The Exhibitor (1966)

NEWS CAPSULES FILM FAMILY ^ ALBUM Gold Bands Peter Silbermann, of the Paramount Pictures publicity department, and Joan Kranz were married at the Carlton House in Manhattan, New York. Obituaries Harold W. (Chick) Evans, 66, 20th CenturyFox’s field exploitation representative in Kansas City for the past 16 years, died at his home. He is survived by his daughters, his sister, and a brother. Emanuel (Mannie) Friedman, 52, manager of the Lockwood and Gordon Cinerama, Hart¬ ford, Conn., since 1962, died. Previously, he was in supervisory and district managerial positions with William Goldman Theatres, Philadelphia, and Century Theatres, New York. Gene Pinto, 53, assistant treasurer and con¬ troller, Berio Vending Company, died. He had been with Berio since 1948. Survivors include his wife, a son, a daughter, three sisters, and a brother, Frank, who is also with Berio Vend¬ ing. R. M. (Pappy) Simril, 73, of Charlotte, N.C., branch manager of National Screen Corpora¬ tion, with which he had been connected for 34 years, died. He is survived by his wife, three sons, five daughters, three sisters, a brother, 18 grandchildren, and eight great grandchil¬ dren. Andy W. Smith, Jr., 72, pioneer distributor, died in Greenwich, Conn., hospital. He en¬ tered the industry in 1914 and became asso¬ ciated with Pathe, Hodkinson, First National and Warner Brothers. He had been with United Artists, RKO Radio, 20th Fox, and in 1953 became head of the motion picture divi¬ sion of the U.S. Information Agency. He is survived by his widow, a son, two daughters a brother, and two sisters. MCA Earnings Decline UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIF. — Lew R. V asserman, piesident of MCA Inc., announced the company’s first six months earnings. The unaudited consolidated net income for the six months ending June 30 was $7,951,000, and after preferred dividends, amounted to $1.62 per share on the 4,703,893 average num¬ ber of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. For the corresponding six-month period of 1965, consolidated net income was $8,322,000, ancl^ after preferred dividends, was equal to $1.70 per share on the 4,680,620 average num¬ ber of shares of common stock then outstand¬ ing. Freiberg To NSS NEW YORK — Joseph Freiberg has joined the home office staff of National Screen Ser¬ vice, it was announced by Milton Feinberg, general sales manager. He was formerly asso¬ ciated with Columbia as head of the sales sta¬ tistics department. FORMS FOR THIS PACE CLOSED AT 5 P.M. ON MON., AUC. 22 IFIDA Opposes Plan To Require Code Seals NEW YORK — Michael F. Mayer, execu¬ tive director of IFIDA, voiced opposition of the reported plan of the Motion Picture Asso¬ ciation of America for code revision, and is¬ sued a statement attacking any and all pro¬ posals to require exhibitors to play only pic¬ tures approved by the Production Code Au¬ thority. Mayer said, “We have learned that pressure has been brought on various exhibitor groups to impose a Code Seal requirement on all mo¬ tion pictures played in the U.S. The members of our association releasing a large number of the outstanding foreign films playing in this country, as well as important domestic films, are strongly opposed to any effort to blanket a Code Seal requirement on American exhibi¬ tion. “With due respect to the Production Code Authority and the Motion Picture Association, it is our belief that it is wrong and improper for any group to attempt to impose its own standards on competitive films. Not only are our members and the foreign producers whom they represent being asked to subject them¬ selves to an outside body, but by this procedure they would also be compelled to pay arbitrary fees to secure Production Code seals. We have no assurance of the standards by which such seals may be issued or refused. We have seen wavering standards and contradictory decisions in the past. We do not intend to subject our films on a mandatory basis to such a type of arbitrary restraint. “Our organization has long supported the principle of full information to the American people as to the nature of our films. We be¬ lieve that information is furnished by our own advertising, other sources, and by self-ratings on numerous pictures. While any individual distributor should be free to choose whether he wishes a Production Code Authority seal, the concept of compulsion in this regard is foreign to our way of life and traditional Amer¬ ican liberties. “We wish to put the relevant parties on notice that we will oppose by all appropriate means any effort to impost' this requirement on a mandatory basis on all films and all theatres.” “Oscar” Team Intact HOLLYWOOD — John Green will be musi¬ cal director and conductor of the 39th annual “Oscar” awards presentation next April 10, producer Joe Pasternak has announced. It will be the ninth time, and the third successive year, that Green has served in this capacity for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sci¬ ences show. Naming of Green reunites the team, with Pasternak as producer and Bob Hope as master of ceremonies, which this year collaborated in the television program which drew a larger audience than any other single-network show in tv history, the 38th annual “Oscarcast.” The 39th annual presentation, to be tele¬ vised in color, will be carried over the com¬ bined radio and television facilities of the American Broadcasting Company. \9^ BROADWAY ^ GROSSES Holdovers Maintain Strength NEW YORK — With all holdover product, the strong films continued to set a brisk pace in the Broadway first-runs. The breakdown was as follows: “HOW TO STEAL A MILLION” (20thFox). Radio City Music Hall, with usual stage showr, continued big with $121,400 reported for Thursday through Sunday. The sixth week was sure of $200,000. “TORN CURTAIN” (Universal). De Mille claimed $28,000 for the fourth week. “ASSAULT ON A QUEEN” (Paramount). Loew’s State announced $12,500 for the fourth and final week. “DR. ZHIVAGO” (MGM). Capitol stated that the 35th week was $33,000. “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” (20th-Fox). Rivoli had $45,000 for the 77th week. “THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING” (UA). Astor reported $16,500 for the 13th week. “THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED” (Paramount). Victoria took in $15,000 for the third week. “WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?” (Warners). Criterion did $53,500 on the ninth week. “KHARTOUM” (UA). Warner Cinerama had $33,500 for the sixth week. More For Movie Month NEW YORK — NATO president Marshall H. Fine and president-designate Sherrill C. Corwin have announced that three additional major productions have been scheduled for October release to take advantage of the Movie Month campaigns. United Artists vice-president and general sales manager James R. Velde has scheduled “Return of the Seven,” starring Yul Brynner, for October release. “Mister Buddwing,” starring James Garner, Jean Simmons, Suzanne Pleshette, and Angela Lansbury is Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s picture, it was announced by vice-president and gen¬ eral sales manager Morris E. Lefko. “What’s Up Tiger Lilly?” will be AmericanInternational’s additional picture if it is com¬ pleted in time, according to James H. Nichol¬ son and Samuel Z. Arkoff. The line-up for Movie Month is Columbia’s “Alvarez Kelly,” Fox’s “Fantastic Voyage,” Walt Disney’s “The Fighting Prince of Done¬ gal,” Continental’s “Gypsy Girl,” Warners’ “Kaleidoscope,” United Artists’ “Khartoum,” MGM’s “Mister Buddwing,” Universal’s “The Pad — and How to Use It,” United Artists’ “Return of the Seven,” Allied Artists’ “Run for Your Wife,” Paramount’s “Seconds,” Fox’s “Way . . . Way Out,” and AmericanInternational’s “What’s Up Tiger Lilly?” 4 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR August 24, 1966