Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

Motion Picture Daily Friday, October 9, 1959 Television Today Who's Where Rank Seeks $2.8 Millions Alex Leftwich, veteran director of commercial and industrial films, has joined MGM-TV in New York, it was announced by Bill Gibbs, director of MGM-TV's commercial and industrial film division. Leftwich will direct commercials and industrial film produced at the east coast MGM-TV Studios, headed by Leslie Roush. Leftwich was formerly head of production in New York for Jam Handy. □ Edward H. Armsby has been named director of sales promotion and presentations for the Television Bureau of Advertising, Norman E. Cash, president of TvB announced. Armsby was formerly with Ketchum, MacLeod and Grove, Inc. as an account executive. □ Peter Yaman has been named assistant sales manager for NTA Spot Sales, it was announced by Donald J. Quinn, division sales manager. Yaman was previously with the Adam Young Co. as eastern sales manager. Ella Fitzgerald Set As Garry Moore Guest Songstress Ella Fitzgerald, The Dukes of Dixieland jazz combo, and comedy magician Mr. Ballantine will join regulars Marion Lome and Durward Kirby on "The Garry Moore Show" Tuesday, Oct. 13 (CBS Television Network, 10:00-11:00 P.M., EDT). An Allan Funt "Candid Camera" vignette also will be presented. For the opening production number of the show, scenic designer Charles Lisanby has created an unusual setting composed of front pages taken from more than 100 of the country's leading newspapers. The song is "Good News." For TV Relay Expansion From THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, Oct. 8. Arrangements for raising £,1,000,000 ($2,800,000) by the issuance of 6% per cent debenture stock of Rank Television and General Trust were announced by Lord Rank at the annual meeting of the Rank Organization here today. The proceeds of the issue are required to finance the company's expansion program, particularly in the field of audio and television broadcast relay. Gielgud to Star on 'Big Party' Dec. 17 Sir John Gielgud has been signed to appear on the CBS Television Network's "Big Party by Revlon," Thursday, Dec. 17 (9:30-11:00 P.M., EST). Sir John, who is currently playing on Broadway in his hit production of "Much Ado About Nothing," will provide a dramatic interlude during the 90-minute entertainment special. The host and other stars of this party will be announced shortly. "The Big Party by Revlon" premieres tonight '(9:30-11:00 P.M., EDT), with Rock Hudson acting as host to a star-studded list of guests, including Tallulah Bankhead, Sammy Davis, Jr., Matt Dennis, Lisa Kirk, Carlos Montoya, Mort Sahl and Esther Williams. Created by Goodman Ace Goodman Ace is the creater and chief writer of Revlon's 15 hour-andone-half "Big Party" specials to be presented this season on the CBS Television Network. Revlon will also sponsor five hour-long specials on the network this year. UA to Release ( Continued from page 1 ) agers here. He said the program represents the greatest concentration of top quality product offered by UA over a three-month period. The seven double "A" attractions, in order of scheduled release, are: D.R.M.'s "The Wonderful Country"; Harbel Productions' "Odds Against Tomorrow"; Hecht Hill Lancaster's "Take a Giant Step"; Stanley Kramer's "On The Beach"; Edward Small's "Solomon and Sheba"; Jurow-Shepherd's "The Fugitive Kind" (limited engagement) and Joseph Fields' "Happy Anniversary." James R. Velde, UA vice-president in charge of domestic sales, presided at the two-day meetings with Heineman. 'Gigi' Gross $816,670 In Chicago lst-Run Date "Gigi" has completed its first-run in Chicago with a total box-office gross of $816,670 in 65 consecutive weeks, MGM reported here. The Academy Award winner opened July 8, 1958, at the Harris Theatre where it played for 24 weeks on a reserved seat basis. It then moved over Dec. 23 to the Cinestage, still as a reserved seat attraction, and remained until Feb. 25 when it moved into the Loop Theatre on a continuous run basis. Run Ended Sept. 30 The engagement finally ended Sept. 30. In the two roadshow theatres, "Gigi" grossed $435,057 and added another $381,613 at the Loop Theatre's continuous run. Foreign f ilms Slated By S. F. Film Festival Special to THE DAILY SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 8.-Fourteen feature films including several prize winners from Europe have been officially accepted for showing at the third San Francisco International Film Festival Nov. 11-24 at the Metro Theatre, it was announced today by Irving M. Levin, festival managing director. Italy will have two entries. "European Nights" will open the festival. The following night Roberto Rossellini's "11 Generale Delia Rovere" which won a Golden Lion of Saint Mark at the recent Venice festival will be screened. Throughout the two weeks, the San Francisco Festival will premiere a new picture each night at 8:30 with repeat performance on the following night at 6:30. Important films scheduled for screening are such features as Satyajit Ray's third Indian drama of his trilogy, "The World of Apu" and the French drama "Toi, le Venin." Among other pictures included are an omnibus feature from Czechoslovakia, "Five Out of a Million"; a Yugoslavian prize winner titled "A Non-Scheduled Train"; a new Polish drama "Lotna"; a festival favorite from Greece, titled "A Matter of Dignity," and the official color film from Mexico titled "Santa Claus." There are offerings from the Orient, including Japan's "The Hidden Fortress," and China's offering from Hong Kong, "The Tragedy of Love." 'Pillow' Sets Records Despite N. Y. Rainstorm The two heavy rainstorms which hit New York early Wednesday evening failed to dampen the enthusiasm of patrons for Universal's "Pillow Talk," which did record opening day business at both the RKO Palace and the new Murray Hill Theatre here. At the Palace the take was $7,472 for the day and at the Murray Hill, $2,460. The Palace, according to Harry Mandel, vice-president of RKO Theatres, had the biggest opening day's business of any film to play the house on a continuous performance basis. Figure was topped only by "The Bridge on the River Kwai," which played on a two-a-day reserved seat basis. Subject Matter j 'IP to Distribute ( Continued from page 1 ) more, Jr., Georgia Moll and Massimo Girotti, it was announced yesterday by Milton R. Rackmil, president of Universal. Plans are being set for a United States and Canadian release next summer with an important national promotional campaign, it was reported at the same time by Henry H. Martin, general sales manager of Universal. "The Cossacks" is an Italian-French co-production of Vanguard, Faro and Explorer Film Companies of Rome and CFPC of Paris. (Continued from page 1 ) ent pre-selling" of all product in order to achieve box office results. The prolific producer, who acknowledged freely that it is virtually impossible to determine in advance public reaction to a motion picture, said he will have had 10 features either finished or in work by the end of the calendar year 1959. Five Finished The finished films are: "The Sound and the Fury," "The Best of Everything," "The Hound Dog Man," "Beloved Infidel" and "The Story on Page One." Going into work early next month will be "The Billionaire" and "Sons and Lovers." Starting production in December will be "Return to Peyton Place," "Wild in the Country" and "The Hell Raisers." In reply to a query, Wald declared such a system as the classification of films into groups for adults and children, as is under discussion currently by Eric Johnston, MPA president, is "unworkable" in this country. He indicated that the fact the procedure is practiced in England is of no consequence in the United States. Wald voiced the opinion that a motion picture has never corrupted anyone. Declaring himself always a staunch advocate of the Production Code, he pointed out that much of a realistic nature could be presented on the screen, if it were done with intelligent care, subtly and by indirection. Talking New Contract Wald has two more pictures to make under his present contract with 20th Century-Fox, and he said negotiations are now under way with Buddy Adler, head of 20th-Fox production, looking to a new contract. He anticipates no problem in arriving at terms, he implied, and praised the 20th-Fox studio cooperation, pointing out that the company's talent pool and other facilities are available to him at all times. He said he has a "stockpile" of same 15 scripts which can be made ready for shooting in short order if necessary and cited that backlog of properties as chiefly responsible for his ability to keep a number of productions in work at one time. "In this business," he said, "we producers cannot be frightened by a failure." He described himself, in his working relations with 20th-Fox, as an "independent dependent." He was emphatic in his contention that it is vitally important that producers seek to develop new personalities, in the talent area, and lauded the 20th-Fox studio for seeking to do just that. He called the 65 personalities the company has under contract a "sound investment in the future." Strong for Pre-Selling Coming back to the necessity of consistent, unremitting pre-selling of pictures, Wald explained, "This is the only business I know where the customer pays for the merchandise before he sees it." He said he has been approached by NBC and CBS to do television programs, but has made no commitments.