Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

ON THE MARCH (Continued from page 30) all in CinemaScope, and “Heckle and Jeckle,” "Pirates Gold” with the Talking Magpies; “Hare-Breadth Finish,” “African Jungle Hunt” with Phoney Baloney; “Daddy’s Little Darling” and “Love is Blind” all in standard dimension. Frant McCarthy UNIVERSAL An ambitious program for the coming year is in the works at Universal-International according to Frank J. A. McCarthy, assistant general sales manager. Planned are some 50 short subject releases and 104 issues of the UniversalInternational newsreel. “A wide variety of material with which to round out their entertainment programs for their customers, and which we feel will in many instances provide added boxoffice stimulation, should satisfy our exhibitors eminently this year,” Mr. McCarthy said. “During this past year,” he continued, “the company has been on the alert for unusual footage and topical material. This practice will be accelerated in 1956-1957. Where subjects lend themselves to local angles, exhibitors will get important promotional assists. Feature motion pictures are getting longer and larger these days; the short subject should come into its own also.” Of the 50 short subjects planned for release, there will be five separate series. Included are 15 two-reelers and 35 onereelers. Six of the one-reelers are reissues of Walter Lantz Technicolor cartunes, which are in considerable demand by exhibitors, Mr. McCarthy noted. “Walter Lantz cartoons are great favorites, “he said, “especially the Woody Woodpecker group. However, Lantz’ recent cartoon creation ‘Chilly Willy the Penguin,’ has been giving Woody a run for his money in this new season and ought to turn out a record breaker.” The company, he said, has always found its two-reel musical featurettes among its most popular offerings. These spot top bands and entertainers. Included are the Mills Brothers, Guy Mitchell, Rusty Draper and Billy Daniels, the song stylist, whose “Mr. Black Magic,” promises to be one of the more popular items of the new season, according to Mr. McCarthy. Through its Decca affiliation, Universal will avail itself of the services of many topline performers, along with prominent exponents of “Rock ’n Roll.” Thirteen new Walter Lantz Technicolor cartoons are planned, with Knothead and Splinter added to the characters in these items. Takeoffs on popular subjects will again be a feature. Some titles: “Dopey Dick the Pink Whale;” “To Catch a Woodpecker,” and “The Plumber of Seville,” among others on the schedule. The Universal-International Color Parade series, some of them in CinemaScope, will consist of eight subjects dealing with a variety of themes. The Variety View series will also be on hand, represented by eight one-reelers. A highlight of this group is the “Brooklyn” travel series. WARNER BROS: “Our short subject business is holding well, and we expect 1956-57 to be the best season ever,” declares Norman H. Moray, Warners short subjects sales manager. “The short subject,” Mr. Moray says, “is of greater importance today than ever before, as it is a highly selective and specialized market. Patrons are shopping for their picture entertainment and the wise showman knows that every part of Norman Moray his program must be ‘tops.’ A fine short subject, selected for the proper program balance, gives a great lift to any show.” Mr. Moray stressed that each Warner short is hand-tailored to guarantee a perfect blending of features and shorts in a typical program, and each production is audience-tested and proven. Warners is also according its shorts certain “feature” treatment, including special premieres — something of a rarity in the business, Mr. Moray adds, as Warners is one of the few companies going in for that type of promotion. Among shorts “feature-treated” in the past: “24 Hour Alert,” with Jack Webb and U.S. Air Force personnel; “’Copters and Cows,” which was accorded a gala opening in Vernon, Texas, home of the Bell Helicopter Plant; “The Amazon Trader,” which had a Miami Beach opening, and “Down Liberty Road,” which was given a series of special fronts and displays. Mr. Moray revealed that now in (Continued on page 34) IN 20th Century-Fox's CinemaScope color short subject, "Korea," appear General Van Fleet and General Chang, Chief of Staff of the ROK army, and other officers. DENOTING travel: the Sphinx, in Warners' "Out of the Desert". 32 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 27, 1956