Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1960)

jday, February 25, 1960 L '. Motion Picture Daily film on Chessman Seen Exploitable b world-wide interest in Caryl [.man, who has survived eight difj: dates with death in California's lamber at San Quentin prison for [napping crime, for which he was iced more than 11 years ago unjie "Little Lindbergh Act," offers lal boxoffice opportunities for a documentary featurette called ice and Caryl Chessman." le 45-minute controversial film, n features Quentin Reynolds as rator of incidents in Chessman's md a bridge for the introduction aumber of key figures in the trial 3 "Red Light Bandit," is of timely -Seance, since it was completed -eadied for release on the eve of rnor Brown's "11th hour" 60eprieve from the gas chamber, treatment, though attempting a le-of-the-road approach, has ones against capital punishment, atured in the film, in individual isnces, are the prosecuting attorattorneys for Chessman; the ier of a girl who was raped by jsman and later suffered a mental ' ise which caused her to be comd to Camarillo, California state tal institution; a doctor and psy-jic consultant commenting favor; for Chessman, one of the woman Is who still favors his execution; i I [Chessman himself. Chessman does speak in the film. oduced by Terrence W. Cooney, ten by Jules Maitland and directLy Ed Spiegel, the documentary is ! g handled for world wide release ferry Persell and William Hunter, Sterling World Distributors, ugh their headquarters in Los Ans. The film is being released witha PCA Seal.-S.D.B. iinocracy Sought (Continued from page 1) ' i "the protection of our democratic eminent and the protection or church's children, m saying this, during an address on le Wonder Which Is Speech," at a ^ : Iner of the Communication Arts ild of the Albany Catholic Diocese d in the Mohawk Country ib, Schenectady, last night, Rt. Rev. Igr. Francis F. Reh, rector of St. eph's Seminary, Dunwoodie, twice d the phrase "unwanted, negative ltrol." Monsignor Reh, former vice-chanlor of the New York Archdiocese i ex-vice rector of the North Amerii College in Rome, declared that Catholic Church and its leader, pe John, favor "a positive position i 2l positive program. ... In asking this, there is no censorship." The danger lies "in the abuse of s power of communication by unnking or unprincipled men," Monnor Reh asserted. In speech and communication, "man most closely embles the divine; all the culture the ages has been transmitted ugh one or the other," he obed. Si Seadler Honored CeHSUS Table (Continued from page 1) pany's fortunes were at low ebb, Seadler recalled. Maurice Bergman, chairman of the luncheon, introduced Seadler as "Youth of the Year, who has been on the M-G-M payroll longer than Leo the Lion." Seadler, he said, is living proof that Leo Durocher erred when he said "Nice guys don't win pennants." Institutional ads prepared by Seadler, Bergman added, benefited the entire industry as well as M-G-M, and others of his ads were more entertaining than their film subjects. "Today," Bergman said, "Si has faith, hope and chariots." Seadler paid tribute to his former M-G-M associates, the late William F. Rodgers and Howard Dietz. The former, he said, shortened his life by sacrificing himself in the cause of industry unity. Seadler noted with satisfaction that today evidences of industry "togetherness" are becoming more numerous, citing interchanges of trailers among exhibitors and plugging of competitors' pictures by distribution executives on the grounds that good pictures bring people out of their homes and make business for others. 'Responsible for Vice-Presidents' Seadler said Dietz was responsible for so many vice-presidents, rather than plain press agents, being at the dais at yesterday's luncheon. He recalled that when Dietz was called upon to help sell motion pictures as an art-industry rather than ordinary show business, he demanded and got, the title of vice-president and increased salary for himself as part of the campaign. Since that start, most heads of advertising-publicity departments have been made vice-presidents of their companies, Seadler said. In closing, Seadler expressed the hope that the industry will come out of the current "crisis of threatened Hollywood strikes" without fatal injury, and urged his listeners to employ "kindness instead of harshness in your business dealings with others." On the dais at the luncheon in addition to those mentioned were: Robert Montgomery, AMPA president; Ernest Emerling, Harry Mandel, Rodney Bush, Jerry Pickman, Paul Lazarus, Jr., Phil Gerard, Dan Terrell, Fred Goldberg, Charles Cohen and Charles Einfeld. Brotherhood Week (Continued from page 1) man, United Artists vice-president and national distributor chairman of Brotherhood, and Spyros S. Skouras, president of Skouras Theatres and exhibitor chairman. The conferences will develop local campaigns and Brotherhood promotions through the use of trailers, radio and television, special previews, posters, displays and informational brochures being sent to theatres throughout the nation. In addition, a concerted membership and fundraising drive will be undertaken on behalf of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. (Continued from page 1) sus Bureau hopes to draw together sometime this year a profile of the motion picture industry — comparing the industry in 1958 with its situation in 1954 when the last Census of Business was taken. The category as the Census defines it, includes film production, renting films to exhibitors, allied services and motion picture theatres (both indoor and outdoor). In the final analysis, a breakdown will be given for production, distribution, and theatres. In the preliminary figures, the only breakdown between theatres and other sectors of the industry is given for the entire state and only for 1958 figures. In one table sample states were chosen to show a comparison between 1958 and 1954 in the number of establishments and total receipts for all segments of the industry. In most cases both figures for 1958 are down from those in 1954. For example: Illinois had 779 establishments in 1958 as compared with 886 in 1954; receipts for 1958 were $107,264,000 as compared with 124,840,000. For Texas establishments were 1,264 in 1958 as compared with 1,946 and receipts were $88,527,000 in 1958 against $111,053,000. On the other hand New York state showed a gain in both categories; establishments totaled 1,809 for 1958 against 1,797 and receipts were up in 1958 to $713,653,000 from $560,924,000. Lunch-Time Ticket Buying For 'Can-Can' Is Urged Twentieth Century-Fox and the Rivoli Theatre here have joined forces to promote a large-scale lunch time ticket-buying drive for "Can-Can" which opens March 9 at the Rivoli. Display ads off the amusement pages in all local dailies call attention to the "super-speed" ticket-issuing machines to handle added "Can-Can" business at the Rivoli. Buyers can purchase reserved seat tickets in less than four minutes, losing little or no time from their lunch-hours. Ticket Taxes (Continued from page 1) ing operating costs put the Labor Department's motion picture admissions tax at a new high during the final quarter of 1959. At the year's end, the price index for movie admissions stood at 146.8 per cent of the 1947-49 average. For the year as a whole, the average of the index was 140.0 up 4.3 points from the 1958 average, and 9.5 points higher than 1958. At the end of 1959, die admissions index for adults was 146.7, up sharply from the 134.1 recorded at the end of the preceding year. A sharper rise was noted in the prices charged for children's admissions, which rose from 125.8 at the end of 1958 to 140.9 a year later. ************************************************ magazine readers' award PICTURE OF THE YEAR 1959 ESI Kmazsnf. Xeadess Fred Zinnemann's Production of THE NUN'S STORY Presented by Warner Bros. Selected by SEVENTEEN Readers From the Magazine's 1959 Pictures of the Month ************************************************