Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1957)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY lea 'OL. 82, NO. 6 NEW YORK, U.S.A., WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1957 TEN CENTS Rapid Expansion WB Launches 115,000,000 TV Program • Plan to Construct Neiv $1,000,000 Building Immediate launching of a $15,^100,000 television film production jrogram for the coming year and the ;arly completion of a $1,000,000 building program to accommodate its jxpanding TV activities was announced yesterday by Jack L. Warier, president of Warner Bros. With the new program, television issumes added importance at Warner Bros., Warner said, adding that exoansion of this phase of the com(Continued on page 8) Univ. Appoints Evans To New Promotion Post The promotion of Jerome M. Evans to the newly-created post of Eastern promotion manager for Universal Pictures was announced yesterday by Charles Simonelli, Eastern advertising and publicity d e partment manager. Evans has been associated with Universal for the past 12 years, handling commercial tie-ups, national promotions and supervising the preparation of promotion manuals for exhibitor use. Two years ago he also assumed (Continued on page 8) Television Today Page V4 Jerome M. Evans AT THE GALA invitational press and exhibitor preview of Universale "Man of a Thousand Faces" at the RKO 86th Street Theatre in New York last night, Ralph Hetzel, vice-president of the MPAA, representing Eric Johnston, presented a testimonial to Milton R. Rackmil, president and Charles J. Feldman, vice-president and general sales manager of U, honoring the company for designating the picture as its Golden Jubilee Film commemorating 50 years of film making in Hollywood. National press television and radio covered this and a simultaneous Hollywood preview. (Advt.) Harris Predicts Full Probe of Subscription TV by Congress By J. A. OTTEN WASHINGTON, July 9— House Commerce Committee Chairman Harris (D., Ark.) said he felt Congress would have to investigate the entire subject of subscription television "sooner or later." "And it's getting sooner all the time," he added unhappily. Harris noted that several toll TV companies are going into wired television for their experiments, and that the entire matter of use of broadcast frequencies is still hanging fire before the Federal Communications Commission. "Certainly we're going to need some ground rules for this whole field," he said, adding that one problem would be to determine whether Congress had to lay down these rules or whether the Commission itself could. Harris, who has been challenging the FCC to spell out its legal powers to authorize and regulate subscription television, indicated he was not too impressed with the FCC's statement on this subject last Friday. In answer to three previous queries from Harris, the FCC on Friday declared it was pretty sure it had legal au(Continued on page 8) Set Exhibitor Heads For Hospital Drive Formation of the exhibitors' committee in all exchange areas for the Will Rogers Hospital's combined audience collection Christmas salute drive is rapidly nearly completion, M. A. Silvers, national exhibitor drive chairman, announced yesterday. Definite acceptances have been received to date from: Elias Schlanger, Albany; Charles Kurtzman, Boston; Arthur Krolick and George McKenna, Buffalo; Ernest G. Sterlings and Scott Lett, Charlotte; David Wallerstein and Jack Kirsch, Chicago; James McDonald, Cincinnati; Joe Rembrandt, Cleveland; John Rowley, Dallas; Harold Brown, Detroit. Also, R. V. Jones, Indianapolis; (Continued on page 8) Wales Reports: Studios Study Active Part in Business Plan Montague Urges Expansion Of Original Program Hollywood's studios plan active participation in the industry's campaign to build theatre attendance, Clarke H. ( Duke ) Wales, secretary of the studio publicity directors committee, has advised the advertising and publicity directors committee of the Motion Picture Association of America. Wales reported to the eastern group at a meeting held here Monday night at the Harvard Club, which was also attended by representatives of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations, Theatre Owners of America, Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatre Association, and the Independent Theatre Owners Association. Wales told the meeting of discussions held by the publicity directors in Holly^ wood last week at which time sugges(Continued on page 8) L A. Ready to Approve Franchise for Pay TV From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, July 9.-A franchise for the right to operate a paytelevision system in Los Angeles is on the City Council agenda for tomorrow morning's session, with approval of the present form believed certain, The Daily learned today. Although the franchise, as approved by the Board of Utilities and (Continued on page 8) Odeon Theatres Suspend Screen Advertising Special to THE DAILY TORONTO, July 9.-Both the production of screen advertising and showing in its theatres have been discontinued in Canada by the Rank Organization. In announcing the suspension of the production of its "Tips" series in this (Continued on page 8)