Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1956)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY 'ISO, NO. 74 NEW YORK, U. S. A. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1956 TEN CENTS odd-AO igna, Fox, TC Invest 'So. Pacific' ivith R & H Pictures 5,000,000 Production By LESTER DINOFF la Theatre Corp., United Arleatre Corp. and 20th Century11 invest about $5,000,000 in s & Hammerstein's production uth Pacific," which will be in Todd-AO commencing next it was jointly announced here ay by George P. Skouras, nt of Magna Theatres, and Hammerstein II of Rodgers & ?rstein Pictures, Inc. as and Hammerstein, at a press nee, here, also disclosed that >x will pay Magna Theatres $2,p by next March for domestic rition rights to the CinemaScope || of "Oklahoma!," which will selected situations throughout S. around Thanksgiving and ias. Magna Theatre executive said der the agreement among RodHammerstein, 20th-Fox and his [Continued on page 5) my Retiring As hrford Executive retirement of J. J. O'Leary as er of Comerford Theatres cirective at once, was announced ,-sterday by Frank C. Walker, pxecutive of the Comerford s interests. O'Leary, who was •sident and a director of the rd circuit for many years, will Continued on page 5) e Wendell Campbell I Teleradio V P ■Ml B. Campbell, radio net*hd station executive, has been I vice-president for national ' RKO Teleradio Pictures, Inc., mnounced yesterday by presid board chairman Thomas F. O'Neil said Campbell was Continued on page 5) Loew's May Name Siegel President Tomorrow Sol C. Siegel continues to hold the strong backing of Loew's, Inc., board members for the presidency of the company succeeding Arthur M. Loew, whose resignation becomes effective Nov. 15. Thus Siegel's selection by the board at its meeting tomorrow is to be expected, informed sources said yesterday. Siegel would make his headquarters at the Culver City studio. Charles C. Moskowitz, Loew's vice-president and treasurer, is expected to be named executive vice-president, heading the New York office. Loew will continue in charge of the international operations. Grosses Good Over Holiday By GUS DALLAS Box office grosses in New York over the Columbus Day weekend were "brisk," with receipts on Friday "very much higher" than on Columbus Day last year, which came in the middle of the week, theatre exhibitors reported yesterday. While theatres in Los Angeles were reported to be suffering a drop in grosses on Friday night as the result of the showing on television of a major film from one studio's backlog, theatre (Continued on page 2) Alfred Starr Dies at 58 Alfred Starr Special to THE DAILY NASHVILLE, Oct. 15. Alfred Starr, 58-year-old veteran of motion picture exhibition, who was president of the Bijou Amusement Co. md co-chairman of the joint exhibition Committee Against Pay As YouSee Television, died here yesterday, following a heart attack in his office. Starr, a veteran of over 30 years in the industry, is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. The principal owner of the Bijou ( Continued on page 5 ) 44 Gross Rises 34% Annual Report Shows HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 15 Allied Artists Pictures Corp.'s gross income for the fiscal year ended June 30 was $16,977,000, representing an increase over the same period in 1955 of 34%, S. Broidy, president, reported to stockholders. The gross income in the 1955 period was $12,670,000. The company had a net income (Continued on page 5) No Distribution Plans Now 'Routine1 Talks with Rank Officials Said Purpose of Davis Visit Here Routine discussions with officials of Rank Organization affiliates in this country and Canada were advanced by John Davis, head of Rank film and theatre operations as the primary purpose of his current visit to America. He said that while the Organiza tion's interest in its own distribution setup for America continues active, nothing will be done in that respect at the present time. He added that the matter as it has been discussed during the past three years has not changed, and that it remains in the discussion stage only. Davis arrived here from Chicago yesterday after visiting Rank offices in Montreal and Toronto last week. He is accompanied by Mrs. Davis, Kenneth Winckles, Kenneth Hargreaves and Harry Norris. The party will leave for London at the end of the week. Norris brought with him prints of three new Rank productions for which he will set up American distribution arrangements while he is (Continued on page 5) New Policy Myers Urges Cooperation to Aid Industry Tells New England Meet Times Call for Changes Special to THE DAILY WINCHENDON, Mass., Oct. 15.Allied States is pursuing a constructive policy in a conciliatory manner in hope of contributing to the business recovery of the industry, along with other elements desirous of bringing about a healthier business state for production and distribution as well as exhibition, Abram F. Myers, Allied States chairman and general counsel, told the 25th anniversary convention of Independent Exhibitors of New England at its opening session here today. Myers said there are many subjects on which all exhibition can and should agree and cooperate. Among them, he said, is support for Federal authoriza(Continued on page 4) No Merger WithTOA Discussed, Shor Insists A denial that there has been any discussion of a merger of Allied States Association with Theatre Owners of America was telephoned to Motion Picture Daily last night by Ruben Shor, Allied president, who has been in New York for the past week. Also in New York simultaneously were a number of Allied directors, including Jack Kirsch, Ben Marcus, Wilbur Snaper, Irving Dollinger and (Continued on page 4) See Kintner Out at ABC, Goldenson Getting Post Robert E. Kintner today will resign as president of the American Broadcasting Company, a division of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, Inc., and will be succeeded in that post by Leonard H. Goldenson, president of AB-PT, it was indicated yesterday on the eve of the meeting (Continued on page 4)