Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1959)

■sday, March 11, 1959 Motion Picture Daily 3 eker Named Continued from page 1 ) to the post of executive vicent. he same time, two new vice ■nts were elected: Ernest Emerlational director of advertising blicitv. and Arthur M. Tolchin, mg director and a director of eatre company's broadcasting i£ry, Radio Station WMGM, >rk. (man, Picker and Murphy cons directors of the new theatre y. The other directors are: Baker, president of National ; Thomas J. Connellan, retired esident of the First National .nk of New York, and Thomas ton, dean of the New York ity School of Commerce, Acand Finance. The last three were originally approved for by the Federal Court. ement by Friedman, Picker letter serving to introduce ■ v theatre company to stockFriedman and Picker express m over the future of Loew's (is, Inc. as motion picture exand look forward to building future through expansion and cation. exciting and challenging," they be part of a venture which s the vigor and optimism of nterprise with the wisdom and ice of an established cornman first became associated e legal department of Loew's :al Enterprises and when Inc. was formed in 1919, he secretary. In the mid-twenties elected a director and, in 1945, sident. In 1954, with the physaration of the theatre division etro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was financial vice president, treasi a director of the theatre sub. In October, 1956, with the on of Joseph R. Vogel, presijLoew's Theatres, he succeeded position. Started as an Usher lew president of Loew's Thec., Picker is the son of the late . Picker, a pioneer in the moture idustry. He began with pas an usher at the Spooner Bronx, later becoming assistHriager. In -1921, he joined ilm booking department, sub|y becoming assistant to David 'ien chief film buyer and bookn Loew's resignation in 1935, eded to that position. In 1946, appointed general manager of .oew's New York operations, t the State and Capitol, on y. In 1954, he was elected a ident of Loew's Theatres and, a director. In Sept., 1958, he ated to executive vice presurphy became a clerk in the ig department in 1922, and i assistant at Loew's Hillside ca, and later, at Loew's Vaiubsequently he became assistiseph R. Vogel, then general Ixecutive and aide to the late Promoted by Loeiv Theatre Circuit Leopold Friedman John Murphy Ernest Emerling Arthur Tolchin Promote 'Life' with Personality Tours Universal is promoting "Imitation of Life" with the use of more of the personalities associated with the film than in any other similar launching yet staged by the company, according to David A. Lipton, vice-president. The picture will have its world premiere at the Roosevelt Theatre in Chicago next Tuesday, followed by Easter openings in key cities. Among the participants for the world premiere in Chicago are four of the stars of the film— Lana Turner, Dan O'Herlihy, Susan Kohner and Juanita Moore, authoress Fannie Hurst and producer Ross Hunter. From Chicago, Miss Turner will come to New York to aid in the promotion of the picture's New York premiere at the Roxy and then will visit Boston and Washington, D.C. Miss Kohner is starting her tour in New York and she will visit Cleveland and Pittsburgh following the world premiere. O'Herlihy is starting his tour in San Francisco and he will visit Cleveland and other key cities following the Chicago premiere. Miss Moore is aiding in the promotion of the picture in Chicago, New York and Cleveland. Miss Hurst, who has already visited Hollywood for a series of special promotional events and who is also involved in comprehensive promotional activity in New York, is scheduled to go to St. Louis for a homecoming celebration and will also visit Philadelphia and Chicago. Col. E. A. Schiller, who was in charge of all Loew's Theatre operations. In 1954, he was elected a vice president and, in 1956, a director. Emerling joined Loew's in 1920 as assistant manager of the Loew Theatre in Dayton, Ohio, becoming Loews' youngest manager in 1924. Subsequently, he managed and supervised theatres in Birmingham, Dallas, and Memphis, becoming assistant publicity head in 1930. In 1946, he became head of the department. Tolchin has been managing director and a director of Radio Station WMGM, Loew's Theatres' broadcasting subsidiary since 1954. He joined the station, then WHN, as a salesman, in 1937. He became assistant director of sales in 1945 and was appointed director of sales in 1951. Wometco to Offer ( Continued from page 1 ) change Commission to approve the offering will be filed shortly. The stock is presently owned by secretary Sidney Meyer, who now shares ownership and control of the corporation with president Mitchell Wolf son. According to the filing with the FCC, the plan is for 5 per cent of Meyer's present 50 per cent holding to be acquired by Wolfson's family, giving Wolfson a clear 55 per cent control of the corporation, which will then be known as Wometco Enterprises, Inc. Meyer will keep 10 per cent of the stock, and the remaining 35 per cent will be sold publicly. Meyer will retire from an active role in the corporation, but will remain as a consultant. 290,000 Shares Involved The public sale would involve about 290,000 shares at a price of about $10.75 a share. Wometco has extensive theatre holdings and owns interests of varying size in television stations in Miami, Jacksonville, Asheville, and Madison, Wis. Lury Arriving Here Robert M. Lury, president of Select International Films, which controls six import licenses, will arrive here over the weekend where current and forthcoming pictures will be screened for him by foreign distribution executives of American film companies. Lury, who has been closely associated with Shochiku Films of Japan in the distribution of United Artists pictures, is currently negotiating with Shochiku to form a new company to distribute all foreign imports. Lury has been in Hollywood for the past two weeks and will spend two weeks in New York before returning to Japan via Mexico City. Full 'GigV Release The National saturation release of MGM's "Gigi" will be in full swing on April 1, according to MGM sales manager and vice-president, Jack Byrne. As a result of its special hardticket handling and the picture's ability to sustain long-run engagements, only 2,600 of a potential 15,000 accounts have played the Arthur Freed production so far, he said. To Mark Anniversary Of 'Pacific7 on B'dwy. The first anniversary of the opening of "South Pacific" in Todd-AO on Broadway will be observed at the Rivoli Theatre starting tomorrow and running through March 19, it is announced by Joseph M. Sugar, vicepresident in charge of sales for Magna Theatre Corp. The picture opened on March 19, 1958 at the Criterion and 26 weeks later moved to the Rivoli. Nick Justin, managing director of the Rivoli, is planning a huge birthday cake to be unveiled with special ceremonies tomorrow. The first anniversary birthday observance will continue for eight days and will culminate on Thursday, March 19, when stars of stage, screen, television and radio will participate in the cutting of the cake. UA Brings Suit ( Continued from page 1 ) a newspaper after New York Post Office officials said the ad would make the paper unmailable. Arguing that Goya was a great and respected artist, UA vice president Max E. Youngstein declared that use of his paintings could not possibly be construed as obscenity making periodicals unmailable. Youngstein also charged in the affidavit that the Post Office decision had "literally crippled the advertising campaign" being prepared for the company's film, "The Naked Maja." Further Youngstein asks that the Post Office be enjoined from making what he characterizes as "threats" to exclude ads containing the painting from the mails. Had Contacted Department The affidavit cites an exchange of letters between UA general counsel Seymour Peyser and the office of the general counsel of the Post Office Department in which Peyser requested an immediate official Post Office decision on the mailability of "Maja" ads. Herbert P. Warburton, general counsel for the Post Office Department, in his final reply in effect refused to give a decision, it is charged, and at the same time advised UA to attempt a mailing, adding that "the mailer must accept the risk for anv violation of law which would be involved and of any action which might be taken as a result of such a mailing." Calls Statement 'Ironic' Youngstein's statement insists that the Post Office's position is one of "irony" and "pretense" resulting in the "unofficial" banning of ads containing "The Naked Maja" from the mails. The American Civil Liberties Union also attacked the postal decision, and urged Postmaster General Summerfield to reverse die New York authorities' ruling. If the Goya painting were ruled obscene, ACLU argued, all art classics involving nudity could also be ruled obscene.