Variety (May 1961)

in Montana, TOK ; Pickus Predicts | U. S. Features for Year at 285 ‘Billings, Mont., "May 16. 4 __ Albert M. Pickus, president ‘of. ‘' Theatre -Qwners of America, re-| viewed his. organization’s. activities on censorship.‘ and: ‘pay-teevee: in| his address before Montana Thea tre. Owners” Assn. He. mentioned | possibility of pix increase from: 224 to. 248 this year, based on survey. |. of 11 “major”. companies. Releases |through July, he.. informed exhib{:: . group,. will, total: 124 and it-is in-} dicated number will ‘be doubled by] ‘end of year.. Discussing : MP. Investors | “Con-. gress of. Exhibitors: .and -Productions, to. ‘scribed, Pickus: ‘observed, ‘confident: once. a steady, even a “small. supply of exhibitor-sponsored. films reaches the market, all : major film. companies will-step up -theit-releases: to meet this competi= |‘ tion. Therein,. _ 225-250. level ‘of past few years to |: ‘a new and sustained: totalof about | 300 new’ pictures annually.” “With. 300 quality pix from: Holly “wood, we. could prosper, he added. Pickus pointed out, “exhibs. have only to read newspapers—without. appreciate -publicity’ canipaign: ‘by coin-in-stot. teevee. backers to try and ‘fool the checking trades—tto “public. into thinking their systems are salvation of . all: entertainment needs.” , Telemeter system.: “which | has. not ‘attained anticipated success: to date" and. RKO’s General’s. pro spective. Hartford competition .“to. bid agairist Hartford. Theatres: for minimum of 154° first. tun. "pix ‘a’: year” is “a challenge which: inust | be.and is being.met. - “I sincerely do not. feel. pay teevee will ever succeed, because it. can’ offer the public. nothing it. is. now getting for free. It.will require ‘the average subscriber to pay no. less. than. $250-$300 a year to see a. minimum of programs, and ‘as much as. $800 to $1,000..a year to see alt it has-to-offer: Routine: pro...gramming; at high cost, Just isn't An the. public interest.” .Exhib’ support to TOA for carrying ‘on: its: endeavors: will. ‘assure “ntore. prosperous | future for all of}. “ “he said in, concluding. remarks. oP am sure if we all work: together, we can eventually. eliminate the threat of. pay -tv, blunt censor “ship | ‘and ease. the. product stiort age” ‘Jazz Subscription ” == Continued from page | — thus avoiding the necessity. of eharging a mixed. price scale. “Our } purpose is to expand the. audience .. for jazz, enlarge individual taste in. jazz,.and provide opportunities for more. jazz musicians ‘to be’ heard,” he said. . The ‘layout in: Hub is: under ‘guidance _ of. United * Audience |. ‘Service, a division of United Per‘forming ‘Arts Inc. of New York,. and > £oncept of organized audiences is something new .in jazz. The org has been active in. organizing ‘audiences: for: theatre, ‘sym-| phony and chamber .. ‘music, but never -before for ” jazz. It. says it feels. Hub is a particularly good: untapped area for concerts of. this ‘type as there are not many conflicting jazz activities in the ‘city. Membership activities are under way this: week, with a mem bership dinner having been held at. the Somerset hotel last night, Monday (81, with Herb Pomeroy band and Coleman Haw kins featured. Harmonica Tour | ‘fmm Continued from page — Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sumatra,.In donesia; Bangkok. | Rangoon and: ‘the’ Philippines. “ He returns to. U.S today Wed.) via Rome: -Logan's booking had a. special cultural plan of. selling Americana type music as played: upon the harmonica. Part of: the State Dept. scheme was for him to give away chromatic harmonicas,practically. unobtainable in Asia, to the most’ promising pupils his classes. Logan appearing in schaols, com‘munity centers and parks of: the ‘countries ‘he visited. He also performed. for Chinese ‘troops on ; Taiwan. — which TOA, has sub-|. “fT am, T believe, lies : ‘the:|, : Means. of raising production. from} Pickus” ‘feeling. ‘Is. ‘Parariount’ 8. ‘of. the New. who joined. in-| : {other Cop Turns. Exhibitor Fort. Worth, May “16. 7 Jack D. Phillips has opened: the . Variety which: had: been shuttered. for. about four months. Phillips -is. a traffic policeman and spent his. entire vacation cleaning -and repairing . the’. . theatre which: “he leased. * hestaff includes, his wife ; ~ Mary,. as cashier; his son, Jack — Jr., in charge of. concessions; ° another son, Pat, doorman, and bo third’ son,’ Rick, as. errand -. boy. oe, F ight Pressure, Rochester, Ny, May 18. RKO’ Theaters, on insistence’ that. pressure groups be answered _articulately,: area., such ‘groups: and told. of a Mid “Hoodlum Priest,” -was changed. to .‘“‘Hoodlums’ Priest.” “We are living ina world of -change.”". Mandel--‘'sald,. “What didn’t pass in another generation is atcepted now. It has always been that way. used in' the: public prints a. few years” apo are now daily occurrence. tThe ‘résponsibility for. deciding | which films, are for adults only is the: responsibility: of . parents. ” Mandel Jarge ‘response to ‘re-runs of ‘prize. quality -films. indicates..the “ter-. .Fific audience”. ayailable for. good | pictures. . Jay Golden... district RKO man‘ager,: in. introducing Mandel. said 'the RKO meeting was. brought. to “Rochester “because of our high: -tegard and close working con ‘nection with the Eastman Kodak _ Co. which provides: our’ film. and! the Bausch also ‘is important. ‘to ‘our business. : i Both industries: : are “based “In | Rochester. |uevy EY ES CHARTERS FOR CENSORSHIP AID} “The Atlanta censor rebuff ‘via. Lopert’ s “Never On Sunday” court ~;}tures of -A Young Mandel Directs} em|. phatically. and logically in their attempts to censor films. He was here for a meeting of RKO man-: agers from coast-tocoast, exclusive | York. ‘metropolitan | director, He cited injustices invoked by ‘western city. where the UA film, turned. down for advertising -because of ‘local objections, Mandel.said the. ‘objecting | group : wanted. tne. ‘Uitte : -Words : which’ weren't | Stooges; “Pirates also. émphasi zed: that |. 94" Katzman production with & Lomb. Inc.,. which | ‘Readys, Nearlys” ‘Continued. trom page 3 memes — and Hollywood; George Egypt | Stevens “The Greatest Story Ever Fold”; “Darryl. F. Zanuck’s “The Longest Day”; ‘Samuel ° “Ride. The Ship Down”; tein’s “Watcher in the Shadows”; Brackett’s :“State Fair,” starring {| Pat Boone and Bobby Darin; Dave ‘Brown's. “The Second Time Around”; Wald’s “Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation” ‘starring James Stew “The Greatest Raid of All’; Brack /“The.. Enemy Within’: Martin ‘author J. P.:.Miller having just arrived from.Gotham with script draft, Jack Lemmon, Leo Remick, |‘Karl. Malden starred, Blake Ed Wald’s . “Adven-Man,” Weistein's. “Under the Skin.” Manhulis hopes. to start “Dooley” wards directing; filmed in Thailand, although no feast, director, etc., have been set; | “Love In A Cool Climate,” novel Harry Mandel, .new president. of. expressed firmly the belief: that theater exhibitors ‘and. “Managers must: get together: by Frederick Kohner with Carol Heiss in starring lead to start in. ‘December, .which would, swell the ‘total to 39 with 16 “shooting” be‘tween ‘June-December. period. Dozen pix fini and waiting release. D. F. Zanuck’s “The Big ‘Gamble,”: Dick. Feischer director, starring Stephen Boyd, David Wayne, and Juliette Greco; “Madison Ave.;” Eleanor Parker, Jeanne Crain; -Plato Skouras’ “Francis.of Assisi,” _Curtiz director, starring Brad ‘Dillman, Dolores Hart, . Stuart Whitman; “The Lion of Sparta, ad Rudy — ‘Mate director, starring Richard Eagan. and. Diane Baker; Wald’s “Wild in the Country,” Phil {‘Dunne director, starring. Elvis Presley, Hope Lang and Tuesday Weld; Andrew Marton, producer-director, starring: Jayne Mansfield and Trax ‘Colton; ‘Three’ Stooges,” Charles Wick, producer; Walter Lang, director, starring Carol Heiss and The Three of Tortuga,” -Leticia Roman and Ken Scott, Bob Webb director, Irwin. Allen's “Vovy age.to the Bottom of the Sea." “starring Walter Pidgeon, Joan ‘|. Fontane and Frankie Avaton; ‘Marines, .Let’s Go.” Raoul Walsh, -producer-director, with Tom Tryon and David Hedison: and “The Hustler,” Robert Rosson, producer director, Starring Paul Newman, Jackie.Gleason and Piper Laurie, ‘made eritirely in New York, Theatres Rebel === Continued from page 3 ~~ | arets are destined to reap a hefty harvest from Spanish. stay-out ‘throngs. While the ‘new law presents ‘exhibs with a host of problems, end: “Waiter Wanger-Joe Mankie| wicz “Cleopatra.” starring Eliza-: | beth Taylor; to be made in Italy, Engel’s | Weins|. art and Maureen: O’Hara: Robson’s | ‘ett’s “Lost. City of Africa’; Wald’s. |‘ Manulis’ “ "Days of Wine and Roses,” and |" this summer, portions of it to be T ‘Bruce Humberstone. with Dana... Andrews, “It Happened in Athens,’ “Snow White .and The|/ | Rackmil Rejoices Milton Rackmil, just back from a gipbal tour of Univer. sal installations, sees U prod‘ uct enjoying peak acceptance abroad as.a result of the “important picture’ concept his team inaugurated when U was at its low ebb. Rackmilfinds U’s business up 50% in Japan and 25%6 in Germany, ‘and Says the trend is likewise up in other markets. In Europe and the far east, he adds, exhib reports indicate filmgoing is following the American pattern of selectiv‘Ity.: Exec, in short, has never been more optimistic re U's chances in global competition. Decca Droops As Busters Scarcer As tipped by Milt Rackmil, Dec‘ea Records-Universal prexy, at last j stockholders meet, net. earnings of Decca for first three months of this year were less than half what they amounted to for like period a year ago. Drop, ‘as Rackmil previously explained, reflected fewer number of U blockpusters in release than a year ago. Latest statement lists a net of $963,815, equal to 75c a share on the 1,285,701 outstanding capital issues. For same '60 period, earnings hit $1,989,775, or $1.54 per share.. UNITARIAN SEES RED IN BLUE-PENCILITIS Memphis, May 16. Absurdities inherent in Ameri ean folkways which permit brutalities and sadism but exclude by Rev. Eugene Luening. pastor of the First Unitarian Church. He was addressing the curiosily-named Memphis Anti-Censorship Group ° which can’t quite make up its mind to really. take the position it’s Iname i ies it takes. The Unitarian pastor's remarks have to be weighed in the scale : of local hubbub raised by a mixed| clergy group fronted by a local Baptist divine. Luening considers : much of the pretended holier-thanthou comments on screen sex a5, behind the times. Sex ‘standards ; have been changing for 50 years. It’s nothing new. Nor have the. films gone further than the American people in their private lives. To quote, “Sexual behavior pattern in the world is changing and: victory: is cited. as.a new. battle | particularly those with showcases | churches, the moral code and the tangent for. anti-censorship. ‘forces. Herman M. Levy. general counsel ! for Theatre Owners | of -America. underlines the point that the “Sun| numbers, the new timetable decree | statistics which show increases in | day” suit was_a test of the Georgia | state constitution — not, as such actions have been ‘hitherto. based, a test of he U.S. Constitution. ‘ “Herein.” says Levy, “lies a new ‘direction for the. battle against censorship ....Attorneys handling this ‘type of case will now look carefully to state constitutions for help.” _ Georgia constitution by its’ very terms,.as the Fulton County: Superior ‘Court decision noted, ‘makes. -prior restraint or: censorship. ‘in .| valid.” ‘The TOA: counsel figures ‘the At‘Janta rap especially. pertinent to | [. Abilene: ‘Tex, and other municipal entities mulling censor setups. Levy welcomes the care with| which the court shifted: responsibitity. to parents: “It it obvious -. . that parents are niore compeient ; ‘to. rear children than the state, and this responsibility should rest with them. Censorship ‘is not .a:désirable substitute for’ responsible parents. a And. more’ effectively | ‘than thorities “should rely.on the crim inal laws which mike ‘obscenity a| criminal offense.” ae Court, of course; did not find ° “Sunday” -obscene by ; censor crite: Lia, Court observed: in: reecnt censorship decisions, | ‘Integral ‘aspect of ‘the ‘tour had | Atlanta tri bunal suggested that au-. | Screening three-hour pix now en| tering the market ‘in increasing’ gives legit impressarios the rough-. est shake. Aware of. the. iconoclas-. tic: rules of shutting legit houses. by midnight (11:30 p.m. during the ‘best b.o. months of the year) gov| ernment. prose writers inserted .a clause giving impressarios the [right to schedule only one per; formance a night, “‘a normal situa| tion in many other countries.” In legit sectors, the decree ended wordy controversy over the cur-. trent dilemma of. stage actors now ; suffering 14 performances a. week. ‘A combined campaign of the vertical. show business unions, critics ‘and. hitmanitarians in general had , | succeeded in. reducing this num‘| ber in’ most cases. to 13 performances a week and jin very few in ijaws have not kept pace.” The change. was. clearly pointed out in the Kinsey report “and by early marriage. illegitimacy, pre-: ‘martial and extra-marital relaj } tions.” Pastor pounded across several ; startling (to his audience) remarks when: he stated “In our culture the artist is supposed to move his |; reader to laughter or tears but he is not supposed to move him sexually or fo mock the public figures who make spectacles of themselves. It seems to. be all right for telelyvision and the movies to show: brutal murder, but not a natural : relationship between a man and, la) woman.” The Minister also pointed out that churches find —e competiter they have encountered. > tare honest sexual. atfraction as themes . for drama were highlighted here ~ motion pictures the most potent : He thought that films meet the | Ross Hunter Productions Get 2 4, As Part of New Universal Deal + It's a bit complicated. but Uni versal is henceforth cutting Ross Hunter in on the profits. Belatedly, some think. Deal is this: Hunter will continue on the U staff through ’64, one year past the original termination. In return, U will cut tn his Ross Hunter Productions for 22127. of its interest in al! films associating the two companies over a four-year period, {cing the cake by making the pact retroactive to “Pillow Talk.’ Deal, its emphasized, only involves filmic ventures. While Hunter personally is committed to U, his production firm is free to roam the field, and it’s understood is talking’ deals with other majors. At the same time, it’s diversifying outside the pictures sphere via a couple of television projects, an association on Broadway next season, and as a musie publisher, Re the last, chief asset at the moment is the title tune jfrom the U-Hunter “Tammy Tell Me True,” with beaucoup: spins forecast for the Percy Faith and ‘Sandra Dee diskings. The legit venture, reporterly, is “Vermilion,” musical version of “Take Me to Town,” first produced by Hunter for Universal in ‘53. Discussions lare under way for “Unsinkable Molly Brown” writer Richard Morris to pen the book. Anent the four-year pact handed Ross Hunter Productions, there’s no stipulation on number of pix to be delivered in any one year, but likely to average three or four a semester based on Hunter’s past output pace and the look of his slate. RHP (to underline the dis tinction from Ross Hunter, U staffer) is finishing the “Back Street” remake, the “Tammy” sequel and “Flower Drum Song,” and has three more in the works for U before the year’s out. These include “In the Wrong Rain.”” Chekhov’s “Chalk Garden’ based on the Enid Bagnold stage adaptation, and “Thrill of it All.”’ an original from Carl Reiner and Larry Gelbart. Pencilled in to follow are “Elephant Hill,” “If a Man Answers,” “Fanfare” and “Next Time We Love.” Any assay of Hunter at this point as U's fair-haired man is obviously , to gild the producer's success story at what's now the MCA lot, Could , be there wouldn’t have been room ‘for com»yany topper Milt Rackmil to _pull off his canny maneuvers had ‘it not been for the out-of-nowhere :click of Hunter’s “Imitation of : Life.’ That was the desperately ‘needed shot in the arm. Produce:’s , subsequent hits are common ree, ord, and U figures the -batch of ‘em have racked up a near $40.000.000 gro<s. , What sweetens it all is that Hunter has been able to bring them in on relatively modest budgets—in the $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 ranze '—despite their expensive appearance. The “Imitation” negative. in fact. ran under $800,000. What U really likes in Hunter is that he's | prolific but no spendthrift. Ard, 1it would seem, he sure knows his boxoffice chemistry. I Reclip Atlanta ‘gumenes Continued from page 5 asus jtion pictures in question. If his irulings are not appealed. a declara[tory judgment, sought in noth isuits, could entirely wipe out Atrlanta’s censorship laws, according to officials. In his original ruling, jurist neld { that Georgia cons{itutional previ'sions of “freedom of speech” prohib‘ts prior restraint on movies He pointed out the law has am | ple provision for proseciting per sons who show pornographic pic tures, but held that “Never on aun‘dav’ was not obscene, as the Atlanta Censor Board said in ban stances to 12 a week With one! natural’ emotional needs of man. ning it. fell swoop of his pen. the minister : of interior has. made it practically impossible for impressarios to! ‘stage more than one performance | scheduled and . how week. Government orders to bring the working dav and the entertain many per ment night into line with western’ customs has become one of the rae : herréed showmen reluctantly strug. | g: ‘ge ty camply, a . and release them better than many ‘ churches do. i ‘Then -he referred to his own back yard. “As for me I urge m) . a night. The question still to be. own children to see everything and ! answered is when matinees will be igread everything—ves I said every; the thing—so they can know the good : from the bad when they see it and! learn to judge for themselves. Ti worry most when ‘they Mrs. Christine Smith Gilliam ‘wife of an alderman: wil! continue ‘to review despite Judge Alverson’s decisions. Attorney Maurice N. Maloof. of Atlanta law firm of Hes man, Abram and Young, brought the for both Continental and He originally petitioned ‘suits i Lopert. confine i for $20,000 in damages on beaatf themsel¥es to one list whether it lof Continental because of the ban be compiled by a religious couscil lon “Room.” However, the dana. of decency or by some polilical or soci31 self appointed group of : I eensars.” ‘request was redrawn “because of the pecvliarities of Georgia las,’ Maiovf said.