Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1956)

Motion Picture Daily Friday, December 28, 195(1 PERSONAL MENTION GEORGE WELTNER, president of Paramount Film Distributing Corp., will return to New York today from Toronto. Kenneth McKenna, M-G-M studio story bead, is due in New York from Hollywood next Wednesday for a tbree-week visit witb publishers, editors and writers. Sidney Deneau, Paramount Western sales manager, will leave Miami by train for New York on Sunday. • Ilya Lopert, president of Lopert Films Distributing Corp., has been nominated as a Knight of the Legion of Honor by the French government. • Jack Jaslow, independent film exhibitor in Philadelphia, has entered Temple Hospital there for a check-up. Geoffrey Martin, publicity director for J. Arthur Rank, arrived in New York yesterday from London via R.O.A.C. Merle Jones, president of CBS Television, will leave here today for Bermuda via B.O.A.C. U-l Schedules Massive Appearance Program Universal Pictures launches its 18week "Seventh Annual Charles J. Feldman Sales Drive" and its 45th anniversary celebration this Sunday with a personal appearance program called "the greatest promotional barrage in our history" by David A. Lipton, vice-president of the company, sending 16 film notables to 50 cities for the openings of six pictures in the first two months of 1957. Stars will travel to the openings of "Battle Hymn," "Rock, Pretty Baby," "Gun for a Coward," "Four Girls in Town," "The Great Man" and "Mister Cory," Lipton said. The first of the tours is underway with Sal Mineo, appearing in "Rock, Pretty Baby," participating in the Detroit premiere and Butterfield Circuit openings this week. No Paper Monday, Tuesday MOTION PICTURE DAILY will not be published Monday, Dec. 31, or Tuesday, Jan. 1, because of the New Year's holiday. M. & H. Refuses 'DoH'; WB Claims Big Booking BOSTON, Dec. 27-"Baby Doll," the Warner Bros.-Elia Kazan production condemned by the Legion of Decency, has been refused for bookings in a chain of 20 theatres owned by Joseph P. Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain. The decision was made by John Ford, general manager of the Maine and New Hampshire Theatres Co. Kennedy said that he "very definitely" approved the action. "I have been in the business fortyfive years and I think this is the worst thing that has ever been done to the people and to the industry," Kennedy said. New England Premiere Monday "Baby Doll" is scheduled for its New England premiere next Monday at the Metropolitan Theatre here. The theatre management has emphasized in newspaper releases that the film is "adult entertainment" and that only adults will be admitted. In New York Warner Bros, announced that 75 additional working prints have been ordered to bring the total of "Baby Doll" prints in circulation to 425. The picture has been booked in 1,118 cities to date, the company said. It is being booked "heavier than any of our other major productions," a spokesman said, "with the only problem areas being Albany and the Maine and New Hampshire circuit." Stanley Warner Zone Officials Talk 'Doll' with Albany Mayor ALBANY, N. Y., Dec. 27-While a decision was waited from Warner Brothers in New York on the withdrawal of "Baby Doll" from scheduled exhibition at the Strand Theatre, it was learned a delegation of Stanley Warner zone officials quietly visited Mayor Erastus Corning late yesterday to discuss the situation. Earlier in the week, there had been reported intimations the city administration did not look with favor on the plan to premiere the picture New Year's Eve. This presumably came in the wake of strong Catholic protests made to the theatre by Rev. Thomas H. Kay, diocesan director of the Legion of Decency, and in a front page "Evangelist" editorial. Heading yesterday's delegation was Harry Feinstein of New Haven, Conn., Northeastern zone manager. Although "Baby Doll" has a state seal, which makes a theatre immune from prosecution, this apparently would not stop the city from taking action. Several years ago police chief John P. Tuffy ordered "Bitter Rice" removed from the Ritz theatre after the first show. That film, too held a state license. Washington's Keith Theatre Is Sold WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 The Keith Theatre and the Albee Building here have been sold to Morris Cafritz of this city for a reported $1,550,000, it was announced today by Sol A. Schwartz, president of RKO Theatres, Inc. RKO will continue to operate the theatre under a 5-year lease from the new owner. The Albee Building is a modern, fully rented office building in downtown Washington. Four Theatres (Continued from page 1) ceive requests from conventional theatres for modernization and repair loans. The loan applications come from theatres in four states — Connecticut, California, Georgia and West Virginia. SBA officials refused to give the names of the theatres involved, saying that it is agency policy not to give the names of applicants, in case the application is turned down. Favorable actions are announced by the agency periodically. Meanwhile, it was learned that SBA will have to ask Congress for additional lending funds soon after the first of the year. Present lending funds are nearly exhausted. The life of the agency expires under present law on June 30, but Congress is certain to extend it another year or more. California Honors Paramount '$ 'Barn' HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 27 The famed barn on the Paramount studio premises today became State Registered Landmark No. 554 as California, in ceremonies attended by civic and social officials, for the first time extended historical recognition by dedicating the barn as the official birthplace of the feature-length motion picture. The barn, which has been maintained in a fine state of preservation and is now used regularly as a studio gymnasium, was leased by Cecil B. DeMille Dec. 16, 1913, for use in producing "The Squaw Man," costarring Dustin Farnum and Winifred Kingston. Miss Kingston was among a score of stars who attended dedication exercises today. Columbia to Close Columbia Pictures reported yesterday that company offices will close at 3:00 P.M. on Monday, Dec. 31. Ask Exhibitors ( Continued from page 1 ) foreign and independent product stated: "There has long been a need fo this service. Many exhibitors are un able to obtain information on thi potential source of product. This fac was brought to light vividly durin; our recent convention. "With the current product shortage exhibitors are most eager and keenl' interested in learning more about th< use and availability of specialized for eign films and other independent pro ductions. We urge all exhibitors fc ■ take another look at these types o i films. They may have great potential tit) box office value in many situations. To Supplement Monthly Bulletin The TOA directory will be mad available to members starting in Jan uary as a supplement to the theatr association's monthly bulletin. Th publication will carry complete in formation on all foreign and inde' pendent product, names and ad dresses of independent distributor: and current and future releases anjfffF1 other pertinent data pertaining to th1' production, distribution and bookin^11 of specialized films. I Irs. J: lis ■lit ;en. Communion Breakfast In Hollywood Feb. 3 HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 27 — Th sixth annual Communion Breakfa* for Catholics in the film industr here will be held at 10 A.M. Feb. S at the Hollywood Palladium, followUa! ing mass celebrated by His Eminenc James Francis Cardinal Mclntyre a Blessed Sacrament Church, genera chairman Doug Bridges today an nounced. NEW YORK THEATRE RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL — | Rockefeller Center starring in ClaiaiScepi and METROCOLSi » "THE TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON" AN M-G-M PICTURE and THE MUSIC HULL'S 6REAT CHRISTMAS SHOW , mi er i i mil TEASERETTE FAMOUS FO MANY USES! Th*te 3 from* trailer! feature art back grounds, photos and compelling off-stagt voice! NO CONTRACT NO RETURNS! MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwm Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Centner, News Editor; Floyd E. Storif Photo Editor; Herbert V. Fecke, Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager; Hollywood Bureau, Yucca-Vine Building, Samuel D. Berns, Manager; William R. Weavei 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 Bui nup, Manager; Peter Burnup, Editor; William Pay, News Editor. Correspondents in the principal capitals of the world. 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