Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, March 8, 1955 Personal Mention FM. BLAKE, Universal Pictures • Western sales manager, will return to New York today from Minneapolis. • Charles Einfeld, 20th CenturyFox vice-president, became a grandfather again on Sunday with the birth of a second child to Mrs. Richard Einfeld in Los Angeles Hospital. 0 F. J. A. McCarthy, Universal Pictures' Southern and Canadian sales manager, will leave New York today for Cincinnati. • Nat Levy, RKO Radio EasternSouthern division sales manager, left here yesterday for Atlanta and New Orleans. • Harry Feinstein, New England zone manager for Stanley Warner Theatres, will leave New Haven with his family next week for Florida. 0 Hal Hackett, president of Official Films, is scheduled to arrive in New York tomorrow from Nassau, B.W.I., via B.O.A.C. 0 Howard Dietz, M-G-M vice-president, returned to New York yesterday from the Coast. 0 Sid Rogell, production head of TCF Television Productions, left New York last night for the Coast. 0 Leonard Berch, branch manager of United World Films in Atlanta, has returned there from Tennessee. 0 Joe Rivkin, Allied Artists executive, has arrived in Atlanta from Hollywood. 0 Ted Toddy, owner of Toddy Pictures, Atlanta, has returned there with Mrs. Toddy from Florida. 0 Ralph Winters, film editor, arrived here yesterday from Hollywood. SEC Reports Film Stock Tradings WASHINGTON, March 7. — A. Montague sold 1,300 shares of Columbia Pictures common during January and A. Schneider sold 1,000 shares, according to the latest Securities and Exchange Commission report on trading in film company stocks by officers and directors. Montague's holdings were dropped to 13,661 shares and Schneider's to 18,569 shares. Harold E. Newcomb reported buying 100 shares of RKO Theatres Corp. common, bringing his total to 1,100 shares. Owen D. Young sold 474 shares of American BroadcastingParamount Theatres common, dropping his holdings to 1,500 shares. Sam Wolf sold 1,100 shares of Allied Artists Pictures common, leaving himself with 150 shares, while Edward Morey bought 200 shares of preferred, his entire holding. 'Times' Editorial Praises 'Children' "Assignment : Children," Danny Kaye's United Nations film which Paramount is releasing, was commented on in an editorial in The New York "Times" yesterday. "The international effort behind Paramount's achievement deserves everyone's gratitude," according to the "Times" editorial. The editorial in part follows : "The story of UNICEF— the United Nations Children's Fund — is the story of the U.N.'s best-known, best-loved social agency, helping to health millions of hungry and underprivileged youngsters of eighty-eight countries and territories. Yet despite the great, long-term humanitarian work being achieved, always on minuscule budgets, UNICEF must perennially 'present' its story to the more fortunate nations for continued support; when this lags, as is happening now, UNICEF's programs throughout the world are imperiled. "Now UNICEF has received a powerful assist in getting its story told. Paramount Pictures has brought back from Asia a beautifully executed short documentary on the combined work of UNICEF and the World Health Organization which may well be a trial blazer." The "Times" also yesterday selected "Gate of Hell" as a subject for editorial comment, pointing out that it was an excellent example of Japan's comeback in the post-war world. Radio, TV Coverage For 'Eden' Premiere Extensive radio and television coverage has been planned by Warner Brothers for the world premiere tomorrow night of "East of Eden," Elia Kazan's CinemaScope production of the John Steinbeck novel. Four networks and six different programs will report details of the premiere both from the Astor Theatre, where the film will make its bow, and from the Sheraton Astor Roof, where an after-theatre supper will be held. A live telecast of the opening will be seen on WPIX from 8:30 to 9 P.M. Presided over by Martin Block, it will feature on-the-spot interviews with prominent persons inside and outside the theatre. Proceeds of the opening will be donated to the Actors Studio. The regular engagement of the picture will begin on Thursday. Wis, Allied Adopts Convention Slogan MILWAUKEE, March 7. — The theme adopted for this year's Wisconsin Allied's annual spring convention, March 28-30, is "Let's Look Alive in '55." It will be the start^ of a campaign among Wisconsin exhibitors to bring about a more vigorous "back to the theatre movement." The convention and campaign will not only stress aggressive showmanship but will also put emphasis on ways and means for improvements in the physical properties of the theatre. 500 Slated to Attend Dallas Workshop Special to THE DAILY DALLAS, March 7. — More than 500 theatremen from the Texas area are expected to attend M-G-M's Ticket Selling, Workshop to be held here on Wednesday, at the Adolphus Hotel, according to the number of acceptances now on hand at branch manager Leroy Bickel's office. Coca-Cola will be luncheon host for the meeting. The local gathering of exhibitors to hear M-G-M's ideas and promotion plans by Emery Austin, exploitation head, and six other panelists will have one of the most diversified programs offered, according to Mike Simons, customer relations director. Six Speakers Scheduled Panel members will include Ervin J. Clumb, managing director for Standard Theatres' Riverside Theatre at Milwaukee, who will make his fourth appearance at a Workshop. Andrew W. Sullivan, Jr., city manager for Dixie Drive-In Theatres, Savannah, Ga., will be the drive-in speaker ; L. J. Williams, Union, Mo., exhibitor, will be the small-town theatre panelist. This also will mark his fourth appearance. Lou Brown, publicity and advertising director for LoewPoli New England Theatres with headquarters at New Haven, will make his second appearance at Dallas. Another New Englander will be Joseph Jarvis, owner and operator of the Gilbert Stuart Theatre at Riverside, R. I. Completing the Dallas agenda will be Joseph Bugala, director of advertising and publicity for the Manos Theatre Enterprises at Greensburgh, Pa. Funeral Rites Today For Wm. DeMille HOLLYWOOD, March 7.— Funeral services will be held here tomorrow for William C. DeMille who died Saturday after a long illness. DeMille, brother of Cecil B. DeMille, had been in the film industry from 1914 until the early 1940's when he became a professor of drama at the University of Southern California. He was the author of numerous stage plays and a director for major studios. Sherwood to Europe For 'War and Peace' Robert E. Sherwood is leaving for Yugoslavia tomorrow in connection with his work on the script for "War and Peace" for the Michael Todd Co. Fred Zinnemann. the director of "War and Peace," cannot leave for Yugoslavia until the exhibition date, sometime in May, of his current production, "Oklahoma." Sherwood will make another trip with Zinnemann to Yugoslavia. 'Paris' Benefit The American premiere of Alec Guiness' first Technicolor comedy "To Paris With Love" on March 28, at the Fine Arts Theatre here will be a benefit for the Union Settlement, it was announced by Frank Kassler, president of Continental Distributing, Inc. Expect 450 Drive-In Exhibitors at Dallas Convention Today Special to THE DAILY DALLAS, March 7.— More than 450 drive-in theatre owners and managers are expected to register for the third annual convention of the Texas Drive-In Theatre Owners Association beginning Tuesday afternoon. Registrations have been coming in from all sections of the four state area of the southwest, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas, the association announced. The program has been designed to cover practical subjects of interest and value to drive-in owners and managers, it was said. Spyros Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox, will head the three-day program. Toll TV on Agenda The subject of toll TV will be discussed by Carl D. Levy. William Price, Jr., executive director of the Texas Restaurant Association, will present ideas on modern concession operation. Recent advances in projection and sound for drive-in theatres will be discussed by Herbert Barnett. George Heller, president, Drive-Iri Theatre Manufacturing Co. will speak on wide screens. Film clinics will be held as well as a session for drive-in managers. Banquets and cocktail parties will round out the special program for the convention. Wentworth Named Kodak Media Buyer ROCHESTER, March 7.— Paul R. (Pete) Wentworth has been appointed media buyer for Eastman Kodak Co., it was announced by W. B. Potter, director of advertising. In making the announcement, Potter said Wentworth would be in charge of market and media selection for Kodak advertising in trade papers, newspapers, general magazines and television. Wentworth joined Kodak in 1946. Col. Acquires New Home Office Bldg. Columbia Pictures, after negotiations of more than a year, has acquired ownership of the leasehold on the 15story building at 711 Fifth Ave. here. After alterations estimated to cost $3,000,000, Columbia will occupy the building. The law firm of Schwartz & Frohlich represented Columbia in the negotiations. NEW YORK THEATRES .RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL Rockefeller Center HIT THE DECK" in CinemaScope and Color starring Jane Tony Debbie Walter POWELL MARTIN REYNOLDS PIDGEON Vic Gene Ann Russ DAMONE RAYMOND MILLER TAMBLYN An M-G-M Picture and SPECTACULAR STAGE PRESENTATION MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor. Published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc.. 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, N. Y. Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address: "Quigpubco, New York." Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo. J. 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