Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1955)

6 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, May 11, 1955 National Pre-Selling AMES A. LINEN, publisher of "Time" magazine, reports in his weekly letter to his readers that the review of "Heartbreak Ridge," Tudor Pictures, appearing in the current issue, "is one that could have been written only by someone who had been in Korea." The review was written by Peter Braestrup, second lieutenant, U.S.M.C.R., a contributing editor of "Time." He was critically wounded in Korea by a Chinese grenade while leading his men. "Heartbreak Ridge" is having its premiere at New York's Paris theatre. The entire Braestrup review is reproduced in ads which appear in the weekday and Sunday editions of the New York "Times," advertising the premiere at the Paris. • Marlon Brando is on the color front cover of "Redbook's" May issue. He is the first man to appear on a Redbook cover. In the same issue is a very interesting profile of Brando written by Merle Miller. It is illustrated by a full page color photo and many black and white shots. Brando's next film is Samuel Goldwyn's "Guys and Dolls." • Among the pictures recommended in the May issue of "Women's Home Companion" are "The End of the Affair," "Blackboard Jungle" and "Day of Triumph." • "Daddy Long Legs" is reviewed in the current issue of "Look." Photos taken during a Fred Astaire-Leslie Caron dance number appearing on a two page spread are used to illustrate the review. The reviewer reports "this picture is a warm story performed by ingratiating people." Leslie Caron says, "For once, I play someone for whom everything smiles." • A striking full color page ad on MGM's "The Prodigal" appeared in the May 8 issue of "American Weekly." • An eye-catching two-page editorial spread printed on a black background spotlighting Marlon Brando appears in the May issue of "Seventeen." Character study photos taken during the time Brando made his first seven pictures constitute the pictorial part of the spread. However, a large portion of the text is devoted to Samuel Goldwyn's "Guys and Dolls," now in production. By WALTER HAAS ustice Dep't on EFFG (Continued from page 1) financing additional production in an effort to relieve the product shortage. EFFG representatives called upon Justice Department officials in Washington as long ago as last February in an effort to ascertain the Department's attitude on the proposed participation of the divorced circuit companies in the production financing venture. At the time, Justice indicated it would study the EFFG plan and give some indication of its attitude prior to the already scheduled May 15 meeting. There have been several conferences subsequently between EFFG representatives and Justice officials during which the views of the latter were expressed. EFFG now discloses that Justice has declined either to put its views on the subject in writing or to give either a flat approval or disapproval orally. The effect appears to be that divorced circuits' participation in EFFG would be at their own risk insofar as any possible legal complications were con cerned. The situation is regarded as a serious blow to EFFG hopes and plans because the circuits, naturally, were viewed as a substantial investment source, capable of getting the organization off the ground with a minimum of delay. Whether investments by the divorced circuits will be made regardless of the absence of Justice Department clearance is not known but the development represents a serious setback in EFFG's time schedule, regardless. It had been hoped that directors and officers could be elected and production plans formulated at the May 15 meeting. EFFG has Securities & Exchange Commission authorization to issue stock and many independent exhibitors and circuits throughout the country have indicated their desire to subscribe. Sam Pinanski, head of American Theatres, Boston ; E. D. Martin, TOA president, and Mitchell Wolfson, Miami, have been instrumental in the planning and organization. Pine-Thomas (Continued from page 1) will be maintained by the new corporation, of which Thomas is president and Shane, who has had a continuing association with Pine-Thomas, is vicepresident. Thomas and Shane are partners in the independent producing company and Pine's heirs are retaining the late producer's interest in the corporation. Pine died on April 29 at the age of 59. The United Artists agreement with P.T.S. calls for a maximum of three top budget Pine-Thomas productions to be made this year under a flexible production program. The first two Pine-Thomas films for United Artists release will be "Lincoln McKeever," the Literary Guild novel by Eleazar Lipsky which is now being written for the screen by Lewis Meltzer, and "Mountains Have No Shadows," based on the novel by Owen Cameron, which will be the second production. Record UA Billings (Continued from page 1) Senate Committee (Continued from page 1) below even the current year appropiration of $3,087,000 for this service. Restoration of the film money, he told a sub-committee headed by Sen. Kilgore (D., W. Va.), would enable the agency to produce special documentary films, replace worn-out equipment and make additional film translations badly needed in key areas. YOU ARE INVITED . . . CaMern Premiere £kwin$ Thursday, May 12th, 1 to 5 P.M.. and All Day Friday The TEL-ANIMAST AND— Animation Stand— $1995 The TEL-ANIMAPRINT— Hot Press Title Machine— $395 The designers will demonstrate this first low cost Professional Animation Stand with a specially engineered Hot Press. Come and see how stop motion and titling have been simplified. S.O.S. CINEMA SUPPLY CORP. 602 W. 52nd St., N. Y. C. (West of 11th Avenue) exchanges are managed respectively by Joseph Sugar, Dave Rosenthal and Irving Mendelson. The sales effort embracing 32 branches in the United States and Canada is underscored by the fact that the final week's billings of $1,900,000 marked the greatest seven-day total in United Artists' 36-year history, Kranze said. This domestic figure exceeds the biggest world-wide receipts ever recorded by the company for a similar period, he added. The average weekly billings during the Benjamin drive, Kranze disclosed, were $687,500, representing an aggregate of more than $17,876,000 for the 26-week sales push. Eastern-Southern First First place in the competition among UA's ^ divisions went to Milton E. Cohen's Eastern and Southern division. Fred Meyers' New York-Metropolitan group took top honors in the district standings, with John Turner's Eastern district winning second-place money. Also participating in the division of the $50,000 cash awards are the runners-up among the 32 branches that competed in three groups of equal grossing potential. Trailing New York in the first group was Sidney Cooper's Washington branch, with Richard Carnegie's Los Angeles exchange taking third place. Second place winner after Cleveland in the second group was the Buffalo branch led by Stanley Kositsky, while Harold Keeter's Charlotte exchange earned the third-spot prize. Runnerup to New Haven in the third group was James Hendel's Pittsburgh office, followed by the Milwaukee exchange under Joe Imhof. Whorf Joins WB The signing of Richard Whorf to a long-term contract as a producer for Warner Bros, studios was announced this week. Whorf reports to the Burbank studios immediately to start studying properties for his first Warner Bros, picture. Paramount (Continued from page 1) on Monday at the studio and continue all week. Attending from the home office, in addition to Weltner, will be Jerry Pickman, vice-president in charge of advertising-publicity; E. K. (Ted) O'Shea, vice-president in charge of Eastern U. S. distribution ; Hugh Owen, vice-president in charge of Western U. S. distribution, and Robert J. Rubin, administrative executive ; and the following division managers : Gordon Bradley (Southern), H. Neal East (Western), A. M. Kane (South Central), Howard G. Minsky (MidEast), John G. Moore (Eastern) Bryan D. Stoner (Central) and Gordon Lightstone (Canada). Sidney Deneau, assistant to O'Shea, and Al Fitter, assistant to Owen, also will attend from the home office. Pickman will preside at sessions devoted to discussions of advertising, publicity and exploitation, with Sid Blumenstock, assistant national director of these three facets, assisting. Pictures on which sales and merchandising plans will be set include : "The Seven Little Foys," "My Three Angels," "Ulysses," Alfred Hitchcock's "To Catch A Thief," Frederick Brisson's "The Girl Rush" and "You're Never Too Young." Jack Diamond Heads 'U' Studio Publicity HOLLYWOOD, May 10. — Jack Diamond, who served as assistant to the late Sam Israel, today was named to succeed him as studio publicity director of Universal-International. The appointment was announced by David A. Lipton, vice-president, in keeping with the studio's policy on promotion within the ranks, he said. Israel died of a heart attack on April 21. Diamond joined Universal-International in 1949 after a long career in journalism and film and entertainment publicity. He was a reporter and feature writer for the Chicago "Daily News" and the United Press prior to his entrance in public relations. Diamond came to Hollywood from New York in 1943 and worked for six years in the Warner Brothers publicity department. FLY B0 A ARISTOCRAT OF THE AIR Direct New York • London BRITISH OVERSEAS AIRWAYS CORPORATION Reservations through your travel agent or call B.O.A.C. at 342 Madison Ave., New York 17. N. Y., tel. MU 7-8900