The Exhibitor (1966)

Dallas Classification Law Upheld Federal Court Turns Down Exhib Bid For Injunction Pending New Court Test Scheduled After May I DALLAS — A special three judge federal court in Atlanta turned down Dallas ex¬ hibitors in their request to stay the execution of the city’s new film classification ordinance pending a full hearing of the case by the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The special court, while not ruling on the constitutionality of the ordinance, ordered that the case be scheduled on the Fifth Circuit’s docket as soon as possible after May 1, the docket being full up to that date. Grover Hartt, Jr., and Edwin Tobolowsky, local attorneys representing 12 owners of 32 theatres here, asked for a stay order at the Atanta hearing to prevent enforcement of the ordinance pending a full hearing by the Fifth Circuit appeals court. The court, headed by District Judge Lewis R. Morgan, refused to keep the Dallas film ordinance from functioning pending the time the full appeals court can hear the Dallas appeal and rule on the constitutionality of the measure. The city’s film board of review has held up the classification on seven films since it received approval, at least temporarily, to function under the new local film classifica¬ tion ordinance. At least five of the 12 members must care¬ fully screen the seven films, which include “Ship of Fools,” “Inside Daisy Clover,” “The Sandpiper,” “Where The Spies Are,” “Moment to Moment,” “A Very Special Favor,” and “Mickey One.” Local exhibitors had requested that each of the seven films, along with 39 others, be classified “suitable” for viewing by children under 16,. The board went along with this classification on the other 39 and further agreed with the exhibitors that three other films should be classified “unsuitable for young persons.” The city attorney or any 10 citizens can, under the new ordinance which will continue in force at least until May 1, file a complaint against a theatre, alleging the owner has permitted children younger than 16, and un¬ accompanied by parents to see an “unsuitable for young persons” film. If the charge sticks and if a theatre owner is convicted three times, he can have his license revoked. The theatre owner has an opportunity to decide which of the films he shows are “adult” and therefore unacceptable for unaccompanied children under 16. Wiltwyck Award To Brandt NEW YORK — Joseph E. Levine and Francis S. Levien, president, Universal American Corporation, and member of the executive committee and director of 20th Century-Fox, will serve respectively as chairman and treas¬ urer of a tribute to Harry Brandt, president, Brandt Theatres, to be held on June 6 at the Hotel Plaza. A friend of Mrs. Roosevelt’s, Brandt will receive the Wiltwyck School for Boys Eleanor Roosevelt Award in recognition of his more than 25 years of outstanding help to emotion¬ ally disturbed children. Court Orders New Hearing In Md. Censorship Case ANNAPOLIS, MD. — The Maryland Court of Appeals ordered a new hearing on the film “This Picture Is Censored,” which the Maryland State Board of Motion Picture Censors ruled was obscene. The Court of Appeals reversed a ruling by Judge Joseph R. Byrnes hi Baltimore Circuit Court upholding the action of the censorship board. The unanimous opinion by Judge Wil¬ liam J. Williams stated that the censorship law places the burden of proof that a movie is obscene on the board and that the trial judge should not assume that burden. The court ordered a new hearing within 20 days in Baltimore Circuit Court “unless parties agree otherwise.” Rex Film Distributors is handling the film. Col. Int. Promotes Hoare To Continental V-P Post NEW YORK — Victor J. Hoare, deputy chairman of BLC Films and former managing director of that company, has been appointed to the position of vice-president and manager of Continental Europe and the Middle East for Columbia Pictures International Corp., it was announced by Columbia Pictures. Hoare will take up his new post on March 14, in Paris, succeeding Marion Jordan, who was recently promoted to vice-president in charge of foreign sales for Columbia’s inter¬ national company. Hoare, who in 1961 was named a director of British Lion Films, became affiliated with the Columbia organization the next year when he was appointed managing director of BLC Films. BLC Films is the United King¬ dom distribution organization jointly owned by Columba and British Lion. Hoare’s new appointment is consistent with the company’s policy of promotion from within its own ranks. Hoare began his motion picture industry career with United Artists in 1931. Jennings To Manage Music Hall NEW YORK — Edward W. Jennings has been named theatre manager of Radio City Music Hall, it was announced by James F. Gould, president of the Rockefeller Center theatre. Jennings assumes duties formerly under the direction of Sydney M. Goldman, vice-president, who will devote himself to executive responsibilities. Jennings, 53, was born in Schenectady, N. Y., and began his theatrical career in Brooklyn as an usher. He joined the Music Hall staff when the theatre opened in 1932 and was appointed assistant manager of the Center Theatre, then part of the Rockefeller Center complex, in 1940. In 1943, he entered1 the United States Army and spent the next three years preparing invasion barges and portable docks in England, Ireland, and France. He returned to the Music Hall as assistant manager after his discharge in 1946. Magna Sales Execs Map Spring-Summer Schedule LOS ANGELES — Magna Pictures Distribu¬ tion Corporation held a three-day sales meet¬ ing in the company’s Los Angeles offices. Major product for the 1966 spring and sum¬ mer season was discussed, it was announced by vice-president Joseph C. Emerson, as well as advertising and publicity campaigns for each picture. The 1966 lineup includes “Impossible on Saturday,” now in its second year in Paris, and opening in New York at the Cinema II on Feb. 17; “The Fat Spy,” starring Phyllis Differ and Jack E. Leonard, to be world premiered in Los Angeles April 27 ; “The Gendarme of St. Tropez,” starring Luis de Funes; “La Calda Vita” and “Three Nights of Love,” both featuring Catherine Spaak; “Yoyo,” winner of the San Francisco Film Festival, and starring Pierre Etaix; “Mata Hara Agent H-21,” starring Jeanne Moreau; and “My Wife’s Enemy,” featuring Marcello Mastrioanni, Luciana Paluzzi, and Vittorio De Sica. Current pictures also available in¬ clude “The Great Waff,” “High Infidelity,” “Harlow,” “Willy McBean and His Magic Machine,” “The Ghost,” “Dead Eyes of Lon¬ don,” and “Malamondo.” 1966 product being discussed from Emerson Film Enterprises, Inc., a subsidiary of Magna Pictures includes “Make Like a Thief,” fea¬ turing Richard Long; “Seven Against the Sun”; “Saturday Night Bath in Apple Valley”; “Run Home Slow” and “Halfway Honeymoon.” Those attending were Marvin Friedlander, New York; Ira Sichelman, Washington; Wil¬ liam Blum, Cincinnati; George Lefko, Chi¬ cago; Hugh Sykes, Charlotte; George Pabst, New Orleans; Whit Boyd, Dallas; Bill Hob¬ son, Denver; Dick Dynes, Minneapolis; James Myers, San Francisco, and Thomas J. Aspell, Jr., Los Angeles. The home office contingent included Joseph C. Emerson, vice-president in charge of world sales; Dave Cantor, national publicity director; Alan Stever, treasurer; and Irene Cescoline, in charge of prints and bookings. Calif. Tent Chairmen LOS ANGELES — Eleven chairmen of com¬ mittees for 1966 have been announced by chief barker James H. Nicholson for Variety Club of Southern California, Tent 25. Noting also that Tent 25 has been a con¬ sistent leader in the Billy Butlin Contest for membership recruitment and Tent activities during 1965, Nicholson predicted that with the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh on March 14 highlighting the year’s activities, 1966 will be the biggest year in the history of the local organization. Heading Committees for the year are S. Charles Lee, audit and finance; Ezra E. Stern, legal; Herbert L. Copelan, membership; Fred Stein, ways and means; Milt Moritz, pub¬ licity; Fred Stein, Variety Children’s Heart Center; Alfred S. Lapidus, Variety Boys Club; Fred Stein, Variety Sunshine Coach; Allen J. O’Keefe, golf tournament; James Nichol¬ son, women’s liaison; Monty Hall, special events. 6 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR February 16, 1966