JUNE

Alaskan Film Party
Reaches Fairbanks
ANCHORAGE. ALASKA—The 40 press
correspondents and Hollywood personalities
who flew here for the world premiere of
Universal's "The World in His Arms" returned
from the Aleutians late in the week
for the homeward trip.
The prejniere took place June 19 in the
Chugach Theatre at Elmendorf air force
base, Anchorage, before an audience of service
men. It was the first such event held in
the area. A .second screening was made to
an overflow audience of a thousand troops.
Ernest Gruening. governor of Alaska, was
present at the premiere, as were representatives
of Lieut. Gen. William E. Kepner,
commander-in-chief of the air forces in
Alaska and the Aleutians.
On June 20. following an outdoor lunch in
the Matanuska valley. 50 miles outside the
city, and attended by the governor, a torchlight
parade through the main street halted
at the Fourth Avenue Theatre for a civilian
world premiere. Next day the party had the
unique experience of 24 hours of daylight
an annual weather phenomenon in Alaska.
At Kodiak naval station and Adak. in the
Aleutians, at Anchorage and Fairbanks and
other military strong points, service personnel
were given in addition to the film, an hourlong
variety show' headed by Ann Blyth, who
stars with Gregory Peck in "The World in
His Arms." Other performers were Joyce
Holden, Lori Nelson, Palmer Lee, Kathleen
Hughes, Jeanne Cooper, Buddy Hackett, Robert
Monnet, Claudette Thornton and Dick
Morris.
Senate for Extra $1,981,000
For Overseas Information
WASHINGTON—The Senate on Thursday
(26t voted an extra $1,981,000 for the Department
of State's overseas information and
education programs, including the Voice of
America and the overseas film program.
The House had cut an administration request
for $133,000,000 down to $86,575,000 and
the Senate Appropriations Committee reported
out the exact amount voted by the
House. Senators William Fulbright (D., Ark.)
and H. Alexander Smith (R., N.J.) introduced
an amendment to raise this figure by $1,981,-
000 and the amendment carried.
House and Senate conferees will have to
argue out the difference.
Myron Karlin to Germany
As MGM Sales Executive
named general sales
NEW YORK—Myron Karlin has been
manager for Loew's International
in Germany and has left for
Frankfurt. He was until recently manager
in Venezuela.
Wolfgang Wolf, former MPEA representative
in Austria, has succeeded Karlin in Ven-
Buchman Trial Postponed
WASHINGTON — The
ezuela.
contempt-of-Congress
trial of Hollywood producer Sidney
Buchman. indicted for failure to respond
to subpoenas issued by the House Un-American
Activities Committee, on Monday (23)
was postponed until October 1.
RKO Acquires 'Greenland'
For European Release
NEW YORK- RKO has acquired the European
distribution rights to "Greenland." the
French exploration picture which received
the 1952 documentary award at the Cannes
Film Festival, according to Phil Reisman,
vice-president in charge of foreign distribution.
Reisman concluded a six- week business trip
to England and the continent with conferences
in London with Robert S. Wolff, man-
While
aging director for the United Kingdom.
in Paris, he attended a continental .sales
convention conducted by Joseph Bellport,
general maanger, and Elias Lapinere, general
sales manager and publicity director. In
Italy, he was honored by a Phil Reisman Welcome
week. He also conferred with Sol Lesser
in France. Italy and England.
The United Kingdom is conducting a Robert
Wolff Bigger Boxoffice Stakes drive, which
will run until December 27.
RKO Names Wallman Sales
Chief Europe, Near East
NEW YORK—Carl-Gerhard Wallman has
succeeded Elias Lapinere as RKO general
sales manager for Europe and the Near East,
under Joseph Bellport. general manager. From
his headquarters in Paris, Wallman will supervise
sales in France, Germany, Italy, Belgium,
Holland, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Sweden,
Norway. Denmark. Finland, Egypt and
Israel.
Wallman. who was born in Sweden, has
been general manager for Scandinavia. He
joined RKO at the New York exchange then
managed by Robert S. Wolff. In 1930 he was
transferred to the home office, assigned to
foreign publicity, and five years later went
to manage an RKO Stockholm office. Phil
Reisman, vice-president in charge of foreign
distribution, made him general manager for
Scandinavia in 1948.
Edward Stanko Gets New
RCA Engineering Post
NEW YORK—Edward Stanko, RCA engineer
and pioneer in radio and television in
the 1920s, has been named to a newly created
post of manager of engineering, technical products
division. RCA Service Co., Inc., by W. L.
Jones vice-president in charge of technical
products for the company.
Stanko will direct specialized training of
field personnel, preparation of technical information,
and development of new and improved
methods for installation and servicing
of RCA technical products.
Mort Siegel Named Aide
To Hawkinson at RKO
NEW YORK—Morton Siegel has been appointed
administrative executive and aide
to Robert K. Hawkinson. RKO assistant
foreign manager, by Phil Reisman. vice-president
in charge of foreign distribution.
Siegel. formerly with the company's legal
department, has been at RKO for 14 years.
Lurene Tuttle in 'Niagara'
Lurene Tuttle has been set for a featured
role in 20th-Fox's "Niagara."
30 Television Stations
To Extend Coverage
WASHINGTON—Television station coverage
will be extended several miles in 25
areas currently served by stations not long
after the Federal Communications Commission
on July 1 acts on applications for
changes in frequencies by some 30 existing
TV stations, according to the Radio-Television
Manufacturers Ass'n on Wednesday
(14).
The new table ol station allocations. RTM#
explains, provides that the 30 stations mu.st
submit applications for changes in channel
assignments, and RTMA expects that FCC
will grant increased power at the same time
it processes the applications.
FCC ha^ given first priority to applications
made necessary by the shift in channel assignments
in the table of allocations which
ended the freeze.
RTMA predicts that many new people will
be brought into range of television reception
and will be customers for receivers.
The association, meanwhile, revealed that
1,277,512 TV receivers were shipped to dealers
in the first three months of this year,
compared to 1,814,767 in the same 1951 period.
Shipments in March, at 471,015 sets, were well
above the 434,808 sets shipped in February,
according to RTMA.
The Balaban & Katz Chicago television
station, WBKB, is one which will move channels
due to the new table of allocations. Similar
moves involve Pittsburgh, Cleveland,
Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Providence, Atlanta,
Norfolk. Louisville. Birmingham, Albany, Columbus,
Rochester, Memphis, Dayton, Syracuse,
Grand Rapids, Wilmington, New Haven,
Johnstown, Davenport, Lancaster, Huntington,
Bloomington and Ames television stations.
Film Companies' Dividends
For May Below Last Year
WASHINGTON—PubUcly reported dividends
paid out by firms in the film industry
during May totaled $114,000, the Department
of Commerce revealed on Thursday (26). Because
Consolidated Amusement changed its
payment month from May to June, the May
1952 figure was well below May of 1951, when
$211,000 was paid.
Cor^olidated Amusement paid $100,000 in
dividends last May and is expected to declare
$75,000 in dividends in June of this
year.
Columbia Pictures declared $69,000 dividends,
slightly below the $72,000 of last May.
Loew's Boston Theatres paid out $26,000 plus
an extra $13,000. the same as during last May.
Roxy, Inc., which last year declared its
dividend in June, this May paid out $6,000.
55 Cents an Hour Minimum
Proposed for Puerto Rico
WASHINGTON — A Puerto Rico motion
picture industry minimum wage of 55 cents
per hour was proposed on Friday (21) by
William R. McComb, administrator of the
wage and hour and public contracts division
of the U. S. Department of Labor.
McComb inserted the wage proposal in the
Federal Register, and anybody wishing to oppose
the new minimum wage will have 15
days from June 21 to register objections.
48-D
BOXOFFICE :: June 28, 1952 I