Hollywood Studio Magazine (May - June 1968)

NEWS FROM GOWER GULCH By Bea Colgans I’d like to say hello to everyone and briefly introduce myself as this is my first column for Studio Magazine. I’ve been at Columbia a total of 11 years and am Joel Preston’s “girl Friday” in the publicity department. I’m on the board of directors of the Columbia-Screen Gems Studio Club and the Girl Friday of Showbiz. Nuff said about me! Everyone on the lot is still recovering from our annual “Spring Fling.” This is hosted by the Studio Club and this year’s event was adjudged the best yet by all who attended. The affair was held on stages 8 and 9, dinner was catered, and we put on our own Vaudeville show, under the capable direction of Eddie Foy III. Dancing to Phil Gray’s music topped the evening. Speaking of Eddie Foy, the club is losing the best president it ever had. We were sadly informed by Eddie that he is leaving Screen Gems to take up new reins at Paramount Cahuenga as associate pro¬ ducer on the Mario Thomas “That Girl” series. He will be sadly missed but takes with him, the good wishes of everyone. Columbia mourns the recent loss of Arthur Kramer. From messenger to editorial apprentice to story editor to head of creative affairs to head of his own production company, kept Mr. Kramer on the Columbia lot for a total of 33 years, except for a 4 year period as story editor at 20th Century-Fox. He will be sadly missed. We also bid a fond farewell to his executive assistant, Rick Rosen¬ berg, and secretaries Barbara Pritchard and Jan Howells. Rick is already at work at CBS Studio Center assisting producer Irving Ravetch in preparing “The Reivers,” starring Steve McQueen. Arthur Kramer was to have co-produced the film with Ravetch. Recent retirees on the George Porter, transportation;'C.K. Wiens, grip; Gracie Phillips, drapery; Christopher Dee, plumbing; Marion Diage, data processing; Ray Follett and George Snyder, security; Pauline Dean, accounting; Everett Walsh, utility; and Charlie Granucci and Wayne West of property. They were hosted by the Studio Club at a party on stage 2. Each received a gold and diamond Columbia pin, an inscribed cake, and gifts from their individual departments. Welcome back to Cornel Wilde and his Theodora Productions after an abscence of some time. It was 23 years ago that Wilde starred in “A Song to Remember” for which he received an “Oscar” nomina¬ tion. He will now produce and direct “The Raging Sea,” an action-adventure drama to be filmed in the Bahamas. Welcome also to Rene Valente, Screen Gems new talent head; George Marshall, director; Jacques Demy, Jay Cipes and Ed Palmer, producers; Eva De Fago, James Baldwin, Hal Sitowitz and Nat Perrin, writers; Harriet Smedly, sound dept.; Jackie McEwen, data processing; Terry Ernest, secretary, Ronald Burns, James Dudley, Richard de Monte, Ken Prymus and Larry Fleischman, messengers; Alice Bell, data processing; Leslie Harris, pay¬ roll, Alice La Fond, secretary, Edward Jubert, S.G. budget; Velma Rogers and David Zatkin, accounting. Promoted. Wilton Haff to administra¬ tive assistant in S.G. business affairs. Robert Pincus to S.G. cost control. New Assignments: Jerome Courtland becomes associate producer on “The Flying Nun,” replacing Stan Schwimmer, who becomes producer of the new “Brides” series at S.G. Jon Epstein will produce the new “Outcasts” series. Exe¬ cutive producer is Hugh Benson. E.W. Swakchamer will direct first two seg¬ ments. Hal Cooper will direct first six of season’s episodes of “I Dream of Jeannie.” Leslie Goldstone moves from sound dept, to music. The following Studio Club members just returned from a 21-day tour of Europe: Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Bernstein, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hesse, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Dellagatta, Mr. and Mrs. Moe Bauchman, Betty Storey, Rita Dillon, Ethel Smith and Lee Marshall. They reported that the trip had only one main fault—it was too short! May 3rd, 4th and 5th found Ollie Prosser and Norman Daloisio, of the Columbia publicity dept., in Las Vegas at the All Arabian Horse Show. Both are 25 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG—John Flinn, studio director of publicity, (right) and Mac St. Johns, left, help Helen Molenaar and Ollie Prosser celebrate their 25th year at Columbia. Arabian owners and very attractive in the Arabian Horse Association. Marion Dinelli, also of Columbia publicity, will be wending her way to Chicago in June to visit her sister and brothers and to attend her nephews graduation from college. A combined total of 99 years of service to Columbia Pictures Corporation was celebrated Friday (26) when the company’s Studio Club hosted a retire¬ ment party for three veteran employees on Stage 2. Howard Fabrick, director of Industrial Relations, presented each employee with a commemorative pin and memory book while the Studio Club probided each with an inscribed cake. Honored retirees, who also received gifts from their individual departments, were Everett Walsh, Utility, and Charlie Granucci and Wayne West of the Property Department. 10