Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1962)

0&<mcI<m, ^efcont By ANTHONY GRUNER Charles Chaplin Heads New Canadian Firm TORONTO — Trans Canada Distribution Enterprises, Ltd., a new nationwide theatrical film distribution organization, has been formed here with headquarters at 1000 Yonge St. Charles S. Chaplin, formerly general manager of United Artists in Canada, is the president. Branch office facilities are already set up in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg and Montreal. Pointing to the fact that Trans Canada is the first new Canadian independent distributor with full national facilities in many years, Chaplin said its basic objective is “to handle a comparatively small number of quality pictures in order to concentrate on securing maximum distribution and exploitation.” Chaplin started in the film business with United Artists in Toronto as an office boy 32 years ago. He rapidly advanced and became general manager in 1945 at the age of 33. He was chairman of Canada’s Motion Picture Industry Council for two years and is now serving as chairman of the Council’s Public Relations and Box Office Promotion Committee, a post he has held for 12 years. While serving as Canadian representative of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences he developed the Academy Awards contests, designed to promote community interest in potential award winners. The plan started in Canada under his direction and spread across the U.S. Mass British Isles Runs For 'Road to Hong Kong' LOS ANGELES — An unusual releasing pattern for the first world showing of Norman Panama and Melvin Frank’s “Road to Hong Kong,” starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Joan Collins, has been devised by United Artists and the Rank circuit. “Road” will blanket the British Isles for the Easter holidays. It premiered in London at the Odeon Marble Arch on March 29 and opened three days later in 83 Rank houses in key areas in England, Scotland and Ireland. Hecht and Daiei of Japan In Coproduction Deal NEW YORK — Arthur B. Krim, president of United Artists, has completed arrangements between Harold Hecht of Hecht Productions and Masaichi Nagata of Daiei Motion Picture Co. of Japan for the coproduction in that country of “Flight From Ashiya,” to be directed by Michael Anderson with Yul Brynner starred. Production will start in Japan in June. Daiei Co. will distribute the film in Japan, Korea and Okinawa while United Artists will distribute throughout the rest of the world. I'HE MOVEMENT favoring the entry of Britain into the European Common Market received added impetus last week when the Association of Cinematograph and Television Technicians decided to support a resolution calling upon the ECM to provide safeguards for the protection of the British Film and Television Industries and that the General Council of ACTT should get together with the employers to work towards a common policy for the member nations concerned. In supporting this resolution at their annual conference, the technicians also rejected an emergency resolution which called for “vehement opposition” to Britain’s entry into the ECM. The attitude of ACTT is bound to have repercussions on the rest of the film unions in the industry. The actors, the craftsmen, the musicians and even the electricians, who are notoriously opposed to the concept of the European Common Market, may decide to reexamine their attitudes to this controversial question. The British producers are, of course, overjoyed with the news as this makes possible a more representative body of opinion within the industry that can put pressure on the government to safeguard the production interests of the industry. Last week’s ACTT’s conference showed that the technicians were in quite a mellow mood and were prepared to reserve their biggest criticisms against the commercial television companies rather than the British Film Producers Ass’n or the Federation of British Film Makers. Even the exhibitors were spared the criticisms which have been heard in previous conferences at the failure to support British production. In fact, at no time in the history of the industry have relations between the technicians and the employers organizations been so cordial. * * * When Nat Cohen, chairman of AngloAmalgamated, is not flying to America to conclude a lucrative deal for some of his pictures, or visiting British studios to see the mshes of some of the pictures his company is financing, or taking part in activity on behalf of Variety Club, he often enjoys a visit to the theatre. Last week, Cohen decided on a better idea, he bought the Arts Theatre, a small but distinguished center for contemporary drama. With such colleagues as Peter Hall, artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Co., Kenneth Rive, managing director of Gala Films, Sir Fordham Flower and David Deutch, his production executive of Anglo, Cohen announced a new policy for the development of this West End show case. There would be a season of experimental plays by young dramatists and Cohen envisaged that the theatre would be a “talent source” of writers, actors, directors and designers, for the more universal medium of film. Cohen, however, was at pains to emphasize that, although he is happy to sponsor “artistic” and even long-haired plays, there will be none of that sort of thing in the Anglo feature line up. “We want to find new talent that can give greater quality to our productions for the world market,” he said, “but Anglo will never choose esoteric subjects for its cinema entertainment.” * * * Anne Baxter will star opposite Adam Faith and Donald Sinden in the Wessex production of “Mix Me a Person,” a contemporary crime thriller, which starts shooting in April at Shepperton studios. Directed by Leslie Norman and produced by Sergei Nolbandov, the film’s screen play has been written by Ian Dalrymple, with Victor Saville as executive producer. Saville and Dalrymple are partners in the newly formed Wessex Film Distributors, Ltd., which is just commencing a big program of major productions for the international market. * * * Important tributes to director Vincente Minnelli are to be staged by the British Film Institute at the National Film Theatre, it was announced last week. Starting in April, and continuing into May, the talented MGM director will be honored by screenings of 16 of his greatest triumphs. With the cooperation of MGM, the National Film Theatre will be presenting the three main aspects of Minnelli’s work: musicals, comedies and the dramas. Minnelli is coming to England during the season and will meet NFT members at the performance of one of his films. Meanwhile, his latest picture “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” opened at a gala premiere at the Coliseum Theatre. ♦ * * News in brief: Sir Carol Reed will produce and direct “The Ballad of the Running Man,” based on the novel by Shelley Smith, it was announced last week by Mike Frankovich, Columbia vice-president in charge of production . . . Morris Davis, managing director of MGM in Britain, has now also been appointed the company’s chairman. He joined the London organization in November last year, from South Africa, where he was managing director in that territory. He succeeds Charles Goldsmith. Warner Bros, to Release Two Seven Arts Films LOS ANGELES — Two Seven Arts film presentations will be released by Warner Bros., under an agreement announced by WB president Jack L. Warner and Seven Arts toppers Ray Stark and Eliot Hyman. The films are “Panic Button,” a comedy starring Maurice Chevalier, Eleanor Parker and Jayne Mansfield, slated to roll next month in Rome, with George Sherman directing and Ron Gorton producing, and “The Story of the Count of Monte Cristo,” a completed film starring Louis Jourdan. Film Festival in Colombia CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA— The third International Film Festival will be held here between April 6 and April 12 with films from 20 nations to be shown. The festival is sponsored by several national and municipal agencies, as well as the Colombian National Tourist Board. Charles S. Chaplin BOXOFFICE :: March 26, 1962 17