Variety (April 1953)

56 TV-FILMS PSmEff V*rn» Realistic Stand on Foreign Vidpbc Is ITwood AFL Bid (or More Vork Hollywood, March 31. Hollywood A.F.L. Film Council has decided to relax Us former rigid policy against all vidpix pro- duced abroad and to adopt a more “realistic” stand. As a result a green light has been given to at least one telefilm series which will, be shot in Europe, it's reported here by Dolob Thomas, chairman of the council’s foreign production committee. Thomas explained, “We shall ex- amine the circumstances of each individual case, and if there is a legitimate reason for use of a for- eign locale, we will okay it. We have adonted a more flexible and realistic attitude because we don’t want to injure producers who may already have commitments. We feel this snirit of mutual co-oper- ation will be' advantageous to American industry workers in the long run. Too tight a crackdown might jeopardize jobs for our workers here. This attitude will prevail so long as the producers co- operate with us.” He said that this recognition of realities has built up*a reservoir of good will, and it was already cer- tain more work for Hollywood la- bor would be the r'esult. w Council has okayed a PSI-TV series, “International . Police,” with 13 of the vidpix to be shot here, and 13 in various European cities. Producer Bernard J. Prock- tor has assured the council he plans to process, edit, score, dub and use special effects in Holly- wood despite the fact he will be making half the series abroad. He also intends to take key person- nel from this country to Europe, Prbcktor told the council he- ex- pects to bring at least two live N. Y. shows to Hollywood for tele- filming, Thomas said. Thbmas and Council chief Roy Brewer go to N. Y. early in April where they and IATSE prexy Richard Walsh will meet with heads of the networks for a dis- cussion on the problem. “We hope to impress upon them the- impor- tance of our request, and get co- operation from them so that pro- duction will be kept at home,” Thomas said. He added there will also .be a discussion with Para- mount regarding the teevee series it's shooting in England. Sheldon Reynolds, producer of “Foreign Intrigue,” which has been put on the unfair list be- cause it's shot in Europe, has re- quested a conference with Brewer and is expected here soon for the meeting. Hal Hackett’s OF Top Exec Status Hal Hackett this week joined Official Films as executive vice president in an expansion move that will mark the telepix firm's entry into live teevee packaging and producing and taping. of radio shows as well as expansion of current film production and distribution. The former MCA v.p. in charge RKO Okays Teleblurbs Hollywood, March 31. RKO Pictures has joined the teleblurb parade, permitting show- ing of several Rim clips from its upcoming VThe Hitchhikers,” made by Filmakers, to KNXT for “Hollywood Film Forecast,!’ seen last week on the local channel. ‘ Along with the clips were produc- ers Ida Lupino and Collier Young, and stars Edmond O’Brien, Frank Lovejoy and William Tallman. William Cameron Menzles was moderator of the show ’ which amounted to a half-hour trailer Iqr the film which opens locally soon. OTP’s “Lone Wolf,’ Treasury’ Series Two top literary properties last week were acquired for vidfilming next fall and both will go into syndication via United Television Programs. Gross-Krasne Produc- tions, a partner in UTP. has got- ten rights to the “Lone Wolf” mys- tery series, while Ben Frye’s Stu- dio Films, another UTP . partner, got rights to the recently edited “Treasury of Great Reporting.” Gross-Krasne will start shooting the first 26 in the fall, with a cast not yet set. Series, by Philo Vance, was subject of a number of RKO pictures some years ago. Half-hour films will be budgeted at $18,500 each. Studio got the rights to “Treas 1 - ury,” compiled three years ago by Richard S. Moms and Louis L. Snyder, from Simon & Sinister. Frye will shoot the series in Holly- wood, although previous Studio production has been done in Cleve- land. Films will be sold in syndication rather than nationally to boost the UTP catalog. UTP is currently a syndication-only outfit, but.-large part of its catalog consists of sec- ond-run commodities. Outfit wants to bring more originals into its library. Cbi Fire Doesn’t Faze Sponsor; Puts Up 100G Fer Yfflpix, Pitches Tent Chicago, March 31. First prize in the Chi scavenger hunt for telepix goes to Bud Haus- er, emcee-sponsor of WNBQ’s “Grand Marquee." Hauser Nash qualified by putting up the $100,- 000 paid for the 18 pix to be shown on the auto dealer’s Saturday night show. ■“ Deal was made with G.Bagnall & Associates, film distributors, for such Windy City first-runs as “Car- negie Hall” and De Mille’s “King, of Kings” (which will be shown on Easter eve). Although the Hauser Nash folks might have felt content as the hew owners of one of the coun- try's* largest telepix packages, FrL day (27) found them the victims of a $175,000 fire. It seems, however, that it would take more than a fireman's ho$e to dampen the spirit of Hauser, since the bankroller is determined to continue the TV shows. Regardless of whether or not the fear of a drop in sales or the $100,00(1 investment Is re- sponsible for the business-as-usual attitude in the Houser ex-show- rooms, live auto blurbs will con- tinue to be telecast. A carny tent has . been erected just for such purposes. KL1NG SPREADS WING ON CHI VIDPIC BOUTS Chicago, March 31. Kling Studios, Chi telepix pro- ducer, will Introduce Windy City boxing to two new markets. (‘Box- ing From Rainbo,” Monday night swats telecast on WBKB, has been filmed by the producer and peddled in other areas. WCOV in Montgomery, Ala., and WBRE-TV serving, the Scranton-Wilkes-Barrc (Pa.) 1 districts are the latest,cus- tomers for the telepix. Kling has also Invaded the west with their “Old American Barn Dance” package. . A natural for the films were KGNC-TV in Amarillo, Tc::., KCSJ-TV of Pueblo, Colo., and Colorado Springs’ KRDO-TV. of radio and television started i \af Prnflllf flAII RpUK With Official on Monday (30). He’s j rrUUUUIUll AWUb currently scanning the outfit’s cur- rent operations and laying down plans for the packaging operations. Hackett hasn’t set any properties yet for production. Entry of Hackett into the firm will fill the void left when Billy Goodheart, president of Official, retired to his farm last. July be- cause of ill health. Goodheart, in- cidentally, is due in New York this month for a checkup, at wh ch time some decision presumably will be forthcoming as to his status. His visit will be timed to coincide with the semi-annual meeting of On ‘Mark Twain' Telepix Scripter-director team lias, been set by Filmcraft Productions for its uncoming Mark Twain series, based on works of the author acquired from his estate. Novelist Robert Nathan and playwright Siegfried M. Herzig will script the- series, while film producer-director-writer Irving Picliel will direct. Literary rights include 36 of the author’s major works, 250 articles, 2,300 published and'many unpub- lished letters. Shooting starts im- thci bo&rd of directors of which Ike 1 niccHutcly on sciies. Signing of tne ooara 01 directors oi wnicn , pichcl marks his first f u u. t i me TV directing assignment. He recently finished “Martin Luther” in Gcr- ! many. Levy Is chairman. . Firm is currently engaged in production on “Four Star Play- house,” on which Singer has re- newed as alternate-week sponsors • on CBS-TV; “My Hero,” which Dunhill ciggies is moving into the Saturday 8 p.m. slot being vacated on NBC-TV by its “All Star Re- vue,” nnd “Terry and the Pirates, SAG Pacts 60 Teleblurb Prods. Hollywood, March 31. More than 60 teleblurb produc- ers have signed letters of adher- ence to the new Screen Actors Guild pact since the three-month strike of SAG against vidblurb producers ended a month ago, it’s reported here- by John Dales, Jr., national exec secretary of the guild. Ad agencies which have signed, agreeing to have filmed commer- cials for their clients made only by producers who have inked with SAG, are J. Walter Thompson, Young & Rubicam, BBD&O, Comp- ton, Ruthrauff & Ryan, Biow, Ted Bates, William Esty, McCann- Erickson, Sullivan, Stauffer, Gol- well & Bayles, J. M. Mathes, Cecil & Presbrey, Franklin Bruck, N. B. Ross, Ben Sackheim, Grey Ad Agency, A1 Paul Lefton and T. Rob- ley Louttit. Producers who have inked in- clude American Film Producers, Leonard Anderson, Artists Manage- ment Associates, Baldwin, Bowers & Strachan, Barry 6c Enright^ Pro- ductions, Franklin Bruck Advertis- ing, Clayton W. Cousens Produc- tions, Thomas- Craven Film Corp., Shamus Culhane - Productions, Dowd, Redfleld & Johnstone, El- liott, Unger & Elliott, Film Crea- tions, Gray-O'Reilly, Lallcy & L6ve, Maxon, Inc., Prockter Television Enterprises, Quality Bakers of America, Sarra, Inc., Fletcher Smith Studios, Sound Masters, Winetraub & Co., Winev Television Productions, all localcd in N. Y. Atlas Film Corp., Chicago Film Studios, Francisco Films, Gal- breath Picture Productions, Kling Film Enterprises, Sarra, Inc., Tele- film Productions, Vogue-Wright Studios, Wilding Picture Produc- tions, all in Chicago. Arrow Productions, Bernard of' j Hollywood Film Productions, Theo- dore Bliss Productions, Cascade, Jack Denove, Dudley TV, Five Star Productions, George Fox, Ozzie Glover, Hurrell Productions, Tom Kelley, Lou Lilly, Mercury Inter- national Pictures, New World, J. J. Parker Productions, Ray Patin, Pickwick Pictures, Quality Pic- tures, Elizabeth Raines; Roland Reed Enterprises, Roland Reed Productions, Roland Reed TV, Screen Classics, Dean Simmons Ad Agency, A1 Simon, Song Ads, Swift- Chaplin Productions, Telefilm, Tempkin-Plummer Associates; TV Ads, TV Spots, Video Pictures, V.I.P., Norman Wright Productions, all in LA, and De Frenes Company, Philadelphia. Tip Top Expands Tip Top Bread, now liitiing the kiddie market on WNBT, N. Y., . Mondays from 7 to 7:30 p.m. with which Canada Dry is spotting in j “The Cisco Kid” film series last over 50 markets. Official Is also ‘ week (28) started sponsorship of combining its musical vidpix lib-1 another portion of “Cisco” on the Wqr with other short subjects in J same station on Saturdays, from its catalog as a special package. 110:30 to 11 a.m. ‘SheilahV Shekels Hollywood, March 31. Writer Gabrielle Upton sold an original, “Sheilah,” to Meridian pictures for “Schlitz Playhouse of Stars,” and then landed the title role. The pix-TV scribbler was formerly an actress. Wednesday, April 195$ DTP Wraps Dp Full-Year Package Ziv Preps for Color Ziv starts filming its programs,in black and white as well as color next week. Many telefilm firms have been shooting in color, as. against the day color television emerges, and running color prints on television. Loss of picture quality, Ziv says, dictates the double shooting. Shows to receive both black-and- white and co’or treatment are “Favorite Story,” “The Cisco Kid,” and “Boston Blackie." Scripts to NLRB Hollywood, March 31. NLRB has ordered further hear- ings in the jurisdictional dispute about Desilu Productions, involv- ing Screen Writers Guild and the Authors League of America and the Television Writers of Amer- ica. SWG has contended TWA is company-dominated insofar as Des- ilu iff concerned, and therefore not qualified to rep writers em- ployed by that company. At hearings which regional di- rector Howard DeBaron will hold here NLRB will look into charges of SWG that TWA v.p. Jess Oppen- heimer, a top exec of Desilu, gets 20?fr of the profits, and has almost complete authority over hiring and firing key personnel, including writers. SWG contends Desilu’s interests would be repped by Op- penlieimer at both sides of the bar- gaining table, and consequently asks that.TWA be denied a place on the ballet in any election held for jurisdiction of Desilu scrib- blers. WCBS-TY’S NEW BATCH OF PIX (TV 1ST RUNS’) WCBS-TV, N. Y., has signed a new first-run. (on television) pack- age of pictures from Tele-Pictures, Inc., a subsidiary of Rohert Lip- pert Productions. The deal is for 26 pictures, with the oldest a 1950 release. Some of the strongest titles include “Stronghold,” star- ring Veronica Lake- and Zachary Scott, “Stolen Face," with Paul Henreid and Lizabeth Scott, “Sav- age Drums,” with Sabu, and “Rocketship XM,” with Lloyd Bridges. The price is reported to be as high as WCBS-TV’s Republic deal last December, wiycli cost the key an estimated $200,000 for 104 films. ; -.The new batch of pictures, some of which 'will not be re- leased to the station until trie end of the year, will be worked into tlie “Early Show" and “Late Show," beginning May 1. Jessel’s Vidpic Israel Documentary for WOR-TV George-Jessel may have already inked with ABC for his exclusive services, but WOR-TV,. N. Y„ will have first crack at a show with him. It's going to air his one- reeler, “Adventure in Israel," next Saturday as a- Passover presenta- tion. Documentary was made by Jes- .. sel and his daughter while on a trip to Israel last summer. It’s a plea for the United Jewish Ap- peal. DuPont Brokenshire Vidpic for 5 Markets E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co. has bought United Artists Tele- vision’s “Norman Brokenshire, the Handyman," for five markets. Chemical outfit will sponsor the program four days weekly on WMAR-TV, Baltimore, and WBNS- TV, Columbus, and cross-the-board on KGUL-TV, Galveston; WCAU- TV, Philadelphia and WNAC-TV, Boston. Films were produced by Prince- ton Film Center, distributed by UA-TV. BBD&O agented duPont. • Following in the • footsteps of the package plan pioneered by Consolidated Television Sales « couple of weeks ago. United Tele- vision Programs is offering a pack- age of 390 half-hour shows to sta- tions In new markets at a minimum price af about $14,000. Plan calls for purchase pf nine .half-hour series* of varying length, totalling 390 half-hours, with proviso that entVre package- must be-played off in one year. . With price varying with size of the market, average half-hour show will cost smaller stations $36.50 per half-hour. Series in- cludes “Heart of the City” (Big Town” re-runs); “Royal Playhouse” (“Fireside Theatre”- re-runs), “Counterpoint” (second runs of “Rebound”), “Dick Tracy,” ‘Old American Barn Dance,” ‘Hank Me- Cune Show.” “Hollywood Offbeat,” “Sleepy Joe” and “Enchanted Music." Package is similar to Consolidat- ed's in that there’s a flat rate for the one-year deal, but differs in that all UTP shows are half-hour segments whereas Consolidated’s vary in length. UTP is pushing the package as a “made exclusively for TV" buy at a pre-hour price comparing favorably to that of old feature films. WABC-TV Sets Kidfilm Block With setting of “Superman” on WABC-TV, N. Y., this week by Kellogg, ABC’s flagship novellas a solid cross-the-board kiddie block from 6 to 7:30 p.m. “Superman" vidpic will run 52 weeks in the Wednesday 6:15-6:45 slot. Block tees off at 6 with (‘Rootie Kazootie,” which is sponsored four times weekly with deal pending for remaining open day. Airline Foods. Gordon Baking Co. and Weston Biscuit Co* bankroll all but Monday. “Superman” has Kellogg bankrolling on Wednes- days, while other sponsored slot in the 6:15 time is “Range .Riders” on Thursdays, with Chuckles Candy backing. “Bar 7 Ranch,” still sus- taining, will run Mondays, Tues- days and Fridays. Slot from 6:45 to 7:15 is all sus- taining, with “Buck Rogers,” “Tim Tyler,” “Don Winslow,” “Flash Gordon” and *Ace Drummond” running in that order. “Lash of the West.” also sustaining, runs cross-the-board from- 7:15 to 7:30. Most of programs are vidpix. “Superman” is distributed 'by Mo- tion Pictures for Television, as are most of the others. “Lash” was bought from Guild Films, which is under contract to produce more of the westerns. All but “Rootie,” which is live, have been added in the past five weeks, supplanting previously programmed feature film show. SINGER GOES FOR FULL ‘4-STAR RIDE’ As anticipated, the Singer Sew- ing Machine Co. has picked up the weekly tab for its “Four Star Play- house,” dramatic telefilm series now seen on CBS-TV alternate Thursdays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Old Gold had bid for the time, but Singer found the additional dough to hike its advertising budget (an added $750,000 for time alone). The Singer weekly sponsorship, for 52 weeks, starts Sept. 24. “Four Star” has been alternating with “Amos ’n’ Andy,” but latter is be- ing dropped by Blatz beer. Edmond O’Brien Host In New 5G Telefilms Screen Gems, Inc., has gone into production with a new telefilm se- ries, “The Law Strikes Back,” with Edmond O’Brien as host and narra- tor. First program is “The Last 30 Minutes,” and stars Arthur Franz, Martha Vickers, George Macready, Eve Miller and Kyle James. Mich- ael Kraike produces and Ted Post directs. Each program in series, soon available for audition, will have dif- ferent story, locale and stars.