Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

MOTION PICTURE VOL. 88, NO. 122 NEW YORK, U.S.A., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1960 TEN CENTS Gross Doivn 6% Decline in IU.K. Industry Seen Slowed '14% Admission Drop in >60 Vs. 20% Last Year By WILLIAM PAY LONDON, Dec. 28.-The rate of decline in the British film industry which has been noted over the past several years appears to have been J retarded during 1960. The Board of Trade has provisionally estimated that theatre admissions 'I for 1960 will aggregate 525,000,000. This is 14 per cent lower than the decline registered in the previous year. The rate of decline in 1959 was 20 (Continued on page 2) Top Ten Money Making Stars DORIS DAY By RICHARD GERTNER See Wage Exemption To Remain for Theatres From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Dec. 28. Rep. James Roosevelt (D., Calif.) has told Motion Picture Daily that "the odds are that the exemption will remain for theatres when the new minimum wage law is introduced in the next session of Congress. Roosevelt, chief architect of last ( Continued on page 3 ) Insurers Reject Full Claim for 'Cleopatra' From THE DAILY Bureau LONDON, Dec. 28.-London underwriters have repudiated liability to 20th Century-Fox for the latter's $2,380,000 insurance claim on "Cleopatra," the production of which was interrupted here by the illness of its star, Elizabeth Taylor. A spokesman for the insurance (Continued on page 2) TELEVISION TODAY— page 4 WITH THREE "blockbusters" going for her throughout the past year, Doris Day easily copped the Number One spot in the annual Money Making Stars poll conducted by Motion Picture Herald for Fame. Miss Day won the honor by a wide margin. The pictures that put heron top were "Pillow Talk" and "Midnight Lace," both for Universal, and "Please Don't Eat The Daisies," for M-G-M. Miss Day is the first woman to lead the poll since 1943 when Betty Grable was Number One. Only two others of her sex have held the top spot in the 29-year history of the poll. They are Marie Dressier and Shirley Temple. . The other nine stars in the Top Ten for 1960, in order, are as follows: Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, Eliz'abeth Taylor, Debbie Reyno ds, Tony Curtis, Sandra Dee, Frank Sinatra, Jack Lemmon, and John Wayne. THE Herald Money Making Stars poll is conducted by direct mail ballot among the exhibitors of the United States and Canada. Theatre men in the United States are divided into circuit houses and independents with the final tally the combined voting. Six of the Top Ten stars this year were also among the winners m 1959; three are appearing for the first time; and one is making a return. On last year were Miss Day, Hudson, Grant, Miss Reynolds Sinatra and Wayne. On the list for the first time are Curtis Miss Dee, and Lemmon. Reappearing after being off last year is Elizabeth Taylor The three stars who won last year but dropped off this time are Glenn Ford, Jerry Lewis and Susan Hayward. Lewis was 11th this year and Ford was 12th. , „ Miss Day is making her fourth appearance on the poll. She hrst appeared in 1951 in ninth place and moved up to fourth in 1952. Thence she disappeared until 1959, when she was fourth again. Miss Day has come a long way in films since 1948, when she made (Continued on page 3) Top Product Line-Up Para. Slates Two National Sales Meetings Set in New York, Jan. 4-6; Also in Chicago, Jan. 10-12 Heralding one of the most important product line-ups in the history of Paramount Pictures, Jerome Pickman, vice president and domestic general sales manager, h a.s announced two national sales meetings to be held in New York and Chicago beginning next week. The meetings have been scheduled t o b e held i n 4-6, and in Chicago, Jan. 10-12. Formulation of sales and merchandising plans for all Paramount fea( Continued on page 5 ) n rj Jerome Pickman loew's 72nd St. Closes Sunday Loew's 72nd Street Theatre, located on the west block-front of Third Avenue between 71st and 72nd Streets, will draw its curtains for the last time after Sunday night's presentation of "The World of Suzie Wong." Shortly thereafter, it will fall beneath the wrecker's hammers to make way for a 20-story luxury apartment house to be erected by the Tishman Realty Company, which, eight months ago, consummated a 99-year ground lease with Loew's Theatres, Inc., owners of the property. Unlike such theatres as the Roxy (Continued on page 5) Ham Nnu jg* * United Artis