Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Sep 1956)

Paramount to Offer 10 Films To Year End Ten major Paramount releases will enter release during the final six months of 1956, the company has announced. The schedule includes special engagements of Cecil B. DeMille’s production of “The Ten Commandments” and Ponti-DeLaurentiis’ “War and Peace.” The 10 productions are offered to theatres in conjunction with Paramount’s “Salute to George Weltner” 26-week sales drive in honor of the worldwide sales head’s 34 years at Paramount. While “War and Peace” and “The Ten Commandments,” will only enter the initial phase of their long-range distribution during the second half of 1956, the eight other pictures for all practical purposes will be released generally in the period. In keeping with Paramount’s announced policy for all its productions, the 10 new films have been made in VistaVision. Eight are in Technicolor and two in blackand-white. Upcoming Product Paramount’s general release schedule for July through December follows: July: Panama-Frank’s “That Certain Feeling,” in Technicolor, starring Bob Hope, Eva Marie Saint and George Sanders, and Perlberg-Seaton’s “The Proud and Profane,” with William Holden and Deborah Kerr. August: Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis’ “Pardners,” in Technicolor. September: “The Vagabond King,” Technicolor, introducing Oreste co-starring with Kathryn Grayson, Rita Moreno and Sir Cedric Hardwicke, and “The Search for Bridey Murphy,” starring Louis Hayward, Teresa Wright and Nancy Gates. October: Edward Dmytryk’s “The Mountain,” Technicolor, starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner and Claire Trevor. November: “Three Violent People,” Technicolor, starring Charlton Heston, Anne Baxter and Gilbert Roland. December: Hal Wallis’ “Hollywood or Bust,” Technicolor, starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis with Anita Ekberg. November will see premieres of “The Ten Commandments” at the Criterion, New York; Warner’s Beverly, Los Angeles; RKO Keith’s, Washington; the Randolph, Philadelphia; the Astor, Boston; University, Toronto; Loew’s Ohio, Cleveland, Madison, Detroit, and McVickers, Chicago. Additional premieres of the DeMille film will follow in December in Baltimore. Montreal, Miami Beach, San Francisco and Cincinnati. “War and Peace,” viewed last week in London for the first time by top Paramount executives, is due to have its world premiere in August at the Capitol, N. Y. ROY HAINES WARNER GENERAL SALES HEAD Roy Haines has been named general sales manager of Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., it is announced by Benjamin Kalmenson, executive vicepresident. Mr. Haines, formerly west ern division sales manager, succeeds Mr. Kalmenson as the company’s sales • head. Mr. Haines is a distribution veteran. He was born in Minerva, Ohio, and attended Mount Union College. His career in the industry began as a salesman for First National Pictures. He then became a branch manager for First National, and subsequently district manager. Mr. Haines then became eastern and Canadian sales manager, southern division manager, and western division manager. In 1941 he was elected vice-president of the Vitagraph Corp. Since 1943 he has been western division sales manager for Warner Pictures. “I know of no one more uniquely equipped by experience and personality than Roy Haines,” said Mr. Kalmenson. “He is one of the most respected and best liked sales figures in the entire industry, and I am delighted and proud that he has seen fit to accept the position as my successor.” Roy Haines Thrillarama Described At Oklahoma Meeting TULSA: The new Thrillarama process, which is scheduled to open at Houston next week, recently was outlined before the business session of the United Theatre Owners of Oklahoma at the organization’s first anniversary convention held at the Indian Hills Country Club here, with Albert H. Reynolds of Dallas, president of the Thrillarama company, presenting the description. Other speakers at the one-day session included Julius Gordon of Beaumont, Texas, and Ed Thorne, former UTO official, now associated with the A1 Sindlinger organization in Philadelphia. A screening of “Oklahoma!” preceded the session. RKO Signs Dors HOLLYWOOD: RKO Radio announced here this week that it has signed British star Diana Dors to a multiple picture contract. Miss Dors came here three weeks ago to make “I Married A Woman” with George Gobel. Under the new contract, Miss Dors’ next film will be “The Lady and The Prowler,” which starts shooting September 5. RKO Planning O'Shea Drive Daniel O’Shea Daniel T. O’Shea, president of RKO, will be honored by the company’s 1956 sales drive, which will be called the “Dan O’Shea Drive” it is announced by Walter Branson, RKO’s vice president in charge of world wide distribution. The sales competition, with cash prizes for winning exchanges, will run for 16 weeks, beginning August 31. “We have a dual purpose in instituting the ‘Dan O’Shea Drive,” Mr. Branson explained. “First it will give us an opportunity to show the entire motion picture industry the new RKO in action. Secondly it gives all of us in sales a means of expressing to our president, Mr. O’Shea, our deep appreciation for his efforts under the new RKO management in giving us merchandisable product and a renewed and active interest in our daily activities.” In a message to the RKO branches, Mr. Branson called for plans for the greatest drive in the history of the company, one that would be a real pacesetter. Nat Levy, eastern sales manager, and Herbert H. Greenblatt, western sales manager, will leave this week to hold sales meetings at each of the exchanges in their respective territories. Mike Poller, home office assistant to Mr. Greenblatt, will also go on the road to the exchanges. Among the top RKO productions to be released during the “Dan O’Shea Drive” are “The First Traveling Saleslady,” the first film under the aegis of the new RKO management; “Back from Eternity,” “Tension at Table Rock,” “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt,” “Public Pigeon Number One,” “Run of the Arrow,” “Bundle of Joy” and “The Brave One.” Los Angeles Meeting The Los Angeles exchange meeting, July 18-20, will have western district manager J. H. MacIntyre participating with Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Poller. The entire Los Angeles sales staff will attend. July 23 and 24 Mr. Greenblatt, Mr. Poller and Mr. MacIntyre will hold meetings in San Francisco and Seattle for the local and the Portland branches. July 30 and 31 Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. Poller will be joined by A. L. Kolitz, Rocky Mountain district manager, for sessions in Salt Lake City, and in Denver August 1-3. Sam Gorelick, midwestern district manager, will join them in Chicago for meetings August 6-7. Other dates are being worked out. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JULY 21, 1956 19