Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

MOTION PICTURE Concise To The Point VOL. 77. NO. 10 NEW YORK, U. S. A., FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1955 TEN CENTS Crucial Issue FCC to Start Toll TV Talks Next Week Has Three Choices in Tackling the Problem From THE DAILY Bureau. WASHINGTON, Jan. 13. — Federal Communications Commission officials said the Commission late next week should start its crucial discussion of subscription television. The subject was on the agenda for this week's Commission meetings, but the agenda was so crowded the subject was not reached. Commission officials said they didn't see how the subject could not be reached next week, however. The FCC has three choices before it : 1 ) to approve or deny immediately Zenith's petition for authorization of subscription television ; 2) to announce it will hold hearings on the subject, and ask for written comments in advance of the hearings; 3) to announce it can't make up its mind what to do, and ask for written comments. Odds favor the second course, though there's an outside chance the Commission will finally pump for the third course. Practically no one thinks the Commission will adopt the first choice. 4 From Wyler This Year Producer-director William Wyler will produce a minimum of four top budget pictures during 1955 for Paramount Pictures and Allied Artists distribution, Wyler said here yesterday. Wyler, who is currently visitingNew York with Don Hartman, Paramount's executive producer, to seek screen properties, revealed plans to produce three VistaVision productions for 1955 Paramount release and at least one production under his independent production agreement with Allied Artists. Paramount recently signed Wyler, (Continued on page 6) Rubin Is Honored 1,000 at Dinner Here Opening 1955 Brotherhood Campaign ( Picture on Page 3 ) The amusement industry's Brotherhood Drive for 1955 was launched last night as more than 1 ,000 leaders of the entertainment world gathered in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel here to pledge their support for the ninth annual inter-faith campaign sponsored by the Amusements Division of the National Conference. The assemblage of celebrities, executives and other representatives of the film industry, radio, television, the theatre, music and sports paid homage to J. Robert Rubin, permanent chairman of the Amusements Division since 1936, and heard a keynote Brotherhood address by Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. The dinner ceremonies, which began with the invocation (Continued on page 3) Johnston Hails Plan To Negotiate Trade Pact With Japan Proposal by the U.S. government to negotiate a trade and tariff agreement with Japan was termed a project of the "greatest importance to this country and to the free world" by Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Export Association. In a letter to Donn N. Bent, secretary of the United States Tariff Commission, Johnston said an agreement with Japan "deserves the highest priority." "Japan," Johnston said, "must have exports to survive. This means ■ it must have fair access to the markets (Continued on page 6) Colorado Legislators Dined by Exhibitors Special to THE DAILY DENVER, Jan. 13.— The largest group of theatre men ever to attend such a gathering here sat down today at a luncheon honoring the state legislature, just starting its annual session, and other state officials. With Pat McGee, general manager of Cooper Foundation Theatres, presiding, the principal and only address was made by George Murphy, in (Continued on page 7) Wage-Hour Group Augmented by Six Liberal Members From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Jan. 13. — Six liberal Northern and Western Democrats were added to the membership of the House Labor Committee today, in an effort by the House Democratic leadership to neutralize the expected opposition from chairman Barden (D., N.C.) to a boosted minimum wage and expanded coverage. The labor committee will handle minimum wage and Taft-Hartley legislation. Barden, who is extremely conservative on both subjects, is expected to have the support of two or three other Southern Democrats and most of the Republicans, to help over(Continued on page 7) Tushinsky May Build Plants in Japan, UK From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 13. — Joseph and Irving Tushinsky will open factories in Japan and England to supply SuperScope lenses in those countries, if present negotiations eventuate as expected, the brothers announced today, asserting that domestic sales of SuperScope lenses have increased more than 50 per cent since the price(Continued on page 7) 50c a Share SW Quarterly Profit Doubles Period in '54 Fabian Tells Cinerama Plans to Stockholders WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 13. — The net profit of Stanley Warner for the first quarter of the current fiscal year ended Nov. 27, 1954 was more than double for the same period of the previous year, Si H. Fabian, SW president, told s t o c k h o lders here today at the company's annual meeting. Fabian said that the net profit after all charges was $1,110,100, equivalent to 50 cents per share on the 2,212,900 shares of common stock outstanding after deducting the stock held in the treasury. This, he went on, compares with a net profit of $523,100 for the corresponding quarter last year, equivalent to 21 cents per (Continued on page 6) Si H. Fabian SW Finishes Divestiture WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 13.— Stanley Warner has completed its theatre divestiture program required under the terms of the consent decree and subsequent court order, it was announced here today by Si H. Fabian, SW president, at the annual stockholders meeting. The announcement came on the heels of a recent Washington report that with the completion of the SW divestiture program, the way will be clear for the circuit to seek government permission to start acquiring new theatres and, according to an earlier Capital report, seek permission (Continued on page 6) HAROLD HECHT presents in GARY COOPER * BURT LANCASTER VERB CRU ADVERTISED IN THE JAN. 16 ISSUE OF 3& . American Weekly UA technicolor For more than 35,000,000 readers to see! • iii it