The Exhibitor (1965)

DST Referendum Set For North Carolina "Stranger" Wins New Censor Battle As Court Okays N. Y. Distribution NEW YORK — "A Stranger Knocks” won the latest round against the New York State Board of Regents when the State Court of Appeals denied the official censorship group a stay of distribution which would have pulled the TransLux film out of the 20 local theatres presently showing it. The victory for Trans-Lux Distributing Corporation, which had fought the case for two years, will now lead to the film’s wide distribution throughout the state, a pace which had been somewhat restricted while Trans-Lux awaited the court decision. “The Board of Regents, as a film censor, is now experiencing its final death throes as it is about to go the way of the dinosaur,” said Richard Brandt, president of Trans-Lux. He pointed out that the U.S. Supreme Court, on March 15, had issued a favorable decision on “Stranger,” declaring that the N. Y. State system of film licensing was unconstitutional. But, he went on, the censor tried a hasty patchup of the state’s antiquated laws and obviously failed to convince the Court of Appeals. “A Stranger Knocks” will continue to play throughout N. Y. State without a license, the first theatrioal film ever to do so. “The censor said he found obscenity in ‘A Stranger Knocks.’ When it finally opened in New York City after a two-year court battle, the film critics unanimously disagreed with the censor and, instead, found the film to be a mature and poignant story,” Brandt said. He concluded, “It is unfortunate that the public had been denied so many fine adult screenplays during the many years that cen¬ sorship was in force. Now, it is up to the public to protect itself from any new attempts to perpetuate this ugly practice.” Exhibs At ’’Zorba" Seminar NEW YORK — Advertising, publicity, and exploitation plans for the first New York area break on “Zorba the Greek,” early this summer, were detailed in a seminar for ex¬ hibitors. The meeting, conducted by Arthur Manson, executive assistant to Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., 20th Century-Fox vice-president and director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation, was held at the 20th-Fox home office. Manson was assisted by Mike Shapiro, 20th-Fox exploitation department. Interna¬ tional Classics, a subsidiary' of 20th CenturyFox, is releasing the comedy-drama in the United States. The seminar was attended by executives and publicity representatives of Brandt The¬ atres, Century Theatres, Skouras Theatre Corp., and Walter Reade -Sterling Inc. Managers Honor Levine NEW YORK— The Conference of Personal Managers, East, have voted their first annual award to producer Joseph E. Levine. This award is presented to the individual or or¬ ganization who has made an outstanding contribution to the world of entertainment during the preceding calendar year. This award will be given to Levine at a special luncheon at the Hunt Room of the 21 Club on May 11. SW Dividend Set NEW YORK — The board of directors of Stanley Warner Corp. has declared a divi¬ dend of 30 cents per share on the common stock payable May 25th. WB Gives Sunshine Coach To N.Y. Handicapped Kids NEW YORK — The employees of Warner Bros, presented a Variety Club Sunshine Coach to the children of the New York Philanthropic League in ceremonies outside the Warner Bros, home office at 666 Fifth Avenue. The presentation, in behalf of Warner Bros, president Jack L. Warner, executive vice-president Benjamin Kalmenson, and employees in the company’s studios, home office, and branches, was made by Warner Bros, vice-presidents Bernard Goodman and Richard Lederer. Mrs. Melville Scholer, president of the New York Philanthropic League, was joined in accepting the gift by some of the handicapped children aided by the League. Representing the Variety Club at the presentation was Jack Levin, chief barker of Tent 35, and Charles Boasberg, chairman of the Sunshine Coach committee. Grosx To UA Ad Post NEW YORK — Paul Grosz has been ap¬ pointed United Artists advertising manager, it was announced by Fred Goldberg, UA vice-president. Grosz was moved up from the post of art director, a position he has held with the com¬ pany since January, 1962. He had joined the com¬ pany that year after serv¬ ing as art director for 20th Century-Fox. Grosz joined the motion picture industry some years ago at Universal Pictures. He subsequently served in various art and advertising capacities at War¬ ner Bros., Paramount, and several advertis¬ ing agencies. He was with 20th Century-Fox for 14 years before joining United Artists. Interboro Circuit Expands NEW YORK — M. O. Strausberg, president, Interboro Circuit, Inc., announced the open¬ ing of the Plaza in the Samsondale Plaza Shopping Center, Haverstraw, N. Y. The opening was heralded with a gala premiere in cooperation with other stores in the cen¬ ter, and a saturation advertising schedule in local daily and weekly newspapers, and on radio station WRKL. According to Strausberg, this is the first in a group of new houses to be opened by Interboro in shopping centers in the New York and New Jersey areas. Penna. Allied Officers PITTSBURGH — At the annual meeting and election of officers and directors of the Allied Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western Pennsylvania, the following were elected: George Tice, president; Ted Manos, vicepresident; Frank Lewis, treasurer; Edgar Shaffer, secretary; and Steve Rodnok, Jr., chairman of the board. RALEIGH, N. C. — A bill providing for a statewide referendum on daylight saving time j for North Carolina was approved here by the j Senate Judiciary Committee over the objec I tions of theatre interests. William G. Enloe, Raleigh, district manager for North Carolina Theatres, Inc., and spokes j man for exhibitors, asked the committee to j pass the measure up for two years and said J submitting the question to a referendum ] would set “a dangerous precedent for put ; ting tricky and controversial subjects” to the j ; voters for decision. j He also said theatres would be forced to j campaign against the proposal if a referen j \ dum were called, working an added hard ] [ A bill before the Legislature which would | have put the state on daylight saving time S was killed by a House committee during the present legislative session. If the voters ap j prove the new bill by referendum, North j Carolina would go on daylight saving time in j 1967 on the first Sunday after May 30 and return to standard time on the Sunday before j Labor Day, as is practised in neighboring ; Virginia. AB-PT Promotes Two NEW YORK — Julius Bamathan has been j promoted to vice-president in charge of I broadcast operations and engineering for the 1 j American Broadcasting Company, it was an '< j nounced by Leonard H. Goldenson, president j of American Broadcasting-Paramount Thea ) j tres, Inc. Frank Marx has been elected AB-PT vice j president in charge of real estate and con j struction, it was also announced by Golden i son. He added, “In recent years, our company ! has followed a policy of upgrading our thea¬ tre holdings by acquiring and constructing new theatres primarily in suburban loca¬ tions. Ten new theatres are in various stages of construction and an additional 13 new theatres are now being considered. Electronovislon Musical Set LOS ANGELES — Broadway musical “Fade Out — Fade In,” starring Carol Burnett, will be Theatrofilmed as the fourth Electrono¬ vision presentation, company president Bill Sargent announced. This will mark a mile¬ stone in the company’s history as the first color, wide screen production in the new process. To be shot on a New York sound stage in the latter part of May, the feature will star Miss Burnett and all available members of the original cast. The show comes directly on the heels of Bill Sargent’s “Harlow,” which will open throughout the country on May 12 with Marshall Naify presenting and Magna Distributing releasing for Electrono¬ vision. Warner Bros, will distribute. Ruth Lowenthal To Pathe NEW YORK — The appointment of Ruth Lowenthal as assistant general sales man¬ ager of Pathe Contemporary Films was an¬ nounced here by Ben Siegel, general sales manager of the distribution company. The appointment is effective immediately. Miss Lowenthal will assist Siegel on all matters relating to sales, and will be respon¬ sible for booking of Pathe Contemporary product, including such recent releases as “Woman in the Dunes,” “Banana Peel” and the current “Male Hunt.” May 5, 1965 10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR