Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1955)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, December 13, /■ NEWS ROUNDUP REVIEW: Mill • • • Conn. Grind Policy Dropped The Arch St. Theatre, New Britain, Conn., deluxe subsequent-run house recently leased by Perakos Theatres Associates, New Britain, Conn., from Glackin-LeWitt interests of that city, has dropped continuous performances on weekdays, with one complete show matinees and one complete performance evenings, Mondays through Fridays. The house is continuing fulltime schedule on Saturdays and Sundays. ■ Cleveland Unit Meets Jan. 10 The Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors Association has set Jan. 10 as the date for its annual general meeting to elect officers. President of the association for the past two years has been Henry Greenberger of the Community Circuit. Ohio Trial Is Postponed Trial in Portsmouth, O., of the suit filed by several Southern Ohio exhibitors against the Huntington-Cincinnati Trucking Co. has been postponed because of the illness of the defendant's attorney. The exhibitors are seeking recovery of alleged overcharges and treble damages. New Haven Marquee Wrecked The marquee of the Crown Theatre, New Haven independent, was damaged beyond repair when a large truck sideswiped it in avoiding another vehicle. Leonard Sampson, Crown manager, estimated the damage at $8,000. It is covered by insurance. Color for Mexican Shorts Color for Mexican short subjects is being perfected so fast that by mid1956 not one will be made in black and white, it was forecast by Manuel Barbachano Ponce, Mexico City producer of shorts and documentals. He is confident that Mexico color will match Hollywood standards. K. C. Looby an Art Gallery To stimulate interest in all the fine arts, the Vogue, Kansas City art theatre, has set up an art exhibit in the lobby. The display, which is changed monthly, is called the Little Gallery. WOMPI Host to Orphans Children from 10 orphanages arc invited to participate in the third annual Christmas party staged by the Women of the Motion Picture In Sudden Danger Allied Artists Hollywood, Dec. 12 Bill Elliott, playing a police detective this time, is the top name in this tangled tale of murder for money, and his public is sure to like his well timed, tight-lipped performance. Tom Drake, Beverly Garland, Dayton Lummis, Helene Stanton and Lucien Littlefield supply steady supporting performances and the plot has some complications and convolutions that are out of the ordinary. By and large, the billing-power is a fair measurement of the entertainment value of the attraction. In the script by Daniel B. and Elwood Ullman, from a story by the former, Elliott, police lieutenant who disbelieves the seemingly obvious indication that a business woman, mother of a blind man played by Drake, has committed suicide, persists in his investigation until, following a second murder, he determines who the murderer is and brings him into custody after the usual pistol battle preliminary to capture. The secret of the identity of the killer is well kept until close to closing. The picture was produced by Ben Schwalb, and direction is credited to Hubert Cornfield. Running time, 65 minutes. General classification. For December release. WILLIAM R. WEAVER Tells of Salesmen's Place in Industry Special to THE DAILY ATLANTA, Dec. 12.-Film. salesmen are willing to "carry the torch to light the darkened houses throughout the nation," David Bartell, general counsel for the Colosseum of Motion Picture Salesmen, said in an address to the Atlanta loge today, adding that the increased profit to the distributor would more than pay for the additional salesmen it would take to carry out this program effectively. Bartell said that the film salesmen are most anxious to participate in a program of maintaining a prosperous and hsalthy industry by diligently serving the exhibitors within the framework of company policy. Prosperity, Bartell said, is of mutual concern, and the several facets of the business are dependent upon each other for success. Recalling that the Colosseum was formed in Atlanta on May 6, 1944, at a meeting at the Henry Grady Hotel, Bartell said that the organization had proved its importance and is a "valuable, vibrant, and vital force in the growth and stability of the dynamic motion picture industry." dustry, New Orleans, at the Imperial Theatre on Dec. 17 starting at 9:30 A.M. For the third consecutive year the Brunet's, Mrs. Rene, Sr. and Bene, Jr. are donating the theatre, and its facilities. Symphony in Film Theatre Through the cooperation of Sid Kleper, manager of the College Theatre, one of Loew-Poli's New Haven, Conn., houses, the Johnson Junior Symphony Orchestra will use the stage of that theatre for its weekly, Saturday morning rehearsals. Cameo, Balto., Set For German Films The Cameo Theatre in Baltimore has signed with Casino Film Exchange of New York for a full year's supply of German product, it was announced here yesterday by Munio Podhorzer, president of the Casino organization. Addition of the Casino brings to 16 the number of American houses now playing German language pictures, Podhorzer stated, adding that he expects to sign other situations next year in cities such as St. Louis and Cincinnati which have large German language groups. Prodhorzer, at the same time, announced the conclusion of a series of discussions with German film industry leaders, aimed at intensification of efforts to widen the circulation of German pictures in the American market. Production Level Remains at 30 HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 12. Five pictures were started and five others completed last week, maintaining the shooting level at 30. Started : "Oklahoma Woman," (American Releasing); "Werewolf," (Columbia); "Hit and Run," Hugo Haas, (Ind.); "Lisbon," (Republic), and "Man in the Gray Flannel Suit," (20th-Fox). Completed: "Mother-Sir," (Allied Artists); "Solid Gold Cadillac," (Columbia); "Weapon," Hal E. Chester, (Ind.); "Lust for Life," (MGM), and "Emergency Hospital," (Bel-Air). % Projectionist Dies BOSTON, Dec. 12.-Joseph Cohan, 56, projectionist at the Casino Theatre here, died suddenly. He had been a member of Local No. 182, IATSE, since 1938. In the THEATRE] equipment! and Refreshment WORLD . . J . . . with RAY GALLO ANEW design in its aluminv railings for theatres is si nounced by Lawrence Metal Pre' ucts, Inc., Lynbrook, N. Y. They i anodized (alumilited) railings tl have been prefabricated for easy . stallation on the spot by regular ma tenance men. For both interior a exterior locations, the units are sa to be both weather-proof and ru. proof. It is stated further they i quire no more than a slightly dan cloth "to keep them looking fre and clean." Two new "five-cent" candy ba have been marketed by the Hobi Candy Corporation, Ashley, 111. Til "Coco-Bela" has a center of dais butter caramel with coconut and fres roasted peanuts, covered with ric milk coating. The "Chocolate Malted has a center of chocolate malted mill nougats and peanuts, topped with layer of caramel and covered with rich milk coating. Both are packed and 120's. W Bl it I. Best Devices Company, Inc., Cleve land, has a new torison countd balancer designed to permit "quiet non-jarring closing of projection rooi\ door shutters." Units are available fit the makes and sizes of all existing shutters, it is declared. The balance; consists of a shaft that rotates oti bearings formed by two end mounting brackets, a torison spring and ci arbor that winds or unwinds a cable that fastens to the shutter door. New sponge rubber carpet lining with a special fiber topping for "anti-i jj friction" has been developed by Hewitt-Robins, Inc., Stamford, Conn. Called "Tex-Top," the lining comes in gauges of 3/16 and 1/4 inches; widths of 36 and 53 inches; and lengths of 20 yards. For sale at an "economy price," the new product complements the company's first-line carpet underlay called "Kik-Kwik." The "anti-friction" top of the latter is made possible By a new method of rubber compounding. , August F. Schoenfeld, Jr. has joined the Ampex Corporation, Red ***wood City, Calif., manufacturer of ] theatre sound equipment and magnetic tape recorders, as field service engineer, for] Ampex's Instrumentation Division in the New York and Washington districts. m