Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1962)

Fox To Start J J More At least 11 new pictures will go into production for 20th-Fox before the year is out, Peter Levathes (above), vice president in charge of production, told the concluding session of the firm's two-day sales meeting in New York last week. President Spyros P. Skouras also addressed the final conclave. Levathes listed six films scheduled to begin shooting at the beginning of next year. The production chief stressed that "we are not going to meet release dates by compromising the product." Each attraction, he added, will be treated as a "very special one," and production will not start until the proper script and talent are obtained. Skouras told the sales executives and local branch managers that 20th "is sparing nothing" in bringing quality product to theatres, adding that the "most gigantic plans ever afforded any movie" now are in the work for the release of "Cleopatra," currently in its final filming stages in Rome. First of the projected pictures to go into production will be "Something's Got To Give," starring Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin and Cvd Charisse. Rackmil Honored Milton R. Rackmil (above), president of Universal Pictures and Decca Records, will be guest of honor at a luncheon, May 24, highlighting the current amusement industry drive supporting the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York. Newsmakers 'Grimm' 1st "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm" will be the first MGM Cinerama co-production to go into release this summer, on a world-wide basis, it was announced jointly by Metro president Joseph R. Vogel (above) and Cinerama topper Nicolas Reisini. "How the West Was Won" will follow later. The release was termed the culmination of the "greatest single coordinated investment in time, effort and dollars by separate production, technical and exhibition interests in the history of entertainment." Colo. Feevee Fight Colorado exhibitors have marshalled their forces into a Colorado Committee Against Pay-TV, to fight both at the municipal level and before the FCC the application of Teleglobe to establish the air-wire system over KTVR in Denver. This was revealed by Philip F. Harling (above), chairman of the Joint Committee Against Toll-TV, who added that the theatremen had retained Marcus Cohn to file a protest with the FCC and request a hearing. Levine Twin Embassy Pictures president Joseph E. Levine (right) revealed plans, with two associates, for the first twin theatre in Boston — a $1 million project with 500 seats on the lower level and 700 seats on the upper level. Levine and his partners, exhibitor Albert R. Daytz and attorney Maurice Epstein, said that the one-boxoffice building should be ready by Labor Day. Talent Trend: Majors to Inde Two developments on the film executive front in the past fortnight pointed up sharply the current shifting trend in talent — from the major firms to the independents. Paul N. Lazarus, Jr. (left, above) revealed his association with Samuel Bronston Productions as executive vice president, effective April 23. Lazarus had been vice president of Columbia Pictures before his recent resignation. In another switch, Jeff Livingston (below) terminated a 15-year hitch at Universal Pictures, where he had been executive coordinator of sales and advertising, to move over to the Mirisch Co. as vice president and national director of advertising and publicity. He will assume the duties formerly handled by Leon Roth, and will headquarter at the company's Hollywood offices. Lazarus, himself, spelled out the basic reason for the trend, underlining the major-to-independent shift. "The future of the industry," he declared, "lies with the small unit, the independent producer who has stability, impeccable taste and is able to put pictures together for the present-day market." The Bronston firm, he added, "has come up with a new pattern of distribution and with pictures with the greatest possible international appeal." Offering the inde's point of view, Bronston said that "the addition of such executive strength opens up new horizons for our growth and expansion, and is further evidence of our planning for the present and for the future." Page 6 Film BULLETIN April 16. 1962