Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

(El' £ekin4 the £ceneA c{ Jitm PrcjucticH STUDIO SIZ6-UPS COLUMBIA itudio Goes Into High iear After January Lull After getting off to a comparatively slow art in the New Year, the production gears egan to grind in late January, as Columbia munched one of the busiest late-winter prouction programs since the war. In the 45ay period between January 20 and early farch, a near record of seven films will be laced before the cameras — six of them in le upper budget class. The early January lull, witnessed only one cture in production, and that was a lowudgeted Charles Starrett sagebrusher — [unction City," turned out on a short shootg schedule. Colbert Clark produced, with ay Nazarro directing. Teeing off the new production drive on muary 20 was Stanley Kramer's production The Happy Time," directed by Richard leischer, and starring Charles Boyer, Bobby riscoll, Linda Christian and Louis Jordan, n the same date, Director Vincent Sheran put "Affair In Trinidad," the new Rita ayworth starrer, into rehearsal for the ■cond time, preparatory to a new scheduled arting date of January 25. "European Edition" underwent a snappy ar and title change last week. It is now \ssignment — Paris" and Dana Andrews >ok over the male lead previously slated for ldo Ray. Marta Torem has the fern lead, hil Karlson will direct and Jerry Bresler the producer. Stars Toren and Andrews e now en route to Paris, preparatory to e actual start of filming on February 4. his is supposed to get the A treatment. On February 12, producer Sam Katzman id director Sidney Salkow will roll a new technicolor swashbuckler, "Prince of Pistes" (Paul Henreid). Stanley Kramer has t February 25 for the start of another echnicolor feature, "The 5000 Fingers of r. T" (Tommy Rettig Peter Lind Hayes 'Mary Healy). Roy Rowland directs the tter for Kramer, working on a budget in cess of a half million dollars. Early arch starters are: "Last Traim From Bomiy," in a lower budget class — to be proiced by Sam Katzman, and a new Gene utry entry, "Wagon Team." No cast or rector assignments have been made on -ast Train from Bombay." Armand Scha Cxc(u4/w ^BULLETIN Jeatun By Jay Ai.i.en efer and George Archainban will again serve as producer and director, respectively, on the Autry picture. Two pictures which were in production at the time of the last Size-ups report, have now gone to the edition department. They are: "The Sabre and the Arrow" (Broderick Crawford-Barbara Hale), and "Rainbow 'Round My Shoulders" (Frankie Laine-Billy Daniels) a musical produced by Jonie Taps and directed by Richard Quine. ROBERT L. LIPPERT Production Books Are Closed LIPPERT PRODUCTIONS Lippert Out of Production, Sets Sights On Distribution Accountants for Lippert Productions started closing the books, this month, as boss Robert L. Lippert announced complete withdrawal from all future motion picture financing to concentrate exclusively on distribution. All of Lippert's future film activities will be devoted to Lippert Pictures, Inc., the distributing organization which he formed in 1948, after buying out most of the franchise ANUARY, 28, 195 2' holders in the old Screen Guild company. Lippert previously had announced that lie would continue the financing of a limited number of motion pictures, without taking an acting part in their production. The new decision springs from his prolonged controversy with the Screen Actors Guild. Lippert is of the opinion that the Guilds would look upon his financing of pictures as nothing more than a blind to cover up his production activities and, for that reason, he has decided to withdraw completely from the field. The unprecedented amount of activity in lining up new product during the past month, however, indicates that his company is in no danger of a product shortage. By and large, the biggest deal in the works is one whereby Lippert would acquire some 20 pictures held by the Bank of America through foreclosures. Included in the list of foreclosures are some of the old Enterprise pictures, including "Arch of Triumph, I'he Other Love" (Barbara Stanwyck David Niven), "Ramrod" (Joel McCrea-Veronica Lake), "Body and Soul" (John Garfield-Lili Palmer), "Four Faces West" (Joel McCreaFrances Dee), and "So This is New York" (Henry Morgan Rudy Vallee). Lippert hopes to acquire full theatre and television rights to the films. Exclusive Films of London, headed by James Carreras, has announced a 1952 slate of six features to be made in England for Lippert release. The first production to start on the new slate is "Lady In the Fog," rolling in March, to be followed by "Night Boat To Paris" and "Flanagan's Boy." A deal also has been closed for the release of three films to be made by Philip Yordan's Security Pictures in 1952. The fiis; of the trio will roll in about a month and is to be based on a theme of underworld goings-on. "Rio Colorado," an original by Charles Marquis Warren and John C. Champion, has been added to Tower Productions' schedule for 1952, to give Lippert still another new feature for his releasing organization. "Rio" will follow "Hellgate Prison," set to roll in February. The only picture now in production, which is definitely set for Lippert release, is "Loan Shark" (George Raft-Gail Russell) a Ber nie Luber Production. Seymour Fr«:idman directs the thriller, having placed it before the cameras on January 22. (Continued on Page 20) 19