Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

j-riday, November 13, 1959 MOTION PlCTURE DAILY m Approves Most of Montague Suggests Memorial to O'Donnell New Quota Provisions From THE DAILY Bureau I LONDON, Nov. 12. The Genial Council of the Cinematograph Inhibitors Association said today it [Vas "generally pleased" with the new Sritish Quota Act, most exhibitor lecommendations have been included. i| However CEA objected to inclujion of newsreels qualifying for quota, 'md to drawing from a production ijund which is primarily for first fea'lures. If the government wants to hclude newsreel benefits in the *|uota, Council said, a subsidy should Come from public funds and not exhibitor levies, in order to support 'versea distribution. i| IRC to Participate ( Continued from page 1 ) 'he "Oscar" ceremonies came under 'ndustry sponsorship in 1957. ' It was learned that Eastman's viceiresident in charge of world sales of irofessional motion picture film EdVard P. Curtis, and William German, iead of William J. German, Inc., raw tock distributor, were first approached in New York by an MPAA o[ommittee several weeks ago to ascertain their interest in financial parjicipation in the Awards program. i| Both are reported to have regarded we proposal with interest but beaeved it to be a matter for Eastman's advertising publicity department to ixamine and decide. Accordingly, a |elegation headed by Charles Simon;slli, chairman of MPAA's advertis• rig-publicity directors' committee, jiut the proposal to Eastman's James £. McGhee, vice-president in charge if domestic sales and advertising, and nembers of his staff last week. MPA Picked Up Option The conference coincided with a mblic announcement from MPAA hat its member companies had deeded to pick up their third-year opion to sponsor the Academy Awards >rogram non-commercially. There had been several months deay in the decision to exercise the >ption after Universal Pictures and jiVarner Bros, voted against financial barticipation in the broadcast-telecast (iext year. Warners later reversed its bosition; Universal has not done so. I Although the extent of Eastman's nnancial participation was not disclosed it is believed that it will aggregate more than the sum heretofore Contributed by Universal. Cost Less Than Last Year Cost of next year's program is estimated to be less than last year's, Since it will be a 90-minute rather than a two-hour program. However, there remains an unpaid balance from last year's two-hour program and there is an annual MPAA contribution jjf $150,000 to the Academy's general bverhead. MPAA companies paid bne-quarter of one per cent of their Annual domestic revenues to make up the amount required, but it is believed Eastman will contribute a flat sum. ( Continued from page 1 ) out that O'Donnell had become president of the Hospital when it was taken over by the new group 11 years ago and never missed a directors meeting. Montague said that O'Donnell also did much to interest members of Variety Clubs in the Will Rogers Hospital. Addressing the final luncheon meeting of the TOA convention, Montague said that the future growth of the hospital requires a building to house staff personnel and also to provide two large wards for asthmatic children. Such a building, he thought, TOA members would want named in honor of O'Donnell, who had been a TOA leader since the organization was founded. Has International Reputation Montague reported on the progress of the hospital — that 150 patients had been treated and the same number discharged during the year. He also noted that Will Rogers Hospital now has an international reputation and is conducting vital research. He asked for more cooperation from exhibitors in the matter of theatre collections, saying, "Without the theatre collections, we would have to close. Now only 4,000 theatres have the collection." He announced that all the theatres in Chicago would collect for the hospital during thanksgiving week. O'Donnell Funeral Tomorrow; Industry Leaders Pallbearers DALLAS, Nov. 12.-Industry leaders started converging on Dallas today to pay respects to one of their greatest, R. J. "Bob" O'Donnell, who died Tuesday of a lung ailment. Rosary will be recited at 8 P.M. Friday at Sparkman's Funeral Chapel and requiem mass will be celebrated at 10 A.M. Saturday in Christ the King Catholic Church with the Rt. Rev. Msgr. W. J. Bender as celebrant. Entombment will be at Hillcrest Mausoleum. Pallbearers will be Karl Hoblitzelle, Fred Florence, John Adams, Fred Starz, Raymond Willie and Paul Short, Dallas; Harry Morris, London, England; Ned Depinet, Sam Dembow, Al Schwalberg and Ned Shugrue, New York City and Audie Murphy, Los Angeles. Officers and directors of the Texas Council of Motion Picture Organizations have sent a special bulletin to all theatre owners and managers in the state expressing their sadness at the death of Robert J. O'Donnell. They request that their membership and all other theatre owners in Texas "join in evincing respect to Mr. O'Donnell by illuminating marquee, front, and foyer lights of the theatre during the hour long funeral services on Saturday." More Film Industry Leaders Pay Tribute to O'Donnell Further tributes to O'Donnell, received in addition to those published in Motion Picture Daily yesterday, are printed below: SPYROS P. SKOURAS, president, 20th Century-Fox: "I am deeply grieved at the passing of one of my dearest friends. Throughout the many years I have known and loved Bob O'Donnell. I was constantly exhilarated by his sensitivity and feeling for his fellow men. As a great leader in the exhibition field he was one of the most courageous and dynamic forces this nation has yet produced. It is as an individual, however, that Bob leaves his most important legacy— that of a lifetime of charity and love. I shall always revere his memory. His name will be engraved forever as the great showmen of humanity." JOSEPH R. VOGEL, president, Loew's, Inc.: "Few people have given so much of themselves to this industry as Bob O'Donnell. He loved it, he fought for it, his name belongs indelibly in the story of its progress. We were theatre managers together many years ago in New York and I mourn his passing as a lifelong friend. The industry has lost one of its great leaders." PAUL N. LAZARUS, JR., vicepresident, Columbia: "Bob O'Donnell was a showman in the very best sense of the word. His imagination, initiative, boundless energy and charitable deeds endeared him to everyone connected with the industry. I am deeply shocked by his death and regard it as a keen personal loss." SOL A. SCHWARTZ, president, RKO Theatres: "I am deeply grieved at the passing of Bob O'Donnell. The industry has lost a great showman, and I have lost a good friend." SI H. FABIAN, president, Stanley Warner Corp.: "Bob O'Donnell was a human being first; a showman, second. In both aspects of life, he was supreme." SAMUEL ROSEN, executive vicepresident, Stanley Warner Corp.: "Bob O'Donnell was more than a business associate. He was a personal friend. I was privileged to work sideby-side with him in many philanthropies to which he gave a large portion of his life. We shall not see his like again." STEVE BROIDY, president, Allied Artists: "Word of Bob O'Donnell's death comes as a profound shock and heavy personal loss. With his passing, a void has been created in our industry which never will be completely filled because he was one of its true leaders. Through the years I was privileged to enjoy his friendship and counsel, I always found him to be sympathetic, understanding and ready to reach out and help whenever help was necessary. A man of this stature cannot be replaced." CHARLES BOASBERG, general sales manager, Warners: "Bob O'Donnell was a great human being and a great showman. The industry has lost an outstanding contributor to its growth and stature. My deep personal sympathy goes to his family." SAMUEL J. BRISKIN, Columbia Pictures studio head: "Bob was and always will be remembered as one of the great showmen of our industry, and his passing affects all who had die pleasure of knowing him personally." JACK KARP, Paramount studio head: "The death of Bob O'Donnell is a great personal loss to all of us at Paramount, as well as to the entire motion picture industry. As a person he was a warm and congenial friend whom we all loved. As a colleague he enjoyed our respect and admiration as a titan of showmanship. His imagination and enterprise in building a tremendous audience through his theatre chain has always been a vital spark of encouragement to all of us on the production end of Holllywood to make pictures worthy of the audience he provided. We add our grief to that of his family and close associates." AA's Net for Quarter Up Sharply Over 1958 From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 12.-The annual meeting of stockholders of Allied Artists Pictures Corp. was held today at the studio, presided over by Steve Broidy, president. Broidy announced at the meeting that operations of Allied Artists and its wholly owned subsidiaries for die first quarter of the present fiscal year (quarter ended Sept. 26, 1959) resulted in a net profit before Federal income taxes of $652,600. This amount compares with net profit before Federal income taxes of $120,200 for the corresponding quarter of the previous year. No provision for Federal income taxes was made in either year because of prior year losses which were applicable as credits against first quarter profits. Gross income in quarter ended Sept. 26, 1959, amounted to $5,241,000 as compared with $3,929,000 shown in the corresponding quarter in 1958.