Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

!T STUDIO SIZ6-UPS ( Continued from Page 11) TIN that all six of these young men are well founded in writing and production experience, and were hand-picked for the unit on the basis of proven capabilities. The new unit will turn out upwards of 15 features annually, and special emphasis will be placed on diversification of subjects, including musical production, a significant factor since Freed is now the top tunetilm producer on the lot, if not in all of Movietown. Uninterrupted production continues to be the keynote of MGM's present operating policy. For the past five months, at no time has the number of pictures filming simultaneously, dipped below six and has gone as high as eight. At this writing, there are an even half-dozen productions at work on the lot. However, three more are slated to roll almost any day — replacing a pair that will wind this week. Shooting now are: "Because You're Mine" (Mario Lanza-Doretta Morrow), Technicolor musical directed by Alexander Hall and produced by Joseph Pasternak; "'Sir. Congressman" (Van JohnsonPatricia Neal), a Dore Schary production, tlirected by Robert Pirosch; "Pat and Alike" (Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn), George Cukor directing for producer Laurence Weingarteh; "One Piece Bathing Suit" (Esther Williams-Victor Mature), Mervyn LeRoy directing for producer Arthur Hornblow, Jr.; the "Mademoiselle" sequence of "Story of Three Loves" (Leslie CaronFarley Granger-Ethel Barrymore), directed by Vincent Minnelli and produced by Sidney Franklin; and "Eagle On His Cap" (Robert Taylor Eleanor Parker James Whitmore), Norma Panama and Melvin Franklin doubling on producer and director chores. The prospective trio is: "Fearless Fagan" (Janet Leigh-Carlton Carpenter), with Stanley Donen directing for producer Edwin H. Knopf; "Everything I Have Is Yours" ( Marge & Gower Champion-Monica Lewis). Technicolor musical to be directed by Charles Walters and produced by George Wells; and "The Devil Makes Three" (Gene Kelly-Pier Angelli). "Plymouth Adventure" (Spencer TracyVan Johnson-Peter Lawford-Dawn Addams), is set to roll in mid-March, and will be MGM's most ambitious film for 1952. The production will be slanted along the lines of "Captain Courageous" and "Mutiny On the Bounty," and is reportedly budgeted at upwards of $3,000,000. It is a Dore Schary personal production to be filmed in Technicolor, with Clarence Brown directing. MONOGRAM — AA Eleven Pics— 2 Cinecolor To Boost Slow Shooting Sched February has been an unusually slow month lor Monogram and Allied Artists, insofar as production is concerned. Only one picture has been shooting at a time for Monogram, and Allied Artists lias nothing in production. The pace is due to be stepped up considerably, however, and by late spring a total of 11 pictures, two of them in Cinecolor, will be before the cameras, according to executive producer Walter Mirisch. The two Cinecolor films are the Mirisch production of "The Rose Bowl Story," which Mirisch will produce personally from a script by Charles R. Marion, and "Wild Catters," to be Grant Whytock's first production under his recently signed contract with the studio. The others are William F. Broidy's "Sea Tiger," which has a March 17 starting date; "Army Bound," a Stanley Clements starrer set to go April 21, and "Roaring Steel," each of which Ben Schwalb will produce; "Timber Wolf," a Parsons production starring Kirby Grant and scheduled to start in late April; "Stranglehold," a Bowery Boys comedy starring Leo Gorcey with Huntz Hall which Jerry Thomas will produce; two Wild Bill Elliott starrers, tentatively titled "Martial Law" and "Barbed Wire," to be produced by Vincent M. Fennelly, and a Johnny Mack Brown starrer, "Guns Across The Border," which Fennelly also will produce. There has been considerable behind-thescenes activity in the executive offices, as WALTER MIRISCH Mono officials have been negotiating for an agreement with the Screen Actors Guild which would permit the company to release its backlog of pictures to television. The principal item of discussion has been a mutually acceptable plan for paying actors appearing in the films an additional remuneration for the television screenings. "African Treasure" (Johnny Sheffield-Laurette Luez-Bruce Cabot) is the sole picture completed during February. Director Ford Heebe and producer Walter Mirisch brought it in on a seven-day shooting scheduh — despite the fact that they encountered considerable difficulties with wind storms which buffeted the outdoor location sets. Following the completion of "'Pleasure," there was a ten-day production hiatus, prior to the start of "Artie Flight" (Wayne Morris-Lola Allbright), a Lindslay Parsons production, directed by Ewing Scott. "Flight" is set up for a two-week shooting schedule, which will carry it into the second week of March. On March 17, producer William F. Broidj is slated to get production underway on "Se Tiger," one of the company's more impres< sive entries for 1952. Cast and director as signments have not been completed. The company's TV subsidiary, Interstate Television Corp., has started production o; a series of "Buffalo Bill" westerns, wit1 Jimmy Ellison starred. The films, tailore for half-hour programs, will be produced b Vincent Fennelly, boss of Monogram' western film production. PARAMOUNT Studio Schedules 1 1 Top Productions In 5-Month Perio With the start of three top-budget pi< tures this month, Paramount teed off schedule of 11 'A' features to go before thi cameras during the next five months. C that number, eight will be in Technicolo which bolsters earlier statements that Para mount will spare no expense for its 195 product. Every single one of the six features i production during the closing days of Febw uary, is budgeted at well over a millioj dollars, and are endowed with casts, storl properties and directorial talent worthy <] such an outlay. A visit to any of the south stages on the Paramount lot, these days, a real morale builder for any one intereste] in the future of the motion picture mediun First to roll during February was "Stala 17" (William Holden Don Taylor Otl Preminger), which Billy Wilder both pr duces and directs. Next in line was N Holt's Technicolor production of "Hurr cane Smith" (Yvonne De Carlo-John Ir land), which Jerry Hopper directs. All following on February 18 was Hal Wallt "Come Back Little Sheba" (Burt Lancaste Shirley Booth-Terry Moore-Richard Jaecl el). Carry-over from December and Januai — all shooting on prolonged schedules art "Botany Bay" (Alan Ladd-James Masol Patricia Medina), another Technicolor fet ture, with John Farrow directing for pn ducer Joseph Sistrom; "Military Policemai (Bob Hope-Mickey Rooney-Marilyn Ma well), directed by George Marshall and pr duced by Harry Tugend; and "War Of Tl Worlds" (Gene Barry-Ann Robinson), Tea nicolor science-fiction yarn which Byri Haskins directs for producer George Pal. Next to roll will be the Pine-Thom| Technicolor feature, "Tropic Zone" (Rona Reagan-Rhonda Fleming-Estelita). Direct William Foster expects to start the earner turning on March 5. In line with the company's new policy greater emphasis on musical comedy pd duction, scripters have been assigned to tl top tune-films for spring and summer shoe ing. First will he "The Stars Are Singini (Lauritz Melchior-Anna Marie Alberghet Rosemary Clooney-Tom Morton), w hi Jerry Ashe will porduce. Following thij Bob Hope will make his debut in a straigl musical comedy, to be titled "Girls Are H To Stay." (Continued on I' age 1 12 FILM 11ULLETI