Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

VOL. 77. NO. 20 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U. S. A., FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1955 TEN CENTS EDITORIAL Aid and Comfort To Censorship Hy Sherwin Kane FOLLOWING the recent invalidation of film censorship in Ohio, a number of films long banned by the state censor made their appearance in Ohio theatres. Among them were films frankly characterized by their makers as "sex hygiene, exploitation films." To advertise this "sucker-bait" the producers, who are not identified in any way with the responsible, organized motion picture industry, plastered large Ohio cities with tabloid-type newspaper throw-aways, plugging the sex hygiene films in the most lurid manner possible, in both text and photos, that could have been employed without patently leaving those associated with them open to arrest for impairing public morals. Regrettably, just as there are fast-buck artists among producers, ,so are there among exhibitors. The 'sex hygiene" films did not lack for dates in Ohio theatres. Unless and until irresponsible elements can be restrained or controlled, it appears inevitable that official restraints will continue to be imposed in one form or another on all in the industry. • There can be no doubt in the mind of anyone who gives the sex hygiene films' lurid exploitation so much as a quick glance that it contributed to the film licensing bill introduced in the Ohio Legislature this week as a substitute for the former censorship measure. Surely the exploitation material for the films will be preserved by proponents of censorship for fur(Continued on page 2) Two Members in Favor FCC Edict on Toll TV May Be Made Without Hearings By J. A<. OTTEN \ WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.— At least two members of the Federal Communications Commission favor a commission decision on subscription television without public hearings. Asking that their names be withheld the two said they feared that any pub N.Y. Showing Set Eidophor Use In li-2 Years, Says Skouras D. BERNS. Jan. 27. — Eido By SAMUEL HOLLYWOOD, phor will become available within one and one half to two years to again revolutionize the industry, Spyros Skouras, president of 20th CenturyFox, today told the trade press on a visit to the studio. Private demonstrations will be held next week at the home office when he returns, Skouras further disclosed. The company will continue its ded( Continued on page 3) Spyros Skouras Danny Kaye 'Short' To Get UN Salute Leaders of the United Nations and of the motion picture industry will gather at the UN headquarters in New York on Feb. 9 for the world premiere showing of "Assignment Children," Danny Kaye's 20-minute Technicolor feature highlighting his recent overseas trip on behalf of the United Nations Children's Fund. Speeches by Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary-General of the UN ; Henry (Continued on page 4) lie hearing would drag on interminably, and that they felt the commission could decide the matter on the basis of written comments submitted to it. Confirming the Motion Picture Daily story of yesterday to the effect that the commission had ordered its staff to draw up a detailed list of questions on which written public comments will be sought, the two commissioners said they felt the commission will ask for these public comments without indicating any intention to hold hearings later. Rather, they said, the comments will be sought on the basis that the commission will decide after it receives the comments whether or not to hold public hearings or whether to pass without hearings on Zenith Radio's request for authorization of subscription television. Decision Seen in 3 Weeks A final decision on this point will be made when the commission goes over the staff's list of questions, probably in two or three weeks. If, after receiving and analyzing the written comments on these questions, the commission should decide to authorize subscription television without public hearings, the commission would presumably issue a proposed order setting out the terms on which the new service would be run. It would then again invite public written comments on this specific order. See Toll TV Study By Senate Group From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.— Senate Commerce Committee chairman Magnuson (D., Wash.) said his committee would undoubtedly study subscription television this year. At the same time, he revealed that some professional baseball clubs are studying the possibility of using toll television. Magnuson made the comments in seeking funds for the Commerce com(Continued on page 4) $3.58 Per Share Universal Net In '54 Climbs To $3,797,688 $77,887,688 in Sales Said To Be Record for Firm Consolidated net earnings of $3,797,688 for the fiscal year ended Oct. 30, 1954, for Universal Pictures Co., as compared with $2,616,356 for the preceding fiscal year, was reported here yesterday by the company in the annual report mailed to stockholders. The $3,797,688 net earnings amounted to $3.58 per share on the 995,289 shares of common stock in the hands of the public on Oct. 30, 1954, after dividends on the preferred stock. For the fiscal year just closed, stockholders were informed, the company achieved the highest sales volume in its history, $77,887,688 as compared with $70,490,254 for the previous fiscal year. In the fiscal year ended Oct. 30, 1954, deductions of $5,600,000 for Federal taxes on income of $500,000 for contingent liabilities and of $414,812 for a write-down of investments, were noted. For the preceding fiscal year, (Continued on page 4) 'IP Directors Up For Reelection The reelection of 11 directors to Universal's board of directors was proposed here yesterday in the ' com-' pany's proxy statement, mailed to stockholders in preparation for the company's annual meeting, which will be held on March 9 here at the home office. The proxy also listed the remuneration of top officers for the fiscal year ended Oct. 30, 1954. It was stated that Nate J. Blumberg, board chairman, received $78,000; Milton R. Rackmil, president, $80,002 ; Alfred E. Daff, executive vice-president, $74,520; and John J. O'Connor, vice-president, $52,000. Directors and officers as a group, it was noted, earned $748,389 for the fiscal year. Nominated to the board were the (Continued on page 4)