Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1959)

2 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, February 11 PERSONAL MENTION EDWARD L. HYMAN, vice-president of American BroadcastingParamount Theatres, and Bernard Levy, his assistant, are in Salt Lake City from New York. Bruce Eells, executive vice-president of United Artists Television, left New York last night for Los Angeles. • Harold Goldman, president of NTA International, will leave New York today on a business trip to Puerto Rico. • Leslie Oliver, Technicolor, Ltd., executive, will leave New York today for Hollywood. Matt Saunders, of Loew's Poli Theatre, Bridgeport, Conn., has returned there following a period at at Hartford Hospital. Vyvyan Donner, fashion editor and commentator for Fox Movietonews, is in Miami from New York. Glenn Ford will leave New York aboard the "Queen Elizabeth" today for Europe. • Harry Allan Towers, British independent producer, will arrive in New York from London today via B.O.A.C. Abrahams to Succeed (Continued from page 1) it was announced tonight by Steve Broidy, AA president. Flinn on March 6 will take over his new position as studio publicity chief for Columbia Pictures. Abrahams, prior to his association with Allied Artists, was engaged in advertising and publicity work at Warner Brothers. EDITORIAL. (CONTINUED FROM PAGE I) theatres. The licenses could be suspended or revoked for specified infractions, including the exhibition of unlicensed films or the use of advertising held to be violative of standards set forth in one of the proposed bills. In addition to prohibiting the use of advertising material that is "obscene, indecent, immoral or disgusting, or of such a character that its exhibition would tend to corrupt morals or incite to crime." the proposed bill would prohibit advertising of anything not specifically contained in the picture, including scenes or dialogue eliminated by the state censor. For the most part, existing criminal laws prohibit the use on screen or in advertising of obscene material, the only basis for censorship which the U. S. Supreme Court has permitted to stand. As for advertising that implies there is something in a motion picture that actually is not there, this is more a matter for a local better business bureau than for state legislation. It is poor business, to begin with, to delude one's customers and, if repeated, the business man— whether exhibitor or merchant— will be the ultimate loser. Fundamentally, though, it is no different from the extravagant claims made on television and in printed ads for the claimed therapeutic properties of various mouth washes, hair tonics and the like. It is difficult to see what the committee's proposed bills could accomplish that existing laws could not. The need for additional legislation has not been demonstrated. It strikes us as unwise and unneeded, another attempt to strengthen censorship's control of the screen at a time when the motion picture is nressing its fight for complete freedom from prior restraint, to which the Supreme Court has held it is entitled and which extends to all other communications media. If this legislation is passed, it should be vetoed. If not vetoed, it should be contested up to the Supreme Court, which already has ruled on legis"ation of the kind. Some Studio Unions Balk At New Basic Pact Term From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 10. The new two-year studio basic agreement, covering all IATSE unions and guilds here, concluded Jan. 30 after weeks of negotiations, is running into difficulties with the individual labor organizations. Sound Technicians, Local 695, has voted to reject the contract. Set Painters, Local 729, has refused to ratify it. The IATSE Publicists Guild is expressing dissatisfaction. Most dissenters want double the 15 cents an hour increase granted in the new contract. However, producers are expected to remain firm, insisting upon adherence to the agreement reached in the prolonged negotiations with IATSE president Richard Walsh and other union officials. 'Live' Gross $300,000 "I Want to Live!" has grossed approximately $300,000 during its week's engagement at 28 New York RKO Theatres, which ended yesterday, it was announced by United Artists. Re MPA Circulates (Continued from page 1) possible attention to the evils of censorship in any of its forms." Eleven points are covered in the release, including a definition of the difference between censorship that is prior restraint and that which is post restraint; a list of cities and states that still censor films; and the ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court that the motion picture is entitled to the same guarantees of freedom as other media of the press. The bulletin also points out that the industry has voluntarily adopted a Production Code "which applies standards of decency to films." It calls the effects of censorship as two: it usurps the private rights of the many by turning them over to the few and it undermines democracy because it historically moves from one area to another and endangers all freedoms. The bulletin also attacks the current efforts of censors to extend their authority to classify motion pictures for adults only. ceipts registered by the Figaro, Inc., film over the seven-day period are among the biggest ever taken in by the local RKO chain during a comparable period, it was stated. Exhibitors I ( Continued from page 1 ) of an official statement. Howe; individuals, all metropolitan t men contacted yesterday voiced ed opposition to the committee' as described in Motion Pi Daily yesterday. An ITOA spokesman said, "Y\ tainly are opposed to any add licensing of theatres, particulai the purpose of increasing censor; our screens and advertising mal as these bills are intended to d most certainly will be represen the public hearing to be held h Feb. 26 and will so state at that An MMPTA official said, "All it is too early to make a formal ment, there can be no doubt abc being squarely opposed to meas' this kind. Our opposition to cenr is well known. These measures appear to be designed to attemp by indirection — the use of re\ licenses— what the Supreme Coil held censor boards cannot do d !■ which is to use prior restraint 1 j reason except obscenity. And case of the latter, every state ai already has criminal laws fj prosecution of offenders, so ne' of this kind are not needed." 'Already on the Books' Reactions of individual exl were similar. "Either advertising or film that is obscene is punishable b laws already on the books," one nent metropolitan exhibitor "There is nothing to indicate t present laws are inadequate, sponsible exhibitor will delibera fend his patrons. If the other exhibitor does, we'd all like to prosecuted under the existing laws. Can you remember how has been since an established operator was prosecuted in this putting on an obscene film or ing one "By only country respec To Rufus Blair, press represent; Bob Hopes' new comedy, "Ali James," today starts a 27-city, ! promotion tour in behalf of cli£ Artists release. Blair, a seasoi publicity man, will plant spe< tures and photo material witli in each of these cities. 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