Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1957)

Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, January 16, 1 Art Film Co. Goldenson ( Continued from page 1 ) "Don Giovanni," for which he has 60 bookings already, and "Giselle," as performed by the Bolshoi Ballet. Festival Productions also plans to retain the services of a sales manager and an initial staff of five key salesmen, Maxwell said. Discussions have been held about this with a number of industry distribution executives he added. It was also learned yesterday that one of the distribution executives approached is Bernard Jacon, president of Jacon Film Distributors, who is leaving here tomorrow for a sales trip to Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Jacon would act as a sales and distribution consultant to Festival in addition to operating his own organization, it was explained. Plans Eight Offices Maxwell said it "is our plan to set up exchanges in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and the West Coast, Washington, D. C, Dallas, Boston, New Orleans and Denver." His organization plans to work closely with exhibitors and cultural groups in promotion of the product. "The success of the initial productions in the U. S. market will be a major factor in our production plans," Maxwell observed, adding that he hopes to boost the production of "artistic features from about three to 20 annually." He said that Festival's British organization, Harmony Films, has plans to begin production of the Sadler Wells performances of "Sleeping Beauty" or "Swan Lake" this coming summer. Seeks 35 Per Cent Bental The British executive, a newcomer to the industry, said it is Festival's plan to seek a 35 per cent film rental in first run situations for the company product. "We need only 500 bookings to show a profit and to meet the negative cost," he said. There is a future possibility that Festival will also acquire theatres under leasing and guarantee agreements. FLY B O A ARISTOCRAT OF THE AIR Direct New York • London BRITISH OVERSEAS AIRWAYS CORPORATION Reservations through your travel agent or call B.O.A.C. at 342 Madison Ave., New York 17. N. Y.. tel. MU 7-8900 ( Continued from page 1 ) a testimonial dinner on Feb. 18 in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel here. The Hon. Richard C. Patterson, Jr., New York City commissioner of commerce and public events, will serve as honorary chairman and will preside at the dinner. Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox and recipient of the 1955 Humanitarian Award, will serve as chairman of the dinner committee. Leon Leonidoff, vicepresident and stage producer of the Radio City Music Hall, will be in charge of the entertainment program for the testimonial dinner. FBFM to Aid (Continued from page 1) here for talks with officials of Columbia Pictures. Ealing Studios of London on Monday announced the organization of the Federation of British Film Makers. The one producers group that existed before, British Film Producers Association, was found "unsatisfactory" by Ealing and several other British companies as a representative of British production, it was reported. Not Member of BFPA Warwick and some of the other companies which formed the new group have never been members of the BFPA. "We 'outsiders' have never known what went on behind the locked doors of the BFPA," Broccoli said. "Although we were not members, we were forced to let the BFPA represent us in labor and governmental affairs. Now we have an organization which is more democratic in representing the independent British producers. "Bound to Improve' "British product is bound to improve, now that the independents will be better informed of what's going on in the industry, and will have a more reliable representative body looking after their interests," he said. RCA Appointments ( Continued from page 1 ) pacity as chairman of the board and as chief executive officer of the corporation. Folsom has served as president of RCA since 1949. Burns has been a senior partner and vice chairman of the executive committee of the management consultant firm of Booz, Allen and Hamilton, which he joined in 1941. Spiegel Seeks Actor Producer Sam Spiegel has arrived here to seek a young actor to fill a key spot in his production for Columbia, "The Bridge on the River Kwai." Spiegel must have his "find" in Asia no later than January 25. He will audition West Coast actors also. Television Joday KF-TV To Produce Seven Half -Hour Series HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 15.-TCF-TV Productions is proceeding immediately with the preparation of seven new half-hour television series, pilots of which will be filmed within the next three months, according to Irving Asher, executive in charge of production for the 20th Century-Fox subsidiary. Asher made the announcement upon his return from New York, where he had a series of conferences with Oliver A. Unger, executive vice-president of National Telefilm Associates film network, and with Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox. Four of the seven pilots will be made for the NTA film network, of which 20th Century-Fox recently acquired a 50 per cent interest, and the remaining three series will be available to other networks and sponsors. Three of the first four shows for 27 Feature Films on j WCBS-TV Here in Jai WCBS-TV will present 27 feati films new to New York television dj ing January as films from the Warij Bros, library join forces with the i tion's M-G-M and Columbia for "Late Show" and "Early Show." Included are such films from j Warner library as "The Maltese E con," "George Washington Sit Here," "The Sea Wolf," "Dodge Ci and "God Is My Co-pilot." M-Gj is represented by "Thirty Secoi Over Tokyo," "Comrade X," "pjj Bascomb," "The Thin Man," "Lc. Finds Andy Hardy" and "The Bribj Due from Columbia are "Sligh French" and "Panic on the Air." NTA will be "How to Marry a 1 lionaire," "Mother Is a Freshmat and "Anything, Inc." The four property will be selected shot] from a list submitted by TCF-TV NTA. One Man s TViews By Pinky Herman NOBEL Prize Winner, Dr. Glenn Seaborg of the University California, has commended ABC-TV's "Disneyland," for directil the attention of the country's young people to science, and particulai to that program's episode, "Our Friend, the Atom," which will be sen1 next Wednesday. . . . Hal March flies to Miami Feb. 17 to emcee tj' Firemen's-Policemen's Benevolent Assn. Show at the Kennel Club. ABC's "Big Mike" and "Big Jake," two of the largest TV camera lens in existence, which were first used for telescopic shots of Pres. Eise hower's arrival in San Francisco for the Republican National Conve tion, will again be used next Monday for the inaugural in Washingto . . . Paul Henreid and Claudette Colbert will co-star in H. Allen Smitl romantic comedy, "One Coat of White," on "Playhouse 90" CBSho Thurs. Feb. 21. Ralph Nelson will meg, with Martin Manilus producin . . . Rodgers & Hammerstein's first original musical for TV, "Cinderella, will be CBSeen Sunday, March 31 (8:00-9:30 P.M.) will star Jul Andrews and will be produced in color by Richard Lewine. Co-Spon sored by Pepsi-Cola and Shulton, Inc. & ik Easily one of New York's most popular deejays, every bit as popul; with Tin Pan Alleyites as he is with his legion of admiring listener Jack Lacy will celebrate his 10th anniversary at WINS and his 20th yei in radio with an "On the air party" Jan. 25. We've often felt that Lacy not only knows his music but Jack has the talent and ability to emcee a TVariety series and we predict that some smart sponsor or TV exec will thank us for the tip. . . . Paul Vario has joined the public relations firm of G. J. Siegmund Inc. Vario was formerly a producer of European motion pictures. . . . The Merv Framers (He's associate producer at Walt Framer Productions) became proud parents of their second child, Neil Ira, last Friday at the Hempstead General Hospital. . . . The composer of "Shadrach," Robert MacGimsey, was commissioned to clef a special composition for President Eisenhower's inauguration. The song, "Peace On Earth," wil be sung during the festivities by a choir of 150 voices. . . . Bette Davi and Gary Merrill make their TV debut as a team in G. E. Theatre drams "Coda To A Writer's Conference," which rolls before the cameras a Revue Productions early in Feb. Jack Lacy