Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1957)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY \L. 81, NO. 48 NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1957 TEN CENTS listernak Finds: 'Exhibitor s ieep Faith n Industry9 Iites Belief That Product I 'Better All The Time' I By LAWRENCE J. QUIRK I'eteran producer Joe Pasternak, q/ on a nationwide tour for Jp-M's "Ten Thousand Bedrooms," It the trade press at Loew's home |:e yesterday that exhibitors he enentered in city after city showed " great faith in the industry and a cipation for the future." He said thtremen sensed "a new spirit in I industry" and felt "product was ling better all the time." Pasternak led that TV "seems to have rched the saturation point" and (Continued on page 4) lif'versaf To Release V Films in Six Months i!niversal Pictures will release 19 l ures in the final six months of the 1 6-57 selling year to give the comfy the largest I nber of top i ures to be Based in a e month pelt in its his1', Charles J. Hman, vicef >ident a n d ■ eral sales ■lager, an■'need yester■y. v Included ■'the list are R unreleased f~) pictures, ■ led by Howard Hughes' "Jet lit," which is scheduled for July. * 'he company will have a minimum (Continued on page 4) feleuision j Today t Charles J. Feldman Allied, Compo Hold Meeting The establishment of a state of cordial relations under which Allied States Association would "reaffiliate itself" with the Council of Motion Picture Organizations moved closer to reality following a favorable meeting here at the weekend of committees from both organizations, it was reported. The committees, which have been meeting together to iron out difficulties (Continued on page 5) Pass Bill Permitting Sunday films in Tenn. Special to THE DAILY MEMPHIS, March 11 A bill in the Tennessee State Legislature to remove all restrictions from Sunday movies in the state has passed the House and has gone to the Senate for a vote there. Tennessee now permits Sunday ( Continued on page 4 ) Shanklin Optimistic As 40th Anniversary Nears Special to THE DAILY RONCEVERTE, W. Va., March 11. —After 40 years as an exhibitor in this area, James C. Shanklin, owner-operator of the Grand Theatre here, is still a "booster" of the business and is highly optimistic about its future. Shanklin, who left recently with (Continued on page 4) Attendance in Italy Drops 3% in '56 10-Month Period From THE DAILY Bureau ROME, March 11— Motion picture theatre attendance in Italy showed a decline for the first time since the end of the second world war when it dropped three and a half per cent in the first ten months of 1956, as compared with the same period in 1955. This was reported today by the Societa Autori Editori, government agency which controls admissions taxes. The agency estimated in its report that 25,000,000 less tickets were sold during the whole of 1956. Total theatre grosses for the period were only slightly down, however, due to a three per cent average increase in admission prices. Open New Theatre in Ann Arbor Saturday Special to THE DAILY ANN ARBOR, March ll.-The Butterfield Circuit has announced the long-planned opening of its new theatre, The Campus, on Saturday March 16. The theatre, which will seat 1,000 patrons on one floor, will be the fourth Butterfield theatre in this city. Lois Gramberg, formerly manager of the Lyceum theatre, will be house manager. The opening attraction will be MGM's "Lust for Life." The new building is located on the campus of the University of Michigan. National Theatre Supply furnished equipment for the theatre. Cites Value of Theatre to Community; Wins CofC Support in Campaign for Attendance Special to THE DAILY ALBANY, March 11-Emphasis on the value of a theatre to the community has enabled Jules Perlmutter, of Albany, to obtain the support of the Mechanicvillc Chamber of Commerce in a campaign to promote attendance at the State Theatre there. Perlmutter, who leased the 1100-seat house from Benton Theatres, of Saratoga Springs, 18 months ago, met with Chamber of Commerce members to discuss its operation and the necessity for "keeping patronage in Mechanicville, rather than letting this go to larger cities in the area." During the meeting, he emphasized the benefits which a community derives from a motion picture theatre. As a result of the session, the Chamber of Commerce appointed three senior and two junior members to confer with Perlmutter on a program for greater support to the State. Ended Dec. 29 Columbia Net For 26 Weeks $1,329,000 Compares with $1 ,606,000 For 27-Week 1955 Period Columbia Pictures had a net profit of $1,329,000 for the 26week period ended Dec. 29, 1956, the company reported in a 1 s Harry Cohn statement sued yesterday from the office of Harry Cohn, president. This compares witih a net profit of $1,606,000 for the 27 weeks ended Dec. 31, 1955. Profit before taxes for the 19 5 6 period was $2,359,000 with an estimated federal, state and foreign taxes at $1,030,000. In the 1955 period, (Continued on page 4) Uphold Federal Tax Claim in Lasky Case From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, March 11 The Supreme Court today in effect upheld a huge government tax claim against Bessie and Jesse L. Lasky. It affirmed a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision dismissing a Lasky appeal from an adverse tax court ruling. Government lawyers (Continued on page 5) Industry Executives Will Be on Durante Dais Numerous motion picture executives will be on the dais for the entertainment industry tribute and dinner in honor of Jimmy Durante to be held in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria here Sunday night. The list includes Harry Gould, chairman of the event; Harry Brandt, (Continued on page 5)