Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY NEW YORK, U.S.A., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1960 e Speedy Action aly Advances ilm Script jlensorship Bill \ibinet Meet Approves ■ Now Up to Parliament Censorship of TV Shows Provided for h* Film Shortage In Bill 'Pre-Filed' in N. Y. Legislature S-W Gross at New High, Net Down for 1960 Special to THE DAILY IOME, Dec. 5-A government bill viding for official censorship of moi picture scripts in advance of .oting was approved by the Chrisi Democratic government at the ekend. The measure is now before Parliant, which is expected to act on it >mptly. The bill was drawn up by the Juse Ministry. On Saturday it was acuted at a meeting of Premier Amine Fanfani's Cabinet. While it is aimed in particular at tive films which have been the gets of the Italian censors for the st two months, it will apply to ( Continued on -page 4 ) linikus Special Ass't. 0 Picker in U.K., Cont. -Arnold M. Picker, United Artists <ce president in charge of foreign stribution, yesterday announced the >pointment of Francis M. Winikus his special assistant supervising advising and publicity for the United ingdom and Continental Europe inudmg the Middle East. In his new post, Winikus will be ( Continued on page 2 ) >athe-Alpha Changes To Pathe-American From THE DAILY Bureau 1 HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 5. PatheJpha Distributing Co. has changed :s name to Pathe-American Distributig Co. The new name incorporates iames of the America Corporation nd its subsidiary, Pathe Laboratories, inc. Pathe-America recently announced (Continued on page 4) fELEVISION TODAY— page 4 Special to THE DAILY ALBANY Dec. 5.-Censorship of television programs-specifically of 'play rehearsals, television scripts and films," but excluding those portraying sports, current events or pictorial news of the day, or excerpts from the public press -is again proposed m a bill prefiled' ' bv Assemblyman A. Bruce Manley, 'Chautaqua County Republican. This is the second year Manley has pre-filed such a measure, the third year he has introduced it. The proposal was "killed" by the Assembly Ways and Means Committee m 1959 and 1960. Manley has made television a field of study. At the last session, he also pushed hard for the enactment of a bill "controlling" TV surveys and polls. The pre-filed 5-page act states that "There shall continue to be in the ( Continued on page 4 ) WT&T Seeking A. L. Franchise From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 5-National Theatres and Television, Inc. is reported in contention for obtaining the American League franchise for Los Angeles. B. Gerald Cantor, board chairman, left yesterday for St. Louis to make his bid with the Major League owners. Cantor views the possible acquisition as a boon to the company's diversification L program, which would utilize 65 theatres in the L. A. area as ticket booths for ball games, and future pay-tv telecasting via present (Continued on page 4) Rites Held for Le Boss, Cinema Circuit Official Funeral services were held at The Riverside here yesterday for Murray Le Boss, executive of the Cinema Circuit Corp. and director of the Independent Theatre Owners Association, who died Sunday at the age of 55. A brother-in-law of Max A. Cohen, president of Cinema Circuit Corp., he is survived by his widow, Pearl, and two children, Gary and Andrea, also three sisters, Patty Minnick, Anne Cohen and Mildred Silverman. Rehabilitation of Theatres Is Cited The large number of roadshow attractions in 70mni during the past year and in the offing is having a salutory effect' upon the physical condition of theatres" throughout the United States and Canada. These are the recent findings of, F. J. A. McCarthy, Universal Pictures sales head for "Spartacus," and Jeff-Livingson, executive coordinator of sales and advertising, who have inspected theatres in most key cities in connection with "Spartacus" bookings. Rehabilitation of theatres in order to compete for roadshow product has ranged from the mere projection and (Continued on page 6) REVIEW: Profit Was $3,513,800 Against $4,812,000 in '59 The gross revenues of Stanley Warner Corp. and subsidiaries reached a new high in the fiscal year ended Aug. 27 last, it was _____ announced yesterday by S. H. Fabian, presid e n t. Theatre admissions, merchandise sales and o t h e r income totaled $132,153,700, which compares with $123,877,700 for t h e prior year. Net operating income, although lower than the (Continued on page 5) Industry Leaders to Be At NIMPTA Inaugural Leaders from all branches of the industry will be among the guests who will witness the induction of the new slate of officers of the Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Ass'n. at a luncheon meeting at the Hotel Astor here today. Leslie R. Schwartz, president ot ( Continued on page 4 ) H. Fabian Cimarron Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — CinemaScope & 1931 RKO's filmization of Edna Ferber s sweeping novel of he bui d ing of Oklahoma was one of the truly great pictures of the year and is still considered on the lists of most motxon picture experts as one ot the ; ouSanding Westerns of all time. The earlier version co-starred Richard Dix and Irene Dunne. . „ The Cerent adaptation of the Ferber book has been made mto a fine shek Production effort bv producer Edmund Grainger, who has updated the oSgtaf with new dialogue and situations. Anthony Mann directed in deft fashion from a fine screen plav by Arnold Shulman. Glenn Ford Us Yancey Cravat, the restless adventurer known as Omar( Continued on page 6 ) Seattle Enjoying Big Theatre Business Boom Special to THE DAILY SEATTLE, Wash., Dec. 5.-Theatre business is on the rise here again following a big drop that started last spring. The pick-up in attendance has been so good some theatre operators call it "phenomenal." S.R.O. signs have also been out for "legitimate" attractions as well as for motion pictures.