Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1960)

2 Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, March 23, 19i PERSONAL MENTION HOWARD STRICKLING, M-G-M vice-president in charge of advertising-publicity, and Morgan Hudgins, of the studio staff, have arrived in New York from the Coast and Chicago. • David A. Lipton, Universal Pictures vice-president, will arrive in New York tonight from Hollywood, and will leave here at the weekend for London. • Irving Ludwig, president of Buena Vista, has returned to New York from the Coast. • Arthur Hornblow, jr., producer of "The Captive" for Universal, has returned to New York from the Coast. • Darryl F. Zanuck left New York last night for Paris. • Gerd Oswald, director, has arrived in West Berlin, Germany, from Los Angeles via the Polar route. • John Barton, owner of the Nile Theatre, Mitchell, Nebr., has become a grandfather with the birth of a daughter to his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Floyd Brethour. Father is salesman for National Screen Service in Denver. Steinway, 'Song' Tie-In Special posters highlighting the forthcoming William Goetz production for Columbia release, "Song Without End," The Story of Franz Liszt, will be offered by Steinway & Sons Piano Company to its retail dealers in 300 major cities throughout the country for use in window and in-store displays. The full-color posters will be distributed to the retailers at the National Association of Music Merchants and Piano Manufacturers convention in Chicago, July 18-22. v gems of showmanship!... SPECIAL TRAILERS by national screen service' Expect N. Y. Vote Today On License-Fee Bill Special to THE DAILY ALBANY, N. Y., March 22. The Assembly-approved Savarese bill, reducing the license fees collected by the State Education Department's motion picture division, was substituted, on third reading in the Senate today, for the companion Marchi act. A final Senate vote on the measure, which is strongly advocated by a number of industry organizations, may come tomorrow. The upper house last year unanimously adopted a somewhat similar proposal, introduced by Sen. John J. Marchi, Staten Island Republican. Assemblyman Anthony P. Savarese, Jr., Queens Republican, co-sponsored this year's legislation, as he did that of 1959. Mundt Scores Sinatra For Hiring Maltz From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, March 22.-Strong criticism was hurled at Frank Sinatra today by Sen. Mundt (R., S.D. ) who called the actor-producer's hiring of Albert Maltz "shocking." Maltz, one of Hollywood's "Unfriendly Ten" of 12 years ago, was signed to do the film adaptation of "The Execution of Private Slovik," which Sinatra will produce and direct. "In these uneasy times," Mundt said, "it is hard to understand that people will grant new opportunities for the injection of communist propaganda into motion picture fare." Mundt is the only member of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee of 1947 still in Congress. The senator also referred to the hiring of "black-listed" writers by Otto Preminger and Stanley Kramer. Frank Sinatra's hiring of Albert Maltz was criticized by the New York Journal American yesterday in an editorial entitled "Wrong-Way Frank." "By hiring him," the editorial stated, "Mr. Sinatra, however much he may delude himself to the contrary, has not struck a blow FOR freedom of expression. He has struck a blow AGAINST efforts of the industry to prevent enemies of our country from using the powerful medium of the movies for an insidiously slanted Communist line." Pizor, Feher Join Hands Irwin Pizor (Screen Guild Productions) and Andre Feher (Rex Films, Inc.,) have formed Hermes Films, Inc., new releasing organization whose first offering will be "The Easiest Profession," starring Fernandel, which will open at the World Theatre here Friday. Gunsberg Named Exec, Assistant to Reade Sheldon Gunsberg has been appointed executive assistant to the president of Walter Reade, Inc., it was announced b y president Walter Reade, J r. Gunsberg will retain his position as vicepresident o f both Walter Reade, Inc., and C o n t i n ental D i s tributing, Inc., an affiliate company. In making the the announce Sheldon Gunsberg ment, Reade said: "Walter Reade, Inc. has grown considerably in the past several years and now encompasses exhibition, distribution and production in the motion picture industry; catering, concessions and restaurants; plus real estate, financing and other diverse operations. In his capacity as vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity of both Walter Reade, Inc. and Continental Distributing, Inc., Gunsberg has worked closely with me in all of these areas. The immediate prospects and opportunities for growth of the Walter Reade group require an executive assistant to aid in the formulation and administration of over-all policy. He will assume that responsibility and authority." Six years ago Gunsberg joined the Reade Circuit as general manager of specialized theatre interests and director of advertising and publicity of Continental Distributing, Inc. In 1955, he was appointed director of advertising and publicity of the Reade Circuit and in 1956 became vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity of Walter Reade Theatres and Continental Distributing, Inc. Gunsberg entered the picture industry in 1945 as a publicist for 20th Century-Fox. He spent two years as a field representative for United Artists, and joined Universal-International Pictures, Inc. in 1948 for the road show engagements of "Hamlet." One year later he became assistant to Jeff Livingston, then director of advertising and publicity of J. Arthur Rank films released through Universal. Remodel Gramercy Here Rugoff & Becker's Gramercy Theatre on East Twenty Third Street here has been closed temporarily for extensive renovations. The theatre was redecorated, with new seating and new carpeting, at an expense of $60,000. The interior and architectural design was the work of James McNair and Ben Schlanger. It is scheduled to reopen tonight. Younglove Bil — i (Continued from page 1) and mailed communications ha been received by some legislab from theatre operators within tin respective districts, others said th had received none of this kind, i cently. Surprisingly, for a measure whi has attracted so much attention, t "pro" mail on the Younglove-Du act is comparatively light. The memorandum of approval the legislative commission of t State Council of Churches (Protesta was widely distributed. The State Catholic Welfare Co mittee also favors the bill— accordi to reliable sources— but its position 1 not been publicized. Senators Principal Targets Senators appeared to be the ct targets of appeals for defeat. 1 Duffy act, companion to Assemc man Joseph R. Younglove's, appea again on the Senate general ord calendar, but it was not "moved." Every Senator and Assembly!) has received a four-page "fact she prepared by the Motion Picture sociation of America and citing i sons why film classification should be enacted. A copy of Eric Johnsti statement, titled "The Free Scree which he made before the Grana postal operations subcommittee Washington, on Feb. 2, has also b forwarded to legislators. Distributed some time ago was a page statement by the Council of 1 tion Picture Organizations, directei the joint legislative committee on fensive and obscene material (wl later drafted the pending Youngk Duffy bill), the Assembly judic committee, and the Senate public e cation committee. Court Decisions Quoted This memo set forth arguments (. cited court decisions in opposition 1 the first Younglove film classificaJ act; the Marano bill for "adults on classification (with a $25 fine toj levied on any theatre manager} permitting a person under 18 yeai age to witness such a film); the Y| ser bill (identical with Younglo i the Conklin three-categories cla cation act. The three initially listed will come to a floor vote. The Coi'fl bill is a Senate one; as such, is t retically "alive" until adjournn However, for all practical purposi is believed to be "dead." Predictions vary as to the fat the Younglove-Duffy measure. Assemblyman favoring the bill another opposing it prophesized day, passage. Some observers believe Se adoption is likely. Others que this. MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Gertner, News Editor; Herbert V. I Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager, TELEVISION TODAY, Charles S. Aaronson, Editorial Director; Pinky Herman, Eastern Editor. Hollywood Bi YuccaVine Building, Samuel D. Berns, Manager; Telephone HOllywood 7-2145; Washington, E. H. Kahn, 996 National Press Bldg., Washington, 4, D. C; London Burea Bear St. Leicester Square, W. 2. Hope Williams Burnup, Manager; Peter Burnup, Editor; William Pay, News Editor. Correspondents in the principal capitals of the world. Jl Picture Daily is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, Circle 7Cable address: "Quigpubco. New York" Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Raymond Gall; Vice-President; Leo J. Brady, Secretary. Other Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Herald, Better Theatres and Better Refreshment Merchandising, each published 13 times a as a section of Motion Picture Herald; Television Today, published daily as part of Motion Picture Daily; Motion Picture Almanac, Television Almanac, Fame. Entered as s 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,