Hollywood Studio Magazine (December 1972)

TAKE IT FROM THE TOP Significant films A prestigious group of Professional film makers, educators and critics, selected by members of the Performing Arts Council of the University of Southern California, have nominated what they consider to be the 50 most significant films in the history of American cinema. Harry Horner and Gene Allen, film art directors who innovated the idea decided that the first 50 films should be selected which are representative milestones in the art. Selections were made by filmmakers from virtually every aspect of the film profession and included, among many, composer Miklos Rozsa, Studio head Jack Warner, critic Charles Champlin, historian-educator Arthur Mayer, writer Philip Dünn, Vice President of Todd-A-0 Max Youngstin, production executive Robert Blumofe, CFI President Sidney P. Solow, Producer Bill Melendez, Studio head Walter M. Mirisch, studio executive Albert A. Dorskind, studio executive Rudi Fehr, critic-educator Arthur Knight, and several USC graduate students majoring in cinema. Dr. Robert Knutson who heads the USC Library Dept. of Special Collections asked for 50, 53 were finally chosen, because some received the same number of votes so we ranked them in Order of votes they received. Among the top ten were: “Citizen Kane,” “Gone With The Wind,” “The Birth of a Nation,” “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “The Best Years of Our Lives,” “Midnight Cowboy,” “Stagecoach,” “High Noon,” “On the Waterfront,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “The Treasure of Sierra Madre,” “The Jazz Singer,” “The Informer,” West Side Story,” “The Grapes of Wrath,” “The Gold Rush,” “It Happened One Night,” “The Big Parade,” “Casablanca,” “Fantasia.” The Council wants to gather materials on each of the pictures and make them available for students of the arts and to the interested public in special exhibitions. Still going strong at 83 Clarence Muse, dean of American Negro entertainers, is still going strong. At 83 Muse puts in a work day worthy of capsizing someone 50 years younger. A typical 12-hour Stretch would find Muse making notes for a musical he is writing, looking after diverse business matters, lecturing at a College seminar, reading a couple of scripts, answering an endless flow of mail, then leaving to perform at some benefit show. “I never could see a guy who wants to quit and do nothing,” he says. Muse ranks alongside Paul Robeson, Stepin Fetchit, Hattie McDaniel, Louise Beavers and other black artists who pioneered in sound films. “Every time I do a movie though,” he says, “friends I haven’t seen in many years are heard from” Mickey Mouse’ 44th birthday Walt Disney’s famous character Mickey Mouse, whose name has become a household word throughout the world celebrated his forty-fourth birthday on Nov. 18, 1972. It was on November 18, 1928, that the first Mickey Mouse cartoon “Steamboat Willie” made its debut at the Colony Theatre in New York. Al Jolson’s “The Jazz Singer” had been released the previous year, and the theater-going public was clamoring for more sound films. So Walt Disney decided to make “Steamboat Willie” with sound. As there was no Company in Hollywood who could record the sound for his picture, Walt had to take it back to New York late in the summer of 1928. He hired an orchestra, made a deal with a sound recording outfit, and even supplied Mickey’s voice (or squeaks) himself. Writing a letter back to his brother, Roy, in California on September 14, 1928, Walt said: “The sound Situation is still a big mystery. No one is positive how it is all going to turn out. But I have come to this definite conclusion: Sound effects and talking pictures are more than a mere novelty. They are here to stay and in time will develop into a wonderful thing. The ones that get in on the ground floor are the ones that will more likely profit by its future development.” “Steamboat Willie” was a tremendous success. Four years later, Walt Disney was honored with a special Academy Award for Mickey’s creation. Mickey went on to star in 117 short Cartoons, as well as the features “Fantasia” and “Fun and Fancy Free.” In 1955 with the start of the Mickey Mouse Club he rose to even greater fame, and now he appears as official greeter at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The little guy has come a long way since 1928. Happy Birthday, Mickey! First Israeli movie festival Celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of Israel, an Israeli Film Festival will be held through December 3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Committee is headed by William R. Forman assisted by Samuel Z. Arkoff, AIP, James T. Aubrey, Jr., MGM, Sherrill C. Corwin, Metropolitan Theatre Corp., Leo Jaffee, Columbia, Eugene V. Klein, NGC, Arthur B. Krim, UA, Walter M. Mirisch Corp., Gordon Stulberg, 20th Fox, and Frank Yablans, Paramount. 45th annual Academy Award Show The 45th Oscar show to be produced again by Howard Koch on March 27 in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the L.A. County Music Center will honor film achievements for 1972 and will be broadcast live and in color by NBC television. Eighteen technical achievements of the past year have also been selected for Academy Awards consideration. Wilton R. Holm is Chairman of the Academy Scientific Turn to Page 26 the helping Hand permanent charities