Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

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STUDIO SIZ6-UPS i (Continued from Page II) jail of the pictures which he has had under J consideration. His only reason for breaking I up the DeMille company, was to enter into [la capital gains set-up, similar to those which J several stars have recently manipulated as a Imeans of cutting down on income taxes. REPUBLIC Ford Film Gets Bulk of Half Million Summer Ad Budget John Ford's "The Quiet Man" (John ■Wayne-Maureen O'Hara) draws a lion's Iphare of Republic's half million ad budget j jror summer releases, with a total of $300,000 i earmarked for promoting this one feature. | It will be by far the most intensive pro| ^lotion campaign ever undertaken by Republic, which includes prodigious newspaper I ind magazine advertising, along with a big ii , xhibitor trade campaign. The picture opens fits premiere engegement at Loew's Capitol llheatre in New York City in mid-August. I So far as production is concerned, the > Company is in a comparative lull, with only 1 pne feature shooting. That is "A WAC From \ i.Valla Walla" (Judy Canova), which director I J.Villiam Witney and producer Sidney Picker I launched on May 12 as the first of two | Lanova starrers to go within a six-week I keriod. The second, "The Hot Heiress," is .i .cheduled to start the first week in July. "Thunderbirds" (John Derek-John BarryI pore, Jr.-Mona Freeman-Gene Evans-Eileen I Thristy-Ward Bond), one of the company's bp productions of the year, has just been I anded over to the editing department, i allowing a month of filming. John H. Auer i bubled as producer-director. Next to roll will be "Rosita" (Estelita), Ihich director R. G. Springsteen and as ■ lociate producer Sidney Picker expect to et underway on May 31. Herbert Yates has just assigned "Followr our Star," a Houston Branch original reently acquired by the studio, to Herman uillakowsky, for production in Italy, early i August. Millakowsky, who recently comleted filming "Bal Tabarin" or Republic, in 'aris, has already started work on the screen "eatment of the story, which deals with a msic school for girls. RKO ■ I ughes-Mayer Deal Looms igger; Wald Seen Included All eyes in Hollywood are focused on the Iks which have been going on between oward Hughes and Louis B. Mayer, purees close to both parties say that the bal which Hughes has presented to Mayer ill be one not easily passed up. According to the best information avail f AY 19. 1952 JOSEPH MOSKOWITZ At Top In Reshuffling able at the present time, Hughes is trying to persuade Mayer to set up his own independent company on the old RKO-Pathe lot in Culver City. He would operate completely independently of RKO, in much the same manner that Samuel Goldwyn has during his long association with the Hughes company. However, unlike Goldwyn, Mayer has reportedly been offered partial financing by Hughes. There has even been talk that Jerry Wald, who recently bought out his partner, Norman Krasna, might figure in the deal — possibly as an executive producer for Mayer. There can be no denying that RKO is in dire need of some good product at the present time. Within recent weeks, there has been an intensified drive to corral new inde product to bolster the company's releasing slate. Particular emphasis is being placed on offbeat and foreign pictures — due, in part, to the success of such recent releases as "Kon-Tiki," and "Roshomon". For the bulk of the nation's theatres, however, this isn't good news, since such films are traditionally b.o. poison. At the same time, Mr. Hughes and associates are dipping deeper into the studio's vaults to try to uncover additional re-issues. A limited degree of success is currently being enjoyed by the company with re-issues of old thrillers, such as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Cat People". Nevertheless, even Hughes must realize that this is not the solution of his dilemma. And certainly the rest of the industry is aware of the ill effect which a flood of re-issues would have. The oldies can be seen on any television screen. RKO's own production machinery started grinding again in May after a month's hiatus. As of this writing, three features were scheduled to roll before June 1, and efforts are still underway to add a fourth. First to go was "Beautiful But Dangerous" (Jean Simmons-Robert Mitchum) which director Lloyd Bacon and producer Robert Sparks put into actual production on May 12. On May 22, Edmund Grainger is slated t.. start "Split Second." which is yet to be cast. And on May 31. Grainger, assisted by director Raoul Walsh will launch "Blackbeard the Pirate" (Robert Newton), a project which has drawn Hughes' special attention and one in which he is reputedly prepared to pour the outlay of cash which has maked some of his past "pets". 20th CENTURY-FOX Moskowitz Headed for Top Production Spot Under Zanuck 20th Century-Fox has entered into a transition period in which things are happening so fast that it's almost impossible to keep apace. Three salient facts seem to stand out, however: (1) the change-over in top producer personnel has only barely benun; (2) Joe Moskowitz appears to be headed for the top production spot directly under Darryl F. Zanuck, and (3) the emphasis in future production will be on musicals and action features, all budyeted at over a million dollars apiece. Edmund Goulding is the last producer to exit the lot, his long term pact having been bought up by the company, with eight years still to go. There are rumors that even George Jessel may be leaving the company around September 1st. And with the departure of these and many more top-salaried producers, we will see Fox following the example of MGM by introducing new, young producer and director talent. In line with the added emphasis on musical production, Zanuck has decided to put the tunefilms on an entirely new basis. He has appointed Sol C. Siegel as the executive producer in charge of musical production, and it is understood that he will function on much the same basis as Arthur Freed at MGM. In announcing plans for the studio's 195253 program, Zanuck has indicated that it will at least equal the 1951-52 slate of 36 films. He describes the new program as "The biggest long-range production schedule in the company's history," with 17 films, nine of them in Technicolor, now finished and awaiting release; another 12, half of them in Technicolor, about to go before the cameras; and 17 more — eight in color— will be ready for camera work by early summer. Thirty screenplays are currently being written, from which the balance of the program will be selected. One major story buy stands out in all the heavy activity of the month— the take-over of the rights to Lloyd Douglas' "The Robe" from RKO. Tyrone Power will be handed the starring assignment when the picture is ready to roll. Current production has reached such a peak that it was necessary to move two productions to the old Fox lot on Western Avenue. Seven pictures in all are now in production, including: "Pony Soldier" (Ty (Continued on Page 16) 15