Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1954)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY VOL. 75. NO. 68 NEW YORK, U.S.A., FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1954 TEN CENTS NEW COMPO PROJECTS SEEN NEAR With the successful conclusion of the Federal anti-tax drive under its belt, the triumvirate of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations is expected to meet here shortly to map plans for other projects. A date for a meeting, it was learned, will be set following the return here of Al Lichtman, a member of COMPO's governing triumvirate from Hollywood on Monday. Other members of the three-man governing body, Wilbur Snaper and Sam Pinanski, in addition to COMPO's special counsel, Robert Coyne, await the setting of a meeting date. Sun vs. Majors Suit Dismissed in Chicago CHICAGO, April 8.— An important decision affecting the filing of antitrust suits in the State of Illinois has been handed down by the U. S. District Court of Appeals, upholding an earlier ruling by the Federal District Court regarding suits filed here. In so holding, the circuit court dismissed the suit of the Sun Theatre Corporation against RKO, Balaban & Katz, Paramount Pictures, Inc., and Paramount Film Distributing Co., ruling that anti-trust actions must be for triple damages, not for single damages, on which there is a five-year statute of limitations in Illinois, and that the two-year period began to run its course the day the consent decrees were signed. Attorneys Coolen and Simon, representing Sun, have not indicated whether they will take the case to the Supreme Court. Borzage Vice-Pres. Of Makelim Prod. HOLLYWOOD, April 8.— Hal R. Makelim today disclosed the appointment of Frank Borzage as vice-president of Makelim Productions and stated that Borzage will direct at least two of 12 features to be made under arrangement with Allied States Association. Allied 'Heartened* By Goldenson Move Allied is "heartened" by the congratulations of Leonard Goldenson, American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres president, Wilbur Snaper, Allied board member, said here yesterday, referring to Goldenson's comments on Allied's plan to boost production. Snaper added that Goldenson was among the exhibition leaders who warned of the product shortage and the need for exhibition to take corrective measures.* UK, Canada to Make Pola-Lite Systems The Pola-Lite Co., manufacturers of 3-D glasses and the new singletrack projection system, has concluded negotiations for the manufacture and distribution of the Pola-Lite 3-D system in both the United Kingdom and Canada, Al O'Keefe, vice president in charge of Pola-Lite distribution, announced. G. B. Kalee, Ltd., a subsidiary of the J. Arthur Rank organizaiton, will manufacture the single-track 3-D units for distribution throughout the United Kingdom and British possessions, Europe, Latin and South America. In Canada, Pola-Lite 3-D projection equipment will be distributed by General Theatres, a division of Famous Players Canadian Corp. 'Jolson Story' Back In New Media Dress Columbia Pictures has taken its reported $8,000,000-gross "The Jolson Story" out of its vaults, equipped it with directional sound and prepared it for wide-screen projection. It will be pre-released as "entirely new" in special engagements next month, A. Montague, general sales manager, announced. The picture was given a sneak preview at the Fox Theatre in Brooklyn to which circuit executives were invited and the reaction appeared to be as enthusiastic as it was when the film was first released in 1946. plus the extra interest because of the directional sound and wide screen presentation. New advertisements, press book and (Continued on page 3) Italy Co-Production Deals Vested in 1FE Italian Films Export has announced that it has been appointed by the major Italian film studios, including Lux, Ponti-De Laurentiis, Titanus, Incom, Giuseppe Amato and Documento, to serve as their official U. S. representative in negotiating Italo-American co-production deals as well as for securing American writing, directorial, acting and technical talent for (Continued on page 3) Goldstein, UA Near a Pact United Artists and Leonard Goldstein were reported yesterday to have agreed in principle on a deal whereby the independent producer would make a series of pictures for UA. Goldstein has one more picture to make for 20th Century-Fox under the Panoramic banner. Goldstein returned to Hollywood from here on Wednesday after conferences with Robert Benjamin, board chairman, and other company executives. While no papers were signed and many of the details were not finalized, it was reported that both parties reached a general agreement. Goldberg Reelected By Wisconsin Allied MILWAUKEE, April 8. — Sig Goldberg today was reelected president of Wisconsin Allied at the annual convention of the organization. Other officers are : vice-president, A. Provinzano ; secretary, Ed Johnson ; treasurer, Oliver Trampe ; national director, Goldberg ; director-at-large, Ben Marcus. Named to the board of directors are Eugene Goderskie, Johnson, Provinzano, Trampe, Floyd Albert, William Charboneau, Martin Holzman, Vic Wilson, Harry Melcher, Russell Leddy, Goldberg, J. P. Adler and Fred Minor. Subjects discussed today included film shortages, better pictures, lower percentages and no forcing of stereophonic sound. Al Sindlinger, analyst, (Continued on page 5) TO A Reaction Reade Praises Allied Plan to Boost Product Sends Message to Marcus Hailing Makelim Deal By MURRAY HOROWITZ A message of congratulations was sent to Allied by Walter Reade, Jr., president of Theatre Owners of America, here yesterday, praising Allied for its "forward step" in securing additional product. Reade, referring to Allied's announced deal with independent producer Hal R. Makelim, said in his message that "any forward step of this sort" promulgated by exhibition "is helpful to the entire industry." The message was addressed to Ben Marcus, Allied president, Abram F. Myers, general counsel, and Wilbur Snaper, Allied board member. The TOA president, asked if his (Continued on page 3) O'Connor Chairman Of Charity Group Appointment of the motion picture committee of the Cardinal's Committee of the Laity for the 1954 Catholic Charities fund raising drive in the Archdiocese of New York was announced yesterday by committee chair(Continued on page 3) Feature of "35th" Fete 'All United Artists Week' Scheduled to Start May 9 Designed to place United Artists pr the week of May 9, an "All Linked William J. Heineman, vice-president in charge of distribution. The "All United Artists Week" drive will be part of the year-long celebration of the 35th anniversary of the company's founding. Announcing the designation of the week beginning Sunday, May 9, and ending Saturday, May 15, Heineman issued a special message to all district and branch managers in the United States and Canada. Heineman's message stated that the objective of the week was "to have some United Artists product playing on every screen in your territory during this seven-day period." oduct in every U. S. theatre during Artists Week" has been set up by ITO A Okays Polio Vaccine Trailer Exhibition of a one minute trailer informing the citizens of New York of the polio vaccine tests was approved here yesterday by the Independent Theatre Owners Association. The ITOA responded to a public service request of the New York City Department of Health.