Hollywood Studio Magazine (1977)

t | |] Bits and Pieces = = mw STUDIO NEWS* FILM FESTIVALS * LETTERS * BOOKS NEW $2% MILLION STUDIO-The Osmond Family of TV fame are planning a $2% million television, movie and recording Studio complex in their home state of Utah. George and Olive Osmond, parents of the singers said the facility will be built on three acres of a 31 acre parcel owned by the family in Oren which is at the foot of the Wasatch Mountain Range, 33 miles south of Salt Lake City and six miles north of Provo. Completion is expected by mid-September and they hope to tape 11 of the Donnie and Marie shows in the new studio. Production on the next season will begin at ABC studios but they definitely plan to do the Christmas show in Oren. FOURTH ANNUAL STUDENT FILM AWARDS competition honoring outstanding achievement in student filmmaking are now being conducted regionally by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Coordinators will supervise entries and screenings of the films in their assigned regions. Awards in each category will be presented on May 15. When Jimmy Cagney was cast in the lead of Yankee Doodle Dandy, for which he won the Academy Award, Jack Benny made up a joke which he told frequently. He said that he went to Jack L. Warner, head of Warner Bros. and producer of the picture, and complained that he, and not Cagney, should get the part. Then, Benny said, Mr. Warner looked me in the eye and said, “‘Jack, this picture is based on the life of George M. Cohan. If it was Cohen, you’d get the part.’’—‘‘The Jack Benny Show” a new book by Milt Josefsberg. (Arlington House Pub.) HONOR TALLULAH BANKHEAD—The late actress, Tallulah Bankhead was honored at the 13th annual Friends of the USC Libraries tribute dinner (March 25) at the University of Southern California. Joe Bushkind, George Cukor, James Herlihy, Alfred Hitchcock, Patsy Kelly, Roddy McDowell, Vincent Price, Eugenia Rawls, Donald Seawell and Estelle Winwood presented the tribute in USC’s Town and Gown. Collier Young and Mrs. Jules C. Stein co-chaired the program committee. THREE FOR THE ROAD: The AFI has compiled three new touring film series with the aid of funding by the Exxon Corporation. The programs are composed of from eight to ten films each; the overall titles are: ‘‘Ernst Lubitsch,” “German Classics,’ and “Screwball Comedy.”’ Three previous series toured the country all through the past year, and are now available for showings through 1977 by colleges, museums, and non-profit organizations which have professional 35mm projection facilities. The packages of eight films each are “Treasures from the Past,’ ‘“Astaire-Rogers,’’ and “Great Hollywood Cameramen,”’ and all are newly struck 35mm prints. For rental and other information contact The Regional Development Officer, AFI, Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. 20566.—American Film Journal. WASHINGTON AREA FILMMAKERS LEAGUE NOW PLAYING: The Film Club is a subscription series of film events organized by the Fans of the AFI to raise money for the AFI Theater at Kennedy Center. The Club’s 1976-77 season has featured the Washington premieres of the controversial Network and The Incredible Sarah, starring Glenda Jackson as Sarah Bernhardt. Benefit to the Theater: $38,550 . A two-part retrospective on Jean Renoir is the major program on the AFI Theater’s Spring schedule. Every stage of the French director’s career, from the early silents through his masterpieces of the 30’s and his underrated American films, are to be covered in this extensive salute. Also coming in the Spring are special series on Finnish, Swedish silent, and contemporary Mexican films, a program of Westerns, another collection of “Films That Got Away” (recent films of special interest which received limited commercial distribution), and a tribute to Bette Davis, this year’s AFT Life Achievement Award recipient ... The weekend of January 29-30 at the AFI Theater has been given over to the Second Annual Washington Film Festival, devoted to new films made in the general area. The premiers will include documentaries, experiments, animation films, and two features. Critics will be present to discuss the films, and eight prizes will be awarded. The event is sponsored by the Washington Area Filmmakers League in cooperation with AFI. FILM PRODUCT NEWS NEW NILES SUPER 8 PRODUCT LINE—Hollywood, California—A new line of super 8 sound digest prints has been released by Niles Entertainment, a subsidiary of Niles Film Products, Inc. Included are 12 Sherlock Holmes titles with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce; a line of contemporary films featuring rock stars such as Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane; “now” stars such as Jack Nicholson; cult figures such as W.C. Fields, as well as a full line of all time favorites—Flash Gordon, Our Gang and Superman. Rounding out the line are a group of shock films in “‘horrific” color, action westerns and comedy classics. 9220 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, Calif. 90069 NEW PACKAGING CONCEPT—Niles Entertainment’s new super 8 home movie line has attracted worldwide attention according to Robert D. Siedle, general manager. The dustproof plastic ‘“‘pak,”’ with exclusive full color designs geared specifically to each title, has generated inquiry from places as far away as Iran and Iraq. Overseas customers buy the graphic package and care little what language the sound track represents according to Siedle. Write 9220 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. 90069. DISNEY STUDIOS DISNEY’S “WITCH MOUNTAIN” —Kim Richards, 12 and Ike Kisenmann, 14, have been set for the juvenile leads in ‘“‘Witch Mountain II,” Walt Disney Productions’ suspense thriller directed by John Hough and produced by Jerome Courtland under Ron Miller’s executive producership. Filming in color by Technicolor begins April 11. COLUMBIA STUDIOS 1976 ACADEMY AWARD WINNER, Louise Fletcher, (Best Actress) for her performance in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” has been signed for a co-starring role with Peter Falk in Neil Simon’s “The Cheap Detective,” Rastar Productions motion picture to be produced by Ray Stark and directed by Robert Moore for Columbia Pictures release. Production is scheduled to begin May 16 on location in the Bay City. JOHN G. AVILDSEN, this year’s Academy Award winner for his direction of “Rocky,” has been signed toa multiple-picture producing-directing arrangement, calling for a minimum of three pictures, it was announced by Daniel Melnick, in charge of worldwide production for Columbia Pictures. Our Readers say... Your “Gone With The Wind”’ issue is great! Dear HSM: Your great edition on ‘““Gone With The Wind; started me thinking. How about these titles for a sequel to “GWTW?” (All in fun, of course) Really feel this is the best special I have ever seen done on a screen classic. Keep up the good work. WHISKED AWAY BY THE BREEZE, WUTHERING TARA, A FIST FULL OF GRITS, A FAREWELL TO WIND, RIN TIN TARA, I HOLLYWOOD STUDIO Magazine 39