Paramount World (1955)

4 Many developments of far-reaching signifi¬ cance have occurred during the past month. One was the announcement of the internat¬ ional showmanship contest revolving around Carol Ohmart and the Michael Curtiz production, THE SCARLET HOUR. This contest points up the importance of this picture, particularly in re¬ lation to the development of future stellar personalities within our industry. Then there is the introduction of the Home Office visits by domestic branch managers, in an expansion of the timely policy of "Know Your Organization." Already this innovation has produced such beneficial results as to re¬ veal the fact that by the end of the year, when every manager will have spent a minimum of one PARAMOUNT WORLD Published the First of every month by Paramount Pictures Corporation, 1501 Broadway, New York 36, New York, U.S.A. Issued by and for Paramounteers around the world who believe in the entertainment appeal of their product and in the business future of their company. ALBERT DEANE. Editor Volume 1, Number 2 July 1, 1955 week in Manhattan, we shall have the best-inf¬ ormed organization in the industry. Our product, too, shares the Paramount progress spotlight. Not only do the members of our own sales force know that the pictures made, in release and in the making are the top box-office creations in the entire history of our company, but the rest of the industry kncws it as well, as do the financial circles of the nation arxithe publications which report of and to those circles. The years ahead are truly Paramount 'si NICELY SAID BY "THE CINEMA". . The eminent British trade publication. The Cinema, had this to say about the appoint¬ ment of James E. Perkins as Executive Vice President of Par¬ amount International Films: '•We shall miss Perkins a very great deal. His quiet and unassum¬ ing mariner belied the very real in¬ fluence he brought to bear on Brit¬ ish trade affairs. We wish him well in his new post which so obviously suits his talents.” And Bernard Charman, Editor and Publisher of Daily Film Renter, London, had this to say: "....Jim Perkins has, as everybody knows, been coining and going between here and New York for quite a time. A couple of months ago I reported that he might be given an im¬ portant new assignment with the company. "He is to be congratulated cn a promotion which recognises his sterling worth to Para¬ mount. In the British trade he will be sadly missed. Quiet and unassuming in manner, he has been a powerful influence in the counsel*) of both KRS and MPA, "Few members of the American group, past or present, have inspired greater respect. "He had developed a very great liking for this country, and will leave it, I am sure, with mixed feelings. But that will not prevent him from registering as great a success in his big new job as in his previous posts," When the news of the app¬ ointment of Fred Hutchinson became known. The Film Renter had this to say: "This pronotion is certain to be welcome for Fred, whose quiet forceftil personality is without a trace of flamboyance, is deservedly popular with exhibitors....” SYMBOLS FROM SINAI Permanently enshrined in the Par¬ amount President's office are these tablets of The Ten Commandments which Cecil B. DeMlle brought Mr, Balaban from Mount Sinai at the conclusion of the major location journey for the motion picturization of THE TEN COMM¬ ANDMENTS, The mounting of the tablets, done under the direction of Agnes Mengel Grew, evokes the undisguised admiration of everyvisitor to Mr. Balaban' s office. And the following is, in part, an editorial tribute paid to Fred by The Cinema of London: "....Yet the trade will undoubted¬ ly welcome him most because he is someone they know so well, a man with whom they have dealt for so long and someone whose knowledge and opinions they can look up to as carrying the full weight of years of experience which means sound practical values... With such men (this editorial also included Mr, Perkins) to guide the fortunes of major companies there should be no depression in sight and silver linings to all box-offices I Another chapter in the policy of having ours the Our new masthead, used on the cover and at the head of this editorial page, was designed and drawn by Frank Ross, a long-ser^ce Paramounteer and member ol the Paramount Art Department. best-informed film organizat¬ ion in the world is found in the current visit to Rome and London by Jerome Pickman, the company's public relations head. This is very much in line with the desire of Pres¬ ident Balaban and World-Wide Sales Head Weltner to make our company a 'One World' film organization in which all ex¬ ecutives in responsible posit¬ ions will be acquainted with Paramount's world-wide ramifi¬ cations and operations. A most important index to the calibre of future product to bear the Paramount imprint is to be found in the recent acquisition of the best-seller., "Gertrude Lawrence as Mrs, A." This fascinating biography is a truly colorful retelling of the life of one of the most fascinating human beings ever to grace the Stages of England, America and Continental Europe, As a Paramount picture it will be cast with skill and produc¬ ed with a deep affection for the memory of one of the very great and beloved stage char¬ acters of all time.