Motion Picture Herald (1954)

PARAMOUNT NEWS COVERED CAME, BUILT GOOD WILL Ben Schwartz, manager of the Lincoln theatre, Massillon, Ohio, is singing the praises these days of Paramount Pictures and especially of Oscar Morgan, the company’s veteran short subjects chief. The reason is the Paramount newsreel coverage of the traditional pre-Thanksgiving football game between Massillon and Canton, which for the last seven years has been for the Ohio state high school championship. This year’s game, which attracted 25,000 fans, also was covered by syndicated sports writers frorp far and wide, as well as by CBS-TV. What gave Mr. Schwartz particular satisfaction was the comparison of TV coverage with the Paramount newsreel. The TV coverage, reports Mr. Schwartz, was shown on the Monday following the game and besides its “very poor photography,” lasted only about one and a half minutes. The newsreel, which Mr. Schwartz featured at his Lincoln theatre starting the following Wednesday, was a six-minute subject with footage devoted to both the big game and the parade the night before. Even without the comparison so favorable to big screen motion pictures, Mr. Schwartz says the effect would have been as sensational. The newsreel, along with Paramount’s “White Christmas,” broke all house records and held for a second week, something quite rare for Massillon. Also, he reports, it brought out patrons who hadn’t been inside the doors of his theatre for at least five years. Mr. Schwartz has particularly kind words for Mr. Morgan. The Massillon theatre manager earlier tried to interest various exchange executives in newsreel coverage of the game but got nowhere. Finally there was a personal call to Mr. Morgan and three Paramount newsreel men, including Joe Hutt and Red Felbinger, were immediately dispatched from Chicago and New York to cover the event. Appreciation of the Paramount action was noted in the news columns of the Massillon Evening Independent as well as in a full-page ad taken by Mr. Schwartz to thank Mr. Morgan and “those wonderful Paramount cameramen.” RKO Called Strong in Its New Frodnvl One of the main topics of discussion at the various regional sales meetings RKO has been holding last week and this was its forthcoming product. The company states it is in the strongest, most mobile position it has been in since coming under the management of Howard Hughes. Among the pictures already completed are “Underwater !” Technicolor, starring Jane Russell ; Benedict Bogeaus’ “Cattle Queen of Montana,” “Passion” and “Escape to Burma” ; Allan Dowling’s “This Is My Love”; Sol Lesser’s “Tarzan’s Hidden Jungle” and “Quest for the Lost City” and “The Conqueror,” “Jet Pilot” and “Son of Sinbad,” all Technicolor. James R. Grainger, RKO president, also disclosed that six major independent producers will be filming a minimum of 12 topbudgeted pictures — all in color and widescreen— for RKO distribution. The independent units include Edmund Grainger, King Brothers, Benedict Bogeaus, David Butler, Nat Holt andj Sol Lesser. Other product also under discussion were Michael. Myerberg’s “Hansel and Gretel,” “The Americano” and “Seven Bad Men,” all Technicolor. Three of the meetings, were held in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. A fourth was to be December 16 in New Orleans. Paramount Offers Short On Vista Vision Product “Paramount Presents VistaVision,” a 20minute product presentation, will be made available free to the nation’s theatres early in January, A. W. Schwalberg, president of Paramount Film Distributing Corporation, announced in Hollywood this week. Five hundred prints will be made of the featurette, which will be handled through division managers and supported by an extensive advertising campaign. The productions shown include “White Christmas,” “To Catch a Thief,” “Strategic Air Command,” “The Far Horizons,” “The Trouble With Harry,” “The Seven Little Foys,” "Run for Cover,” “We’re No Angels,” “Lucy Gallant” and “Three Ring Circus.” "Pancho Villa" Set as First Grainger Film HOLLYWOOD : “The Treasure of Pancho Villa,” an original story based on historical occurrences in the life of the Mexican adventurer and patriot, will be the first of a series of films which Edmund Grainger Productions, Inc., will produce for distribution by RKO, it was announced last week by the independent producer and RKO. The film will be photographed in Technicolor for Superscope release, will begin early in February, with much of the photography to be made in the Rio Grande country on the border between Texas and Mexico. Second Grainger production for RKO release will be the James Street best-seller, "Oh, Promised Land,” to star Alan Ladd. It will be filmed in Technicolor and CinemaScope. II timer Net For Year Is $399769000 Consolidated net profit of Warner Brothers Pictures for the fiscal year ended August 31 was reported this week at $3,976,000 by the company, the earnings equivalent to $1.60 per share on 2,474,329 shares outstanding on that date. The shares include 35,446 which were reserved for exchange for shares of the former Warner Brothers Pictures (1923). The financial report represents the first full year of operations since the reorganization of the company in 1953. Film rentals, sales, etc., increased $600,000 over the previous year, resulting from an increase in the remittable foreign film rental, which was partly offset by a decrease in domestic film rentals, the report stated. Income for the fiscal year amounted to $72,093,000. On a comparative basis for the year ended August 31, 1953, income equalled $70,157,000. However, the 1953 figures, the report explains, combined the operations of the new Warner company and subsidiaries for the six months ending on that date and those of the predecessor company, excluding theatre operations, for the six months ending February 28, 1953. In the latter category, the net profit was listed at $2,908,000. The report shows that the company has made advances of $18,536,773 to independent producers, recoverable from net proceeds of distribution. It is further pointed out that two pictures were produced abroad utilizing in part unremittable currency and that this policy will be continued. A dividend of 30 cents per share has been declared by the board of directors of Warner Bros. Pictures on its common stock, payable February 5, 1955, to stockholders of record January 14. Warners Plans Gigantic "Faust" Production Jack L. Warner announced this week in Hollywood that Warner Brothers plans “a gigantic motion picture production” of “Faust,” which will combine all the major entertainment elements of the classic legend about the hero who sells his soul to Satan. Mr. Warner said Jack Palance was being considered for the role of Mephistopheles, and that top operatic performers also would be considered, since the production will utilize the music of Gonoud’s opera. The production will be shot in CinemaScope, color and stereophonic sound. "Football Highlights" Ready The release of RKO-Pathe’s “Football Highlights,” annual two-reel football review, has been set by Sidney Kramer, RKO short subjects sales manager. The film covers the teams and games of 20 schools, with wide geographical distribution. MOTION PJCTU RE HERALD, DECEMBER 4 8, 1954