Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1955)

Thursday, February 24, 1955 Motion Picture Daily 9 Fox to Shoot in 55mm. People {Continued from page 1) Fox Slate {Continued from page 1) and three are in standard dimension, one in color. "The Living Swamp," produced by Jeffrey Hunter, is the first CinemaScope featurette presented by the company. The film is a portrayal of nature in the Okefenokee Swamp of Georgia, and will be released in May. Also added to the May release schedule is Edward L. Alperson's "The Magnificent Matador" in CinemaScope. Maureen O'Hara, Anthony Quinn and Richard Denning are starred. Carroll Case produced and Budd Boetticher directed. To Film 'Angela' in Rome "Angela," an S. Pallos production filmed in Rome and directed by and starring Dennis O'Keefe, has been added to the company's releases in March. The company also disclosed that "The Adventures of Sadie" is the new title for "Our Girl Friday," a standard film in color, which will be released in April. New star Joan Collins is topcast with Kenneth More, George Cole and Robertson Hare in the George Minter production directed by Noel Langley. Other important attractions listed by the company between March and May are "Untamed" in CinemaScope, starring Tyrone Power, Susan Hayward and Richard Egan, produced by Bert E. Friedlob and William A. Bacher, directed by Henry King, a March release ; "A Man Called Peter" in CinemaScope, the company's Easter holiday picture, starring Jean Peters and Richard Todd, produced by Samuel G. Engel and directed by Henry Koster, an April release ; "Violent Saturday" in CinemaScope, starring Victor Mature and Richard Egan, produced by Buddy Adler and directed by Richard Fleisher, an April release. Gable Vehicle Included Also "Soldier of Fortune" in CinemaScope, starring Clark Gable, Susan Hayward and Michael Rennie, produced by Buddy Adler and directed by Edward Dmytryk, in May, and Panoramic Production's "A Life In The Balance," a standard dimension film starring Ricardo Montalban, Anne Bancroft and Lee Marvin, produced by Leonard Goldstein and directed by Harry Horner. Republic Net {Continued from page 1) income. The provision for Federal taxes on income for the 53-week previous fiscal year was put at $800,000. Gross revenue for the 1954 fiscal year was reported to have amounted to $37,962,359 as compared with $37,265,034 for the previous fiscal year. The corporations bank indebtedness as of Oct. 30, 1954 amounted to $2,259,771 as compared with a similar indebtedness of $3,066,099 as of Oct. 31, 1953. Regarding TV production, the report said that in order to meet the increasing demands upon Republic for studio facilities by TV producers, Republic has continued to expand its studio facilities and equipment. Continued the report: "After prolonged litigation, the courts upheld our right to release the Gene Autry and Roy Rogers pictures to television. It is anticipated that arrangements to release these pictures to television will be concluded in the near future." keep up with progress," he added, declaring "we won't let any other medium get ahead." In connection with standard 35mm. projection, he enthusiastically pointed to the number of theatres both here and abroad that have converted to CinemaScope, forecasting that by the end of the year there will be over 30,000 world-wide installations. Referring to the planned 55mm. road-show CinemaScope pictures, Skouras said they "will show that CinemaScope equals or excels" any other method. He apparently referred to Cinerama and Todd-AO, although he declined to name competitive media. He added that the 55mm. road-show pictures will contain six stereophonic sound tracks, two more than on standard CinemaScope films. Advantages Claimed Shooting in 55mm., Skouras explained, will offer a greater photographic area by virtue of anamorphic lenses. This and other technological advantages accruing from such a move will be reflected in the converted 35mm. CinemaScope film, he continued. In response to a question, Skouras said the 55mm. shooting will be "vertical" photography. This would represent something entirely different from VistaVision shooting, which utilizes "horizontal" photography. It would also mean equipping the studios with TNT Interested in Heavyweight Bout Another closed circuit telecast of a heavyweight championship boxing bout looms for exhibitors with the arrival of English contender Don Cockell here from London. Fight promoter Jimmy Murray has announced that the next Rocky Marciano title event would take place al the San Francisco Kezar Stadium on May 16, 17 or 18. Although no official announcement has been made by the International Boxing Club, a signing between the champion and contender may take place here today. Theatre Network Television, the closed circuit television company which presented the last Marciano heavyweight bout to 71 theatres in 55 cities throughout the country, is definitely interested in presenting the proposed Marciano-Cockell event, it was learned. Cinex Capital Now Totals $3,200,000 MEXICO CITY, Feb. 23. — A working capital of $3,200,000 was accumulated by Cinex, which the Government organized last summer to control distribution of Mexican pictures abroad and to which 80 per cent of producers belong, it was announced at the first meeting of Cinex stockholders. Eduardo Garduho, director general of the trade's own bank, the semi-official Banco Nacional Cinematografico, heads Cinex. To assure that cash advances Cinex makes against profits of pictures it distributes be absolutely just, a vigilance committee, membership of which changes every three months, was organized. Producers Jesus Grovas, Alfonso Patino Gomez and Eduardo Quevedo form the first committee. new 55mm. cameras and insuring the supply of adequate raw stock and processing facilities. The first two pictures slated for 55mm. projection on a road-show basis, the 20th-Fox president continued, will be "The King and I" and probably "The Greatest Story Ever Told." These productions, Skouras forecast, will embody the latest innovations in sound, color and photography and will be presented in a tailor-made fashion to show that the CinemaScope medium is greater, or as good as any other road-show medium. Going Abroad Shortly Skouras said he plans a short trip to Europe soon to join Darryl F. Zanuck, vice-president in charge of the studio, on the Continent. Both will screen the French-German co-production "Oasis," which 20th-Fox will distribute here. He will see the picture in Munich, Skouras said. Regarding the company's production of TV films, Skouras said "we're working on plans now" which will be announced in the near future. Asked about 20th-Fox plans to produce newsreels in CinemaScope, Skouras said that will not be done until there are from 15,000 to 16,000 theatres in the U. S. equipped for CinemaScope. He estimated the current number of CinemaScope theatres in the U. S. at 12,000. Says 'Salt of Earth' Helps Communism CHICAGO, Feb. 23.— "The Salt of the Earth" is a picture that helps to foster communism, it was charged here by two Chicago moving picture operators. These views were given in answers filed in U. S. District Court to an earlier suit which charged they had violated anti-trust laws by refusing to show the film in a local theatre Independent Production Corp., Inc., producers of the film, asked triple damages of $316,500 from the operators and their union, Chicago Moving Picture Operators' Local 110 (AFL). Operator Quit His Job The operators were identified as Louis Cleppe and Dudley Howell, who had been working at the Cinema Annex on West Madison Street. Daniel D. Carmell, attorney representing the operators and their union, said Cleppe quit his job at the theatre because it "appeared to be a place for dissemination of Communist propaganda." "The Salt of the Earth," Cleppe said, had been banned for export by the State Department and also condemned by the American Legion. Howell said he quit his job because he would "not help forward the cause of a movie which he believed fostered Communist aims." Adams to Emcee Joey Adams, well known comedian, author, and television personality, will assume the role of toastmaster at the National Television Film Council luncheon meeting today, at the Hotel Delmonico here, in place of Wendy Barrie, who was formerly scheduled to install NTFC officers today, but who was called to Washington on pressing matters. Louis B. Mayer will be the guest of honor and principal speaker at the American Cinema Editors' annual dinner on March 24 in Hollywood. ACE president Richard Cahoon will preside. n Walt Disney will be honored by the Izaak Walton League of America with life membership in the organization. Presentation will be made on Apr. 1 at the annual convention of the league to be held in Chicago. Specifically cited will be the Disney "True Life Adventure Series." n Jean Negulesco has been appointed to direct the 27th annual Academy Awards presentations on March 30. n Arthur and Sarita Jennings have leased the subsequent-run Music Box Theatre in New Britain, Conn. n Paul White, formerly with Paramount Pictures and European manager for David O. Selznick, has been retained as a consultant by the RCA Victor record division to develop a five-year expansion plan for the television film syndication branch. n Mary Di Maggio, of the Di Maggio clan, is the new telephone operator at Universal's San Francisco office. n Jerry Shinbach, former RKO division manager in the Chicago area, heads the newly-formed Monarch Theatres in Ohio. His new InTown Auto Theatre, near Columbus, will be managed by Lou Holleb. n Norman Jurvic, former assistant manager of the Alexandria Theatre in San Francisco, is the new manager of the Harding Theatre there. □ Mrs. Edna Faye Still, house manager of the Esquire Theatre in Chickasha, Okla., owned by Mrs. Opal Gray for the past five years, has leased the Tuttle Theatre, at Tuttle, Okla., effective March 4, and will operate the 325-seat house on weekends. n Earl Snyder, Jr., owner of the Bellaire and Apache drive-in theatres in the Tulsa area, has acquired the Cove, 550-seat neighborhood house in Tulsa. Snyder's brother-inlaw, L. L. Elliott, has been named manager. n Harry Schoenberg and Bill Kothe have been appointed assistants to P. K. Wessel, president of State Films which now is handling the shipping and inspection for Republic Pictures in Cleveland.