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Pickman
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John
Pickman Is Studying
Newspaper Ad Rales
NEW YORK—The newspaper amusenent
page problems of the industry are
jeing studied by Jerome Pickman, Paraiiount
vice-president, as chairman of the
lew committee set up by the Advertising
iiid Publicity Directors Committee of the
Motion Picture Ass'n of America, and his
iist report will probably be presented at
1 meeting of the parent group shortly aft-
'! Labor Day.
The assignment of the task to Pickman
oUowed the taking over of the chairman-
;hip of the parent committee by Martin S.
Davis, Paramount director of advertising,
Dublicity and exploitation. Davis succeeded
P. Seadler of MGM. The post rotates
.3ilas
kmong the companies.
is following up reactions to
he address to newspaper advertising excutives
of Paul Lazarus jr. of Columbia
,n which the speaker described discrimina-
.ions in favor of television and inequalities
in advertising rates. He is soliciting the
^operation of exhibitors, the Council of
'Motion Picture Organizations, Theatre
Owners of America and various advertis-
,ng agencies. He will present evidence directly
to the heads of key newspapers.
Asked when reports on Pickman's prog-
'ess would be made public, Davis said that
(ince Pickman was working on a long-
'-ange problem, probably nothing would be
;nade public in the near future. The adverising
end of the newspaper business has
emained silent since Lazai-us addressed it
;n San Francisco.
|Jniversal Match Corp.
jlcquires Glasco Corp.
ST. LOUIS—Continuing its program of
iversification. Universal Match Corp. anounced
this week that it has completed
legotiations to acquire Glasco Corp., subi5Ct
to approval of the sale by Glasco
.tockholders. The latter's board of direcprs
already has approved the transaction,
;nd if the deal is okayed by shareholders,
jfniversal stock will be issued for the acuisition.
L. Wilson, president of Universal,
nd E. Bird Kelly, Glasco president, joint-
I made the announcement. "The acquisiion
will give Universal a complete line of
ending machines, food service equipment
nd Fibreglas products," Wilson said.
Hasco sales for the first half of 1960 were
pproximately $4,800,000, with net earnigs
of $300,000.
Kelly will remain as president of Glasco,
nd it is Universal's intention to retain the
(itire Glasco organization intact.
)scar Hammerstein Dies
DOYLESTOWN, PA.—Oscar Hammer-
;ein II, noted Broadway lyricist and proucer,
died of stomach cancer at his home
°ar here Tuesday (23). Hammerstein had
;en ill for some time. In 1958 he was
aerated on for removal of his gall bladder
nd again in 1959. With Richard Rodgers.
ammerstein wrote some of America's
|iost popular musical shows, which were
iroduced for the screen. Among them
ere "Carousel," "Oklahoma!," "South Pa-
|fic" and "The King and I." He leaves his
ife, a daughter and two sons.
DISCUSS PROIMOTION PLANS FOR U-I FILMr-In New York to discuss distribution
and promotion plans on "The Grass Is Greener," Car.v Grant and Stanley
Donen were guests of Universal Pictures. The Grandon Production, produced and
directed by Donen and starring Grant, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum and Jean
Simmons, is being released by Universal. Seen left to right around the table are
Jerome M. Evans, Charles Simonelli, Grant, Milton Rackmil, Donen, Charles
Schlaifer, PhUip Gerard, Herman Kass, Henry H. "Hi" Martin, John J. O'Connor
and James J. Jordan. Not seen in the picture but standing are Americo Aboaf,
Ben Cohn, Paul Kamey and F. J. A. McCarthy.
U-I Promoting 'Lace'
For Women Patrons
NEW YORK—In an all-out effort to attract
women patrons to its forthcoming
"Midnight Lace," Universal-International
has completed a six -minute color short
featuring Doris Day, star of the film, in
her wardrobe tests, which will be offered
gratis to exhibitors as advance promotion
for the November release.
A current Sindlinger report shows that
for the first six months of 1960, seven of
first ten pictures on the "most seen" list
were seen by 58 per cent women patrons,
compared to 42 per cent male. Two of
these ten, "Pillow Talk" and "Operation
Petticoat," both U-I releases, were seen
by 62 per cent women and 59 per cent
women, respectively. Only one of the ten
pictures, "Journey to the Center of the
Earth," played to more men than women
while "Solomon and Sheba" showed a 50
per cent men, 50 per cent women.
The U-I short, which is narrated by
Irene, famous fashion designer who formerly
designed gowns for the most famous
MGM stars, shows Miss Day in a dozen of
the glamorous gowns worn during "Midnight
Lace" and is part of U-I's promotion
campaign to attract women, just as was
done in Ross Hunter's previous pictures
for the company, "Pillow Talk," "Imitation
of Life" and the current "Portrait in
Black," all of which drew huge audiences
of women.
In addition to the short, U-I has had
Irene design "Midnight Lace" fashions for
Bonwit Teller's in New York and other key
city department stores and Hunter, Miss
Day, Myrna Loy and the designer will
undertake promotion tours for the film,
according to Phil Gerard, eastern advertising
and publicity director. Other phases
of the "Lace" promotion campaign, including
a four-page pamphlet to be distributed
in the stores, a line of millinery designed
by Mr. John and scrolls to be presented
to "best dressed women" in local
situations, were explained by Herman
Kass. in charge of national exploitation;
Paul Kamey, eastern publicity manager,
and Jerome M. Evans, eastern promotion
manager.
The "Lace" short also will be sent out
to 16mm situations, primarily women's
clubs and schools, by Margaret 'Twyman
of the Motion Picture Ass'n, starting in
September.
"Midnight Lace," which is a November
release, also stars Rex Harrison. John
Gavin and Roddy McDowall, and will
open at the Radio City Music Hall in October.
U-I Holds Merchandising
Meeting on 'Spartacus'
NEW YORK—Jeff Livingston, executive
coordinator of sales and advertising for
the Bi-yna production of "Spartacus," conducted
a three-day orientation meeting on
the roadshow merchandising of the $12.-
000,000 picture, starting Wednesday (24i.
Attending from Hollywood were: David
A. Lipton, vice-president in charge of advertising
and publicity, and Stan Margulies.
Bryna ad-publicity director. Ben
Katz, Universal's midwest advertising and
publicity executive, came on from Chicago,
where he will supervise the local campaign.
Field personnel covering early
"Spartacus" engagements who were present
included: Amike 'Vogel for San Francisco;
Maurice A. "Bucky" Harris and Mel
Basel for Boston: Duke Hickey for Cleveland
and Cincinnati; Dave Polland for
Washington and Baltimore, Robert Zanger
for Philadelphia and William J. Cornell
for Detroit.
Home office executives on hand included
Philip Gerard, eastern advertising
and publicity director; Herman Kass,
executive in charge of national exploitation;
Paul Kamey. eastern publicity manager;
Jerome M. Evans, eastern promotion
manager, and other home office advertising,
publicity and exploitation staff
members, as well as Howard Newman, national
director of field activity for "Spartacus."
and Dick Weaver, who is handling
the New York campaign.
5XOFTICE Augiist 29, 1960
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