Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1956)

Motion Picture Daily Friday, December 21, 19! PERSONAL MENTION C"> EORGE D. BURROWS, Allied J Artists executive vice-president, will leave Hollywood today for New York. Arthur Silverstone, 20th Century-Fox assistant general sales manager, has returned to Mt. Sinai Hospital here for treatment of a throat ailment. • Robert Wilby, president of WilbyKincey Theatre Service, Atlanta, was host there at a Christmas party for Film Row bookers and theatre managers. • Dimitri Tiomkin, composer, will return to Hollywood today from New York. • James Mason will return to New York from London on Saturday via B.O.A.C. • R. A. Edmondson, Jr., vice-president of Dixie Drive-in Theatres, Atlanta, has been elected a director of the DeKalb County Federal Savings and Loan Association. • Sarah Churchill will return to London tomorrow from New York via B.O.A.C. Over 300 Theatres Set 'Zarak' for Holidays More than 300 theatres across the country, including 18 major circuits, have responded to the six-month trade paper advertising campaign for "Zarak" and have booked the Warwick production as their ChristmasNew Year's holiday attraction. 545 Enter Contest A total of 545 theatremen have already formally entered the "King of Showmen" contest that will award $2,500 in cash and a Hollywood trip for the best local campaign on "The King and Four Queens," it was announced this week by Roger H. Lewis, United Artists national director of advertising, publicity and exploitation. No Paper Monday, Tuesday MOTION PICTURE DAILY will not be published Monday, Dec. 24, or Tuesday, Dec. 25, because of the Christmas holidays. John Lefebre Report Confirmed of Fox European Change Murray Silverstone, president of 20th Century-Fox International, yesterday announced the appointment of Albert Cornfield as supervisor of Continental Europe, England and the Near a n d Middle East, effective January 1, confirming a report from Paris published in Motion Picture Daily Wednesday. James F. Pattinson continues as managing director of England. John Lefebre, general sales manager of Continental Europe and the Near and Middle East, has been appointed managing director of the countries comprising these territories, headquarters as heretofore, in Paris. Lefebre joined 20 th Century-Fox International in 1945, being assigned to the Near and Middle East as supervisor after having been attached to the film section of SHAEF during the war. Prior to World War II, Lefebre was with M-G-M for fourteen years. In 1951 he was promoted to sales manager of Continental Europe and the Near and Middle East areas, which position he held until his appointment of managing director. It was also announced that Oscar Lax, home office representative in the Near and Middle East, will become assistant to Lefebre with headquarters in Paris and William Lampros will succeed Lax as supervisor of the Near and Middle East, in addition to carrying on in his current status as the company's managing director for India, Pakistan and Burma. W. E. Drumbar Dies; Tennessee Exhibitor KNOXVILLE, Dec. 20. William E. Drumbar, associated with local theatre business for 40 years, died at Baptist Hospital here after a long illness. Drumbar started here as city manager for the Publix Theatres Corp. in 1917. He travelled to North Carolina and Texas as district manager for the company, which later became the Wilby-Kincey chain. List Dividend At a meeting of the board of directors of List Industries Corporation (RKO Theatres) held yesterday a dividend of 25c per share was declared payable on January 14, 1957, to holders of record at the close of business on Dec. 31, 1956. letter-Writer Is Agreed Theatre Is 'Utility' Special to THE DAILY MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 20 Benjamin N. Berger, Minneapolis circuit owner and president of North Central Allied, who has maintained for a number of years that the motion picture industry is a public utility and therefore film rentals and other distributor practices should come under federal regulations, last week found his campaign had taken a new and unexpected twist. In a letter to the editor of the Minneapolis Tribune, A. Benjamin Anderson of Minneapolis complained about ticket-scaling practices at the Lyceum Theatre, Minneapolis legit house which is operated by Berger. Anderson maintained that the Lyceum "is in one sense a public utility" and advocated a one-price policy for the entire house. FJP To Honor Weede, Garland and Andrews Judy Garland, Julie Andrews and Robert Weede will receive awards for their "achievement in their chosen profession" on Tuesday afternoon, January 8, in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Sheraton-Astor here. The occasion will be the "Mark of Achievement" luncheon of the Amusement Division of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. Oscar Hammerstein II, chairman of the awards committee and Harry Brandt of Brandt Theatres, chairman of the luncheon committee, yesterday announced the selection of the stage group which will join with the previously announced winners in the motion picture field, producer Michael Todd, UA executive Arthur Krim and actress Judy Holliday. In addition, a posthumous award for service and leadership in the film industry will be presented to the family of the late Jack Cohn of Columbia Pictures, one of the pioneers in the field. Loew's Holder Bankers Trust Names Golden Vice-President Herbert L. Golden, in charge of the Amusement Industries Group at Bankers Trust Co. here, has been named vice-president, it was announced yesterday by S. Sloan Colt, chairman of the board. Golden, who began his career with the bank in 1952, was elected an assistant vicepresident in 1954. During World War II, he served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy for three years and as a member of the film staff of the U. S. Government for one year. ( Continued from page 1 ) the right track and deserves more tir to put his new plans and policies in effect. Some noted that consideraf progress in this direction has be> made already at the studio and in t field, and that more is to be expecte Vogel is scheduled to leave for t Coast tomorrow for a stay of abo two weeks. The statements were made in rep ; to inquiries as to whether any of t j large and potentially dissident stoc. holder groups is prepared to suppt a proxy contest should one be initiat by Joseph Tomlinson, who told t press Wednesday that his 250,0 shares of Loew's are believed to ma him the largest individual stoc holder. Wants Five Resignations Tomlinson is demanding that fi management representatives resi from the Loew's board. They are C. Moskowitz, Charles M. Reag; Howard Dietz, Benjamin Melnil and George A. Brownell. The lat was described as a management rep; sentative by Tomlinson even thou he is a partner in the law firm Davis, Polk, Wardwell, Sunderla & Kiendl, special counsel for Loew Tomlinson has not revealed how ma of the vacancies he would expect fill if his demand was met. Stockholders' spokesmen who woi comment on the Tomlinson pr< statements, which were joined in Benjamin Javits, his counsel, who a is a substantial stockholder in Loew noted that Vogel has a definite pi gram for improvement of the compa and that they believe it to be to t stockholders' interests to give the w company head a fair chance demonstrate how much of it can realized. Points to Short Tenure "Vogel has been in office only weeks," one said. "It is not reasonal to expect him to correct a situati in that time that has been years in t making. It is apparent that his pi? to cut deadwood and costs at the si dio and in the field are making he; way. He has other significant pit in work which, if effected, will be major import to stockholders." NEW YORK THEATRE RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL— i Rockefeller Center GLENN FORD starring in Cinemascope and METR0C0L0R in 'THE TEAHOUSE Of THE AUGUST MOON" AN M-G-M PICTURE and THE MUSIC HALL S GREAT CHRISTMAS SHOW MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwm Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Gestner, News Editor; Floyd E. Sto Photo Editor; Herbert V. Fecke, Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manaeer; Hollywood Bureau, Yucca-Vine Building, Samuel D. Berns, Manager; William R Wea\ Editor, Telephone HOlIywood 7-2145; Washington, J. A. Otten, National Press Club, Washington, D. C. ; London Bureau, 4, Bear St., Leicester Square, W. 2, Hope Williams B 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, S: days and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, Telephone Circle 7-3100. Gable address: "Quigpubco, New York" Mar Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo. J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Leo J. Brady, Secretary. Other Quigley Publications; Motion Picture^ jjfera Better Theatres and Better Refreshment Merchandising, each published 13 times a year as a section of Motion Picture Herald; Television :Todav, published rjaily as a part Motion Picture Daily, Motion Picture Almanac, Television Almanac, Fame. Entered as second class matter Sept. 21, 1938, at the Fost-'Office at?New York, N Y, under the act March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year, $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign; single copies, 10c. j "