Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

MGM Has 24 Films Ready Or Planned HOLLYWOOD : Recent acquisition of additional big-scale story properties brings to 24 the total of major motion pictures in preparation for MGM’s studio schedule for 1956-57 and into 1958, it is announced by Dore Schary, vice-president in charge of production. These new projects for the early future follow some 15 pictures currently in release or in final stages of production, and are in addition to 14 pictures for MGM by independent producers. Two recently announced productions are Feodor Dostoevski’s classic, “The Brothers Karamazov,” to be produced by Pandro S. Berman with an all-star cast and a screenplay to be written by Millard Kaufman, and “Stay Away, Joe,” a broad comedy with music to be produced by Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin of New York musical comedy fame. Six Are Note Shooting Six productions are currently before the cameras. Four will be completed in October: “Raintree County” starring Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor, is produced by David Lewis and directed by Edward Dmytryk. “Something of Value,” starring Rock Hudson, Dana Wynter and Wendy Hiller, is produced by Pandro S. Berman and written and directed by Richard Brooks. “The Wings of Eagles” starring John Wayne, Dan Dailey and Maureen O’Hara, is produced by Charles Schnee and directed by John Ford. “Harvest Thunder,” starring Pier Angeli, Mel Ferrer and John Kerr, is produced by Edwin H. Knopf and directed by Jeffrey Hayden. Two productions will be completed in November. They are: “Designing Woman,” starring Gregory Peck, Lauren Bacall and Dolores Gray, produced by Dore Schary, directed by Vincente Minnelli. “Ten Thousand Bedrooms” starring Dean Martin and Anna Maria Alberghetti, produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Richard Thorpe. During the next sixty days, three more MGM productions will go before the cameras. These are: “This Could Be the Night,” starring Jean Simmons, Paul Douglas and Anthony Franciosa, to be produced by Joe Pasternak and directed by Robert Wise. “Gun Glory” starring Stewart Granger, Rhonda Fleming and Burl Ives, to be produced by Nicholas Nayfack and directed by Roy Rowland. “The Painted Veil,” starring Eleanor Parker and Bill Travers, to be produced by David Lewis and directed by Ronald Neame. The over-all production schedule also includes: “Don’t Go Near the Water,” “Tip on a Dead Jockey,” “Until They Sail,” and “The Flood.” Kintner Quits ABC; Goldenson Takes Over Robert E. Kintner has resigned as president of the American Broadcasting Company, a division of American BroadcastingParamount Theatres Inc., it was announced this week by Leonard H. Goldenson, president of the corporation. Mr. Goldenson will assume direct supervision of the broadcasting division in addition to his present duties as president of AB-PT. John H. Mitchell, who has served for the past two years as head of the television network, has been named a special assistant to the president. Named head of the ABC Television Network is Oliver Treyz. Mr. Treyz is resigning as president of the Television Bureau of Advertising, Inc. In his letter of resignation, Mr. Kintner referred to "differences on policy" relating to the organization and operation of ABC, as the factor responsible for his decision to leave. His contract with the company was to have run until December 31, 1957. He had been with ABC since 1944, having served as vicepresident. Later he was named executive vice-president, and in 1949 president. TRADING STAMPS ( Continued from page 16) petitors take up with rival stamp outfits, and thus the vicious circle starts all over again, of finding and keeping new customers as well as the old ones. You can go around and around and discover that this is where you came in. However, in hundreds of stamp-swamped towns, consumers have little choice but to join the stampsaving brigade. Reader’s Digest says “they can be wise by following a few commonsense rules.” They urge the public to “Shop for value; always take the stamps you are entitled to, and spend your filled stamp book as carefully as you would cash.” Theatre owners and managers can apply the same good sense in joining the trading stamp movement, which was practically dormant through the war years, but is now reaching new peaks in public acceptance. It seems the more there is of the public, and the more money they have to spend, the more they are bitten by the trading stamp bug — that virus that sends them so far and wide in their search for “something for nothing.” It’s really not so, as the theatre man will find out for himself. But we have a very special status that doesn’t apply in supermarkets. We can well afford to find ways to distribute free admissions, when these beneficiaries spend more for concessions in our theatres than they save on the price of tickets. That’s the big item in our favor — if the stamp-bug gets going in motion picture theatres. Trading stamps can be both a discount to the customer for the payment of cash and a sharp promotion tool for the building of new business. But look out for the pitfalls. TO A to Play Independents Says Stellings Theatre Owners of America will support all forms of independent film production to alleviate the product shortage by encouraging its membership to play such pictures, Ernest Stellings, TOA president, said last week. Mr. Stellings, speaking at a press conference in New York, also reiterated TOA’s position of favoring one national exhibition association. He also disclosed that TOA has conferred with a management consultant firm in its search for an executive director and that TOA is considering several men for the post. Mr. Stellings added that he already has conferred with two independent producers who told him of their main problems — liquidation and distribution of their product. “We can offer independent producers assurances concerning liquidation,” he said, explaining that the organization would “act, if necessary, as a clearing house between producer and exhibitor.” Mr. Stellings pointed out that TOA’s activities in this field would be governed by the trade association’s charter. Mr. Stellings said that TOA’s immediate plans for encouraging independent production do not include financing. He indicated, however, that the TOA-sponsored Exhibitors Film Financial Group, the inactive investment group, could be revived. Commenting on the organization’s search for an executive director, Mr. Stellings said that Herman Levy, TOA general counsel, and Walter Reade, Jr., TOA executive, have interviewed a number of qualified personnel, but thus far “haven’t come up with the right man.” Discussing the formation of one national exhibition association, he said, “one group would enhance the industry if it speaks for all retailers, which exhibitors are.” He added that he has not met with any leaders of Allied States Association concerning “a merger,” but “will meet with anyone, anywhere, at all times, in the interests of exhibitors.” Mr. Stellings also reported that within a short time TOA will announce the members of its standing committees and representatives of the committees which will attempt to meet with the distribution sales chiefs and set up a new arbitration plan. Kanin Owns TV Rights Columbia Pictures has announced that its option on TV rights to the property, “Born Yesterday,” expired in 1954 and all TV rights reverted to the author, Garson Kanin. Accordingly, Columbia states, it was not involved in the live TV version of the play scheduled for NBC telecasting October 28. 18 MOTION FICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 20, 1956