Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1959)

T^j^pjslon Jo day Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, September 16, Treyz Urges Foreign Policy tor U.5. TV "The future health and growth of U.S. television is intimately linked to television's development abroad, but the American television industry has no foreign policy," Oliver Treyz, president of the ABC-TV Network, said on his return here from a five-week inspection tour of foreign television activities in the Far East and Australia. His tour included stopovers in Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. United Industry Effort The ABC-TV executive called for a united industry effort— via a TV industry 'State Department'-to address itself to foreign exchange, balance of trade and related problems not only to implement the flow of U.S. programs overseas and thereby pave the way for improvement in the quahty of programming, but to harness the latent forces of U.S. television to bring the American point of view through television to most of the areas of the free world. As an example of the political consequences of current restrictions, Treyz cited an embargo on American programs imposed by the Japanese government on its networks. Growth in Far East This embargo afiFects the distribution of such vital coverage as the upcoming Khrushchev-Eisenhower exchange visits and other public service programs conveying the American point of view, such as "The Splendid American," a special, hour-long documentary on Laos to be telecast in the U.S. on Sept. 27. Pointing up the growth of TV in the Far East, Treyz noted: "Television is fast emerging as a dynamic major force in many sections, particularly in Australia and Japan and even Thailand. In four years, television in Japan has grown to an estimated four million famihes, more than drive automobiles," he stated. Serve All of Free World "Unquestionably, the 45-million TV homes in the U.S. and current 27million in other parts of the world are definitely dependent on each other. The 27-million need and want our programs; the 45-million need their programs sold abroad so that they constantly can be improved through growing foreign revenues which, when added to domestic, are essential for the improvement of quality." Noting that American television cannot be served by the insular position of pride that "U.S. television is the best in the world," Treyz stated that our television can be made better if it is given a fair opportunity to serve not only America but all the free world. AROUND "™ TV CIRCUIT wifh PINKY HERMAN Reopen Carma Theatre BLUFFTON, O., Sept. 15.-George Carmack, owner of the Canna Theatre here, will re-open the house at the end of this month. The theatre has been closed for the summer. Some 44 additional colleges, making a grand total of 309 will offer academic credit in modern chemistry, starting Sept. 28 when NBC-TV's "Continental Classroom" returns to its regular sked. Program will again be "deaned" by Dr. John F. Baxter, on leave from his post as professor of chemistry at the University of Florida A 20-minute situation comedy, "Never start something you can't RE-finish" produced by John Fenton for Klaeger Films and sponsored by Dupont, is a new departure in industrial presentations. The hilarious film, in Ektachrome stars Nat Frye and was filmed in the east James A. Michener's new series. Adventure in Paradise," starring Gardner McKay as "Adam Troy," will ABCommence Monday, Oct. 5 (9:30-10:30 P.M.) Titled "The Black Pearl," the initial seg will feature in the cast Patricia Medina, Anthony Steel, Kurt Kasznar and Lon Chaney, Jr. . . . With TV adaptation by Budd and Stuart Shulberg, P & G will sponsor the two-part dramatization of What Makes Sammy Run?," TVia NBC Sunday, Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 (8-9 P.M., EDT) with John Forsythe and Larry Blyden heading the cast. . . . Edna Walker-Malcoskey's taped radio show, "Quest For Beauty," may get a chance on the nets due to success over local N'Orleans radio. Edna is a prize-winning poetess of the bayou country. . . Jim Conway, the voice of Kellogg's on the "Andy Williams Show," has just signed to "pitch" Serta mattresses on the Alex Drir newscasts from the NBChicago TV outlet. Deal was set by Kal Ross and initial program wdl be seen Sept. 30. . . . The philosophical jazz pianist, called "The Baron, who'll be seen regularly in the forthcoming Warner Bros, fullhour series, "Bourbon St. Beat," over the ABChannels, is Eddie Cole, Nat Kmg Cole's brother. U. A. S U il HARRY BELAFONTE's recent tour across the country was so successful that the 2 and half hour act (during which H. B. is seen on stage throughout) has been booked for 8 weeks at the Palace Theatre on Broadway, starting Tuesday, December 15. Phil Stein will be exec producer of this, Belafonte's first B'way appearance since 1955, when he appeared with Marge & Cower Champion in "Three For Tonight." . NBC's Jim Lowe has a new TV plot: A bank teller flashes a gun, hands a note to a depositor which demands money— to cover a low bank balance. ... Jayark's "Bozo The Clown" telefilm bowed into the New York scene TVia Channel 11 Monday (5-5:25 P.M.) starting a new across the board sked which should make a strong bid for the moppet audience. Series is aided by the voice and antics of Bill Britten, former clown with the Ringling Bros. Circus, who appears "live" . . . Groucho Marx' telegram inviting us to listen to him tell about his program and new book tomorrow starts off with-quote-Just heard NBC is on a press party binge so I'm going East to get mine-unquote. . . . John Harris' "Ice-Capades of 1960" which recently opened at the Madison Square Garden is his best yet. And the music of the band in the Pit rates a Pat. ... A new TV series, available on film and videotape, "Thinking Things Through," produced by Moriee Production and syndicated by Flamingo Telefilm Sales, Inc. will feature Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt as moderator of informal discussions of world events by American and foreign exchange students. Britain Likes ^Pacific' "South Pacific" in Todd-AO is racking up exceptional grosses in the British Isles, according to A. E. Bolengier, vice-president and treasurer of Magna Theatre Corp., producers of the film. Currently there are 11 engagements in the area. The Dominion Theatre in London has reported its top gross for the 71st week of its engagement and has to date accumulated a gross in excess of $1 500,000. The Gaumont Theatre in Manchester also reported one of its top grosses for the 70th week of its engagement and to date has accumulated a gross of approximately $750,000. The West End Theatre in Birm Warner Phila. Exchange Bldg. Sold for $180,000 Special to THE DAILY PHIILADELPHIA, Sept. 15.Warner Bros. Pictures Distributing Corp. sold its modem air conditioned exchange building at 230 No. 13th Street to the National Accident and Health Insurance Co. of Philadelphia for $180,000. The local insurance firm will occupy the entire building. Ingham, the Queens Theatre in Newcastle, and the Gaumont in Glasgow, are currently in the 49th week of their engagements, and together have amassed a gross of approximately $1,000,000. ' ( Continued from page 1 ) { Artists Productions and C. & C. F:|i The Government charges that^ acquisition of AAP and C. & I} which were formerly competitor: o UA in the distribution of feature % to television, served to lessen < q petition in the field. From the n companies, UA gained control ol s sets which include the complete 3 1949 libraries of both Warner lis and HKO Radio, it was stated. Acting assistant attorney genen :t Washington, Robert Bicks, said if acquisitions reduced "the aht limited number" of distributors films to TV and gave UA "a stoci )1 films twice as large as the next c ipany." The Government is concer d over the situation; he said, bee; e feature films are "a staple commo y of TV programming," forming "a f istantial part" of weekly station scl :ules. Screen Gems Case Pending The suit is the second anti-t)t action to be filed against film C( panics charging unlawful reductior competition in the distribution of fi to TV. Still pending is a case inv( ing Screen Gems, Columbia Pictu its parent company, and Unive: Pictures. The Government has tacked an agreement whereby Sen Gems acquired the Universal pre-11 library in addition to that of Coin bia. At the prtesent time Screen Gem; restrained, pending trial and det mination of the case, from sublice: ing additional Universal films at rate greater than 50 films in any months period. This approximates I licensing rate under the Screen Ge: —Universal agreement up to now. Nr4 li/ioving to Coast No Loss of Activity National Telefilm Associates, w airlift its home o£Bce, 30 key exec tives, their families and belongin from New York to Los Angeles ne week without a moment's loss in bu: ness activity. The East-to-West sh will get under way at the close business Friday, Sept. 25, when squad of moving men invades tl present headquarters of NTA in tl Coliseum Tower here. It will be finished the next busine day, Monday, Sept. 28, on the We Coast. At that time NTA's offices, wil the same staff and the same equi] ment, will open in the National The; tres and Television Building in Le Angeles. 102 Book Cont, Duo Some 102 theatres in the Cincii nati, Columbus and Dayton areas wi premiere Continental Distributing^ exploitation combination packagi "Blitzkrieg" and "Breakout, begii ning Sept. 30. ■