Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

RKO Radio, Mutual System To Coordinate RKO Radio Pictures and the Mutual Broadcasting System will coordinate their related activities more closely, it is announced by Thomas F. O’Neil, president and board chairman of RKO Teleradio Pictures, Inc., the parent company. Mr. O’Neil said that the more closely knit relationships will extend to every facet of the motion picture and radio activities of both subsidiaries, with primary emphasis placed on programming, sales and client services, promotion, exploitation, and publicity. The coordination plan, as outlined by Mr. O’Neil, MBS and RKO Radio Pictures presidents John B. Poor and Daniel O'Shea, will have RKO stars and contract personnel available for MBS programming appearances. It will also permit MBS broadcast adaptations of vast amounts of story material on RKO library shelves, make RKO’s 32 branch office managers and its 109 overseas office facilities available to MBS for station relations, sales, sales service, news and program liaison purposes and permit closer promotional and exploitational tie-ins between RKO and the Mutual network. Mr. O’Neil cited the fact that RKO Radio Pictures’ field managers already function as liaison contacts for RKO Television’s rapidly expanding activities. “We know,” he said, “that these people are fully aware of the problems unique to supplying films-for-tv and had experiences with network radio when we introduced “The Conqueror” last winter. To integrate them even more closely into our family of allied entertainment companies and divisions is, accordingly, a logical furtherance of already proved capabilities.” Mr. O’Neil said the field representatives are located in the country’s primary market areas and are continually in touch with MBS station owners and managers in their respective districts. Mutual’s seven owned radio and its five tv stations, operated by General Teleradio, are also to be integrated into this plan. RKO Radio Steps Up Trade Paper Ads An accelerated program calling for 17 major productions from late 1956 to early 1957 from RKO Radio Pictures has resulted in a stepping up of its trade paper advertising, Walter Branson, vice-president in charge of world wide distribution, has announced. The increased schedule was led off by a three-page, two-color institutional product ad currently running in all the daily and weekly trade publications, he said. High Court Meets, Acts On Two Industry Cases WASHINGTON: The Supreme Court refused to reconsider its June decision that children are equally entitled with the widow of a copyright owner to renew the copyright and grant licenses and share in the proceeds under a copyright. The court’s June ruling in the copyright case upheld a decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a case involving the ownership of the song copyrights of the late George C. DeSylva. Columbia Nef $2,670,000 Columbia Pictures last week reported consolidated earnings for the year ended June 30, 1956, of $2,670,000. This compares with $4,949,000 for the year ended June 25, 1955, according to the report by Harry Cohn, president. Earnings per share of common stock were $2.28 for the period ended June 30, 1956, as compared with $4.40 for the previous period. The earnings per share of common stock after preferred stock dividends, for both the current year and the prior year, are based on the 1,067,327 shares outstanding on June 30, 1956. The company provided no explanatory information, limiting itself to the foregoing only. Gross business for the past fiscal year was not disclosed nor were Federal taxes or other data. German Set for Award At JDA Event Oct. 24 The motion picture industry will present its second Annual Human Relations Award to William J. German, president of William J. German, Inc., and prominent philanthropic leader, at a luncheon sponsored by the Joint Defense Appeal October 24 at the Hotel Astor, New York. The announcement of the award was made by Robert S. Benjamin, board chairman of United Artists and JDA chairman for the motion picture industry, who will make the presentation to Mr. German. The Award is presented annually to the member of the industry whose distinguished contributions to the cause of community welfare and human rights are in line with the goals of the Joint Defense Appeal. First winner, last year, was Danny Kaye. Harry Brandt, president of the Independent Theatre Owners Association, and Barney Balaban, president of Paramount Pictures Corp., are honorary chairmen of JDA in the Motion Picture Industry. Adolph Schimel is treasurer. Joint Defense Appeal is the fund-raising agency of the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith. Zabel Retires From Circuit LOS ANGELES: Elmer C. Rhoden, president of National Theatres, last week disclosed that Edwin F. Zabel, vice-president and general manager of the Fox West Coast Theatres division, will retire November 1 after 31 years with the company. Like George Bowser, who retired some years ago after an extended tenure, Mr. Zabel will receive a lifetime retirement salary from the corporation. Mr. Zabel joined the company in 1925 as a theatre doorman. National Theatres, it was reported is continuing the circuit’s corporate title, despite the announcement made in Phoenix that the theatre advertising copy in all of the circuit’s divisions will be signed “Fox National Theatres” until further notice. The word “Fox” will be dropped from the advertising signature in a year or so, it was stated, when the present public confusion is dissipated, leaving “National Theatres” as the nationally recognized identity. "GIANT" ( Continued from page 16) many excellent supporting performances is supplied by Mercedes McCambridge, headstrong sister of the ranch owner, who dies early in the story in consequence of shocking abuse of her sister-in-law's horse. Chill Wills, present throughout in a role that illuminates by reference the Hudson and Taylor characterizations, looks like the year's likeliest candidate so far for the Academy's best-supporting-performance award for 1956. The Texas setting is conveyed strikingly to the screen by the talented William C. Mellor, A.S.C., in warm WarnerColor. The songs used in the picture are by Dimitri Tiomkin and Paul Francis Webster, frequent sharers of Academy awards for best-song-of-the-year. The box office future of the production is guaranteed beyond question by that best of all box office assets — sheer merit. Previewed at the Screen Directors Playhouse, Hollywood, to an audience made up of press and profession. This is possibly the most exacting place of exhibition, and the severest audience the picture will ever encounter. The production played like the giant it is, and the audience cheered it. Reviewer’s Rating: Superior. — William R. Weaver. Release date, not set. Running time, 197 minutes. PCA No. 17675. General audience classification. Leslie Benedict Elizabeth Taylor Bick Benedict Rock Hudson Jett Rink James Dean Carroll Baker, Jane Withers, Chill Wills, Mercedes McCambridge, Sal Mineo, Dennis Hopper, Judith Evelyn, Paul Fix, Rodney Taylor, Earl Holliman, Robert Nichols, Alexander Scourby, Fran Bennett, Charles Watts, Eliza Cardenas, Carolyn Craig, Monty Hale, Mary Ann Edwards, Sheb Wooley, Victor Millan, Mickey Simpson, Pilar Del Rey, Maurice Jara, Noreen Nash, Napoleon Whiting, Ray Whitley, Tina Menard 18 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 13, 1956