Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

10 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, February 24, 1955 TV and Radio in HOLLYWOOD By SAMUEL D. BERNS GILBERT KAY climbed out of the assistant ranks to full director on the "Man Behind the Badge" series. He also caught the eye of Chester Erksine for "The Manufactured Clue, ' a "Reader's Digest" stanza ; and Medic is having him stethoscoped for one of their case histories. . . . Jay Elliot, with Mid-West call letters WBBC, WSPD and WJIM to his credit, convinced Klaus Landsberg he was ripe for KTLA's TV announcing staff. Now he's interviewing guests on "Eye Witness." . . . "This Is Your Music" moves from KTTV to KNXT. The half-hour musical variety show stars Joan Weldon and Byron Palmer. Senator Price Daniel of Texas conferred a Congressional citation on "The Lone Ranger" to mark its 22nd year on radio with the consent of the U. S. Senate. This makes the program owner, Jack Wrather, another Texan, mighty proud. . . . Roy Rogers and Dale Evans zvill spur Red Cross contributions via TV spots. . . . Steve Wayne leaves KTLA's Channel 5 for a starring part in the first English film made by a Chinese company in Hong Kong. Alan Handley requisitioned 18 NBC cameras to take care of his Academy Award nominations show. . . . "Sabaka," Frank Ferrin's Indiamade feature, which goes into theatrical release, will be plugged for eight weeks on the "Smilin' Ed's Gang" show over 97 ABC-TV outlets in a campaign aimed at 60 million viewers who might be attracted to the latest Boris Karloff film. . . . Vaughn Monroe will make three plane trips from Las Vegas to take care of the commercials for the first permanent color installation transmission from the West Coast, with Kenyon & Eckhardt supervising for RCA Victor. The "Emmy" Awards, March 7, could get a greater rating than any of the shows that are up for the statues. The setting will be more attractive than last year, with Frank Seniles' Moulin Rouge making its facilities and portions of its showavailable to the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. This unusual club could turn into the most logical spot to hold future Hollywood events. And it'll be a big Hollywood hello again to Steve Allen as he steps into the m.c. spotlight for the affair. Review GET TO YOU QUICKER ARE ALWAYS BETTER! Send Us Your Next Order And We Will Prove II To You. 1327 \ aena us Tour Next uraer Ana / con $..w.b..N^7:ll-%o^iiTo,y /hi.* a,. cum. 6, mWJi n r-n :wh» v.*, n.y "Tarzan's Hidden Jungle" (Lcsser-RKO) GORDON SCOTT, who replaces Lex Barker in the role of Tarzan is muscular, and virile and fills all the requirements needed for the character. His initial vehicle for producer Sol Lesser is a typical entry in the series, loaded with action and unhampered by too much dialogue. This time the villains are seeking jungle animals which could prove profitable for them. The majority of the beasts are in dangerous Sukulu country where the natives worship the animals and kill anyone who tries to destroy them. Their lone white friend is a United Nations doctor who has a clinic nearby. The hunters use the doctor as their entry by posing as photographers. The plan almost achieves success until Tarzan takes over and lures the animals back, helps destroy the hunters and keeps peace with the warlike Sukulus. The perils of the jungle are constantly in focus. One scene in particular finds the heroine, a nurse, slowly submerging in quicksand while beset by a crawling snake. Lions, elephants, crocodiles and the like are always hovering somewhere. The picture should please the many Tarzan fans, for whom it obviously was made. Vera Miles plays the nurse, Peter Van Eyck the doctor and Jack Elam the chief villain. Cheta has a playmate in this and the two chimps provide the necessary comic relief. Harold Schuster directed from a screenplay by William Lively. Running time, 73 minutes. General classification. For February release. Stores Advertise for Upstate Theatre Special to THE DAILY WATERTOWN, N. Y., Feb. 23.— In an effort to have the public return to Main Street's theatres and shops, local businessmen have sponsored advertisements in the "Watertown Daily Times" asking citizens "If We Didn't Have Good Theatres, What Kind Of A Town Would This Be?" The advertisement was brought about because of the installation of a new television station and the closing of the Camp Drum military installation, which produced a serious economic situation. Before the erection of the TV outlet, about 4,000 TV sets had been purchased and were tuned to two Syracuse stations about 70 miles away. The local TV station was built by the local newspaper which also owns the local radio station and all three act in concert to keep the people at home watching television, it was said. COMPO Ads Cited The Council of Motion Picture Organizations has inserted advertising for a number of months in "Editor & Publisher" as part of a campaign to inform local newspapers and the public also, that motion pictures and theatres are an integral part in the daily occurrences of a community. COMPO's ads have been pointing out that a theatre's marquee lights keep all lights lit in shopping districts. The advertising in the "Times" states that "We are happy to join the Motion Picture Theatre Celebration of 1955. Our theatres will be presenting outstanding films like 'The Bridges at Toko-Ri,' 'The Silver Chalice,' 'Prince of Players,' '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,' and many others. It is our hope that more people will recognize that a great industry is working in the interest of its public and the many places of business they affect directly and indirectly. Let's all go to the movies and let's all trade downtown." Reports to Motion Picture Daily indicate that small-town newspapers circulating in the upper Midwest have pitched in during the last few weeks to hypo attendance at local showhouses. Joining the chorus of editorial comment were the Delano Eagle, NSS Cartoon Posters To Boost Attendance "How to Make Them Happy ■ — Take Them Out to the Movies !" is the ticket-selling theme of a pair of new 30 x 40 and 40 x 60 full-color displays created by National Screen Service to stimulate attendance, it was announced by George F. Dembow, vice-president in charge of sales. Designed with cartoon comedy art and copy, these displays were developed for out-front and away-fromtheatre exploitation to capture passerby attention. They can be used with window and inside-store displays for specific film attractions, with contests, as institutional displays by cooperative merchants seeking an eye-stopping poster, and in and around the theatre itself, Dembow said. Real-life situations of familiar everyday problems, caricatured, and logically answered by "Take Them Out to the Movies" give exhibitors a display message that should do much to boost the "go to the movies" habit, he said. Hoover on Last Lap Of V. C. Tent Tour In order to complete one of the major goals of the first year of his administration, George Hoover, international chief barker of Variety Clubs, will visit five more tents within the next month. Hoover stated at the convention held in Texas last year that it was his aim to visit and meet with the crews of every tent within the United States during his tenure of office. This last swing will accomplish that objective. This trip, which will include Buffalo, Feb. 25 ; Detroit, Feb. 26 ; Cleveland, Feb. 28; Dayton, March 1, and St. Louis, March 2, will complete Hoover's trip to each Variety Club. Hoover will present the results of his surveys to the international convention in Los Angeles in May. Delano, Minn. ; Faribault Daily News, Faribault, Minn. ; Kenyon Leader, Kenyon, Minn. ; Detroit Lakes, Tribune, Detroit Lakes, Minn., Waseca Journal, Waseca, Minn., and the Hutchinson Herald, Menno, S. D. Kodak 1954 Earnings Set New High Mark; Sales Near Record ROCHESTER, Feb. 23.— Eastman Kodak Co. pre-tax and post-tax earnings for 1954 were the best in the company's history, according to the annual statement of the organization released by Thomas J. Hargrave, chairman, and Albert K. Chapman, president. The report pointed out that earnings before taxes were $144,968,534, an increase of nine per cent over the 1953 total of $133,449,168, the previous record. Net earnings were $69,821,719, up 39 per cent over the previous year's $50,171,153. Earnings amounted to $3.99 per share on the 17,402,784 shares of common stock outstanding compared to $2.86 per share earned in 1953 on 17,400,217 shares. The 1954 net amounted to 11 per cent of sales. Cash dividends declared on common stock in 1954 amounted to $2.05 per share or $35,674,206, compared with $1.85 or $31,821,408 in 1953. A previously announced five per cent stock dividend will be paid March 21 to share owners of record Feb. 7. The regular six per cent preferred stock dividend amounted to $369,942. In 1954 the company marked its 53rd consecutive year of dividend payments. Kodak's consolidated net sales for 1954 amounted to $633,457,838, almost equal to the 1953 record sales of $633,668,918 the report revealed. Altec Speaker Seen On L. A. Television The story of Altec's "Voice of the Theatre" speaker system has been brought to television viewers by station KTTV, Los Angeles. It is believed to be the first time that this element of screen presentation has been singled out for attention by a television studio. Presented from the plants of Altec Lansing in Beverly Hills and sponsored by Richfield Oil Corp., the theatre speaker system was displayed, and its workings in relation to theatre sound, multi-channel and otherwise, explained, by Altec engineers, followed by a discussion of the company's history growth and activities by G. L. Carrington, president. C. H. Schreiber Quits RKO Columbus Post COLUMBUS, O., Feb. 23. — C. Harry Schreiber, RKO Theatres city manager, has resigned, effective March 15, to take over management of his parents' wholesale tobacco and candy business in Chestertown, Md. No successor has been named. Schreiber came to Columbus in 1933 as manager of the RKO Palace. From 1944 to 1947 he was assistant district manager for RKO in Chicago and RKO city manager in Cleveland. He returned to Columbus in 1947. 'Crazy Horse' Tour Chief Ben American Horse, 84year-old chief of the Sioux nation and the cousin of Chief Crazy Horse and his niece, Darlene Rooks, who was one of the winners in the Miss America Indian Beauty Pageant held in Wyoming last year, will make a 13city tour on behalf of the initial openings and the advance promotion of Universal-International's ''Chief Crazy Horse."