Boxoffice-12.1953

NEW YORK—Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer pro-
three days
during the week on elaborate plans for the
U-l Allocates Top Budget S3"„l?i^**''
'Knights' Promotion
To 34-Feature Lineup
motion department heads met for
HOLLYWOOD—Exemplifying its confidence
in the future of the company and the industry,
Universal-International has allocated the
highest budget in its history to the 34 features
it has scheduled for the 1953-54 season.
This disclosure by Edward Muhl, vicepresident
in charge of production, was one of
the highlights of a five-day national sales
conference held at the studio and attended
by some 70 east and west coast executives,
division, district and branch managers. The
meeting ended Friday (11).
Muhl stressed further that U-I will continue
its policy of establishing percentageparticipation
deals with top-name stars and
will concentrate on a talent-building program.
C. J. FELDMAN NAMED V-P
Prior to Muhl's announcements, Milton R.
Rackmil, U-I president, had disclosed the
elevation of Charles J. Feldman, general sales
manager, to a vice-presidency in recognition
of his "many years of outstanding service."
Rackmil also revealed that two of U-I's biggest
forthcoming Technicolor productions,
"The Black Shield of Falworth" and "The
Sign of the Pagan," will be the company's
first Cinemascope ventures.
Muhl, amplifying on the CinemaScope
schedule, said no decision has as yet been
reached on further properties to be lensed in
the anamorphic wide-screen process, but said
"careful consideration" will be given every
story to determine its suitability for Cinema-
Scope treatment. At the same time he reiterated
that each film in the 34-picture
schedule will also be made available in all
aspect ratios from standard up to 2 to 1.
During the course of the conference the
assembed personnel viewed several completed
pictures, including "The Far Country," a
James Stewart starrer produced by Aaron
Rosenberg, "Magnificient Obsession," a Ross
Hunter production starring Jane Wyman, and
"Saskatchewan," another Rosenberg production
toplining Alan Ladd. During daily meetings,
sales and promotion campaigns on these
and other pictures were mapped.
SEE ANNUAL TALENT SHOW
On Wednesday evening (9) the visiting
executives and sales heads took time out to
attend the studio's annual talent show, "Inside
U-I, 1953," featuring stock players and
contractees in sketches and excerpts from
Broadway plays as a means of showcasing
their abilities. Thursday evening (10) the
visitors were among the first-nighters at the
invitational preview-premiere of "The Glenn
Miller Story," with James Stewart in the title
role,
at the Pantages Theatre.
Stewart, it was announced, has been set for
another picture during 1954. Titled "Sonora,"
it will be produced by Rosenberg and megged
by Anthony Mann, and is described as an
action drama of Mexico during revolutionary
days.
In announcing the elevation of Feldman to
a vice-presidency, Rackmil recalled that the
former first joined Universal in 1929 as
branch manager in Sioux Falls, was upped to
western district chief in 1943 and to western
sales manager in 1946. He became eastern
sales head in 1950 and was boosted to his
present post of general sales manager In 1951.
Record U-I
Ad Budget
Firsf 4 Months of '54
NEW YORK—A record budget of $1,-
500,000 for advertising to back up its
major releases during the first four
months of 1954 has been set aside by
Universal-International, it was disclosed
on Thursday (10) by David A. Lipton,
vice-president and advertising-publicity
This record sum, Lipton declared,
chief.
"attests to our confidence in the boxoffice
quality of our upcoming product
and in the outlook for the industry as a
whole."
The company will continue, Lipton told
the sales executives at the studio huddle,
to pre-sell its releases to the public
through national magazines and newspapers,
and to the exhibitors through the
tradepapers, in all of which media "effective
results" have been obtained. Additionally,
a substantial proportion of the
drumbeating budget will be allocated to
radio, TV and promotional activities.
"The Glenn Miller Story" will get the
biggest campaign in U-I history, Lipton
informed, with color ads already scheduled
for 22 national magazines and two
Sunday newspaper supplements.
Grand Jury Clears
The Moon Is Blue'
JERSEY CITY—"The Moon Is Blue" has
reddened the face of the local police department.
A Hudson county grand jury, to which
the police referred its action in seizing the
film, said Tuesday (8) there was no evidence
that the film was obscene as charged. It can
now be shown at the Stanley Theatre.
The police had acted on their own in
heeding the complaints of some religious and
civic groups and without seeing the film
themselves. They seized a print, arrested
Arthur Manfredonia, theatre manager, and
charged him and the Stanley Warner Corp.
with possessing an obscene film.
The case dragged along for several weeks,
with frequent postponements. Then the
police, instead of trying to prosecute in a
local court, put the matter up to the grand
jury. That group saw a screening of the film
and cleared the path for its exhibition.
J. H. Richardson Elected
Treasurer of Paramount
NEW YORK—James H. Richardson, assistant
treasurer of Paramount Pictures Corp.,
has been elected treasurer by the board of
directors. He replaces Fred Mohrhardt, who
died recently.
Richardson was made assistant treasurer
November 5. He was formerly with Price,
Waterhouse & Co., accounting firm.
release of "Knights of the Round Table," the
company's first CinemaScope production; the
30th anniversary observance to start January
1 and general activities for the first six
months of 1954. Howard Dietz, vice-president
and director of advertising, publicity and exploitation,
presided.
Twelve prerelease bookings have already
been set for "Knights," which will open December
23 at the Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood.
Christmas openings axe scheduled for Atlanta,
Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, New Orleans,
Pittsburgh and St. Louis. New Year's openings
are set for Memphis, Houston and San
Francisco. Indianapolis will see the picture
January 14 and Buffalo January 28.
Dietz said novelty of approach will be
stressed.
O. A. Kingsbury of Donahue & Coe,
advertising agency, supplied a detailed analysis
of a campaign which started with teaser
ads in newspapers December and will be
climaxed with huge display ads.
Silas F. Seadler, advertising manager, reported
on the preparation of a large number
of trailers and various accessories. Dan S.
Terrell, publicity manager, described national
magazine promotion and also a study guide
and film strip for schools. Emery Austin,
exploitation manager, outlined the work of
28 men in the field under him.
Howard Strickling, studio publicity head,
reported on plans for the Hollywood opening.
Oscar A. Doob, special promotion executive,
told about parades scheduled for four cities
and a Rose Bowl parade with a float made of
roses. Ernest Emerling, Loew's Theatres advertising-publicity
head, outlined circuit plans.
Suggestions were made by Joe Flynn of the
promotion section and Halsey Raines of the
publicity section. Dave Blum, head of publicity
for Loew's International, also attended.
Para. Gulf Theatres Aid
Is Promised Vicksburg
NEW ORLEANS—Paramount Gulf Theatres
through Gaston J. Dureau jr., president,
has notified the governor of Mississippi and
the mayor of Vicksburg that it will aid in the
Vicksburg disaster relief situation. The following
telegram was sent to Mayor Pat Kelly
of Vicksburg:
"We who operated the Saenger Theatre In
Vicksburg share in your grief and wish to
extend our sincere condolences to you and
the people of Vicksburg. We admire and
are inspired by the great courage and effort
displayed by your citizens and service agencies
following this tragedy. To assist your griefstricken
citizens in their hour of need we will
establish a fund by giving a day's receipts
from each of our theatres in Mississippi, and
Invite the participation of all other theatre
owners in the state."
The Mississippi Theatre Owners Ass'n then
met and endorsed the project. It began canvassing
its members to insure the fullest cooperation.
Plans were started to bring talent
into many of the cities in the state to attract
the largest possible theatre audiences and
insure a large fund to be turned over to the
mayor.
16
BOXOFFICE December 12, 1953