Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

2 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, October 7, 1959 PERSONAL MENTION MORTON NATHANSON, United Artists director of international advertising and publicity, will return to New York on Saturday from Europe, and will leave here shortly thereafter for the Far East and Australia. • Martin Sweeny, executive vicepresident of the Todd-AO Corp., has returned to New York from Denver, Kansas City and the Coast. • Robert Lynch, former M-G-M branch manager in Philadelphia before his retirement several years ago, will leave here shortly with Mrs. Lynch for Europe and North Africa. • Jack Wrather, producer, and Mrs. Wrather, who is actress Bonita Granville, will leave here today aboard the "Queen Elizabeth" for Europe. • Hugh Owen, Paramount vice-president and Eastern sales manager, will return to New Yoik today from Washington. • Mo Rothman, United Artists foreign department executive, and Alfred Katz, foreign division manager, have returned to New York from Central and South America. Dimitri Tiomkin, music composer and director, left New York yesterday for Raly. • Karen Thomas, daughter of John Thomas, Paramount salesman in Denver, was married at St. Francis de Sales Church there to Rudolph Phannensteil. • Harry Belafonte has returned to New York aboard the "Queen Elizabeth" from a one-month European tour on behalf of his Harbel Production, "Odds Against Tomorrow." Att: ALL THEATRES 0 " TO A to Oppose Wage Law it's 1 NATIONAL SCREEN'S g BIG NEW PROMOTIONAL p BUSINESS BUILDER 0 tyoWl copy available at your NATIONAL SCREEN EXCHANGE Eoooooooood (Continued the new Labor Act now adopted and out of the way, and 1960 being an election year, it is almost certain that Congress will pass new minimum wage legislation next session. Our only hope in 1960 is that we can have the theatres exempt from coverage of the bill. You can help us lay the groundwork for what will be a serious campaign this winter by seeing your legislators now." Seeks Harris Bill Passage TOA says it will work also for passage of the Harris Bill, which would require the Federal Communications Commission to assume jurisdiction over cable-TV and limit tests of the system to the same restrictions as broadcast toll-TV. Hearings on the bill should be held when Congress reconvenes, the bulletin says. It adds that under existing FCC restrictions, over-the-air toll TV "should be no problem for the next three years at least." TOA reports it has been unable to make progress with its drive to eliminate advance showings of new films to civilians in Army-Air Force theatres in competition with commercial theatres. It states that "The Pentagon from page 1 ) has not cooperated in any way, nor changed its adamant stand in replying to Congressmen who have interceded in our behalf. The Pentagon has offered no solution or assistance in easing the unfair competition. . . . They still insist on playing pictures in the same manner as before and demand the distributors deliver from 85 to 100 prints of every picture in advance of commercial theatres* playoffs, for the military's exclusive use. They refuse to book at the local level from local exchanges as all commercial theatres do." Pleas to Congressmen Urged TOA members are urged to "tell your Congressmen of our problems during the Congressional recess. TOA," it adds, "will continue its efforts unabated." The bulletin also suggests that exhibitors who have written their Congressional representatives asking their help during the last session, "to write your Congressman once more — this time to thank him for his efforts in your behalf during the past term and expressing the hope that your relationship will continue during the next session." full-Page Ads in 18 Countries for 'Beach' United Artists will run full-page ads in leading publications in 18 major markets of the world to herald the six-continent, simultaneous global premiere of Stanley Kramer's "On The Beach" on December 17, it was announced by Roger H. Lewis, United Artists vice-president in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitation. Lewis stated that the schedule of ads, designed to focus international attention on the U.A. release, will penetrate readership as many as 300,000,000 potential movie-goers. He revealed that a total of 30 publications in 18 countries where the film has been booked for the world premiere would carry the full-page announcement ad. Under a headline reading "The Biggest Motion Picture Event of Our Time," the insertion announces the 18 premiere cities and features photographs of the stars as well as text and credits for Kramer's production. To Sponsor i Beach11 The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, in celebration of its 75th Anniversary, will sponsor the New York premiere of Stanley Kramer's "On the Beach" at the Astor Theatre on Dec. 17, with all proceeds going to the Academy. TOA's Report (Continued from page 1) United Artists, 39; Universal, 17; Warner Bros., 19. The TOA figures represent a decrease in the feature releases of every company this year, compared to 1958. The largest numerical decreases were Universal, which released 34 a year ago, and Allied Artists, with 18 this year against 38 last. The Universal studio was closed for six months last year. Prospects Seen Not Improved From the production viewpoint, prospects for 1960 releases are no better, numerically, than heretofore, TOA reports. It says 140 pictures have been put before the cameras to date by the 10 companies, and 16 more are scheduled to roll by the end of the month, for a 10-month total of 156. The nine-month total— to Oct. 1 —last year, was 162. Three Increased Production In the case of production this year, 20th Century-Fox, Columbia and Paramount are the only companies which have sent more pictures before the cameras this year than last. The other six companies have sent fewer, to date. Moreover, independent producers have put only 41 pictures into production this year, compared with 60 last year, according to the TOA report. New Drive-In Has Ramps, Prices for Sports Cars Special to THE DAILY CHICAGO, Oct. 6. The new 1,600-car Stickney, 111., drive-in theatre near here is believed to be the first, in this area, at least, to be equipped with special ramps andi speaker posts for the smaller imported sports cars and the new compact models now coming out of Detroit. Price, too, is scaled according to size— $1 for each occupant of largesize cars; 75 cents for each occupant of the economy models. Texas Drive-In Head Hits Product Shortage Special to THE DAILY DALLAS, Oct. 6. Shortage of product continues to be exhibition's "real problem," Tim Ferguson, presi-f dent of Texas Drive-In Theatre Owners Ass'n., asserts in a message being1 distributed to members. "I think we have been and are being tranquilized, etherized and 'bourbonized' into a condition where the drive-in and small town theatre owner is told that everything is going to be alright if we go back to the oldj days," Ferguson says. "All of this overlooks the simple law of economy— supply and demand.j By producing less pictures, thus shortening the supply, the terms are higher, the playing time is longer and the availability is moved back. To say nothing of the small town, independent exhibitor who cannot obtain a print within a reasonable time after release date. Asks Why 'Block-Booking' "What logical incentive exists to the drive-in and independent theatre owner to revert back to block booking? "While my remarks indicate opposition to going back to the days before the Government decrees, please let itU be understood that I do not feel that" the problems of our industry tod-ty can be solved by a negative approach. I know we must recognize the problems of the producers and their desi e to have an insured return of their investment. We likewise recognize tile problems that have arisen in the distribution of motion pictures, and on many occasions we tend to blame tl distributors without finding fau with our own inept attitude. "Even though we recognize the^jproblems," Ferguson said, "in fairness to exhibition it must be said thi.t there has been little recognition b/ production and distribution of the problems of keeping their customers, particularly subsequent run and small town customers, in business." MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Gertner, News Editor; Herbert V. Fecke,j Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager, TELEVISION TODAY, Charles S. Aaronson, Editorial Director; Pinky Herman, Vincent Canby, Eastern Editors. Hollywood Bureau, Yucca-Vine Building, Samuel D Berns, Manager; Telephone HOllywood 7-2145; Washington, J. A. Otten, National Press Club, Washington, D. C; London Bureau, 4, Bear St. Leicester Square, W. 2. Hope Williams Burnup, Manager; Peter Burnup, Editor; William Pay, News Editor. Correspondents in the principal capitals of the world. Motion Picture Daily is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, Circle 7-3100. Cable address: "Quigpubco. New York" Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Raymond Gallagher, Vice-President; Leo J. Brady, Secretary. Other Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Herald, Better Theatres and Better Refreshment Merchandising, each published 13 times a year as a section of Motion Picture Herald; Television Today, published daily as a part of Motion Picture Daily; Motion Picture Almanac, Television Almanac, Fame. Entered as second class matter Sept. 21, 1938, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. 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