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VCI 50th Convention
To Have Royal Guests
\l w YORK- Over 1,000 delegates rep-
Ltsenting the 41 tents affiliated with Variety
It'luhs International are expected to attend
he VCI golden anniversary convention to
be held Monday (25) through Friday (29)
Monte Carlo, Monaco.
rhe conference will locus on ways to
raise funds for handicapped ;md underprivleged
children throughout the world. Business
sessions will he held daily in the Grand
Salon of Loews' Monte Carlo Hotel, convention
headquarters, when each club will
epori on its work during the past 12
months and announce projects for the year
ahead.
Membership Over 10,000
41 affiliated clubs have a combined
membership of over 10.000 and since the
[establishment of Variety in Pittsburgh in
1927 VCI has raised an aggregate total of
pproximately $3,000,000,000 for charity.
Prince Rainier is scheduled to open the
confab Monday morning (25) before the
nitial business session and. following this,
the Monacan government will sponsor a
cocktail reception at the Winter Casino.
Monty Hall, president of VCI, Monday
evening will welcome conventioneers at a
buffet supper at which a 50th anniversary,
heart-shaped cake topped by 50 candles will
he cut.
Tuesday (26) the Duke of Edinburgh.
Prince Rainier and Princess Grace will attend
a banquet highlighted by the presentation
of Heart Awards to the three clubs
judged to have achieved outstanding results
during the past 12 months. Prince Phillip
has been a Variety gold card life member
for 25 years.
Wednesday (27) groups of delegates will
be hosted aboard the British Royal Navy
• cssel HMS Glamorgan and that evening a
party for life patron program members will
he held at the Salle Empire Room, Hotel
de Paris. Guests of honors will be the Earl
of Mountbatten and Prince Ranier and
Princess Grace.
Cary Grant to
Attend
Thursday night (28) international ambassador
George Barrie. Faberge and Brut Productions
will sponsor a party which will
attended by Cary Grant and other show
celebrities.
Final event of the convention will be a
'banquet Friday (29) in the Salle des Etoiles
I Of the Sporting Casino at which VCI will
I present the Humanitarian Award to Henry
Kissinger, former U.S. secretary of state.
highlighting the banquet will be the
induction of Prince Charles and Prince
, Rainier as gold card life members of VCI
recognition of their patronage and support
of the movement.
Monty Hall will make his valedictory
speech as president and will introduce his
Successor, who will he elected during the
week.
United Artists
Has Garnered Nine
Best Picture Oscars in 21 Years
M \V YORK
- United Artists Corp.
celebrates not only ten Acadcnn Awards
this year but the third tune during the past
21 years the company has garnered backto-back
Best Picture Academy Awards.
In 1955, "Marty" won the lop honor.
followed in 1956 with "Around ihe World
in 80 Days." In 1960 "The Apartment" was
named Best Picture and in 1961, "West
Side Story" won the award, last sear, "One
Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" earned Best
Picture for 1975 and this year the Academy
presented the Oscar to "Rocky."
Silver Anniversary Year
United Artists this year also is celebrating
the silver anniversary of its top management
team, which began in 1951 when
Arthur B. Krim. currently chairman of the
board, and Robert S. Benjamin, chairman
of the finance committee, entered into a
contract with then UA owners Charles
Chaplin and Mary Pickford—and Krim and
Benjamin assumed control of the company.
Eric Pleskow, who has been president and
chief executive officer since 1973, originally
joined UA that same year.
In the past quarter-century, UA has
earned its reputation as a source of quality
Three New AIP Features
Set for Foreign Markets
BEVERLY HILLS—Jules Stein, sicepresident
in charge of international sales and
distribution for American International Pictures,
announced that three new AIP films
have been slated for release in foreign markets.
They are: "The Island of Dr. Moreau,"
"The People That Time Forgot" and
"Empire of the Ants."
In Southeast Asia (except Japan), distribution
will be through Continental Film Distributors.
West Germany will be supplied
through Constantin Film and Swiss distribution
will be by Monopole-Pathe.
"Negotiations are in progress." Stein said,
"that are expected to be concluded for main
other territories at the Cannes Film Festival.
These territories include ihe United
Kingdom, Japan, France. Spain and Italy."
Massive Print Media Buy
Plugs 'Close Encounters'
BLJRBANK — "Close Encounters of the
Third Kind." Columbia's Christmas release,
benefited from excellent marketing showmanship
Sunday (10) with the publication
of an expensive, two-page informational
advertisement in 26 major newspapers
throughout the U.S. and Canada, placed
eight months in advance o\ the film's actual
scheduled opening.
The early initial "leaser" campaign is a
media demonstration by Columbia Pictures
to the moviegoing world about how important
and carefull) handled this film will he
film entertainment, evidenced In the award
Ol more Oscars by the members ol the
Acadcrm ol Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
than have been won during the sameperiod
bj anj other company, boasting an
aggregate total of 93 Oscars. In 1974 the
Academy also honored Arthur Krim with
the Jean llcisholt Humanitarian Award.
'Marty' Tops in '55
A record number ol Best Picture Awards
was bestowed on the nine following films:
"Marty" (1955), "Around the World in
80 Days" (1956), "Ihe Apartment" (1960),
"West Side Story" (196H. "lorn Jones"
(1963). "In the Heal ot the Night" (1967).
"Midnight Cowboy" (1969). "One Flew
Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975) and
"Rocky" (1976).
14 Slated for Release
Releases planned lor 1977 include,
among others. "Annie Hall." "Another
Man. Another Woman." "Apocalypse
Now," "Audrey Rose." "A Bridge Too
Far," "Coming Home," "Equus." "New
York. New York," "Semi-Tough," "The
Spy Who Loved Me." "Valentino" and,
from MGM. "Demon Seed." "Sweet Revenge"
and "Telefon."
treated throughout Ihe year, since its represents
the most ambitious production in the
company's long history.
The Steven Spielberg film of a Phillips
production, "Close Encounters of the Third
Kind" stars Richard Dreyfuss and Francois
Truffaut in a suspense-mystery drama about
the UFO phenomenon from an earth point
of view.
The ad explained ihe three "encounters"
and further advised readers to "Watch the
Skies."
The copy said: "This Christmas, millions
of people will experience the most beautiful,
frightening and significant motion picture
adventure of all time." The ad's haunting
concluding line was: "We are not alone."
The film is still in various stages of postproduction.
Producers of "Close Encounters
of the Third Kind" are Julia Phillips
and Michael Phillips. Music is by John
Williams and director of photography is
Vilmos Zsigmond.
DISTRIBUTION WANTED
FOR FRESHLY FUNNY FAMILY FILM