Variety (June 1955)

Wednesday, June 8, 1955 PICTURES 15 ‘WE LOVE BRANCH How to Grab a Lady The ad art work for “Barefoot Contessa,” United Artists re- lease of last year, centered on a standing view of Ava Gardner with • the shadowed likeness of a man embracing her from the rear with his head perched on her shoulder. Ads for two new pictures; ‘^Magnificent Matador” and “That Lady,” feature just, about the same kind of pose. Maureen O'Hara has a man clutching her from behind for “Matador” and Olivia de Havilland ditto for “Lady.” Both films are 20th-Fox releases. Roger Lewis, .UA’s ad director, was an office boy at 20th 15 years ago. Groaner Credits Complaints Against Excessive Brutality—Speaks as Catholic Actor . v " ‘ " +- — ; r— By DAVE KAUFMAN ^ Hollywood, June 7. Bing Crosby, who rarely speaks out on controversial matters, has joined the Legion of Decency in condemning the picture industry for allowing features with scenes of excessive violence to be made. In relating his views to Variety, Crosby said he felt that the Pro- duction Code should be strength- ened, that Jeeth should be put into it to “prohibit” such scenes in films. . [The Legion "discovered ” its v objections to screen violence only recently. Howevir, it's tong been of, concern to other groups, such as the Genl. Fed- eration of Women's Clubs. The Code showed concern over it — and said so —a year ago. — Ed .] The star acknowledged that as a Catholic he must adhere to the Legion’s credo, but stressed that beyond that he feels the Legion is completely justified in its criticism against such films. “Pictures with, excessive violence In them are harmful to children. They frighten them. The screen is supposed to entertain, not scare you to death,” opined Crosby, first top star to take an active side in the current controversy between the Legion and the majors* “The other night, watching the baseball games on tv, I saw a trail- er of ‘Gangbusters,’ and I thought the excessive amount of violence in the scenes was inexcusable. After all, the kids who see these pictures are impressionable, and they may go away from the thea- tres feeling violence is a great thing, and try to practice the same methods,” he said.. "I don't mean to take a holier- than-thou attitude, because I’m as guilty as the rest in this business. I’ve been in pictures with a sug- gestive-quality and nudity, and a couple of my pictures got ‘B’ rat- ings from the Legion. It’s easy to get a laugh with such scenes, and the temptation is too great to re- sist at times. We all share the guilt. “I don’t object to scenes with nudity if they’re done in good taste and if they fit into the story,” said Crosby, currently starring in Para- mount’s “Anything Goes.” Crosby said he had attended church when the priest had in- formed the parish of the Legion’s sentiments on pix, and said that the priest said it was a mortal sin for any Catholic to see a pic nixed by the Legion. CATHOLIC RAP CANCELS ‘SINBAD’-IN ADVANCE Hartford, June 7. As the result of Catholic pres- sure, RKO’s “Son of Sinbad” has been yanked from the E. M. Loew’s Theatre here prior to its scheduled opening on Friday (3) at the down- towner. Picture, had been adver- tised when it became the butt of a statement by the Most- Rev. Henry J, O’Briem archbishop of Hartford. Fingering the picture by name in a preface to a statement on the morality of films, the archbishop sharply criticized the lowering of moral standards in motion pictures. The statement of the archbishop was read in all Roman Catholic churches of the Hartford diocese. The picture had been'icondemned by the Legion of »Decency. •• ■ • Kelley to Inspect Zeiss And Agfa in Germany Hollywood, June 7. William F. Kelley, technical di- rector of the Motion Picture Re- search Council, is one of the reps of the American Standards Assn, attending the two-week session of the International Standards Orgdh- ization, which started yesterday in Stockholm. Before returning to Hollywood, he will visit the Zeiss and Agfa plants in Germany for discussions with researchers oh latest technical developments in motion pictures, Kelley also is. slated to huddle with technical experts in France and England. Insider Data Reveals Smith Jr.’s 14,250 Shares (Plus Pool) in Republic Washington, June 7. Bernard E. Smith Jr. is buying heavily in Republic Pictures, com- mon, he has reported to the Securi- ties and Exchange Commission. SEC’s latest monthly report on “in- sider” transactions shows that Smith added 14,250 shares in his own name, giving him 30,000. He is also interested in a partnership which acquired 5,600 shares, for a total of 6,600. Harry Brandt, Trans Lux topper, added 200 T-L common in his own name and 400 for the H. Brandt Foundation. He now owns or con- trols 145,615 shares. Report, which covers the period April 11 thi;ough May 10, shows that Harold J. Mi- risch disposed of 420 shares of Al- lied Artists; this left him 100 shares in his own iiame plus 28,440 in holding companies. Joseph A. McConville unloaded 1,000 shares of Columbia Pictures common, retaining 3,148. Nathan B. Spingold sold 186 shares. He reported to SEC that he now has no Columbia common in his own name, only 9 shares in a trust ac- count, but that his Franate Invest- ing Co. owns 9,476. / Peter Colfax sold 500 shares of National Theatres common. Tornado Adds $35,000 To Budget of ‘Picnic’ Kansas City, June 7. Recent heavy rains, tornadoes and generally fierce weather have added extensively to the costs of shooting Columbia’s “Piqnic” on location in Central Kansas. The twisters which levelled Udall and other towns were a part of the weather trend which broke up much of “Picnic’s” outdoor shoot- ing and brought considerable de- lays. Shooting in and around Salina, Hutchinson, Halstead and other Kansas towns has involved a large cast of principals and local extras, the Hollywood contingent includ- ing William Holden, Kim Novak, Rosalind Russell, Betty Field, Verna Felton, Arthur O’Connell, Director Josh Logan and assistant director Carter DeHaven and a host of others. Delays which caused revision of the shooting schedule at times shot the budget up $35,000. But it was good for an extensive fea- ture in the Kansas City Star, as a publicity recoup on part of the loss. In a novel approach, kfl Para- mount branch managers , in* the U, S. and'Canada—and from over- seas later—will be brought to N. Y. to spend one week a year at the homeoflice. Starting this month, the fieldmen will be making. the h.o. trek at the rate of two at a time. This is global sales chief George Weltner’s plan and he’s devised it as a means of “breaking down the barriers” between the h.o, and the field. The exchange chiefs will confer with the Gotham execs about specific problems and will spend time in 1 the bidding, con- tract, print and other departments. This, it’s figured, should give the fieldsters more of an intimate knowledge than ever they’ve had concerining all h.o. operations that affect them. In past, their only contact with the sales brass was at conventions. As it’s planned, the three sales divisions will alternate on sending one branch topper to Gotham for the week’s tour. E. K. O’Shea's eastern territory, Hugh Owen’s western and Gordon Lightstone’s Canadian will work it so that each will bring in a man a week for two consecutive weeks and then skip a week. The scheme is another facet of Weltner’s overall policy which stresses more Closeness in opera- tion and coordination. . Another part of it is his plan to visit every domestic branch each year ip addi- tion to calling on his overseas out- posts. The specifics have yet to be set on bringing foreign managers to N. Y. for the one-week’s h.o. “schooling.”- Hushed Up Since May 16 While Here’s a Plot Gimmick N James Heads Publicists Hollywood, June 7. Nat James was reelected as un- opposed candidate for prexy of Publicists Guild for the 1955-56 term. New slate of officers for the coming, year also includes Don Boutyette, vp; Clary Barbiaux, treasurer; art. Barbara Best, sec- retary. Installation will-take place at the Guild’s June membership meeting. Outgoing officers: Don Morgan and Jerry Juroe, vps; Dick Carter, treasurer; Hilda Black, secretary. Juroe was appointed to take over as vp when Morgan asked to be relieved of post in mid-term, due to serious illness. Detroit, June 7. Real life game of cops-and- robbers was enacted before eyes of the Ecorse Drive-In patrons when policeman or- dered lights put on so they could search cars for bandits who had escaped from nearby supermarket with $1,000; A two-tone car similar to the bandits’ get-away car had been seen entering the ozoner. Four autos of that description were searched, but neither the money nor the bandits were found. * Time lost didn’t ’ count against the concessionaire’s “intermission.” Perkins in Switch - To Gotham Post As Par Int’l Exec V.P. James E. Perkins, who has been in charge of Paramount’s United Kingdom operations since 1946, headquarters in London, has been elected exec v. p. of Paramount International, headquartering in N. Y. This gives Perkins .the top foreign department spot under George Weltner, president of both the domestic and overseas Par dis- tribution ' subsidiaries. Replace- ment for Perkins in London will complete the top exec realignment brought about by A. W. Schwal- berg’s resignation as hgad of do- mestic sales, which post was ab- sorbed by Weltner. Perkins is a Par 30-year vet. Among his first jobs with the com- pany was sales rep in Japan. He progressed to general manager of the ^entire Orient in 1941 and in 1944 was named division manager for the 'Far East, Australia and South Africa. Shortly after this he shifted to London. Urban Heads Boston Gasper G. Urban, previously a member of the Paramount sales force covering Maine and Vermont, has been named manager of Par’s Boston branch. Court Upsets Natl Screen Victory Orders Philadelphia Poster Case Back to Trial— May Have Precedental Results Washington, June 7. The tl. S. Supreme Court today overturned the victory of National Screen Service and the major dis- tributors against the Independent Poster Exchange of Philadelphia, and remanded the case to the trial court for further proceedings. Result of this, combined with Opinions expressed by the tribunal, may be to upset completely the ex- isting pattern of handilng adver- tising posters, pictures and other materials to theatres. Court de- cision was unanimous although Justice John M. Harlan did not participate, Charles Lawler and Mitchell Pantzer, partners in the Independ- ent Poster Exchange, in Philadel- phia, sued National Screen and the distributors for treble damages for. allegedly monopoly in manufacture and distribution of motion picture advertising materials and ac- cessories. Roots of the suit go back to 1939 when Paramount gave National Screen exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute ad- vertising materials and accessories, including trailers. Other majors went along in the following years —RKO, 1940; Loew’s, 1942; Uni- versal, 1944; Columbia,- 1945; UA f and Warners, 1946; and 20th in 1947. In 1942 several indie poster firms started a treble damage suit against National Screen, Para- mount, RKO and Loew’s. In 1943, prior to trial, case was settled, the indies withdrawing their suit and becoming sub-distributors of Na- tional Screen, The sub-licenses were subsequently renewed but, in 1949, Independent Poster Ex- change, one of the sub-licensees, filed a new treble damage aOtion against National Screen and all the distributors who had given ex- clusivity to. National. In 1951, a Federal trial court in Philadelphia held Independent Pos- ter Exchange was entitled to in- junctive relief from National Screen, but ordered a trial to de- termine the facts regarding the distributors. In 1953, before the trial and before the injunction against National Screen was framed, the defendents moved to dismiss on grounds of res judi- cata. They contended the whole issue had been settled by the 1943 agreement whereby Independent Poster Exchange had accepted a sub-distributorship, and that Inde- pendent Poster could not change its position in the same case. Settlement between Paramount and the Homeoffice Office Em- ployees Union, Local H-63, Interna- tional Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees on a. new contract for white collar employees will serve as a pattern for the rest of the in- dustry. Par and the union came to a quiet agreement after pro- longed negotiations during which Local H-63 sought Strike permis- sion from IA. prexy Richard F. Walsh: Walsh, however, inter- vened in the talks and succeeded in bringing both sides together without a walkout. News of the settlement was kept under wraps (since May 16) at the urging of Par since the company felt that the results might have an effect in influencing. the industry- wide talks taking place with the Colosseum of Motion Picture Sales- men, the indie union representing the film salesmen. Vast majority of the white col- lar pacts expire on Aug. 31 and Local H-63 is currently making plans for bargaining confabs, weighing the possibility of either industry-wide sessions or palavers on an individual company basis. The Par agreement, which the union regards as the pattern, pro- vides for wage increases of from $3.50 to $7 depending on classifica- tion, an additiomjMhcrease of 2% on present salaries for all em- ployees with an aggregate of 13 years service, Increase in the mini- mum' hiring rates by the amount of the boost allocated to the par- ticular classification, increase in severance pay by an additional week, inclusion of the immediate family in hospital and surgical benefits, and other fringe benefits involving daily overtime, job post- ing, and notice of vacancies. Wage boost is retroactive to March 20. The union failed in its bid for a three-week vacation period. SENATOR KEFAUVER’S PRESS BOOK SCRUTINY A Senate sub-committee probing juvenile delinquincy, headed by Sen. Estes Kefauver, D., Tenn., has been studying the advertising ap- proach and the art work contained in the press books of the various film companies. At the request of the Motion Pictures Assn, of America, the companies have fur- nished specific press books de- manded by the committee as well as all press books dating from Jan. 1 of this year. The specific press books demand- ed by the Kefauver group are those in which a sensational approach was reportedly employed. For ex- ample, Metro was asked to include the press books of “Rogue Cop,” “The Prodigal,” and “The Black- board Jungle.” Submission of all the press books is undoubtedly for the purpose of showing the com- mittee the techniques used in other pictures. The Kefauver committee will hold its hearings in Hollywood June 15 and 16. Some 20 witnesses, in- cluding Production Code officials, are expected to testify. The con- tents of the press books will be discussed at the hearings, Due in Hollywood Washington, June 7. Effect of crime and horror films on juvenile behavior will be studi- ed by the Senate Juvenile Delin- quency Subcommittee at hearings to be held in L. A. on June 14-16. Committee will also probe motion picture advertising and promotion and, it is understood, will check into companies producing films for TV. Subcommittee, headed by Sen- ator Estes Kefauver (D., Tenn.) has also checked into television and comic books. Victor Mature and Richard Ney off to Europe today (Wed.) on the Queen Mary.