Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

VOL. 77. NO. 17 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1955 TEN CENTS Edward Hyman Sees Stronger Film Lineup In May, June Greater Quality Forecast For Usual 'Dull' Period An improvement in the line-up of quality releases for the upcoming months of May and June, usually one of the weakest product periods, was forecast here yesterday by Edward L. Hyman, vice-president of American Broadcasting Paramount Theatres. Hyman made the forecast following a series of communications with most of the major film distributing companies. The AB-PT vice-president, a consistent advocate of {Continued on page 10) Edward Hyman Dividends Up Last Year From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.— Publicly reported cash dividends of motion picture companies turned up in 1954 for the first time since 1947, according to preliminary Commerce Department totals. Commerce reported the preliminary 1954 total at $28,289,000— the highest figure since the $35,122,000 reported {Continued on page 7) Loew's Directors Up for Reelection The reelection of 11 directors of Loew's-M-G-M was proposed in the proxy statement sent stockholders yesterday. The company's annual meeting will be held here Feb. 24. Those renominated were : George A. Brownell, G. Rowland Collins, Howard Dietz, F. Joseph Holleran, Eugene W. Leake, Benjamin Melniker, Charles C. Moskowitz, William A. Parker, Charles M. Reagan, J. Robert Rubin and Nicholas M. Schenck. Wolff Will Address Drive-in Conclave Slated for St. Louis ST. LOUIS, Jan. 24. — Through courtesy of the Joint Committee on Toll-TV, Harold Wolff, who was retained by that committee as public relations counsel, will address Allied's national drive-in convention at the Chase Hotel here, Feb. 8-10. Wolff is expected to describe and analyze the propaganda campaign that is being waged by the proponents of subscription television. The Allied drive-in convention is open to all drive-in operators regardless of whether they are Allied members, members of other organizations, or members of none, it is announced. Advance reservations, it is reported, indicate that a big crowd will be on hand to receive first-hand information regarding what the members of the joint committee on toll-TV regard as the "greatest menace to the motion picture business today." The date and time of Wolff's appearance will be announced by convention chairman A. B. (Jeff) Jefferis after consultation with Wolff. Famous Players to Mark 35th Year TORONTO, Jan. 24.— Thirty-three new members from Eastern Canada will be inducted into the Famous Players 2'5 Year Club tomorrow evening at the King Edward Hotel here as the theatre circuit marks its 35th anniversary as well. Among the new members are John Fitzgibbons, Rube Bolstad, Morris Stein, Mort Gargolius, James R. Nairn, Ernest Cousins, George and John Ganetakos, Bill Lester and Bill Summerville, Sr. 'Redbook' Award To Paramount "Redbook" Magazine has announced that Paramount Pictures will win the magazine's 16th annual award for "most distinguished contribution to the motion picture industry." Formal announcement will be made by host-narrator James Mason on Lux Video Theatre on Thursday when Wade Nichols, associate publisher and editor of "Redbook," will present the silver cup to Don Hartman, head of production at Paramount. Abner, Iannuzzi to WB District Posts; Other Realignments Ben Abner and Ralph Iannuzzi have been promoted to the posts of district managers in a realignment of the Warner Brothers sales force, it was announced by Ben Kalmenson, vicep r e s i d ent in charge of distribution. A t the same time, Kalmenson announced several other promotions and transfers of key sales department personnel. Abner, at present New York branch manager, is promoted to Metropolitan {Continued on page 6) Ben Abner SMPTE Opinion John G. Frayne Sees 'End' to Standard Ratio Says Society Not Ready To Take Toll TV Stand By FRANCES CLOW CHICAGO, Jan. 24.— Because of the public's acceptance of wide-screen motion pictures and other innovations, the standard or approximate four by three aspect ratio "is probably dying," John G. Frayne, president of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, stated here today. Meeting with the key members of SMPTE, primarily to discuss plans for the group's convention scheduled at the Drake Hotel here on April 7 to 22, Frayne said that he thought "1954 pretty well climaxed a consolidation of developments which would set the trend for this year." Frayne referred to the adoption of wide-screen and magnetic stereophonic sound. He called VistaVision another {Continued on page 6) Mass. Gets 5 Film Bills Proposed Okla. Enabling Act Exempts Admissions Special to THE DAILY OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan. 24.— The tax threat, which faced Oklahoma City and Tulsa theatre exhibitors, has eased with some changes — including the exemption of admission tax — in the proposed enabling act, promoted by the Municipal League, when the bill was introduced in the State Senate as No. 39. Another important change from the original draft was the raising of the city population figure from 150,000 to 200,000, making the proposed bill apply only to Oklahoma City. The original draft of the bill was not only a threat to the two state cities, if passed, but was a threat to all Oklahoma theatremen as it could be extended by future legislatures to take in the smaller towns, it was pointed out by C. B. "Brownie" Akers, Tulsa, legislative chairman of both Theatre Owners of Oklahoma, Inc., and Allied of Oklahoma. Akers, vice-president and general manager of Tulsa's new NBC television station, KVOO-TV, advised the two units' memberships, by bulletin on Jan. 22, of the revised version of the proposed bill as introduced. He wrote : "You will note we were successful in getting exemption for {Continued on page 10) BOSTON, Jan. 24.— The following five bills have been filed in the House and have been printed, to date. Bill No. 718, petitioned by Joseph VVisniowski of Chicopee, regulating further use of cinematographs for public exhibition. The bill asks for the presence of two licensed operators in the booth, and is the same bill that was filed last year and which died in committee. Bill No. 934, petitioned by Mayor {Continued on page 7) New Haven Rejects Seal-less Film Ban HARTFORD, Jan. 24.— The Aldermanic Committee on Ordinances in Connecticut's second largest city — New Haven — has disapproved a proposed ordinance which would have prohibited the showing Of motion pictures not carrying the stamp of approval of the Motion Picture Association. The ordinance had been suggested {Continued on page 7)