Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

Motion Picture Daily Friday, November 13, 195' PERSONAL MENTION BARNEY BALABAN, president of Paramount Pictures; Paul Raibourn, vice-president, and Russell Holm an, Eastern production head, left New York last night for the Coast. • Max Youngstein, vice-president of United Artists, arrived in Brackettville, Tex., yesterday from New York. • William Richardson, president of Capital Releasing Corp., Atlanta, has returned there from Jacksonville. • Clayton G. Pantages, 20th Century-Fox manager in Albany, N. Y., has returned there from Oneida and Gloversville. • James E. Perkins, president of Paramount International, has arrived in Hollywood from New York on the first leg of a round-world tour. Betty Adler, president of Playback Records, and Ben Adler, president of the Ben Adler Advertising Service, on Sunday will celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary. Youngstein Honored At Reception Here A reception inaugurating a special tribute to Health for Peace honoring Max E. Youngstein, vice-president of United Artists, was held here yesterday and attended by more than 250 leaders of the motion picture industry, public figures and entertainers. The reception was held in the home of Matthew Fox, and Mrs. George P. Skouras was the hostess. Louis Nizer, general chairman of the Health for Peace dinner scheduled for the Hotel Biltmore on Dec. 14, was the guest speaker. The Dec. 14 dinner, under the sponsorship of the Children's Research Institute and Hospital in Denver, will be highlighted by a special dramatic program featuring notable scientists, entertainers and leading public figures who will give support to the coordinated research attack against disease. 'Crane' Runs 94 Minutes Running time of the Russian film, "The Cranes Are Flying," reviewed in Motion Picture Daily yesterday, is 94 minutes. The picture, being distributed by Warner Bros., is for release this month. Drive-in Forum at TOA Cantor Electet ( Continued Carbon Co., produced by John Sutherland at the Walt Disney studios which shows the role of light in theatre projection and the importance of high intensity carbons. The film is intended to inform theatre operators and projectionists about the importance of the light source in getting a good picture on the screen. Following the screening of the film, John B. Schuyler, Butler, Wise, exhibitor and TOA's liaison with the Motion Picture Research Council in Hollywood, told of poor projection found by the research council generally in conventional and drive-in theatres. Shows Apparatus He displayed to the TOA delegates two pieces of apparatus recommended for exhibitor use. One is a projection alignment device, described as simple enough for anyone to operate and costing between $25 and $30. Schuyler said it should be owned by every theatre and used at least once a week because projectors can get out of alignment simply by the vibration caused by opening and shutting magazine doors. The second piece of apparatus, recommended for theatre circuits with five or more theatres, is a simple but accurate light meter to measure screen brightness. Schuyler said it would cost $100 or more. Both devices are available from the Motion Picture Research Council in Hollywood. A new type of screen for drive-ins, made of extruded aluminum panels, is under development by the research council, Schuyler said. It will require the remodeling of screen towers but will have a surface requiring no painting. Spiro Papas Heard Spiro Papas, new president of the National Association of Concessionaires and vice-president of Alliance Theatres, Chicago, stressed the importance of concessions, saying drivein theatres are grossing more each year in this department. The use of vending machines can increase concession sales by two cents per person, he said. Papas concluded by emphasizing the importance of quality, cleanliness and intelligent operation of all vending activities. The next speaker, taking up matters of maintenance and operations, was E. E. Whitaker, vice-president and operations manager of Georgia Theatres, Atlanta. He drew attention to the importance of a good color scheme, reporting that on the basis of tests made by the University of Georgia, yellow, green and red are ideal for drive-ins and can be used from page 1 ) in any combination. Exhibitors were urged to paint up and clean up. "Every manager should know projection," Whitaker commented, "every manager's office needs a copy of the blue book of projection published by Quigley Publications. The manager needs to know about projection to make sure that he is getting the best picture possible on the screen." Redstone Favors Memos Edward Redstone, Boston, spoke on problems of management, urging all exhibitors no matter how small or large, their operation, to have a manual to instruct employees. He also stressed the value of making memos to employees helpful and to avoid destructive criticism. "We suffer from a tremendous lack of new personnel. We should urge establishment of courses, perhaps at state universities, in theatre management," he said. The final speaker of the drive-in sessions was Jack Braunagel, Little Rock, Ark., and a familiar speaker on drive-in operations. He enlivened the meeting by demonstrating actual stunts. He gave out two live chickens, 100-pound sacks of popcorn, and fruit— including a lemon containing a $20 bill. His topic was "Business Stimulators" and he covered it from many aspects, including the value of trick double-bill combinations. A special one-minute radio tape prepared for "Pillow Talk" was played for the audience. Braunagel Likes Holiday Event Braunagel especially urged exhibitors not to give up the practice of celebrating holidays. He asked for a return of fireworks displays, stunt nights of all kinds, special items for the children. "Children are spoiled by too many big things. They are not interested in bicycle give-aways. They want to buy the little things that we used to enjoy as boys," he said. On the matter of special occasions Braunagel made it clear that there was no limit to the possibilities. He spoke of all kinds of give-aways and stunts, including "a needle in a haystack" event. Papas Elected ( Continued from page 1 ) convention which closed today. Other officers are: Harold F. Chesler of the Theatre Candy Distributing Co., Salt Lake City, who remains 1st vice-president; Augie J. Schmidt, Houston Popcorn & Supply Co., Houston, Tex., 2nd vice-president; Ed "Pete" Gage, vicepresident of Walter Reade Theatres, treasurer. ( Continued from page 1 ) of the board, post he has held sinc; February of this year. He will re] linquish the presidency of Canto.! \ Fitzgerald & Co., Inc., investmer! bankers, to devote his full time anj attention to his new position. Bertero continues as member i board of directors of the company He will also serve the company a special consultant under arrangement which will permit him to devote till principal portion of his time to hi other pursuits. Cantor is also a director of Butle,, Brothers, and a director and chairmaij| of the finance committee of Rapid, American Corp. In 1957 Cantor served as consul, tant on securities legislation to tht, U. S. Senate Banking and Currency! Committee. He served in the U. S; Army from 1943 to 1945. Since 195^ he has awarded annual prizes at th«j University of California in Los Ami geles for outstanding theses on bank, ing and finance. i Seadler Named ( Continued from page 1 ) president of Universal Pictures, ai yesterday's regular monthly meeting: of the committe in the MPAA international board room. | The committee passed a resolution expressing its appreciation for the1* many important contributions and the' outstanding leadership provided by the retiring chairman, Simonelli. i A national program to promote thel large volume of exceptional pictured currently being prepared for release' by all member companies in 1960 was approved for immediate action. The1 committee also discussed plans for re-l activating the Academy Awards tele-| cast committees that will be respon-j sible for an all-industry wide promotional program encompassing all mass' media. The Academy telecast date is! already set for Monday, April 4, 1960. | f Warn of Censor Threat Under the caption, "Think Newspapers Are Safe? Don't Kid Yourself," the 109th in the series of Compo adsj'| in Editor ir Publisher warns newspapers that they may be early targets of censorship advocates. The ad will appear tomorrow. NEW YORK THEATRES I — RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL—, Rockefeller Center • Ci 6-4600 MAX REINHARDT'S "THE MIRACLE" Starring CARROLL ROGER WALTER VITTORIO KATINA BAKER MOORE SLEZAK GASSMAN PAXINOU A WARNER BROS. Picture inTECHNIRAMA® & TECHNICOLOR® and GALA NEW STAGE SPECTACLE "CONTRASTS IN RHYTHM" 11 1 — T— — :TUKE Martin _Quigley, Ed.torin-^ Editor; James D I vers , Managmg Editor; Richard Gertner, News Editor; Herbert V. Feeke, is Manager Teleohonl HOH™l 7 l\ ? •S,«i ^a™n\on' ETdlt?na> Director; Pinky Herman, Vincent Canby, Eastern Editors. Holly! Otten, National Press. Club, Washington, D. C; London Bureau, 4 Advertising Manager ; Gus H ' Fausel, Production Manager, f ElTEVlSION TbDTY Charts' S la wood Bureau, Yucca-Vine Building Samuel D Berns, Manager; Telephone Hollywood 7 2145 Was! Bear StLeicester Square, W. 2. Hope Williams Burnuo. Manner: At„ Kurnup Editor W lliamP« ~N™S" wT^'p*' "VT" • n "'i 5 I'v ™ aJ? ay' N?ws Edlt°r Correspondents m the principal capitals of the world. Motion -ompany, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, Circle 7-3100. f1 .-President; Theo J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Raymond Gallagher, I Better Theatres and Better Refreshment Merchandising, each published 13 times a year I as second ' i as a section of Motion Picture Herald Television Tndav nnMi£h«i j.ilt o» \ ^ c \7 J ' S Be"er Keireshment Merchandising, each published 13 til class matter Sept. 21, 1938, at the Port Office at Almanac, Television Almanac, Fame. Entered osi Office at New York N Y under thT.rt 7m, /; Tmo Ti -J' * ° ricmre £Vmana,c> lelevision Almanac, Fame. Entered as seconc w 0r ' 1N' under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year, $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign. Single copies, 10c.