Boxoffice barometer (1962)

with the best from Britain LION INTERNATIONAL POINTS THE WAY British Production Shows Sharp Upturn <Continued from page 104) come a permanent lodger at Pinewood studios in order to carry out its gargantuan production program. For 1962 alone, Wintle and Parkyn have a schedule of a minimum of seven features and possibly nine. They need to, as they have a contract to make at least three a year for Anglo- Amalgamated and a minimum of three for the Rank Organiza- tion. Such productivity requires careful planning and a stop- watch ability to move one picture in and out of a studio on time and within a budget. Independent Artists not only does this, but has a catholic taste in subjects broad enough to satisfy both the showmanship-minded exhibitor and the owner of a large theatre interested in the big picture with the big name stars. Thus, there is room for Peter Sellers in Jean Anouilh’s “Waltz of the Toreadors,” as well as a group of well-known pop singers in “Play It Cool,” which will be the first British film to introduce The Twist. Having the close tie-up with Anglo and the Rank group, I-A makes its films with the certain knowledge that its product will be seen either on the Rank or the ABC circuits. It has contracts to produce 43 features for the two companies until 1967, 28 for Rank, 15 for Anglo. Wintle and Parkyn know the value of the foreign market and contrive to star at least one leading Continental artist in each of their fea- tures. Last year, two of their most successful pictures, “Very Important Person,” a comedy with James Robertson Justice, and “Payroll,” with Stanley Baker, were among the 20 best boxoffice films, while “Very Important Person” got into the Top Ten. Independent Artists and Wintle and Parkyn can genuinely be considered among the successful pillars of British film production. PETER ROGERS The most consistently successful British film producer is Peter Rogers who, with his “Carry On” series has set a box- office record for comedies without parallel in the British in- dustry. He is the only British producer to have made a profit out of all 12 major features in a row. Rogers releases all his films through Anglo-Amalgamated and, in fact, is a member of the board of directors. He is no Johnny-come-lately to the industry and entered the film business during the war as a script writer. Later, he became responsible for production and scripts to Sydney Box at Gainsborough Studios and, when these studios closed, he set up pro- ductions with his wife, Betty Box. His biggest success began with the first “Carry On” feature, “Carry On Sergeant,” and since then he has made the follow- Peter Rogers ing features: “Carry On Nurse,” “Carry On Teacher,” “Carry On Constable,” “Carry On Regardless,” “Carry On Cruising,” “No Kidding,” “Up the Creek,” “Raising the Wind,” “Twice Round the Daffodils.” A modest man who fights shy of publicity, Rogers at times acts as if he is the prisoner of cinema exhibitors rather than a successful producer. His aim is to diversify his product with dramas and thrillers, as well as comedies, but cinema owners throughout the world are constantly demanding yet another “Carry On” feature. To satisfy these demands, Rogers will make at least one “Carry On” comedy a year. He intends to in- troduce other qualities in his annual production line-up for the future. With Gerald Thomas, who has been associated with all his successes, he will make at least three films a year which will be as varied as possible. All of them will be for Anglo distribution. Rogers, in many ways, has been a prominent factor in the success of this distributing company and chair- man, Nat Cohen, is the first to recognize it. “The world wide triumphs of British comedies started with ‘Carry On Nurse,’ and has led to other British films enjoying successful nans in an even more difficult situation,” says Cohen. Meanwhile Rogers, who enjoys the enviable freedom of picking his own subjects without fear or interference from his disti'ibutor, carries on his successful production business which has helped towards the general prosperity of the British f ilm industry. 109