Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

6 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, January 25, 1955 WB Posts (Continued from page 1) district manager. Iannuzzi, now Boston branch manager, will assume the position of Eastern district manager, with supervision over the Albany, Boston, Buffalo and New Haven territories. The following additional promotions and transfers were announced: Ernest Sands was promoted from the post of Cleveland branch manager, and transfers to New York to assume his new duties as New York branch manager. Wil1 iam Twig transfers from Pittsburgh t o Clevel a n d branch manager, while Jack Kalmenson transfers from Milwaukee to Pittsburgh branch manager. The position of Milwaukee branch manager was assigned to Frank Reimer, who was promoted from his present position of local sales manager in Los Angeles, while William Kumins was promoted from assistant branch manager in Boston to succeed Iannuzzi as Boston branch manager. Abner is replacing Norman Ayers, who is resigning to enter private business. Ralph Iannuzzi Altec to Service Century Circuit Following several weeks of negotiation, Altec Service Corporation has announced the signing of a contract whereby Century Circuit, Inc., here, will employ the services of Altec field engineers in 17 of the theatres operated by the theatre organization. The contract, consummated between Marty Wolf, Altec assistant sales manager, and Walter Dunn, of the Century Circuit, involves servicing, maintenance, repair and replacement of the stereophonic and optical sound systems in all Century theatres located in Brooklyn, New York, and certain other locations. Pitt. VC to Honor Cohen PITTSBURGH, Jan. 24.— The local Variety Club will honor film critic Harold Cohen, who was chosen "movie critic of year" by the Screen Directors Guild recently, at a dinner to be held at the Hotel William Penn here on Feb. 2, it was announced by chief barker Harold C. Lund. 'Photoplay' Awards HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 24.— Invitations have been sent to eight hundred film stars, producers and directors requesting their presence at "Photoplay" magazine's 35th annual Gold Medal Award banquet. The banquet will be held on Feb. 10 in the Crystal Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Nashick Quits Loew Robert Nashick, TV-radio contact in Loew's Theatres advertising department, is resigning to become ad-publicity head of station WGBS-TV in Miami. His duties will be taken over by Teddy Arnow and Ann Bontempo. Sees 'End' to Standard Ratio (Continued from page 1) improvement fast coming into its own and said it opened an additional approach to problems to be handled in 1955. The SMPTE president explained the "problems" by referring to the architectural design of theatres not designed for the wide-screen. "The public's taste is the all-time factor in the new processes," Frayne said, and added that he feels a great effort will undoubtedly be extended towards building more audience participation in methods of presenting pictures and sound. Commenting on subscription television and SMPTE's position toward the medium, Frayne said the Society has not wished to take a stand, mainly because it has thus far not been involved in toll TV in any way, and nothing has been presented for study since Commander Gene McDonald of Zenith remitted a paper before SMPTE members here some three years ago. Frayne, however, added that the committee may ask for more papers about subscription television from the membership if it appears that these factors are to become active in the Society's problems. After further study of toll TV, SMPTE may take a stand as an organization, but Frayne with George W. Colburn, SMPTE treasurer, considered little if anything would be done before the April convention. Frayne also announced that Eddie Seguin of the Balaban & Katz publicity staff has consented to handle convention publicity in Chicago. Hold Multi-color Radar Show in DC WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.— Multicolor radar, a development said to have widespread naval, military and commercial applications, was demonstrated for the U. S. Navy here today by Chromatic Television Laboratories, Inc., an affiliate of Paramount Pictures. The demonstration marked the first time it has been possible for different types of radar information — namely, stationary and moving, or friendly and enemy — to be simultaneously displayed in more than one color on a single radar indicator. The experimental radar indicator, shown -today under actual operating conditions at the National Airport, was developed under a U. S. Navy contract. The heart of the new color radar device is described to be a single electron gun cathode ray picture tube, known as the Chromatron or Lawrence tube. The tube, although redesigned for radar, is virtually the same as the low cost picture tube which Chromatic has developed for commercial color television. Holt and Lewis Rosen Form Partnership Nat Holt has announced the formation of a partnership with Lewis P. Rosen to produce a group of bigbudget pictures. Rosen is a co-founder of Royal Amusements and Royal Theatres of Hawaii and president of the Civic Auditorium of Honolulu. He also is the founder of the theatrical insurance brokerage company, Rosen Sidman Co. of Los Angeles. Slated for future production by the new partnership are "Louisiana Lottery" and "Texas Lady." Recently completed for early RKO release is Holt's Superscope-Technicolor production "Rage At Dawn" starring Randolph Scott, Forrest Tucker and Mala Powers. $103,400 for Cinerama Advance sales for "Cinerama Holiday" at the Warner Theatre here totaled $103,400 as of noon yesterday, it was announced. The ticket selling campaign has been revised to permit the sale of tickets ten weeks in advance. Set New Workshop; Shift Another's Date The addition of an M-G-M "Ticket Selling Workshop" and the change in date for another were announced yesterday. The newly announced Workshop will be conducted at the Skirvin Hotel, Oklahoma City, on March 30 with Ed Thorne, city manager for Cooper Foundation Theatres and newly elected president of the Theatre Owners of Oklahoma (TOA affiliate), and Earl Snyder, president of the Allied Oklahoma unit, cooperating with M-G-M branch manager George A. Fisher in the arrangements. The date change involves the Milwaukee Workshop, which has been switched to March 28 instead of May 2, as originally scheduled. This change was effected in cooperation with Wisconsin Allied president Sig Goldberg at the behest of Milwaukee branch manager John G. Kemptgen who asked that the Milwaukee Workshop be held in connection with Allied unit's convention which has been announced for March 28-30. MPIC Backs Industry Against 'Red9 Charge HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 24.— Following a membership meeting here, the Motion Picture Industry Council issued a statement saying that the organization "cannot ignore the recent attack on the Hollywood industry which might lead the public to believe the studios were in danger of Communist invasion." Declaring industry vigilance against Communism is "unparalled in any other industry," the statement concluded by saying "the recent accusation against the leadership of the screen writers organization was undeserved and a disservice to our industry." The statement did not specify the attack referred to. Set N.O. Premiere Sam Katzman will hold the world premiere of Columbia Pictures' "New Orleans Uncensored" at New Orleans, on Feb. 21, with the stars of the film, Arthur Franz and Beverly Garland, making personal appearances. The opening of the picture, which was filmed entirely on location in the city, will coincide with the launching of the Mardi Gras. People Robert Wechsler, former promotion account executive for Benton & Bowles, has been named sales promotion manager of Screen Gems, Inc., television subsidiary of Columbia Pictures. Sol Karp, formerly with the Manchester Drive-In Theatre Corp., Bolton Notch, Conn., and Mike Masselli, former manager of the I'lainfield Theatre in Plainfield, Conn., have leased the 500-seat Baltic Theatre in Baltic from Ed Lord. Max Hadfield replaces Bill Tomlinson, who recently joined the Walt Disney Corp. in Seattle, as Republic Pictures salesman in San Francisco. M. A. Silver, Stanley Warner zone manager in Pittsburgh, Pa., will be honored as "Man of the Year" in entertainment by the Pittsburgh Junior Chamber of Commerce at its annual banquet on Jan. 31. He is being cited for his part in bringing Cinerama to Pittsburgh. n Morris Loewenstein, owner of the Majestic Theatre in Oklahoma City, is celebrating his 42nd year in the same location this month. Loewenstein, who served as president of the Theatre Owners of Oklahoma for 28 years, believes he holds the record for continuous business in the downtown Oklahoma City section. n Sam Sobel, owner of Tower Pictures in San Francisco, has acquired the Astor franchise for Northern California. n Martin G. Smith, former president of National Allied, was among the members of the Toledo, O., taxa tion and legislative committee cited by the Chamber of Commerce there "for outstanding leadership in pro moting civic, commercial and indus trial progress in Toledo in 1954." James B. McClellan has been reelected president of Local 439 IATSE, in New London, Conn., for his tenth term. Others elected were W. W. Lucas, vice president; John S. Kane, financial secretary and treasurer; Benjamin H. Rose, recording secretary; and Fred Nowell, business agent. Howard Spiess has resigned as booker for Co-operative Theatres in Cleveland to join the Phil Smith organization as buyer and booker for seven midwest theatres with headquarters in St. Louis. George Leppert of Draw Poker Films of Texas, now in Rome, has signed Robert Alda and Millie Vitale for the leads for his next production, "Accent on Spain," and will go to London next to sign a third principal.