Variety (October 1952)

» Wednesday, October 29, 1952 Inside Stuff-Pictures s Novel exploitation stunt, in which "Burt Lancaster kicks off the publicity campaign, is being employed on Hal Wallis' upcoming Para- mount release, ‘‘Come Back, Little Sheba.” Lancaster, who appears in the film with Shirley Booth, makes his contribution in a form letter mailed to the press from the Fiji Islands, where he's locationing for Ills Warner venture, "His Majesty O’Keefe.” In going in for what Lancaster calls the "delicate art of press agen- try ” he writes that his latest venture is strictly temporary and "in- spired by the tremendous impact of a new star in pictures—Miss Booth —with whom I have the privilege to work in Hal Wallis’ ‘Come Back, Little Sheba,'’ a fine picture that will be coming your way just after the first of the year.” He adds that "I’ve selected a kit of art and stories that came out of the picture . . , it'll be along in the next few weeks for use at your discretion.” To call attention to the revival, of the Nostradamus shorts, which the studio hasn’t made for eight years, Metro is sending out an an- nouncement on parchment paper in the form of a letter from the seer, countersigned by Carey Wilson, Metro producer. Written in verse, the letter says in part: "Silent for eight years, the seer speaks again From the silver screen ‘shall shadows come to life Spinning wondrous tales and events Prophecied by Nostradamus whose spirit yet moves. The maker of long stories shall add to his field Short ones of equal scope and design Four times in twelvemonth shall he do this Hoping always the multitude to please. There was a time when audience reaction in newsreel theatres gave a pretty good indication of popular trends in pre-election days, but this year the straws are bending against the wind. In past elections, the Embassy circuit’s Guild Theatre in Rocke- feller Plaza always seemed to attract more Republicans while the chain’s house on Broadway and 46th was a stronghold for the Demo- crats. This year it’s exactly the reverse, according to Embassy prexy, Norman Elson. The Guild audience seems to favor Stevenson while the Broadway theatre has ’em clamoring for Ike. Conclusion? "None,” says Elson, "except that we live in cockeyed times.” Exhibs in some areas are demanding wider recognition of their show- manship activities. Wire to tradepress editors from Trueman Rembusch, prexy of Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana, an Allied affiliate, seeks to draw the spotlight from Texas COMPO, which has been cop- ping wide attention via Its p.r. work. In his telegram, Rembusch, in effect, says that the Hoosier exhibs are outshining the Texans and should be credited for doing so. Much of the ado centers on the Indiana group’s recent film exhibit at the Indiana State Fair, which drew 260,000. Hoosiers are mighty proud of this. Columbia 1 Pictures* commercial film subsidiary, Screen Gems, con- tinues to perk. Company’s just completed "The Studebaker Story,” a Technicolor short depicting the 100-year history of the auto firm. Pro- duced by Jules Bricken, the film is one of a series in Studebaker’s pix program. Cast is topped by Russell Hicks and Donald Woods while Seymour Friedman directed. Screen Gems also did a 27-minute short for the Oil Industry Information Council to point up the advantages of free enterprise and competition. Film went into distribution this month. Acting on the advice of Gordon White of the Motion Picture Assn, of America, 20th-Fox has snipped some footage from its art short, "Birth of Venus,” which covers the masters of the Renaissance. Seems that one of the Botticelli nudes looked too nude to the MPAA. Rea- soning was that an untimely whistle from one adolescent might spoil the effect of the entire subject. Series of seven art shorts is due for 20th release to theatres, schools and colleges. George Jessel will personal twice at the Roxy and once at Radio City Music Hall when his last three pictures for 20th-Fox open on Broadway. All are holiday bookiiigs: "Bloodhounds on Broadway” is the Thanksgiving attraction; and “I Don’t Care” (Eva Tanguay bio- pic) Xmas, both at the Roxy. * The Sol Hurok biopic, "Tonight We Sing,” opens Lincoln’s Birthday at the Music Hall. In all of Jessel’s 10 years at 20th, this is his first MH booking. See Drive-Ins In TV Future Continued from page 7 ~ PICTURES 25 Special ‘Andersen’ Preem at Saranac For Rogers San; Mull Annual Event ozoners to the theatre TV net could boost the purchasing power of the- atres by a good margin. Estimate of current installations is 90 theatres in 52 cities. There are in excess of 3,000 drive-ins, many near TV cities and in the south and west, where the climate permits all-year operation. Mall Local Circuits Exhibs are mulling the eventual possibility of creating their own local circuits and bidding for ex- clusive rights to events which they consider of specific interest to their crowd. In the east, the Walter Reade circuit,, among others,.is. gi.v-.. ing serious thought to drive-in the- atre TV. Other exhibs, like S. H. Fabian, for instance, think highly of the possibility but lean to the belief, that the time isn’t ripe for the move. "We’ll wait for the equip- ment to improve,” .Fabian said. National Theatre Supply, which handles direct-projection and inter- mediate film types of large-screen fV put out by General Precision •Labs, has been experimenting with various ways of bribing large- screen TV to drive-ins. The com- pany ran a test, using its 16m in- termediate system, at a Ledgewood, ni. ” . insta H a t-on a year ago and is Planning another sometime next month. Latter will use direct pro- jection. John Currie, NTS v.p., says ms company is convinced that uve-ins eventually may turn out a better theatre TV market than indoor .theatres. *r elin « is that the big ozoners h a capacity of 800 and more will lead the field. Mobile installa- tions, such as the one used at the S3, have various advantages in that they facilitate adjustment of pic- ture brightness in relation to light conditions and mak-e possible the service of several situations pro- vided the latter can get the neces- sary AT&T lines. Theory is that an outfit could mount several projectors on trucks and rent them out to ozoners. Ad- vantage would be that, where an area might be "blacked out” by fight promoters, units could be in- stalled in drive-ins that can take the bout. Remakes Draw Scorn | I- Continued from page 3 „ .J ("Charley’s Aunt”), "She’s Working Her Way Through College” ("The Male Animal”), "About Face’ ("Brother Rat”), "The Big Trees (“God’s Country and the Women ’), "Painting the Clouds With Sun- shine” (a remake of one of the "Gold Diggers” yarns) and "Stop, You’xe Killing Me” ("A Slight Case of Murder”). Also upcoming are "The Desert Song” and "The Jazz Singer,” both of which will retain the original tags. Among other recent remakes are 20th-Fox’s "What Price Glory? and Metro’s "The Merry Widow and "The Prisoner of Zenda. In addition, there nr* many other yarns emanating from the studios which, although overhauls* are not immediately apparent* Pj&ZlETY Grimm RKO Ad Mgr., Brandt Heads Exploitation Ben H. Grimm, long with RKO, was named ad manager for the company yesterday (Tues.) by na- tional ad-pub-exploitation director Richard Condon. He succeeds. S. Barret McCormick who recently re- signed as ad director. He was for- merly McCormick's assistant Tn other changes, Leon Brandt has left as Lopert Films ad-pub head to become exploitation man- ager of RKO, effective Nov. 3. Fred Goldberg is new assistant publicity manager and head of special events while A1 Stern shifts from trade- press contact' to the homeoffice writing department. Miami Motel Assn. Balks Brandt Ozoner Miami Beach, Oct. 28. Construction on $250,000 drive- in theatre in center of motel sec- tor here was halted this week when Miami Beach Motel Assn, obtained a Circuit Court injunction against any further work. Brandt (N.Y.)' Theatres, the builders is fighting the action. It was claimed by the motel group that property values would be affected adversely if the 800- car capacity project on a 30-acre tract were allowed to be com- pleted. Brandt had.obtained a per- mit fr6m Dade County Commis- sion prior to the injunction pro- ceedings. Snare Brit. Pix Rights Couple of British productions were acquired foi / ’ release by U.S. outfits within the past week. Arthur Mayer-Edward Kingsley, Ine., took over the U. S. rights '10 "The Brave Don’t Cry,” which John Grierson produced for the British organization known as Group 3. Molton Films’ "Gift Horse” was ac- quired for Western Hemisphere handling by Souvaine Selective Pictures. Trevor Howard, Sonny Tufts and Joan Rice have the leads. Par’s ‘Cleo’ Spread Paramount is going ahead with a full national reissue of "Cleo- patra,” Cecil B. DeMille produc- tion of 1934 vintage. Decision was prompted by the big b.o. values in epic pix r s shown in the current market. Film is set with 18 dates during November and general release in December. Present lta!o Paintings to PAz Washington, Oct. 28. Italian film delegation, in town past weekend, presented a volume containing reproductions of sev- eral hundred famed Italian paint- ings to President Truman. Gift was accepted for the prexy by John F. Simmons, State Depart- ment official. Presentation was made by Ni- cola De Pirro, director of the en- tertainment industries bureau of the Italian Government. the New York visit last week by Thomas Slack, attorney for How- ard Hughes, resulted in a crop of new rumors, all false. Grant said all that happened was Slack called him and asked whom he could work with in arranging papers for Hughes’ .$.8,000,9.0.0. loan.. Grant xe. World preem of Samuel Gold- wyn’s "Hans Christian Andersen” at the Criterion Theatre, N. Y., Nov. 24, for the benefit of the Va- riety Clubs’ Will Rogers Memorial Hospital, would launch a series of such annual events, according to the hospital trustees. They empha- size that a yearly affair would not only raise money for -the institu- tion but also create a "traditional hallmark” for the film Industry. Unveiling of "Andersen” was announced in New York last week by Abe Montague, the Columbia Pictures veepee and' prez of the Rogers Memorial Hospital. At the same, time he disclosed that G. S. Eyssell, president of Rockefeller Center, Inc., had accepted chair- manship of the inaugural event, which reportedly will be scaled up to $25 per seat. Complete facilities of the Cri- terion are being . donated by Charles B. Moss, the theatre’s ex- ecutive director. Hospital’s trus- tees, incidentally, revealed that "Andersen” was selected because "it is an American motion picture of special merit which carries with it a great deal of international sig- nificance.” Now in its 27th year, the Rogers Memorial ’Hospital at Saranac Lake, N. Y., is dedicated to the re- lief of those suffering from tuber- culosis and is free to anyone in the entertainment industry. Insti- tution is also building a modern research laboratory. Eyssell named the following to the executive committee for the "Andersen” preem benefit: Ned Depinet, former RKO prez; Joseph Vogel, Loew’s theatres chief; Harry Kalmine, head of the Warner cir- cuit; Leonard Goldenson, United Paramount Theatres prez; Sol Schwartz, RKO Theatres prez; A1 Lichtman, 20th-Fox veepee; Fred Schwartz, Century Theatres’ chief; Si Fabian, of Fabian Theatres. Also, Richard Walsh, IATSE prexy; composer Arthur Schwartz; Walter Vincent, head of the Actors Fund; Herman Robbins, prez of National Screen Service, and Maurice Bergman, Universal Pic- tures ad-pub exec, who’ll addition- ally serve as publicity chairman. Organize Salute Final step in organizing the salute for the Will Rogers Me- morial Hospital has been com- pleted with formation of the Na- tional Exhibitors Committee. This body is composed of reps in every exchange city. Launch PCC Drive Hollywood, Oct. 28. More than 800 workers started soliciting members of the film in- dustry yesterday (Mon.) as • the Permanent Charities Committee officially opened its 1953 fund drive with a ogal of $1,225,000. Unofficially the campaign start- ed several weeks ago with pledges in the upper income brackets. yed he merely told Slack that easurer William Clark and chief Dmeoffice counsel William Zim- erman had been assigned to this ork. On the dais with Grant, and ted as the "exec team” that he sels, will bring RKO out of the id, were Clark, Zimmerman, sales eads Charles Boasberg and Wal- ;r Branson, assistant board chair- ian Harry Pimstein, foreign chief 1 Crown, administrative foreign lief Robert Hawkinson, controller •arrett Van Wagner and RKO athe chief Jay Bonafield. Absen- ces he named as part of the team ere studio counsel Gordon Young- lan, corporation counsel Thomas [alloran and exec v.p. Arnold leker. Latter returned from Eu- Dpe yesterday. Incidentally, Crown’s deal as ead of the RKO foreign depart- lent provides him with a weekiy ayoff of over $750 per week, in- fcead of &45Q as erratumed. THE LIFE STORY OF FANNY RRIPF DM VL Here's the slums-fo-stardom story of a girl who started wowing the clients at the age of 10. Bar counters, back yards, street corners — Fanny performed for pennies all over the place. By 17 she was a burlesque soubrette on her way to the big time. The Ziegfeld Follies, Hollywood, radio — Fanny was a three-time winner. But i behind the hoopla — loneliness • . • heartbreak •«. swindled in love by the guy she never quite got over. Read the story of one of the funniest — and most tragic — showpeople of all time. Read Fabulous Fanny , by Norman Katkov, stqrt- ' ing in this month's “JOURNAL