The Exhibitor (1953)

10 EXHIBITOR 3-D, Wide-Screen On MGM Prod. Schedule Schary Reveals Shooting Plans For Months To Come; CinemaScope Also Included In Range Of Future Develop¬ ments From Company Hollywood — Dore Schary, MGM vicepresident and production head, announced last week at the conclusion of the eastwest executive meetings, that the com¬ pany will have at least 25 pictures com¬ pleted on the current fiscal year ending on Aug. 31, in addition to the 34 produc¬ tions announced in preparation for pro¬ duction during the next 18 months. This future progi'am will feature MGM’s wide¬ screen process and stereophonic sound. Concurrently before the cameras are “Foi’t Bravo”, directed by John Surtees, produced by Nicholas Nayfack, and star¬ ring William Holden, Eleanor Parker, and Richard Anderson; “Half A Hero”, pro¬ duced by Matthew Rapf, starring Red Skelton and Jean Hagen, from the story by Max Shulman, and “Torch Song”, di¬ rected by Charles Walters, produced by Henry Berman, and starring Joan Craw¬ ford, Michael Wilding, and Gig Young. In the final stages of editing or awaiting release are “Julius Caesar,” “Young Bess”, “Mogambo”, “All The Brothers Were Valiant”, “Take The High Ground”, and also “The Bandwagon”, “Father And The Actress”, “Easy To Love”, “Latin Lovers”, “Dangerous When Wet”, “Dream Wife”, and “Saadia.” Scheduled for future production are “Kiss Me Kate”, with Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, and Ann Miller starring, being produced by Jack Cummings, di¬ rected by George Sidney, and written by Dorothy Kingsley; “Crest Of The Wave”, now being filmed in England, starring Gene Kelly, and being produced, written, and directed by John and Roy Boulting; “Rhapsody”, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Vittorio Gassman, to be produced by Lawrence Weingarten, and directed by Charles Vidor; “Knights Of Round Table”, also being produced at the company’s Herts Studios in England, starring Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer, and George Sanders, and produced by Pandro S. Berman, with Richard Thorpe handling the direction, and “The Flame And The Flesh”, to be started shortly in Italy, starring Lana Turner, Pier Angeli, and Carlos Thompson, with Joe Pasternak producing, and to be directed by Richard Brooks from Helen Deutsch’s script. Most of these pictures will be made in color. Among other productions to follow will be “The Long, Long Trailer”, starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, produced by Pandro S. Berman, directed by Vincente Minnelli, and written by Frances Good¬ rich and Albert Hackett; “Miss Baker’s Dozen”, starring Greer Garson, produced by John Houseman, and written by Wil¬ liam Roberts; “The Student Prince”, pro¬ duced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Mervyn LeRoy, and written by Sonya Levien and William Ludwig; “Robinson Crusoe”, produced by Sam Zimbalist, and written by Helen Deutsch, and “Panther Squadron 8,” produced by Henry Berman, and written by Art Cohn. Other productions scheduled during the summer and fall are “Rose Marie”, pro¬ duced by Lawrence Weingarten, directed An exhibitor's viewpoint of new film presenta¬ tion technique was expressed by Mitchell Wolfson, coowner, Wometco Theatres, Miami, Fla., the principal speaker at the recent luncheon opening the 73rd semi-annual convention of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers in Los Angeles. Seen with Wolfson is SMPTE Presi¬ dent Herbert Barnett, who opened the convention. by Mervyn LeRoy, and written by George Froeschel and Ronald Millar; “Executive Suite”, produced by John Houseman, and written by Ernest Lehman; “Beau Brummel”, starring Stewart Granger, produced by Sam Zimbalist, directed by Gottfried Reinhardt, and written by Karl Tunberg, and “Brigadoon”, starring Gene Kelly, produced by Arthur Freed, directed by Vincente Minnelli, and written by Alan Jay Lerner. Major films programmed to complete the current fiscal year, ending on Aug. 31, and rounding out the 1953-54 schedule, are: “Green Fire”, starring Clark Gable, produced by Armand Deutsch, and writ¬ ten by Everett Freeman; “Quentin Durward,” starring Robert Taylor, produced by Pandro S. Berman, and written by Jari Lustig; “Bermuda”, starring Esther Wil¬ liams, produced by Pasternak; “Sobbin’ Women”, produced by Jack Cummings, and written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett; “Hit The Deck”, produced by Joe Pasternak, and written by Martin Rackin and Herbert Baker; “The Rom¬ berg Story”, produced by Arthur Freed, and written by Joseph Fields; “The King’s Thief”, produced by Edwin H. Knopf, and written by Chris Knopf; “Athena”, pro¬ duced by Joe Pasternak, and written by Leonard Spigelgass, and “I’m From Mis¬ souri”, starring Gene Kelly and Danny Kaye, produced by Arthur Freed, directed by Vincente Minnelli, and written by Alan Jay Lerner. Also included are “Main Iron”, produced by Charles Schnee, and written by Mil¬ lard Kaufman; “Many Rivers To Cross”, produced by Jack Cummings; “Love Me Or Leave Me”, produced by Joe Paster¬ nak, and written by Daniel Fuchs; “Paris Interlude”, produced by Sam Zimbalist, and written by Joe Eisinger; “Valley Of The Kings”, directed by Robert Pirosh, and written by Pirosh and Karl Tunberg; “Trooper Hook”, produced by Sol Field¬ ing, and written by Martin Berkeley; “My Most Intimate Friend”, written by Sidney Sheldon and Leonard Spigelgass, and “Operation Market Garden”, directed by Gottfried Reinhardt, and written by George Froeschel and Ronald Millar. “MGM’s wide-screen will be available in dimensions that will suit the screens of our 37,000 or more world-wide custom( Continued on -page 16) RKO Stockholders Hear Schwartz' Report New York — Stockholders of RKO The¬ atres were told last week at the annual meeting that converting the circuit to 3-D and wide-screen and stereophonic sound would run well over two millions. The stockholders, meeting at the RKO 86th Street, were shown the Miracle Mirror Screen, with scenes from 20thFox’s “The Robe” and WB’s “House Of Wax.” The screen is manufactured by the Hurley Screen Company, is different from the one shown at the Roxy when CinemaScope was demonstrated, and measured 22 feet by 50 feet. The screen is curved an inch per foot, tilted back six degrees at the top. The projectors in the theatre were equipped with Peerless high intensity lamps draw¬ ing 165 amps. The stockholders approved reelection of the board ?md voted for all the manage¬ ment resolutions. President Sol Schwartz reviewed the financial status of the company. Although the new contract and incentive stock option plan were criticized by a representative of Bankers Securities Cor¬ poration, many exhibitors present lauded the idea, among them Exhibitor publisher Jay Emanuel, Emanuel Frisch, I. M. Rappaport, and Leo Brecher, who praised management, and said the new plan was needed as an incentive. Carried by big majorities were the stock option plan, reducing authorized but un¬ issued common stock from eight millions to four and a half millions, and a pro¬ vision barring the issuance of stock options without stockholders’ approval. Later, following the reelections, all offi¬ cers were again chosen for their posts. President Schwartz announced that the board had decided to buy 150,000 shares of the company’s stock on the open market through the New York Stock Exchange at not more than $4.50 per share. This de¬ cision was made so that shares would be available in connection with the incen¬ tive stock option plan. Consolidated net profit of RKO Theatres Corporation and subsidiary companies for the first quarter of 1953 was $325,361.78, after taxes and all other charges, includ¬ ing profit of $13,753.86 on sale of capital assets, before taxes. Consolidated net profit for the first quarter of 1952 was $137,867.39, after taxes and all other charges, including profit of $7,264.56 on sale of capital assets. Hollywood Group Reelects Hollywood — George Murphy was last week reelected president, Hollywood Co¬ ordinating Committee. Y. Frank Freeman was appointed first vice-president; Don Tatum, second vicepresident; L. K. Sidney, third vice-presi¬ dent; Eddie Rio, secretary, and John Dales, Jr., treasurer. May 13, 1953