Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1963)

•By SYD CASSYD 2 TREND is appearing in Hollywood with use of the name “King” in titles. The latest of the trio of films where it is to be used will be the Seven Arts and John Huston "The Man Who Would Be King.” This will be part of the Huston contract for three films with the firm. Universal is shooting “King of the Mountain,” and Martin Manulis is planning “King of Paris,” based on the Guy Endore film. The Seven Arts film called for Anthony Veiler and Huston to write the script, with Huston directing. Location shooting in India, in 1964, is slated. Also in the hopper under the same contractual arrangement is an adaptation of “The Lonely Passion of Judith Heaime.” w Another of the newer crop of future stars whose contract has just been renewed, is Cindy Carol, star of “Gidget Goes to Rome.” Following her successful Loretta Young show appearance, her first contract was signed with Columbia with a sixmonths’ option. Screening of the picture prompted the studio to pick up the option before time ran out, and she is on her way . . . Glynnis Johns is playing two roles at once at Disney Studio. From the “Mary Poppins” set she has to come into Hollywood for a recording session for the liveaction feature, “Tomasina.” Her voice is used for Tomasina, the cat, in the film from the Paul Gallico novel. m> Ernest Glucksman has been named executive producer of York Pictures Corp. — Jerry Lewis Enterprises production for Paramount release titled “The Disorderly Orderly.” In the comedy, Jerry plays an orderly in a big city hospital. The story is based on an idea of Norm Lievmann and Ed Hass. Glucksman was a top banana in NBC-TV production and has a long career directing and producing specials in the New York theatre circuit, having cut his eye teeth as a director of summer theatres and hotel shows in the Borscht circuit in the ’30s. f Lightning does strike twice in the same place and usually in the rain. This time, “Soldiers in the Rain” provided the setting for Chris Noel, who comes from, of all places, Palm Beach, Fla. She has been chosen to play the romantic role opposite Steve McQueen in the Blake Edwards production, which Allied Artists will release. Miss Noel’s first “strike” came when she decided on a California vacation. She has never before appeared in a film production, though she has stage and TV commercials experience. Shelley Winters has been signed to star in the film version of Elmer Rice’s “The Adding Machine,” with Sydney Chaplin and Maureen Stapleton signed for co-starring roles. Jerry Epstein heads production. Joel Glickman, co-producer of the film, has been working on “The Defenders” as an assistant director. Production starts in New York . . . Pat O’Brien will appear in a film next fall, he announced as he turned down the nomination for president of AGVA, here. The picture probably will be shot in Ireland. nk Walt Disney has signed the leading players for “Bristle Face,” the adventure story of two vagabonds — an orphan boy and a “bristly faced” hound. Bob Weeny will direct and Bill Anderson coproduces from a script by Maurice Timbragel, with production under way. The cast includes Brian Keith, Phillip Alford, Jeff DonneM, Wallace Ford, Parley Baer and Slim Pickens. For his film, “Moonspinners,” starting in early September, Hayley Mills and Eli Wal’ach are set to star. The Mary Stuart murder mystery was adapted by Michael Dyne with Bill Anderson also coproducing and James Neilson directing. m Stewart Stern has been signed as associate producer to Sy Bartlett, who will produce “A Taste of Glory” at Paramount. Stern, who will film this as his first production chore, will write the screenplay developed around Bartlett’s original story. Jack Karp announced that all filming will take place in Hollywood. Stern numbers among his writing credits, “Rebel Without a Cause,” and “The Ugly American.” » Showing initiative beyond the usual run, something which the studios claim they are seeking, AIP publicist, Vince Tubb, using a Fairchild 8mm sound camera, filmed a feature-length picture which he also directed. His approach to this was to prove that the Negro actors in the town can sustain character and in the film they prove their worth along with the others. The hour-long film by the new Negro producer focuses on the activities of a private detective, and is called “The Thunderbirders” . . . MGM has added a word to the title of the Gene Nelson fi’m for Sam Katzman. It now is “Hootenanny Hoot.” . . . Ken Kennedy Productions starts Sep The Guns of August' Set To Roll at Universal Launching Universal’s “new film horizons” program, Edward Muhl, vicepresident in charge of production, has completed arrangements with Nathan Kroll and Lawrence White for bringing to the screen “The Guns of August,” Barbara Tuchman’s 1963 Pulitzer Prize winner in the field of general non-fiction. Universal will distribute the featurelength authentic depiction of the events leading up to and including the beginning of World War I, to be produced and directed by Kroll, with White serving as executive producer. Release will be Aug. 1, 1964, the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the war, as chronicled in Mrs. Tuchman’s best-selling work, published by Macmillan and a Book-of-the-Month selection. tember 2 on “The Iron Angel,” Korean War story. Emerson Films will distribute with Kennedy producing and directing at studio facilities in Phoenix. Leslie Martinson will direct “For Those Who Think Young” for Sinatra Enterprises, which will roll the Technicolor teenthemed motion picture on August 14. The United Artists release stars James Darren, Pamela Tiffin, Woody Woodbury, Paul Lynde and Nancy Sinatra. The signing of Martinson was announced by Howard W. Koch, executive vice-president of Sinatra Enterprises. Hugh Benson will produce the film which will be filmed in Hollywood and on location in Santa Monica, Calif. The screenplay is by Daniel X. Beaumont and James and George O’Hanlon. In addition to introducing comedian Woodbury, star of ABC-TV’s “Who Do You Trust?” show, the film also will mark the motion picture debuts of Miss Sinatra and Claudia Martin, daughters of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin respectively. Stella Stevens has been signed by MGM to the feminine star role opposite Glenn Ford in “Company of Cowards,” according to Robert Weitman, production head. George Marshall will direct the comedy, set in Civil War days, for producer Ted Richmond. Casting of Miss Stevens marks her return to MGM and her reteaming with Ford following their appearance in MGM’s “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father.” Joan Blondell has been added to the cast . . . Keir Dullea has been signed for his third feature following his success in “David and Lisa.” Philip Yordan and Sydney Harmon will produce “The Thin Red Line,” from a novel by James Jones. The screenplay, also by Jones, will be filmed in Spain. Dullea will be working on “The Wranglers” for MGM in Spain, and has commitments with Seven Arts and Filmways. Mitchell Lipsett, in charge of the demolition operations at the Hal Roach Studios, and head of the Lipsett Division of Luria Bros., Inc., invited the curators of the Hollywood Museum to identify items which should be preserved for a historical study of the motion p’eture industry and television, and when they found items, he donated them to the Museum collection. Martin Melcher, who has obtained an original story by Richard 'Carpendale, is trying to get James Garner for the lead role when he completes the “Move Over, Darling” Melcher-Rosenberg film at 20thFox . . . Hal Wallis has signed Janet Leigh to a five-picture contract, following her starring role in “Wives and Lovers.” The latter will open in New York around Labor Day for the holiday business. W Film rights to “Send Me No Flowers” have been bought by Universal, with Julian Epstein scripting. The play of the same name opens in Santa Barbara for a week’s stand. A group from India, Jimdan Enterprises, Ltd., has been setting up to provide financing, clearance, tax concessions and facilities for American-Indian productions. Robert Hardy Andrews has been appointed representative for this hemisphere. 14 BOXOFFICE : : July 22, 1963