Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

2 Motion Picture Daily PERSONAL MENTION EDWARD S. FELDMAN, international publicity coordinator on Ray Stark's "The World of Suzie Wong," left New York yesterday for Hons: Kong, where the Paramount release will start production on Jan. 4. James J. Gaffney, vice-president of Ross-Gaffney, Inc., returned to New York from Munich yesterday after cutting the first pilot TV film made in Germany for the American market. Edmund C. DeBerry, assistant to Hugh Owen, Paramount vice-president, has returned to New York from Jacksonville. Larry Leopold, assistant manager at the Arcadia Theatre, Philadelphia, and Anne Franch, former cashier at the theatre, have been married. Ross Named Four Coast Houses (Continued from page 1 ) independents, at a combined cost of approximately $500,000. The Fox Wilshire, RKO Pantages, Rosener's Music Hall and the La Brea, the latter instituting an "art house" policy, were launched with invitational cocktail parties to experience a preview of seat comfort, carpeting and drapes, among other renovations. Pacific Drive-in Theatres announced the start of construction on a new 1500-car drive-in theatre to be known as the Canoga Park, located north of Sherman Way on Canoga Boulevard. NEW YORK THEATRES — RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL— Rockefeller Center • Ci 6-4600 CARY GRANT • TONY CURTIS n "OPERATION PETTICOAT" JOAN O'BRIEN • DIN* MERRILL • ARTHUR O'CONNELL A GRANART PRODUCTION A UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL RELEASE In Eastman COLOR and THE MUSIC HALL'S GREAT CHRISTMAS STAGE SHOW SPECIAI NEED A GOOD TRAILER FAST? . . CALL ON FILMACK. YOU'LL BE GLAD VOU DID j FILMACK ( Continued from page 1 ) mantic drama directed by and starring Marlon Brando. The announcement was made by Martin Davis, national advertising, publicity and exploitation manager. Ross has just completed a n assignment for the company as campaign coordinator o n "Li'l Abner," now in release. Prior to joining Paramount, Ross was head of the New York motion picture department of Rogers & Cowan, i n d e p e ndent publicity office. He has also held key publicity posts with Universal-International and the J. Arthur Rank Organization. Paul B. Ross Loaned Stock: Levey ( Continued from page 1 ) hearing for tomorrow on whether it should suspend a stock registration statement filed by Skiatron Electronics. Levey said Skiatron Electronics and Skiatron of America are cooperating fully with S.E.C. and are making every effort to supply it with all information requested. He added: "The facts of record show clearly that my actions directly supported the interests of Skiatron stockholders. Stresses 'My Own' Stock "Knowing that stockholders of Skiatron Electronics would benefit from getting the Subscriber-Vision systems into operation, I personally aided in the financing of Skiatron of America by loaning 206,000 shares of my own personal stock holdings in Skiatron Electronics to Skiatron of America. I told of some of my actions along this line in a letter to every Skiatron Electronics stockholder on November 12, 1957. These 206,000 shares were my own stock— not shares owned by Skiatron Electronics. "Furthermore, Skiatron Electronics has financed its developments in the subscription television field without borrowing money, without paying any interest whatever on loans for that purpose. The Company's financial statements show this. Calls Investment Heavy "Skiatron of America, Inc., was organized to get the Subscriber-Vision systems ready for operation, and has naturally made a considerable investment to this end. Skiatron Electronics stockholders stand to benefit from the research and development and programming which these expenditures make possible." 'Journey' Spotlighted In Full-Page Ads Here "Journey to the Center of the Earth" is spotlighted in full-page merchandising ads in all leading New York newspapers this week, as the world's largest department store, Macy's, and 20th Century-Fox join in a cooperative local-level promotional campaign on behalf of the film. Appearing yesterday in the New York Times, Tribune and JournalAmerican, today, in the Daily News and Telegram, and tomorrow in the Daily Mirror and N.Y. Post, a total of nearly 20 million people will be reached by the campaign. Macy's has given over their entire 34th Street window to an eye-catching display of color blow-ups of stills from the Charles Brackett production. Plans 'Conqueror' ( Continued from page 1 ) with eight different countries for financing and distribution rights of the $7,000,000 production. The financing and contractual agreements, it was pointed out, will be funneled through a Swiss corporation which will provide tax benefits in attracting key names and personnel to be identified with the production and distribution structure. Completion guarantee of $1,300,000 has already been posted by the Swiss corporation, Heilman stated. Technicolor to Participate It was also disclosed that Technicolor will have a participating interest in "William," in exchange for supplying technical and executive personnel in development of the project. The Cinerama-type process will be demonstrated here at Chinese Theatre within next two weeks, Heilman said. "William" will be shown in 35mm theatres 18 months following the road show engagements, and will be exhibited via mobile units handling sound, projection and screen installations in other parts of world. Sam Eckman, formerly managing director of MGM in England, and recently supervising director of 20th Century-Fox's "South Pacific" presentations in UK, will act in a similar capacity for roadshow company serving the picture. Heilman will leave here Jan. 18 to begin preparations abroad and will reschedule production plans for "Islandia," which will also be filmed in the two processes, following completion of "William." Mrs. Mae Martin Mrs. Mae Martin, mother of Ralph R. Martin, motion picture industry representative for Seventeen Magazine, died Saturday in New York. Funeral services were held yesterday morning. None Apply ( Continued from page 1 ) forth with a request to start the tv-: test ball rolling. The frosty attitude on the Hill i; one great reason why the pay-tv field has been so quiet. Whenever pay-tv, seems close to coming into being, th«] threat of anti pay tv legislation emerges from many congressmen and senators. Under this threat, only A very brave or very foolhardy operate) would involve himself in everything necessary to begin a trial. Cost a Vital Factor Another major deterrent is cost. Ir! order to get a foothold, a pay-tv en-' trepreneur would have to invest some' thing like $100 per subscriber in set\ ting up his operation. If he wanterj a substantial number of subscribers for his trial of the medium, the eiv trepreneur would thus have to pa) out a considerable amount of money The drawback is that he wouldn' know if he would ever get a returf on his investment— the commission ha; limited the test to a short period, and there is no way of knowing whethei the commission or congress would sa;1 at the conclusion of the period thai pay-tv would ever be permanent!) authorized as a service. A further cloud on the horizon i: caused by wired pay-tv. The com! mission's test authorization appliec only to broadcast toll-tv. If a numbe: of licensees should get going witj broadcast pay-tv, there is no guaran, tee that someone won't come alons with a better method of wired toll-tv and then the broadcast people arj out— out of money and out of th» field. Will Get Harris' Attention On the other hand, there's no guarj antee that wired pay-av will have { clear field, either. House Commerce Committee Chairman Oren Harri: (D., Ark.) has announced that hii committee was going to have a loo^ at wired pay-tv, which to date ha: not been under the jurisdiction of tht FCC. To Honor Pickus ( Continued from page 1 ) 14 at 6:30 P.M. at the Racebroo: Country Club, Orange. Phil Gravitz, Connecticut brand manager for M-G-M, is serving as general chairman. Sam Weber, Hamdenj is handling reservations. Stabler Names Kearney HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 28-Filmastei president Robert W. Stabler has namec Robert M. Kearney general manage! of its newly acquired Orlando (Florida) studio facilities, effective Dec. 31 Kearney was also named vice-presi ident of the company's recently createc government film division. MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Gertner, News Editor; Herbert V. Fecke, Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager, TELEVISION TODAY, Charles S. Aaronson, Editorial Director; Pinky Herman, Vincent Canby, Eastern Editors. Hollywood Bureau, Yucca-Vine Building, Samuel D Berns, Manager; Telephone HOllywood 7-2145; Washington, J. A. Otten, National Press Club, Washington, D. C; London Bureau, 4, Bear St. Leicester Square, W. 2. Hope Williams Burnup, Manager; feter Burnup, Editor; William Pay, News Editor. Correspondents in the principal capitals of the world. Motion Picture Daily is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, Circle 7-3100, Cable address: "Quigpubco. New York" Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Raymond Gallagher, Vice-President; Leo J. Brady, Secretary. Cither Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Herald, Better. Theatres and Better Refreshment Merchandising, each published 13 times a yeat as a section of Motion Picture Herald; Television Today, published daily as a part of Motion Picture Daily; Motion Picture Almanac, Television Almanac, Fame. Entered as second class matter Sept. 21, 1938, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rates per year, $6 in the Americas and $12 foreign. Single copies, 10c