Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

Tuesday, January 18, 1955 Motion Picture Daily 7 Paralytic Sees Every Picture From His Bed SPRING GROVE, Minn., Jan. 17. — Although Charlie Muller, a shut-in and completely paralyzed for the last seven years, is unable to leave his bedroom, he hasn't missed a single picture at the Grove Theatre here. Charles Mersereau, owner of the Grove, which is next door to Muller's house, built a special type periscope which extends through the roof of the theatre and, by other mirrors, "bounces" the screen image into Muller's second-floor room. A radio speaker has been tied into the theatre's sound system. Driveins (Continued from page 1) booth space in the trade show include : Carbonic Dispenser, Inc., Hertner Electric Co., Steel Products Co., Nehi Corp., Ohio Valley Mdse. Co., Rio Syrup Co., Jamison Mfg. Co., J. E. Robin, Inc., Ballantyne Co., Frozen Farm Products, Cretors, Inc., PepsiCola, Safeway Sanitation Co., Rex Specialty Bag Co., Temple Frosted Foods, Mission Dry Corp., Coca Cola, Selby Industries, Inc., Raytone Screen Corp., Hollywood Brands, Berlo Vending Co., Thermolator Corp., National Theatre Supply Corp., Manley, Inc., Wald & Co. Fireworks, Jobil Produce Co., Motiograph, Inc., Rickensohl Fixture Co., R. J. Reynolds Co., Reavis Vending Co. Timber Structures, Inc., Strong Elect. Co., MancoVision, Heat Exchangers, Inc., Tyson-Caffey Co., Signs, Inc., Miracle Whirl Co., Theatre Specialties Co., Altec Service Co., Projection Optics and Hollywood ServeMaster. Johnston Leaves Sun. On Near East Task WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.— Motion Picture Association president Eric A. Johnston will leave New York Sunday for a three to four-week trip to the Near East as President Eisenhower's personal emissary seeking to work out a solution to the Jordan Valley water dispute. ' Johnston discussed the trip with the president at the White House this morning. He has twice before gone to the Near East on this project for the President. MPAA officials said Johnston would fly directly to Tel Aviv. They said he would be gone at least three weeks, but could not be away much more than four weeeks since he must return to the United States late in February to start preparations for a foreign investment conference that opens in New Orleans late next month. Railroad Adv. Men to See 'Fast Freight9 When the Association of Railroad Advertising Managers convenes for their annual three day meeting starting Jan. 20 in Chicago, one of the features on their program will be the screening of the RKO-Pathe Special, "Fast Freight." . "Fast Freight" was produced with the cooperation of the Association of American Railroads. Television — Radio -.with Pinky Herman* Charles Sanford A ND a little child shall lead them. Or, to be more specific, television may set shining example for its older brother, radio. In the late thirties, ork pilot Richard Himber, signed to air a radio series for Studebaker, was oblig'ed to fire his star vocalist, Joey Nash, when the latter refused to change his name. Ten years later, when Vaughn Monroe programmed a popular song entitled, "Lucky" on his program for Camel cigarettes, Tom Luckenbill of the Wm. Esty Agency threw up his hands and threw out the song. In fact, each time Monroe sang the standard "Pocketful of Dreams," he was forced to substitute the line "happy, happy me, I could live in luxury" for the "lucky, lucky me," etc., etc. line. Yes, radio execs tried to change the language to conform with their pet ideas. But not so in TV. Can you imagine a radio exec permitting an actor to appear in a play, such as last Sunday's Goodyear RCA-TV program, "Doing Her Bit," which starred Janet Blair and included in its featured cast Eddie FIRESTONE? . . . (Editor's note: The song, "Lucky," was defied by Pinky Herman but he assures me that he isn't sore any more.) ■fr # Max Liebman's recent RCAptivating Spectacular telecast of Moss Hart's Broadway musical, "Lady in the Dark," starring Ann Sothern and featuring Charles Sanford's Orchestra, proved so fine that RCA-Victor cut an album of the entire performance in hi-fi which is a MUST for the record libraries of TV and radio stations. . . . Interstate TV Corp.'s release of Monogram "Our Gang" films started Sunday TVia WPIX-titled "Clubhouse Gang Comedies" with Joe Bolton, narrator. . . . John Luptou has been signed for the title role in "The Mojave Kid," episode of the "Climax" TV CBSeries, hosted by Bill Luudigan and skeddcd for Jan. 27. . . . For his commershills Carl Caruso has had to don many a iveird costume, including a leopard skin, uniforms, etc., but his latest get-up is a space-suit in which to spiel the "Captain Zero" plugs on Channel 4 for Emil Mogul's National Shoes. . . . 600 General Tire Co. dealers and salesmen will meet and greet the winner of Harry Wismer's "General Sports Time" 1954 Hat's Off Award at the Essex House in Gotham, January 31. . . . Pretty Pauline Flanagan of the Gate Company players of Dublin, has flown over to this side of the Atlantic for a fling at TV. . . . U-I's current "Six Bridges to Cross," based on the sensational Boston robbery, will get plenty of free air (disk jockey) plugs via Sammy Davis, Jr.'s fine waxing on Decca of the pix theme song of the same name. . . . BristolMyers will sponsor a new filmed teleseries, "Stage 17," produced by Warren Lewis at the RKO-Pathe Studios in Culver City. The half-hour dramas will star Hollywood names, directed by motion picture "meggers" and will tee off CB Sunday (9:30 P.M.) Jan. 30 with "The Deceiving Eye," starring Frank Lovejoy. . # # -if Last week was a terrific one for TVision Helen Baron, who turned in a fine performance on the "Robert Montgomery Presents" TVehicle and was rewarded by photographer Murray Korman who placed her large-as-life photo in his 57th St. show-case frame. Steve Libby, head of publicity for the Fred Waring aggregation, left yesterday on a promotional trip to the South, Southwest and West Coast where "The Pennsylvanians" are currently making their fifth annual concert tour. Following their February 27 TV'er for General Electric from Los Angeles, the company will head back to N. Y. . . . Sopranotable Florence George Crosby, who'll be heard Sunday on DuMont's "Opera Cameo" is Bing's sister-in-law. . . . Bandleader-pianist Elliot Lawrence will reveal other talents when he returns to the DuMont net as a regular on the "Ernie Kovacs Show" to sing and emote. . . . Madison Square Garden will be the scene of gala festivities March 8 when John B. Gambling will be honored by his associates and fans for having WORked 30 consecutive years as "the human alarm clock." Helen Baron Sees Billion in '55 For TV Advertising ALLENTOWN, Pa., Jan. 17. — A dvertisers will spend $1,300,000,000 in television this year, an increase of 100 per cent over the total two years ago, Robert W. Sarnoff, executive vice-president of NBC, today told the AllentownBethlehem Sales Executives Club. Sarnoff predicted a bright future for color TV, and said that NBC shortly will expand its present schedule in that medium. Brotherhood (Continued from page 1) John H. Harris, national chairman of the amusements division of the National Conference. Brotherhood Week will be observed Feb. 20-27 under the slogan of "One Nation Under God." The interfaith effort, which will be backed by every branch of the entertainment world, was launched on Jan. 13 at the ninth annual Brotherhood dinner which was held in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. WRCA to Broadcast Film Critics Awards The annual presentation of the New York Film Critics Awards will be broadcast from Sardi's Restaurant in New York by WRCA on Saturday, 11 :30-12 midnight. Among the personalities on hand to receive their awards will be Grace Kelly, voted best actress for her work in "Dial M for Murder," "Rear Window," and "Country Girl" ; Elia Kazan, selected best director for the motion picture "On the Waterfront" ; and Marlon Brando, best actor for his role in "On the Waterfront." 'Toko' Star on NBC Night of Premiere An unusual television tieup has been set for the dual world premiere of Paramount's "The Bridges at TokoRi" Thursday at Radio City Music Hall here, and the Hollywood Paramount on the Coast. The openings will be saluted that night by William Holden's personal appearance on the "Lux Video Theatre" over the NBCTV network. Holden stars in the Perlberg-Seaton production with Grace Kelly, Fredric March and Mickey Rooney. Clips from the film also will be shown on the program. Holden's appearance is part of Paramount's continuing tieup with the Lux Video Theatre. The program of Thursday will mark the eleventh time since last August that a Paramount film has been a feature of the show. Warner Signs Wayne HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 17.— John Wayne has cut short his honeymoon in New York and will replace Robert Mitchum in the cast of the Batjac Production, "Blood Alley," which is being made for Warner Bros, presentation, it was announced by Jack L. Warner, executive producer, today.