Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, November 17, -19' Television Today Loew's Circuit British Plan TV Global Cables By PETER BURNUP LONDON, Nov. 14. (By Air Mail) —The Postmaster-General Ernest Bevins, M.P., has disclosed that Britain and the Commonwealth countries are planning to lay cables round the world capable of carrying television as well as telephone services. Post Office technicians later stated that the global link would employ the system known as "delayed" TV, relayed immediately after the event and taking about two hours in transmission. This sort of television was first transmitted on the transatlantic cable when the Queen opened the St. Lawrence Seaway. The first link, due in 1961, the technicians added, would be across the Atlantic between Britain and Canada. The second, due by August, 1964, would be between Canada and Australia. The intermediary link would operate through the Canadian internal network. Cost of the global link would be between £.70 million and £,80 million. FCC Sets Dec. 7 for Programming Probe From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Nov. 16. The Federal Communications Commission set December 7 for the start of its investigation into broadcast programming and advertising practices. The Commission had previously announced that it was expanding its television network investigation to include the programming and advertising practices of radio and television stations and networks, particularly to determine whether it had adequate authority under present law to deal with the situation. The hearings will be held before the full Commission, and all interested parties desiring to submit testimony were asked to contact the Commission by Nov. 25. Conn. PTA Committee To Probe Films, TV Special to THE DAILY HARTFORD, Nov. 16.-Mrs. Philip L. Stocklin of Waterford, chairman of the Connecticut Parent Teachers Ass'n. Juvenile Protection Committee, plans a February meeting, at a place and time to be announced, to discuss "sex, horror and sadism" in television, motion pictures, newspaper advertisements and on newsstands. She said today that a preliminary meeting has already been conducted with representatives of both Connecticut and Rhode Island television stations. Who's Where Richard Beesemyer has transferred to the New York office of CBS Television Spot Sales as an account executive, it was announced by Arthur C. Elliot, Eastern sales manager. Beesemyer has been an account executive in the Chicago office of CBS Television Spot Sales for the past year. □ Lewis H. Avery, president of AveryKnodel, Inc., has been elected to the board of directors of the Television Bureau of Advertising by the Bureau's station representative membership, it was announced by Norman E. Cash, TvB president. Avery, elected for a two-year term, succeeds Joseph Weed of Weed & Co. on the TvB board. William Self Named 20th-Fox TV Producer From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 16.-William Self has been appointed an executive producer for 20th Century-Fox Television, it was announced by Peter Levathes, president. Levathes indicated Self's appointment is the first in a series of announcements he will make on staffing and reorganization. Self will assume his new duties shortly, leaving CBS-TV where he was recently elevated to director of administrative programming. Levathes said that in addition to producing, Self also will undertake special assignments in 20th Century-Fox Television activities. No Manulis Successor Yet Meanwhile, there has been no indication of a successor to Martin Manulis, present executive production head, who will switch over to feature films early in 1960. Harris Renamed Head Of NBC Affiliates Jack Harris, vice-president and general manager of KPRC-TV, Houston, was unanimously reelected chairman of the NBC Television Affiliates board of delegates at the annual meeting here. Vice-chairmen elected by the affiliates are Edwin K. Wheeler, general manager of WWJ-TV, Detroit, named to this post for the second consecutive year, and Robert Ferguson, executive vice-president of WTRF, Wheeling, W. Va. . Louis Read, vice-president and general manager of WDSUTV, New Orleans, was elected secretary-treasurer. Appointed to fill vacancies on the board were: Marcus Bartlett, general manager of WSB-TV, Atlanta; Richard Lewis, president and general manager of KVAR, Phoenix; and Read. ( Continued from page 1 ) key employees of the corporation and its subsidiaries was approved by the board on June 19 of this year. It provides for 130,000 shares of common stock to be reserved for issue upon the exercise of options and there is no limitation on the number of shares as to which an option or options may be granted any one individual. The shares to be acquired will be either authorized but unissued shares of common stock or issued shares which shall have been reacquired by the corporation, this to be determined by the board. Plan for Options Outlined Options to be granted under the plan will be exercisable over a period not exceeding 10 years from the respective dates of granting the options. They will be exercisable in installments as follows: up to 20 per cent of the total number of shares covered by the option during the second full year of the optionee's employment with the corporation subsequent to the grant of the option and up to an additional 20 per cent of each of the four succeeding years, such installments to be cumulative. Option price in each instance will be not less than 95 per cent of the fair market value of the common stock on the date the option is granted, to be paid in full in cash upon the exercise of the option. Each optionee is required to agree to remain in the service of the company for a period of at least three years from the date on which option is granted, or, in the case of optionees who have employment contracts with the company, for a period of at least three years from the termination of the contract. Age 60 Is Limit Options will not be transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and no option may be granted under the plan to an employee who has reached age 60. All employees of the company, including officers, are eligible to participate, but directors who are not employees are not eligible. At the board meeting at which the plan was adopted resolutions were passed granting options to six officers as follows: Eugene Picker, 50,000; John F. Murphy, 15,000; Ernest Emerling, 5,000; Arthur M. Tolchin, 5,000; Archie Weltman, 5,000; and Jacob Stillman, 5,000. These options, subject to stockholder approval, are exercisable for a period ten years from the date of granting, June 23, 1959. The option price for them is $13.25 per share. Three Named to Committee Named by the board as a committee to administer the plan were George T. Baker, Thomas J. Connellan, and Thomas L. Norton, none of which is eligible to receive such options. They will make all future determinations as to employees to whom options will be granted. The plan may be terminated, modified or amended by stockholders of RK0 Theatres' Ads Laud MGM's 'Ben-Hur' Here In a spirit of industry good Ji RKO Theatres yesterday placed * play advertising in New York neV papers at its own expense to congraf^ late MGM on "Ben-Hur," which *| have its world premiere at Loe\5 State here tomorrow night. The copy, ordered by Sol Schwar RKO Theatres president, and Har^ Mandel, vice-president in charge U theatre operations, read: "We congf tulate Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on J superb production, 'Ben-Hur.' It is 11 credit to the entire Motion Picture I dustry and one of the great enterta;,! ment experiences of all time. We ur| everyone to see it." RKO Theatres will not be able [ play the picture until well into tiff future, if at all. 'Hur' Products ( Continued from page 1 ) H creations costing hundreds of dollajJ will be promoted across the count) by ads in newspapers and magazinjf and by "Ben-Hur" corners in depai,} ment and specialty stores. "Ben-Hur" stands also will be | up in theatres scheduled to show tl motion picture during the next seveiV months, and the Loew's State displ.|, here will be operated indefinitely, atf cording to Stanley A. Weston, directu of merchandising for Stone Associate^ Such "Ben-Hur" specialties \ Roman armor kits, coloring books, | shirts and chocolates, will be sold j the theatres. Costlier products, whici include draperies, carpeting, "pain! by-number" sets, scooter-type chariotL bathrobes, footwear, ladies handbag? and costume jewelry, will be sold b] other outlets. Pitt House Gets 70mm PITTSBURGH, Nov. 16. Loewl Penn Theatre here is installing spi cial 70mm. Technirama equipment fc its Christmas opening of "Solomon an! Sheba." r the corporation or by the board t insure that options shall be stricted" as defined in Section 42| of the Internal Revenue Code of 1951 or to conform to any changes in thaj law. The proposal for cumulative votinj in electing directors made by Lewi; D. Gilbert and John J. Gilbert is orj> t« posed by company management, whicl believes "that such a departure fron the present method of voting will not [ serve any useful purposes." In th< meeting notice it is pointed out tha1' stockholders of Loew's, Inc. in Febru1 ary, 1959, eliminated that method oi voting. j, Directors up for election include Baker, Connellan Leopold Friedman; Arnold M. Grant, Herbert A. Hofj mann, Murphy, Norton, Picker, SimoE H. Rifkind, and Laurence A. Tisch.