Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1958)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY lL. 84, NO. 83 NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1958 TEN CENTS b it o rial 'Breakthrough' Predicted in Canada Final Action ne Exhibitor Voice On Drive for Sunday Operations TO A Calls for Research on Film Industry B By Sherivin Kane EPYROS P. SKOURAS, in address| ing both the Allied States and \ Theatre Owners of America anil conventions in the past two . eks, ennumerated as one of a dozen >more of the major problems of the lierican exhibitor "a complete lack ji united front." jikouras's proposal for remedying |i lack is one of the most sensible, |I practical, to be advanced in inSitry councils in a long time. m?or many years, there have been i ieated urgings for one, big exhibitor ionization, dedicated to a united jnt for exhibition. (The proponents inevitably had in lid the formation, through merger, Isolution, or what have you, of a igle national exhibitor organization |ich would absorb and replace exj ng national and regional organizat ns. Jrhere are obvious and ostensibly lurmountable obstacles to such a Lcedure. So real and so great are Isy— in the forms of traditions, thinkw{, economics considerations, personifies and other factors— that no progIs in that direction ever has been fide. tSkouras's proposal is different. "It does not necessarily mean," he Id his listeners, "that exhibitor oritiizations presently in existence Imld be dissolved, but that all the nibitors and all the organizations presenting them today should have f single voice or agency to speak in l;ir behalf in Congress and else ■V, 99 liere. Thus, Skouras's plan is not one or| lization for all exhibitors, but one I !ce for all exhibitor organizations. This is a realistic and an attainable |al. It is essential if any of the badly leded Federal consent decree revi{ ns are to be obtained, or if the ihibitor welfare is to be effectively £ ved in other areas. TO A may have taken the first step * its final board session last Saturday S. Miami Beach when it moved to }|;k coordination of industry repre«itations for decree changes. In this, •i is deserving of encouragement and ! pport. Special to THE DAILY TORONTO, Oct. 27. -Sunday movies, always a soon see a breakthrough. The issue is Motion Picture Industry Council of TOA to Seek Unified Action on Decree Changes Special to THE DAILY MIAMI BEACH, Oct. 27. Theatre Owners of America hopes to be able to coordinate the efforts of all branches of the industry to obtain relief from or revision of some of the provisions of the Federal consent decrees which have become needlessly restrictive and burdensome under changed conditions in the industry. TOA's aim will be the presentation to the Department of Justice of recommendations reflecting unified industry thinking on decree changes. The TOA board discussed plans for initiating such action at its final meeting here at the weekend. Sees Growing Sentiment For U.S. TV Control From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 27. There is growing sentiment in Congress for increased Government regulations or television and radio, the nation's broadcasters were warned today. Harold E. Fellows, president of the National Association of Broadcasters, (Continued on page 6) hot issue in Canada, may to be debated at the meeting of the Canada which is scheduled here for Wednesday. The Council three years ago paid $5,500 for a report on how the people of five cities felt about Sunday films. Of the cities, only Toronto (58.2 per cent) and Ottawa (53.2 per cent) returned yes answers. In London, only 25.2 per cent of those canvassed said yes. Windsor was 45.9 per cent in favor, and Hamilton a meagre 42.6 per cent on the affirmative side. But the picture in Canada is changing. Theatre lights are going on. Peo(Continued on page 2) Marshall Neilan, 66, Veteran Director, Dies Special to THE DAILY HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 27.-Marshall (Mickey) Neilan, veteran director and Hollywood celebrity, and one of the film capital's most colorful individuals died last night of cancer at the film colony's hospital. He was 66. He had been critically ill for the past several months and had undergone several operations. He entered the industry in 1909 and quickly rose to prominence as writer, producer and director. He directed Mary Pickford in "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" in 1917 at Paramount. He also directed Charlie Chaplin, Colleen Moore, Jean Harlow, Wal(Continued on page 3) Board Also Endorses U.S. Participation in Festivals By MARTIN QUIGLEY, Jr. MIAMI BEACH, Oct. 27.-Theatre Owners of America has called for a public service foundation or fund to undertake a research program on bell alf of the motion picture industry, compiling statistical data on theatres, attendance, income of various segments of the industry, employment and the impact of American films on foreign lands, among other matters. Action requesting the survey was taken in one of two resolutions adopted by the TOA board of directors and executive committee at the weekend as the organization's 11th annual con, vention was brought to a close at the Americana Hotel here. In a second resolution, the TOA board endorsed the participation of (Continued on page 3) REVIEW: I Want to Live! Figaro — United Artists In spite of— not because of-the fact that they have defied several of the most important conventions of movie-making, producer Walter Wanger, director Robert Wise and star Susan Hayward have turned out a production of tremendous cumulative suspense and almost overwhelming emotional impact. "I Want to Live!" should be one of the most talked about pictures of the year and will probably earn an Academy Award nomination for Miss Hayward as well as Wise. Based on a true California murder case of about five years ago, the film has as its chief protagonist the much publicized central figure of that case, Barbara Graham, convicted perjurer and prostitute. With two petty hoodlums, Miss Graham was tried, convicted and executed for the (Continued on page 7) M-G-M to Make 'Finn'; Claims World Copyright M-G-M announced yesterday that it plans to place a musical version of Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" into production in 1959 as one of its "top attractions." The project has been pending since 1953, since which time the studio was reported to be stymied by casting problems. Announcement of intentions to go ahead with the film, made in Hollywood yesterday by studio production head Sol C. Siegel, came right on the ( Continued on page 6 ) if on page 2 Television Today on page 6