Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

r All MOTION PICTURE Concise The News T% ATT ^.7" And That 1 P/\ 1 1 Y To The i IS H8WS r 0 1 n l i 1 VOL. 77. NO. 40 NEW YORK, U. S. A., MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1955 TEN CENTS EDITORIAL Press Treatment Of Film News ,By Sherwin Kane THE impartial survey of reader interest in newspapers, made for COMPO by the Daniel. Starch organization, which showed interest in motion picture news to be way out ahead of that in television-radio, sports and food news, is not surprising to this industry but does raise again the question why newspapers will do so little to satisfy this known reader interest in motion pictures while doinq so much for the less popular fields of television-radio and sports. COMPO chose wisely in making this the subject of its current advertisement in "Editor & Publisher." It is just possible that it may come to the attention of some of the right people and start them thinking and asking questions. One of the questions that remains unanswered is why television and radio program schedules, occupying huge amounts of space in metropolitan newspapers, are published without charge, whereas the same newspapers apply a discriminatory, premium rate to theatres which would give comparable information — about what's playing — to a larger, more interested newspaper readership. Another question is why sports are covered so extensively, given almost unlimited space, publicized — even advertised — freely, all for the benefit of a smaller audience than motion pictures, and, unlike films, with virtually no revenueproducing sources for the publishing enterprise. • The survey for COMPO revealed that sports attracted a slightly larger percentage of men readers than did motion pictures but that the high percentage of feminine interest in the latter, together with a minor feminine interest in sports, put films well out in front in the overall picture. Publishers and editors will do (Continued on page 2) Schwalberg Leaving Paramount Within Four to Six Weeks A. W. Schwalberg, who resigned last week as president of Paramount Pictures Distributing Corp., will remain with the company for the next four to six weeks in order to finalize the distribution pattern for the Vista Vision feature, "Strategic Air Command," it was announced at the weekend. It is reported . M 7^^' that Schwalberg .jM jg^ A I 'ias discussed plans for associations with the Ilya Lopert and Paul Gregory productions after he leaves Paramount. Although not closed yet, it is understood that the deals would give him broad authority in the sales and distribution of the independent producers' films. In formally announcing Schwal(C on tinned on page 5) A. W. Schwalberg Military Sees Snags In Clearance Plan From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Feb. 27. — The Army and Air Force have raised some serious objections to the plan tentatively worked out between exhibitors and Defense Department officials governing film showings at service theatres. The agreement, worked out earlier this month between exhibitors and (Continued on page 5) Para. Weighs Naming Weltner Sales Head Although no decision has been made by Paramount yet on a successor to Alfred Schwalberg as head of sales and distribution, one of the possibilities being given consideration, it is learned, is that of keeping the present sales organization intact and naming George Weltner, president of Paramount International, as head of domestic distribution in addition to his present duties. Such an arrangement would be similar to the Universal and RKO Radio setups which have Al Daff and Walter Branson, respectively, as global distribution chiefs. See $500,000 From' Album' Gross receipts from the closed circuit telecast of the ANTA Album show on March 28 which will be flashed from New York to more than 100,000 people in 40-odd cities across the nation are expected to hit the half-million mark, according to Actors' Equity. The ANTA Alburn^ the first Broadway production ever to be sent over closed-circuit television, is a joint endeavor of ANTA and CARE, a nonprofit government approved agency for person-to-person international assistance. CARE responsibilities include the selling of 100,000 tickets for the Album performance at prices of $4, $6 and $10, booking the 40-odd houses (Continued on page 5) "Blackboard Jungle 9? (M-G-M) Hollywood, Feb. 27 THE screen has come of age. The use of films that satisfy the patrons of entertainment by presenting problems that threaten the well-being of society will find a champion in "Blackboard Jungle." Here is a biting documentation of conditions which affect the youth of today and the citizen of tomorrow. The need for solving the problems that breed juvenile delinquency has never been more realistically treated. The powerful Evan Hunter novel has been faithfully translated for the screen by Richard Brooks in his dual capacity as screenwriter and director, with all the stops pulled out on violence, dialogue, action and suspense. This is no tongue-in-cheek affair. After glimpsing the attempted rape of an attractive school teacher (Margaret Hayes) by one of the "animals" of this schoolroom jungle; listening to the pleas of Glenn FordV on his first teaching assignment, aimed at bridging race hatred by eliminating words like "Spiks, Micks and Niggers" from our vocabulary; and watching him cope with a vicious knifing attack after being told to "go to hell" by Vic Morrow, a cynical classroom leader (Continued on page 5) Result of Tests Find Art Films Can Aid Some 6B' Theatres Hyman Says Experiment Points Up Their Values By MURRAY HOROWITZ Art films, if properly utilized, can be employed to boost the box-office and prestige of "B" theatres, Edward L. Hyman, vice-president of American B r o adcastingParamount Theatres, declared here at the weekend. Hyman based his contention on the experience of ABPT affiliate circuits, particularly in Minnesota. The ABPT v i c e-president, Who last September at the company's annual meeting of affiliate circuit executives put the spotlight on the pos(Continued on page 5) Edward Hyman FWC, Goldwyn Must Give Profit-Loss Data From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 27.— Federal Judge Michael J. Roche, San Francisco, on Friday ordered Fox West Coast Theatres Corp. and National Theatres, Inc., to make available to Samuel Goldwyn for inspection certain records, including income tax records and actual house expenses for each theatre in the circuit, for the period from 1937 to 1950. The order was issued in connection with $6,750,(Continued on page 5) Delinquency Study May Include Films From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.— Senator Kefauver (D., Tenn-) said he now thinks it very' likely that his special Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on juvenile delinquency will study the impact of motion pictures on teenagers. Kefauver made the statement here (Continued on page 5)