The Exhibitor (1959)

NOTED COMMENTATOR ARNOLD MICHAELIS has recorded SPECIAL PROMOTION RECORD for radio stations nationally . . . featuring conversations with leaders in education, psy¬ chiatry, religion, medicine, social agencies Penna. Studies Penal Code Changes To Permit Banning "Lewd" Pictures HARRISBURG — The State Justice Depart¬ ment is planning amendments to the Penal Code banning lewd movies in the light of a recent Supreme Court ruling that the state’s present law was unconstitutional. Governor Lawrence asked Attorney Gen¬ eral Anne X. Alpern to proceed “with all due speed” to recommend actions by which the state may “maintain proper morality and moral concepts through censorship where necessary.” _ In a letter replying to Gov. Lawrence’s request, Miss Alpern said it was her “con¬ sidered judgment that nothing in the recent decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of Pennsyl¬ vania prevents censorship of obscene or pornographic movies. “I call your attention to the fact that in the opinion of the Supreme Court of Penn¬ sylvania, Justice Curtis Bok specifically states that prosecution can be brought under the common law where an obscene picture is being exhibited,” she said. “The showing of obscene matter is a misdemeanor under the common law and punishable by imprison¬ ment.” A Senate bill bans the showing of incidents that will incite children under 17 to crime, but Miss Alpern said “no decision has been reached in that area” by her department. “We are preparing amendments to the act so as to limit its application to obscene and pornographic matter as required under the opinions” of both Supreme Courts, she said. “The Penal Code is also being amended so as to impose stiff penalties for obscene and pornographic showings. “There are certain other areas that need to be amended in conformity with the re¬ cent opinions of the appellate courts, particu¬ larly as to advertising matter and isolated pictures, which must now be considered in the light of the entire move.” Miss Alpern took steps to make the out¬ lawed act conform with the Supreme Court decision following a conference with Judge Michael J. Eagen, Scranton, who was re¬ versed by the appellate tribunal after con¬ victing a Scranton drive-in manager for exhibiting a burlesque type film, “Uncover Girls.” Judge Eagen is the Democratic nom¬ inee for the Supreme Court seat held by Judge Thomas D. McBride. In addition to tightening the penal code, Miss Alpern said the obscenity provision of the 1957 act would include stiffened penal¬ ties raising the fine from $2,000 to $3,000 and increasing the jail term from two to three years. The immorality provision, crux of the Supreme Court decision, will be stricken from the penal code. Miss Alpern said the bill now before the Legislature regulating the exhibiton of ob¬ scene movies to children under 17 has been amended in anticipation of the Supreme Court decision and would stand up under constitutional tests. Movie Cover PAPERBACK BOOK EDITION of BLUE DENIM ■ BIG MUSIC PROMOTION of title song with DICK CARUSO Fox, Life Boost "Angel" NEW YORK — Andrew Heiskell, publisher of Life Magazine and vice-president of Time, Inc., and Charles Einfeld, 20th-Fox vicepresident last week convened a series of joint advertising, promotional, and exploita¬ tion conferences on behalf of the forthcom¬ ing special section in Life which deals with “The Blue Angel.” The meetings concerned the joint effort which will be made by both the film com¬ pany and the magazine to pre-sell “The Blue Angel” and “the unusual and provoca¬ tive” ad which will appear in an August issue of Life. Participating in the discussions, in addi¬ tion to Einfeld and Heiskell, were 20th-Fox general sales manager Alex Harrison, adver¬ tising director Abe Goodman, exploitation Bergman Heads "Beach" Unit NEW YORK — Stanley Kramer and Max E. Youngstein, vice-president of United Art¬ ists, announced the appointment of Maurice Bergman to serve as supervisor of the global premiere unit, to coordinate the world-wide activities and promotion presenting “On The Beach” in 25 cities, in six continents, on Dec. 17. In addition to directing the activities of the special unit, Bergman will work closely with other UA executives. manager Eddie Solomon; Christy Wilbert, vice-president of the Charles Schlaifer Agen¬ cy; and Life personnel Earl Wakefield, mo¬ tion picture advertising director; Bert Lange, marketing manager; and Charles Hogan, ad¬ vertising services manager. iy ARTHUR GODFREY TV and RADIO SHOWS feature CBS NETWORK DISCUSSIONS between BRANDON de WILDE AND SAM LEVENSON ROBERT Q. LEWIS on MGM Records (TELEVISION) (RADIO)