The Exhibitor (1965)

Gift In Memory Of Film Executive Brings New Theatre To Brandeis U Community Film Programs Key Better Understanding MILWAUKEE — William M. McCutchen, Motion Picture Association of America, com¬ munity relations department associate, ad¬ dressed the Better Films Council of Milwau¬ kee at their annual spring luncheon at the Ambassador Hotel. Commenting on the thoughtful selection of motion pictures, McCutchen said: “Today thoughtful moviegoers select their film enter¬ tainment on the basis of their special interests. Some find relaxation and escape in light comedies, spectacular musicals, or outdoor adventure films. Others prefer films which probe and challenge and sometimes even shock us into deeper understanding. Informed motion picture selection today has become an essential part of a satisfying motion picture theatre experience.” In stressing the importance of initiating community programs involving the local ex¬ hibitor, McCutchen said: “Such programs help develop a better understanding of the motion picture throughout the community. This in turn creates a better informed and more appreciative movie audience. “Such programs that bring together the local theatreman and the leaders of the com¬ munity may prove to be a very profitable re¬ lationship for the organization. In seeking the active participation of the theatreman in your club’s film activities, you will gain a better understanding of him and some of his prob¬ lems, and he in turn will better understand your thinking about motion pictures, which will be helpful to him in relating his product to the community.” Beauties Sell "Phoenix" YUMA, Ariz. — Robert Aldrich suspended regular filming on “Flight Of The Phoenix” for three days so that he could personally direct a series of foreign-market trailers for this Association and Aldrich Company pro¬ duction for 20th-Fox release. The trailers, like the feature, will have special stars in them — not from the cast of the feature, but young actresses selected after a long search, who had sufficient importance and significance in their own countries so they would give the film substance and sales im¬ pact. They include Anouk Aimee, from France; Pier Angeli, Italy; Elsa Cardenas, Mexico; Sylvia Syms, Great Britain; and Sonya Zieman, Germany. Cost of the promotional project will run to at least $300,000, with 20th-Fox executive vice-president Seymour Poe and advertisingpublicity-exploitation vice-president Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., giving the okay after Aldrich convinced them the money would be well spent. A trailer campaign by Aldrich for “Four For Texas,” featuring Anita Ekberg and Ursula Andress, was a rousing success. Each of the actresses was given a week’s contract, and Oleg Cassini was engaged to do costumes for them. They worked in the trail¬ ers with the entire cast on the American desert near here and in a drawing-room set built in the local Arizona Armory. They summarized in their native tongues what they saw on location and what they think of the picture. Blitz Joins Embassy NEW YORK — Robert E. Blitz has been named Embassy branch manager for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis areas, it was announced by D. J. Edele, vicepresident and general sales manager. BOSTON — A gift in memory of a Holly¬ wood film maker has made possible the build¬ ing of the most revolutionary university thea¬ tre in the world, a fluted, pie shaped struc¬ ture with a housing sprouting out of its cen¬ ter, unlike any other theatre anywhere. It was dedicated at Brandeis University in Wal¬ tham. The $3,500,000 Nate B. and Frances Spingold Theatre Arts Center was underwritten by Mrs. Frances Spingold, widow of the late Nate B. Spingold, who was vice-president and di¬ rector of Columbia Pictures. Joan Crawford was among the principal speakers at the dedication, and in conjunction with the dedication, Brandeis’ 14th commence¬ ment exercises were devoted to the theme of the university and the performing arts. Honorary degrees were awarded to 11 men and women, prominent in the performing arts. They are motion picture director John Ford, playwright Lillian Heilman, actor Al¬ fred Lunt, choreographer George Balanchine, actress Lynn Fontanne, drama critic Brooks Atkinson, actor Sir John Gielgud, dramatic historian Allardyce Nicoll, composer-producer Richard Rodgers, composer Roger Huntington Sessions, and Brandeis trustee Samuel L. Slosberg, noted patron of the arts. Mrs. Spingold, internationally known art collector who made the theatre possible, was at the dedication and cut the ribbon. The dedication ceremony opened with greet¬ ings by Brandeis President Abram L. Sachar, followed by remarks by Miss Crawford, and an address by Max Abramovitz, partner in the N. Y. architectural firm of Harrison and Abramovitz. The dedication was made officially by Mrs. Spingold following the benediction. A preview showing of the loan exhibition of Mrs. Spingold’s world famed art collection was con¬ ducted in the art gallery of the new edifice. A dedication banquet on the Brandeis cam¬ pus saw Leo Jaffee, Columbia Pictures, uni¬ versity fellow, and chairman of friends of the university in the amusement industry, speaking. Gov. John Volpe, Sachar, and Dr. Edwin Burr Pettet, chairman of the theatre arts department, also spoke at the banquet. Mrs. Spingold was presented with Brandeis Uni¬ versity’s first medal for distinguished service to higher education. A reading by Lunt and Fontanne, “Justice Brandeis and Mrs. Holmes” was presented. The new Spingold facilities will enable Brandeis to inaugurate a graduate program in theatre arts leading to the master’s and Ph.D. degrees. The new program, starting next year, will be the 18th graduate area of concentration DALLAS — The City Council has turned down a zoning proposal by Rowley-United Theatres Inc., that would have allowed the building of a large drive-in here on a 47 acre tract of land. A successful fight was led against the zon¬ ing application by Mrs. Irving Hale. She said she represented six churches, six schools, sev¬ eral apartment dwellers, and hundreds of homeowners who would have been affected. She said she had made a survey and had being offered at the university. In conjunc¬ tion with the beginning of the theatre arts graduate program, actor-director Morris Carnovsky becomes director of acting studies and professor of theatre arts. Carnovsky joins Brandeis faculty this September as adjunct professor of theatre arts, and will annually direct two professional cast plays in Spingold theatre. Also joining the theatre arts faculty in September ai'e stage designer How¬ ard Bay, scene painter Horace Armistead, and actor-playwright Charles Moore. Bay will become professor of theatre arts; Moore will serve as associate professor; and Armi¬ stead, who will assist Bay, has been appointed visiting professor. The new Spingold Theatre introduces un¬ precedented concepts in performing and teach¬ ing facilities as well as theatrical architecture. Provision is made for projection facilities in two theatres; films will be shown, and film training and mechanics will be part of the new center. Abramovitz, who was the architect for Philharmonic Hall in Lincoln Center, has designed a building approximately 200 ft. in diameter, circular in shape, with a free form scalloped roof suspended on a system of col¬ umns. In addition to a theatre auditorium and pro¬ jection facilities, the theatre contains work¬ shops, design rooms, costume preparation and storage areas, seminar rooms, classrooms, fac¬ ulty offices, rehearsal and dressing rooms, a little theatre, and a dance studio. With its flexibility of performing, teaching, and service facilities, Spingold center ranks as one of the most advanced theatre plants in the world. There are three basic stages, the three-sided platform stage, theatre in the round, and end stage, plus built-in stages which are combinations of these. A chunk of free form shape, suspended on columns has been set off for a 750-seat concert hall, and a 250-seat director’s theatre, a flexible theatre, which with bleachers allows for round staging. The two theatre levels both have projection cameras and booths, and there’s also a tv studio. A theatre collection will be housed in the new building, and Brandeis has been collecting material for inclusion and seeking theatre memorabilia. Brandeis is the baby of New England col¬ leges, but in its short life, it has already achieved nationwide renown, particularly for its liberal and fine arts programs. Even in its earliest days, the university placed a premi¬ um on its role of encouraging and develop¬ ing talent in the creative arts. In its 1948 be¬ ginnings, its eight member educational ad¬ visory committee included two members rep¬ resenting the creative and performing arts. found that the average drive-in consisted of only 10 acres and that the one in Dallas that claims to be world’s largest is only 22 acres. Proponents of the application charge that only about 28 acres actually was to be used as a drive-in while the remainder would have been used as additional facilities for an auto company. The council voted unanimously to deny the request on the part on which the theatre would have been constructed. Council Nixes Drive-In June 16, 1965 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 17