Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1960)

■I Motion Picture Daily Monday, January 25, m\ Television Today The Critics As influential as the many nation-wide syndicated TV columnists, are the hundreds of local newspaper critics whose views — though they inevitably reflect regional preference— more often than not have national validity. These reporters, asked to vote again this year in the annual MOTION PICTURE DAILYFAME poll of television talent and shows, added a variety of comments on their vieics of the industry. Among them were the following reports. Mrs. Helen D. Smith, Turlock Daily Journal, Turlock, Calif.: There have been far too much publicity on the quiz shows— hurting both the sponsors and the networks— the firing of Charles Van Doren, who is obviously a brilliant man— or was his Ph.D. rigged and should we investigate the universities —was too bad. Gives the impression the networks hired him because of his publicity and not for his education and knowledge. Why should he bear the brunt of this? Anyone in the public who didn't think the quiz shows were at least rehearsed to some extent must know very little about show business. Imagine sending contestant after contestant out on the' stage without prompting. What a show that would be! The public was only fooled because it wanted to be— it was looking for superhuman people and they aren't that prevalent. Isn't there' some way the sponsors, producers and networks can get together and work with stations to "tone down" those commercials. They come on twice as loud as the program and I'm sure the reason everyone races to the kitchen for cold drinks and food during commercials is because it is too hard to adjust from a normal speaking or singing voice to shouting. Quit slicing up the movies— they're not recognizable. I saw "High Noon" the other clay and hardly recognized it. Fortunately I had seen it before or I doubt if I would have understood the story. • F. Gunby Rule, Knoxville NewsSentinel, Knoxville, Tenn.: There is some indication that the TV quiz scandals are going to bring out something that has been needed— namely, some control, exercise of restraint, channeling of total effort into something better— all directed from the highest echelon within the networks themselves. The monopoly of TV hours by money-plus-Madison Ave. is basically the only approach to TV in our democracy— but the money must not be able to buy everything because there should be some things not for sale. The money should simply be Meet Set Feb. 19 On TV Practices From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.-Cb.airman Magnuson (D., Wash.) of the Senate Commerce Committee has called a conference for Feb. 19 at which officials of the government regulatory agencies and the broadcasting industry will discuss what they have done "to solve the tangled television problem." Magnuson has indicated that he is concerned about the adequacy of existing laws of the industry's Television Code as a means of dealing with "deceptive and fraudulent practices that have developed in the television industry." SEC-Skiatron ( Continued from page 1 ) tronics and Television Gorp. that had been pledged by Matthew Fox, president of Skiatron of America. Ben Cohen, an official of Reldan Trading Co and Mid-East Securities, detailed a large number of loans made to Fox. Included in the collateral for these loans was Skiatron stock which had been lent to Fox by Skiatron's president, Arthur Levey. Cohen asserted that he had informed Fox concerning the stock sales made against his account. It was also brought out that at least one of the loans made by Cohen was satisfied— after 500 shares of Skiatron had been sold— by funds borrowed from Judson Commercial Corp. Collateral under this loan was lent to Fox by Levey. It had earlier been pledged to Bache & Co., Wall Street brokers. Cohen held 70,000 shares of Skiatron when SEC suspended all trading in the stock. These shares are now in escrow. able to buy everything that is for sale. • Dot Louviere, Daily Iberian, New Iberia, La.: Summer viewing could be improved. This summer I saw some of the same repeats three times. In summer why not show some of the programs that were televised later at night— early? This way people who must go to bed early and missed the programs could see them at an earlier hour in summer. I like to laugh, it makes me feel good. Let's have more good situation comedies. I like the specials where the old timers are honored. It brings back the good old songs and old memories of personalities and eras we have heard about but maybe too young to have seen. • Blossom Klass, Brooklyn Daily, Brooklyn, N. Y.: Less commercials breaking up your trend of thought when concentrating on a dramatic program. Regulations of the amount of time allowed to commercials. More programs like Open End. Texas Senator Will Address Drive-In Meet Special to THE DAILY DALLAS, Jan. 24. The Hon. Ralph Yarborough, U.S. Senator from Texas, will be' one of the featured speakers at the 8th annual Texas Drive-In Owners Association convention here at the Sheraton-Dallas Hotel Feb. 9 through 11. Harold Brooks, convention chairman, reports that advance registration is running way ahead of former years. He said at this time it is too early for a complete program listing, but negotiations are being made with top industry names and that a film star would an appearance. The partial program lists the following: Kroger Babb, Miller Consolidated Pictures; Jack D. Braunagel, owner and president of Jay D. Bee Amusement Co., Little Rock drive-in circuit; James H. Nicholson, president of American International Pictures; and Jack Cox, a member of the Texas legislature. Quaker Oats, 'Daisies' Tie-In Budget $380,000 An additional advertising allocation of $50,000 has been earmarked by Quaker Oats Company for their tie-in promotion program with M-G-M's "Please Don't Eat the Daisies," starring Doris Day and David Niven. Supplementary budget ups total outlay for campaign to $380,000— a record figure for a co-operative deal of this kind, M-G-M said. A new phase of the promotion will be comic-strip advertisements to appear in Sunday comic sections such as Metro, Puck and similar publications. Ads will call attention to the fact that packed in each box of Quaker Oats will be a free ticket for a child of 12 or under to a local showing of "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" (when accompanied by paying adult). M-G-M's "The Gazebo" completed ijts first week at the Roxy Theatre here with a seven-day box-office gross of over $46,000. W. Schwartz Appointed By Columbia in Tokyo The appointment of William Schwartz as Columbia Films Ltd. Home Office representative in Tokyo, japan, has been announced by Lacy W. Kastner, president of Columbia Pictures International Corp. An industry veteran, Schwartz was general manager for 20th CenturyFox in Japan before the War. When the Motion Picture Export Association resumed activities for its member companies in Japan in 1946, Schwartz became general manager of the Central Motion Picture Exchange for the territory. He held this post until 1951, when he joined RKO as Japan general manager. His last position prior to joining Columbia was as general manager of Warner Brothers' japan organization. Schwartz has already taken over his new duties, and will serve under the supervision of Michael Bergher, Columbia International vice-president. PEOPLE Arthur L. Mayer has been electi an honorary member of the Indepen ent Film Importers and Distribute of America pursuant to a rece j amendment of the by-laws of tli ! organization authorizing such form membership. □ Elias Chalhub is now operating t! Riviera Theatre, Riviera Beach, FL j formerly handled by Ziggie Vorzimt □ Ernest A. Grecula has returned the managership of the Colonial The tre, Hartford, a post he relinquish*; several years ago to enter independe exhibition as operator of the Sta Theatre, Torrington, Conn. 1=1 "Ill James Scovotti, publicist, has w signed from Louis de Rochemont M sociates to return to free-lance writi and publicity assignments. '□ Mrs. Eleanor Brush now is open ing the Smalley Theatre, Coope [ town, N. Y. She, with her husband, retired jewelry salesman, purchas , the house on Jan. 1 from Mrs. Hasl Smalley. □ E. C. Kaniaris has taken over o eration of the San Marco Drive-' Theatre, St. Augustine Beach, Fl ! and has closed his Beach Drive i in the same area. Cinerama Prod. Seeks Real Estate Companies Cinerama Productions Corp., H called a special meeting of stockhol' ers on Thursday, Feb. 25, to vote J the approval of the acquisition Cinerama Productions Corp. of of the outstanding stock of some j Florida corporations. The meeting v i take place at the Barbizon Plaza H tel at 11 A.M. The Florida corporations involv are engaged primarily in the real >M tate and single-family home constn III tion business on the west coast j Florida, principally in the St. Pete J burg and Ft. Myers area. Consideration for the acquisition j Cinerama Productions Corp. will the issuance by Cinerama Productic ; I of 425,000 shares of authorized hi unissued stock in exchange for tijl stock of the Florida corporations. Cell tingent upon the consummation of t jfl transaction, the board of directors hi voted a ten cent dividend to the stoc I holders of Cinerama Productions fcj record on Feb. 24, 1960, and payal >; I on March 15, 1960. This is the fi 1 dividend ever authorized by Cinerai I Productions. The company retains a non-exc I sive license to produce and exhi M motion pictures in the Cinerama pn j j ess, although last year it sold all rig! I to five completed Cinerama pictures I Stanley Warner Corp., which in til sold them to Cinerama, Inc.