Boxoffice-Febuary.18.1956

Para. Creates Studio
For TV Production
HOLLYWOOD—Plunging more deeply into
the field of television and electronics, Paramount
will make available as of June 1 production
facilities at its Sunset Boulevard studios
to TV filmmakers, including stages, technical
equipment, office space and cutting and
dubbing rooms, on a daily rental basis.
Barney Balaban, Paramount president, said
there are five complete modern stages, all
located on a ten-acre tract—with facilities
undertake any type of TV production. The
property, once owned by Warner Bros., also
houses KTLA, the Paramount-owned TV
station.
Stanton M. Osgood has been appointed general
manager, resigning as manager of Television
Film Productions and assistant director
of video operations for NBC-TV to assume
the new position.
The property was acquired by the Paramount
Sunset Corp. in 1954, and more than
$2,000,000 has been spent since to modernize
the plant. Officers of the company, in addition
to Balaban as president, include Y. Frank
Freeman, vice-president; Paul Raibourn, vicepresident;
James H. Richardson, treasurer,
and Arthur Israel, secretary.
By making a TV production studio available,
Paramount goes one step deeper into the
television field. It already has substantial
holdings in the DuMont Broadcasting Corp.,
the Allan B. DuMont Laboratories, Inc.,
Chromatic Television. Inc., which manufactures
television tubes, and the International
Telemeter Corp.. which has a pay-as-you-see
TV system.
Para. Branch Managers
Shifted by Hugh Owen
NEW YORK—Branch manager changes
have been made by Hugh Owen, vice-president
of Paramount Film Distributing Corp.
Edward C. DeBerry has been promoted
from Buffalo branch manager to Cincinnati
branch manager. He succeeds Herb Gillis who
has taken over as Washington branch head.
DeBerry has been with Paramount 16 years.
He started as assistant booker in Charlotte
and later became head booker and salesman
there before going to Buffalo.
Hugh Maguire has been named successor
to DeBerry in the Buffalo branch. Maguire
joined the company in 1931 as clerk and
shipper in the New Haven branch.
Some ABC Programs Shift
As Daylight Time Starts
NEW YORK—Eastern standard time television
stations will carry network schedules
one hour earlier and central time stations will
receive programs on their regular local time
via delayed feed from American Broadcasting
Co. when daylight time goes into effect.
Mountain time stations will carry most
programs on their regular local time. Pacific
time stations, like the eastern standard time
stations, will carry the network schedule one
hour earlier.
Special events are exceptions, along with
"Wednesday Night Fights," which will be
carried "live" and "The Mickey Mouse Club."
to be broadcast throughout the country from
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. local time.
to
Britain's Balcon Seeks
U. S. Distribution Ties
NEW YORK—U. S. distribution arrangements
for his future pictures are being sought
by Sir Michael Balcon of Ealing Studios in
London who. accompanied
by Reginald P.
Baker, another top
Ealing executive, arrived
here by air Monday
(13*. Questioned
at midweek about his
plans, Sir Michael said
Sir Michael Balcon
it was too early for
comment but that he
might have something
to say at the weekend.
It was believed he
was exploring television
as well as theatrical
possibilities. He also came here to attend
the opening of "The Ladykillers," his
latest picture, Monday (20), at the Sutton
Theatre.
Sir Michael has directed the destinies of
Ealing Studios since 1937 and more recently
has been responsible for some of the most
successful British comedies, among them
"The Lavender Hill Mob," "Tight Little Island"
and "Kind Hearts and Coronets."
When he has completed a contract to produce
three more pictures for the J. Arthur
Rank Organization, he will no longer be
associated with that group in any way, having
resigned a number of directorships. Last fall
he sold the Ealing plant outside of London to
the British Broadcasting Corp. for $980,000.
He has never explained the sale. Reports
from London have said he may produce at
the MGM studio at Herts, also a London
studio, on a rental basis.
Sir Michael arrived at a time favorable to
the distribution of British product in this
country, although there have been many
British complaints of discrimination. Within
the last six months all the major companies
except Paramount have had some British
pictures in release. Columbia is preparing to
distribute four. United Artists has five or
six. MGM released "Svengali" last fall.
Universal-International, which used to
handle a number of them, now has only one.
a Rank picture. "Lease of Life," distributed
by IFE. has just opened. Others are being
handled by Continental Distributors. Distributors
Corp. of America and Dominant Pictures.
The last company, formed a month
ago, has two Rank pictures.
On his arrival Sir Michael said he planned
to spend two weeks in New York meeting with
various distributors, and that he would then
probably go to Hollywood for a week before
returning to London. Before coming here he
sounded out U. S. representatives in London.
Hardy, These Massachusetts Folk;
They Like Winter Movies Outdoors
By W. HARLEY RUDKIN
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.—Although, weatherwise,
this has so far been the coldest, and
most generally unpredictable winter in Massachusetts
for the past decade, at least one
drive-in manager is not afraid of the elements
and is even daring them to do their worst.
Unfortunately, in a good many instances, they
are obliging.
He is Arthur J. Stein of the Round Hill,
believed to be the only open air staying open
through the winter in this state.
"We attract a few hundred customers on
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, the days we
are open," Stein said optimistically. "Sometimes
we show a profit. Many times we don't,
but we figure on keeping our regular customers
happy, and in the habit of coming to
the movies."
Noting the trend, district manager Stein
said, "Families drive up in their cars; keep
their heaters running awhile, switch them off
until the motor begins to cool, then turn on
the motor again."
In his capacity as a year-around, drive-in
man, Stein is discovering that winter offers
its own particular problems. Occasionally, for
instance, some motorist runs out of gas, or a
battery conks out. If it's the former, he sees
that they have enough gas to get to where
there's a larger supply. In the second, he
either pushes them in his own car, or finds
some friendly motorist who is helpful.
When he first decided to keep the Round
Hill open through the winter, he was of the
opinion that most of his clientele would come
from the younger element—boys and girls who
wanted a nice, safe, friendly place to hold
hands, but that isn't the way it has turned
out. He still gets a big play from the families.
This is the first year he has kept "open
house," the whole year. Two years ago, he
stayed open until mid-January, when a major
snowstorm closed him for that week and the
remainder of the cold season. Last year, he
kept the turnstiles oiled until mid-December.
This year, he's determined, though.
"If we're snowed out, or in," he averred,
"we may shut down until the clearing job is
completed, but we'll open up again the next
weekend."
And why do people venture out on the
cold-cold New England nights to sit in an
auto and watch a movie when they might be
snug before their video set at home? Simple.
says Stein. People get fidgety and bored staying
home all the time, and when a whole
family is involved, It's easier for them to go
to a drive-in than to an indoor theatre.
And what do these die-hard outdoor fans
eat? Popcorn? Maybe, but the big attraction
is French fries and lots of hot coffee, which
also are available at the Round Hill.
And how about next year? Stein grins and
says he'll cross that iceberg when he comes
to
it.
WB to Show 'Jungle'
NEW YORK—Warner Bros, will tradeshow
"The Steel Jungle." featuring Perry Lopez.
Beverly Garland and Walter Abel, February
29. The picture will be released March 31.
BOXOFFICE :
: February 18. 1956 29