Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1954)

2 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, December 8, 1954 Personal Mention ROY O. DISNEY, president of Walt Disney Productions, and v.. C. Wm.kkr, advertising and ex|)loitation manager, have returned to tlio Coast from New York. • KoiiEUT Clark, president of the British Fihn Producers Association, and a director of Associated British Picture Corp., has arrived in New Yorl< from London. • Bernard Jacon, l.F.E. Releasing Corp. vice-president in charge of sales, has arrived in Los Angeles from New York. • H. M. Bessey, Altec Service Corp. e.\ecutive vice-president, has left New York for Chicago and other cities of the Midwest and Far West. • Lou Marks, M-G-M manager in Detroit, is in New York from there on a belated honeymoon and also to celebrate his mother's 75th birthday. • R. J. HoKTis, manager of the Westrex Company, Argentina, has returned to Buenos Aires from New York. • Alexander McDonald, of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Productions, Ltd., is scheduled to arrive here today from London via B.O.A.C. • Leon Roth, publicity coordinator for United Artists on the West Coast, will return to Hollywood today from New York. • Mai Ze'itebling will arrive here tomorrow from London via B.O.A.C. Monarch. • Saul J. Ullman, Fabian division manager in Albany, N. Y., has returned there from Miami. • Mike Simons, M-G-M exhibitor relations head, left here yesterday for Memphis. • Jack Sogg, M-G-M manager in Cleveland, is in New York from there. • P. Amourgis, manager of Westrex Company, East, has returned to Alexandria, Egypt, from New York. Schine Trial Starts in Buffalo Tomorrow BUFFALO, Dec. 7.— Defendants in the contempt action against the Schine Chain Theatres will go to trial on Thursday, Federal Judge John Knight has ruled. The decision came after repeated delays because of the unavailability of attorney William B. Mahoney, who represents council president Elmer F. I^ux, a defendant. Trial Date was fixed after judge Knight conferred with Frank G. Raichle, Jr., attorney for the Schine defendants, and Joseph E. McDowell, Justice Department trial council. F-17 Withdraws NLRB Petition SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 7.— Exchange Local F-17 has withdrawn its National Labor Relations Board petition for an election, according to John Ford, international lATSE representative for Northern California. Last week, exchange workers local B-17 had decided to await the signing of the new national exchange contract with the distribution companies before seeking full local autonomy and an NLRB hearing concerning recognition as a separate bargaining agent. Asks ^Voluntary' Ohio Censorship COLUMBUS, O., Dec. 7.— A bid for voluntary submission of films for review by the Ohio state censor board was made here today by R. M. E}'man, director of education in the state and head of the censor board, in a statement in which he acknowledged that the recent Ohio Supreme Court decision has "removed the power . . . to require" prior film censorship. 'Seals' to Be Continued "On the other hand," the statement continued, "it is quite clear that the law has not been decided unconstitutional nor void. Therefore, the division (of film censorship) will accept and review films voluntarily submitted to it and will issue official leaders (seals) to those films approved. This policy will be continued until the legislature acts on the problem. "In the event that an amended law is enacted, those films being exhibited in the state which have not been approved under this voluntary arrangement will be subject to immediate review." Moclair Back from Product Survey William J. Moclair, Roxy Theatre managing director here, has returned from the National Theatres division conference in Los Angeles where he and other National Theatres executives, attended preview screenings of new 20th Century-Fox CinemaScope productions, booked for future showing at the Roxy. Moclair reports that these forthcoming films, which he claimed are among the "greatest to come from Hollywood in many a year," will be premiered at the Roxy following the run of Irving Berlin's "There's No Business Like Show Business." Among the new films are "The Racers," starring Kirk Douglas ; "Untamed" with a cast headed by Tyrone Power, Susan Hayv^'ard and Richard Egan ; "A Man Called Peter," starring Jean Peters, Richard Burton and Richard Todd ; the musical version of the play, "Daddy Long Legs," costarring Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron ; and "The Seven Year Itch," starring Marilyn ]\Ionroe and Tom I Ewell. First Theatre TV In Britain Clicks LONDON, Dec. 3 (By Air Mailj. — Britain's first large screen theatre TV, with the hugely popular England(lermany football game at Wembley Stadium as the attraction, was generally regarded as a success here but was not a sellout at any of the eight theatres which offered the game at increased admission prices. An estimated 13,000 paid admissions were reported by the theatres. A relay of the BBC transmission also was taken at the Apollo in Dusseldorf, Germany, where another 2,000 fans bought tickets. Theatre managers reported a different type of customer from usual, obviously more sports fans than theatre, was in attendance. Weather conditions were favorable and reception was reported to be of reasonably good quality. Wolf berg, Daab End Makelim Association HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 7.— John M. Wolfberg, former Denver and Southern California exhibitor, and former national secretary of Allied States, has severed his association with the Hal R. Makelim organization of which he was vice-president and sales manager. Taking over Wolfberg's duties is Herb Kaufman, former Republic Pictures sales official and more recently with Makelim in the Midwest as a sales executive. H}' Daab, veteran industry advertising-publicity executive, who was with the Makelim organization briefly, has completed an assignment and withdrawn. No replacement has been named. 'Underwater!' to Bow Jan. 10, Under Water The much-heralded ))review of Howard Hughes' "LTnderwater !" which will be shown 20 feet below the surface of the water at Silver Springs, Fla., is scheduled for Jan. 10. Approximately 100 top correspondents will be flown from New York and Hollywood for the event. The "submarine" preview has been made possible by special equipment now being installed to project both sight and sound under v\'ater. Spectators will be seated in chairs 20 feet below the surface equipped with aqualungs, or, if they desire, will view the proceedings through the portholes of electrically powered submarines. Foundling Hospital Sponsors 'Tonight' The New York Foundling Hospital will sponsor the opening performance of "Tonight's _ the Night," Allied Artists' Technicolor comedy which was filmed in Ireland. The film will have its New York premiere at the S2nd Street Trans-Lux on Dec. 22, following "Lili," which will then complete a 95-week run. This was announced jointly by Steve Broidy, president of Allied Artists, and Rt. Rev. Mons. John E. Reilly of the New York Foundling Hospital. Southern Exhibitors In Product Plea to Major Distributors S fecial to THE DAILY MEMPHIS, Dec. 7.— Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi at the group's convention here today discussed the shortage of film prints in the area. James Carbery, out-going president, was instructed by the convention in a closed session to write to the general sales managers of all major film companies regarding the shortage. The convention also discussed the high price of film rentals, and went on record to the efTect that film rentals are "definitely too high." The group said many theatres have to wait too long to play a picture, too, because of the insufficient number of prints. The convention also heard Jack Keiler, vice-president and general manager of Columbia Amusement Co., Paducah, Ky., who urged exhibitors to regard television as an ally, and to use TV in advertising films. Lightman Heard .-\.t a luncheon at the Variety Club, the delegates heard M. A. Lightman, one of the founders of the organization and president for the first seven years, disCuss the Variety Club's convalescent home for victims of rheumatic fever. Mayor Frank T. Tobey welcomed the theatre men to Memphis. The convention elected the officers proposed by the nominating committee as follows : Nathan Flexer, Waverly, Tenn., president ; James Carbery, Little Rock, board chairman; Roy L. Cochran, North Little Rock ; R. E. Cox, Batesville, Miss., and Tom Ballas, Memphis, vice-presidents. Representatives to Theatre Owners of America will be K. K. King, Searcy, .A.rk. ; Leon Rountree, Holly Springs, Miss., and M. A. Lightman, Memphis. Feldkamp Forms FF Productions Fred Feldkamp announces the formation of FF Productions here for the independent production of feature pictures for theatrical release. Two original properties are currently scheduled for production in 1955. Feldkamp is the producer of the recent L^nited Artists' release "Operation Manhunt," based on the life in hiding in Canada of Igor Gouzenko. Schwartz on Telethon Sol A. Schwartz, president of RKO Theatres, and motion picture industry co-chairman of the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation's sixth annual drive for funds, will be the industry's representative in the 15-hour telethon to emanate from the studios of WABC-TV on Saturday night. King Bros. Dividend Set A dividend of five cents per share, payable Jan. 10 to stockholders of record on Dec. 22, has been declared by the directors of King Brothers. MOTION PICTURE DAILY. Martin Quiglev, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher: Sherwin Kane, 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: Theo. .1. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer: Raymond Levy, Vice-President; Leo J. Brady, Secretary; Al Steen, News Editor; Herbert V. Fecke. Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager; Hollywood Bureau, YuccaVine Building. Samuel D. Berns, Manager; William R. Weaver, Editor, Hollywood 7-2145; Chicago Bureau, 120 South LaSalle Street, Urben Farley, Advertising Representative, FI 6-3074. Washington. J. A. Otten. National Press Club, Washington, D. C. London Bureau, 4 Golden Sq., London W. 1; Hope Burnup, Manager; Peter Burnup. Editor; cable address. "Quigpubco. London." Other Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Herald; Better Theatres and Better Refreshment Merchandising, each published 13 times a year as a section of Motion Picture Herald; Motion Picture and Television Almanac; Fame. Entered as second-class matter Sept . 21, 1938, at the^post office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year, $6 in the Americas and $.12 foreign; single copies, 10c.