Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

r STUDIO SIZ6-UPS ( Continued from Page 22) rostcd consists of less than a lialf dozen names. Only Bing Crosby and Bob Hope can be considered in the upper strata of Hollywood "name" talent. Hanman ordered a big build-up for some promising newcomers, including Rosemary Cloonev, Audrey Hepburn, Pat Crowley, Mary Sinclair, Michael Keith, Joanne Gilbert, Yul Brynner, Don Taylor, Audrey Dalton, Mary Murphy, Joan Taylor, Joan Elan and Dorothy Bromilcy. The company currently has four pictures before the cameras: Perlberg-Seaton's "Little Boy Lost" (Bing Crosby-Claude Dauhpin); "Here Come the Girls," (Bob Hope-Tony Martin-Arlenc Dahl-Rosemary Clooney), Claude Binyon directing for Paul Jones, in Technicolor; "Arrowhead" (Charlton Heston-Jack Palance-Katy Jurado), a Nat Holt Technicolor feature directed by Charles Warren, and an untitled comedy starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, with Norman Taurog directing for producer Jones. REPUBLIC Yates Explains Reasons For Break with John Wayne Republic prexy Herbert Yates has taken exception to FILM BULLETIN'S report that his company suffered a serious blow when John Wayne terminated his future commitments with the studio and moved off the lot. In an interview with FB's west coast editor, Mr. Yates declared: "Republic started making pictures before Wayne came to us and we will continue to do so. Any statement that Wayne's bow-out from the studio is a blow to us does not take into consideration that profits depend upon the cost of pictures, and when the costs are excessive, it is impossible to recoup with a profit. When one talks about grosses, one must also talk about profits." He declared with indisputable logic that many of Hollywood's so-called "big" names have become meaningless in the present world market, when the cost and income of their films are considered. In discussing the split with Wayne, the Republic prexy went out of his way to point out that he, at least, bore no malice. "After seventeen years of building up a friendship," he declared, "I'm certainly not one to throw it over. But business is business. Wayne has not made a picture with us for over a year, despite the fact that we held commitments with him. Nevertheless, for the record, it must be pointed out that he did make three outside pictures during that time. Moreover, he started his own independent production company. And it is because of this independent production that I, as. president of Republic, must be deeply concerned. Whenever a star enters independent production, there is always a big question as to whether his reputation may suffer from an inferior quality of pictures. REPUBLIC'S YATES Speaks of Grosses & Profits Only when a star is working for a major studio, can we feel any assurance that he will be appearing in pictures which will maintain his drawing power." Yates also expressed disapproval that Wayne should have released his independent picture, "Big Jim McLain" at the same time that Republic was circulating "The Quiet Man," in which he had starred for the valley studio. "There can be no question," he concluded, "but that the simultaneous release has hurt the boxoffice on our picture." In so far Mr. Yates is concerned, it is evident that hq does not consider their relationship completely and finally ended. "We still have commitments for three more pictures from Wayne," he said, "and that contract is not terminated". Asked what would become of "The Alamo," the property which reportedly brought on Wayne's walk-out, Yates declared: "The story still helongs to us and we will undoubtedly make it ourselves, at some future date." Republic will wind up 1953 with one of its biggest production spl urges of the year, both from the standpoint of quantity and budget investments. A total of five new features will roll this month, with a fifth carrying over from November. Forrest Tucker arrives in England on December 5 to star with Margaret Lockwood in "Laughing Ann," Joseph Conrad's story of Malaya, to be filmed under the recently announced production-distribution contract with Herbert Wilcox of England. "A Perilous Voyage" (formerly titled "Spoilers of the Pacific") is slated to roll this week, with Vera Ralston and Scott Brady. William J. O'Sullivan is producing, with R. G. Springsteen directing. Later this week, "One For the Road" is due to get away, with William A. Seiter producing and directing. No cast had been announced, as of this writing. On December 10, "City That Never Sleeps" is scheduled to go, no cast listed, with John H. Auer producing and directing. Winding up the heavy slate of December starters will be "Sea of Lost Ships," to go before the cameras on De cember 15. Seiter' will serve as associate producer, with Joseph Kane directing. Carrying over from last month is "Woman They Almost Lynched" (John Lund-Brian Donlevy-Audrey Totter-Joan Leslie). Allan Dwan is producing and directing. Republic has exercised its option on Ray Middleton. The new deal calls for two pictures from the singer-actor over a one year period. Under his old contract, Middleton made two pictures for this studio, "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Sweetheart Time". RKO It Looks Like RKO Is Headed Back To Hughes RKO's wheel of fortune continues to spin round and round, with no definite indication of who will hold the winning chips when it finally stops. Rumors of further transfers of ownership are as numerous as bit players in Hollywood, and most of them not half as reliable. Nevertheless, it is perfectly evident that Howard Hughes is far from out of the picture, and, that he will play a definite part in determining the company's future policy. After all, he is a mortgage holder and a man who enjoys holding the strings. Moreover, Hughes is believed to have held Ralph Stolkin in Hollywood for further discussions on the sale of the company at a time when the latter was due in Chicago to discuss an offer from Matty Fox. As of this writing, a new executive set-up is at least on the verge of being confirmed. Noah Dietrich, Hughes' right hand man, is now believed to be in line for the presidency of RKO with Ned C. Depinet, formerly president of the company, now moving in as chairman of the board. Such an arrangement apparently meets with the approval both of the Stolkin group and Hughes. Dietrich has long been Hughes' personal representative in various business matters. Roy Disney and Sherrill Corwin are expected to become the other members of the board of directors under the new program. Such a settlement of the executive issue is expected to ward off the threatened receivership action which was recently instigated by a group of minority stockholders. However, it seems inconceivable that this liroup. would have continued to press its demands anyway, when all of the facts are known. For example, RKO's biggest independent contributors, Sam Goldwyn, Walt Disney and Sol Lesser, all have receivership clauses in their releasing contracts which would permit them to pull their pictures out of RKO distribution the minute a receivership is granted. That, it would seem, would be fatal to the interests of everyone concerned with the company. During all of this hassle, naturally, production has been at a near standstill. Shooting has gone ahead on Edmund Grainger's "Split Second" (Stephen McNally-Alexis Smith-Jan Sterling-Keith Andes), which rolled on Oct. 27. Dick Powell is directing. (Continued on Page 24) FILM BULLETIN December I, 1 952 Page 23