Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

lesday, November 1, 1960 Motion Picture Daily 3 80,000 Is Invested 1 Norwood Studios From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 31. -Greater ashington Industrial Investments, c, is investing $80,000 in Norwood ,udios, Inc., it was announced jointby Philip Martin, president of Noraod, and Dr. Arch C. Scurlock, present of GWII. The investment will J; in 5-year 8 per cent debentures rrying detachable warrants for the lrchase of up to 16 per cent of Norood's total common stock. Norwood Studios is a producer of , )n-theatrical motion pictures. Its oductions have received such ,vards as the grand prize at the Vene Film Festival, the Freedoms oundation Award, the Brotherhood / Christians and Jews Award and the ilver Reel Award. It was established i 1951 by Philip Martin after liis relrn from Hollywood where he had een associated for 10 years with aramount and RKO. As supervisory [ditor for RKO, he edited "The House Live In," which won the documentary "Oscar" in 1947. To Reopen in Mpls. 1 MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 31. Under lanagement of the Cygnet Corp., spresented by William Cumberland, Jie Leola Theatre here is scheduled > open Nov. 2. Closed in May, 1958, , ; was revamped in 1959 for musical i"tage reviews and closed again. Cumberland explained that the resent management plans to select he best films after the downtown uns but will cater to no particular ■ge group. The only deviation from 'bis will be children's Saturday matiiees. Japanese Theatre Operators Seek to Keep Admissions at Minimum; Cite Some Cutting Special to THE DAILY TOKYO, Japan, Oct. 29 (By Air Mail)-The National Association of Japanese Motion Picture Theatre Operators has formally requested the Health & Welfare Ministry to keep movie admissions in Japan at a minimum of 14 cents. The operators say that a number of theatres, hard-pressed by tv and a popular movement toward sports attendance, have gone below this price in presenting double features and even triple features and that this action constitutes what is considered excessive competition. This is the first time that theatre owners have tried to keep admissions up to a certain level. The worst offenders, says the association, are 300-400 "borderline" theatres of which ownership is constantly changing as their operators fight to make them pay. Japan has some 8,000 theatres. To Honor Naifys SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31. ioard chairman Michael A. Naify, vho founded the United California Theatres, and his two sons Marshall, ,iow president, and Robert A., viceoresident and general manager, are ieing honored by Northern California exhibitors this week during the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the ,:heatre circuit. , Approximately half of the 83-dieaitre chain are in San Francisco in the ! Bay area. 22 Million (Continued from page 1) of "127 members of the House of Representatives, to vote for a ban on pay-tv." Harling said that the petitions against pay-tv were signed in theatre lobbies. They were forwarded to congressmen in the respective districts in which the documents originated. In the Albany-Troy area, Congressman Leo W. O'Brien received the petitions; in the Schenectady-Amsterdam-Gloversville-Oneonta section, Congressman Samuel S. Stratton. Both men, running for re-election, promised in effect to vote for legislation, which would ban television-for-pay. They are considered "friendly" to exhibitors. Harling Tells of Caution Harling emphasized that care was exercised to insure "There were no blank signatures ... in other words, the signing of imprinted sheets." He stated that no member of the House Committee, headed by Congressman Oren Harris— which is "studying" the question of televisionfor a fee-had taken a public position, one way or the other. This hands-off attitude was to be expected, he added. Harling declined to predict the outcome of the intensified fight to prevent the use of the airwaves for paytv. He indicated, however, that the effort will be continued, unabated. Clarks Dine Trevelyan; He Backs Classification From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Oct. 31. Kenneth Clark, vice-president of the Motion Picture Association of America, and Mrs. Clark were hosts at a luncheon for the secretary of the British Board of Film Censors and Mrs. John Trevelyan. MPA president Eric Johnston and Mrs. Johnston also attended. Trevelyan, addressing the guests —mostly government officials and newsmen— pointed out that film censorship in Britain is "as much a form of self-regulation as anything else." He noted that the "movie industry is growing up," and said he is "delighted that it should." He expressed his belief that motion pictures are more influential than any other form of entertainment. Trevelyan added that he thinks a system of classification can give scope to the film-maker to explore "tricky subjects" and still afford ample authority to protect children. Noting that die big danger point for films in Britain is not sex but violence and brutality, he said that the British Board of Censors tries to reflect the opinion of reasonably intelligent people. Since there is no written code, he observed, the censor board is flexible-it can be more generous to sincere pictures which try to handle a difficult problem, but can crack down on films that seek to exploit such material. UK Exhibitors Gain in Fight Vs. Sunday Tax By WILLIAM PAY LONDON, Oct. 31.-Following industry representations, more and more local authorities are reducing or abolishing the Sunday Opening levy— which exhibitors have to pay for the privilege of opening on Sunday. At the annual dinner of the Birmingham CEA (Cinematograph Exhibitors Association ) branch, chairman A. G. May announced the latest, a reduction of 95 per cent by Birmingham and complete abolition by the neighbouring town of West Bromwich. Earlier the London County Council approved a recommendation cutting the levy by £10,000 ( IZYz per cent), the second year in succession that the LCC has granted such a cut. Drive in Progress 3 Months A special effort to secure a substantion reduction in the Birmingham levy began three months ago when May called together the principal exhibitors contributing to the levy. S. K. Lewis of the ABC Circuit and R. Dewes of Rank's CMA circuit, also attended as national representatives of the circuits. The Birmingham concession reduces the amount to be paid in the city by exhibitors to a nominal annual £500 ($1,400). May stated that the reduction achieved is probably the greatest single concession ever granted in the course of die industry's campaign against the levy, which in Birmingham at one time amounted to £16,000 ($44,800) annually. "I am sure," he added, "that the good example set by the Midlands will be followed up and down the country and we shall soon be rid of this iniquitous tax for the doubtful privilege of opening on Sunday." 'Epitaph' at Two Columbia's "Let No Man Write My Epitaph" will have a dual premiere at the Forum and Trans-Lux 52nd Street Nov. 10. seventee, PICTURE ike MONTH FOR DECEMBER Walt Disney's "SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON Released by Buena Vista Selected seventeen . . . entertainment guide for America's top movie goers . . . 4,800,000 young women under 20!