Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

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hj day, December 1, EST TALK Variety Club News |.N FRANCISCO — Samuel C. I i has been named chief barker I 'ent No. 32, succeeding L. S. I " Hamm. Gerald Hardy was :J id first assistant and Homer Tegt„! r second assistant. Albert Davis l\e new dough guy and Manuel I n property master. Canvasmen I joe Blumenfeld, Roy Cooper, I .s Donohoe. John Fee, Clarence E'hurby and B. C. "Manny" Mann Motion Picture Daily Classification Bill Expected fartlr Takes Million I First 20 Days ['Worth to Alaska," 20th Centuryl:'s Thanksgiving holiday release, I grossed $1,000,000 dollars in only I lays of national release, according I ■xhibitor's reports received by the I pany. feature of the pattern of receipts, Ivmen report, is business done by !ll-town theatres. Returns Tabulated typical returns reported include: three days at the Palace, Burling, Iowa, $2,534 to "Peyton's" four■ gross of $2,191; first three days :he Rialto, Fort Dodge, $3,044, to ■yton's" four-day gross of $2,509; l i three days at the Palace, Mason j jr, $.2,791 to "Peyton's" $2,397 in ' ,i days; first three days at the Lake, <e Clear, $670 to "Peyton's" four/ total of $668; first three days at f Strand, Marshalltown, $2,622 to i t3yton's" four-day gross of $1,892. arents' Medal Goes I o 'CinderFella' "CinderFella," Paramount's whimal version of the Cinderella tale, .rring Jerry Lewis, has been awarded i Parents' Magazine Family Medal ; December. The Parents' Medal, stowed on the best family film reised each month, has much standing th exhibitors because Parentacher Associations, church groups d other organizations concerned th child development look to Parts' Magazine for their movie guidce. ( Continued f legislative and considered on Capitol Hill to be still its guiding force, Fitzpatrick sees "significance in the fact that trade papers during recent months have carried so many stories of exhibitor leaders, individual exhibitors and other responsible industry people who have voiced criticism of the current trend in themes, emphases and advertising." The ex-Assemblyman holds that the film industry "could learn a lesson from the comic book industry." The latter eventually responded to the persuasions, pressures and recommendations of the joint legislative committee; re-geared its thinking, and is now publishing comic books "that are more acceptable and make more money. The latter is important to remember." Explains Measure "Positive" film classification under which the Motion Picture Division, State Education Department, would rate films as "approved for patronage by children attending elementary' and secondary schools of the state" and would issue a seal or symbol of approval to producers, exhibitors and distributors is designed to "bring education more directly into the field, thus encouraging school children to patronize pictures deemed suitable for them and indirectly to influence parents," Fitzpatrick explains. It is not, however, a complete answer to the problems raised by the production and presentation of "highly questionable, morally offensive" films, he added. A restoration to the Motion Picture Division of the full powers it exercised before a series of adverse U.S. Supreme Court decisions would be an ideal solution in this state. Fitzpatrick, however, considers such a development unlikely. He does take the position that the division-even though its authority has been circumscribed— "makes an important contribution to morality and public decency, notably by the excisions it orders in foreign films." The erstwhile legislator also says rom page 1 ) that "the mere existence of a NewYork State licensing statute and of the Motion Picture Division has a restraining influence on film producers ... is certainly a force for good." Parents' assumption of "personal responsibility"-a theme stressed by the Catholic bishops of the United States at their recent annual meeting in Washington-applies in the matter of motion pictures they permit their children to see, Fitzpatrick points out. "This is true and always has been true." ' „ The bishops yesterday urged a national protest" 'by Catholics, in view of the "national crisis" created by objectionable films, and called for reform of die "presently ineffective" Hollywood Production Code Administration. Fitzpatrick, who drafted the joint committee's "positive" film classification bill overwhelmingly approved by the Assembly last March, but held in the Senate Rules Committee until adjournment, emphasized that the committee is currently without a chair Donnelly Defeated Assemblyman Harry J. Donnelly, Brooklvn Republican, appointed last June to succeed Assemblyman Joseph R. Younglove, co-sponsor of the classification act, was defeated by a close vote in the Nov. 8 election. Assembly Speaker Joseph F. Carlino, Nassau Republican and Fitzpatrick's predecessor as chairman of the joint committee, can appoint a new chairman at any time. The legislature will convene Jan. 4. Bills are now being "pre-filed." Rank's Report Cited LONDON, Nov. 30. For the second year in succession the Rank Organisation's annual financial report has won the Financial World "Bronze Oscar" for die best annual report of the motion picture industry. The runners-up for this "Oscar" were Technicolor and Walt Disney Productions. Disney also won third place last year. Selznick and Shelton Confer On USIA Aid for Film Abroad From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-David O. Selznick and Turner Shelton, chief of the U.S.I.A. international motion pictures division, have had discussions concerning a possible film to be made overseas by Selznick. The discussion ccfncerned assistance that the agency might be able to render to the project. 'Cimarron 9 ( Continued from page 1 ) and capping a two-day Oklahoma statewide celebration, the premiere has become a civic event here. The stars of "Cimarron," Glenn Ford, Maria Schell, Anne Baxter and Mercedes McCambridge, will be present at the premiere, as will a contingent of 85 national and international press personnel. Preceding the premiere, one of the largest parades ever held in the state will march through the heart of the city, depicting the growth of Oklahoma from a prairie tent settlement in 1889, the year of the land rush, to one of our most important cities. Barbecue Scheduled At noon the guests will be treated to a chuckwagon barbecue at the Craven Ranch near here. Late in the afternoon, a cocktail party and buffet dinner for the press and stars will be hosted by Oklahoma's Governor Howard Edmondson and Mrs. Edmondson. In die evening, the governor's invitational premiere performance will take place at the Midwest Theatre, which has been completely remodeled for the occasion. Klieg lights, red carpets, and colorful bands will herald "Cimarron." , ervices Held for Pitt. (Tieatre Operator, 43 Special to THE DAILY PITTSBURGH, Nov. 30.-Funeral rvices for A. Fred Serrao, 43, ownof the Circle Theatre and Gateway I rive-In in nearby New Kensington, fere held today in New Kensington, srrao, who was also Democratic comitteeman for the Fourth Ward, died ' few hours after attending the anm Variety Club Banquet at the enn Sheraton Hotel, Pittsburgh, last unday. Surviving Serrao are his wife, two >ns, four daughters, a brother and ster. Dominion Showmen Advance Modern Ideas On How to Deal with the Tax Assessor Special to THE DAILY TORONTO Nov. 30.-The problem of assessment can best be solved by nersonal discussion with the assessor, two theatre circuit executives agree. PTarold Roberts of Famous Players points out that hi, . company has an annual saving of $17,500 "not for just one year, but for the life oi bUCrS' Hughes of Odeon Theatres said that most assessors were not familiar with theatreproblems. With taxes rising, at least the decline in cost of assessment can kee'p the burden constant. Hughes advises theatre owners to™ their assessors during the year and not after it. He suggests that the assessor t lrTu&lZXe theatre" on a Monday night, not on a Saturday mght when ^b^iS that "if the economic value is less than the physical value, tVi«>n thp economic value should be adopted. £< The one theory advocated by theatre' circuits today is that recognize the principle of increased obsolescence in smgle-purpose buddings because of the fall off in business. Beattie Named ( Continued from page 1 ) Peter S. Myers, managing director for Canada, in making the announcement, also announced the movement of Philip Geller as Winnipeg manager to Toronto branch manager. Gordon S. Lightstone, Jr., was named successor to Gerry Chemoff, who resigned as Montreal branch manager. Lightstone was St. John branch manager. Myers was' recently appointed to the permanent sales cabinet of the parent company under C. Glenn Norris, general sales manager. Beattie came into the industry as a record clerk in 1929 with Regal Films Ltd., before moving to Famous Players, then later was with Warner Brothers. He was in the RCAF for five years. After moving to Fox he was appointed Calgary branch manager, and in 1953 was appointed head of the Toronto branch. Lightstone became 20th-Fox branch manager in Vancouver in the autumn of 1955 and was reassigned to the St. John branch in June, 1956.