Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1956)

Motion Picture Daily Friday, October 5, 19: PERSONAL MENTION XT J BLUMBERG, chairman of ^ • the board of Universal Pictures, will leave the Coast over the weekend for New York. He will sail from here aboard the "Brazil" on Wednesday on a South American cruise. • Emery Austin, M-G-M exploitation head, will return to New York today from the Coast. • D. A. Doran, Paramount studio production executive, who returned to New York yesterday from Europe, is in Boston today and will leave diere tomorrow for the Coast. • Milton E. Cohen, United Artists Eastern and Southern division manager, will return to New York today from Philadelphia. • Herb Crooker, of the M-G-M publicity department, will return to New York on Monday from New England. • Van Johnson will leave here tomorrow for London via B.O.A.C. • Bruce Odlum, producer, has arrived in New York from Spain en route back to the Coast. Barbara Wilkens, assistant advertising and promotion manager of ABC Film Syndication, was married in Ossining, N. Y., to Dr. Val Bloch. • Lewis H. Blumberg, independent producer, and Mrs. Blumberg are the parents of a boy born at St. John's Hospital, Santa Monica, Cal. Father is the son of Nate J. Blumberg, chairman of the board of Universal Pictures. R. W. Wight, manager of the Hollywood division of Westrex Corp., has returned to the Coast from New York. • F. Hugh Herbert, producer, will leave New York Sunday for Europe via B.O.A.C. Radio Plugs for 'Shark' "The Sharkfighters," produced by Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., and to be released by United Artists, will be spotlighted on 360 radio stations in the U.S. and Canada through a tie-in with the American Chemical Society. The picture will be connected with a short program highlighting the U.S. Navy's battle against the shark menace. British Public Told of Tax Situation in Ads From THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, Oct. 1 (By Air Mail)Tlie J. Arthur Rank Organisation is making use of newspaper advertising and "prestige" announcements to bring to the public's notice some of the British film industry's problems in regard to the entertainment tax. Under attack by the industry is a proposed government bill to impose a compulsory levy on theatre owners to help support film producers. The majority of the exhibitors are resigned to some sort of levy, but object to the high figure the government intends to ask, on the grounds that the present entertainment tax would not allow them to also pay a high levy. Exhibitors have suggested a tax relief to put them in a position to pay the levy for the producers. The Rank advertisements repeat this suggestion as a means for giving the industry the long term financially stability it needs to maintain "important film production." Dallas Exchange Wins UA Drive for Bookings The Dallas, Tex., exchange of United Artists booked the most films during the company's "UA Week Drive" in a seven-day campaign that wound up with 17,420 UA playdates arranged. William J. Heineman, UA vice president in charge of distribution, has announced. James Clemens, manager of the Dallas branch, and the sales personnel will each receive three weeks' salary as a cash award, Heineman said. The 17,420 dates are in excess of the 14,000 domestic theatre possibilities because of many theatres playing two or more UA features during the campaign week, he said. Clark Service Building New Albany Quarters ALBANY, Oct. 4-Clark Film Service will transfer its shipping and inspection work for a number of distributors from quarters in the Mack Bus building at the north end of Film Row to a new structure on Shaker Rd., two blocks from the present location. Clark, which has leased 10,000 square feet of space, expects to move by Jan. 1. The new building, now under construction, will have a special loading platform to facilitate reels' shipments. RKO is the newest recruit to Clark Service in Albany. Others are Paramount, United Artists and Republic, plus several independents. Report H Warner Sold 90,550 Stock Shares From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 4-Harry M. Warner sold 90,550 shares of Warner Brothers Pictures common stock in July, according to a report on stock trading by insiders issued today by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Warner bought or was given five hundred shares in August, however, leaving his total holdings at 12,800 He holds an additional 13,700 shares in a trust. Also at Warners, Jack L. Warner bought 500 shares in August, putting his holdings at 198,499, with 13,400 in a trust. Albert Warner sold 500 shares in the same month, bringing his holdings to 14,500, with 6,700 shares in a trust. Rhoden Purchases Listed At National Theatres, Elmer C. Rhoden, through holding companies, bought 4,000 shares, giving him a total of 52,525 shares held through holding companies, and 35,800 in his own name; Gregson Bautzer bought 5,000 shares of common, his total holdings; Peter Colefax bought 1,000 shares, making a total holding of 3,000; Laurence A. Peters bought 100 shares, his total holdings; and within the last year Richard W. Millar bought 1,000 shares, his total holdings. At Universal Pictures, Decca Records bought 900 shares in August, to make a total holding of 719,485 shares. At Allied Artists, Harold J. Mirisch, through the Kenilworth Investment Co., sold 2,440 shares of common in July giving him 26,000 in the name of the investment company and 12,000 shares in his own name. Johnston Tells Ike Of Iron Curtain Tour WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.-Eric Johnston, president of Motion Picture Association of America, visited the White House this morning to discuss his coming tour of Iron Curtain countries with President Eisenhower. Although Johnston is going purely on industry business, he wished to inform the President of his projected trip before leaving. Johnston expects to leave Sunday for Budapest. After a brief stay there he will go on to Prague, and then will spend about a week in Moscow. He plans to go from there to Warsaw, returning to this country about Oct. 28. Although Johnston's initial purpose in making the Iron Curtain countries tour was to study the operation of local motion picture industries, it is believed he will also hold discussions about the possible sale of Hollywood films to some of those countries. TENT TALK Variety Club News WASHINGTON Nathan Gold( International Heart Chairman of Y riety Clubs International, has call to the attention of Variety Clu everywhere that the collection of co per drippings in the projection boot of the country, a measure adopt by the National Production Autl rity during the Korean War to in the conservation of copper still a profitable means of supp menting the Variety Heart Fund This measure was universally pn ticed during the war through the operation of theatres, the Inten tional Alliance of Theatrical Sta Employees and equipment hous and accumulated a sizable fund Variety charitable activities. A MINNEAPOLIS Complete co. eration right down the line— from J film salesmen who booked the trail to the individual exhibitors y supervised the collections— has marl the 1956 Variety Heart hospital app just completed, according to J< Branton, Maco vice-president chairman of the Variety Club of Northwest's collection drive. A NEW ORLEANS Mrs. \ liam H. Cobb and Mrs. William H day have been named the co-ch men of the newly-formed ladies xiliary of the Variety Club. Conn tee heads include: Mrs. Frank L Jr. and Mrs. Samuel H. Wright, special events; Mrs. Henry G. Gk and Mrs. Harold F. Cohen, finai Mrs. G. B. Bicknell and Mrs. Johij Magendie, cerebral palsy; Mrs. ( J. Mabry and Mrs. Ernest MacKei publicity, and Mrs. Milton Au morte and Mrs. Daniel M. Brant ways and means. H. L. Gilladette, 64 Harry L. Gilladette, 64, foi district manager of Smalley Thea Inc., died Sept. 29 in Oxford, N He had been a patient in a nui| home there since February bee of ill health. He is survived b wife, three children and six gr children. i m it NEW YORK THEATR i — RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL Rockefeller Center "TEA AND SYMPATHY starring DEBORAH KERR • JOHN KERR In CinemaScope and Metrocolor An M-G-M Picture and SPECTACULAR STAGE PRESENTATII MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Gertner, News Editor: Floyd E. I Photo Editor; Herbert V. Fecke, Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager; Hollywood Bureau, Yucca-Vine Building, Samuel D. Berns, Manager; William R. W Editor, Telephone HOllywood 7-2145; Washington, J. A. Otten, National Press Club, Washington, D. C; London Bureau, 4, Bear St., Leicester Square. W. 2, Hope Williams nup, Manager; Peter Burnup, Editor; William Pay, News Editor. Correspondents in the principal capitals of the world. Motion Picture Daily is published daily except Saturdays, days and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue. Rockefeller Center, New York 20, Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address: "Quigpubco. New York." S Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo. J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Leo J. Brady, Secretary. 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