Boxoffice-Febuary.18.1956

BROADWAY
ITim Novak, who has been promoting "Picnic"
in New York, left on a ten-day tour
of five cities in connection with openings of
the Columbia picture . . . Anne Francis, MGM
starlet, got in from the coast to publicize
"Forbidden Planet." Leo G. Carroll and Jessie
Royce Landis, who recently completed featured
roles in Grace Kelly's "The Swan,"
opened in Emlyn Williams' "Someone Waiting"
February 14 with Hope Hampton, Cole
Porter, Marjorie Gateson, Raymond Massey,
Nancy Coleman and Kenn Berry among
those in the audience.
Heading for Hollywood were: Max Fellerman,
vice-president and general manager of
Lopert Films, on his annual product buying
visit for pictures to play the Astor and
Victoria Theatres; Roger H. Lewis, United
Artists national director of advertising, publicity
and exploitation, who flew to Hollywood
for a week-long series of conferences—his
first trip since assuming the post last November:
William Dozier, RKO vice-president in
charge of production, who went back after two
weeks in New York to establish story and
talent departments, and Robert Rossen, producer-director
of "Alexander the Great," who
went back after talks with United Artists
executives.
Ernie Emerling, Loew's ad-publicity director,
and Joseph R. Vogel and John Murphy all
returned from Miami, where they attended
the opening of Loew's new Riviera Theatre
Ned E. Depinet left for several
February 16 . . .
weeks in Phoenix, Ariz., February 15.
Harry Lipskin, Columbia International public
relations director, went to Mexico City
February 17 and F. J. A. McCarthy, Universal
southern and Canadian sales head, went to
Miami February 12 . . . James O'Gara, newly
appointed eastern division manager of Buena
Vista, got back from a five-week tour of
Latin America . . Sally Serin, secretary to
.
J. K. Chapman, United Artists supervisor of
branch operations, was married to Marvin
Bear February 12. They are honeymooning in
Florida.
The liners arriving from Europe are
crowded with film personalities or producers
planning to promote or make pictures in
America. Victor Mature, who completed
"Zarak Khan" for Columbia in England,
came in on the Queen Elizabeth February
14 to confer with Samuel Goldwyn jr. on
his next, "The Sharkfighters," to be made
in Cuba in March. Jack Hawkins, British
star of "The Prisoner" and the forthcoming
"Touch and Go," was on the same boat and
Ike's Decision Is Seen
Affecting Tax Drive
WASHINGTON — President
Eisenhower's
presidential campaign decision is
seen affecting the theatre admission tax
drive. Robert W. Coyne, Council of Motion
Picture Organizations executive,
said the industry would have a better
chance for relief if the President decides
not to run. Coyne believes that Congress
would then have a freer hand since
Eisenhower has opposed general tax cuts.
will appear in "Caesar and Cleopatra" on
NBC-TV in March. Robert S. Wolff, chairman
and managing director of RKO Pictures,
Ltd., also came in for conferences with
Walter Branson and other RKO home office
executives . . . Barry Jones, another British
actor who is featured in "Alexander the
Great," flew in to promote the UA picture
here. Herbert Marshall, who has completed
a picture in England, and William Sylvester,
British film star, who will appear in the
Theatre Guild's Broadway play, "Mister
Johnson," came in on the United States
February 11.
Also getting back from London were
Reginald Armour, executive vice-president
of Republic International, back after a sixweek
tour of Europe; Ilya Lopert, by a
BOAC; Leon Leonidoff, Radio City Music
Hall stage show producer; Robert Dowling,
head of City Investing, and Beatrice Lillie;
John Huston, producer-director of "Moby
Dick" for Warner Bros., who brought the
completed print for Warner Bros., and Kenny
Deland, unit manager on Paramount's
"Funny Face," en route to Hollywood, where
the picture will be made.
Returnees to Europe were Eric Pleskow,
United Artists general manager in Germany,
and Jacques Flaud, head of the French
government film division, who went back to
Paris . . . Alfred Katz, UA home office
foreign department executive, planed to
Venezuela. Trinidad and Mexico to map
sales and promotion plans; Doug Travers,
RKO Pathe vice-president, flew to Bermuda
and Robert L. Gaines, assistant director of
the international division of Du Mont Laboratories,
and Erich Gompertz, Caribbean representative,
left for Puerto Rico, Venezuela
and the Central American countries to survey
those fields.
Ray Danton, featured in MGM's "I'll Cry
Tomorrow," came in with his wife for a tenday
stay . . . Dick York, Columbia featured
player, is now at the Winter Garden in "Bus
Stop," prior to replacing Albert Salmi in the
road company of the play before returning to
Columbia for more pictures.
Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th
Century-Fox, flew to Hollywood for studio
talks following the premiere of "Carousel"
in New York. He was accompanied by Al
Lichtman, director of sales, and Charles
Einfeld, vice-president. Other executives
will join them on the coast.
Nat Levy, RKO eastern sales manager, went
to Dallas February 14 and Albert Margolles,
Buena Vista ad-publicity head, went to Atlanta
to arrange for the opening of Disney's
"The Great Locomotive Chase."
UA to Release 'Big Boodle'
HOLLYWOOD—Release through United
Artists has been secured by Lewis F. Blumberg
for "The Big Boodle," a story of counterfeiting
activities in Havana, which he will
produce on location in Cuba beginning in
April. Jo Eisinger wrote the screenplay from
a novel by Robert Sylvester. It marks the
first production venture for Blumberg, son of
Nate Blumberg, board chairman of Universal-
International.
David A. Levy Plans
To Retire in March
NEW YORK—David A. Levy, New York
metropolitan district manager for Universal-
International, will retire March 2 after more
than 35 years in the
industry. He became
New York branch
manager in 1939.
Levy will be succeeded
by Joseph B.
Rosen, branch manager
in Detroit since
November 1953.
Rosen will be succeeded
as Detroit
branch manager by
David A. Levy
Richard B. Graff, sales
manager in Chicago
since 1952 . Graff started
with Universal in Chicago in 1946 as a
student booker. He became a salesman in
1948 and was made sales manager in 1952.
After a Florida vacation, Levy plans to
return to New York and engage in limited
Richard B. Graff Joseph B. Rosen
film activities. He started his career in the
industry in 1920 with Paramount as a salesman.
In 1923 he moved to Educational Pictures
as sales and office manager. In 1925 he
joined Loew's, Inc., as New York branch manager
for MGM and held that post for 14 years.
UA Field Heads to Meet
At N. Y. Home Office
NEW YORK—All United Artists district
managers in the U. S. and Canada will start
a two-day meeting here Friday (24) with William
J. Heineman, vice-president in charge
of distribution. It will be the first meeting
with the distrct managers of James R. Velde
since he became general sales manager. It
also will be the first general meeting of the
field men here in two and a half years.
Arthur B. Krim, president; Robert S. Benjamin,
board chairman; Max E. Youngstein,
vice-president, and Roger H. Lewis, director
of advertising, publicity and exploitation, also
will attend.
One highlight will be planning for the
special distribution of Robert Rossen's "Alexander
the Great." UA has said it will have
a $1,000,000 promotion campaign.
Pat McGee Offered Another Post
NEW YORK—Pat McGee, former
general
manager of Cooper Foundation Theatres, has
been asked to head the Denver area activities
of the National Ass's, of Film Service Organizations
by Sidney Cohen, president.
McGee is considering a number of other
offers.
BOXOFTICE :
: February 18. 1956
49