Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1959)

Friday, September 25, 1959 Motion Picture Daily 9 "°t:"!tv circuit with PINKY HERMAN MORGAN BEATTY NBCopped a "beat-ty" on the other "Khrushchev Party Newshawks" when he put thru a call from a phone booth at San Jose during an 8-minute stop there while the other reporters were obliged to wait till they arrived in San Francisco, an hour later. . . . If and when Bob Paige gets that new music quizzer on NBC this winter, he'll surely have copped "The Big Payoff." His salary will be about double. . . . Beautiful and multi-talented Giselle Mackenzie, currenthstarred at the Empire Room of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Gotham will be CBSeen on the "Sid Caesar Show" Wedneasday, Oct. 21. . . . The only producer to have produced television programs starring Pat Boone and Andy Williams, respective winners of last year's FAME Awards, Bill Hobin has been signed to produce-direct several "Telephone Hour" NBColorcasts this season. First one takes place Friday Oct. 23. . . . One of the teen-agers, gorgeous blonde, seen asking Bob Hope for his autograph on his Oct. 8 telecast, is Barbara Lee Hope, the NBComic's niece. . . . Harry Von Zell, regularly seen on the "George Gobel Show," who's sold quite a number of original scripts, is Zel-bent on furthering his writing career. . . . Wallace H. Langton, who left the Bernard L. Schubert firm in January to join Product Services, Inc. has been upped to veep and elected to the board of directors. . . . The Ralph Edwards production," About Faces," an audience-participation quizzer, emceed by Ben (Dragnet) Alexander, will be ABChannelled next month. . . . The Wolf Associates package, "Keep Talkin'," with Herb Wolf, exec prod, and Alan Gilbert and Jack Rubin, associate producers, sponsored by Mutual of Omaha, will be seen starting Tuesday (10:30 P.M.) over ABC-TV. Merv Griffin will head the panel which will again include Morey Amsterdam, Paul Winchell, Joey Bishop, Danny Dayton, Peggy Cass and Pat Caroll. ■>Z One of Broadway's most beloved citizens, Maurice Barrett, producer of the "John Feeney Show" and poet laureate of the Lambs Club, is celebrating his S5th birthday. . . . Disk jockeys will latch onto Rosa Rio's new Vox LP. "Come Rain Come Shine," which features the organ wizardry of the little lady who's been providing musical moods and backgroimd for numerous radio and television programs for the past decade. . . . Jimmie Rodgers has just cut a kidisk, "Wistful Willie," clefFed by his accompanist, Al Lerner. The clever novelty platter with a novel twist should make lots of noise around the Yuletide. . . . Look for more netWORK for Ann Harding. Appearing with lovely June Allyson on the debut of the "June Allyson Show" Mon. evening over CBS-TV, Ann turned in a brilliant performance as the "mother-in-law." . . . The Academy of TV Arts & Sciences will honor Arthur Godfrey at the "Closeup 1960" Dinner, Friday, Dec. 4. Dave Tebet, NBChief of Talent Relations and chairman of the Academy's Activities Comm., will supervise the evening's festivities while the show will be produced by Charles Andrews. . . . Dropped into Studio 6 B yesterday afternoon to catch "Tic Tac Dough" and was rewarded with plenty of laughs provided by the NBClever quiz-master Bill Wendell, whose audience warmup ad-libs proved hilarious. . . . Zel deCyr just completed several "Thrifty Christy" Christmas Club TV commershills. (This is the second "Christmas" item today— soooo, let' see now— there are but 71 shopping days left. Aren't you glad you read this pillar and get these tips?) . . . John Ercole, whose camera captured thrilling history-being-made at Guadalcanal, Tarawa and the Mariannas has been named director of photography at Transfilm, Inc. No Decision (Continued from page 1) I'lf commercial sponsors. The principal ndustry hesitancy appears to be over ['he approximately $600,000 telecast ji-ost, exclusive of monies paid to the Vcademy for production and other ■xpenses. |i Kahane, it was indicated after yes1 erday's meeting, was unable to as ure the company representatives that I osts could be materially reduced fuext year unless the industry itself ladertook to do so by curtailing time nd production expenses. ] Kahane will remain here until a l anvass of the companies establishes iiheir attitude toward the 1960 tele■'■ast sponsorship. That may be com[ileted today or Monday, it was stated, j. Preceding the telecast sponsorship liscussion, Charles Simonelli, chairman of the MPAA advertising-pubi icity directors committee, assisted by i erome Pickman and Roger Lewis, I hairmen of the committee in charge !,if the "Oscar" telecast last spring, de'cribed the results of efforts which j /on this year's telecast the highest 1 'rendex rating of any TV program. ii Displays Mounted ' In addition to the verbal presentation, samples of the promotion results ;athered from many media in all parts ii.f the country and from abroad were lisplayed in special mountings in the i/lPAA board room for the benefit of ijhe directors. Sentiment at the board meeting, it yas stated, appeared to be enthusia'tic over last spring's results and in avor of a repeat next year. ' Elected to the MPAA board yeserday were: Roy Disney, president of Valt Disney Productions, and Irving i.udwig and Edmund F. Clarke of ;j(uena Vista Distributing Corp. Those j^ompanies joined MPAA and MPEA ^everal months ago but had not deignated board representation until 1 esterday. Renewal of the Anglo-U.S. film pact Sr another year is scheduled to be 'onsummated tomorrow, expiration f ate of the current pact. f Explains Khrushchev Blast at Xan-Can' ) 3 From THE DAILY Bureau I WASHINGTON, Sept. 24.-Nikita [jChrushchev is aware that Hollywood [lis everybody's whipping boy," which > why, when he was angered last Sat rday about other happenings during ^is Hollywood visit, he denounced fOth Century-Fox's production of j' Can-Can" after having given every idication on the set of enjoying what e saw. This is the explanation for the oviet dictator's contradictory beavior being offered by Richard L. I be, amusements department column.t for "The Washington Post." ' The date at the Fox studio had een arranged weeks in advance at the squest of the State Department, "the 'i dvance guard of which approved days ahead every step of the luncheon and ensuing entertainment," Coe wrote. Irked subsequently when he learned that many of those at the studio luncheon had thought he'd stayed on too long, Khrushchev retaliated by calling the dance he had seen "immoral." "He put himself on the side of the angels by saying he was shocked," Coe wrote. But, he added, back in the 1890's the can-can was danced with thighs exposed, whereas the dancers on the studio set wore tights. There was nothing shocking about it, Coe said, but "Mr. K. knows that, if America has a favorite scapegoat, it's Hollywood, and he has used it beautifully." "He also caused Foy Kohler, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, to back out on what his underlings had approved in advance by publicly agreeing with Mr. K., who must have been amused at seeing an official disown his own staff." "Whether they'd been playing 'Hamlet' or 'Can-Can' Mr. K. could have had his crack," Coe concludes. Dozier Yice-Pres. Of Screen Gems From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 24.-\Villiani Dozier has signed a long-term contract as vice-president in charge of West Coast activities for Screen Gems, wholly owned subsidiary of Columbia Pictures, it was announced today by Abe Schneider, president of Columbia Pictures, and Samuel Brisin, vicepresident in charge of Columbia's West Coast activities. Dozier, who leaves his post as vicepresident in charge of network programs for CBS-TV in Hollywood, will work in close cooperation with Irving Briskin, former head of Screen Gems, who was recently elevated to vicepresident of the parent company. ITOA Urges Members ( Continued from page 1 ) and businesslike requests" capable of solution by the film companies and not to seek special advantage by means of conciliation. The resolution cited the appreciation of the ITOA for the sincerity of ACE's representatives in their efforts to aid small theatres and urged them to continue in this worthy effort. In view of the current labor negotiations, the labor committee is to be augmented with a series of appointments to be announced by president Harry Brandt. Four New Members New members of the Association include the Empress Theatre, Manhattan, operated by Dave Sanders; Tribune Theatre, Manhattan, operated by Murray Meinberg, Circle Theatre, Bronx, operated by Se\Tnour Selig, and Monroe Theatre, Brooklyn, operated by Abe Rotner. The entire present slate of officers was renominated for the 1959-60 season. Present officers are: Harry Brandt, president; Max A. Cohen, first vice-president; William Namenson, Fox for Conciliation ( Continued from page 1 ) man and general counsel, who in an address last week criticized the American Congress of Exhibitors for lack of accomplishments and prospects. "We must stand together, we must have unity," said Harrison, and pledged that his company would "match dollar for dollar— or more" the sums which Metropolitan Exhibitors of Detroit \\'ill spend for the current business-building campaign. Harrison prophesied the best fall business for the last 10 years. In a tribute to Sp\T0s P. Skouras, president of the company Harrison declared that Skouras would put aside (lie most urgent business to heed complaints from even the smallest stockholder.