Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

4 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, December 22, 196i PEOPLE Leslie G. Taylor, formerly general manager of the aviation divisions of Kelsey Hayes Co., Detroit, is joining the Glen Alden Corp., parent company of RKO Theatres, as vice-president in charge of all manufacturing operations. He also has been elected a member of the board of directors. Additionally, Albert A. List, Glen Alden president, has announced that Thomas J. Rowe, formerly financial vice-president and treasurer of Knox Glass Co., will join G. A. as vice-president and treasurer; also that Austin List, G. A. director of purchases and assistant to the president, has been designated a vice-president. □ Justin A. Menus, who has been associated with the law firm of Colton, Gallanz and Fernbach, has joined the legal staff of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Companies Close Early For Christmas Holiday Member companies of the Motion Picture Ass'n. will close their offices early tomorrow in advance of the Christmas holiday weekend. The offices, including MPA, will close at 1:00 P.M. They will also be shuttered all day Monday, Dec. 26. Inc □ Admission Tax ( Continued from page 1 ) "very substantial opposition to the tax increase on amusement admissions." A compromise tax program, coupled with some budget cuts, is still subject to approval by the council. Maryland exhibitors had united in a drive against the tax with Maryland Theatre Owners Ass'n., a Theatre Owners of America affiliate, joining for that purpose with the Maryland Allied States unit. Ann Straus, who for 15 years was with the MGM studios at Culver City, Cab, handling fashions, promotion and exploitation, has been retained by Cleary-Strauss & Irwin to handle special national magazine and promotion assignments, working out of the public relations firm's New York office. Glen Alden Dividend 1 0$ The board of directors of the Glen Alden Corp., parent of RKO theatres, yesterday voted a regular quarterly dividend of 10 cents per share on its common stock, payable Jan. 13, 1961, to holders of record at the close of business on Dec. 30, 1960. jx'o^cer has, More than 3,700,000 mothers and fathers with over 4,250,000 children, have heard the exciting news Paramount's fabulous, colorful version of one of the world's most beloved stories, featuring Jerry Lewis and co-starring Ed Wynn, Judith Anderson and Anna Maria Alberghetti . . . awarded The Parents5 Magazine Family Medal Bob Hope, Others To Tour Caribbean for the Best Film in December Bob Hope will entertain United States servicemen in the Caribbean over the Christmas holidays, marking his 19th Christmas away from home to entertain military personnel and his ninth Yuletide tour of American overseas bases. Hope left from Los Angeles' Lockheed Airport this week and will return to the same field Thursday, Dec. 29. Joining Hope for the 10-day trip covering 12 military bases will be top Hollywood and entertainment world personalities including Zsa Zsa Gabor, Andy Williams, Janis Paige, jerry Colonna, Anita Bryant, Peter Leeds, and Les Brown. Will Visit Canal Zone On Christmas Day the Hope troupe will be entertaining Navy and Marine personnel stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The most distant base from continental U.S. to be visited will be Fort Kobe on the Pacific side of Panama Canal Zone, and the nearest will be at Eleuthra, a tracking station along the guided missile testing route. In addition to spreading Christmas cheer to GI's away from home, Hope will film portions of his next "Bob Hope Buick Show," scheduled to be broadcast on the NBC-TV Network, Wednesday, Jan. 11 (9-10 P.M. EST).' The show, in black and white will pre-empt "Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall" color program that night. The Yule tour, co-sponsored by the Department of Defense and the USO Show Program and co-ordinated by the Armed Forces Professional Entertainment Branch, marks the first time Hope has entertained extensively in the Caribbean. Last year he toured Alaskan bases and in 1958 he entertained troops in North Africa and Europe. CEA Informed ( Continued from page 1 ) never a bigger mistake ever made in any industry. You have got to succeed by your own enterprise and by your own virtues, by the quality of your own product and not by handicapping your competitors. If you do that, nothing will stand in your way." The cinema industry, concluded Lord Lucas, can provide an entertainment this country wants so badly. Earlier, chairman of the branch, independent exhibitor Charles H. V. Brown warned of the threat of Tolltv. "Quite clearly," he said "this is something that we exhibitors have got to try to stop. Obviously, if this becomes widespread, cinemas as we know them today will become just a memory, and a great many small exhibitors will be forced out of business." However, he added, some of the best brains of the CEA are watching this very closely and exhibitors can be assured that they will do their best to try to combat "this new menace to our existence." Kennedys Ask Private Showing of 'Where Boys Arc From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Dec. 21. Pres ident-elect Kennedy and his famil have asked for a private showing c MGM's "Where The Boys Are. Kennedy, now in West Palm Beacf was unable to attend the world pre miere of the film today at th Gateway Theatre in Fort Lauder dale, even though Mitchell Wolfsoi had arranged to let the Kenned' family and their young children lis'J the "cry" room of the theatre. Bow of 'Pepe' — ( Continued from page 1 ) of "Pepe," received an award at thi Criterion Theatre from the chambe " of commerce of Latin America in tht United States. Presenting the citatior „ to Cantinflas because of his efforts aa t good-will ambassador through sucl films as "Pepe," was A. H. Borden i president of the group, and Hernando1 1 Ramirez, general secretary. The'*" award was covered through the shortwave facilities of WRUL, which aired the proceedings throughout Latin and South America. Melniker Resigns Pi ( Continued from page 1 ) career in 1927 when he went to Brazil,, to check business conditions and" M-G-M theatre interests there. The following year he became manager, of Brazil. In 1930 he was appointed^ general manager for South America " working out of headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. He was transferred to the home office in 1937 to organize the theatre division which he has headed ever since. Heffner Named ( Continued from page 1 ) Warner Bros, in 1951 and has been branch sales manager since 1959, will assume his new duties on Jan. 1. He will succeed J. W. Kirby, who has resigned to become general manager of H. B. Meiselman Theatres, local circuit. Benefit Premiere Today For 'Spartacus' in S.F. Special to THE DAILY SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 21. Work was finished yesterday on installation of a new projection room at the United Artists Theatre for tomorrow's bow of "Spartacus." While the theatre underwent a $250,000 renovation less than 18 months ago, manager Bud Tapper said the new projection room had to be completely rebuilt at a cost of $50,000 to accommodate the 70mm. film and stereo sound of the Bryna production. The United Artists has been dark since Dec. 7. Tomorrow's hard ticket opening was sold out weeks ago for a charity benefit. To families with children all over the nation, this means Hittin—