Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

■ By CHRIS DUTRA Y^HILE IN TOWN for the Hollywood premiere of “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” Ely Landau revealed his production plans for 1963 and listed Helen Eustis’ novel, “The Fool Killer,” as the first of five features to get under way in March, with David Friedkin and Morton Fine, wellknown television writing team, doing their first motion picture screenplay. Broadway’s Jose Quintero will direct for producer Servando Gonzales, one of Mexico’s top young producers, whose first feature “Yanco,” has been acclaimed for its cinematic artistry. This will be followed by an adaptation of Giraudoux’s “The Madwoman of Chaillot,” which is scheduled for production in the summer on French locales. Noting the most ambitious project on the new company’s schedule as an original story based on the life of Leonardo daVinci, slated to get under way in Italy next fall. Howard Fast, author of “Spartacus,” is cm-rently engaged in preparing the story. The overall budget on the three pictures listed will range from $3 million to $4 million, with all three pictures slated for distribution within the calendar year of 1963 even though no distribution plans have been firmed for any of the films to date. Here, Landau pointed out, he feels each picture demands a different merchandising program, which he will look for in making a tieup, citing the manner in which Joe Levine’s Embassy Pictures has handled “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” as a prime example of individual merchandising. The remaining two properties on his schedule will be announced shortly after the first of the year. He did, however, reveal that one will be another Eugene O’Neill story. Alfred Hitchcock is in Berlin to supervise initial recording of a revolutionary electronic sound effects system, to be used in his current production “The Birds.” In a departure as off-beat as the subject matter of his new feature, a story of massive bird attacks on people, Hitchcock will use no music in the score. Rather, he will combine visual impact and natural sounds with the electronic sound, invented and patented by Remi Gassmann and Oskar Sala, of Berlin, to produce both "musical” and shock effects. Hitchcock will remain in Europe for the holidays, returning in January to complete “The Birds” for Universal release next spring. The film toplines Rod Taylor, Suzanne Pleshette and Jessica Tandy and introduces “Tippi” Hedren . . . Producer Stan Margulies has signed Harold J. Smith to write the screenplay for “A Most Contagious Game,” Tony Curtis starrer to roll for United Artists release in the fall of 1963. Based on the best-selling novel by Samuel Grafton, the film will be produced by Curtis Enterprises. In London, Frederick Brisson has started production on “The Caretaker” based on Harold Pinter’s Broadway hit play. The film stars Donald Pleasence, Alan Bates and Robert Shaw, who are in the original cast from the New York legit company. Michael Birkett produces and Clive Donner handles direction chores. Anglo Amalgamated will release in Great Britain . . . Cyd Charisse has been set to star in “The Assassins,” which will be filmed in Madrid, Venice, Rome and Pompeii. John Gavin, Lilo Pulver and Vittorio Gassman also costar in the APO Films production for Globe International release. Miss Charisse leaves February 1 for Europe for costume fittings . . . “The First Eagle” has been set as the next production at MGM for Andrew and Virginia Stone. The feature will go before the cameras in the spring in England. Actor-singer Fabian has signed a contract through his manager Jack Spina, for all merchandising on him to be handled by Licensing Corp. of America, consisting of color-books, Fabian pocketbooks and various games . . . Louis Miano, West Coast editor of SHOW Magazine, will spend the next two weeks in New York reviewing next year’s editorial plans and finalizing contests of its April issue on Hollywood. Richard D. MacCann, author of the current and timely book on the state of the motion picture industry, “Hollywood in Transition,” has been selected by the Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies to be a member of the steering committee for their first annual Seminar on American Films which will be held in Aspen, Colo., late this summer . . . Brad Dexter has been set for a top featured role in “The Mound Builders,” Mirisch Co. presentation, which begins filming on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico in early January with Yul Brynner starred. Lewis Rachmil is producing with J. Lee Thompson directing. The signing of Dexter marks a three-way reunion Arthur Freed Is Chairman Of SPG Awards Dinner Hollywood — Arthur Freed has been named chairman for the Screen Producers Guild Eleventh Annual Milestone Awards dinner honoring Irving Berlin, which will be held on Sunday, March 3, 1963, it was announced by Lawrence Weingarten, president of the Screen Producers Guild. Frank P. Rosenberg and Robert Cohn have been appointed members of Freed’s dinner committee. The Milestone Awards dinner, which, in addition to honoring Berlin, will be highlighted by presentations for the best produced theatrical motion picture of the year, the best produced filmed television series of the year and the Jesse L. Lasky-Intercollegiate Competition Award. for Brynner, director Thompson and Dexter, who recently worked together on Harold Hecht’s “Taras Bulba,” currently being released . . . Billy Wilder has added Barbara Barrett to the cast of “Irma La Douce,” currently shooting in Hollywood for the Mirisch Co. . . . Rounding out Mirisch activities in Rome, James Lanphier has been set for a double duty assignment as featured actor and dialog coach on “The Pink Panther,” Blake Edwards Production for Mirisch-UA release. Lanphier’s work on the film marks the seventh film which he has done with Edwards to date. Young British writer-director, Bryan Forbes, has been signed by Paramoimt Studios to write the screenplay and possibly direct “The Heart of the Lion,” biography of Sir Winston Churchill, it was announced by studio vice-president Jack Karp. Young Forbes was nominated for an Oscar in 1960 for his screenplay of “The Angry Silence” and more recently directed Hayley Mills in “Whistle Down the Wind” plus being writer-director of “The L-Shaped Room,” which Romulus is releasing. Marlon Brando has agreed to make an international personal appearance tour on behalf of Universal’s “The Ugly American,” according to George Englund who produced and directed the film. The producer himself will also make an extended tom' with the film and leaves for New York shortly to help prepare the campaign . . . The final MGM production for 1962 got under way this past week at the studio with stars Shirley Jones, Gig Young, Red Buttons and Carolyn Jones taking to makeup for “Moon Walk,” which George Sidney directs for producer Joe Pasternak, in color and Panavision. The film is expected to have a three-month shooting schedule. Robert L. Lippert’s production company has set “Police Nurse” to follow “Evil Come, Evil Go,” on its schedule for 20th-Fox. Film rolls the first week in January with Maury Dexter producing . . . “Last Frontier,” will be the initial film Harold Hecht produces under his recent deal with Columbia Studios. Saul Levitt has been signed to write the screenplay based on the book by Howard Fast and cmrent plans call for the filming in mid-1963 . . . Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has set a deal for a sixth Andrew and Virginia Stone production, tentatively titled ‘"The First Eagle” to be filmed in England this spring. The new project follows the Stones’ “The Password Is Courage,” recently completed . . . Edie Adams and Nancy Kwan have been selected to play the feminine star roles opposite Jack Carter in “The Midas Touch,” which is scheduled to be filmed next summer in Japan under Carter’s independent Jacar Productions banner . . . Mel Ferrer is the latest actor to be added to the impressive list of names playing in “The Fall of the Roman Empire,” Samuel Bronston Productions. He will be costarred in the role of Cleander, the blind prophet and advisor to Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Filming starts January 14 . . . Edgar Buchanan has been set to play Shirley Jones’ father in “Moon Walk” at MGM. Gig Young, Red Buttons and Carolyn Jones have other leads in the Joe Pasternak production directed by George Sidney. 12 BOXOFFICE :: December 24, 1962