Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1959)

\=m MOTION PICTURE II DAI LY M NEW YORK, U.S.A., THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1959 Television's Top Stars of the Year Critics Name the Winners In the Daily-Fame Annual Poll DINAH SHORE DINAH SHORE, long a winner in individual categories, this year was named Champion of Champions — Best Television Performer, in the tenth annual Television Today poll of television critics and columnists. Best Network Program— Champion of Champions was Playhouse 90, the CBS network show which has held this position for three consecutive years. The poll is conducted annually by Television Today and Motion Pictube Daily for Fame Magazine. In addition to their positions as Champions, Miss Shore took first place in the Best Female Vocalist category for the seventh year and Playhouse 90 was named Best Dramatic Program. Perry Como, last year's Champion ( Continued on page 4 ) 85, NO. 9 st Since ' 54 = ibstantial ''i crease in II CA Fees Set 5 Keep It Self-Sustaining ier New Conditions sharp upward revision in fees of industry's Production Code Adoration to meet present-day proion conditions was approved by Motion Picture Association board irectors yesterday. I le new schedule establishes a new *ory of feature negative costs— ? over $1,500,000, and eliminates revises several other categories, tofore the highest negative cost bory was for features costing more • $500,000. ' oduction Code Administration fees designed to maintain the PCA i self-sustaining basis. Thus the iges made take into account not 1 ( Continued on page 6) 'Ben-Hur' Is 'Big' In All Respects By FLOYD STONE j3en-Hur" is big, all right. A million nds of concrete. Two hundred fifty miles of steel tubing. A u m 15 stories high. And, millions vords written; billions, probably, doe written. Yesterday, at MGM, i-man Morgan Hudgins talked *e about statistics, but mostly about e words. fhey are the result of his work; i and other MGM publicists'. The M men have pre-sold for ten iths, and the biggest picture ever (Continued on page 6) scar' Broadcast > Run 105 Minutes From THE DAILY Bureau IOLLYWOOD, Jan. 14 The jthening of the 31st annual "Oscar" itations show to one hour and ninutes and coverage by Canadian vision and Alaskan radio were disced today by the Academy of MoPicture Arts and Sciences. Under (Continued on page 2) ... Industry Leaders Honor Fabian on 60th Birthday Close to 300 leaders of the amusement world and motion picture industry joined in a 60th birthday celebration in honor of Si Fabian, president of Stanley Warner, last night, at the Sheraton-East Hotel here. Barney Balaban, president of Para( Continued on page 6 ) Goodwin Resigns as President of MBC Bernard Goodwin announced yesterday he has resigned as president and director of Metropolitan Broadcasting Corp. An agreement settling his long-term contract with the company has just been concluded. Goodwin occupied the MBC offices (Continued on page 6) TEN CENTS Ends Wait MP A Votes to Back Compo Another Year Plans Dues Drive After Program Set with ACE The Motion Picture Association board of directors at its meeting here yesterday agreed to support Compo in 1959 on the same basis as heretofore, by matching exhibitor contributions to Compo. MPAA's action clears the way for a dues collection drive by Compo among the exhibitors of the nation. A start will be made as soon as possible, it was stated at Compo headquarters, but it was pointed out that before actual collections are begun Compo must agree with the American Congress of Exhibitors on the specifics of a 1959 program in order to avoid duplication of effort where the new exhibitor congress is concerned. In earlier Compo and ACE meet(Continued on page 6) Ludwig Heads B.V.: Gaudreau Is Promoted Irving H. Ludwig has been elected president and general sales manager of the Buena Vista Film Distribution Co. by the board of directors, it was announced here yesterday. Ludwig, formerly vice-president and domestic sales manager, succeeds Leo F. Samuels, who resigned last week, effective immediately. At the same time the B.V. board announced the promotion of Louis E. Gaudreau to the newly created post of executive vice-president and treas( Continued on page 2 ) '59 Drive-In Prospects On Allied Meet Agenda Special to THE DAILY PITTSBURGH, Jan. 14-Prospects for the 1959 drive-in theatre season will be the subject of discussion at the first session of the Allied States drive-in convention to be held at the Penn Sheraton Hotel here, Jan. 26-28. Results of studies by a business (Continued on page 6) Exhibitors of 8 Central States Join to Boost Business with Own 'Tree' Drive Special to THE DAILY DES MOINES, Jan. 14.— Exhibitors in an eight-state mid-Central area will band together next month in a joint endeavor to increase theatre attendance by devising their own sales promotion campaign, supplementing that of the distributor, on a specific picture. Myron N. Blank, president o f Central States Theatre Corp. of this city, who will have a leading part in the project, said Warner Bros. "The Hanging Tree" has been chosen for the campaign. The distributor will cooperate, he said, by Myron Blank making approximately 90 prints available in the eight-state territory for an early February kick-off. Blank said the idea is an outgrowth of an area conference which exhibitors of Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska held last month to discuss possible cooperative projects to improve theatre attendance in the territory. In the meantime, Minnesota exhibitors conducted joint campaigns on "Onionhead" and "Damn Yankees" in their territory, which met with substantial success. Exhibitors in the eight-state area ( Continued on page 6 )