Variety (September 1952)

Wednesday, .S^letaber S, 1^52 PICTTKKS 40 MF Siegel Resumes Regular Prod. Post At % Ending Tuner Supervision . Hollywood, Sept. 2. -f Sol C. Siegel, who was named ex- ecutive producer in charge of musi- cals at 20th-Fox fo'ur months ago, is stepping out of the post because “I have no wish, to type myself ai Lightman’s Conciliation Panel in Memphis Area _ Theatre Owners of Aiheri<?a cott- ar musical producer" Wlusively? j cjliation panel has been set up in 3Both Siegel and the studio will re- vert to the old system under which 20th had no exec in charge of musi- cals and individual producers went forward with their own projects. Siegel reported that he had ac- cepted the chore “conditionally," after explaining to studio produc- tion topper Darryl F. Zanuck that he would prefer not to concentrate on one phase of production. During the last four months, he added, he ha§ “helped the studio get started" on its new musical program and gotten half-a-dozen musicals ready for filming. Two, “Call Me Madam" and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," will roll this month. Others are in various stages of preparation for possible shooting before the year's end although the sudden death of Damar Trotti last week may stall the scheduled Irving Berlin “No Business Like Show Business." Siegel's decision to return to the former system was not prompted by any negotiation or contractual hassel, he declared. Memphis "exchange area by M. A. Lightman, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners ef. Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennes- see. Idea is to assist exhibs in that territory who have squawks against the difetribs. Complaints will be taken to the panel which, in turn, will determine their validity and then seek to conciliate the differ- ences. Comic Pair Capitalize On M&L Resemblance, Burn Up Hal WaUis Hal Wallis office this week was reported doing a burn over the pro- motion buildup given an indie pic, “Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla," which opened at the Rialto Theatre on Broadway. Objectional aspect of the bally is that Sammy Petrlllo and Duke Mitchell, two of the players in the pic,‘are being billed as a couple of zanies akin to Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. ’ Latter two, of course, are- Wallis’ big money-mak- ing stars. Meanwhile, Rialto is making no bones about exploiting the simi- larity between the two comic teams. Theatre Is displaying a large blow- up of a newspaper article which is headlined: “Martin, Lewis May Sue Pail' Who Act- and Look Like Them.” According to the news story, Jack Broder, producer- of ^‘Bela Lugosi Meets> a Bropklyn Gorilla,” said that he had a tele- gram from Martin and Lewis say- ing that the comics will take the . case to the courts if the carbon copies continue their act. The article says that Mitchell and Petrillo insist they don't see “any resemblance," although the story notes that the pair has the same haircuts, expressions and ges- tures “They're the greatest comedy team in the business,” Mitchell is quoted as saying. “We're not try- ing to take anything from them. We plan to continue in this busi- ness and we think the public ac- cepts us on our own talent." The story says that Broder announced that he h>pes to make more pix ...^ith the pair, declaring, “I don't think they are an imitation of Mar- tin and Lewis," In New York a spokesman for Broder said that the resemblance was “coincidental." Mitchell and, Petrillo were single nightclub acts until about a year ago, when they teamed. Petrillo, Incidentally, wno has a remarkable resemblance to Jerry Lewis, was used last season in a skit on a Martin Sc Lewis video show. Astor Snares "Sarumba’ From Ed Danziger Astor Pictures, N. Y., has ac- quired U. S. distribution rights to “Sarumba" from Edward Danziger Film, made in Puerto Rico about three years ago, has not previously been released in the U. S. Danziger, head of Eastern Sound Studios, N. Y., was Involved in financing the latter part of the film’s production. It features Doris Dowling, Michael Whalen and Tommy Wonder. SI Pli IN ALL Drama and problem pix take an indefinite holiday, and escapism moves to the forefront in pictures slated for release by the major filmeries in the post-Labor Day period. Although not all the com- panies have set definite skeds and some may he subject to last-minute changes, product in general follows the line that has proved successful in today’s market. The September to December stanza will see a « Producers Seek Closer Ties On Selling Pictures Screen Producers Guild is wag- ing a campaign for closer liaison between producers and the man- agerial end of the film biz, accord- ing to Louis J. Rachmil, RKO pro- ducer currently visiting Gotham. Presently only about a handful of top producers are consulted on selling policies on a pic, Rachmil pointed out. Producer believes that a policy should he established SQ that the problems of the studio are also the problems of the pro- ducer. “Often,” Rachmil said, “when a producer gets an idea o]fu. an ex- ploitation idea, he is politely told to forget about it because ‘the pub- licity department will take care of it’," It is Rachmil’s contention that the producer works so closely with directors, talent and the craft u- ions, and is so directly allied with a particular picture, that his advice on planning as well as sell- ing would be a valuable asset. Examples of how producers aided the selling of pic, according to Rachmil, is the jobs Bill Thomas and Bill Pine have done on their films and the recent aid accorded “Sudden Fear" by indie producer Joseph Kaufman. Rachmil, who served as co-pro- ducer on Gabriel Pascal’s “Andro- cles and the Lion" at RKO, re- turns to the Coast shortly, when he’ll begin work on a Technicolor version of “The Return.of Zorro.” He said that the script had been completed but that no cast or di- rector has been set as yet. He said he also had two other proper- ties on his production slate. ^ Italy’s Gualiiio Due In U.S. for Film Fete Dr. Renato Gualino, general di- rector of Italian Films Export and prexy of the International Federa- tion of Motion Picture Producers, is due in New York at the end of this month. He’ll arrive prior to the opening of Italian Films Week, slated for Oct. 6-12. Gualino will also hold a series of confabs with the U. S. reps of the Italian film organization, an outfit set up to publicize Italian films in the U. S. It is fiananced by 12V^% of the income earned by Yank pix in Italy. While in the U. S., Gualino is also expected to meet, with Eric Johnston, prexy of the Motion Picture Association of America. On Saturday (30), E. R. Zorg niotti, U. S. rep of IFE, returned •from a six-week visit to Rome, where he took part in a series of conclaves with IFE board mem- bers. Plans were discussed for the visit to N; -Y. during the Italian Film Week of a large number of Italian stars, producers, directorb and government officials. Seven new Italo pix will be screened at the Little Carnegie, N. Y., during the salute week. June Amus. Biz Holds Up to a Year Ago Washington, Sept. 2. Entertainment biz in June was about even with the same month of 1951, on the basis of admissions tax collections regaorted by the Bu- reau of Internal Revenue. Report covers July tax receipts by Uncle Sam, which reflects June at the of comedies, musicals and outdoor actioners, with the greatest stress on the latter two categories. Color continues to play an im- portant part in the presentation of the musicals and actioners. Of 81 pix set for release from now until the end of 1952, 40 will be of the many-hued variety. There is al- ready indication . that spectrum product will predominate, in all future production, with filmeries turning out as many as 75-80% of their films in color. Universal, which released its 1953 production plans last week, has skedded 26 out of 36 pix in color. New schedule calls for eight mcii'e tinters than were produced by. U during 1952, and follows the studio policy of concentrating on action fare. U will also continue its policy of signing top-nahie stars on a participation basis, an ar- rangement tlmt so far has paid ofl well for both the fllmeiy and the players. Of films set for fall release, 20th- Fox leads the parade • with a total of 14. Metro, U and RKO have 11 pix set, although RKO’s sked is ex- tremely tentative. Paramount, Co- lumbia^ and United Artists have nine pix each ready. Warner Bros, has slated Seven pix, with six In color, from now until December. However, additions to the schedule may be made with the return short- ly from Coast confabs of Ben Kal- menson, distribution chief. General admissions brought in $28,369,934, which was about $250,- 000 below corresponding figures for the same month last year. How- ever, the months 20% bite of $3,- 999,783, based on nltery tabs was approximately $300,000 better than for the same period of 1951. New York’s 3rd Internal Rev- enue District, which takes in all of Manhatta.n. above 23d St., “ipaid the Revenue Bureau a nice $3,433,568 in. admissions tax and $297,223 in levy on nightclub checks. WB Execs Press For Rodner Saranac Lab pany exec Herman Starr—are head ing a committee to spur a drive for the establishment of a Harold Rodner Research lab at the Will Rogei's Memorial Hospital, Sara- nac Lake, N. Y, Rodner, Warner exec who died recently, had been active 'in the maintenance and development of the hospital at Saranac. He had for a long time advocated the ad- dition of a research section to the hospital. Max B. Blackman, of the WB real estate department, is sec- retary-treasurer of the committee. Four Warner Bros, execs—^vee- pee Samuel Schneider, sales chief Ben Kalmenson, theatre * topper Harry M. Kalmine and music com-TjQj, 2 ^^jQj^g being received by the- Of 1000 Ozoners With the National Production Authority lifting the Jid on amuse- ment construction commencing Aj^ril 1, 1953, film industryites are predicting the erection of approxi- mately 1,000 new drive-ins within a ,y<ear after the green light be- comes effective, Addition of these new ozoners' will give the nation a total, of about 5,000, The NPA release order, an- nounced last week, especially favors drive-in construction since it -still sets certain limitations. on the amount of essential metals that may be used in building. Materials required for the erecting of ozoners fall well within the quota set by the NPA. Plans for ozoner construction, filed when the NPA clamped down in 1949, are being dusted off. New orders to survey sites and develop tre realty agents. Joins Telemeter Co. Dr. George W. Brown, formerly associated with RCA Laboratories in Princeton and the Rand Corp. in ;5anta Monica, has joined the engineering staff of International Telemeter Gorp., it’s" been an- nounced by Dr. Louis N. Ridenour, v.p. in charge of engineering and research. Brown is a specialist in elec- tronic computation. RKO Guarantee Snares Walcott-Rocky Pk Rights, TV Going to Theatres Also RKO made no advance, but gave the International Boxing Club a substantial guarantee to, snare the film rights for the Joe Walcott- Rocky Marciano fight in Philadel- phia Sept. 23. With Theatre Net- work Television holding the large- screen tele privileges, RKO move again gives theatres an exclusive on an important bout, as in the case of the Robinson-Turpin and Pep-Saddler frays last ^ear. Licking which RKO took by giv- ing a $300,000 guarantee to IBC on the latter two fights led the distrib to observe considerably more cau- tion this time. It was forced to go high, however, since it had compe- tition for the film rights from both United Artists and Harry Brandt. Original demand by Ned Irish, exec of the Madison Square Gar- den Corp., who negotiated the deal for IBC, was a $100,000 guarantee and 50% of the take over $200,000, UA balked at that and Tnade a counter-offer, which Irish nixed. He then closed the deal with RKO on the basis of its perform- ance last year and a guarantee that was about the same as UA’s, ac- cording to reports. Both RKO and Brandt originally were negotiating for the combined theatre TV and pix rights- Brandt was said to have offered $200,000. TNT is understood to have guar- anteed about $150,000 for large- screen rights alone, and Irish ac- cepted that hid, likewise at least partially on the basis of past per- formance by Nate Halpern's TNT outfit. If the fight proves as good as it promises, the combination of the- atre TV and pix inCbme to IBC should be at least equal to .the $250,000 that Gillette is said to (Continued on page 11). While exhibs thi'oughout J,he country are facing the fall season with a high degree of optimism because of the top product imme^ diately available. New York area theatreowners are voicing some concern. Reason for the furrowed eyebrows is that the potentially big b.o, grosser^ will not be set for release in Gotham nabes until sometime after September. Delay is being caused by the. un- usually long runs a gi'oup of out-*' standing films are'^halking up on Broadway. While such pix as “Son of Paleface," “Xvanhoe," “Just For You" and “Sudden Fear" wUl h* immediately available for the hin- terlands, Gotham ops aren’t certain yet just when they’ll be able to book the pix, ^ Main basis for the optimistic^ viewpoint among the out-of-town exhibs is that the films available for the forthcoming season far sur-* pass those issued for the corre- sponding period a year ago, Thea- tremen feel that the studios have at last hit upon the type of pix \yhich can figjbt television for pub- lic attention. They arc hailing the actionrpacked outdoorers and mu- sicals, garnished with splashy color and spectacle which video cannot duplicate. Feeling is, too, that in certain areas the novelty of video has dissipated to some extent and that the public Is again shopping for the best entertainment buy, Exhibs are also heartened by the support they are beginning to re- ceive from other quarters. Attitude of the newspapers, they point out^ has taken a change for the better. Where in the past they faced an indifferent, if not hostile, press, they note they are now receiving editorial support as well as upbeat stories in the news and film sec- tions. In addition, they point to the many concessions they are be-' ginning to receive from the dailies on advertising rates. Exhibs are'not standing Idly by jzaiting for the coin to roll in. The (Continued on pag H) N.Y. Roxy Defers Policy Change for Few Months After Switch in Operation Roxy Theatre, N. Y., will con- tinue on the same policy as at present for at least three aF four months following its switch in own- ership Sept. 27, That was disclosed yesterday (Tues.) by managing di- rector David Katz, following his return from huddles on the Coast with National Theatres prexy Charles F. Skouras and NT’s chief film ■ buyer, Edward Zabcl, NT, which will split from 20th- Fox when divorcement becomes ef- fective, will take over the Roxy. Katz said that the stageshows will go on as at present until about the end of the year, while the new owners familiarize themselves with the operation and consider new ideas for the live presentations. Refurbishing and “glamorizing" of .the Roxy will also be held off for at least several months, and possibly longer. Staff changes in the interest of “streamlining" and Operating on a more economical level will be made shortly, Katz added. Zabel is due in New York to- morrow (Thurs.) for two weeks of huddles with Katz and distribs on product for the Roxy. House, whici! has used 20th pix exclusively in the past, Will use other companies' films. It has nothing booked beyond 20th’s “Monkey Business," which opens this week. Robt. Goldstein Exits U-I Exec Talent Post Hollywood, Sept. 2. Robert Goldstein, talent execu- tive at Universal-International, I checked off the lot after terminat- I ing his contract, Goldstein moved into the studio ' in 1950 after serving as its repr^ ' sentative in the N. Y. office since ' 1946.