The Exhibitor (1961)

U-l Toppers Abroad For Sales Meetings One Industryite Named To Columbus 15-Member City Film Review Board NEW YORK — Universal president Milton R. Rackmil, accompanied by vice-president and foreign general manager Americo Aboaf, planed out from New York City for Europe after the Thanksgiving holiday to begin their annual series of sales conferences and to inaugurate overseas plans for the company’s forthcoming Golden Anniversary celebration. Key U-I representatives from all of Eu¬ rope are gathering at the three meetings — the first of which was to begin in Paris on Nov. 25, to be followed by similar conferences in Frankfurt, on Nov. 28, and in Rome, on Nov. 30. Also present at the meetings from New York will be assistant foreign manager Ben M. Cohn, who is currently in Europe. Rackmil will present the European dele¬ gates with first-hand information on the company’s current success and will outline future prospects and production activities. Aboaf will review recent gratifying per¬ formances overseas and plans for the com¬ pany’s Golden Anniversary celebration, as well as for the Presidential Sales Drive, in which U-I offices throughout the world will participate. Delegates will screen a number of the pro¬ ductions scheduled for European release in 1962, including “Flower Drum Song,” “Lover Come Back,” “The Outsider,” and “Six Black Horses.” In addition, they will see rushes from such productions as “Cape Fear” and “Lonely Are The Brave.” Perlberg-Seaton To MGM HOLLYWOOD — William Perlberg and George Seaton have signed a long term con¬ tract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was an¬ nounced by studio head Sol C. Siegel. New TOA Delegation For COMPO Exec Group NEW YORK — John Stembler, president of TOA, has named a new delegation to represent that organization on the execu¬ tive committee of COMPO. Sam Pinanski, who is TOA’s representa¬ tive on the COMPO governing committee, continues as chairman of the TOA group on the executive committee. Others in the delegation are Thomas Friday, alternate; Edward Fabian, William Thedford, Mor¬ ton Thalhimer, Jr., LaMar Sarra, C. E. Cooke, and Solomon M. Strausberg. Those serving last year, besides Pinan¬ ski, were Walter Reade, Jr., Myron Blank, Morton Thalhimer, E. D. Martin, Ernest G. Stellings, S. H. Fabian, and M. Spencer Leve. Del. Theatre To Close BRIDGEVILLE, DEL.— Sidney Theatre, built in 1948, will close Dec. 2. Ken Holson, manager, was quoted by the Wilmington Evening Journal as saying that people are more occupied with churchwork and commu¬ nity affairs than they were 15 years ago and that the closing symbolizes the end of an era when people sought entertainment. The build¬ ers, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Ayers, also operate theatres in Seaford, Del., and Georgetown, Del. The Sidney replaced the old Keller, leveled many years ago by fire. COLUMBUS, O.— Ed McGlone, RKO city manager, is the sole industry representative named to the new 15-member city film re¬ view board, to begin reviewing film here Dec. 1. McGlone was appointed to a two-year term. Appointments by Mayor Ralston Westlake were unanimously approved by City Council. Ordinance establishing the board became ef¬ fective Nov. 22 but appointments were dated from Dec. 1. The board is expected to name a chairman at its first meeting. Members include: Three-year terms — R. Patrick West, attorney; Kenneth N. Olbert, principal of Barrett Junior High School; Mrs. Lucinda N. Madden, attorney; Nelson L. Newsome, director of Spring St. YMCA; and Mrs. Lucille Burke, Juvenile Court pro¬ bation officer. Two-Year terms — McGlone; Mrs. Ethel C. Neighbors, housewife; Mrs. Violet Collins, housewife; K. F. Siens, plumbing firm exe¬ cutive; and Victor Goodman, attorney. One-year terms — William Edwards, asso¬ ciated with the Ohio Municipal League; James J. Weaver, Long’s Book Store; Mrs. Virginia Frakes, housewife; Mrs. Ann G. Highfield, associated with her husband in the lumber business; and Jay Smith, chief county probation officer. Board members are unsalaried but will re¬ ceive expenses. Members will view films at regular theatre showings, paying regular ad¬ missions. As few as five members may view a film, with a majority vote of three de¬ ciding whether a film shall be cited for violation of city or state anti -obscenity laws. Seen at the recent fifth San Francisco Film Festival, top row, left to right, are Jorge Ferretes, director, Mexico City International Film Festival; Irving M. Levin, California exhibitor and director of the San Francisco Film Festival; Mexican director Ismael Rodriguez, first prize winner for "Animas Trujano"; Columba Dominguez, the film's star; and the Mexican Consulate General; Arthur Mayer, New York im¬ porter-exhibitor and jury member; Mrs. Sperie Perakous; Sperie Perakous, Connecticut exhibitor and producer of prize-winning "Antig¬ one"; Lev Arnstam, Russian director; John Hubley, New York cartoon¬ ist-director of prize-winning feature, "Of Stars and Men"; Nina Drobysheva, Russian star of prize-winning "The Clear Sky"; bottom row, left to right, Dick Coe, columnist Washington Post; Arline Sax, star of U.S. entry "Glass Cage"; Paine Knickerbocker, San Francisco Chronicle critic; Fred Zinnemann, Hollywood director; Levin; Josef Von Sternberg, American pioneer director and iurv member; and Arnstam; the theatre at which the festival was held; Mexican producer Hector Fernandez; Mrs. Perakous; and Von Sternberg. Despite lack of Hollywood partici¬ pation, the festival was considered a great success. November 29, 1961 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 7