Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1959)

February 24, 1959 Motion Picture Daily 3 British Back TOA Plan Loew's Voting 'EOPLE On Using U.S. Stars s Haeger, formerly director of relations for the Popcorn InChicago, has been named dithe newly-formed concession bn department of Filmack I Co. She assumed her new t the Filmack home office in on Feb. 16. □ ,nn Davis, most recently manthe Rocket Theatre, Rock 11., has taken over new duties er of the Ritz Theatre, Mil t Martin, a veteran of 33 . theatre management, curI the Shaker Theatre, Shaker Ohio, a unit of Associated j ihas tendered his resignation, 1 1 March 1, and will enter anI Vsiness for himself in Davtona fla. □ \. Roth, New York financier d irector of Loew's, Inc., has ?d to the board of directors [cGraw & Co., construction of Hartford. : Stevens, president of the -|'' of Motion Picture Arts and Edmund D. Hartmann, • j of the Writers Guild of n -West, and Billy Wilder, i -director, have been named -4oard of judges for the fifth ■t'Goldwyn Creative Writing "41 Competition at U.C.L.A. *jtry Delegation a|ed Funeral ' ! f pedal to THE DAILY I IRK, N. Y., Feb. 23.-A deleupstate theatre men organelle Council of Motion Picture Iflpons attended the funeral flpp'r Congressman Daniel A. mer chairman of the House d Means Committee, held ifternoon, at the Unitarian ere. The delegation included lives from Loew's, Para1 Shea circuits, as well as in: operators of theatres in rYf:trict. >rs were present from Buf"'fflaester, Olean, Dunkirk and ate communities. In a stateid in NTew York City by Rob.iJj special counsel for COMPO, ™ the death of Reed was "a to the motion picture indusne praised Reed as being ie first of our national legisla■ognize the disastrous effects "ederal admission taxes were oon motion picture exhibi ok 'Alias' Mar. 18 Jesse James," starring Bob 1 open at 21 theatres on a ;un basis in the Los Angeles larch 18. The suggestion, relayed by Theatre Owners of America, that foreign producers employ American stars and directors to make their pictures more suitable for American theatres and the world market, has been endorsed by the British exhibitors organization, T.O.A. has disclosed. Ellis F. Pinkney, general secretary of the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association of Great Britain and Ireland, in a letter to George G. Kerasotes, T.O.A. president, declared C.E.A.'s General Council had approved the principle of this suggestion for increasing motion picture production for American theatres. Follows Fabian Report Kerasotes several weeks ago sent to producer, distributor and exhibitor organizations all over the world, the recommendation of the American Congress of Exhibitors' committee on ways and means to increase motion picture production, of which S. H. Fabian is chairman. Fabian's report urged that foreign producers be impressed with the fact that if they could make "more pictures aimed at the American market" they would not only help relieve the American product shortage situation, but earn a larger share of the world market. C.E.A.'s General Council, in noting the Fabian committee recommendaions, declared: "So far as it may be possible to do so, whilst at the same time retaining to a reasonable extent that elements in British films which portray the British way of life and thought, your Committee was in agreement with the sentiments expressed by the American Congress of Exhibitors and proposes that Theatre Owners of America be informed accordingly." Wants Americans Advised "It is further suggested that the attention of the producer Associations be drawn to this subject, and enquiry made as to their views." Pinkney advised Kerasotes copies of the C.E.A. report had been sent to the British Film Producers Association and the Federation of British Film Makers. Remodeling Program For Chicago Theatre Special to THE DAILY CHICAGO, Feb. 23. A $250,000 remodeling program for the Regal Theatre here, recently acquired by the South Parkway Building Corp., has been announced. Among improvements to be made, according to George L. Brandt, managing director, will be installation of new seats, modernization of the front arcade, boxoffice, lounges, and lobby. Si Griever will have charge of buying films for the Regal, and Charles Hogan will secure live talent for stage show presentations, Brandt said. The 3,000-seat house will strive for a neighborhood first-run policy. ( Continued from page 1 ) holders to be held at the same place on Thursday, at which time a new board slate of 15 nominees will be voted on. Loew's management strongly urged company stockholders to approve the elimination of cumulative voting in a letter accompanying the notice of the special meeting. Sees Dissension Created The letter said that in the opinion of the Loew's board "the existence of the cumulative voting system has been a major element in provoking dissensions and threats of proxy contests . . . and that its abolition will reduce the likelihood of the recurrence of such strife." Citing the heavy costs to the company of the 1957 proxy contest conducted by Joseph Tomlinson, dissident director, who recently sold most of his Loew's stock and resigned from the board, the letter said the "threats of contests and the internal divisions have also burdened the company with heavy direct expenses and have wasted time and effort, lost opportunities, adversely affected employes' morale, discouraged principals from doing business with the company, taken time and energy of directors and officers away from constructive work. Cites Company's Best Interests' "Your board of directors believes that it is against the best interests of the stockholders to permit this company to continue any longer as an arena for corporate misadventure. We therefore urged you to vote for the proposed amendments," the letter said. The board nominees who will be up for election at Thursday's meeting are: Ellsworth C. Alvord, Omar N. Bradley, Bennett Cerf, Nathan Cummings, Ira Guilden, George L. Killion, J. Howard McGrath, Benjamin Melniker, Robert H. O'Brien, William A. Parker, Philip A. Roth, Charles H. Silver, John I. Snyder, Jr., John L. Sullivan and Joseph R. Vogel. The board until recently had 19 members. Under cumulative voting dissidents were in a position to reelect themselves. Services Back 'HilV United Artists national promotional campaign for "Pork Chop Hill," starring Gregory Peck, will have the full support of the Department of Defense and the Army. Service cooperation will cover a wide range of promotion, including recruiting drives, posting of display cards, use of military personnel and bands in connection with local premieres, and radio and TV appearances by Korean War heroes. Hollywood Books 'Nun9 Warner Brothers' "The Nun's Story," already set as the Fourth of July attraction at the Radio City Music Hall here, has been booked as the Independence Day feature at the Hollywood Paramount Theatre in an exclusive Soudiern California engagement. TENT TALK Variety Club News BOSTON Outstanding figures in civic, religious and industrial organizations will join with the Variety Club of New England and the sporting world on May 17 to honor Joe Cronin, American League president, trustee and chairman of the executive committee of the Children's Cancer Research Foundation (Jimmy Fund), who has been chosen unanimously to be the recipient of VC's "Great Heart Award." The presentation banquet will be held in the Imperial Ballroom of the Statler-Hilton Hotel. MILWAUKEE-George Eby, chief barker of Variety Clubs International, attended the regional meeting held here, at which Tent No. 14 was host. Other officials of the organization included Joseph Podoloff, international representative, Region 4; Marc J. Wolf, international main guy; W. R. Praught, chief barker, Des Moines, and Rex Carr, chief barker, Indianapolis. A BALTIMORE Ladies will be admitted this year to the Baltimore Variety Club's annual oyster roast, which will be held on March 8 at the clubrooms. Larry Jacobs is in charge of the program. Announce Dais List For Sugar Luncheon The dais list for the testimonial luncheon to honor Joseph M. Sugar, vicepresident of Magna Theatre Corp., here tomorrow has been announced The affair, which will be at Toots Shor's Restaurant, will be attended by 150 of his friends in exhibition and distribution. On the dais will be George Skouras, William J. Heineman, James R. Velde, Max E. Youngstein, Bernard Kranze, Sol Schwartz, Eugene Picker, Arnold Picker and Bud Edele. The committee on arrangements includes Larry Morris, Bernie Myerson and Bob Deitch. Harry Brandt will act as toastmaster. Cinema Lodge to Elect Officers on Friday Election of officers of Cinema Lodge B'nai B'rith, which this year commemorates its 20th anniversary, will will be held at a luncheon on Friday at Toots Shor's Restaurant, it was announced by Jack H. Levin, chairman of the nominating committee. Co-chairmen are Robert Shapiro and Martin Levine. The fist of nominees is as follows:' president, Alfred W. Schwalberg; treasurer, Jack Weissman; secretary, Abe Dickstein; vice-presidents : Irving R. Brown, Jack Hoffberg, Maurice B. Leschen, Milton Livingston, Joseph R. Margulies, David Picker, Sol Rissner, Norman Robbins, Leonard Rubin and Nathan M. Rudich.