The Exhibitor (1962)

Paramount Paris When It Sizzles ' will bring together Holden and Hepburn. With more than $80,000,000 invested in 26 productions either completed, filming or in active preparation. Paramount Pictures is on the threshold of one of the most successful business periods in the company’s history, said Charles Boasberg, Vice President-in-charge-of-Sales. In all my years in the motion picture industry, I have never been associated with such an array of outstanding product. The high quality of these pictures and their high costs of pro¬ duction give us a great responsibility in their handling. I know that the tremendous enthusiasm for these pictures, both within our company and among exhibitors, will help us to accomplish what we have to accomplish — the most consis¬ tent string of ‘money’ pictures ever released by Paramount. There is a new spirit at work at Paramount, he said. We can no longer think in terms of divisions of sales, advertisingpublicity and production. A cooperative effort, linking all segments of our company in New York, Hollywood, the field and abroad, is the only way we can achieve our goals. I came away thrilled from my recent visit to the Hollywood studio, where I saw many of the forthcoming releases in com¬ pleted or rough form. In addition to these pictures, I know that a number of important deals will be announced shortly under the accelerated production program ordered by Presi¬ dent Barney Balaban, George Weltner, executive vice-presi¬ dent, and Jack Karp, studio vice-president. Before outlining Paramount’s release schedule for the first half of 1963, I’d like to point out that grosses on two new releases, Hal Wallis Girls! Girls! Girls! ’ and Jerry Lewis’ “It’s Only Money,” have been extremely gratifying. The Elvis Presley starrer is headed for a record gross comparable to Blue Hawaii, while the Lewis attraction looms as one of the comedian’s biggest grossers. Planned for release in the first six months of 1963 are: Jack Boses Whos Got The Action?,’’ starring Dean Martin and Lana Turner, January; Hal Wallis’ “A Girl Named Tamiko,” starring Laurence Harvey, France Nuyen and Martha Hyer, Fehniary; Jack Roses Papas Delicate Condition,” starring Jackie Gleason; Dino DeLaurentiis classic ‘AVar and Peace,” starring Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda, March; Gant Gaither’s “My Six Loves,” starring Debbie Reynolds, Cliff Robertson and David Janssen, April (Easter); an Alfred Hitchcock special, The Man Who Knew Too Much,” starring James Stewart and Doris Day, and “The Trouble With Harry,” May; Martin Ritt and Irving Ravetch’s “Hud, starring Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas and Brandon DeWilde, May (Dec¬ oration Day); “Duel of the Titans,” starring Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott, June; Hal Wallis’ “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,” starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. Set for summer are Richard Quine and George Axelrod’s “Paris When It Sizzles,” starring William Plolden and Audrey Hepburn; Jerry Lewis “The Nutty Professor;” Essex-Tandem’s “Come Blow Your Horn,” starring Frank Sinatra; and John Ford’s “Donovan’s Reef,” starring John Wayne. Figuring prominently in Paramount’s future release schedule are David Susskind’s "All the Way Home,” starring Robert Preston and Jean Simmons; Hal Wallis’ “First Wife, starring Shirley MacLaine and Van Johnson; Wallis’ “Fun in Acapul¬ co,” starring Elvis Presley; Mel Shavelson’s “Samantha”’ starring Pauf Newman and Joanne Woodward; Wallis’ “Becket, starring Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole; Jack Rose’s “Every Wednesday Night,” starring Dean Martin; “Port Fury,” starring John Wayne; an untitled Jerry Lewis comedy; Joseph E. Levine’s “The Carpetbaggers”; Samuel Bronston’s “Circus,” starring John Wayne; and Samuel Bronston’s “Dear and Glori¬ ous Physician.” Paramount will continue indefinitely with its highly success¬ ful program of re-releases backed by all new merchandising campaigns. Rear Window,’ “The Delicate Delinquent” and “Sad Sack” were recent boxoffice successes, and there is tremendous exhibitor interest in “War and Peace” and other forthcoming re-releases, which will be handled as “new” pictures. Universal International “To Kill a Mockingbird" still shows star Peck in court scene. Universal Pictures expects to release more than 15 fea¬ tures, starting with Freud, during the coming season. Included in the line-up for ’63 are" many features such as Pakula-Mulligan production of “To Kill A Mockingbird” which should add considerably to both the company’s and exhibition’s coffers. Heading the roster is: John Huston’s Production “Freud,” starring Montgomery Clift, Susannah York, Larrv Parks, and Susan Kohner. Director is John Huston; producer, Wolfgang ( Continued on page 28) 24 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR December 26, 1962