Variety (December 1954)

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We«lne»<lay» December 15, 1954 PICTURES BLAME STAR COSTS ON EXHIBS Sol Siegel Sees Vigorous Future THEATRES DUCK For HoDywood Via Indie Units Following a trend which he sees* .= -the best thing that could hap-' pen to the business,” Sol C. Siegel 1, is set up his own production unit, Sol C Siegel Productions, and is now committed to deliver 10 pic- tures to Paramount over the next five years, the producer revealed in N. Y.. Monday (13). Par will provide the major financing for his pix but, a * tel script approval, ‘Til have full art- istic control over everything I make,” Siegel said. His first film under the Par deal goes before the cameras next summer and is likely to be a musical, he dis- closed. Without disclosing the exact na- ture of the property, Siegel said he was negotiating with Irving Berlin, whose ‘‘There’s No Busi- ness Like Showbusiness” he pro- duced for 20th-Fox as the last pic under his contract there. It’s fig- ured that what he may have in mind is ‘‘Miss Liberty” to which Berlin recently acquired all rights. Siegel indicated he’s also working on another musical project. His Par release lineup is expected to cover a wide range of subject mat- ter. While in England recently, he acquired the book, “The Cap- tain's Table.” Siegel, whose last three pix have been in the CinemaScope medium, said he wasn’t at all dismayed at the prospect of switching to VistaVision. “I like ’em both,” he declared, “and, frankly. I don’t ' (Continued on page 24) DeLuxe Lab Will Double Capacity By Next April Capacity of DeLuxe Laborato- ries. N; Y., a 20th-Fox subsidiary, currently stands at 2,100,000 feet a week and will be doubled by .next April when a new processing machine will be ready, according to Alan E. Freedman, DeLuxe proxy. DeLuxe has been handling most of 20th's print processing and also has been doing considerable tv film work. Freedman said the new equipment would boost production to anywhere between 4.000,000 and 5.000.000 feet weekly. Establishment of Technicolor processing facilities in the east, for which DeLuxe has been li- censed by Techni, is hanging fire pending the decision of a zoning board in Englewood Cliffs, N. J., where DeLuxe has an optional deal for an 11 1 2 -acre plot of ground. Should the zoning authorities re- fuse to clear the area, another site in N. J. has been tentatively picked out. Freedman said that, once a new location has been picked, DeLuxe would move its “volume plant” there, i.e., between 60% and 65% ot all of its facilities, including the Techni machinery. DeLuxe at present is geared for Eastman color. Only other Techni labs are on the Coast and in London, with a French plant a-building. Hakim Scouts Continent (laston Hakim, who’s been dis- tributing the Swedish import, “Il- licit Interlude,” in the American hiarket for the last three months, leaves for Europe the end of the 'ccek to scout'fresh product. While fimoad he’ll visit Paris, Rome and the French Congo among other ptaces. Hakim just returned from the toast, where he set a deal with Robert Kronenberg’s Manhattan films International to handle ‘‘In- terlude” in the 11 western states. Similar deals were previously niade on the film with Charles Tei- in Chicago, Albert Dezel in Detroit and Harold Schwartz in Dallas. Half a Loaf Hollywood, Dec. 14. Billing and screen credit, which concern stars second only to salary, are being waived by Jan Sterling under a curious situation at Warner Bros. In connection with the upcoming Academy Awards, the Warner lot is all-out for the main Oscar in the femme category to go to Judy Gar- land for “A Star Is Born.” Miss Sterling meanwhile has come along in “The High and Mighty,” with star billing. Studio suggested, and Miss Sterling accepted, reclassifica- tion of herself into “support- ing player” status, which Academy rules , permit and which may make her eligible to grab the runner-up Oscar. British Product ‘Wide Open’ To Yankee Video British producers are placing no restriction on the showing of their new theatrical films on television in the United States. The so-called “dossiers” of the English film com- panies’ obligations and rights in connection with each picture con- tains no time limit on the avail- ability of the film for tv. “There are no restrictions on performance of the film on televi- sion,” a typical dossier states, “ex- cept that if the film is shown by means of sponsored television, no artist’s name or photograph may be used to suggest that the artist personally uses or recommends any commercial goods thereby publicized.” Rosensohn’s Presidency Box Office Television, closed-cir- cuit promoters and producers, has upped William P. Rosensohn to president of the company. He was formerly executive v.p. Rosensohn succeeds Milton Mound, who moves up to the new- ly-designated office of chairman of the board. Film companies ‘XEcre- quick to reply to the exhibitor charge that Hollywood is neglecting to develop new personalities. Hollywood, tal- ent execs in New York point out, has been doing its best to bring to the fore new, fresh performers, but has been stymied in its efforts by the adamant attitude of theatre- men who refuse to buy pictures un- less they contain established name stars. “Just try to sell an exhibitor a picture with an unknown person- ality and see how far you get,” commented one talent digger. He pointed out that many of the stu- dios maintained elaborate schools which aimed to develop new play- ers. Columbia and Universal, he noted, have comprehensive systems for the indoctrination of new stars Columbia has been giving the new players an airing via important supporting roles and by lending them out to other studios. Purpose is to keep them before the cameras as much as possible so they obtain audience identification. The main trouble with intro- ducing new players, it’s noted, is overcoming the resistance of ex- hibitors. “If they practiced what they preached, this industry would be able to develop at least five new personalities each year,” a talent exec stated. “The attitude of ex- hibitors is strange. They’ll turn a film down without even seeing the performance of a newcomer. Their reaction is ‘if the picture hasn’t got a name, it won’t go in my theatre.’ What’s the sense of Hol- lywood investing thousands in grooming new personalities if it meets this attitude?” Film company answer was (Continued on page 62) Warners Financing: $18,536,733, Double-Plus Unit Outlay In ’53; , Current Earnings Equal $1.60 WB Common’s 30c Board of directors of War- ner Bros.,' meeting in N. Y. Friday <9>, declared a divi- dend of 30c per share on com- mon stock. Slice is payable Feb. 5 to stockholders of record Jan. 14. Metros Own Print Output Speeded Stepping up its own print out- put. Metro is now in a position to process 2,800,000 feet of color foot- age a week at its cwn Coast lab. Company is handling the prints for its entire CinemaScope output, which is lensed in Eastman Color. Installation of a new machine is upping the capacity of the M-G lab to 2,800,000 ft. from a former 1,300,000 ft. a week. About 100,000 (Continued on page 21) Hotels Grab Sales Meeting Rentals From Theatres Scramble of hotels to get into closed-circuit tv is placing theatres in a secondary role as far as busi- ness meetings are concerned. Thea- tres, with large-screen theatre tv installations, have eyed the com- mercial rentals, side-money possi- bilities during off hours. However, the companies sponsoring the closed-circuit meetings favor more orthodox and convenient hours and. as a result, have been shifting their business to the hotels. This new trend does not mean that theatres are completely shut out of the conventions, sales and other business meetings. They’ll still be used when the sponsoring orgs require large seating capaci- ties. The more intime sessions, featuring heart-to-heart talks from company toppers rather than musi- cal revue type go-get-’em sales pitches, are seen as more suitable for the hotel ballroom or parlors. The entry of hotels into the closed-circuit business is paving (Continued on page 20) Warner Bros., continuing its pol- icy of financing independent pro- ducers, advanced a total of $18,536,733 for indie production during the 1954 fiscal year. This is a considerable jump over the sum shelled out for this purpose in 1953 when the company’s outlay was $8,536,954. Breakdown of the amount advanced as of Aug. 31, 1954, end of the fiscal year, in- cluded $3,636,519 for released pro- ductions, less estimated amounts unrecoverable; $5,090,698 for com- pleted productions not released, and $9,809,556 for productions in process. Company, according to financial report covering the fiscal year, chalked up a net profit of $3,976.- 000. This is equivalent to $1.60 per share on the 2,,474.329 shares outstanding. Comparison figures, combining the operations of War- ner Bros, for the firsf six months of 1953 and those of the prior- divorcement company (excluding theatre operations) for the six months ending Feb., 1953, shows a net profit of $2,908,000 for the pre- vious fiscal stanza. For the six- month period, following the Stanley Warner Corp.’s takeover ! of the theatre assets, the net profit, ending Aug., 1953, was $1,575,000, * equivalent to 63c per share on the '2.474,414 shares outstanding at that time. Domestic film rentals declined (Continued on page 30) George Jessel for Philly George Jessel will be toastmas- ter at the annual dinner of Phila- delphia’s Motion Picture Associates at the Bellevue Stratford Hotel. Philly, Jan. 18. Proceeds from the $25-a-plate affair will go to MPA’s Welfare Committee. Howard Minsky, Paramount di- vision manager, and theatre opera- tor Harold Seidenberg are co-chair- men of the entertainment com- mittee. OUT SOON! The 49th Anniversary Number Of Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail Special exploitation advantages Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office NEW YORK 34 154 W: 44th St. HOLLYWOOD 21 4311 Yucca St. CHICAGO 11 412 N. Michigan Ava. LONDON, W. C. 2 I St. Martin’s Place Trafalgar Sgnara Yank Film Lag In India Draws MPEA Spotlight Motion Picture Export Assn, is still concerned with finding ways and means of expanding the Indian market for U. S. pix which are earning but a fraction of the b o. share there. Eric Johnston, MPEA prexy, acknowledging concern with Hol- lywood’s position in India, said in N. Y. last week that he expected to go to India next year to survey the situation and conduct an on- the-spot investigation. Last year the American film take from India ran to all of $600,000. Problem is primarily one of mak- ing Indian audiences accept tha Hollywood fare. Many regional lan- ! guages also loom large plus In- j dian censorship, among the tough- ; est in the world. MPEA recently ; appointed its own rep in India, and Johnston said he was hopeful that | some of the current and most pressing problems would be un- raveled by the time he got to j India personally. In Japan, meanwhile, MPEA is ! still looking for a permanent field ; rep and a Japanese adviser. John- ston said Irving Maas, the MPEA’s Far Eastern supervisor, would con- 1 tinue to work out of the N. Y. homeoffice. Maas arrived in N. Y. from Tokyo Monday (13) and is ex- pected to return there after the i holidays. He will spend consider- able time in Japan pending con- clusion of current negotiations and the appointment of a new field rep. Technicolor’s 2 Divvys Technicolor board In N. Y. last week declared a 25c. a share divi- dend on the $1 par common stock and a 50c. per share divvy on the old no-par common stock not exchange. In addition a special 10c. per share yearend dividend was de- clared on the new stock and 20c. on the old no-par common stock. Divvies are payable Dec. 30, 1954, to stockholders of record Dec. 17, 1954.