Motion Picture Daily (Apr-June 1956)

6 Motion Picture Daily Olympic Coverage Dispute ( Continued Olympic committee chairman, following his flat refusal to consider a pool offer made by four domestic agencies which furnish news film to television stations. Blasted Plan in Melbourne At a committee meeting in Melbourne Hughes denounced the plan of the CBS, NBC, INS-Telenews and United Press-Movietone News for a pool system which would pay the actual expenses incurred by the film companies in obtaining Olympic game coverage. These agencies, in a statement released at the session rejected as being completely unacceptable an offer by the Olympic committee to contract for the coverage and then market the film on a world-wide basis. Hughes refused the American offer yesterday as he made his charge at the TV film agencies. The acceptance of the principals of free access to news coverage by the TV film cameras on the same basis on which newsmen and still photographers are permitted to cover the games was urged at the Melbourne meeting. Television services in Great Britain and the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. endorsed the U. S. stand and were opposed to exclusive coverage and the subsequent payment of royalties. 'Positively Hopeless' Ken G. Hall, managing editor of Australia's Cinesound, which has a contractual agreement with CBS for furnishing news film, advised the New York office after yesterday's meeting that the situation is "positively hopeless" and that "further meetings will produce nothing" to change the Australian point of view. Clarifying the opinion of the U. S. agencies involved, Frank Donghi of CBS, who supported the pool system, declared "we are willing to let the from page 1 ) whole thing drop if the committee fails to change its position. We have been fighting the Olympic problem for a number of years and we are not prepared to buy film rights on any basis— only on a pool system." As such, he said, domestic agencies would not tender bids for the film rights. An April 27 date had been scheduled by the Olympic committee for the tendering of bids for TV film rights. To date, the only firm interested in the project has been a London organization but it is doubtful they will meet the purchase price as estimated by the Olympic committee. No Buyers in Sight An agency spokesman declared the committee wants "a substantial amount of cash" for the rights but that no one will buy simply because of the principle involved. Theatre newsreel firms reported they were not interested in the Olympic coverage, much the same as when the Finland committee was marketing the film for the Helsinki games in 1952. At that time a $100,000 price tag was attached to the exclusive film which has never been shown in the U. S. or Canada. An Olympic committee spokesman here declared there were no buyers, TV or newsreel-wise, for the Helsinki games which resulted in a financial loss. Sochin Not Interested The newsreel point of view was clarified yesterday by Irving Sochin of Universal-International News who asserted "we aren't interested in the Australian games. We had no interest in 1952 because of the price tag and due to the coverage by the press and wire services. We have no advertisers paying for the film, our only income coming from the sale of newsreels to theatres. It's too expensive for newsreel firms." . . . NEWS ROUNDUP Todd-AO in Milwaukee The Strand Theatre in Milwaukee, operated by the Fox Wisconsin Amusement Corp., is being readied for installation of Todd-AO. According to Al Frank, general manager of Fox Wisconsin, they are shooting for a target date of May 4 to open wtih "Oklahoma!". ■ Theatre Fires Investigated Police are investigating two fires which broke out within an hour of each other recently at the RKO Orpheum Theatre in Des Moines. The audience, watching Walt Disney's "Song of The South," was unaware of the blazes. ■ Campaign Yield, $5,668 In the March of Dimes campaign, Jackson County, Missouri, dieatres raised $5,668. Arthur Cole, Paramount executive, was head of the theatre committee for the drive. 'Man of Africa' to Eden "Man of Africa," produced on the Dark Continent with an all-native cast by John Grierson, has been acquired for presentation in the Western Hemisphere by Eden Distributing Co., Inc., of New York, it is announced by Max J. Rosenberg, president. German Industry ( Continued from page 1 ) tive of the German industry now visiting Hollywood to study this subject, told the press today at the headquarters of the Association of Motion Picture Producers. Dr. Schelkopf said he has been surprised to discover that the American film industry still has not arrived at a final, definite policy with respect to TV. Although television has not yet become a serious deterrent to German theatre attendance, he said, there is no doubt in anybody's mind that its depressing influence will increase in pace with the increase in the number of set installations. The German industry does not follow the American Production Code, he said, but does have its own self-regulation system, which is different in some respects and in administration but does have a parallel objective. In citing the superiority of the American code the visitor said: "I was pleased to learn from Geoffrey Shurlock that the American Production Code successfully prevents the appearance of material in bad taste on the screen. Our selfregulatory svstem can prevent certain tilings, such as giving offense to religious bodies or imputing praise to militarism, but it does not prevent bad taste from reaching the screen. This is highly regrettable." Canteen Benefits ( Continued from page 1 ) in 1941 by His Eminence Francis Cardinal Spellman and since that time has been host, without charge, to more than 4,000,000 servicemen. Among those seen at last night's benefit were Perry Como, Eva, Zsa Zsa, Magda and Jolie Gabor, James A. Farley, Angier B. Duke, Thomas J. Curran, Mrs. Gertrude Vanderbilt, Ray Bolger, Nancy Berg, Barbara Britton, Lady Iris Mountbatten, Billy Rose, Monique Van Vooren, Ceil Chapman, Igor Cassini, Hope Hampton, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Folsom, Mr. and Mrs. Jay Gould, among many others. Bollenqier Named ( Continued from, page 1 ) 1955 he became associated with United Artists Corp. and was active in the re-organization of that company. He left United Artists and the motion picture industry in 1955 and joined the American Express Co. as assistant comptroller. Broidy to Outline ( Continued from page 1 ) product, with emphasis on the launching of "Crime in the Streets" and "The First Texan," scheduled for release in June and July, respectively. Martin S. Davis, Eastern advertising-publicity manager, will outline advertising, exploitation and publicity campaigns for "Crime in the Streets," "The First Texan" and other forthcoming Allied Artists product. AA's New York delegation is headed by Ed Morey, vice-president. Buffalo Erlanger ( Continued from page 1 ) arranged to lease the property and occupy it on July 1. The announcement was made by William R. Raikin, general counsel for the Foundation, a non-profit organization, and Peter G. Becker, son of Al Becker, veteran local projectionist and theatre supply man, who will manage the theatre and serve with a directorate of three, consisting of Raikin, Elmer F. Lux, chief barker CP Brian Is Earp; Helps Catch Robber HOLLYWOOD, April 4.-Actor Hug O'Brian, who portrays Marshal Wya Earp on the American Broadcastin, Co.'s television program, is very sen ous about his acting job and careerO'Brian helped thwart a bank robber at the Hollywood branch of the Ban! of America yesterday when he helpc, to capture the criminal while visitin. a friend at the bank. Mich. Allied ( Continued from page 1 ) similar to that existing for a long tin i in Europe and South America, Bergc said that he felt that solutions couh be worked out at across-the-table con1' ferences. Meanwhile, he urged Michi gan Allied to "pitch into the struggle to obtain top pictures that are nov allegedly denied to small town an< suburban houses. Berger said that the distributor never expected that divorcemen would become a reality. By the sam> token, he said, they will not be abl* to stem the tide of distributing product at "decent, not confiscatory prices," because it is the "will anc right of the public." Registration at the Tuller Hote was said to be record-breaking, witl' almost double the anticipated numbe' of delegates attending the luncheoi today. Social events consisted of i get-together at Variety Club Ten No. 5's headquarters and screening: of "Oklahoma!" and "Toy Tiger." TOA Asks SSBC ( Continued from page 1 ) Subcommittee on Retailing, Distribution and Fair Trade Practices of the Senate Select Committee on Smal Business conduct a poll of exhibitor^ in order to get their views on matter; now before your committee. We mak<^ the same request. "We have tried for several month; now to get our members to answer a questionnaire in the field. We sent ; questionnaire to each of our members and three follow-up letters, but onhj approximately 25 per cent have an] swered— not nearly enough to make £ useful analysis. We feel certain tha( your poll, because of the stature oi your committee, would have a mucl greater response." Blank, in mid-January, announced that TOA was sending out an industry questionnaire to 3,600 member; representing 9,000 theatres to surve\| them for viewpoints on pertinent exhibition problems. He said that £ compilation of the questionnaire would be used as the basis of TOA testimony before the SSBC. of the Variety Club of Buffalo, as the third director. An agreement for leasing and administration of the Erlanger was completed last week between Ike Gordon of Rochester, new owner of the propj erty, and Raikin. •