Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1955)

VOL. 78. NO. 76 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U.S.A., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1955 TEN CENTS Co. Presidents Need Stressed For A Global Permit Plan MP A Board to Meet Again Here on Italy By MURRAY HOROWITZ The urgency of developing a global formula for the division of foreign permits among American film companies was stressed here at yesterday's meeting of the Motion Picture ^Association of America's board of diI rectors. The board was said to have expressed its sense of urgency following its decision to postpone the Italian permit issue until some time next ■week when the board, which is composed of film company presidents, .vill convene again. The delay was attributed to the absence of Milton R. Rackmil, president, and Alfred E. Daff, executive vice-president of Universal, one of ( Continued on page 5 ) UNESCO Planning International Film Center for Children Plans for the establishment of an International Center of Films for Children, scheduled for operation by 1957, will be reviewed in Paris in December, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization j UNESCO ) announced. The projected center is an outgrowth of a meeting of representaives of the film industry and of vari)us organizations concerned with ( Continued on page 5 ) Albert Kane Named UA Manager in D.C. Albert M. Kane has been appointed Washington branch manager for Jnited Artists, replacing Sidney Hooper, who has been elevated to the jost of Central district manager, it vas announced by B. G. Kranze, genial sales manager of UA. Kane, who has held a variety of (Continued on page 5) Favors Continued TOA-AHied Cooperation Marcus Doubts Federal Legislation Best Solution to Current Problems Special to THE DAILY MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 18.— Ben Marcus, of Milwaukee, former president of Allied States Association, expressed doubts today that Federal legislation offers the best solution to problems currently plaguing motion picture exhibitors. Marcus, a guest at Columbia's reception for screen star Betty Garrett, commented on TOA's uncompromising opposition to Federal legislation, declaring: "The T O A leaders have a perfect right to their opinion and who can tell who is right? I am not at all sure that Federal legislation is the answer and I believe that it should be avoided if at all possible." The former Allied president said that he doubted that there is any possibility of a merger between Allied and TOA "in the near future," but expressed die belief that the two exhibitor organizations should continue to work together to achieve common ( Continued on page 5 ) Ben Marcus Foreign Production Expensive: Reynolds Production in Europe of films for television and theatrical presentation is a more expensive venture for U.S. producers than is generally thought due to the import restrictions on film and equipment, according to Sheldon Reynolds, producer of "Foreign Intrigue," which United Artists expects to release next April. Reynolds, who used some 4,000,000 feet of film in making 156 half-hour television films for his "Foreign Intrigue" series and 39 (Continued on page 4) Sheldon Reynolds IFE to Release 8-12 Films By Aug.; Reiner Sales Chief By LESTER DINOFF Appointment of Manny Reiner, former vice-president of sales for Guild Films, as general sales manager of I.F.E. Releasing Corp. was announced here yesterday by Seymour Poe, executive vice-president, who also revealed that the company will Joseph Gould as an administrator of the company. Poe disclosed that the company is currently negotiating with French producers for the U.S. distribution rights of certain French product. He said that I.F.E. Releasing will distribute international product as the company is looking at some American product also. Poe, in stating that all Italian films except co-productions are offered to I.F.E. for distribution in this market, said that the recently acquired J. Arthur Rank production of "Lease of (Continued on page 5) Manny Reiner also disclosed the release eight to 12 films by August, 19 5 6, three of the films by January. Reiner will assume his new post i m m e d i a tely, succeeding the recently resigned Bernard Jacon, Poe said. The I. F. E. official appointment of Defense Starts 5-Year Surge Of TV Is Cited At 16mm. Trial Availability of Films for Video Up 200%: Beggs By WILLIAM R. WEAVER LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18.-The top price which a producer could get from television for a feature picture in 1949 was S7,000; today he can get 550,000 for an equivalent picture. Advertisers using television budgeted less than one per cent of total advertising appropriation to video io 1949: by 1954 television was averaging ten per cent of every advertising dollar. These statistics were among scores presented in evidence today by defense witness Alexander Kenneth Beggs, testifying in the trial of the government's 16mm suit charging that five major film companies conspired to restrict exhibition of their pictures (Continued on page 4) Report TOA 'Feelers' To Brewer and Jacon For Executive Post Theatre Owners of America, which is seeking "a competent industrvexperienced executive to act as liaison between TOA and distribution," was reported here yesterdav as having made overtures concerning the position to Rov Brewer of Allied Artists and Bernard Jacon, former vice-president of IFE Releasing Corp. The TOA board of directors was (Continued on page 5) UTO of Okla. Asks Allied Affiliation From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 18. The newly-formed United Theatre Owners of Oklahoma has applied for membership in the Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors, according to Abram F. Myers, Allied's general counsel. UTOO has been issued an invita( Continued on page 5)