Variety (May 2, 1951)

v im mi HOLLYWOOD’S PRODUCTION BINGE Time for Aggression Olvt *mb ft food show and tbeyTl come out MftcArthur proved that lft* week, not only to New York toil to other key ctUee where he has made parade appearances Television didn't keep *ma home though. actually, this tort of spectacle Is easily be* seen by home video lookers. a Paramount seems to be ta kin g It* cue with a move to step 1 * lu quality and quantity of product This will be a test of no wnall Inters* to the picture business at large, albeit Its focus on and by one company Pome $21,000*10 worth of celluloid entertainment, presumably of high calibre will be placed on the mark* between July and December, and If the distribution In- come and the theatres do the stepped-up business anticipated, the answer Is obaious Olvt 'em the shows and theyll turn out. Par's test is predicated on a two-ply front: 1. release IS top pic- tures. negative cost of each averaging around ll.SOO.OdO. and 2. keep them coming with sufficient regularity via a stepped-up releasing schedule, and—it Is to be hoped—that will keep the customers lining up at the be. It's no seer* that the American family has Jo* gotten out of the habit In fact It has gotten so that cracks have been heard that a certain segment almost brags that “oh. we haven't seen s movie to months,” as If It's some mark of distinction or pseudo-sophistication This Is not the public. Incidentally, limited as It is. that stays home because of television They're mostly the adult and perhaps too highly discriminating segment who either go for off-beat pU. or have found other Interests for diversion. Pa* still Is that any business that sells 40.t00.000 to 90.000.000 and more articles at an average price of 43Vfcc. as A1 Uchtman once put It. has nothing to be ashamed of. It's a terrifically big business. Postwar. It mu* be conceded, the amusement dollar has found other competitions, so It was Inevitable that the film average would not be as dominant. Quality and consecutive ness may provide a significant te* of stimulating the fllmgotng habit. And there’s no reason why It shouldn't add up After all. television hasn't taken over show Ms 100%—not y*t Nor for a long time to corns if at alL Abel. on a pii Ratbvoo-Odtra Would Use Iced Coin IN 51 R[L[AS[ Of Yank Industrials to Fkn in Europe Further evidence mm e variety of fronts indicates that the Aim la- luttry Is ee Its greatest production binge since before World War II A» m result of the leasing upswing revised estimate* now ere that foa lure releases la IPS! from the nine top diatribe will total etooe to ISO Claiming the greatest production Investment la the studio's history. Paramount has SO pis either com- pleted and swatting release or In Beuy s Par Pk lack I aim la a of the e Hollywood. May 1. years, stone la front m again for “isms Me ’ Paramount s Benny plays ventton story I The startling rhaae of Eagle Linn Classics, pled with the fact numerous tensing activity after a long hiatus, means United Artists wilt have s total of more than 90 pis on shed for the current year, grea t sst la Its history. RRO Is going along * the rate of two and s half pis per month but this may be stepped up even further in view of the company's Sears Exiting l ■ UA With 47i# 10-Year Amity production may he established bp Floyd Odium, head of Atlas Corp^, and N Peter Rath von pic Anaa- Her and longtime Odium amoHete. Rathvoci. who Is now in Holly- wood. either late this month or eafly Juno wUJ embark on aa en> tensive swing ef the Continent for s fullsrale Investigation of such tin- upa. The plan, which Is tentative * present, has nume r o us ramiftca- ttoas but Is known to include tho me of the non Aim outfits frosea on page 22> Grad Sears, erstwhile mi United Artists and mm s veepee mi the reorgai Hath von reportedly will spend few to Ave months la various European countries looking into the matter. Prompting the Idea Is tho fa* that blocked money Is of an us# lo the industrial companies How- ever. they could receive s payoff to American dollars via using curren- cy for the lensing ef pis for tho Foreign Revenue £ Seen on Upgrade i s vorpeo of the reorganised com pony under the Eagle Lion Classics purchase, checks out of the home office this Friday (41 with a $47,900 annuity to look forward to for the next 10 years Considering Sears* recent Illness, because of s recur- rent heart attack that suits him It's Hal 1 could be made by Odium through investment trust company. (Coatiau d on page 22) Two foreign Aim executives lleve that foreign revenue te U. A pict n the f While his "consultation'’ centra* may limit any future Aim distribu- tion activities, without company okay, he's not anxious for anything until the fail And maybe not then, although there have been proffers kprt Malty Fat Eyes Ca.tarradmFhfarTY ladnialiady 4 DA Tit Matty Fan. B. Krlq and ■afcff’a Caatf G* Nate J. Blum berg. Universal tic scene Phil Reiaman RKO for- eign chief, now la Ports for s Eu- ropean oo. snd Harry Novak, head of Universal's European dis- tribution now on s U. 8 visit, both are bullish on foreign business For one thing, foreign revenue Is good, but their point Is that it will get better as the economy Un- light of the ELC-UA • -n!inur<1 n >.««f 2'’> SCHENd-MAYER TALKS to the U. S. pk rived from the should boom ( ticulsrly as at ha Video will ho the overhead down, a eye to Its ultimata distribution operation, atre divorcement, has dnor to Fidelity. This Is the A. Psm Howard Welsch-Joo setup in which Wall with aa Yank pix bis sre business • Continued l bel- lman tr J, their arrival la N. Y. May 22. TV Key to 10% Cat In 20th’s ’50 B.0, j—=====—— - - - - Reoort Reveals National Boxoffice Survey nCpiRl IWTCIB Tr.«U Still Sluggish; 'Dividend’ Firet f« 3d W#ek STSlSI In Row; ‘Valiant.’ Thing,’ Put' Next Be.t i and In-1 Mayer was said to bo heading ■Upmn a» hAik to California from Florida where he's been vacationing. How ea doing ever. M's expected hell hop to postwar, N. Y. soon with the aim of Ironing til (Continued oo page 201 (Continued ■Wes Steh Sees Bsta Effect bf H « B. 0 ; Reflects m Other Media While tho yardstick remains us found for maturing,tho speesftc extent of television's adverse effect on theatre business. TV Is cow aider ably responsible for the lftSO attendance net by something less than 10%. based on the 20thFox annual report. The 10% is the entire amount of percentage drop under 1040. proxy Spyros P. Skouras stated Obviously, there Business * Aral-runs generally covered by Vaatmr to brighten tho continues In s sluggish groove this national boxoffice scene to say big session, with exhibitors blaming extent An outstanding new ea- Arxt batch of wanner weather, try Is “Crest Caruso" *M-Gi* with early Interest in the baseball tea- mice to smash bu la Ave key spots son snd dearth of outstanding Pic. which is due at N. Y. Music Jules C. Stein, board uted to the decline Leonard Goidenaon president of United Paramount Theatres, siso alluded to these factors to his yearly statement to stockholders While he conceded TV is competitive Goidenaon maintained the decline Is “primarily ecooomfc In Its nature * The building boom snd demands for furniture snd bouse- (Continued on page 24) Xr ** Admittedly TV has P 1 ** going for the obviou lh * the sight value adds 'Kitting sound (meaning n new plus-factor which n m °re closely approxlma McCarthy's Frank Tafts Paris. May 1. J fir, \\ ( *:!?.. head of the M n Pi< ture r A Amerif. u led to the radio > Is a makes TV a ting the agreement here with the French pic industry, goes to Frankfurt. Amsterdam and Madrid after his Paris confabs Hell return to Paris before leav- ing on May 20 for London, and will sol) from England for N. Y. on son snd dearth of outstanding Pic. which is due at N. Y. Music product Aa added factor, is the Hall next. Is setting pace In Pitts- economic setup with potential burgh despite downbeat there Ai- Alm theatre patrons feeling the so very promising, based on two high taxes snd upped cost of living initial dates. Is “Coast Guard'* Still way out la front Is “Father s (Repi. being stout la Philly snd Little Dividend" (M-G>. making pleasing la Washington third successive week for this “Follow the Sun" <20th \ also comedy “Only the Valiant" iWB new. Is very disappointing with ha« come up from fourth si* to slow going on N. Y. teeoff "Santa take over second place, with “The Fe“ (Coll Is okay on two Arst dates Thing* (RKO) Aaishrag third “Kon-TlkT (RKO*. likewise new, again Is Mg oo both Initial piaydatea Fourth momry goes to “Forbid- “Oliver Twist - (EL) Is fair la den PfeA 4 <HKO», although just Clary snd Boston Brave Bulls - getting started "Soldiers Three" (Col), nice to Frisco, shapes mod- (M-Gi, up from far back to the erate to N. Y. pack, will wind up Afth while “VaL “Oh. Susanna * (Bepi looks neat entlno” (Col) Is sixth Hamaqn la Louisville. “Nick Cain - 20th) and Delilah - (Par), out an po? la Just fair In Indianapolis. “14 Hours'* *20th>, mild to Seattle. Is to capture seventh position • dull to Philly and thin to L. A. “Communist for FBI - WBI. “M“ (Col), slow la Buffalo looks “Tales of Hoffmann* (Indie) and brisk to Chi “The Scarf' <UA) Is “Get It Wholesale- 20th) round out the Big 10 Ust to that sequence VoL lt2 Film Houfl 7ft 9ft 1ft Kid - (Par) and “Up Front - (U) are the three runner-up pis la that or- nate* vaaisvv Varttd US >