Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

^efeont ■By SYD CASSYD JACK L. WARNER announced Sinatra Enterprises. under its three-picture deal with Warner Bros., will make “None But the Brave,” as the first in the series. Starring Frank Sinatra, the story, purchased as an original from Raoul Walsh and John Twist, will be scripted by Twist, and will be filmed in 1964 in Panavision and Technicolor. Locations in Japan, Hawaii and Hollywood are set for the story about a group of United States Marines shot down during World War II over a Pacific island held by a small Japanese force. It will be detailed in large measure through Japanese eyes with Sinatra playing the Marine captain-pilot of the downed plane. American International Pictures has acquired H. P. Lovecraft’s “Color Out of Space,” a science-fiction story for 1964 production. The deal was set by Frank Cooper agency . . . Writer-producer Walter Bernstein has acquired for film production, “The Money Trap,” by Lionel White . . . Stan Zipperman, who at 24 was a drama critic, and is now with the Van Nuys News in the same capacity, has written “The Rape of God,” a story of Liberation of Paris after World War II. Story is now being handled by Frank Cooper Agency for publication and screenplay rights . . . George Maharis checks in to work with John Sturges on “The Satan Bug,” a Mirisch-Kappa story for United Artists release. The novel by Ian Stuart, a nom de plume for Alistair MacLean, author of “The Guns of Navarone,” has a screenplay by James Clavell. Maharis’ new contract with Mirisch calls for a nonexclusive three-picture deal. ft “The Aerialist,” a half-hour subject with a circus background, is being filmed in Europe by Ted Taylor for theatre and television release by Paramount Pictures as an entertainment short which will be used to promote Samuel Bronston’s “Circus World.” The latter film production is the source of the material being edited for the short, with Ingrid Hustudt, German actress-acrobat, featured ... A new version of “Rashomon” for Martin Ritt and MGM will be prepared by producer Ronald Lubin who goes to South America at the invitation of the president of Colombia, the Hon. Guillermo Leon Valencia, to discuss governmental cooperation in the filming of “Simon Bolivar” ... A Canadian film, “The Littlest Hobo,” is moving from Canada to be filmed in the United States. Canamac Pictures, Ltd. is the group making the move. “Kitten With a Whip” will have AnnMargret portraying her first highly dramatic role of a girl who wields a whip over a married man because he once tried to help her. Edward Muhl, Universal vicepresident in charge of production, signed the star for the novel by Wade Miller . . . Another top deal by the lot was the signing of Neman Jewison, director, to handle the Rock Hudson-Doris Day comedy, “Send Me No Flowers, ” following the success of his work in “The Thrill of It All.” Harry Keller will produce and Marty Melcher will act as executive producer on the Julius Epstein screenplay, based on the Broadway play. Jewison currently is doing the Judy Garland television series. Milt Ebbins of Chrislaw Productions has scheduled six films over the next four years, at the budget-level of “Johnny Cool,” with United Artists as distributors. “Surf’s Up” is next on the schedule with “The Major and the Private,” starring Chrislaw’s Peter Lawford and Tracemark Productions’ Sammy Davis jr., to go before the cameras in March of next year . . . “TeenAge Party Crashers” by Liam Sullivan is being discussed in Philadelphia offices of Bob Marcucci’s Chancellor Films for possible production . . . Another party title, this time, “The Wild Party,” will be made by a local producing firm, WILBO Productions, Inc. The firm is composed of Robert L. Bogle, president; Donald L. Wilson, vice-president-secretary and Nole Edwards, treasurer. ft Walt Disney snared one of television’s creative crew with the signing of Fletcher Markle to direct “The Incredible Journey,” which was completed by Cangary Productions, Ltd., and will use his services in an unnamed vehicle now being prepared. Markle, though still young, grew up in the early creative years of live television, with Studio One, and other top shows . . . Irving Berlin and Arthur Laurents step up the pace on “Say It With Music” as both get together in Hollywood after working in New York. Berlin returned from London where he attended the marriage of his daughter . . . “There Ought to Be a Pony,” will be John T. Kelly’s new assignment when he moves over to Columbia, where Arthur Kramer inked him to handle the script. The writer is presently handling “Rage to Live” for Mirisch. “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” a way-out production, will be filmed as a SchenckZabel Productions-Paramount feature for Paramount release. Aubrey Schenck and Edwin F. Zabel have checked into the Marathon Street lot for pre-production with Byron Haskin assigned to direct the script by lb J. Melchior, former science editor of Life Magazine. As indicated by the title, based on the Daniel Defoe novel, a shipwrecked mariner transfers the lonely man’s problems to outer space, with the added loneliness of that locale. According to space scientists, the script is said to be entirely plausible and feasible. Donald Kerr celebrated his 38-year career as a motion picture actor with a portrayal of a happy, inebriated New Yorker, in Martin Manulis’ “The Out-ofTowners” . . . Lois Nettleton, who appears with Keir Dullea in “Mail Order Bride,” plays the title role in “The Guilt of Molly Kane,” a dramatic story of a nurse who faces a complex personal problem . . . Out at the Culver City MGM lot, both Gloria Swanson and Barbara Stanwyck will be working on the “World’s Greatest Showman,” the Cecil B. De Mille tribute . . . A six -year -old girl Kimberly Jean Block in Houston, Tex., celebrates her birthday with her entry into the Hollywood scene as the daughter of Steve McQueen and Lee Remick in “The Traveling Lady.” Pakula -Mulligan will do the picture for Columbia release . . . Columbia signed George Segal to a multiple-picture contract extending over a period of years. Currently on the lot in a starring role for “The New Interns,” he is a John GarfieldHumphrey Bogart type. Walt Disney has taken an option on Sid Fleishman’s original, “By the Great Horn Spoon,” for a full-length feature . . . The rough cut of Bob Hope’s “A Global Affair,” at MGM has been turned over by Hall Bartlett to the lab for printing while Dominic Frontiere is composing the musical score. Dorcas Cochran is writing the lyrics for three individual songs to be used in the production . . . Producer Robert Angus has taken an option on a new novel by Yael Lotan, 21 -year-old Israeli authoress. In a deal set by the Frank Cooper Agency, the story, titled “The Other I,” will be scheduled as Angus’ next production. He last produced “Whistle Down the Wind,” starring Hayley Mills. With the scripters: Agency man Peter Thomas finalized the deal for one of his clients, James Lee Barrett, to screenplay a novel for production by Alan Brown at the Universal lot. Titled “Miss Jude,” it was written by H. DeVere Stacpoole. The Mills family, Hayley and John, are set for starring roles . . . Richard Breen was set by producer Arthur Loew jr. to write the screenplay on Universal’s “Under No Flag.” an original adventure-drama by Harold Jack Bloom . . . Ivan Tors’ next feature film, “Birds Do It,” will be written by James Komack. It concerns the whimsical idea, based on scientific fact, according to the producer, that man can fly; it doesn’t mention the source of power for the feat . . . Krainarsky-Cash Productions is the name of the new company of Jack Cash and David Kramarsky. Plans have been drawn for three films. “Dino,” the Sal Mineo picture, was part of a coproduction deal of Kramarsky some time ago . . . Cinerama has assigned Ray Bradbury to write the story-line narrative for “The Pioneer Spirit,” filmed exhibit in preparation at Cinerama’s Redwood facility for the U.S. Pavilion at the New York World’s Fair. Bradbury will work with Jeremy Lepard, creative director for Cinerama on the two-and-a-half million presentation . . . Dick Bernstein has snagged Lee Bradley under a non-exclusive pact to work in the “Fatty Arbuckle Story,” the Crown International release to be made by Bern-Field Productions, with starting date set for November . . . Writer John T. Kelley, now writing “A Rage to Live,” screenplay of the John O’Hara novel, will go into production upon completion of the writing stint, under J. T. K. Productions, Inc. His own story, “Ninth Floor of the Plaza,” has been chosen for his starter . . . From the mysterious to the past is the path of Paul Mason, story consultant, who has exited Revue to work on his screenplay, “Medea,” which he will coproduce in its actual location, Greece. 16 BOXOFFICE October 21, 1963