Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1954)

6 Motion Picture Daily Friday, November 19, 1954 'The Last Time I Saw Paris ' in Capitol Debut With the lobby of the Capitol Theatre here attractively transformed into a scene which breathed the Bohemian atmosphere of the Left Bank, M-G-M's "The Last Time I Saw Paris" opened last night to an audience whose names read like a "blue book" in the fields of entertainment and society. Shown above prior to the start of the performance are, left to right, first photo : Herman Ripps, assistant Eastern sales manager of M-G-M, George Murphy and Si Seadler, advertising manager of M-G-M. Second photo : Barney Balaban, president of Paramount Pictures, Mrs. Balaban and Nicholas M. Schenck, president of Loew's, Inc. Third photo : Van Johnson, co-star of the picture, with Mrs. Johnson. Cambridge {Coiitiiiucd from page 1) designed to meet the needs of its local citizenry by the Community Services. Regular admission prices at the University are 40 cents matinees and 65 cents evenings. With the reductions, eligible patrons may now pay only 15 cents matinees and 40 cents evenings. Can Bring a Guest Those eligible must go to one of the 10 Red Feather or Community Service headquarters to apply for identification cards which are presented at the box office for the reduced prices. The oflfer is good for every day except Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, while each holder of one identification card may bring one guest also over 65 at the same reduced rate. The program was presented to Stanley Sumner, managing director of the University. "We are trying out this system from. Dec. 1 to March 1 to see how it works out," he said. "If it is as successful as we hope it will be, we will continue it indefinitely. Today there are so many elderly people living in a fixed income bracket who simply cannot afford to attend the theatre as often as they desire, that we feel we can give them a chance for entertainment and diversion by offering them this opportunity to attend our theatre more often. It is a local Red Feather project which we are delighted to cooperate with." Editorial Praises Plan The Cambridge "Chronicle Sun" came out with an editorial titled "Another First for Cambridge," lauding the Red Feather, the city Recreation Department and "that statesman of show business, Stanley Sumner." The editorial went on to say that "this plan will enable many people over 65 to enjoy hours of entertainment which they might not otherwise be able to afford. Since the matinee admission charge is 40 cents the 25 cents reduction means that for 15 cents, a 'senior citizen' can buy 'a million dollars' worth of Hollywood entertainment.' Everyone knows that 'movies are better than ever.' Judging from this imaginative and useful plan, Cambridge social work and community cooperation are better than ever, too." (Continued from page 1) for the event. Tex and Jinx Falkenberg did a half-hour tape recording of interviews from the inside lobby of the theatre for broadcasting nationally on their radio program this morning. Additionally, Steve Allen and his NBC camera crew "shot" pictures of the celebrities for his "Tonight" program which was broadcast over the WRCA-TV network about midnight last night. Van Johnson also made a personal appearance on the Steve Allen show, where he talked about the picture, produced in Paris. News of the Day also photographed the occasion for inclusion in the News distributed to theatres in the local area today. Both Miss Taylor and Johnson leave for the Coast today after a week of publicity activity here on behalf of the picture. Nicholas M. Schenck, president of Loew's, and Mrs. Schenck headed the list of M-G-M and Loew executives attending. Executives from other film companies also were there, as well as leading independent and circuit exhibitors. Elizabeth Arden, Constance Bennett, Hattie Carnegie, Phil Silvers, John O'Hara, Deems Taylor, Herbert Bayard Swope, Billy Rose, Gabby Hayes, Monica Lewis, Audrey Meadows, Jeffrey Lynn, Margaret Case, John Cashmore, Bryon Foy, the Gabor Sisters, and Odette, who sings in the picture, also attended. Miss Odette also sang in the inside lobby of the theatre last night before the picture went on. A buffet supper in the executive dining room of the Loew Building, attended by the guest personalities, preceded the opening of the picture at ihe Capitol. See *Break Figure' Dispute Near End By Staff Correspondent LONDON, Nov. 18. — The long dispute between Britain's exhibitors and distributors over break figures is nearing an end. The Kinematograph Renters Society agreed in principle this week to be guided by the "advice" tendered by Cyril Salmon, Q.C. It will be recalled that the exhibitors had insisted that all break figure decisions should be a matter of individual trading between seller and buyer and that the KRS break figure resolution should be withdrawn. In his "advice" Salmon said: "In my judgment this (KRS) resolution is contrary to the best interests of the industry — and therefore, on a broad view, to the best interests of the renters themselves. Moreover, the renters, in my view, can be given adequate protection against the particular danger which the resolution is designed to meet without resorting to the practices the resolution lays down." The KRS points out, however, that the matter is one for the joint CEAKRS committee and until agreement is reached at that meeting the society's existing break figure resolution rernains in full force. That meeting is likely to take place early next month. Early FCC Hearing On Toll TV Seen By Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON, Nov. 18.— Federal Communications Commission officials look for an early Commission announcement scheduling hearings on requests to authorize Phonevision and other subscription television systems. They say such an announcement should be forthcoming before the first of the year. However, they add, the hearings that are scheduled could be several months off. Presumably theatre operators and other industry officials organizing against subscription TV would seek to intervene in such an FCC hearing. MGM Has 6 Films Now in Production HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 18. — With filming started Monday on "The Blackboard Jungle," six pictures are currently in production at M-G-M. Based on the Evans Hunter novel about today's juvenile delinquency problem, "The Blackboard Jungle" has a cast headed by Glenn Ford, Anne Francis, Louis Calhern, Margaret Hayes and Richard Kiley. The film is being directed by Richard Brooks. AB-P's Scott {Continued from page 1) Jungle" is being released as a first feature and is estimated to gross $2,000,000, of which half will probably be returned to Britian. The others are all likely to yield a return to this country of between $75,000 and $100,000 each. "The Weak and the Wicked" is being shown on RKO, Warner and Loew circuits, he reported. Scott pointed out, however, that while he anticipates substantial returns from his company's pictures, distribution costs were high. He explained that to give a film general release in the United States it required a minimum of 150 prints, although this could secure as many as 9,000 bookings. He was high in his praise of Allied Artists with whom AB-Pathe has a reciprocal distribution arrangement. He concluded his statement with a reference to CinemaScope. "It is now an accepted thing in almost every American cinema. It would help Britis pictures in the American market if they were made in CinemaScope, providing this medium was suitable for the subject." John Davis, managing director of the J. Arthur Rank Organization, left London for New York by plane last night. The Rank-Davis view of American exhibitor attitude toward British films is not as mild as MacGregor Scott's. Both Rank and Davis have flatly charged that British films are unfairly treated by American theatres and have said they will acquire theatres here if necessary, when sterling conversion permits, in order to ensure their product being made available to the mass American audience. New Albany Drive-in ALBANY, Nov. 18.— A drive-in is to be constructed off Southern Blvd. and near the new State Thruway by the owner of a small neighboring airport, according to reports in industry circles. The theatre would be close to the city line. There are already six drive-ins rimming Albany, with another across the river and two beyond Troy, six miles from here.