Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1959)

2 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, September 29, 1959 PERSDML MEIVTIDN JOSEPH E. LEVINE, president of «J Embassy Pictures, arrived in Rome yesterday from New York to set up a production unit and start casting for a third "Hercules" filin. • Ed R. Sviglia, vice-president in charge of sales for Trans-Lux Distributing Corp., has returned to New York from Europe, where he looked over several new fibn properties for acquisition by his company. Jesse CraNiCH, Buena Vista Western division sales manager, has left New York for a series of exhibitor meetings in Salt Lake City and Denver. Tom Coleman, veteran exhibitor of Anniston, Ala., has returned there from Atlanta. Mrs. William Lee, co-owner with her husband of the Family Drive-In Theatre, Keystone Heights, Fla., has left New York by ship for a tour of Europe. • Mrs. Louis Brooks, of the accounting department, Capital Releasing Corp., Atlanta, has left there for a vacation in Kentucky. Set Md. Speakers BALTIMORE, Sept. 28.-Albert M. Fickus, chairman of the executive committee of the Theatre Owners of America, will be keynote speaker at the first fall convention of the Maryland Theatre Owners Association, at the Hotel Emerson in Baltimore on Wednesday, Oct. 14, John G. Broumas, president, announced. Fickus will report on the state of the industry and the program of TOA. E. LaMar Sarra of Jacksonville, Fla., executive of Florida State Theatres and co-chairman of national TOA's committee on state and local legislation, will also be among the guest speakers. NEW YORK THEATRES ,— RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL—, Rockefeller Center • Ci 6-4600 "THE FBI STORY" Starrlnt JAMES STEWART VERA MILES A WARNER BROS. Picture In TECHNICOLOR® and GALA NEW STAGE SPECTACLE Producer-Promoter ( Continued from page 1 ) the producer-director recalled the events of his just completed sevencity tour on behalf of the Harry Belafonte picture. He said he had participated in at least a dozen television shows and been the principal in 30 or more radio interviews, in addition to press interviews and luncheon engagements. It was a new and rewarding experience for him. Wise, who learned production as a cutter and went on to direct such pictures as "Helen Troy," "Somebody Up There Likes Me" and "Run Silent, Run deep," sees the lines of function narrowing between the old definitions of producer and director. Actually the creative person who makes the picture is both producer and director, he said, and the new place of the independent in the field is emphasizing that. Regretting that new talent is not being trained, he supposed that television will have to become the training ground for new writers and directors of motion pictures. 'West Side Story' Next His next, for the Mirisch Company and also for UA release, will be "The West Side Story," to be done in color and in one of the newer wide screen processes. Wise shot "Odds" entirely in New York, using New York production facilities, for which he had high praise. But that, he said, was because the story had a New York background and it was far less expensive to shoot it here entirely rather than bring a Hollywood based production here on location. "West Side," on the other hand, will be made principally in Hollywood. Praising New York's technical facilities, he remarked that the motion picture business has a "lingua franca" of its own. "A good director, a good cameraman, or a good editor is good in Hollywood, Rome, New York, or Timbuktu," he said. Fox Florida Meet Today JACKSONVILLE, Sept. 28.-More than 100 theatre owners and managers have stated their intention to attend the one-day exhibitors meeting of 20th Century-Fox which will be held here tomorrow at the Hotel Roosevelt under the direction of Thomas P. Tidwell, Florida branch manager for the company. Principal speaker will be Glenn Norris, representing Alex Harrison, general sales manager of the company. '^Melephanf to Bow "The Boy Who Owned A Melephant," 20-minute featurette in Eastman Color being distributed by Universal-International and featuring Tallulah Bankhead as the narrator, will have its world premiere at the RKO Palace Theatre here on Tuesday evening, Oct. 6 on the same program as U-I's "Pillow Talk." Strike Halts Production At M-G-M British Studio From THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, Sept. 28.-Production of foui pictures underway at MetroGoldwyn-Mayer's Boreham Wood Studios was halted by a sudden strike of 200 members of the National Assn. of Theatrical and Kine Employees and Electrical Trades Union. The technicians walked out in a dispute over night work rates on the King Brothers' film "Gorgo." Studio and union managements are meeting today in an attempt to resolve differences. Detroit News Strike Temporarily Halted Special to THE DAILY DETROIT, Sept. 28. The strike by the Newspaper Mailer's union which shut dovra local newspapers late last week has been temporarily halted by an injunction granted by Federal Judge Theodore Levin. The judge acted on a petition from Thomas Roumelle, regional director of the National Labor Relations Board, forbidding the strike at least until 6:00 P.M. Wednesday. The strike, called over a jurisdictional dispute, forced theatre exhibitors to buy local radio time and place ads in "The Shopping News." Some Sunday newspapers appeared piecemeal, that is some news, some comics, etc. Services Today for Mrs. Herman Schleier Funeral services will be held today for Mrs. Bessie Schleier, wife of Herman Schleier, business manager of Independent Film Journal, at Forest Park Chapel, Forest Hills, Queens. Mrs. Schleier died yesterday following a lengthy illness. Surviving in addition to the husband, are a daughter, Jean, and a son, Stanley. 6 for Films Around Films Around the World, Inc., has acquired U.S. distribution of six new European films, it is announced by president Irvin Shapiro, now en route here from London, after a two-month tour of European film centers. Product purchased includes "Virgin Island" (British); "Lucky to Be a Woman" (Italian); a German pair, "The Rest Is Silence" and "Dirty Angels"; two French fihns, "Christine," and "Hold Tight for the Satellite." Richard Johnson^ 67 JACKSONVILLE, Sept. 28.-Richard Johnson, 67, veteran projectionist, formerly of West Palm Beach, died at a rest home here following a long illness. 'Beach' IVifJ Bow at Remodeled Astor Here Stanley Kramer's "On the Beach" will have its New York premiere Dec. 17 at the Astor Theatre, which closed Sunday night for a complete $800,000 stage-to-marquee renovation, it was nounced yesterday by William J. Heineman, vice-president of Unitedi Artists, operator of die theatre. Renovation began yesterday from plans drawn by John J. McNamara, theatrical architect. The project involves major structural changes to the building. A completely new proscenium will be installed to accommodate a new wall-to-wall screen, new projection and soimd equipment for 70mm as well as 35mm film will be installed. Changes will also be made in the lobby, marquee and front, which will have a bronze and marble motif. N. Y. Visitors Bureau Award Goes to Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn received yesterday from the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau its distinguished award of merit at a luncheon at the Four Seasons Restaurant. In making the presentation, Joseph P. Binn, president, said that the award was "in recognition of his long and distinguished leadership in the motion picture industry and for the contribution so many of his motion pictures have made to the entertainment of New York City visitors-in particular, his latest masterpiece, 'Porgy and Bess,' which had its world premiere in New York and added considerable impact to the 1959 New York Is A Summer Festival Program." Louisiana Bow Slated For 'Hound Dog Man' Jerry Wald's "Hound Dog Man" will have its debut at the Paramount Theatre in Monroe, Louisiana, it was announced at the weekend by 20th Century-Fox general sales manager Alex Harrison. At the request of Monroe's mayor W. L. Howard and in cooperation with local radio and television stations and newspapers, the CinemaScope production's bow was set. Monroe, heart of the country in which "Hound Dog Man" backgrounds are set, will put on a gala, invitational premiere for the Oct. 27 opening of the film. Disney, M-G-M Renew Walt Disney Productions has announced closing of a deal whereby M-G-M, International, Inc., will continue to distribute the Disney product in the territories of Australia, New Zealand, Phifippines, Taiwan, Peru and Puerto Rico. as a section of Motion Picture Herald; Television'^ Yoday.'publisTed ''daiF ara'prn'^'of "m^^^^^^^ Ptoure 'olily" Motion 'pfctn'Je^A^^^^^ Merchandising, each published 13 times a year class matter Sept. 21. 1938. at the Post Office at New York. N. Y.. under^he act 'of March TlVs^tuLPnZn'f^^^^^^^^^ ^J^InTh^; Im7rlcr an^lll^fel^n. Smrie1op^s!^10c'