Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1957)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, January 15, 18 j RKO, U-I Deal (Continued from page 1) Acuities" are. But it was learned that Gordon Youngman, West Coast attorney, has been called into New York from Hollywood for consultation on the legal questions. 'Certain Films,' Says One Official It was pointed out by the RKO executive that not all films produced by the company would be given under the proposed agreement to Universal "They would get certain films which we select," he said. However, an official of Universal expressed a contrary view, sayng the proposed agreement calls for Universal to handle all RKO product in the domestic market. The plan to modernize distribution procedures at RKO Radio was taken into consideration late in 1956 when a group of top RKO Radio and RKO Teleradio executives held a special meeting in Florida. It was then announced by RKO Radio Pictures president Daniel T. O'Shea that "RKO Radio was considering the re-shaping of its entire production and distribution structure to meet changing trends in the domestic and foreign market." Dozier Is in New York It was also reported here yesterday that William Dozier, RKO Radio vicepresident in charge of production, who ■ arrived in New York from Hollywood over the weekend, is involved in the talks with Universal. Dozier, it was reported, is also conferring with RKO Radio distribution executives concerning this year's production line-up Humphrey Bogart Dies ( Continued from page 1 ) he lapsed into a coma at his home here and died. He was 56. His first motion picture role was in 1930, but it was not until after his stage success in "The Petrified Forest" and subsequent starring in the filmed version that he became known. He became famous for similar "tough guy" roles in later pictures. In 1951 he won the Academy Award for best actor for his performance in United Artists' "African Queen." He is survived by his widow, actress Lauren Bacall, and two children, Stephen, 8, and Leslie, 4. Closed Theatre Hurts Other Town Businesses WELLSVILLE, O, Jan. 14— The commercial value of the motion picture theatre to other businesses in the area is demonstrated in this town of 8,000, where downtown business underwent a drastic drop after the closing of its only theatre, the Liberty, last February. Paul Vogel, one of the owners of the theatre, reopened the Liberty Christmas Day at the request of the merchants of the town. Three commercial stores were forced to close through lack of business on the main street, the merchants told him. Television Jo d a u PASSING IN REVIEW.... Anyone who devotes a large part of his time to monitoring television, must, occasionally, pause and ask himself that ruthless question (and the endless variations of it ) : Am I any better for it? Would I be any less a man for not having seen (substitute name of any show)? Such self-analysis need not be prompted by any gross lapses in taste nor any particularly dramatic failures. It simply bubbles up like nitrogen in the blood of a skin-diver who comes to the surface too quickly. The television bends are as inevitable if not as lethal. Classicism to Fore Last Sunday there were perhaps two or three "pressure chambers" for the aid of the susceptible viewer: NBC-TV's overwhelming two-andone-half hour American premiere of Prokofiev's "War and Peace"; CBSTV's laconic and dramatic documentary, "Schweinfurt," on the Air Power series; and Leonard Bernstein's informative, non-pompous dissertation on modern classical music on ABCTV's Omnibus. To one whose classical music frame-of-reference is fairly fragmentary, it seemed too bad that Mr. Bernstein's Sunday evening contribution could not have preceded the afternoon NBC Opera presentation. That, however, is quibbling. Both shows were refreshingly blunt in their import and their purpose, even as is The Life of Riley. "War and Peace" was not only one of the most impressive shows of the season technically, but it packed a cumulative emotional punch that somehow got through the unfamiliar form of recitative, oddly unmelodic music and innumerable changes of scene. The Bernstein performance was easy and fun. 'Schweinfurt* Presented Frankly Air Power's "Schweinfurt" was a beautifully edited account of one of the most brutal missions undertaken by the U.S. Air Corps in the last war. The air battle scenes were some of the most impressive yet shown on the series and, happily, the narration was straight and to the point. Elsewhere the television week added little to the sum total of human achievement. It might be said that this is not exactly the purpose of either Dinah Shore or Perry Como, who headlined NBC-TV's Chevy Show revue Sunday night. However, this show was especially spiritless in ma TV TODAY picture TELEVISION COMES UP WITH-"Mayerling." Between cocktails in its executive dining room the other day, NBC told newsmen its "Producers Showcase will once again offer the old and familiar story; and it proffered stars Mel Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn and director Anatole Litvak for questioning and quotation. They are pleased and anticipatory. Litvak directed the, original French film, now historic. With them, above, host Syd Eiges, left, NBC informational vice-president. In color, the show February 4, 8-9-30 P.M., EST will also feature Raymond Massey, Diana Wynyard, Isabel Elsom. NBC, RCA, Whirlpool-Seeger and John Hancock are sponsoring. terial and performance. Perhaps two nonchalant performers tend to cancel one another out after— say— about 25 minutes' viewing. Saturday night Galen Drake's new ABC-TV show made its unspectacular debut, the highpoint of which was a foolish debate between a teenager and her father as to whether or not Elvis Presley is a good influence on the nation's youth. This teenager was deemed particularly qualified for debate since she had once run away to Memphis jtp see her idol. Saturday eveningdid improve, however, with the spritely CBS-TV tribute to Eddie Cantor and Sid Caesar's commentary on elaborate TV commercials, NBC-TV. That one should be sent over for viewing by Chrysler Corporation executives. Orchids to Piper Laurie The most interesting of the week's dramas was Playhouse 90's fantastic "The Ninth Day," CBS-TV Thursday night. This post-hydrogen bomb love story had its full quota of unlikely character motivations and arbitrary plot twists but it did feature a fine performance by a beauty named Piper Laurie. Miss Laurie may one day confound the people who gave her that name and become a solid actress. For that matter, she's okay fight now. NBC-TV's Kraft Theatre Wednesday night presented another one of their favorite cut to the minute-hand of-the-clock situations: a hidden bomb about to explode in an airliner. The story, if not the airliner, never got off the ground.— V.C. id Sullivan Show First For 4th Straight Year The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS-TV placed first as the Best Variety Pr ; gram for the fourth successive year . the annual Television Today pc | conducted for Fame. The story pul lished Friday in Motion 'Picttji | Daily incorrectly said it had won fl;] the third year. The score for secondhand tliii place winners by networks also w;j incorrectly listed. The correct scoij is 13 second place winners, and fl third place winners for NBC-TV an] eight second place winners and W thirds for CBS-TV. : ■ ■ Cites TV Promotion of Understanding Abroad The emergence of ; television as, 1 major , and powerful medium in thj ; U.S.. Government's overseas,, inform* tion program was one of.the most sij: nificant developments of 1956 in thj task of promoting understands abroad, according to Arthur Larsor director of the U.&; ■ Infbrmatio; Agency. The continued effectiveness of radio broadcasts to the people be' hind the Iron Curtain by the [Agency': Voice of America also was demorstrated conclusively during " the yea; 1 lie added. \;~Mh: ABC Designs Expanded Coast TV Headquarters HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 14. The American Broadcasting Co. has j completed preliminary designs for an $11,000,000 reconstruction and expansion program for its Hollywood television headquarters. Capacity of the plant will be more than tripled. ABC Elects Aubrey' James T. Aubrey, . Jr., ; has bee: elected a vice-president of: the Ameri can Broadcasting Co., : fn : charge • ;0 programming and talent for the AB< Television Network, it Was! announce! by Leonard H. Goldenson,: president of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, Inc. Aubrey* who waj named head of programming and talj ent for ABC Television in ; December' was formerly manager of network pro grams for CBS; Television, Holly! Wood-' " ■ ■ ;'' ■ 1