Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

Motion Picture Daily Friday, November 4, 196(1 PERSONAL MENTION BURTON ROBBINS, president of National Screen Service; Joseph Bellfort, sales manager, and Walter Branson, assistant to the president, will leave New York tomorrow for Chicago. • Henry H. "Hi" Martin, Universal Pictures general sales manager, is in Memphis from New York. • John Davis, managing director of the Rank Organization, accompanied by Kenneth Winckles, assistant managing director, will arrive here from London on Tuesday. • David Golding, advertising publicity director of Panama-Frank Prods, left here yesterday for Chicago and Hollywood. • Dimitri Tiomkin, composer conductor, has left London for Athens. • Gertrude Brooks, 20th CenturyFox fan magazine contact, has returned to New York following a Caribbean cruise. • Steve Pallos, managing director of Britannia Films, has arrived in New York from London. Three to AIP 'Epitaph' Pocketbook Signet Books have released a softcover edition of Willard Motley's "Let No Man Write My Epitaph," The motion picture version of which is a Columbia Pictures release. A special display card plugging the film and its stars accompanies the Signet books on the newsstands. Change Hotel Name The name of the new 21-story, 800-room luxury hotel being built by Loew's Hotels, Inc. at Lexington Avenue and 51st Street here, will be changed from the Americana East to The Summit, according to an announcement by Preston R. Tisch, president of Loew's Hotels, Inc. NEW YORK THEATRES , — RADIO GUY MUSIC HALL—, Rockefeller Center • Ci 6-4600 DORIS DAY • REX HARRISON IN A ROSS HUNTER-ARWIN PRODUCTION "MIDNIGHT LACE" A UnlwsaMnternatlonal Release In EASTMAN Color ON STA6E "BRAZIL"— EXCITING, EXOTIC SPECTACLE. ( Continued from page 1 ) television network "special" which was telecast in the U. S. a few weeks ago. "Many American major companies distribute films solelv in foreign countries and not in United States," Nicholson said. "Their distribution facilities are far superior to those of the individual countries overseas," he explained. Will Open in Rome Shortly "House of Usher" is AIP's biggest grosser both in the domestic and foreign markets, the company president told the industry press. It has done very well in England and Japan, he revealed. The picture is scheduled to open in Rome soon. William G. Reich, AIP vice-president in charge of foreign distribution, told the luncheon gathering that the company has "no offices abroad," preferring to handle its foreign distribution through "local franchise dealers" in the countries involved. The only co production deal in which AIP currently is participating is the continuing one with AngloAmerican of London which now is completing "Konga" in the British capital, said Nicholson. Two more films under this co-production deal are scheduled for next year, he said. Plans 18 Films Both Nicholson and Reich have just returned from Europe where, with Samuel Z. Arkoff, executive vice-president, the three aforementioned films were acquired. Nicholson said that his company will release domestically "12 major pictures during 1961, one a month," in addition to "six smallerbudgeted pictures," making a total of 18 pictures for the calendar year 1961 to be handled domestically by the company. This compares with four major films and 12 program pictures, including two reissues, distributed by AIP in the domestic market in 1960, the company head said. Among the pictures set by AIP for world-wide release next year are "Flight," an English-language film shot in Italy; "The Pit and the Pendulum," to be filmed in Hollywood by the "House of Usher" teamRoger Corman as producer-director, Richard Matheson doing the screenplay and Vincent Price, the star; "Reptilicus," and "Master of the World." Negotiating with Corman Nicholson also said that AIP presently is negotiating with Roger Corman's Filmgroup Productions to handle foreign distribution of its releases, which are distributed in the U. S. by Corman's own organization. Nicholson, accompanied by his wife, left for his Los Angeles headquarters following the press conference yesterday. MPPC Raised $1,008,048 In First Month of Campaign From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 3. The Motion Picture Permanent Charities has raised $1,008,048 from 22,725 contributors during the first month of its 1961 federated campaign in the film industry, Sidney P. Solow, MPPC campaign chairman, announced at the organization's second report luncheon. Total dollar figure marks the first time in its 20-year history that MPPC has collected in excess of one million dollars as early as the second report meeting. Set N.Y.C. Saturation For 'Sword and Dragon' "Sword and the Dragon," Joseph Harris-Sig Shore feature in wide screen and color, will have a New York saturation opening at all 26 Loew's theatres in the metropolitan area starting Nov. 16, according to an announcement by the distributor, Valiant Films Corp. Simultaneously, it will debut at a minimum of 30 other neighborhood houses in metropolitan New York. Third Circuit to Book The engagement is the third major circuit booking for a Harris-Shore motion picture presentation in New York City during the last 12 months, Shore explained. "We've supplied three per cent of the New York circuit product in 1960," he said, "and hope to get it up to seven per cent in 1961." Dual Bow for 'Grass' At Astor, Trans-Lux "The Grass Is Greener" UniversalInternational release, will have its world premiere simultaneously at the Astor Theatre and the Trans-Lux 52nd Street Theatre here on Wednesday, December 14, it was announced by Henry H. "Hi" Martin, vice-president and general sales manager of Universal. The premiere will launch a series of important key city openings for the Christmas-New Year's holidays. Music Hall Has Display Of Winning Snapshots Radio City Music Hall's Grand Lounge will be the setting for the display of the 1960 Newspaper Snapshot Awards beginning Thursday. Selected from more than 250,000 entries, the 538 local grand prize winners of regional contests sponsored by 92 leading newspapers all over the United States and Canada won more than $25, 575 in cash prizes. Allied Officers ( Continued from page 1 ) health while in office he assumed a< advisory capacity until the end of hi term. This was made possible largel* by the availability at the time o Abram F. Myers, former Allied chair man and general counsel, as a re placement for handling many of thj president's duties. Now, however, Myers is on the inii active list and despite plans mad, months ago to appoint a full-time paid executive director, little or m progress has been made on this. A. W Schwalberg, president of Citatioi: Films, who was mentioned as Allied' first choice for the post when it wa first broached, has informed Allied hi other commitments will not permi him to accept it. Schwalberg, how ever, is listed as a speaker at the con vention's session for distributor rep resentatives next Wednesday. Doubt Regarding Myers Ben Marcus is chairman of t' board and it is not known, eithei whether he would agree to continue in the post for another year. Unde by-law changes adopted at the annual meeting, board chairman mus be selected from among the panel o former Allied presidents. The presi dent, however, can come "from th ranks." Also, under by-law changes adopt! ed last winter, which were proposet by the late Rube Shor, the annua election was changed from the mid winter board meeting, usually held iij late January or early February in con junction with the drive in theatre convention, to the fall board meetini which accompanies the regular annua convention, and with which the drive in convention has been combined. In a story published yesterday, Mo tion Picture Daily inadvertent]overlooked the changes in the by-lawmade earlier this year and incorrectly reported that no election of officer: was scheduled for the weekend meet ing here. Friction among board member: over the last election brought abou the withdrawal of two of Allied' strongest units, Western Pennsylvani: and Independent Exhibitors of New England. The former rejoined Alliec following the retirement of Myers New England Allied remains alo< and will not send a representative o even an observer to the meeting heri it was learned. Webb, Bowers Company Jack Webb and writer William Bowers have formed a new motion picture production company and hav signed Robert Mitchum to star in their first film, "The Last Time I Saw Archie," which will be released by United Artists. They are also preparing a second picture for UA. MOTION PICTURE DAILY, Martin Quigley, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher; Sherwin Kane, Editor; James D. Ivers, Managing Editor; Richard Gertner, News Editor; Herbert V. Feckt Advertising Manager; Gus H. Fausel, Production Manager, TELEVISION TODAY, Charles S. Aaronson, Editorial Director; Pinky Herman, Eastern Editor. Hollywood Bureau Yucca-Vine Building, Samuel D. Berns, Manager; Telephone Hollywood 7-2145; Washington, E. H. Kahn, 996 National Press Bldg., Washington, 4, D. C; London Bureau^ 4: 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. Motion Picture Daily is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, by Quigley Publishing Company, Inc., 1270 Sixth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, Circle 7-3100 Cable address: "Quigpubco. New York" Martin Quigley, President; Martin Quigley, Jr., Vice-President; Theo J. Sullivan, Vice-President and Treasurer; Raymond Gallagher, Vice-President; Leo J. Brady, Secretary. Other Quigley Publications: Motion Picture Herald, Better Theatres and Better Refreshment Merchandising each published 13 times a yea: 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 second class matter Sept. 21, 1938, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. 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