Variety (Sep 1946)

Wednesday,' September 11, 1946 PRE-PRODUCTION NEWS Yates' Dropping 18 Minor (hters Dom't Mean End of All Rep. B's Execs at the Republic h.». say that the company has no intention of dfopping B production, in spite of the recent announcement by prexy Herbert Yates that 18 films are being cut from the production schedule. Rumor has popped up at one time or another concerning all of the minors, whose major production output is derived from low-budgeters, espe- cially since 20th-Fox, Universal and others have begun a policy of cur- tailing their B pictures. Yates'announcement covered eight Sunset Catson films plus 10 other low-budget outdoor pix. Yet sales toppers sit the h.o. claim that, in spite of Yates' additional statements that the day of Ihd B is past, Rep would continue B production. Already scheduled are eight films which fall in the B budget category, but will be lensed in the company's new Tru- color procpsp. Color pix will all be of the. outdoor variety. Expcs aver tliat Rep's switch into Hhe big production field, which was bfigun with "I've Always Loved : You." will take a Couple of years, and that Rep will continue to derive the majority of its income from the minor-budBCter.s. General feeling is that in spite of present sentiment against the B's, there is no reason to be panicked into dropping them completely. Exhibs have already expressed themselves to the Rep sales chiefs, Saying that there will always be a place for the small-budget films, especiuUy in the dearth of product wliich is expected to result from a general slow-up in turnover, and production following the,court opin- ion. Most of them feel that con- tiiiued dual-billing will be impo.ssi- . ble without the B's; ■ v Rep Uses Technicolor For 2d Time iii 'Wyo' Hollywood, Sept. 10. Republic, which controls Trucolor, will switch to technicolor for the second time in studio's history, to make. "Wyoming," a William Elli- ott-Vera Ralston co-starrer to be produced by iToseph Kane. First Technicolor on the valley lot was Frank Borzage's "I've Always Loved You." Filming will start early in October, most of the shoo.ting being, on loca- tion in various states, including Wyoming, of course. BERNARD GIANNINI TO HANDLE HLM LOANS Los Angeles, Sept. 10. Bank of America upped Bernard Giannini to veepee and assigned hiin to handle film studio loans and ac- counts. Motion picture finances were for- merly under supervision of J. H. Rosenberg, who recently resigned to become a:ffiliated with Lehman Bros. Pic for Rill-Tin-Tin Kin Hollywood, Sept. 10. Third generation of canine heroes returned to its dramatic barking in "The Return of Rin-Tin-Tin," which went into production for Romay pic- tures, with George J. Schacfer back- ing the deal, William Stephens pro- ducing and Max Nosseck directing. Rin-Tin-Tin's grandson, a war vet- eran, carries the title role, supported by Donald Woods, Claudia Drake and Bobby Blake, .picture will .be released by PRC. "tncomplete Germaii"Novel Bought by U-Int'l Hollywood, Sept. 10. Manuscript, not yet completed, of "The Aftermath," a German novel in course of authorship by Han-s Habe, was purchased by Universal- International to build' up its backlog ot story properties for future pro- duction. Book will be translated for publi- cation by the Viking Press in Feb- ruary, 1947. AMPAS' 30th Anni Associated Motion Picture Adver- tisers, entering its 30th year as an organization, is preparing a birth- day celebration with a dinner "Saluting the Presidents of Our In- dustry" to be held in the Waldorf- Astoria Jan. 22, 1947. Rutgers Neilson, AMPA prez, an- nouiiced that Phil Williams and Dave Bader have been named co- chairmen of the program and plan- ning committee with other appoint- ments to be made later. Indies' Talent Quest Keys Tough Competition, Top Pay, Bigger Investment With mo.=st important indie pro- ducers endeavoring to create- their own talent stables, competition for new young actors is getting increas- ingly tough—and pay scales going up commensurately, according to Lew Kerner, executive talent director for Samuel Goldwyn. Kerner arrived in New York from the Coast last week and intends to remain east two or three more weeks prowling the- atres, niteries and schools. Not phly are the indies, such as Goldwyn, stepping up the intensity of their- talent hunts, Kerner said, but they're investing considerably more coin than ever before in de- veloping players after they sign them. Tutors, coaches, noses fixed, teeth straightened and dozens of other gimmicks that keeps a young actor on the payroir for months and months before he or she is even ready for a minor part is a combo tliat means a heavy inve.stment -for the studio, Kerner pointed out. LOanbut deals for a star after years of development defray only a small part of the investment in him, Goldwyn talent chief declared. With most indies desiring to use players in at least one of their own pictures each year, that permits an actor to be loaned for only one or. two pic- tures, at the most. Result is only minor recovery of the investment. ; Kerner is searching in particular for a young male dancer to be fea- tured opposite Vera-EUen in Gold- wyn's forthcoming version _ of the_ Broadway legifer, "Billion, Dollar Baby." He wants a terper who can also act and says he has gandered every musical show and important nitery in t6wn without success. He's working now on dancing soboQls, Pine-Thomas the First Nassour Studio Tenant Holl.vwood, Sept. 10. Pine-Tliomas will be the first pro- duction outfit to use the Nassour studio, currently under construction on Sunset blvd. First two stages will be ready for occupancy about Oct. 15. Edward Nassour declared he would conduct his studio on a rental basis, denying a report that he would .sell out to David O. Selznick or- anyone else. T-Men Cagey On Single-Pix Tax Treasury Dept., maneuvering for position in what promises to be a knockdown fight on the legality of its single-pic corporation taboo, has advised industry lawyers that it , will issue no blanket ruling on the sub- ject. The only black-on-white Gov- ernment statement on tlie entire' question of the taxability of the solo- picture unit, legalites .recently learned, is in the form of a letter to Samuel Goldwyn advising him that a iiumber of his companies are sub- ject to the full income tax. What's more, attorneys are ■ complaining, the Treasury Depti has even refused to permit them a squint at a copy of the Goldwyn letter. Government reticence, it is under- stood, is part of its preparation foT a full-blown trial in the Goldwyn case which should prove a prece- dent on the question once the tax bench, and possibly the Supreme Court hands down final word. In- ternal Revenue Bureau isn't too sure at this early point which way to jump, it's reliably said, and wants to leave all avenues open for a pos- sible change of course. A . definite ukase against the single-pic, outfits setting forth the grounds for the ruling would have tied down the Government to a fixed theory and a greater possibility of being tripped up, T-men who mapped the Gov- ernment strategy believed. Zanuck Says Stress on Top Pix Forces 20th to Drop Production Sked Saga Will Trace History of the Hoss Hollywood, Sept. 10. Hollywood studio, home of gal- loping drama, will trace its own dramatic forebears in "Golden Stal- lion," a tale of the first Spanish hoss that hoofed thataway through yonder canyons back in the 15th. century, before cowboys discovered Hollywood. Edward J. White will produce the picture in Trucolor with a herd of Palominos functioning as extras. M-G Now Has Over 100 Of Its Own Checkers Under Div. Bosses Decentralization of the Metro cliecldng department into six region- al offices, -Which has been in prog- [ ress for the last two years, was com- I pleted this week , by William G. Brenner, department chief. Instead of being responsible directly to the home office, checkers will now re- port to divisional supervisors estab- lished in New York, . Los. Angeles, Kansas' City; Cleveland, Omaha and Boston.: SupervisorSi in turn, will; report to Brenner. Latter: returned last week from Kansas City, where he set up the last of the new offices. By concentrating the department on a localized basi.s, Brenner thinks, the checkers will work much more eflfectively, since they and their su- pervisors are better acquainted with situ£itions in the field, Supervisors, consequently, will best be able to assign the checkers to those situa- tions requiring them. Metro, only major not affiliated with Confidential Reports, Inc., now has more than 100 checkers in the field. . ^ For the first time in recent years, 20th-Fox will noi produce on a set releasing schedule, but will move ahead from tjioture to picture, according to Darryl F. Zanuck, 20th veepee over production. Stressing that the studio would concentrate only on top-budgeted pix, Zanuck refused to predict how many filnia^ - 2Cth would turn out this year be-i ; cause it's impossible ,to tell how- much time the top-budgeters will require in their shooting schedules. In N. Y. to work out release plan? with 20th h.Oi execs on the forth- coming "Razor's Edge," Zanuck said at a press conference yesterday (Tuesday) that exhibitors all almg the line will have to help carry the load during the forthcoming interim period in the industry by cooperat- ing through extended plajrijig time. With less product forthcoming,: he; said, exhibs will have to milk each film for all it's worth. Briefs From the Lots Studio Contracts Hollywood, Sept. 10. Robt. E. Kent, writer, Eagle-Lion. Arthur Orloif. writer, PRC. Ruth Warrick, actress, Enterprise: John Ireland, actor, Monterey. Howard Koch, writer. Liberty. Paul C. Lees, actor. Paramount. Joel Malone, writer, Eagle-Lion. John: Payne, renewed, 20th-Fox. Jane Ball, actross, 20th-FOx. John Brahm, renewed, 20th-Fox. Herbert Lewis writer, Warners. Edward James, writer. Paramount. Merle McHugh, actress. Beacon. Mark Kirk, art director, 20th-Fox. Henry Hathaway, renewed, 20th. Norma Dougherty, actress, 20th. Jerome Cady, writer, 20th-Fox. William S. Roberts, writer, RKO. Catherine McLeod, renewed, Rep. Josef Mischel, writer. Par. Stars' Swiss Jaunt Ups Pic's Budget $500,000 Hollywood. Sept. 10. Enterprise is adding half a million to its production budget on the Erich Remarque story, "The Other Love," making a total of $2,000,000. Extra coin will be spent on expensive lo-: cation trips for the co-stars, Barbara Stanwyck and David Niven, who are slated to plane to Switzerland for sequences with Alpine backgrounds. Ent asked the Civilian Production Administration for permission to build a new $250,000 sound stage. Company currently has another stage under construction, slated to be ready for filming chores early in October. •': Wurtzel's 5-Mo. Lease Hollywood, Sept. 10. Sol Wurtzel closed a rental deal with Sutherland Studios, covering the first five months of 1947, for the production of three pictures for 20th-Fox release. - Wurtzel recently completed "Dan- gerous Millions" on the same lot and will make "Backlash" «!nd "Eyes Alone" there befwe the end of the yeai:. . , ■ Hollywood, Sept. 10. Mike Frankovich breaks out v/ith a ne.w Republic cllffhanger, "Jesse James Rides Again," Sept. 20, with Spencer Benn et and Fred B annon co-directing.. ^DTto Levering will' handle location direction on Robert Riskin's "Magic Town," for four weeks at Chioo, Cal.i. .Feodor Chaliapin, son of the Russian opera star, draws a Ru.ssian role in "Arch of Triumph" at Enterprise.. .Ann Dvorak gets a co-starring part with Henry Fonda, Vincent Price and Barbara Bel Geddes in the: Hakim- Litvak production, "A Time to Kill." .. .Eagle-Lion inked Lee Selander .to direct "The Red Stallion," to be filmed chiefly on location in Oregon and Washington. . .Helen Walker as- signed to the femme comedy lead in the 20th-Fox picture, "My Heart Tells Me," co-starring Victor Mature and Nancy Guild. Five syndicate photographers moved into the Enterprise studio to take shots of Beverly Hills restaura- teur Mike, Romanoff, making his bow as a cafe owner in "Arch of Triumph." William Boyd handed George Archainbaud his fifth . consecutive director chore on Hopalong Cassidy series, titled "Hoppy's Holiday"... Babe Daniels wound up filming "Fabulous Joe," her first American production, on the Hal Roach lot. ...Hal Wallis moved his "Desert Town" troupe into the Paramount studio after two weeics of location shooting at Sedona, Ariz... Sheila Ryan and Jacqueline de Wit draw top ferrime spots in "Lone Wolf's In-= vitatioh to Murder", at Columbia.. 1 John W. .Rogers and Arthur. Lewis readying their first ind ie production, "Night After Night," for November startj from scresnplay by Walter Hart and Lewis Jacobs; Pine-Thomas borrowed Rory Cal- houn'from David O Selznick to star in "Adventure Island," . . .Para- mount is cooking a new title for "The Big Haircut," which sounds too ton- sorial.- Picture is Robert Fellows' first production on that lot. . . . Cast and crew of: the 20th-Fox picture, "Bob, Son of Battle," planed to Kanab, Utah, for added scenes. . . . Harry Job Brown led his "Twin Som- breros" troupe to Painted Desert, Arizona, for three weeks location shooting. . . . Comet set back re- lease date of its first production, "Lit- tle Iodine," from Sept. 18 to Oct. 20, through U. S. . . . Edward Finney rolled "Queen o£ the Amazons," first production for Screen Guild, with Bruce—E dwards i n t o pr-role . ■ . . Howard Hawks, producer-director of "Red River," doing three weeks of exterior shooting on location at El- gin, Ariz. Anthony Mann draws the director chore on "Flight," to be produced by Michel Kraike a: RKO. . . . Repub lie postponed filming "Outlaws of Sioux City" for a week because of iliness of Allan Lt-.ne's horse. Thun- der. . . . Jane Wyatt draws femme lead opposite Dana Andrews in "Boomerang" at 20th-Fox. . . .Re public bought "Mfon Over Mexicali,' yarn by Albert Demond, for produc lion in Trucolor as co-starrer for Monte Hale and Adrian Booth. . , Hal Roach started film On "Who Killed Doc Robin'?" with the same moppets who topped the cast in "Curly." Kids are Larry Olsen Eileen Janssen, Dale Belding, Gerald Perreau and Arda Lynwood. Lieut.-Col. Charles Felstead, on terminal leave from the Army, mov- ing :in as chief of the sound depart- ment at IJniyersai-International.:... Cecil B. de Mille's troupe shifted from the ,Paramount studio to Sher- wood Forest, with 250 troupers fighting- colonial battles for "Uncon-. qliered".., .Paramount- handed P. J. Wolfson producer responsibility on "Saigon"... .Richard Cahoori, edito- rial supervisor on the Roach lot, draws double duty as production as- sistant to Hal Roach, Jr.... .Irving Rapper, director of "Deception" at Warners, started eight sessions of night shooting....Leslie Fenton is directinig the third episode, starring Fred MacMurray, of "A Miracle Can Happen,'' Ben Bogeaus production, on the General Service lot. Paulette Goddard and Burgess Meredith wound up the second episode with King Vidor directing, Charles La ughton starred in the fifSt. Jerry Bressler is producing and Barry Nelson is directing "Snake Eyes," first of Metro's ''Crime Does Not Pay" short subject series for tha 1946-47 program.. .,Otto P-rem- inger planed to the Monterey penin- sula with Lyle 7/heeler, art director, to scout locations for "Forever Am- ber",. .Twentieth-Fox^s, production policy will be based on that- premise, at least until- effects of the new sales policies outlined in the anti-trust decision can be judged, Zanuck said.. Studio will steer away from any • "in-between" pictures. Deletion Of- , B pix, he added, necessarily : meatis : a- cut in the number of films pro- duced, since h6 studio has enough top talent to spread around to make as many A's as were formery in-' eluded in the complete roster. if exhibs run each picture longer, they won't have to worry about any product shortage, Zanuck pointed out. In addition, he said, if produ- , cers knew an exhibitor would be willing to hold a picture for an ex- tra week to make $1,000 profit, for example, instead of bringing in a new film on which he could earn $2,000. producers could concentrate on turning out only top-quality product and the public would bene^ fit. ■ ■ / New Talent a Must Emphasis on top quality will not depress the development of new talent, he said, because the studios will'be compelled to..reach out in, their experiments with bfetter . films for new names. Of course, he ad- mitted, it will hurt cost-wise if a studio later has to shelve one of its experiments, but all must take chances now. An Idea of Cosis Commenting on .the.tremendously- hypoed production costs now in ef- fect, Zanuck said that he's happy these days if any film comes in at $2,000,000. Work stoppages caused by jurisdictional labor disputes have hurt most, he said, adding that such stoppages can be especially harm- ful now in view of the length of shooting schedules. As an example, he pointed out that "Dolly Sisters," one of last year's pictures, would cost $511,000 more if produced to^ day, with the same cast, sets, etc. Upped cost would be due mostly, he said, to upped labor costs, including retroactive pay. Zanuck said a definite release on "Razor's Edge" had not yet been set, but that he's trying to convince the h. 0. chiefs to open it at the Roxy, N. Y., about five weeks be- fore its skedded national nelease date on Christmas Day. "Hollywood premieres have lost all their value," he said, "because the public thinks the stars are merely applauding each other. For a premiere to have value, -we must bring the picture up against the hardest rock—New York —and then popularize it nationally on the basis of its N. Y. showing." Production chief said he'd given no thought so far to buying, "A.nnie Get Your Gun," Broadway : hit in which 20th has an interest; Show will probably play for another couple of years, he, said, and it would still be premature to think of taking it up for a film. M-G Cartoonists Set For Heaviest Schedule Hollywood, Sept. 10. Cartoon department at Metro re- turned from its annual vacation to turn out the heaviest production program in the Culver City studio's' history, including 20 inkies : ill Technicolor. , Among them are three "Tom and Jerry" cartoons, three shorts di- rected by Tex Avery and two "Bunny Boar" inkies co-directed by Michael Law and Preston Blair. ,