Motion Picture Herald (1954)

Joseph A. McConnville, president of Columbia International, was given an official diploma certifying his election to the rank of Commander in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic at a special dinner given in New York last week by Dr. Eitel Monaco, president of ANICA. Orville Crouch, eastern division manager for Loew’s Theatres, has been named chairman of the 1955 Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington. George C. McConnaughty, former chairman of the Federal Renegotiation Board, was sworn in Monday as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Martin Quigley has been named a member of the Advisory Council of the College of Liberal Arts of Notre Dame University at South Bend, Ind. Roy M. Brewer, who resigned Allied Artists studio posts to run for IATSE presidency, has returned to Allied Artists, in charge of exchange operations. Carl Leserman, executive vice-president of International Telemeter Corp., has announced his retirement from active management of the company. He will continue as a member of the board. Samuel Chernoff has been appointed midwest district manager for I.F.E. Releasing Corp. He replaces Bernard J. McCarthy, resigned. Edward D. Coiien, Latin American supervisor for 20th Century-Fox’s International Corp., has arrived in New York for home office conferences. Lee Roy Hobson has been appointed manager of RKO’s Denver branch. A former salesman at the Denver office, he succeeds Marvin Goldfarb, who recently resigned the post. George Weltner, president of Paramount International; E. R. Zorgniotti of IFE and Jean Goldwurm, Times Film, Inc., were presented official awards of the Italian Government last week. Paramount Sets 10 lit ms Ten major productions will be released by Paramount October through March, A. W. Schwalberg, president of Paramount Film Distributing Corp., announced this week. “At no other period in Paramount’s history has there been a release lineup that could compare with the one we have now insofar as inherent grossing strength is concerned,” he said. “Every picture has been produced with one eye to the boxoffice, so to speak, as evidenced by the top-flight stars, producers, directors, stories, and production values they offer,” he emphasized. October and November releases are Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window”; “Sabrina,” produced and directed by Billy Wilder; Cecil B. DeMille’s “Reap the Wild Wind,” a rerelease ; and the pre-release engagements of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” in VistaVision. December and January releases are Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in “Three Ring Circus,” the second WistaVision production; “The Bridges at Toko-Ri,” produced by PerlbergSeaton. Set for February are: “Mambo,” PontiDeLaurentiis production directed by Robert Rossen; “The Conquest of Space,” George Pal’s inter-planetary drama. March release will be “Ulysses,” produced by Ponti-DeLaurentiis starring Kirk Douglas, and Perlberg-Seaton’s “The Country Girl,” with Bing Crosby. Legion Approves Seven Of 10 New Productions The National Legion of Decency this week reviewed 10 pictures, putting four in Class A, Section I, morally unobjectionable for general patronage ; three in Class A, Section II, morally unobjectionable for adults; two in Class B, morally objectionable in part for all, and one in Class C, condemned. In Section I are “The Bounty Hunter,” “They Rode West,” “This Is Cinerama,” and “White Christmas.” In Section II are “Passion,” “The Shanghai Story” and “Woman’s World.” In Class B are “Human Jungle” and “A Star Is Born.” In Class C is “Lovers, Happy Lovers” because the story it tells “condones both in theme and treatment serious offense to Christian and traditional standards of morality and decency because of its constant and unmitigated disrespect for the virtue of purity.” German JDA Chairman William J. German, distributor and head of the W. J. German Corp., again has accepted the chairmanship of the Motion Picture Industry division of the 1954 chairmanship in behalf of the Joint Defense Appeal. The announcement was made by Irving M. Engel, president of the American Jewish Committee and Henry E. Schultz, national chairman of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith. JDA is seeking to raise $5,000,000 to support programs for combatting bigotry and discrimination and safeguarding democratic liberties. Kell SMPTE 105 4 Winner; Program Set The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers has named Ray D. Kell as recipient of the 1954 David Sarnoff Gold Medal Award for his pioneering achievements in the development of all-electronic television and contributions to color television in his career covering more than a quarter of a century. Herbert Barnett, SMPTE president, made the announcement. Mr. Kell is a member of the television research staff of the RCA Laboratories division of Radio Corporation of America. Featured in the full program of technical papers scheduled for the 76th semi-annual convention of SMPTE at Los Angeles’ Ambassador Hotel October 18-22 are motion picture color, magnetic sound, and widescreen processes, it was announced by R E. Lovell, NBC-TV Hollywood, chairman of the meeting. Highlights of the program released to all members of SMPTE were recent developments in color cinematography prompted by critical applications in studio and theatre. Cinematographers and studio and laboratory technicians will gain basic knowledge of color vision from a color demonstration specially developed and presented by R. M. Evans of Eastman Kodak. International adoption of widescreen pictures in studios and theatres will continue to occupy the attention of the industry’s optical experts who will tell of new developments in CinemaScope lenses, CinemaScope projection in drive-ins, improved optics for projection arc lamps, and drive-in theatre screens and screen color. Technical sessions on color, widescreen films and magnetic sound are expected to draw the leading motion picture engineers. Allied Artists Sets Sales Convention Highlights of an Allied Artists national convention October 14-16 at the Hotel Blackstone, Chicago, will be sales policies, current liquidation and future product, Morey Goldstein, sales vice-president announced in New York this week. Allied Artists branch managers and franchise holders as well as W. F. Rodgers, Mr. Goldstein, Steve Broidy, president ; and vice-presidents Harold J. Mirisch, Walter Mirisch, and John C. Flinn, are among the executives expected to attend. HAS 80 SWELL IDEAS for Selling Your l&HAUOWE'tH SHOW! Read 'InMiftaticm; . . Se£ect<mlaea. Alwoyt Um PILMACK For All Your Trailer Requirement* FILMACK TRAILER COMPANY .CHICAGO 1327 S. WABASH vAVE. • NEW YORK 630 NINTH AVt 16 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 9, 1954