Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

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MOTION PICTURE DAILY OL. 88, NO. 78 NEW YORK, U.S.A., FRIDAY, OCTORER 21, 1960 TEN CENTS iefore High Court Censor WalF m Attacked Vt Hearing )uestion of Obscenity s Raised by Frankfurter Ry E. H. KAHN WASHINGTON, Oct. 20. The upreme Court was told today by 'elix Rilgrey, attorney for Times ilm Corp., that "everyone has the ight initially to communicate with be public— there can be no censor's /all." Times Film seeks to invalidate as ^constitutional that part of a Chicago ilm licensing ordinance which retires prior censorship of pictures. The most persistent questioning of he Times Film attorney came from ustice Felix Frankfurter, who aserted that for purposes of the test ought by Rilgrey, it would be a matter of indifference" whether the ilm in question, "Don Juan," were >r were not obscene. The picture is based on Mozart's >pera, "Don Giovanni." It was denied ( Continued on page 3 ) E. H. Rowley Retires From U.A. Theatres Edward H. Rowley has retired as sxecutive vice president of United \rtists Theatre Circuit as of Oct. 15, "he company's board of directors was idvised by George P. Skouras, chairman and president. He assumed the post in 1957. Rowley has signed a 10-year contract on a consultative basis and will ( Continued on page 4 ) Filmack Theatre Post Goes to Vi Dane Special to THE DAILY CHICAGO, Oct. 20-Vi Dane has been appointed sales manager of the Filmack theatre department, it was announced by Joseph Mack, president of Filmack. She is well known to theatre exhibitors throughout the country, having served for 25 years as "Gal Friday" to Irving Mack, former Fil(Continued on page 4) FCC Issues Its Order of Procedure New Somes For Hearing on Phonevision Pay-TV gee 100 Films Being Added to 1961 Releases From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 20.— The Federal Communications Commission has spelled out the procedure it will follow during its Oct. 24-28 hearings on the application of Hartford Phonevision for a three-year toll-tv trial over WHCT TV, Channel 18 in Hartford, Conn. According to FCC, the hearing will start with an introductory statement by the counsel to the Broadcast Rureau, Louis C. Stephens. This will be followed by Hartford Phonevision's presentation of its case, which is expected to last most of the day. Next to appear will be Charles H. Tower, spokesman for the National Association of Rroadcasters. Though NAR is not a party to the hearing, it has been given 30 minutes, exclusive (Continued on page 4) Fox Says 'Can-Can' Policy Was In Error By WILLIAM WERNETH William Infald, chairman of the Emergency Defense Committee of Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey told the trade press yesterday that his group has been informed that 20th Century-Fox vice president Charles Einfeld's statement of Oct. 5 concerning 35 mm. showings of "Can-Can" all over the U. S. on a limited performance policy "was either erroneous or Einfield was misquoted." The EDC met yesterday with Abe Dickstein, a member of the recently formed Fox sales cabinet, and Fox (Continued on page 4) Zeeman Will Assume New Columbia Duties Bernard E. Zeeman, a director, vice president and treasurer of Columbia Pictures International Corp., will assume additional duties with the parent company, it was announced yesterday by A. Schneider, president of Columbia Pictures Corp. These will consist of assisting Leo Taffe, first vice-president and treasurer, and Louis J. Barbano, financial vice-president, and will be concen(Continued on page 4) Turning Point in Product Shortage Is Predicted Pasternak Wants More Help from Exhibitors Exhibitors have an obligation to become "more active salesmen" of films in partnership with producers and distributors, Joe Pasternak said here yesterday. The veteran producer noted at a press conference that many of ^ the country's theatre owners are "live wires," but added that during discussions at the recent Theatre Owners of America convention in Los Angeles he saw signs of pessimism. This, he contends, must be replaced with unbounded enthusiasm for revitalization of the industry. "The public wants good entertain( Continued on page 2) Exhibitor leaders estimated yesterday that a minimum of 100 additional features will be available to theatres in 1961 if new production projects announced in recent months develop as planned. The number of pictures from new sources may be augmented by formation of additional production companies in the months ahead, it was pointed out. Several such enterprises are known to be in the planning stage now and should they materialize they would involve sufficient numbers of films to represent a total gain over the 100 minimum after reasonable allowance for the non-delivery of some pictures already announced by new companies for next year. With at least this year's total of approximately 255 films from the na(Continued on page 3) Higher Level of Earnings Predicted for Motion Picture Companies by Broker Firm Motion picture producers can anticipate a generally higher level of earnings in years to come, it is predicted in a report on film company shares issued by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith. Noting that film stocks have suddenly developed a market f^ing a period of sub-average performance," the brokerage firm report attributes it Kree major factors. These are the development of significantly higher operating earnings in two or three cases; the realization that the motion picture producers can turn worthwhile profits when, as now, the economy is soft; and publicity about pay-television. , , , P "In our opinion, however," the report adds, "the major reason for the strength is the announcement of several deals to convert assets of low book value sucn as post-1948 films and real estate to cash These developments have called attention to the fact that the liquidating value of any movie stock is probably well in excess of its market value. Says N.Y. Essential For Filming 'Mad' The advantages and disadvantages of making pictures in New York were discussed here yesterday by Burt Balaban, director, and Edward L. Schreiber, producer, of "Mad Dog Coll." The picture is being made for Columbia release at the Biltmore Studios and on location on the streets of New York. Balaban, who directed "Murder, (Continued on page 4) Huggins Named V.P. of Fox TV Production From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 20-Roy Huggins, television writer and producer, has been named vice president in charge of production for 20th Century-Fox Television, it is announced by Peter Levathes, president of 20thFox TV. The anouncement of Hug(Continued on page 4)