Variety (October 1952)

4 MCTCTtES- Wednesday,-October 29, 1952 Exhibs, Distribs Clash on Print t, * * • Availabilities; Shortages Clamed 1 ~ 4 ~ “New Faces,” current Broadway revue hit, may be the first stage show to be filmed in a three-di- mension medium. Deal has‘been discussed between “Faces” produ- cer Leonard Sillman and Milton Gunzburg, prexy of Natual Vision Corp., with the actual closing of a licensing pact awaiting Sillman’s return from London. Conversion of the revue to the tri-dimension medium is beyond an exploratory stage. According to present plans, a budget of $200,000 has been alloted for the project. The sum, a modest one when com- pared to present film production costs, was arrived at by an arrange- ment for a .participation agreement, with the-producer, the writers, the players and the film outfit sharing in the profits. Initial coin, in all probability, will be shelled out by Natural Vision and the legit pro- ducer. Another factor contributing to the low filming cost is that the revue would be shot exactly as it is being presented on Broadway. Some of the scenes would be filmed at the Royale Theatre with others to be shot at a Gotham studio, where the sets would be dupli- cated. The cast is to work on mat- inee-less days. All in all, the spon- sors figure that it would take about two weeks to film the production. Still to be worked out are arrange- ments with the many unions in- volved. Gunzburg has been conferring with other legit interests, and the Shuberts reportedly are mulling the idea. According to Gunzburg, currently in New York, almost life-like reproductions? of Broad- way shows could be presented in areas which do not normally re- ceive legit fare. While in Gotham, Gunzburg is holding talks with George J. (Continued on page 20) Luciano Perturbed By ‘Bad’ Publicity, Calls Off Biopic Hollywood, Oct. 28. Indie producer Phil Tucker re- veals that Charles (Lucky) Luci- ano, deported gangster, has chilled deal whereby the deportee was go- ing to angel a biopic to tune of $300,000, with Tucker producing and directing. Tucker says he talked to Luci- ano, who is in Italy, via phone, and the racketeer, perturbed at what he considers unfavorable pub- licity on the project, said Tucker would have to put up half the coin. Tucker * told Luciano he didn’t have it, and the gangster then intimated he might proceed only if Tucker complied with a set of conditions which were outlined, and Tucker felt he couldn’t pro- ceed on that basis. Conditions set forth Luciano would have pretty much white- washed the gangster of any wrong- doing, simply having him admit he “made a few mistakes,” alleging he was a friend of labor, was being persecuted by the press, etc.. Tuck- er said. PIDGEON AS SAG PREXY GETS NO OPPOSITION Hollywood, Oct. 28. With no .independent. nominees, in sight, Walter Pidgeon will be- come the next president of the Screen Actors Guild without a * struggle. Ronald Reagan, retiring as prexy after five years, will turn the job over to Pidgeon at the an- nual meeting on Nov. 9, Other officers and board mem- bers named by the Guild’s nomi- nating committee will be nominat- ed without opposition. They are: First veepee, Leon Ames; second veepee, John Lund; third veepee, William Holden; recording secre- tary, Paul Harvey; treasurer, George Chandler, all for one year. Board members: Ward Bond, Rich- ard Carlson. Fred Clark, John Li- tel, Millard Mitchell, Emory Par- nell, Ronald Reagan, Barry Sulli- van, Audrey Totter, Robert Wag- Nk ner, Rhys Williams, all for three years; Bud Linn, two years, and Frank Lovejoy, one year. Class A-J ^ board members, Anne Cornwall and George So wards, both for three years* Division Mgrs. Meet At 20th H.O. Nov. 12-13 • Schedule of releases for first nine months of 1953 will be de- tailed by 20th-Fox at a special division managers palaver set for the homeoffice *Nov. 12-13. Reps from company’s . sales force throughout U. S. and Canada will attend the confab to hear sales and advertising plans for product set for rest of this year and beginning of 1953. Distrib chief A1 Lichtman will preside, aided by W. C. dSehring, assistant general sales manager; Edwin W. Aaron, western sales chief, and Arthur Silverstone, east- ern and Canadian sales chief. Pub-ad topper Charles Einfeld will present ad, publicity and ex- ploitation plans for the upcoming pix. Special note will be taken of the company’s anniversary week, set for the Thanksgiving period. $15,00,(1 Eyed Domestically For “Show’ by 1953 Paramount has its sights set on a $15,000,000 U. S. and Canada distribution gross on Cecil B. De- Mille’s ‘'Greatest Show on Earth” by the end of 1953. On the basis of coin collected so far, that tall figure is likely. The circus epic brought Par a domestic distribution take of $9,- 700,000 in its first six months of active release. In the U. S. A., it grossed over $4,000,000 in 300 pre- j release engagements and $5,000,- 000 in 4,000 general release spots. In Canada, “Greatest Show” raked in $500,000 in its initial 60 pre-release dates and another $200,000 in 200 general release bookings. Pre-release dating of the pic took place last February, March and April following a single booking at New York’s Radio City Music Hall in January. Film was pulled during May and June and was swung into general release during July, August and September. Po- tential_of 15,000 dates is figured by next summer, taking into ac- count numerous drive-ins which have yet to play the film. Adding further to the upbeat will be the foreign income which, it’s estimated, should approximate about 60% of the domestic money. TOA GOES SLOW ON ITS PART IN 16M SUIT Decision as to whether the Thea- tre Owners of America will move to become a co-defendant in the Government’s 16m antitrust against the majors will probably be de- layed until February. TOA board of directors is slated to meet at that time. Member units, totalling 27, are currently being polled on whether TOA should became an active participant. TOA has been named a “co-con- spirator” but not a defendant. Change of status could make the exhlb irntfit ; iiable”to "itefty damage- costs should the Government win its case. It’s this aspect that has the TOA proceeding cautiously. Welch Asks Par Release To Make Net TV Deal Hollywood, Oct. 28. After seven years at Paramount producing most of the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby pictures, Bob Welch has asked for his release to make a network television deal. He has talked to both NBC’s Pat Weaver and Columbia’s Hubbell Robinson and Harry Ackerman and will take the offer that gives him the best percentage or equity in the shows he creates and pro- duces. Welch moved to pictures after a long career in radio as comedy writer-producer. ———i n ii- i ■■ ■ » ■> ■!■ ■ » < ' 750G in Back Pay Due Under New Extras Pact Hollywood, Oct. 28. New collective bargaining con- tract, approved by the Wage Stabil- ization Board, between the Screen Extras Guild and the major stu- dios opens the way for the collec- tion of retroactive pay amounting to something between $750,000 and $1,000,000. Studios have been paying the new basic wage increase since Sept. 21 of this year, but the retro- active pay dates back to Oct. 25, 1951. The WSB ruling means that the extras will collect the difference between the old and new rates for approximately 11 months, all in one lump. - 36-40 Pix For | UA Next Year Hollywood, Oct. 28. Prexy Arthur Krim says United Artists’ 1953 lineup will be be- tween 36-40 pix, with firm now concentrating on its 1954 program. Says company this year will do 50- 60% better than last year in both domestic and foreign returns, and is now in the comfortable posi- tion of. having its biggest backlog of completed and committed films. During 1953 firm will maintain a three-a-month schedule, with oc- casional extra pix. Edward Small will contribute 12, of which three are completed. SDG STALLS DECISION ON HERBERT BIBERMAN Hollywood, Oct. 28. Hearing of Herbert Biberman’s petition for reinstatement in the Screen Directors Guild-was post- poned for two weeks at the request of the board of directors. Biberman, one of the original “Unfriendly 10,” served a prison term for contempt of Congress after refusing to answer questions of the House Un-American Activi- ties Committee. Board members declined to com- ment on the case but agreed that all members must comply with the bylaws requiring them to take the non-Communist oath. Delay Ohio Censor Test Till After Election New' industry test of Ohio’s right to censor newsreels is expected to be delayed until after Election Day. Postponement, it’s figured, will give filmites a chance to get the views of public officials who may come into office. In addition, it’s reasoned that’ll be tough to get present officials to act for fear of antagonizing any groups. Joseph Exits Metro John Joseph announced this week he’s bowing out as Metro’s eastern publicity manager, effec- tive at the end of the year. He’ll probably leave the homeoffice be- fore that time for a vacation. Joseph had been with M-G the JPast..._four, years. Previously, he was Universal’s ad-pub director for 12 years. Exec has been maintain- ing a home in L. A. and may shift to the Coast in his next industry spot. Howard Dietz, Metro pub-ad chief, said Joseph would not be im- mediately replaced and that his duties would be spread among other members of the department. UA Gets Lopert Pic United Artists has acquired for distribution the Lopert Films re- lease, “Breaking Through the Sound Barrier,” British film about jet planes. Pic will have its Gotham preem at the Victoria Theatre Nov. 6. Starring Ralph Richardson, Ann Todd, Nigel Patrick and John Justin, “Barrier” was produced and directed by David Lean from an original screenplay by Terence Rattigan. Schary Join? Top Execs . In N. Y. Oscar Huddle Top officials of Motion Picture Assn, of America member compa- nies began their annual huddles on the controversial Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences “Oscar” awards in New York last week, and left decisions to a later date. Initial session was unusual in that it was attended by a top production exec, Metro studio chief Dore Schary, who accompanied Loew’s-Metro president Nicholas M. Schenck to the conclave. Schary had been in N. Y. on other mat- ters and returned to the Coast over the weekend. Academy Awards in recent years have set off disputes among some industry execs from the standpoint of their value vis-a-vis cost and effort. Split centers on spotlight- ing one pic a year as being artisti- cally superior, one segment of the trade holding that emphasis on aesthetic values is not helpful to the commercial b.o. COMPO Activity Up (or Review By Bd. in Chi All activities of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations will be up for review and its three-man exec committee setup for reap- praisal at a board meeting to be held in Chicago the second week of December. Principal attention will be given to the industry’s current campaign looking to repeal of the Federal 20% admissions tax. Also to be prominent on the agenda will be the manner in which the “Movie- time Mj.S.A.” tours will be con- tinued. Meanwhile, COMPO’s former exec v.p., Arthur L, Mayer, has been continuing speaking engage- ments in behalf of the industry. Appearing Saturday (25) before the Women’s Press Club, New York, he attacked what he termed mis- conceptions about the film busi- ness. Mayer cited five of these “myths” as follows: That the public is de- prived of mature pictures with mes- sages because of “uneducated” Hol- lywood tycoons; that foreign films are better than American product; that the industry is on the verge of bankruptcy; that the American public is showing a greater fond- ness for television, and that Holly- wood- is dominated by a “greasy crew of Communists and fellow travelers.” Europe to N. Y. Jacques Abram Ludwig Charell Claude Dauphin Blevins Davis Mildred Diliing Robert Dowling Irving Druckman Elspeth Eric Frank M. Folsom Vance Henry Hans Hojpf Mrs. Sid Hyams Buster Keaton Gilbert Miller Arnold Picker Otto Preminger Linda Scott N. Y. to Europe Philip Brown Lucette Caron Madeleine Carroll Jacques Fath John Gunther Andrew Heiskell Dennis O’Keefe Milton R. Rackmjl Vincente A. Rufino N. Y. to L. A. Pandro, S. Berman Ben Bisgeier Charles David Deanna Durbin Dore Schary Howard Strickling Richard Thorpe Is there or isn’t there a print shortage? Question is assuming an Abbott & Costello “who’s on first?” aspect as exhibs and distribs are making diametrically opposite claims. Problem of prints is one of the most frequently cited complaints of exhibs in their raps at distrib trade practices. Theatremen in many areas charge that they have lost or almost lost playing time on pix because of distribs’ .inability to fur- nish prints on time. They further intimate distribs might have cut down on their print orders, a charge distrib outfits violently deny. Rather than decreasing their print orders, exhibs maintain they are providing at least a hundred more currently than five years ago. On top pix, distribs say they are ordering about- 300 b&w and 400 tinters, with the latter allotment almost hitting the 450 mark. Metro, for example, has ordered 444 Tech- nicolor prints for “Million Dollar Mermaid,” “Plymouth Adventure,” “Prisoner of Zenda” and “Every- thing I Have Is Yours.” With the print for an average-length Techni* color film costing about $535, over- all print order per picture runs about $250,000. Distribs argue it’s economically unsound to increase the print allot- ments, since they’ll end up with considerable unnecessary, costly celluloid. They stress they are aware of the necessity of more prints to take care of the ever- increasing day-and-date bookings, but- point out they plan their ship- ments according to runs and shift (Continued on page 20) N. Y. Booth Union Weighing Further Action Vs. Chains What may be the final “friendly meeting” in the current pact talks between the Projectionists Union, Local 306, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, and the N. Y. metropolian area theatre chains was scheduled for late yes- terday (Tues.) afternoon. Union has indicated that unless it re- ceives a “genuine” offer from the theatre ops, it will weigh further action to end the stalemate. Ac- tion, it was noted, would not con- sist of a strike threat or actual walkout, but might take the form of a slowdown. Union and theatremen have been conferring since after Labor Day to negotiate a pact to replace the* one which expired Sept. 1. Labor out- fit is asking for a 13% package deal, with 10% as a wage hike and 3% for the union’s welfare fund. Exhibs, citing the b.o. decline, have nixed the demand and have coun- tered with a proposal for a reduc- tion in the number of men man- ning the booths. L. A. to N. Y. Ernie Anderson Lauren Bacall Tallulah Bankhead Edgar Bergen Nate J. Blumberg Ann Blyth Humphrey Bogart David Brian Lotus Calhern Linda Christian Gene Cogan Wendell Corey “■ Joanr Dayisr — Pat di Cicco Buddy Ebsen Jose Ferrer Barry Fitzgerald Vonne Godfrey James R. Grainger M. L. Gunzburg Carol Henry Jesse L. Lasky Paul N. Lazarus, Jr. Joseph Mankiewicz Fletcher Markle Mercedes McCambridge Troy Melton Gerald Mohr Abe Montaque Joseph H. Moskowitz Mike Nidorf Pat O’Brien Larry Parks Judson Pratt 1 Robert Ryan Hans Sauer Nate B. Spingold Dwight Taylor Bob Weiss