Variety (April 1952)

TV-nUM W«Jn«rf»y, April X 19SS Official Filins, new telefilm pro- duction firm headed by Ike Levy and William R. (Billy) Goodheart, Jr., took the wraps off its produc- tion plans for the first time this week, with news that it has set deals with a number of top Holly- wood stars and directors for vari- ous vidfilm packages. Among those already pacted are Charles Boyer, Rosalind Russell, Dick Powell, Joel McCrea, Robert Cummings and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Alfred E. Green, who directed “The Jolson Story” for Columbia Pictures, has been set to direct one aeries, and Don Sharpe, who pro- duces the top-rated “I Love Lucy” show, aired on CBS-TV, will pro- duce two others, with Fairbanks producing the fourth. Sharpe also handles several of the actors in- volved; While budgets on the various packages were not revealed, the marquee value of the tesps indi- cates they’ll be among the most costly vidfilm shows yet produced. On that basis, Official plans to pitch them only for national net- work sales, bypassing the syndi- cation on a local spot basis adopted by most other vidpix producers and distributors. On that basis, OF will need no distribution for the packages on a first-run deal, at iGASt Tour Star Theatre* Each of the packages is to be a half-hour in length, aijd the first in two of them has been >completed. First series to be released will be “Impulse,” a psychological show based on impulsive acts of people in various situations. Produced by Sharpe and directed by Green, the cast comprises King Donovan, Paul McVey, Christine Larson and Tol Avery. Larry Marcus is script- ing. Series is being lensed at the Sam Goldwyn studios In Holly- wood. Boyer, Miss Russell, Powell and McCrea will rotate in QF’s “Four Star Playhouse,” which is to be pro- duced by Sharpe, also at the Gold- .wyn studios. George Jenkins will direct this package, which will (Continued on page 67) KNBH Getting 730 Filins From JIPFT in Record Video Releasing Deal Hollywood, April 1. KNBH, NBC-TV outlet here, has leased 730 motion pictures from Motion' Pictures for Television, in what is believed to be the largest such pix-to-television deal ever consummated-. Inasmuch as MPFT topper Mat- ty Fox said here recently that his company had 750 pix altogether, the KNBH transaction embraces virtually every pic the N. Y. dis- tribution company has. Deal is for a two-year period, and begins April 14. Donald Norman, channel sales manager, announced the deal fol- lowing successful negotiations be- tween Robert Guggenheim, Jr., manager of film operations for channel four, and David Wolper, repping MPFT. All the 730 pix are American-made product, and features vary in length from 60 to 80-minute, with no editing planned on any of the pix to trim" them in- to identical time segments. Each night of the week a fea- ture film will be screened, and the following ayem the same pic will be re-run. Pix will be screened Monday through Friday, from 11:05 p.m. until end; mornings, 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.; Satur- day night, 10:30 to end; afternoon, 2:30 to 4; Sunday night, 11 to end, and morning, 9:30 to 11. Pictures in the huge block in- clude “Meet John Doe,” starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stan- wyck; “Sidewalks of London,” Charles Laughton, Vivien Leigh; “No Funny Business,” Laurence Olivier, Gertrude Lawrence; “Get That Venus,” Jean Arthur; “Life of Jack London.” Susan Hayward, Virginia Mayo, Michael O’Shea; “Adventures of Martin Eden,” Glenn Ford, Claire Trevor, Eve- lyn Keyes; “The Beachcomber,” Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanches- ter; Hitler—Dead or Alive," Ward Bond, and “Jamaica Inn,” Laugh- ton and Maureen O’Hara. ^ °, the 4 stars in the 730 pix in- ^ ciude Paul Lukas, Mickey Rooney, ^ (Continued on page 50) COL NIXES TELE BID' FOR mONDIE’ SERIES Hollywood, April %■} Columbia, which previously nixed a bid for Its library from Motion Pictures for Television, has reject- ed a pitch from Stephen Slesinger for 28 of the “Blondie” pix for video distribution. Slesinger has TV rights to the series, and has made a pilot star- ring Arthur Lake, who also played the role of Dagwood in the pix. Bunin’s ’Alice’ Is First Color Feature to Be Set For Release in Video Hollywood, April 1. In the first sale of a color feature film to television, Lou Bunin’s “Alice In Wonderland” has been purchased by Crown Pictures In- ternational for exclusive video dis- tribution in the western hemisr- phere. Deal, representing several hundred thousand dollars in an in- volved arrangement, was negotiated by Henry Souvaine, of Souvaine Selective Pictures, Inc., and Max- well J. Fenmore, fcrexy and general counsel of CPI. Bunin’s ^Alice,” which ’ was in- volved in litigation launched by Walt Disney in an effort to block its American .release, will be shown only twice this year in the U. S. Negotiations now are underway for special Thanksgiving and Christ- mas beamings on a national spon- sorship basis. Presumably, since regular color video still isn’t avail- able, it will be shown as a black- (Continued on page 53) Hollywood “•That I JJay See” and “Hill Number One,” hour-long religlpsos filmed -by Jerry Fairbanks Produc- tions for Family Theatre are be- ing re-released for- the -Easter weekend, with 142 telecasts set on 86 stations ... George Wallace is set for a role in “Counterfeit Coin)” first of “Frontier Detec- tives” vidpix nkedded by Murphy- Thomas Productions 'at General Service studios, with Victor Jory starring. Gordon Avll set as cam- eraman , . . Lisa Howard booked for two telepix for Screen Tele- video, at Eagle Lion studios.* . . Bob Angus heads newly-formed Volcano Productions, teleblurb company at General Service stu- dios .. . KTLA v.p. Klaus Lands- berg and vidpix producer Jerry Fairbanks off to Chicago for NARTB’s aqnl convention ., . , Swanstrom - Tilfner Distributing Corn, formed to market in the U.S. motion pictures and vidpix pro- duced in the Dominion . . . Joe E. Brown telepix series launched at Hal Roach studios by Hal Roach, Jr., Productions, with Sally Fraser, Anthony Sykes, Griff Barnett, Helen Spring and Stfsven Geray in the cast. Maxwell J. Fenmore, prexy and general counsel of Crown Pictures International, formerly Exclusive Distributors, left on business junket to Mexico City for huddles on CJPI’s vidpix distribution plans . Ely Landau, N. Y. telepix exec, due in town to arrange production sked for upcoming series . . . Di- rector Frank McDonald took cast and crew* of William Broidy 'b “VEI ld Bill Hickok” series to New- hall area on location shooting. Guy Madison and Andy Devine star in series ... Gordon Thompson of Jerry Fairbanks’ Cleveland sales returned to Ohio after home- office huddles . . . H* W. Dixon, formerly with John Sutherland Productions, joins Pennant Pro- ductions as veepee . . . Scatman Crothers set for regular role in “Beulah” series shooting at Hal Roach studios. BR0IDY DICKERS FOR ‘ "PROFESSOR’ AS TELEPIC Hollywood, April 1. Negotiations for the Joseph Schildkraut-Arnold Phillips televi- sion package, “The Professor,” are under way, with William F. Broidy seeking the series for inclusion in the vidpix schedule of Interstate Television, Mono TV subsidiary. Broidy began negotiations after ogling a pair of kines of the pack- age, which has been showcased on KECA-TV; Schildkraut and Phillips are under contract-to ABC-TV, but deal 'provides, if they sell the show, that the net gets 50% of their resi- dual rights in the series t which would be filmed. Vidpic Royalty Deals Inevitable But Aren’t ' Dangerous, Sez Labor Rep Hollywood, April 1.’ Royalty payments on. vidpix to Hollywood’s talent guilds, sought in current negotiations, are inev- itable, but “not as dangerous as some choose to . believe,” declares Elliott Kelly, labor rep for Louis D. Snader and the National So- ciety of Television Producers. Kelly’s comment comes in the midst of deep gloom besieging the vast majority of vidpix producers here, who claim that residuals sought by Screen Actors Guildt and Screen Writers Guild, and other terms, plus hike recently granted IATSE, will “put us out of busi- ness.” Kelly terms the latter (and pre- (Continued on page 42) TV Films in Production - V as of Friday, March 28 ARROW PRODUCTIONS KTTV Studios, Hollywood * . "RAMAR OF THE JUNGLE” 26 half- hour jungle adventure telepix series be- gin shooting May 1. Producers: Harry S. Rothschild, Leon Fromkess. Film Producer: Rudolph Flothow Director: Lew Lander* WILLIAM F. BROIDY PRODS. Sunset Studios, Hollywood "WILD BILL HICKOK," half hour tele- pix series, sponsored by Kellogg's now shooting third series of thirteen. Guy Madison and Andy Devine head cast. Producer: William F. Broidy Associate producer: Wesley Barry Director: Frank McDonald RATES" 26 half-hour adventure telepix. Cast: John Baer, Marl Blanchard, William Tracy, Gloria Saunders, Jack Kruschen. Producer: Dougfair Corp* Director: Dick Irving. JERRY FAIRBANKS 6052 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood "HOLLYWOOD THEATRE" half-hour drama series resumes shooting mid-April, _ Directors: Derwln Abbe, Arnold Wester * T i OV « *1*° . Durocher and Laralne Day star In a series FTT.HfOR AFT Pit An Q quarter-hour interviews of baseball riLIULKAJ'l IMtUDS. greats. Different guest stars each week. 8451 .Melrose, Hollywood Producer: Marty Martyn, Ted Kneeland GROUCHO MARX starred jn 38 half-hour Writer: Robert Todd audience participation film productions, to CBS-TV "AMOS 'N' ANDY" Hal Roach Studios, Culver City series of charaoter comedy telepix now shooting. Sponsored Blatz Beer. Supervisors: Freeman Gosden, Charles Corx obeli. :tor: Director: Charles Barton. Producer: James Fonda JACK CHERTOK PRODS. General Service Studios. Hollywood "SKY KING" series* of half-hour vid- pix for Derby Foods shooting. Cast: Kirby Grant, Gloria Winter, Ron Hagerthy, set leads. Producer: Jack Chertok Associate Producer: John Morse be made once a week, began Aug. 23 for NBC,. DeSoto-Plymouth sponsoring. Producer: John Guedel Film producer: I. Lindenbaum Directors: Bob Dwan, Bernie Smith FLYING A PRODUCTIONS 6920 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood "RANGE RIDER" second half of series of 52 half-hour telepix now shooting. Jack Mahoney, Dick Jones in fixed leads. Producer: Louis Gray Director: Wallace Fox GROSS-KRASNE, INC. General Service Studios: Hollywood 'BIG TOWN" series of 26 half hour MURPHY-THOMAS PRODS. General Service Studios: Hollywood "FRONTIER DETECTIVES" half hour of 13 filnis start shooting April 1. Victor Jory toplines. Producer: Stanley Murphy ROLAND REED PRODS. Hal Roach Studios: Culver City Now shooting "MYSTERY THEATRE" series of half-hour adventure telepix. Producer: J. Donald Wilson Director: Howard Bretherton REVUE PRODUCTIONS _ - - — - — - - . - wva v* *v 41 UU 1 Eagle Lion Studios: Hollywood » e P. sponsored by Lever Brothers rolls Half-hour series of adult drama tele- April 1. Patrick McVey and Jane Nigh P lx resume shooting in April for Revue set leads. Prods. COURNEYA PRODUCTIONS United Producers' Studios Shooting "Noah Beery, Jr. Adventure Series," 26 15-minute telepix. Noah Beery, Jr. toplines. Casting for stunt men and women. Producer-director: Jerry Courneya Supervising film editor; Jimmy Moore BING CROSBY ENTERPRISES RKO-Pathe, Culver City "REBOUND" scries of half hour adult dramas sponsored by Packard Motor Car Corp. currently shooting. Executive producer: Basil Grlllo Producer: Bernard Girard Director’ B Girard "PERRY MASON" series of half hour mystery telepix will begin shooting April 7. Producer: Richard Dorso Half hour series of adult drama films for "CROWN THEATRE" resume shoot- ing May 1. Producer: Richard Dorso set leads. Producers Krasne Director: E. A. Dupont. Jack J. Gross and Philip N. Producer: Revue Productions Director: Axel Grucnberg, Richard Irving, Norman Lloyd. ROY ROGERS PRODUCTIONS Goldwyn Studio, Hollywood ROY ROGERS now shooting ten oater -" *iva*v» V* AW UAAA* tCifcpiXi Vidpix are half-hour each. Roy hour audience participation show for Rogers, Dale Evans topline, Pat Brady ABC web, shooting every other week for 1,1 support. General western parts to fill. 26 Sponsored by General Foods for NBC-TV. Producer: Roy Rogers Associate producer: Jack Laeey Director: Bob Walker JOHN GUEDEL PRODS, ... 600 Bldg., Hollywood WITH LINKLETTER," starring Art Llnkletter in series of 16 vidpix, balf- hour au<” ABC web 26 weeks. Green Giant sponsors. Producer: John Guedel Director: Irvin Atkins HOLLYWOOD TELEVISION SERVICE . Studios, North Hollywood SCREEN TELEVIDEO PRODS. Eagle Lion Studios. Hollywood "ELECTRIC THEATRE" series of half- hour drama telepix resumes shooting "COMMANDO c6dY-SKY MARSHAL *‘VU1 UAdiilB, LClVpiJt OF THE UNIVERSE" series of 39 half- ri1 n H hour scientlAction telepix now shooting. v, * Ralston Judd Holdrcn, Aline Towne head cast director: Victor Stoloff with William Schallert In support. Producer: Franklin Adreon Director: Fred Brannon DESILO PRODS., INC. General Service Studios, Hollywood "I LOVE LUCY" half-hour comedy sc- rles for CBS-TV. soonsored by Philip Morris. Shoots to June. Cast: Lucille Ball, Desl Arnez; set leads with William Frawley, Vivian Vance In support. No part* to fill. Producer: Jess Oppcnhclmcr Director: Marc Daniels Writers: Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh. Bob Carroll SHOWCASE PRODUCTIONS Hal Roach Studios, Culver City "RACKET SQUAD" series of half-hour adventure telepix resumes shooting April 3. Producer: Hal Roach, Jr.; Carroll Case HOUR GLASS PRODS. 6525 Sunset: Hollywood » v. tomo * row " “ ri " 3s$s?-ja i &8Si Producer: Wanda Tuchock Director: George^ deNormand* LANCER PRODUCTIONS RKO-Path*» f!uTv*Y> CM tv SNADER TELESCRIPTIONS ■ 177 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills , B®*ume shooting (descriptions featur- ing different artists each week April 11. Producer: Louis D. Snader PHILLIPS LORD PRODS. Republic Studios, North Hollywood "GANGBUSTER" series for NBC-TV,* sponsored by Chesterfield, now rhooting. Producer: Phillips Lord Director: Lew Landers MARTED PRODUCTIONS Swanstrom Studios: Hollywood Lo* Angeles, April 1 Efforts By the American Federa- tion of Musicians to Collect added revenue from pictures sold or leased to television ran into a road- block -when , bankruptcy referee Benno M, Brink declined 4ft issue an injunction .restraining Nas- ser Brothers prom making a quar- tet of pix available for Video dis- tribution. His ruling greenlighted the bypassing of the AFM 5% pix- to-TV formula and the tune union’s demand for a recording fee on such films. ' v Brink told the AFM that its xron- • tract, with the Nassers was legal and binding—;but that they could collect only By assessing damages and then going to court to obtain such damages. The ridihg paved the way for wholesale release of “distressed” films to video—and most nf the pix currently being offered to tele stations fall into that category. The AFM contract, Brink held, constitutes “an agreement to agree.” Under its terms, “if the Federation has any claims at all under the television clause, it is a claim for damages. 4 If it were held that the. Federation had a valid claim for damages, the Federation would not have any prior claims on the pictures but would have to share with the rest of the credi- tors,” During the course of the lengthy proceedings, the Nassers had of- fered to settle with AFM for a flat $1,000. for each of the four pix involved in litigation. The com- promise was turned down by AFM prexy James C. Petrillo since such a settlement might jeopardize the entire structure of the formula under which the AFM collects 5% of the gross revenue of sound- tracked films released to yideo.. Set‘Precedent George Goggin, attorney for the Nassers, described the ruling as a “far-reaching precedent that could give a producer of motion pictures the right to recuperate his negative cost where such cost has-been ad- vanced by a bank or others and has been secured by a mortgage.” “The producers .can, without re- straint,” he declared, “televise the pictures. It is practically impos- (Continued on page 49) BAGNALL’S PACKAGE OF RECENT PIX FOR VIDEO Hollywood, April 1. Newly-formed George Bagnall & Associates, * television distribution firm, has acquired 18 feature films for immediate distribution to tele- vision stations. Most of the pix were United Artists releases in 1950 and 1951. Sales campaign on the films will get underway this week, when sales veepee Jack O’Loughlin leaves on a tour of- the nation’s video markets. He will be accom- panied by eastern and western re- gional sales veepees Fred Lind- quist and Ken Hodkinson. Newest of the films purchased are “The Hoodlum,” “Korean Pa 7 trol,” “Federal Man,” ‘Forbidden Jungle,” T Killed Geronimo,” “Timber Fury,” “Fighting Stal- lion,” “Hollywood Barn Dance,” “Cattle Queen,” “Badman’s Gold” and ‘Buffalo Bill Rides Again.” Prexy George Bagnall, former UA veepee, and vice president Pat Campbell, former veepee of Mu- tual. Don Lee Broadcasting, will headquarter here. FRANK rflSBAR PRODS. DONLEVY CORP. Republic Studios. North Hollywood "DANGEROUS ASSIGNMENT" half* hour adventure series starring Brian Donlevy shooting two films a week. 32 to be shot to June. Producer: Harold E. Knox. Director: Bill Karn 'CORNY JOHNSON" series of half hour comedy pix begin shooting April 8. Producer-director: Bernard Girard . U , MA " series begins shooting May April. L Half hour dramas. Producer-director: Frank Wisbar Producers: Bernard Girard, Richard Dorso Associato producer: Sidney Smith Executive Producer: Basil Grlllo Eagle Lion Studios: Hollywood u "FIRESIDE THEATRE" scries of half* hour adult dramas resume shooting mid- ZXV TV DOUGFAIR CORP. 666 N. Robertson Blvd.: Hollywood ' Now shooting "TERRY AND THE Pl- EDWARD LEWIS PRODS. 5255 Clinton St Hollywood Ccnt S r ’ Hollywood Five in "UNEXPECTED" Berles°of half- Series of half-hour dramas featuring hour telepix shoot in' April. 88 femcc ° resumes shooting Two "CISCO KID" half-hour telepix Tf-HuLfiv .1 r i scheduled for April shooting. P™dSction“aSM«°WMia m Steven, ‘Ka? E<M< *» Telepix Exploitation As DTP Added Service Taking another leaf from th< motion picture Jndustry, Unitec TV Programs, indie vidfilm syndi- cation outfit, has established a nev “sponsor service” to provide. a complete package of exploitatior aids for all film packages il handles. According to Milton M. Blink UTP exec director, the outfit hai negotiated arrangements with iti producers to supply the necessary material from which UTP make; up its exploitation kits. Thesa include stills, mats, feature stories prepared spots, reviews, etc., whicl are sent to sponsors immediately after each sale, much the same ai the theatrical film distribs providi exhibitors with press books on ai products.