Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

Behind the £ceneA c{ Jiltn Prcducticn STUDIO SIZ6-UPS COLUMBIA [rmer Six To Bolster ion, Musical Production ffashbucklcrs and tuncfilms will com■I a sizeable proportion of Columbia's H production program, w ith the Stanley ■tier Company providing a half dozen ■jjht dramatic films, to round out the Hany's release slate. ■cording to present indications, the pron as a whole, will be on a considerably mnr plane than it has been in recent years, "fey Harry Colin ha^ once again become ffjmidablc bidder on the Grade A story ■let, with several deals now pending on Urtant best seller and Broadway show Acrties. •l-rchandising of the product, both to the He and to exhibitors, is also due for a (bin the arm. The advertising budget for ■text six months will be one of the heaviI i company history. Trade paper adversi>, in particular, will be hypoed. Acting to well-informed sources, Columbia P spend $1^8,000 during this six-month ■Id on trade advertising alone — a figure ■ n is more than twice the amount spent §r g any full year in the past. ~>rge Lait, one of the best-liked and competent publicity men in the busitakes over the task of coordinating the advertising and publicity push. Lait amed director of publicity this month, >cing Lou Smith, who resigned after .•ears with the company. Lait is well ided in the journalistic field, having d in an important post with INS, prior ining Columbia as head planter, some back. iduction, during the past month, has a steady pace, with three to four picshooting at all times. Currently before ameras are: "Affair in Trinidad," Rita 'orth's high-budgeted comeback pic"Assignment -Paris", a Dana Andrews a Toren starrer, being made partly in and partly on the home lot; "Prince irates," a Technicolor swashbuckler ing John Derek and Barbara Rush; and ?y Kramer's "The Happy Time." inidad," which has been rolling since " ry 22, is directed by Vincent Sherman. | recording to unbiased reports, is shapp as one of Rita Hayworth's best. "Assent," is a Jerry Bresler production , directed by Phil Karlson. In addition e two stars, it boasts an unusually g supporting cast, headed by George EiRUARY 25, 1 952 CxcluMe BULLETIN Jeature By Jay Allen Sanders and Audrey Totter. Sidney Salkow and Sam Katzman serve as director and producer, respectively, on "Prince," which is an Esskay Production, in work since February 14. Richard Fleischer serves as director for Stanley Kramer on "The Happy Time," which stars Charles Boyer, Bobby Driscoll, Linda Christian and Louis Jourdan. It is now in the fifth week of production. Slates to roll within the next 30 days are: "The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T," another Kramer production, starring Tommy Rettig, Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy, with Roy Rowland directing; "Last Train From Bombay," a Sam Katzman production assignment, due to roll on March 11, and "Kid From Broken Gun," a Charles StarrettSmilcy Burnettc sagebrusher. J. ARTHUR RANK LIPPERT PRODUCTIONS Two 'A' Pics Shooting, Rank Import Set For Release Production of pictures definitely slated for Lippert release, has been slightly on the upbeat during the past month, with two Class A features shooting simultaneously, and two other companies preparing to start the cameras rolling on an additional pair. In addition, Lippert has signed another important J. Arthur Rank picture for American release. The new Rank is "Valley of the Eagles, " which was made partly in Lapland and partly in Sweden, late last fall Lippert plans to give the picture a special road-show treatment, beginning the latter part of March. This marks the final Rank commitment to Lippert, under terms of their three-picture deal signed last summer. The previous two films were "Highly Dangerous" (Dane ClarkMargaret Lockwood) and "The Great Adventure," an African adventure film. Of the two pictures which have been in production this month, one was filmed in Hollywood, and the other in India. "Loan Shark" (George Raft-Dorothy Hart), has been shooting at RKO-Pathe studio, with Seymour Friedman directing for producer Bcrnic Lubcr. The picture is an Fncorc Production, and has been in work since January 25. "The Jungle" (Rod Cameron-Cesar Romero-Marie Windsor), is a Voltaire Production, and has been filming on location in India since January 22, William Bcrke directing and producing. Coming up in the near future is Tower Productions' "Hellgate," tentatively set for a March 5 start, Charles Marquis Warren directs for producer John C. Champion. The cast had not been selected at this writing. Also coming up is "Lady In the Fog" (C esar Romero), to be made in England, after Romero finishes his chore in "The Jungle." "Lady" will be a James Carreras production, and is included in the multi-picture deal which Lippert signed with the British producer several months ago. METRO-COLDWYN-MAYER Schary Revives Youth Production Setup At M-G-M In keeping with Dore Schary's policy of developing new talent for all departments, MGM has organized a new production unit to be patterned along the lines of the famous Arthur Freed unit which has accounted for so many of the studio's successful pictures in the past. Writer Charles Schnee has been assigned to the executive post, in charge of the new unit. It is hoped that out of this new group will emerge the important MGM writers, directors, actors and producers of future years. Thus far, Schary and Schnee have assigned Henry Herman, Matthew Rapt, Arthur Loew, Jr., Hayes Goetz, Sol Fielding and Sidney Franklin, Jr., as producers to operate the new group. Schary tells FILM BULLE (Continued on Page 12) 11