Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

3L. 88, NO. 32 MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1960 TEN CENTS o Produce 12 in i/.s. South Carolina Exhibitors to Appeal Ask injunction lirisch Slates 'Blue Law' Suit Edict to Supreme Court 4, Budgeted it $50 Million o Be Made in 18 Months; nited Artists Distributor By SAMUEL D. BERNS HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 15. Markig today the third anniversary of unding of the Mirisch Company, esident Hard J. Mirisch, ined by his ■others, Walr and Marvin, a press conrence, a njunced a $50,)0,000 producDn program of least 14 mar films to be a d e during le next 18 tonths, char:terized b y lem as the largest and most varied heduled by any independent filmaking organization. "While we are an independent ( Continued on page 4 ) Walter Mirisch ickus Hails Ruling Against Pa. Censors The recent action of Pennsylvania ate courts in ruling that state's cenirship laws "inoperable and thereire invalid," was hailed yesterday by lbert M. Pickus, president of heatre Owners of America, as anher major step towards the eventual implete elimination of motion picture censorship. Pickus said that while he realizes ie county court decision may still be ppealed by the Pennsylvania attorey general, the lower court action (Continued on page 3) Special to THE DAILY SPARTANBURG, S. C, Aug. 15.-Chester D. Ward, one of three attorneys representing theatre operators in a suit brought in a number of Piedmont South Carolina communities challenging the constitutionality of the Palmetto — State's "blue laws" barring Sunday performances, has notified Attorney General Daniel R. McLeod that the case is being appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States. The South Carolina Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision in July, upheld the validity of the 200-year-old (Continued on page 2) See Rejection of Bicks To Anti-Trust Position From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Aug. 15. Sen. William Proxmire (D., Wis.) deplored "the tragic possibility" that the Senate leadership will not call up the nomination of Robert Bicks to be the chief of the Justice Department's anti-trust division. Proxmire criticized his own party (Continued on page 4) Goldblatt to Fox on Magazine Publicity Martin Goldblatt has joined 20th Century Fox, in charge of national magazine publicity, it was announced by Edward E. Sullivan, publicity director. Goldblatt, who has resigned his post with Columbia Pictures, will ( Continued on page 4 ) Ask Contributions for Vwiety 'Night Races' New York's Variety Tent No. 35 yesterday called on motion picture organizations to contribute $3,500 each toward individual purses for the Tent's "Night at the Races" charity event scheduled for Oct. 4 at Yonkers Raceway. Proceeds derived from the affair, which is the project of the sports division, will be used to acquire playgrounds here for handicapped children. Chief Barker Harry Brandt said Jo(Continued on page 3) U. S. Exports of Film, Equipment Show Gain In the First Halt of 1960 to $22,992,298 From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.— Overseas shipments of U.S. motion picture film and equipment during the first half of 1960 amounted to $22,992,298a slight increase over the $22,861,986 reached in the first half of 1959, according to Motion Picture Chief of the Commerce Department, Nathan D. Golden. Rawstock exports for the same period of this year were 307,335,121 linear feet valued at "$10,069,579, compared with 353,536,013 linear feet valued at $8,675,655 for the like period of 1959. Total of exposed and developed motion picture feature film for the first half of this year reached 137,363,925 linear feet valued at $5,181,418 compared with 137,132,765 feet and $5,414,408 for the comparable period last year. Valuation breakdown for the 1960 period assigned $3,868,761 to 35mm and over positive feature film; $242,413 to 35mm and over, negative feature film; and $1,070,244 for 16mm positive and negative feature film. Foreign sales of all types of motion picture equipment, including cameras, projection and sound equipment, and studio equipment in the first half of 1960 totaled $7,741,301, a gain of slightly more than seven per cent over the corresponding 1959 period. AFM Sues in WB Sale of Films to TV Claim Federation Consent Required for Post-'48 Deal Temporary and permanent injunctions to halt the transfer of upwards of $11,000,000 worth of post-1948 theatrical motion pictures for television exhibition were asked in Federal District Court here yesterday by the American Federation of Musicians, its president, Herman Kenin disclosed. Naming Warner Brothers, as defendant, the union alleged that under the terms of contracts between the musicians and the producer, the films may not be exhibited on television (Continued on page 5) Cunningham Services Set Here Tomorrow Funeral services for Paul Cunningham, director of public affairs of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, who died on Sunday at his home here will be held tomorrow at Saint Patrick's Cathedral at 11 A.M. with a Solemn High Requiem Mass. Cunningham, lyricist of hundreds of songs— including "I Am an American," "Please Take a Letter, Miss (Continued on page 5) GPEC 6-Month Income Rises to $2,467,136 Net income for General Precision Equipment Corporation and subsidiary companies for the six months ended June 30, 1960, was $2,467,136, compared with $2,063,121, for , the same period a year ago, or an increase of 19.5 per cent. This was achieved on sales of $120,722,804, an ( Continued on page 4 ) LABORATORIES, INC. Complete facilities for every film S NEW YORK AND HOLLYWOOD ..... . ... j need in black and white or color