Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

s Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, January 19, 1955 National Pre-Selling FOUR color ads on M-G-M's "Jupiter's Darling," starring Esther Williams, will appear in "American Weekly" and "This Week" on Feb. 13 (full page), in "Pictorial Review" on Feb. 20, or on playdates (full page), and in "Parade" on Feb. 20 (3/5 of a page). The total circulation of these Sunday supplements is more than 32,000,000. Also, a full page ad will appear in the "Saturday Evening Post" of February 19. In addition, ads will appear in the M-G-M column in 10 national magazines and in the fan books. • An exceptionally fine four color ad on UI's "The Far Country" appears in the current issue of "Life." • "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" has been selected by Florence Somers as "Redbook's" Silver Cup candidate for February. An editorial spread is devoted to photos and a review in the February issue of "Redbook." • In the "Companion FamilyApproved Movies" department, "Jupiter's Darling," starring Esther Williams, has been selected as the featured review for the February issue of "Woman's Home Companion." An entire page is devoted to the M-G-M musical, which is illustrated by many interesting photos taken on the production sets. • "There's No Business Like Show Business" has been selected by Ed Miller of "Seventeen" as the Picture of the Month for February. • "Collier's" Color Camera made some beautifully colored photos of Gina Lollobrigida, star of "Bread, Love and Dreams," which appear in the current issue. A two-page spread, in addition to a half page, are devoted to the pictorial story. Also in this issue is a striking full page on UI's "Six Bridges to Cross/' • "Coronet" reports "The Country Girl" gives Bing Crosby an off-beat role and selects it as the best picture of the month for January. • Ava Gardner is the cover girl on the current issue of "Look." The cover acts as a lead-off for a seven page story of feminine stars of the past. A two-page spread in full color is devoted to the star of "The Barefoot Contessa." WALTER HAAS. IFE Opens Doors To U.S. Producers The Exhibitor Film Finance Group, Inc., and other similar groups which have plans or have already entered into the production and financing of motion pictures have been extended an invitation to release their product through the I.F.E. Releasing Corp. facilities in the U. S., Bernard Jacon, IFE vicepresident, stated here yesterday. IFE has broadened its sales operation and offers a ready distribution organization to all producers of good films, he said. IFE's 1955 Gross To Double Its '54 Figure, Says Jacon With a program of 12 diversified films already scheduled for release thus far this year, I.F.E. Releasing Corp. will "more than double its 1954 gross in 1955, the third year of sales operations in the United States," according to Bernard Jacon, vice-president in charge of sales and distribution for I.F.E. The success of "Aida," "Bread, Love and Dreams" and "Theodora, Slave Empress," the three I.F.E. productions now in release, and nine additional color and black-and-white films dubbed in English to be distributed domestically up to August and by the late Fall will "boost our revenue 100 per cent over our 1954 figures," Jacon said. Touring the Country Jacon, who has just completed the third leg of his tour of the country to meet with exhibitors and company officials and who is planning to leave on his fourth and final leg today or tomorrow, stated that within the next two years, Sol Hurok's "Aida" will have a box office gross of $4,500,000 approximately. The excellent advertising, publicity and exploitation campaign, as devised by I.F.E. vice-president Jonas Rosenfield, for Gina Lollobrigida has helped "Bread, Love and Dreams" considerably, Jacon said. "This picture will be liquidated quicker than had been planned due to these national promotions," Jacon said. Nine Others Slated The other films which I.F.E. will distribute, according to Jacon's schedule, are: "The Wayward Wife," in black and white; "Green Magic," in color ; "Love in the City" ; "Too Young For Love" and "Husband for Anna," the latter being photographed in black and white. After August, Jacon disclosed that "Neopolitan Carousel," "Attila," "Senso" and "Maddalena," all in color, will be released, with a few test bookings planned. Toll TV Meet (Continued from page 1) to toll TV. They stressed their conviction that the problem of financing will be one of method, as opposed to the question of whether sufficient funds can be procured. In addition to the issue of financing, the committee is expected to further map its anti-toll TV program, probing such questions of how best to carry the campaign forward to the public as well as to the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC is slated to meet later this week in Washington when the Commission may start its discussion of subscription television. Three Choices Available The FCC has three alternatives 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. The national defense committee against toll TV already has submitted a brief contesting Zenith's petition with the FCC. IFE Offices (Continued from page 1) Building, which the Fabian Theatres organization is vacating. As part of the field sales expansion, Jacon announced, six new district offices have been opened in Detroit, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Charlotte, Kansas City and Portland, Ore., giving I.F.E. 16 strategically located offices in the 34 exchange areas. Schussel in the East In order to handle the expanded releasing setup, Jacon announced that Seymour Schussel had been named Eastern division manager and will continue as assistant to the general sales manager. Schussel's territories include the Eastern district which is comprised of New York, Washington, Philadelphia and Charlotte ; the Northeastern district which is composed, of Boston, Albany, New Haven, Buffalo and Pittsburgh ; the Mideastern district, which is comprised of Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis and Cincinnati, and the Southeastern district which is composed of Atlanta, Jacksonville and New Orleans. Heading the I.F.E. Central division will be Glenn Fannin, Jacon announced. Fannin's territories will include the Southwest district, which comprises Dallas, Oklahoma City and Memphis ; the Midwest district, comprising Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Minneapolis, and the Prairie district, which is composed of Kansas City, Denver, Des Moines and Omaha. Western Area to Cooperman Alex Cooperman, who has been named Western division manager, is responsible for Los Angeles district ; the West Coast district, which is composed of San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Hawaii, and the Northwest district, which is composed of Portland, Seattle and Alaska, Jacon announced. New manpower has been added to the I.F.E. staff to handle the expanded facilities and new increases will take place in the future to accelerate the company's efficiency in the servicing of exhibitors, Jacon said. NT Option Plan (Continued from page 1) stock and the option price will not be less than 95 per cent of the market value of the stock at the time an option is granted, the proxy statement explained. At present, the statement continued, Elmer Rhoden, NT president, has no contract, but the board has authorized a contract with him for a term of approximately three and one-half years at his present salary of $65,000 annually and thereafter a five-year contract at $27,000 annually for the rendition of services as a consultant. If the stock option plan becomes effective, the proxy added, he will not receive any additional compensation based on income or profits. Substantially the same situation exists with F. H. Ricketson, Jr., president and director of Fox InterMountain Theatres Inc., in view of the expiration of his contract on Dec. 31, the proxy stated. Directors nominated for reelection are Gregson Bautzer, John B. Bertero, Peter Colefax, B. F. Giles, George H. Heyman, Jr., Earle G. Hines, Willard W. Keith, Alan May, Richard W. Millar, Rhoden, Ricketson, and Graham L. Sterling, Jr. Livingston Stresses Advertising's Role In National Economy ■ OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan. 18. — When the television set gets turned off it doesn't mean that the viewers automatically get up and go to the movies but rather the people have to be resold on the movie-going habit, Jeff Livingston, Eastern advertising manager of Universal Pictures, told the partners and managers of Video independent Theatres, inc., at their annual meeting at the Skirvin Flotel here today. His subject was "The Changing Patterns of Motion Picture Advertising and Publicity." Lauds Aggressive Selling Livingston pointed out that although there were 32,000,000 television sets in the United States as of December, 1954, as against 26,500,000 sets in December, 1953, an increase of fiveand-one-half million sets, business in the motion picture industry was generally better in 1954. He pointed out that while it was true that the national economy had improved during 1954, the motion picture industry might net have derived its full share of the increase or even the proportion that it did if it had not been able to win a lot of people away from their television and into the theatre through aggressive selling. Mike Simons, M-G-M customer relations director, in an address delivered at the meeting, discussed and described forthcoming product of his company. He also announced that he would hold a Ticket-Selling Workshop in this city at the Biltmore Hotel on March 30. From here, Simons will go to Green Bay, Wise, where tomorrow he will address the members of that city's Association of Commerce. Theatre-Sale Letters Read at Schine Trial Special to THE DAILY BUFFALO, Jan. 18.— Defense attorneys in the Schine Chain Theatres criminal contempt trial in Federal Court here strongly protested the government's presentation of five letters concerning alleged attempts to buy Schine's Rialto Theatre in Lockport, N. Y., after Judge John Knight's 1949 theatre divestiture order. Letters were offered by government attorney Joseph E. McDowell presumably to disclose an example of "excessive prices" which the government charges the Schine corporation asked in certain cases to discourage theatre purchases. The first letter of the series was from a real estate broker, J. Herbert Marganstern, to J. Myer Schine, president of Schine Chain Theatres, in June, 1949. Others were between Morganstern and Howard M. Antevil, Schine attorney, in April and May, 1951. Defense attorney Frank G. Raichle attacked the presentation of letters on two grounds : that they "were not comprehended by the government's bill of particulars" and that the real estate broker involved should have been called to testify in connection with them. Judge Knight overruled the objection, asserting that signed letters may be considered eligible as evidence. u Hi