The Exhibitor (1959)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 21 April 15, 1959 MPAA Nixes Business Building Plun On Piecemeui Basis, Montague Says NEW YORK — It was made clear last fort¬ night by the MPAA board of directors that it wants the $2,300,000 full-scale nationwide Business Building campaign or nothing at all. Abe Montague, vice-president, Columbia Pictures, and the association’s representative on the Business Building Campaign’s execu¬ tive committee, reported to the board on the recommendations of the MPAA advertising and publicity committee concerning the campaign. These were that the MPAA com¬ mittee felt that no piecemeal campaign would do the job, and that the distributors still stand behind the original campaign proposal. This dooms the proposal of TOA’s Ernest G. Stellings that the Business Building cam¬ paign proceed with a single project — “Opera¬ tion Moviegoing” — which would enlist the nation’s disc jockeys and cost $300,000, half of which would come from exhibition and the other half from the MPAA. For the entire campaign, exhibition has pledged $325,000 against its $1,150,000 quota, with an estimated $170,000 actually collected. WB Sets Dividend NEW YORK — The board of directors of Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., at a special meet¬ ing last week, declared a dividend of 30 cents per share on the company’s common stock, payable May 5 to stockholders of record April 20. Baltimore Censor Bill Killed By Committee ANNAPOLIS, MD. — The Judiciary Com¬ mittee of the House of Delegates last fort¬ night turned down a bill which would have empowered the Maryland Board of Motion Picture Censors to declare certain films unfit for children in Baltimore City. Another measure which would make it a misdemeanor to show “obscene” films in Maryland and imposes a $25 fine for such showings is before Governor Tawes for his signature. This bill, however, is considered little more than a duplication of Maryland law already in existence. Warners Sets "Cavalcade" NEW YORK — Warner Bros, will hold a “California Cavalcade” that will bring divi¬ sion and branch managers to Hollywood for the week of June 15-21 from the company’s 38 exchanges in the United States and Can¬ ada, as well as from various foreign branches. The week’s activities will combine sales campaign meetings on forthcoming Warner Bros, releases with a celebration of the justconcluded record-breaking “Welcome Back, Jack” sales drive in honor of president Jack L. Warner. Fox Settles With Publicists NEW YORK — Negotiations between the Screen Publicists Guild and 20th Century Fox ended last fortnight with the ratification by the SPG membership of an agreement providing for a six per cent across-the-board wage increase for seniors making their mini¬ mum $155. With the ratifying of the agreement 20 thFox became the first company to settle with the Guild under the terms of the wage¬ reopening clause in the current contract. Warners, Columbia and U-I are still in nego¬ tiation with the Guild. / ATLANTIC CITY'S NEWEST CONVENTION HOTEL The JEFFERSON with its new facilities for handling all convention groups is fast be¬ coming Atlantic City’s most popular con¬ vention hotel. The JEFFERSON features an abundance of Meeting, Banquet and Exhibition Rooms fully equipped to handle your every need. Experienced personnel. Location ideal in heart of Atlantic City. Write • Phone • Wire Today For Descriptive Literature CONVENTION MANAGER HOTEL JEFFERSON Atlantic City New Jersey David E. BRODSKY Associates THEATRICAL INTERIOR DECORATORS 242 N. 13th St. LO 4-1188 — 89 Philo. 7, Po. PAINTING • DRAPERIES • MURALS STAGE SETTINGS • WALL COVERINGS PROGRESSIVE ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION CO.. INC. 240 N. 13th STREET • PHILADELPHIA 7, PA. • Theatre Installations and Maintenance LONDON Observations Ay Jock MacGregor IT’S LUCKY I’m not a nervous type or too much of a drinking man! Returning home the other night there was a cryptic note on the stairs: “There’s a lobster in the fridge. A boy scout brought it.” Immediately I had thoughts of lobster salad instead of the frugal meal I’d planned. Hurrying to the fridge I heard a clatter. I opened the door and there was the largest lobster I ever saw — alive. We eyed each other with certain forebodings. Then I observed he had a label around his neck. It read: “My name’s Sam ... I co-star with Doris Day, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs in a wonderful new comedy, ‘It Happened to Jane.’ We arrive at the Odeon on April 30.” Stars may have snapped at me before, but never have I really considered eating one, save perhaps Marilyn Monroe in my younger days. We became rather friendly, but the problem was the utensil in which to cook him. The saucepans were much too small. The washing up basin, he felt, undignified, so we settled for the bread bin. My colleagues, judging by the stories which somehow recalled those of the blitz and the bombs that missed the night before, had had equally exciting adventures, and Columbia got quite a spot of publicity. ILLNESS PREVENTED Joe Vegoda supporting his partner Michael Green when Regal Films held their office warming in Soho Square. Heading their program of new product and reissues is “Jack the Ripper,” which is being presented as a horror gimmick picture. Good luck. Meanwhile there are more than whispers to the effect that other distribution companies are in the course of being set up. They will mainly be concerned with the pro¬ duction of British films and leave most of the selling and physical handling to established distributors. The British Film Producers Association have unanimously agreed that membership should be open to all makers of British quota films who are resident in the U.K. This will not, however, require an alteration to the constitution. NEVER ONE to be too depressed with the industry, Jack X. Prendergast is purring at the success of his son in the musical world. As J ohn Barry, he has become a big hit on TV. His show is being produced by another exhibitor’s son, Southan Morris’ Stewart. . . . U-I’s Doug¬ las Granville hosted a fork lunch for the press to meet the delectable Susan Kohner, who answers to the nickname of “Smokey,” after the Odeon press show of “Imitation of Life”. . . . Nice to renew acquaintances with Jack Lemmon in Les Ambassadeurs Club one recent midnight — this club attracts most of filmlands brightest sparks. . . . Sam Spiegel has arrived to do the ground work on “Suddenly, Last Summer,” for Columbia release. . . . What enorm¬ ous imagination catchers the Oscars are! Contents bills for all London’s evening papers read: “Hollywood Academy Awards”. Oscar must be worth millions to the industry, and he should be protected as such.