Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1952)

MGM SETS BETS OX EETERE 81 THROEGH 1953 ALL EXHIBITION REPRESENTED ON MCM STUDIO JUNKET Exhibitors at Studio Hear Plans for Expanded Production Output At the opening session of the “Seeing Is Believing” conclave of America’s leading exhibitors at the MGM Culver City studios Thursday, Dore Schary, vice-president in charge of production, announced a total of 81 pictures to come from that studio by January 1, 1954. Nineteen of the productions are completed and ready for release, 11 are in production and 53 are in active preparation. Thirty-nine of the 81 pictures will be in color, the majority in Technicolor, with a limited number in the new Ansco color. “Such long-range plans offer powerful evidence of the faith of our company’s officials in the future of the picture industry,” Mr. Schary said. “The investment in such a production program is obviously tremendous and I can think of no greater demonstration of confidence in the future of any business.” Varied Entertainment Is Program Feature The 53 pictures on the future MGM schedule, to be produced prior to January 1, 1954, represent all types of screen entertainment. They include : The Naked Spur, Technicolor, starring James Stewart, Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh, Ralph Meeker with Millard Mitchell, to be produced by William H. Wright and directed by Anthony Mann. Nev-er Let Me Go, starring Clark Gable, to be produced by Clarence Brown, directed by Delmer Daves. Young Bess, Technicolor, starring Stewart Granger, Jean Simmons and Charles Laughton, to be produecd by Sidney Franklin and directed by George Sidney. Julius Caesar, Shakespeare drama. Technicolor, all-star cast, John Houseman produces. The Making of a Marine, Ansco all-star cast, to be produced by Dore Schary. The Student Prince, Technicolor, starring Mario Lanza, to be produced by Joe Pasternak and directed by Curtis Bernhardt. Small Town Girl, Technicolor, starring Jane Powell, to be produced by Joe Pasternak. Leslie Kardos to direct. The Sobbin' Women, Technicolor, with 14 stars, to be produced by Jack Cummings. Vaquero, Technicolor, to be produced by Stephen Ames. All the Brothers Were Valiant, Technicolor, starring Robert Taylor and Stewart Granger, to be produced by Pandro S. Berman. Brigadoon, Technicolor, starring Gene Kelly and Kathryn Grayson, to be produced by Arthur Freed. Prince Valiant, Technicolor. The Girl Who Had Everything, starring Elizabeth Taylor, William Powell, to be produced by Armand Deutsch. Jumbo, Technicolor, starring Red Skelton, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds, to be produced by Roger Edens. Latin Lovers, Technicolor, starring Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas, to be produced by Joe Pasternak. T HE Lonesome Gal, to be produced by Nicholas Nayfack. “Seeing Is Believing.” So saying, MGM Wednesday transported some 100 assorted exhibitors, home office executives, and trade paper editors to the studio at the West Coast. They went by air, and were to return that way. In between they were to see MGM product at the rate of two pictures a day for three days. Thus, the company hopes, the message will go out from people who have seen, and now believe, that up and coming MGM product is the best in its history. The exhibitors represent some 10,000 theatres. And they also represent the important exhibitor organizations, members of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations. The six pictures to be shown are “Scaramouche,” which was to open Thursday at the Radio City Music Hall, New York; “Ivanhoe,” “The Merry Widow,” “Because You’re Mine,” “Lovely To Look At,” and Sombrero, Ansco, starring Pier Angeli, Ricardo Montalban, Vittorio Gassman and Cyd Charisse, to be produced by Jack Cummings and directed by Norman Foster. Dangerous When Wet, Technicolor, starring Esther Williams, Fernando Lamas, to be produced by George Wells with Charles Walters directing. Apache Trail, starring Gilbert Roland, to be produced by Hayes Goetz and directed by Harold Kress. Remains To Be Seen, to star Debbie Reynolds, to be produced by Arthur Hornblow, Jr. Jefferson Selleck, starring Spencer Tracy, to be written, produced and directed by Joseph Mankiewicz. Years Ago, to star Spencer Tracy and Debbie Reynolds, to be directed by George Cukor and produced by Lawrence Weingarten. Rose Marie. Technicolor, to be produced by Arthur Hornblow, Jr., and directed by Mervyn Leroy. Battle Circus, to be produced by Pandro S. Berman and directed by Richard Brooks. My Mother and Mr. McChesney, starring Greer Garson, with Donna Corcoran, to be produced by Edwin H. Knopf. Captain Quicksilver, to be produced by Armand Deutsch. Pm From Missouri, Technicolor, starring Gene Kelly and Danny Kaye, to be produced by Arthur Freed. House of Seven Flies, to be produced by William H. Wright. Beau Brummel, Technicolor, starring Stewart Granger, to be produced by Sam Zimbalist. Crest of the Wave, starring Van Johnson, to be written, produced and directed by John and Roy Boulting. The Last World, to be produced by Carey Wilson. Moonfleet, to be produced by William H. Wright. “Pat And Mike.” Also to be shown were highlights of other pictures. The national theatre organizations and their officers who were to attend were : Allied States Association: Wilbur Snaper, president, Ben Marcus, treasurer, and John M. Wolfberg, secretary. Independent Theatre Owners Association : Dave Weinstock, vice-president, New York; Max A. Cohen, William Namenson, and Julius Sanders. Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Association : Edward N. Rugoff, president, Harry Goldberg, second vice-president, Russell V. Downing, treasurer. New York; and Leo Brecher, board chairman. Theatre Owners of America : Mitchell Wolfson, president, John Rowley, Walter Reade, Jr., Max Connett, J. J. O’Leary, and Leonard H. Goldenson. Western Theatre Owners: Rotus Harvey, president, and Ben Levin, treasurer. Wind From the East, to be produced by Armand Deutsch. O, Promise Me, Technicolor, to be produced by Jack Cummings. Robinson Crusoe, Technicolor, starring Stewart Granger, to be produced by Sam Zimbalist. The Romberg Story, starring Kurt Kasznar, Technicolor, to be produced by Arthur Freed. The Sheriff of Siskiyou, to be produced by Stephen Ames. A Steak for Connie, to be produced by Stephen Ames. I Love Louisa, Technicolor, starring Fred Astaire, to be produced by Arthur Freed. Interrupted Melody, Technicolor, starring Lana Turner, to be produced by Jack Cummings. Invitation to the Dance, Technicolor starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron to be produced by Arthur Freed and directed by Kelly. Mogambo, Technicolor, starring Clark Gable, to be produced by Sam Zimbalist. Montes, the Matador, Technicolor, starring Ava Gardner, Fernando Lamas, Ricardo Montalban, to be produced by Jack Cummings. Dream Wife, to be produced by Sidney Sheldon. Flesh and the Devil, starring Ava Gardner Fernando Lamas and Ricardo Montalban, to be produced and directed by Clarence Brown. Give A Girl A Break, Technicolor to star Marge and Gower Champion, produced by Jack Cummings. The Desperate Search, produced by Matthew Rapf. Men Don’t Cry, produced by William Grady, Jr. Fast Company, produced by Henry Berman. Riptide, produced by Sol Fielding. See How They Run, produced by Sol Fielding. 28 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MAY 10, 1952