Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1959)

ijsday, February 3, 1959 Motion Picture Daily television Jqday Tactic' New Series On Cancer Control | number of celebrities from variBelds of the entertainment world, lding Alfred Hitchcock, Steve n, Ruth Hussey, Jim Backus, and 1 and Hari, are participating in tic," a weekly program of 6 halfTV programs on cancer control, le series, produced by the Nationroadcasting Company in cooperawith the Educational Television Radio Center and the American er Society, will be telecast over JBC-TV network facilities to edujnal stations, beginning Tuesday, 10. Other NBC affiliated stawill carry the series on a de1 basis at later dates. Press Book Included part of the promotion for the a press book similar to those for motion pictures has been H, providing thumbnail sketches e personalities involved and de1 information on the series itself. tor Hits Pay-TV at eting in Atlanta •pecial to THE DAILY LANTA, Feb. 2. "The public ing sold a pie in the sky in the 7V situation," Sol Taishoff, editor mblisher of "Broadcasting Magatold a meeting of local radio TV people here recently, othing should be done to black le public's reception of free TV," off said, pointing out that "free nd pay TV cannot exist side by ' Taishoff quoted NBC's Robert »ff as saying that " 'if pay TV is >rized by Congress as an on the avice, NBC-TV would be forced | the same system, and would ibly make higher profits'." ami Channel Six en to All Bidders Special to THE DAILY [AMI, Feb. 2.-After almost two of legal hassles, Miami's televi: Channel 6 is open ot all applicants | wish to bid to operate it. The Court of Appeals Friday sustained "ederal Communications Commiswhich assigned Channel 6 to the jii area April 25, 1957. _ -erico Investment Co., which ops WITV on Channel 17 in Ft. erdale, an ultra high frequency m, contested the assignment on ;rounds that a fifth VHF channel iami modified its license. Gerico contended it should have been alii to operate on Channel 6, instead eing forced to compete for the r with other applicants. similar and earlier appeal by 30 in connection with Channel 7 iami, also was denied. Who's Where Three additions have been made to the staff of Flamingo Telefilm Sales. Wells Bruen, who resigned from Official Films, will serve as Flamingo's regional sales manager working from the Dallas, Tex. office. Sam Steele, Jr., who has been with Official Films for the past five years, also joins Flamingo as regional manager for the Southern Division, opening new offices in Atlanta. William A. Whalen, whose background includes associations with MPTV and Guild Films, joins Flamingo's midwestern sales staff. □ Erwin Needles, formerly director of sales for WMBC-TV, West Hartford, Conn., and at one time vice-president and general manager of the Julian Gross Advertising Agency, Hartford, has joined Radio Station WMAS, Springfield, Mass., as commercial manager. He is son of Henry L. Needles, former Hartford district manager for Warner Bros. Theatres. □ The Jack Wrather organization has named Jessica Maxwell, formerly with TPA in production and casting, as casting director, Walter Kingsley, president of the company, announced. Conn. Biff Would Aid Radio, TV 'Immunity' Special to THE DAILY HARTFORD, Feb. 2. Democratic Rep. Louis J. Padula of Norwalk, Conn., has introduced a measure to grant immunity to Connecticut newsgatherers, including radio-TV men, who refuse to divulge sources of information. The proposed bill, submitted to current state legislative session, still gives the court the right to imprison persons who refuse to testify before it, but, for the first time, excludes from the court's jurisdiction newspapermen and newsmen for radiotelevision stations. This exception reads: "No person engaged in the work of gathering, compiling, editing, publishing, disseminating, broadcasting or telecasting news shall be committed for refusal to disclose the source of information procured by him for such publication, broadcasting or televising." Newman Heads Group HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 2. Samuel Newman has been named to head the television film negotiating committee of the TV-radio branch of The Writers Guild of America, West. Others in this group are Morgan Cox, Lee Berg, Ollie Crawford, Jerry Gottler, Hal Fimberg, Orville Hampton, David Harmon, Kay Lenard, Nate Monaster and Stanley Niss. The present TV-film contract expires January of next year. Expect 'Oscar' Broadcast To Reach 500,000,000 From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 2. Increase in world-wide coverage of the Academy Awards broadcast over last year's event will bring the total saturation on eyes and ears close to one-half a billion people. Additional TV and radio stations in U.S., Canada and Alaska will augment those carrying the program in previous years. ACE Committee ( Continued from page 1 ) bian, ACE chairman. The executive committee will meet Feb. 10, and the full committees on Feb. 11. Telegraphic invitations to attend the meetings went to committee chairmen and members yesterday. Stating that "attendance at the meetings is important to formulate a program to start immediately to affect the entire future of the motion picture industry," Fabian urged attendance of all committee members. '"The fact that meetings of exhibitors have been held in 16 exchange areas with complete approval of the ACE program, without one dissenting vote recorded, indicates to us that we can go forward with our program with the knowledge that we have the complete confidence of exhibitors throughout the country," Fabian said. "Area co-chairmen in parts of the country where meetings have not yet been held," Fabian said, "have been in touch with ACE headquarters and all have indicated that exhibitors in their areas are enthusiastic about the ACE program. All of these areas will hold local ACE meetings very soon. "Our mid-February meetings will start ACE rolling along the lines indicated in the organizational committee Rank Outlines ( Continued from page 1 ) "National Release" circuit, along with many of the independents, particularly those taking films made by Twentieth Century-Fox, such as the Granada, Essoldo, Shipman and King circuits. Fox films will also be available for showing on the "Rank Release" circuit. So far, there is no plan to change the names of cinemas, nor is there any financial link-up between existing cinema owners or groups. First outward sign of the change to the public will be the emergence in newspaper advertisements, particularly in the London area, of a new circuit called the "National Release." Posters and other media will also be used to tell patrons how the new pattern would operate. An explanatory leaflet has been printed for widespread distribution. Points to 'High Class Programs' "We need yoiir help," Winckles said, "to establish the change of name. We also need your help in putting over to the public the many high class programs which will be offered between now and Easter which otherwise many people might not see." This is the first step in the Rank rationalisation scheme which involves the closure of a number of "uneconomic" cinemas. Earlier, the Rank Organisation thought that around 80 cinemas might have to be closed over the next two years but now it is thought that with the new film distribution pattern the number may be less— around 60. reports. Whatever is necessary to put these recommendations into action will be done at the forthcoming meetings, other than the parts of our program that have been assigned to COMPO for action," Fabian concluded. BANTAM BOOKS GOES FOR S GIB 50,000 DEALERS DISPLAY J > ^ NEW EDITION THAT SELLS COLOMBIA'S 'NEW FACES' PRESENTATION! CiNemaScopE EASTMAN COLOR Sandra Dee • cliff Robertson • james Darren THE FOUR PREPg ARTHUR O'CONNELL '7orSrSe ijy GABRIILLE UPTON „: t v FREDERICK RACHMIL • Duelled t The industry goes for GIDGET for Easter!