Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1957)

2 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, January 17, 1957 PERSONAL MENTION ROGER E. LEWIS, United Artists national director of advertisingpublicity, left here yesterday for New Orleans. • Hugh Owen, Paramount Eastern sales manager, returned to New York yesterday from Hollywood. Dr. Renzo Rufini, president of I.F.E. Releasing Corp., will arrive in New York next week from Italy. • Murray Silverstone, president of 20th Century-Fox International, became a grandfather yesterday when his daughter, Mrs. Michael Garrison, gave birth to boy here at Lenox Hill Hospital. • Bernard Kamber, Hecht-Hill-Lancaster executive, is in Miami Beach from New York. Russell Holman, Paramount's Eastern production manager, will return to New York at the weekend from the Coast. • Joan Crawford, her two children and her husband, Alfred Steele, board chairman of Pepsi-Cola, will return to New York from Europe today aboard the "Queen Mary." e William Berke, producer, has returned to Hollywood from New York. © John W. Meyer, executive producer for Claridge Productions, has left New York for Miami en route to South America. Argentina ( Continued from page 1 ) institute would censor motion pictures, classify motion picture theatres in the Buenos Aires area and see to it that native pictures receive adequate bookings at specified rental rates. The Argentine film institute would also deal with international film festivals and otherwise concern itself with the development of the national film industry, the MPEA said. Texas Drive-In Owners State February Meet Special to THE DAILY DALLAS, Jan. 16. A statewide convention of the Texas Drive-in Theatre Owners Association will be held here Feb. 26-27 at the Adolphus Hotel. Registrations and a pre-convention cocktail party will open the social program on Monday, Feb. 25, at the hotel, it was announced by Edward Joseph, president of the Association. Business sessions on both days of the convention will be announced at a later date. The main banquet is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. Wednesday at the hotel. A nationally known showman will be scheduled for an address, Joseph said. Seek Clarification ( Continued from page 1 ) Brazilian board to specify as to whether the ruling applies to "pictures" or "programs" running over 120 minutes. The situation in Denmark was also discussed by the MPEA board at its weekly meeting. They were also informed that MPEA overseas representatives Charles Baldwin and Herbert Erlanger will meet and go to Turkey on that market's tax situation on Jan. 20. Story Material Main Film Problem: Pakula Procurement of the "right story property" for feature production is the main problem confronting producers today, in the opinion of independent producer Allen Pakula, who recently completed "Fear Strikes Out" for Paramount Pictures. Pakula, who for six years was assistant to Don Hartman at Paramount, recently arrived here from the Coast to aid in the distribution and promotional plans for his film and to prepare for future legitimate theatre, motion picture and television programs. The young producer, in partnership with director Bob Mulligan, has formed Pakula-Mulligan Productions, Inc. The team, which turned out "Fear Strikes Out," is preparing "Laurette" and "Legend of Lizzie" for the 1957-58 Broadway stage and is negotiating for the services of acting talent to star in their next film venture this summer. Also, Pakula-Mulligan has some plans to produce one or two television "spectaculars" this year. 'Has a Lot to Learn' Aware that he still "has a lot to learn about the motion picture industry," Pakula declared here yesterday that "the selection of proper screen material is the primary problem of Hollywood independent producers today. Once a producer gets a vehicle which he believes in, and for which he secures the proper directorial and acting talents, it is easy to secure the necessary financing. Despite a tight money market, the major studios will back a good film." Pakula said that Paramount financed "Fear Strikes Out" and that the negative cost on the film is close to $1,000,000. Fox Sales Meeting Dervin Rites Saturday Underway in Atlanta Requiem Mass will be held Saturday at 10 A.M., at Hugh Cannon Funeral Home, Dedham, Mass., for Francis P. Dervin, 56, RKO Radio executive, who died in his sleep here Tuesday night at the Park Sheraton Hotel. He was assistant to Edward L. Walton, RKO vice-president. detailed account of the many promotion events that will take place during the eight-month celebration of the 350th anniversary of the firstpermanent settlement in America, which begins in April. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to visit Virginia during this period, which could mean increased business for all theatres. "Bucks for bell ringers" was the promotion publicity theme of the afternoon forum session. ATLANTA, Jan. 16-The second in a series of five 20th Century-Fox divisional sales meetings has been convened here by Alex Harrison, general sales manager, to set merchandising and promotional plans for the company's expanded product line-up of more than 50 pictures this year. The current session, bringing together executives of the company's eight Southern sales offices, are being led by Harrison and Harry G. Ballance, Southern division manager, assisted by district managers Paul S. Wilson, South-East, and Mark Sheridan, Jr., South-West. Rodney Bush, exploitation director, who flew here from New York with the general sales manager, is conducting a promotional seminar in conjunction with the merchandising conclave. We Must Lead, Says Johnston! The U.S., having created a capitalistic, free-enterprise economy which has made it a world leader, must continue to lead, Eric Johnston.i president of the Motion Picture As4 sociation of America, told members of the U.S. Council of the Interna-: tional Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Addressing the annual meeting of the group at the Plaza Hotel here,1 Johnston suggested four goals fo| long range foreign economic deveh opment which he, as chairman of the International Development Advisory; Board, felt should be considered ini Congress and the White House during forthcoming foreign aid studies. Suggests Four-Point Plan He recommended the establishment of a continuous policy, a foreign development program capable of< meeting the immediate demands of underdeveloped countries, considera-i tion of loans instead of grants to other countries and programs to stimulate private investments in underdeveloped nations. Balaban Sees (Continued from page 1) times, Balaban pointed out that lengthy runs of attractions like Cinerama, "The Ten Commandments" and "Around the World in 80 Days," which remove certain prime theatres from active bidding competition for product for long periods, serve to "enrich flow of product to other theatres." Questioned on whether a decision has been reached concerning the re-j leasing of Paramount backlog to television, Balaban said he is cur-i rently checking all rights to the com-i pany's backlog to evaluate the ad-i visability of such a sale, and is studying elements involved in the question of whether company should release the library at this time, sell it out-| right, enter into a leasing operation,1 or withhold it entirely for present. Show place of the Bast FOR YOUR Virginia Group ( Continued from page 1 ) Goldberg, director of advertising and publicity for Stanley Warner Theatres, was the principle speaker of the morning session, He stressed the need for all theatre owners of United States to support the plans— of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations designed to get people out of their homes and into tire theatres. He pointed out that every business in our country has to meet stiff competition but that the motion picture industry is behind in doing what it can do to compete with television. He urged all present to support COMPO financially so that it will be able to put its many plans into operation. Parke Rouse, Jr., executive director of the Jamestown Festival, gave a MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Gertner, News Editor; Floyd E. Stone, Photo Editor; Herbert V. Fecke Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager; Hollywood Bureau, Yucca-Vine Building, Samuel D. Berns, Manager; William R. Weaver, 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 Bur "up, Manager; Peter isurnup, Editor; William Pay, News Editor. Correspondents in the principal capitals of the world. Motion Picture Daily is published daily except Saturdays. Sun ■days and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Cnter, New York 20, Telephone Circle 7-3100. Cable address: "Quigpubco, New York." Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo. J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Leo J. Brady, Secretary. 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