The Exhibitor (1962)

I I t 4 -I Embassy Schedules First National Sales Convention In N. Y„ Feb, 6 Lancaster, Bancroft Top “Filmdom’s Famous Five” NEW YORK— Burt Lancaster and Anne Bancroft were selected as giving the best performances in 1962 in Filmdom’s Famous Fives poll, it was announced by The Film Daily, motion picture newspaper which con¬ ducts the poll annually. The selections are made by newspaper and magazine critics and by radio and television commentators. Lancaster was selected on the basis of his portrayal of convict Robert Stroud in United Artists’ production of “Bird Man of Alcatraz.” Miss Bancroft was chosen for her character¬ ization of Annie Sullivan, teacher of blind Helen Keller, in the Fred Coe production of “The Miracle Worker,” also a United Artists release. Sharing honors with Lancaster for the best performances by male stars, are Robert Pres¬ ton (“The Music Man”), Jackie Gleason (“Gigot”), James Cagney (“One, Two, Three”), Anthony Quinn (“Requiem for A Heavyweight”) . Selected with Miss Bancroft for the best performances by female stars are Sophia Loren (“Two Women”), Doris Day (“Lover Come Back”), Geraldine Page (“Sweet Bird of Youth”), Deborah Kerr (“The Innocents”). Cited for best performances by supporting actor was Terence Stamp for his role as Billy Budd in Allied Artists’ “Billy Budd.” Angela Lansbury was chosen for the best perform¬ ance by a supporting actress for her role as Mrs. John Iselin in United Artists’ “The Manchurian Candidate.” "Cleopatra" Ticket Sale Set NEW YORK — Tickets for the world pre¬ miere engagement of 20th-Fox’s “Cleopatra” will go on sale Monday, Feb. 11, at the box office of New York’s Rivoli, Broadway and 49th street, four months prior to the picture’s opening on June 12. This marks the first time any motion picture theatre has made tickets available to the public four months in ad¬ vance of an opening. Individual mail orders and group sales orders from organizations, clubs, and charity groups will also be accepted and processed. There will be 14 performances per week of the sweeping romantic drama. I FI DA Receives Tribute From State Dept. Exec. NEW YORK— The U.S. State Depart¬ ment has recognized the International Film Awards presentation, now established as an annual event under the sponsorship of the Independent Film Importers and Dis¬ tributors of America. In a communication to Richard Brandt, member of IFIDA’s board of governors, A. V. Boerner, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State, Washington, said, “The international circulation of mo¬ tion pictures has become fundamental to understanding between peoples in the 20th century. All who have chosen the motion picture as a medium of expression, and those of us in government who are engaged in communicating to foreign audiences an apreciation of the culture and thought of the people of America, know that the mo¬ tion picture ranks as a primary instrument of fostering international understanding and good will.” Boerner added his congratulations and best wishes to IFIDA members “who are engaged in bringing to the United States films which not only provide insights to the culture and accomplishments of people in other countries, but also help to enhance the reception of American films going abroad.” Hess Heads New Film-Mart NEW YORK — Film-Mart, Inc., has been organized to acquire feature pictures for U.S. distribution. Sidney Hess, former executive for Pathe America, is president. Jack Hoffberg, veteran independent distributor, is vicepresident and sales manager. Ronald Koenig is secretary. First feature in Eastman Color and wide screen which has been acquired is “Adorable Sinner,” featuring Romy Schneider and Kurt Jurgens. NEW YORK — Embassy Pictures will hold its first national sales convention, Feb. 6-8, in New York, it was announced by Carl Pepper¬ corn, vice-president and general sales man¬ ager. Convening all executive personnel from the company’s home office and distribution branches throughout the country, the meeting will be held at the Hemisphere Club, in the Time & Life Building where Embassy’s of¬ fices are located. Joseph E. Levine, president, and Leonard Lightstone, executive vice-president, with Peppercorn, will address the opening session, Wednesday morning, Feb. 6. Assisting Peppercorn in conducting suc¬ ceeding business sessions, which will thor¬ oughly explore and blueprint every aspect of Embassy Pictures’ future domestic distribu¬ tion activities, will be the following homeoffice executives: Robert R. Weston, vice-president in charge of world advertising, publicity and exploita¬ tion; Lou Steisel, Metropolitan New York and western sales supervisor; Jud Parker, eastern and southern sales supervisor; Larry Ayers, home office sales control manager; John Downing, manager of exchange operations; and Charles Cohen, director of exploitation. The convention follows completion of the first phase of Embassy’s program to expand its international sales and distribution organ¬ ization. Peppercorn noted that the second phase, enlarging the domestic sales staffs and offices, is already underway. Completed within the short space of two months, Embassy’s national distribution op¬ eration, Peppercorn reported, is currently covering the entire United States, servicing exhibitors with the company’s extensive pro¬ gram of feature films geared to all types of audiences. Executive personnel of the domestic sales organization, in addition to Steisel, Parker, Ayers, and Downing, includes Bert Anshien, manager of the print and booking depart¬ ments. The western and Metropolitan New York division has Harry Margolis as metropolitan district manager. Its field executives include Simon Lax, midwestem district manager, Chicago; Wayne Ball, western division man¬ ager, Los Angeles; and managers, whose names will shortly be announced, of the northwestern district, San Francisco, and the Great Plains district, St. Louis. The eastern and southern division includes James Frew, southern division manager, At¬ lanta; Glenn Fannin, southwestern district manager, Dallas; Joe Wolf, New England divi¬ sion manager, and Hatton Taylor, New Eng¬ land district manager, Boston; Charles Zagrans, Pennsylvania district manager, Phila¬ delphia; and Sheldon Tromberg, east-central district manager, Washington, D. C. Fromkess Signs Flothow HOLLYWOOD — Leon Fromkess signed pro¬ duction executive Rudolph Flothow as pro¬ duction manager for his independent com¬ pany which is preparing “The Long Corri¬ dor” as the first of five films it will make for Allied Artists. Seen at the recent IFIDA International Film Awards dinner at the new Americana, New York City, were, left to right, Richard Brandt; Lord George Archibald, Chairman of the Federation of British Film Makers; Walter Reade, Jr., president. Continental Distributors; and producer Dore Schary. January 30, 1963 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 15