Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

Motion Picture Daily Wednesday, July 13, 191 Buddy Adler, 20th-Fox Studio Head, Dies (Continued from page 1) "Buddy," a nickname he eventually accepted as his own. Several generations of Adlers had owned and operated department stores and the family assumed that Buddy, following tradition, would enter some phase of the business. To their surprise he announced, on finishing college, he wanted to pursue a writing career. Wrote Store Ads Advised of this preference, the family saw no big problem. If Buddy wanted to write, let him write ads for the Adler stores. Obediently he wrote ad copy for a time, but his heart wasn't in it. After hours he pursued, somewhat furtively, his real objective —he wrote short stories. He also sold them, to such thenpopular periodicals as Liberty Magazine under the alias of "Bradley Allen." By 1934 he was selling so many that Buddy introduced "Bradley Allen" to his family, revealed his secret and announced that he would write no more ads. The family took it fairly well, and Buddy continued in the short story field until 1936, when he came to California, shortly thereafter went to work at M-G-M writing short subpects. He wrote Pete Smith Specialties, the "Crime Doesn't Pay" and the "Passing Parade" series— more than 50 writing credits in all. Married in 1940 For Buddy, 1940 was a particularly memorable year. Not only did he write the Academy Award-winning short, "Quicker Than a Wink" that year-in May, 1940, he married lovely actress Anita Louise, who has since happily relinquished her starring career to become the mother of two children, Melanie and Anthony. During his tenure as a writer at Metro he became interested in theatre operation. He started the first newsreel theatre in California— on Hollywood Boulevard. Subsequently he opened several other newsreel houses. His next innovation in the exhibition field was the opening of a first-run theatre known as the "Hitching Post." This novelty of first-run Westerns developed a chain of several additional theatres. The slogan of the house"Check your gun with the Cashier"— became famous. And to top his career as an exhibitor on the sideline he built and opened the now well-known Beverly-Canon Theatre which specializes in foreign pictures. Officer in Signal Corps Adler had just graduated to a writer-producer status when his career, like millions of others, was interrupted abruptly by Pearl Harbor. An B.O.T.C. trainee, he was commissioned a lieu POUND RIDGE EXECUTIVE'S SMAIX ESTATE Commuter's dream. Country privacy. Gracious mod Colonial Ranch, 7 acres overlking breathless view. Liv rm. fam din rm w/fplce, 3 bedrms, 2 Hollywood bths, electric ktchn. Cut stone front, slate roof, 2-car gar. Private swimming pond. Sacrif at $55,000. Open house Sat & Sun 1-5 PM. Gargagliano, Rte 124 or call for directions. MAE ALTMAN Sole Aat MO 4-4044 or MO 8-3537 tenant and assigned to a photographic unit. By the war's end he was a lieutenant-colonel in the Signal Corps, chief of the Motion Picture Division of the Army Pictorial Service. Returned to MGM in 1945 The war over, Adler left the anny in 1945, returned to M-G-M as a producer, a year later moved to Columbia in the same capacity. At Columbia he won an enviable reputation as a courageous producer of successful pictures reflecting taste and a social consciousness. His seven years with Columbia was crowned by "From Here to Eternity," which in 1954 won Adler the Academy Award. The Academy of Arts and Sciences awarded his production "From Here to Eternity" eight Oscars. His flair for showmanship was emphasized by his casting of Frank Sinatra, whose career at that time was at a low ebb, for the role of "Maggio," which started Sinatra back on the road to fame. In 1954 Adler transferred to Darryl F. Zanuck's producing staff at 20th Century-Fox. During the two-year period he personally produced 12 pictures. Among his outstanding productions there have been "Violent Saturday," "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing," "Bus Stop," "Anastasia," "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison," "A Hatful of Rain," and recently "South Pacific." Succeeded Zanuck in 1958 In 1956 when Darryl F. Zanuck, long executive head of production at 20th Century-Fox, left that post to enter independent production, Adler succeeded him in one of the industry's biggest, toughest jobs. Tackling his new task with characteristic energy and enthusiasm, his first year of leadership was so impressive that in 1957 the motion picture industry voted him the highest honor it can bestow, the Thalberg Award. How well 20th Century-Fox and Adler have since fared was well summarized in a recent editorial appearing in a leading trade publication, which said, in part: "Adler's fine leadership resulted in 20th getting 21 Academy Award nominations during 1956-57, and then 20th smacked through with another 21 nominations this year (1958) to outrace all rivals ... a record for Mr. Adler and his associates that has never been matched in this business. "Even more significant is what 20th, under Adler's leadership, has accomplished in developing new faces and big ticket-selling stars for 20th's productions." Organized Talent School In 1957 he instituted the Studio's Talent School at a cost of $1,000,000 and from it several students have been added to the studio's rostrum. He caused to be built a small theatre in which these students could display their ability to perform before an audience of producers, directors and other creators every 12 weeks. He has covered the entire world looking for aspiring actors and actresses and to climax his efforts one of his discov eries, Joanne Woodward won the Oscar for the Best Actress in Nunnally Johnson's production of 20th Century-Fox's "Three Faces of Eve." In response to the need for new personalities, Adler was the first to bring to the screen such sensational newcomers as Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Tommy Sands, Don Murray, Hope Lange and Diane Varsi. Brought Back Miss Bergman Adler went after established stars for his pictures with the same tenacity he employed in looking for new faces. A good example of the showmanship qualities is when he brought Ingrid Bergman back to the screen after seven years' absence to star in "Anastasia," and today it is history— she won the Academy Award for her performance. He also re-established Jennifer Jones as one of the top stars in the world today when he persuaded her to play the lead as an Eurasian in "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing." Jennifer was also nominated for one of the best performances of the year. And in 1957 he starred Deborah Kerr in "Heaven Only Knows, Mr. Allison," which brought Deborah a nomination from the Academy for one of the best actresses of the year. It is an amazing record that in each of the years 1955, 1956 and 1957 he has a star nomination in the Best Actress category. Bought 40 Stories in One Year In the 12 months of 1957 he engineered the purchase of 40 literary works and plays for 20th's production schedule. These include such best sellers as "Peyton Place" and William Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury" for Jerry Wald Productions; "The Diary of Anne Frank" for George Stevens' Productions; John O'Hara's "Ten North Frederick"; Irwin Shaw's "The Young Lions"; Francoise Sagan's "A Certain Smile"; A. B. Guthrie's "These Thousand Hills" and "A Hatful of Rain," the Broadway stage play. Record Budget in 1958 More concrete evidence, perhaps of the confidence Adler's leadership has inspired, is contained in his studio's announcement that for 1958, a year viewed in some quarters with trepidation, 20th appropriated $63,000,000 for making motion pictures, the largest amount that studio or any other has ever expended in production in a like period. Johnston Tribute (Continued from page 1) thusiasm and love for the motion picture, which he knew to be perhaps the finest medium of communications among the peoples of the earth. He knew its limitations as well as its unmatched opportunities and he devoted his life to advancing its vast potentials. "As a friend and associate he shall be grievously missed, but he will always live in the memories of all who had the privilege of knowing him. This industry is far better because he was associated with it." 'Windjammer' Truck Hits Promotion Road j From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, July 12.-NatioJ Theatres and Television's complete j self-contained "Windjammer" truiil trailer took to the roads over the wee | end on a six-day trip to Cincinna, Ohio, where it will be used commeij dally for the first time, during W run of "Windjammer" at the TwJ Drive-In. Truck Carries 3 Projectors I The truck trailer carries three Cin miracle projectors plus an auxiliaj single standard projector, and souij equipment units for the seven-trar system. The equipment is bolted j the floor. Port-holes are provided ' the sides of the trailer for projects i of the picture. The trailer will tour Cincinn;., streets for two days, and will be sj up in a main square in the city i< two additional days for public inspei tion, prior to the opening of the pi, ture on July 20. 'Midnight Lace' Set At Music Hall in Oct. "Midnight Lace," Universal-Intd national's new Ross Hunter-Arw Production in Eastman Color starri? Doris Day, Rex Harrison and Jo) Gavin and co-starring Myrna Lc Roddy McDowall and Herbert Mi shall, will have its world premiere Radio City Music Hall in New Yo in October, it was announced Henry H. "Hi" Martin, vice-preside and general sales manager of Univi sal Pictures. 'Salammbo' Title ( Continued from page 1 ) appeared on behalf of the April C at a meeting. The April Co., which had register the title "Salammbo," protested re istration by 20th-Fox of "The Lo\ of Salammbo" and "The Story of S: ammbo." When the case went arbitration, it was decided in fa\ of 20th-Fox on the grounds that the was no "harmful conflict." Attorneys for 20th-Fox were pn ent at the arbitration meeting tod but no representatives from the coi pany sat with the MPA board. T company filed notice of its resignati from the MPAA in June. Maryland Allied Sets Annual Outing Aug. 9 Special to THE DAILY BALTIMORE, July 12.-The Alii Motion Picture Theatre Owners Maryland plan to hold their anni outing all day Tuesday, August 9, Annapolis Country Club, Annapo! Md. Walter Gettinger, owner of t Howard Theatre, is chairman of 01 ing arrangements with Vernon No of Durkee Enterprises in charge oi golf tournament. Jack Whittle is pre dent of the association.