Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1956)

1 19 [onday, July 9, 1956 oad Motion Picture Daily *CA Six-Month Report ihows 248 Films OK'd aid From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, July 8-A promise \ f»r a healthy increase in annual total ollywood production is seen in the «? -port for the first half of 1956 by the d I roduction Code Administration, 16 Mi lowing 165 feature pictures approved mKy PCA during that period. In the same period PCA approved 3 short subjects, which compares * C ith 73 for the same time last year, ton e be PEOPLE Sydney Gross has joined Times ilm Corp., as director of advertising, ablicity and promotion, it has been isclosed by Jean Goldwurm, presiCi ant. Gross has resigned as public reo itions director of American Techion Society to accept his new post ith Times. □ John J. Conway has been named ew York City sales manager for Naonal Ticket Co., Shamokin, Pa. □ Gary Davis, of the booking departlent in the Cleveland branch of 20th entury-Fox, has been promoted to le sales staff, succeeding to the tertory formerly covered by the late Canning J. Glick. .it it □ Martin F. Bennett has been elected ice-president, merchandising, Radio orp. of America. He has been servig as director of regional operations >r RCA since October, 1954. ouse Delays Action on len. Aniline Stock Sale WASHINGTON, July 8-A House ommerce Subcommittee has decided gainst action this year on any legisition that would permit the governlent to dispose of its General Aniline nd Film Corp. stock. The stock was vested by the government during World War Two, and arious proposals have been pending i congress to permit its sale. Sub3mmittee Chairman Klein (D., N.Y.) eclared, however, that the subcommittee felt the entire subject of the :turn of vested assets was too compliated for congressional action so late l the session. Instead, he said, the ibcommittee will hold hearings after ongress quits, hoping to have a bill 3ady for presentation to the new ongress in January. Calls Media Complementary Mutual Quality Gain for TV And Films Seen by Barry M-G-M's decision to become an important factor in tv will mean a greater concentration on quality for the motion picture industry. Charles C. Barry, Newly-named vice-president in charge of tv for Loew's Inc., parent Charles Barry company o f M-G-M Pictures, says that M-G-M's tv aspirations "will insure a continuing supply of better-quality films for theatrical exhibition." "T e 1 e v i sion certainly isn't going to put the movie theater out of business; as a matter of fact, it will provide the most ambitious program of acting, writing and directing development the entertainment world has ever witnessed. This concentration will eventually bring forth an unprecedented stream of motion pictures, the like of which haven't been witnessed by theatregoers in several generations." Three-Fold Activity Initial plans call for activity in three directions. As a starter, 770 M-G-M features and 900 short subjects of pre1949 vintage will be released to individual television stations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Previously, there had been negotiations for the sale of this library to tv film distributors, but Loew's now intends to distribute the films through its own tv organization. Many classics are stored in the M-G-M vaults, but tv will not get the most fabulous production of all, "Gone With the Wind." This will continue to be held for theatre presentation. ("GWTW" has grossed over $50 million since release in 1939.). Loew's television future also entails entry into tv program production in the 1957-58 season. Television Being Considered The third field being eyed is that of tv station partnership. Barry, a native of Boston, is married to the former Miss Florence Morris of Hartford. He held various executive posts in the radio, television and talent management fields prior to joining Metro this past spring. He points to overnight star status of such performers as Rod Steiger as indicative of the rapidly-moving developments in television. "Nowhere in the past have we seen a medium such as television able to produce actors against a tremendous Audience Awards COMPOGroup To Meet Soon On Poll Plans ly flexible casting background," said Barry, and added: "This pattern can't help but extend itself into motion picture production itself. Television is giving these newcomers in particular a practical workshop of experience and when they've been groomed to perfection, they'll be ready for the big test, that of feature motion picture roles. Points to Talent from TV "Heretofore, the movie studios have had to rely on the stage, little theaters and the like for talent development. And even when we've been able to find that rarity, an exciting new personality, we've been faced with the herculean task of developing them beyond the relative confines of a stage play and projecting them into fullscreen. Television is shortening the sized images for the motion picture process, and giving us more experienced performers in the process." Barry feels that television complements the motion picture on a scale comparable to radio-news reports whetting the listener's appetite for the full, comprehensive coverage in a newspaper story. In this connection, Barry observed: "I look upon all media of communication as records of living history. The depth of coverage is dependent upon the talent in the particular medium. It's not so important to say what medium handled a story as to tell what element provided the best report." * Trapeze9 Setting Records In Bookings in Texas DALLAS, July 8-Hecht and Lancaster's CinemaScope production of "Trapeze" was reported here by Robert J. O'Donnell, general manager of the Interstate Circuit, as being "undoubtedly the biggest grosser of 1956" following bookings in Dallas, San Antonio, Fort Worth and other Texas cities. O'Donnell reported the film at the Majestic Theatre here grossed over $9,500 and over $10,000 in the first two days at the Majestic in San Antonio. A take of over $7,000 was reported by O'Donnell for the Worth, Ft. Worth and "business in towns like Wichita Falls, Amarillo, Waco and El Paso has been comparable or even better." The Council of Motion Picture Organization's Audience Awards Committee will meet "very shortly" to make plans for the second annual national audience awards poll, to consider suggested changes in conducting the voting, and to select a national campaign chairman. The COMPO Audience Award Poll, inaugurated in 1955, chooses the best picture of the year, the best male and female performers, and the most promising male and female newcomers in motion pictures. Finances Forthcoming The poll was assured of a 1956 campaign last week when member companies of the Motion Picture Association of America favorably ruled on a COMPO request for financial assistance. The MPAA member companies renewed their agreement to match exhibitors' dues payments to COMPO up to a maximum of $100,000 for another year. Exhibitors throughout the nation, it is expected, will be asked to contribute to the campaign on the same scale as last year. The COMPO dues scale is: Four Wall Theatres-up to 500 seats, $7.50 per year; up to 750 seats, $11.25 per year; up to 1,000 seats, $18.75 per year; up to 2,500 seats, $37.50 per year; over 2,500 seats, $75.00 per year; Drive-in Theatres-up to 300 car capacity, $7.50 per year; up to 500 car capacity, $11.25 per year; up to 600 car capacity, $18.75 per year; over 600 car capacity, $37.50 per year. Nine on Committee The COMPO audience awards committee is composed of Alice N. Gorham of United Paramount Theatres, Detroit, chairman; Frank H. Ricketson, Jr., and Paul Lyday, of Fox InterMountain Theatres of Denver; Paul Levi of the American Theatres Corp. of Boston; Ralph Russell of the Palace Theatre, Canton, Ohio; Emil Bernstecker of Wilby-Kincey, Atlanta; Senn Lawler of Fox Midwest Theatres, Kansas City; Harry Mandell of RKO Theatres, chairman of the COMPO press relations committee, and Charles E. McCarthy, COMPO information director. The committee, it is understood, will meet within the next few weeks, before the COMPO dues drive is launched on Aug. 1, to consider a number of suggestions for changes in the manner of conducting balloting. Mi SCREEN ASPECT RATIO WITH OPTICAL SOUND SUPERSCOPE STANDARDIZES THE WIDE SCREEN ONLY SUPERSCOPE PROVIDES ANAM0RPHIC RELEASE PRINTS FROM STANDARD "FLAT" NEGATIVES PRINTS BY TECHNICOLOR OR IN BLACK AND WHITB 2)35 SCREEN ASPECT RATIO WITH MAGNETIC SOUND