Motion Picture Daily (Apr-June 1956)

'ednesday, April 18, 1956 Motion Picture Daily 3 Defends Distributors Shupert Asks More Cooperation Between TV Packagers, Stations From THE DAILY Bureau CHICAGO, April 17.-George T. Shupert, president of ABC Film Syndication, in talking here today to members of TV, Inc., urged closer cooperation between the packager and die station operator. In cautioning station operators to stop criticizing all film distributors for the failure "of a few" to adhere to their rate cards, he declared, "I wish there were some way to police our industry so that price problems wouldn't arise, but there isn't. I do ask you to realize that in all the years since broadcasting began, broadcasters haven't been able to entirely eliminate such practices among themselves. Therefore, don't be too hard on your young industry." Shupert suggested that broadcasters make a greater effort to return prints promptly, in good condition. Shupert also expressed the hope that "some way could be found to enable syndicators to supply films to even the smallest markets at a price they can afford to pay." t-Wall Deals ij ( Continued from page 1 ) Jld Motion Picture Daily on narch 19 that four-wall deals would 4 made for initial engagements of iirhe Ten Commandments." Paramount, however, did not disclose the ature of the deals in the six cities ■sterday. J, The Paramount statement, issued f Charles Boasberg, supervisor of les for "Ten Commandments," said ie following theatres had been elected: the 1,671-seat Criterion in (ew York, the 1,855-seat RKO eith's Theatre, Washington, D. C, ,ie 1,350-seat Loew's Ohio, Cleve|ynd; the 1,350-seat Astor, Boston; „ie 1,612-seat Warner Beverly Thea„e, Beverly Hills, for November Jienings, and the 1,600-seat New fieatre, Baltimore, where it will Den in December. Those situations ;st suited for long runs received speal emphasis in the selection, it was ated. The schedule of openings is eing arranged so that DeMille and &rs of the film may attend. Two-a-Day Planned A Criterion executive stated that fen Commandments" will be shown 1 advanced admissions on a two-aiy policy. He added that although ,e admission policy has not been set ; yet, the range will be similar to iat charged for "Oklahoma!" and 'ieven Wonders of the World," both ro-a-day advanced admission enigements. He saw a top of about 5.50. The Criterion executive deined comment on the nature of the eatre's deal with Paramount. Boasberg, in his statement, said in der to complete the national disibution pattern, several other houses e under consideration for early >enings, and will be announced tortly. London and Canadian open[gs will be set within the next two [,eeks, Boasberg added. lamilton on 3-City stxir for DeMille si Maxwell Hamilton, executive assisJk to Cecil B. DeMille and co-ordijitor of plans for "The Ten Com( andments," will go to Washington ?'morrow to attend the D.A.R. conjntion and accept its 1955 Citation >r Paramount's "Strategic Air Command." Hamilton will then go to St. Louis here he will address the National ederation of Motion Picture Counls on Friday. Hamilton will go to Hollywood on iturday to confer with DeMille, Y. rank Freeman and Jerome Pickman. \wick, Upstate N. Y. lanager, Dies 1 ALBANY, April 17.-Funeral serves were held at his Broadalbin home r Cliff Swick, veteran theatre manner, who died in Amsterdam Hospi1 of a stroke. He was 56. Swick was readying the Vail Mills rive-in at Vail Mills, near Gloverslle, for another season of operation ' Harry Lamont, of Albany, when ricken. $3,360,000 Asked in 3 N.J. Trust Suits Three anti-trust suits seeking damages totalling $3,360,000 were filed in New York Federal Court yesterday by Harry Pimstein, attorney, for three New Jersey clients. Discrimination in favor of circuit theatres, price-fixing and refusal to negotiate in good faith for first and second runs are charged in the actions. The major distributors, plus Smith Management Corp., American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, Stanley Warner and other exhibition groups were named in the suits. The plaintiffs are Kearuth Theatre Corp., operating the Rivoli Theatre, Rutherford; Arlthe, Inc., operating the Lincoln in Arlington-Kearr.ey, and the S.M.P. Theatre Corp., which formerly operated the Cameo in Newark. Damages asked by each company are $1,620,000, $840,000 and $900,000, respectively. Col. to Celebrate 25 Years in Cuba Columbia Pictures will celebrate its 25th anniversary of doing business in Cuba on Friday with a "Picnic" party for exhibitors. The affair, taking its theme from Columbia's current release, will be held in a local suburb. Heading the Columbia delegation will be Jack Cohn, executive vice president of Columbia; Lacy W. Kastner, president of Columbia International; Sigwart Kusiel, vice president of Columbia International, and Lawrence Lipskin, public relations assistant to Kastner. Cole Named UM&M General Sales Mgr. Charles M. Amory, president of UM&M TV Corp., has announced die appointment of John J. Cole as general sales manager of the organization. Cole, who will operate out of UM&M's headquarters in New York City, was Western sales manager for Guild Films during the past year. Yugoslavians Prefer French-Made Films WASHINGTON, April 17. More U.S. films were shown in Yugoslavia during the first nine months of last year than those of any other country, but French films outdrew the U.S. offerings, Commerce Department film chief Nathan D. Golden reported. He said the U.S. contributed 189 films during the period, compared with 58 from Britain, 49 from France and 43 from Yugoslavia. However, he added, the average attendance for U. S. films was only 18,700 compared with 28,000 for the French features. Three Pictures in 'B' As Legion Reviews 13 Three films have been placed in Class B in the latest listing of the National Legion of Decency, which, in reviewing a total of 13 pictures, rated six as Class A, Section 2, and four as Class A, Section 1. The three productions in Class B are "The Birds and the Bees," "The Come On" and "A Kiss Before Dying." In Class A, Section 2, are "The Evil Forest," "The Gamma People," "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit," "Shadow of Fear," "Star in the Dust" and "The Way Out." The four films rated as Class A, Section 1, are '"Alexander the Great," "The Ballet of Romeo and Juliet," "Outside tlie Law" and "The Swan." New London Films Company Registered LONDON, April 17. Speculation has arisen here in regard to the announcement of the registration of a new company under the name of "London Films (Piccadilly) Ltd." and with a capital of £ 100. It is stated that the formation of the company was undertaken "purely as a precautionary measure following the death of Sir Alexander Korda." The late Sir Alexander was chairman of London Film Productions, Ltd. Report by Golden Swiss Imports Of U.S. Films Drop Slightly From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, April 17. -The proportion of Swiss film imports accounted for by U.S. films dropped slightly, from 40 per cent to 37 per cent, from 1954 to 1955, according to a report by the Commerce Department. Film chief Nadian D. Golden said that during 1954, the U.S. accounted for 185 of the 453 feature films shown in Switzerland, and in 1955 accounted for 194 out of 513. Last year, the French supplied 82, the Germans 94, the Italians 75, the British 33, and other countries the rest. Golden said the Swiss estimate that the U.S. occupies about 65 per cent of Swiss screen time. Fall River Re zoning Creates Controversy FALL RIVER, Mass., April 17.-A decision on the petition of Norman Zalkind, local exhibitor, and Hyman E. Lepes, real estate owner, to change the city's zoning law to permit construction of a drive-in and supermarket on vacant land is expected from the City Council this week. Both parties in their appeal told the council that only $200 annually is realized in taxes from the "dump site" while construction of a theatre and supermarket would increase the revenue to an estimated $10,000. Opposition to the move has been voiced to date by Yamins Enterprises which operates five drive-ins in the neighboring Fall River area. An attorney for the Yamins firm charged the section was originally zoned residential and there is no justification to reclassify it to commercial on the basis of the petition. PEOPLE P. J. Bucheri, manager, Hartford Theatre Circuit's Lyric, Hartford, has resigned to join Stanley Warner Management Corp. His replacement is Michael Carr, most recently with E. M. Loew's Theatres. n Frank Lowery, formerly with the Atlanta branch of Columbia Pictures as sales representative, has joined die Capital Releasing Corp. as its Florida sales representative. 0 Jack Renfro, owner of the Theatre Booking Service in Omaha, is recuperating at home following surgery.