The Independent Film Journal (1955)

HOLLYWOOD . . . on the wire RICHARD BERNSTEIN, Editor Hollywood Offices: 8245 Beeman Avenue North Hollywood. Tel.: ROgers 7-2347 Warner Brothers have put “The Burning Hills,” which will be produced by Richard Whorf, on Tab Hunter’s schedule. Irving Wallace is screen-playing the Louis L’ Amour novel. . . . Helen Hawley has been signed for a featured role in Warner Brothers’ Mario Lanza starrer, “Serenade.” She will play the key role of Marcella, an opera singer. . . . U-I will star Esther Williams in “The Gentle Web.” This will be the actress’ first dramatic role in some time. . . . Richard Carlson will direct from his own screen play, “Counterpunch” for Producer Vincent Fennelly, who will release through Allied Artists. # * * U-I signed actress Dorothy Malone to a multiple picture contract. Actress co-stars with Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall and Robert Stack in the studio’s “Written On The Wind.” Miss Malone was signed by Edward Mulil, U-I’s vice-president in charge of production on the strength of her performance opposite Jeff Chandler in “Pillars In The Sky,” which was made in color by Technicolor and in CinemaScope. “Jazz Beat,” a feature length film with musical backgrounds, is being prepared for independent production in 1956 by John Hubley, president of Storyboard, Inc. Hubley has signed James Di Gangi, as producer. The screen play of “Jazz Beat” releates the story of jazz and its impact on American life. It was written by Hubley in collaboration with Di Gangi and Faith Elliot. It will ultilize top bands and introduce a “unique wedding of animated and live action techniques.” * * * 20th-Fox signed Lili Gentle and one day after inking cast her in a key role in “Carousel,” which Henry King is directing. . . . Producer Lindsley Parsons signed Harold Schuster to direct ‘ ‘Massacre at Dragon Wells,” which will go into production Mar. 5. It will be Parsons’ first film on his Allied Artists schedule for the year. He will also film “Proving Ground” and “The Intruder.” . . . Yvonne De Carlo has been signed by producer-director Charles Martin for one of the co-starring roles in “Death of a Scoundrel,” which Martin will put before the cameras at Goldwyn Studios next month. George Sanders and Zsa Zsa Gabor will also star in the film. * * * Paramount signed Fred Astaire for a starring role in a picture based on “Papa’s Delicate Condition,” Corinne Griffith’s best selling novel. The film will roll early next year. Robert Emmett Dolan will produce the film in VistaVision. . . . Executive Producer Robert Waterfield left for Cuernavaca, Mexico after completing final details of the SuperScope Eastman Color production which stars Richard Widmark, Jane Greer and Trevor Howard. United Artists is releasing the film, which is to be filmed entirely in Mexico. Bruce Newbery, Dudley Pictures Corporation vice-president, winged back from Cuba where he completed arrangements with the Industrial and Agricultural Bank of Cuba for the production of a series of pictures in that island nation during the next three years. The first film, which will be done in EastmanColor and Vistarama, rolls with a Hollywood cast in Havana early in February. . . . Janies Cagney will co-star with Robert Wagner in “The Wedding Clock,” for 20th-Fox release. Henry Ephron will produce and also will work on the screen play with his wife, Phoebe. Film will be based on the William Fay Saturday Evening Post story, “Seven Steps To Murder.” The studio also announced the purchase of the Broadway hit, “A Hatful of Rain.” by Michael Gazza. The film version of the play will not go into production until 1957. It will be produced by Buddy Adler. * * * M-G-M assigned writer Gore Vidal, who just finished scripting “The Catered Affair,” to the screen play of Nicholas Hallasz’ “Captain Dryfus,” . . . Studio also announced that Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly will star in “High Society,” which will roll in January. Louis Armstrong, Walter Pidgeon and Louis Calhern will also top the cast. The film will be produced by Sol Siegel. . . . Alan Ladd purchased the film rights to “Guns of the Timberlane,” a novel by Louis L ’Amour, which will be produced under his Jaguar Prods, banner. The film version will be made under the title, “Shasta,” and will roll in the Spring. . . . British film star John Bentley arrived in Hollywood to start his long term film contract with U-I. Bentley’s first film for the studio will be announced shortly. -*• * Sam Katzman announced that Fred Sears will direct his musical, “Rock Around The Clock.” Film will roll Jan. 5th for Co ( Continued on page 29) Press & Exhibs Must Push New Faces: Hartman Hollywood. — Don Hartman, production head at Paramount, explained at a press luncheon after a screening of the studio’s short subject dealing with new faces, that he must have support from both the press and the exhibitor in his campaign to build new stars. Hartman stressed that the industry must find new faces or that it will be doomed. He pointed out that it is no longer possible to make a star gradually in a series of films, because fewer pictures are being produced. He highlighted the fact that patrons of theatres today are most discriminating and stated, “That is all to the good, particularly in helping us find stars that will last.” Hartman also introduced some of the new personalities to the press. The special short included scenes from “The Scarlet Hour,” which co-stars Carol Olnnart and Tom Tryon; two newcomers, Shirley MacLaine and John Forsythe in “The Trouble With Harry”; Jeanmaire in “Anything Goes”; and a portion of “The Birds and The Bees,” which brings comic George Gobel to the screen. In a special short produced by Howie Horwitz, titled “Bing Introduces Oreste,” Crosby introduced the young singer, who plays the lead in “The Vagabond King.” Hartman emphasized that all the studios in Hollywood are adopting the same policies and that along with new stars, new producers, new directors and new writers must be brought to the fore. — R.B. Levey Buys “Tontine'* “The Tontine,” best-selling novel by Thomas B. Costain, was acquired as a motion picture property this week by Jules Levey, independent film producer. Already embarked on the pre-production work, Levey has been discussing the scenario with several top writers and has begun casting conferences with leading Hollywood stars. The film is to be made in England. Don Hartman (seated center), in charge of production at Paramount, hosts a studio press luncheon following presentation of the studio's new acting talent and a talk stressing the need for new stars. Standing, L to R: "new faces" Carol Ohmart, Larry Pennell, Ursula Andress, Jody Lawrence, George Kerris, Valerie Allen, Oreste. Seated right of Hartman is Richard Bernstein, Hollywood editor of THE INDEPENDENT. 23 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— December 10. 1955