis Hill, of the current Broadway show, "The Fifth Season," will be among those present. Va. MPT A Defers Conclave to June RICHMOND, Va., March 24. — Leonard Gordon, president of the Virginia Motion Picture Theatre Association, announced today that the convention originally planned for May 25-27 has now been changed to June 8-10 at the Chamberlin Hotel, Old Point Comfort. Super Panatar 'Satisfactory (Continued from page 1) atar lens, showed up fine on the screen in CinemaScope proportions. The only apparent effect was to make "Tom" and "Jerry," the cartoon characters, stouter. However, the use of the regular travelogue print and projecting it in CinemaScope proportions had some ludicrous results, with things flattened out of proportion. Robert E. Gottschalk, who developed the Super Panatar lens, acting as commentator for the show, said that the travelogue was shown in CinemaScope proportions to demonstrate the limitations of what a lens alone can do. In sequences of "Knights of the Round Table" some of the scenes appeared sharper, with better color definition than others. Gottschalk, emphasizing his support of CinemaScope screen proportions, told the estimated audience of 200 that they should not be misled, that the aspect ratio of CinemaScope comes closer to normal eye vision than any other. In addition, he added, CinemaScope represents the greatest departure from home television. At a press conference following the demonstration, Gottschalk disclosed that the quoted price of $1,100 a pair for his lenses will be reduced shortly. He declined to state the amount of the reduction. The Super Panatar lens, he added, will be distributed by the Radiant Manufacturing Co. The lens is being manufactured by the William I. Mann Co., of California, he added. "We will have lenses rolling in two weeks and in another month we will produce a total of 50 lenses a day," he stated. Variability Mentioned Gottschalk called the regular CinemaScope lenses of Bausch & Lomb and Bell and Howell "fine lenses." His lens offers the added quality of variability, he said, adding the claim of better color definition. He acknowledged that his lens was similar to the Tushinsky SuperScope lens, but again claimed superiority for Super Panatar. Aspect ratio variability, how ever, was not stressed by Gottschalk either at the demonstration or the press conference. He stressed the role of his lens for current CinemaScope productions and pictures in that medium which, he said, are being made in ever increasing numbers. The variable aspect ratio of his lens, he explained, ranged from "a little under 1.33 to 1 to 2.66 to 1." Has Deal with Columbia The inventor said he is now working with Columbia Pictures on an optical anamorphic printing process to change regular prints into anamorphic ones and vice versa. Asked to detail his deal with Columbia, Gottschalk declined, saying that the Columbia association is "unique," explaining that Columbia has helped in the development of the Super Panatar lens. He said he is also working in association with the Metro studio. Loew's International, he disclosed, has ordered 39 pairs of the Super Panatar lens. For good CinemaScope projection, Gottschalk advised exhibitors, a top-notch regular objective lens should be utilized. He claimed it is no longer necessary to curve new wide screens in theatres for CinemaScope projection. He said that he is now working on a new "revolutionary" anamorphic taking lens. Gottschalk said he recommended anamorphic photography of CinemaScope pictures, in whole or in part, explaining that it may prove successful to increase the anamorphic quality through optical printing of CinemaScope pictures. Earl I. Sponable, 20th Century-Fox research director, attended the demonstration, but declined comment. However, it is understood that 20th-Fox will take a similar position with the Super Panatar lens that it did with the Tushinsky SuperScope lens and that is, 20th-Fox has no objections to these non-regular CinemaScope lenses if the exhibitor finds them adequate. 'Draft Brewer' (Continued from page 1) Local 789, Cinetechnicians, that he has been elected to head a committee to promote a "Draft Brewer" campaign. Shiftman said the committee has 25 members here and in surrounding towns, declaring, "We in Hollywood realize for the first time that we have a man who really understands Hollywood. He can bring about the integration of Hollywood locals into I. A. T. S. E., something which has never really been attempted by a previous administration." Brewer, who resigned as international representative for the I. A. T. S. E. after a disagreement with Walsh regarding alliance policy here, has said he will observe a "wait and see" attitude toward the campaign now in progress. Tenn. House to Close CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., March 24. — Fox Theatre site and building in Red Banks has been bought by Red Food Stores, which has announced that operation of the theater will be continued for the present. Dr. Meyer (Continued from page 1) of Zurich, Bern, Munich, Berlin and Paris. He came to the United States in 1910. Since 1924, Doctor Meyer has been a director of the Hooper Foundation and has lectured at most of the major American universities. He also has been a consultant to state and Federal public health agencies in the United States. Wednesday's sessions of the convention concluded with a frontier festival which was held at the Dallas Fair Grounds for the 500 delegates and their families, with the Pepsi-Cola Company acting as host. Tax Confab (Continued from page 1) Tenn. Drive-in Sold TULLAHOMA, Tenn., March 24. — Plaza Drive-In Theater has been purchased from Plaza Amusement Co. by Mid-Tennessee Amusement Co. Inc., Tullahoma, owners of seven other drive-ins in Tullahoma, McMinnville, Winchester, Sparta and Dayton. The Plaza, after being closed all winter, will be reopened soon, according to Mrs. R. T. Hill, president of Mid-Tennessee. reduces the tax from 20 per cent to 10 per cent on the more expensive tickets. If the House had accepted the Senate version without a conference, it would have been a major victory for the film industry, since the House bill merely reduces the tax to 10 per cent in all cases. Adoption of the household appliance amendment, which would lose the Treasury about $100,000,000 a year, makes a conference certain, and thus reopens the question of what finally happens to the admission tax. The conferees could take the House bill, the Senate bill, or some compromise in between. The Senate began debate on the excise bill today, and hopes to finish tomorrow or Friday. There is no sign of any move to change on the floor the Finance Committee provision on the admissions tax, and all indications are this will be in the bill that finally passes the Senate. Opening debate on the measure, the Finance Committee chairman Millikin (R., Col.) said the committee decision to exempt lower-priced theatre tickets was "due in large measure to the present plight of motion picture theatres." He said this was particularly aimed at helping small town theatres, many of which now are being forced to close because of falling attendance. Millikin emphasized that motion picture theatres are not readily adaptable to other businesses, and that when a theatre closes, the property has to be disposed of at a heavy loss. UA Committee (Continued from page 1) Inc. ; Mullin is president of New England Theatres, Inc., in Boston ; Harris is president of Harris Amusement Companies in Pittsburgh; Heinz is president of National Theatres Corp. in Roanoke, Va. ; Amsterdam is president of Atlantic Theatres, Inc., in New Jersey; Roth is president of Roth Theatre Circuit in Washington, and Hunt is president of Hunt's Theatres in New Jersey. The UA testimonial dinner, which will be held in the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, will be attended by hundreds of screen and stage stars and leaders of the film industry. An entertainment program is currently being finalized. In addition, veteran members of the motion picture industry will pay tribute to the achievements of United Artists in the 35 years since the founding of the company on April 17, 1919. The Variety Club dinner in Philadelphia is part of a global series of celebrations commemorating United Artists' 35th anniversary. Broidy Adds Four to Production Staff William F. Broidy has announced the addition of four new members to the staff of his producing company in line with his plans to expand production this year. They are Jo Pagano, Pat Betz, Murrav Alper and Don Schiff. Pagano, a former screen writer, will serve as Broidy's executive assistant in charge of creative material. Betz and Alper will be assistant story editors, while Schiff will function as second assistant director for forthcoming Broidy pictures.