Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, March 1, 1955 Toll-TV {Continued from page 1) movies available to them without charge," Stark said here yesterday in response to a recent FCC announcement calling upon all interested parties to submit written comments by May 9 in order to guide the commission on questions of law, facts and public interest. Subscription television is contrary to the interests of the general public and the violation of the concept of free access to radio and television programs. Stark said. He emphasized that the tradition of free broadcastingmust not be lightly cast aside, or threatened with extinction by the unfair competition of well-financed syndicates. Respects Children's Views "At a time when our nation and our city are confronted with a tremendous problem of juvenile delinquency and we are trying to strengthen the ties which bind children to their homes, this threat to free commercial television can do irreplaceable harm," Stark said. "Children are often better critics than their parents and they will not stay at home and watch mediocre programs once they are prevented from viewing better shows because of high subscription rates," he said. The Council president indicated that there are countless groups already striving to improve the caliber of television broadcasting under the present system. Commercial sponsors, the National Association of Radio Television Broadcasters and various philanthropic foundations are constantly working to raise the level of television, Stark asserted. He said the motion picture industry had proved the fallacy of believing that price charging alone brings automatic improvements in production standards. "Better writing, acting, directing and producing, and not a toll on viewing, are what televisin needs today. These can be achieved under existing commercial and foundation sponsorship," Stark said. Sees Law Violation Stark termed coin-box television a violation of the spirit and intent of the Communications Act of 1934, which directed the FCC to encourage the larger and more effective use of broadcasting in the public interest. "Millions of families throughout the nation bought television sets in the belief that the principle of free broadcasting would be held inviolate by the FCC," he said. On the other hand, Stark said that he was not opposed to all forms of limited audience television. He advocated the need for prompt approval of scrambling devices designed to transmit police lineups, medical operations, and related community services provided they are regulated in the public's interest. from v GET TO YOU QUICKER ARE ALWAYS BETTER ! Sand Us Your Next Order And We Will Prove It To You, JIH.'.IHI Television — Radio .with Pinky Herman. Jackie Gleason THE annual Post Office deficit could be happily wiped out if TV could come up with about 100 mail-drawing progams like "The Bob Crosby CBShow" which has just been the recipient of its one millionth letter since hitting the airwaves four years ago. Sure helped Bob overcome his recent illness. ... A wonderful idea was born last year in Burlington, Wisconsin, and with fanfare, parades, floats and patriotic fervor, the local citizenry was stirred by the theme of the proceedings, namely, "every American must be sold and in turn must sell the wonders of America to one another. Two young Burlington business executives, Robert Sullivan and Robert Spitzer, who have been active participants in this vitally important and necessary endeavor, have been touring the country (on their own time and at their own expense) in an effort to make this local event, one that is national in scope. To us, it seems that radio and TV executives and producers should listen to their story and help the modern "Paul Reveres" transmit their timely and inspiring message to Mister and Missus United States. ft ft . ft Michael Drury has penned a brilliant profile on Jackie Gleason titled,, "E Pluribus Gleason," which will appear in next week's "Collier's," the concluding piece of the two-part story set for the April 1 issue. . . . Chantootsie Jane Fromcm planed to Florida, following her program last Thursday, for a two-week rest and Merv Griffin will pinchhit on her Thnrsday-at-7 AS P.M. television CBSongfest. . . . His WLWonderful programs from down in Cincinnati have stamped humorist-deejay Jean Shepard ready for the big time and IVOR producer Larry Dom has brought the lad to New York to star in a new platter-chatter series (Saturdays from 4:30-6:00 P.M.). . . . Television Screen Productions, Inc., has completed production on 52 five-minute animated telefilm series titled, ' Jim & Judy in Tele-Land" which is made to order for the market. . . . Admired, respected and extremely well-liked by recording artists and Tin Pan Alley song salesmen for his many years of friendly help, Irving Faskow, in charge of CBS record library, will marry pretty Evelyn Nassberg June 19. ft ft ft Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey's TV'er "CBStage Show," substituting for "The Jackie Gleason Show" while the rotund comic takes a well-earned vacation, will feature Kate Smith as guestar on the March 12 telecast. Gleason will return for the March 26th program. . . . The sensational singing and dancing star of Ted Lewis' Night Club Revue, Nancy Wells, has been signed for the stellar role in the forthcoming telefilm series, "Campus Time," to be produced by Formont Productions. Nancy's artistry reminds us of Judy Garland. . . . Dick Hyman, pianist for Fred Robbins' DuMont quizzer, "Finders Keepers," has completed the score for a new musical comedy which has so enthused F. R. he's looking for Angels. . . . The seventh annual "Emmy" TV Awards which will be NBChannelled Monday, March 7, (11:30-1:00 A.M.) will originate at Frank Sennes' Moulin Rouge in Hollywood and be emceed by Steve Allen while Dave Garroway will handle similar chores when the proceedings require it, from Nino's Laure in New York. ^ ft -A ft "Omnibus" this CBSunday, will present the premiere of a new operetta based on Ernest Thayer's classic baseball poem, "Casey at the Bat," titled "Mighty Casey," composed by William Schuman, president of the Juilliard School of Music, with a libretto by Jeremy Gury. Featured will be Danny Scholl, Elise Rhodes and E. G. Marshall, while Samuel Krachmalnick (Carlo Menotti's "Saint of Bleeker St.") will conduct. . . . Trade is buzzing with the phenomenal mail draw (160,000 letters containing 35 cents each) of four one-minute film spots seen last month on the "20 Questions" ABClicker. . . . Marge Kerr, youthful radio & TV vet, has been named New York area sales rep for Guild Films by veep Manny Reiner. . . . Deejays have latched onto Jerry Martin's new Coral waxing of "What a Difference a Day Made," backed with "I'd Never Forgive Myself." Martin's golden pipes make him the season's "sleeper" in the national baritone sweepstakes derby. ... Ye scribbler is off on a two-week cruise to S. America and the West Indies and the next two columns will be by-lined by two dear friends, Dave Garroway and Rudy Vallee. So hasta la vista, amigos. UA Chaplin (Continued from page 1) available an inducement, should it choose to use it, such as the company employed in the past to attract manpower like Joseph M. Schenck, Samuel Goldwyn, David O. Selznick, Sir Alexander Korda and others to its fold. Negotiations for acquisition of the Chaplin shares were begun by Krim last year during a visit to Europe after Chaplin had left the United States and established residence in Switzerland. Little progress was made for several months thereafter, but in recent days the negotiations were renewed over trans-Atlantic telephone. The actual closing was effected in Switzerland late last week, with Arnold Picker, U. A. vice-president in charge of foreign distribution, acting for the company. The Benjamin-Krim management group on Feb. IS, 1951, acquired 8,000 shares, representing 50 per cent of U. A.'s outstanding stock at the time. The company was in distress, lackingproduct and having all the appearances of having gone down for the count. Benjamin, Krim and Matthew Fox received the stock with a provision for a 10-year voting control as a consideration for providing the company with management. They were to receive ownership of the shares upon putting the company's operations in the black within a specified period, which they succeeded in doing in their first year of operation. They made a token payment of $1 per share. A short time before, the late Max Kravetz, who served briefly as secretary of the company, claimed to have held an option to purchase 8,000 shares of U. A. stock for $5,400,000. Mary Pickford (Continued from page 1) veloped some of the great names in the industry, and we like to think of UA as an incubator. Many other major distributors are now emulating our formula for setting up independent production units." Miss Pickford maintained that no great organization dedicated to its own product can sell a picture on the same level as a company engaged exclusively in distribution. TO A Asks Members To Aid Toll-TV Fight Members of the Theatre Owners of America are urged to support the activities of the Joint Committee on Toll TV and the committee's solicitation for funds, according to the latest TOA bulletin. Following a resolution adopted at the TOA's mid-winter executive board meeting in Washington last month, the TOA bulletin lists seven suggestions which were made from the floor. They are : TOA to prepare a special bulletin immediately after the next meeting of the Toll TV committee, urging the entire membership to subscribe at once ; all members were to be on the alert for propaganda speeches in home towns with rebuttal material to be made available from the TOA headquarters ; preparation of kits for owners and managers as quickly as possible ; a clinic to train speakers in every area and development of an intelligent and hard-hitting group to work at the national legislative level.