Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, October 20, 1959 1 Television Today Who's Where MGM -TV's 13 Thomas Velotta, ABC-TV vicepresident assigned to the network's West Coast offices for the past two years, has been recalled to New York to become vice-president in charge of special programs, it was announced by Thomas W. Moore, vice-president in charge of programming. Under the direction of Moore, Velotta will be responsible for all ABC-TV specials. □ Jack Donohue, TV producer-director, has signed a contract with the NBC Television Network, it was announced by David Levy, vice-president, NBC Television Programs and Talent. Donohue, who has been identified with various areas of show business for more than 25 years, has been assigned as producer-director of the Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse shows to be telecast on NBC-TV later this season. □ Robert C. Troup, Rosario P. Iannelli, and Robert H. Foster have joined the CBS Television Network production sales department as account executives, it was announced by Ira G. DeLumen, Eastern sales manager, production sales. Troup resigned his position as president of International Media Exchange Club, Inc. to come to CBS. ( Continued from page 1 ) MGM-TV's own creative staff under the direction of Richard Maibaum. Using a 43-minute color film to outline MGM-TV's overall point of view on TV programming as well as to detail the scenarios of 12 of the programs, Shupert made a bid for preproduction cooperation between the TV film producing company and networks, agencies and sponsors. Such a practice, Shupert maintained, should reduce much of the costly waste of pilot films. Deals Closed for Three "We have been showing our presentation film to networks and advertisers with the hope of avoiding pilots on program ideas which may find little or no acceptance in the market," Shupert stated. "As a result of our desire to work cooperatively in the planning stages of production, we have already concluded network deals on three of our properties; the hour long Asphalt Jungle,' and 'The Islanders,' and the half-hour, 'Father of the Bride.' "We expect to announce similar deals in the near future on our other properties which include, 'Me and My Gals,' 'Steven V,' 'Night People,' 'Gold Eagle Gun,' 'The Agatha Cristie Series,' 'Mystery Street,' 'Dr. Kildare,' 'National Velvet,' 'Paradise Kid,' and 'P.S. From Paris'." MBS Scans Theatres B. O. ( Continued year. "We anticipate for 1960 a further ten per cent development in our business, having examined the future programming of each one of the film companies." Brandt said his company has already spent one-million dollars this year in refurbishing and re-equipping —"a good deal went to equipping the theatres with 70mm wide-angle projection facilities"— his theatres. Brandt is scheduling another million-dollar expenditure on his theatres in 1960. Spurred by Picker Report Singiser said a Sept. 23 report by Eugene Picker, president of Loew's Theatres, Inc. following a meeting of that firm's board, prompted the network survey. At that time Picker said Loew's was spending a total of $1,400,000 to refurbish and re-equip the State and Capitol theatres here and was allocating in excess of $2,000,000 for the reconstruction of one of its showplaces in Washington, D.C. Picker is also scheduled to be interviewed later this week on "Report from Wall Street." Increased attendances varied throughout the country, Singiser reported. The Sterling Theatres chain from page 1 ) of 26 indoor and six drive-ins in and around the Seattle, Wash, area reported no increased attendances this year over last. But the O.K. Theatre chain of eight hard-tops and one drive-in in and around Dallas, Tex. reported a 25 per cent hike. In New York, there was wide variance in theatre attendances. Though the Fox Theatre chain reported no appreciable hike this year over last, the Premier Theatres showed three per cent; the Interboro Circuit five per cent; the Roth Theatres six per cent; the District, Goldman and Guild Theatres 10 per cent; the Independent chain 15 per cent and the Comerford chain 20 per cent. Most operate neighborhood houses, particularly in heavily residential and suburban areas. Sees Average as 10.12% Singiser said increased attendances reported by the surveyed chains averaged 10.12 per cent. He pointed out that over 90 per cent of the respondents to his questionnaire reported "poor television programming" as one of the causes of increased theatre attendance. Other reasons given were: "better pictures"; "more drama and less message shows"; and "more show Hammer Deal James Can-eras meeting the press yesterday. Pal Plans Feature Film On Art of Puppetry From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 19. The art of puppetry will be given its most extensive film exposure in a featurelength attraction tentatively titled "Calvacade of Puppetry," to be released next year by producer-director George Pal. Pal will begin work on the new film in London in December, after completion of his current MGM production H. G. Wells' "The Time Machine." Lunch for Carreras James Carreras, managing director of Hammer Film Productions, will be the guest of honor at a luncheon to be given here today at the Laurent Restaurant by Milton R. Rackmil, president of Universal Pictures, and attended by Universal executives. Hammer is to produce two new films for Universal release— a new "Dracula" and "The Phantom of the Opera." Ohio Theatre Reopens SEBRING, O., Oct. 19.-Charles L. Mack will reopen his Strand Theatre on Oct. 31. It is the only film house in this town of 4,000 population. 'Mouse9 Here Monday Columbia's "The Mouse That Roared" will open at the Guild Theatre here on Monday. manship on the part of picturemakers." The survey also revealed that most theatre operators plan to increase their advertising and exploitation budgets for the first three months of 1960. Over 90 per cent, Singiser said, reported increased 1959 budgets over 1958. Theatres budget most of their ad dollars in newspapers, radio and television, he reported. The surveyed chains also indicated they would extend their drive-in theatre operations, even in colder areas, through the winter months through installations of car-heater equipment. For example, the Smith Management Group, headquartered in Boston, Mass., will operate 24 of its 26 driveins this winter. ( Continued from page 1 ) meeting, will tour major cities in con1 nection with its release. While Car j reras is in town, he will confer with! A. Schneider, Columbia president, and j Leo Jaffe, first vice-president, about extension of the contract. The 1959 quota for Columbia re4j lease also includes "Stranglers of Bombay," "Never Take Candy from a Stranger," concerning sex crimes i against children, "Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll," and "The Ugly Duckling." j Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., Columbia executive in charge of advertising and i publicity, told reporters that his com! pany will handle the first four productions in "a major way," taking full advantage of their international possibilities. All are in various stages of completion. Columbia Owns 49% Columbia owns some 49 per cent of Hammer's Gray Studio shares, and will finance half, with Hammer supplying the remainder, of each of the upcoming productions specified in the contract. Previously, Hammer releases had been dealt with on a picture-bypicture basis. Columbia's arrangements allow Hammer to distribute one film per year with Universal. Since the historical accuracy of "Yesterday's Enemy" has been questioned General Mansergh will make a tour to confirm its validity. He will visit Boston, Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Atlanta and, finally, Washington, D. C, in addition to a TV appearance. The picture deals with the killing of civilians by British soldiers during the Burma campaign. General Mansergh has first-hand knowledge because of his commandership of the Fifth British Division in Burma fori three and a half years. He noted that some top U.S. military brass confirmed the story, while others rejected it. Says Playdates Were Aided Both Carreras and General Mansergh commented on the public interest aroused by the debate, and how this had helped playdates in Britain. They anticipate similar success here. Carreras said "Enemy" would make back its production costs through its English run alone. Carreras listed several features on the 1960 agenda: "Black Hole of Calcutta," "Speaking of Murder," and "Hell Is a City." Since Hammer owns its own studio, and does not rely on big-name stars, but rather subject matter, the company is able to produce films at approximately half what it would cost its competitors, he asserted. 'Anatomy' in Festival Otto Preminger has accepted the invitation of Mexico's World Review: of Festivals to screen "Anatomy of a Murder" at the second annual international festival, slated for Mexico City i and Acapulco from Nov. 25 to Dec. 12.