Variety (June 1954)

Musicals; 2d 10% Paid to Backers A season not generally accepted with glee by the foreign repre- sentatives of American film com- panies is the upcoming tourist trek abroad. In recent years, due to the ; hefty- visitation abroad Of Indus- tryites, including exhibitors, com- pany personnel and Hollywood lu-1 tninatfes, foreign reps—both American and nattves^-have been carrying an increased work load In efforts to entertain the visiting firemen. . Complaints from ibroad are be- ginning to sift back to the home- office international toppers relating to the number of visitors arriving in foreign countries armed with letters of introduction from Hew York Or Hollywood executives. The foreign reps have no beefs anent according the YlP treatment to legitimate visitors, such as news- papermen, company staffers, ex- hibitors and* Hollywood performers. The complaints stem from the in- creasing 'number of fringe people and individuals not connected with the industry who come supplied with the letters of Introductions. It is difficult to ascertain, according to the foreign reps, who is or who is not deserving of attention since the indUstryites abroad are not al- ways fully aware of the importance of an: individual in the United States/ Hence, anyone with a. let- ter from a Ur'S, film exec is usu- (Continued on page 63 ) N. Y. PhiUnurmomc Opener Newest Culture Item Up For Theatre Television Theatre tv, heretofore dominated by sports as a boxof Ace attraction, appears set for a whirl of long- hair fare coine this fall. In addition to the presentation of the opening night of the Metropolitan Opera under the auspices of Nate Hal- pem*s Theatre Network Television, theatres with closed-circuit instal- lations will be offered the opening performance of the New York Philharmonic direct from Carne- gie Hall, N. Y. Promoter of this event is Stadium Network Tele- vision, headed by Ed Dorfman, for- mer - executive of United World Films. Dorfman . is pitching his attrac- tion for Oct. 7 while the Halpern offering is set*for Nov. 8. Dorfman, Who has been working on his long- hair project for a. year, appears set to toll this fallv He has com- bis. arrangements with the Philharmonic and also ha! working wtfSgemrilts With Philadelphia and.Boston orchestras. Promoter is currently attempting to work up terms for presentation to exhibs. Halpern has the opera sewed up for three vyears and is working in conjunction with the Metropolitan Dpera Guild; which will' sponsor in. !: tia-Up. with a local cnarity^ Local’ groups are working (Continued bn page 08) Civic Distinction Superior, Wis., June 8. Certain cities of yore boasted they were “good show towns,” in that the people were spenders for tickets and applauded appreciatively. This burg now asserts a special claim to civic distinction: it is America's best theatre-pop-’ com town. Other towns sell two hags of popcorn per fivfc admissions but Superior has statistics proving' an average of four-five bags per five film- goers. One house, the Tower, flatly states it’s kept open only be- cause of popcorn profits and would otherwise close. 'Eurovision Bows, j Ushering in Era London, June 8. - First. Eurovision programs were received in London Sunday (6) with outstanding clarity, heralding an era of international, television. Afternoon transmission from Mon- treux featured the Narcissus Fes- tival. and evening program from Rome included a Vatican tour and an address by the Pope in four languages, concluding with an apostolic blessing. . Despite BBC warning Saturday that test- transmissions were un- satisfactory and the experiment may have to be abandoned, defini- tion frequently approached the quality of local telecasts, although there was occasional Instability in reception and a short picture breakdown from Montreux. Vatican transmission spanned 1,000 miles but picture quality was adequate, revealing in detail St. Peter’s murals. The Pope described the event as a symbol and prom- ise, adding that barriers and preju- (Continued on page 63) # . " Broadway Stage Angel Set as Pennsy Censor Pittsburgh, June 8. Mrs. Jewel Frank, Pittsburgh social and civic leader and also a songwriter who turned out “Go GOP,” which was sung extensive- ly at Republican convention in Chi- cago two years ago,, has been ap- pointed by Governor John S. Fine to the Pennsylvania BoSrd of Cen- sors. She replaces John Fisher, of Sharon,' whose term expired a, short time ago.: Post pays $3,000 a year. Mrs. Frank has alsa bought shares in many Broadway shows in associa- tion with Hi Hirsh, Pittsburgh lawyer, Hirsh is a 'power behind the throne in, the Fine- adtminis 1 - (ration/ By JO RANSON Brooklyn, itself suffering an in- feriority complex because nobody goes there nowadays except to see the Dodgers or relatives, has dreams of a “classed up” Coney Island in the next two or three years. Park Commissioner Robert Moses, has started throwing his weight (never to be underesti- mated) against the inhumanly con- gested beach which makes sanita- tion not a problem buf a nightmare. Meanwhile Coney has a $3,000,000 sewer system under way and also plans to cage the rowdies who have driven away the better middle class elements. As for the 1954 season now un- der way. Coney is marked by (a) a lady whale that’s fragrant (2) a new game, “One Ring. OVer” in which customers throw wooden rings over Coca Cola bottles and collect not coke but parakeets and (3) an extensive waxworks display of attempted assassinations of American statesmen by Puerto Rican terrorists. The Coca Cola bottles ,(Pepsi Cola, in this instance, doesn’t hit the spot) are part of a so-called game of skill which has swept the seaside amusement center. More than 35^ game operators are snar- ing nickels, and dimes and quarters from the perspiring pilgrims. Lucky peasants are paid off in parakeets or stuffed dolls. (Cans of coffee remain the choice prizes at the numerous roll-down game parlors dotting the alleys and other crannies of the spa.) „ The whale, known as Mrs. Haroy, who is a modest 75-feet long but smells to the stratosphere, is housed at Stillwell Avenue between Surf Avenue and the Bowery. She’s getting a whale of a play at two-bits (Continued on page 22) Posters, Anyone Since the release of the Judy Holliday film starrer, “It Should'Happen to You,’’ which treated of a dame who ex- ploited herself via billboards, some individuals and firms seem to have taken that form of personal advertising seri- ously. Latest manifestation ap- peared' last week on Broad- way, with & ^personal message to Lee 'Shewn, who strip- teases At the ;nearby Latin Quarter. :BUlbtoard read. “Lee SJmten^I dig you the most” and was signed-D. C. Recently, on another Broad- way corner, a large sign pro- claimed the virtues .of David Levy, “Ameria’s Number bne Salesman,” for a midwest mill. However, few have gone so far as A1 Berjile a few years . ago, when prior to his going into a vaudedate at the Roxy, * h£ bought time on WMOA to* biug himsMf. v ' * * - ‘Pass Book 9 Hits Germany Berlin, June 8. Big stir currently in Ger- many is a stunt called “Tag der Offenen Tuer” (Day of the Open Door). This is apparently a delayed German version of the American radio dodge known as the “Pass Book” which was heavily exploited in the U.S.; charge was usually $1 for the book of coupons, as against two marks (50c) lo- cally. c Here, as in the States, the passbook purports to admit bearer free to all sorts of the- atrical, sports and eating places. Lead to Boxoffice The film camera continues to re- place the gun as the prime weapon of “hunters” who wander into re- mote jungles of the world, Holly- wood’s desire for authentic action footage as well as the search of indie filmmakers, for pictures with exploitation value has led to un- usual explorations. In addition to the professionals on the hunt for “different” background footage, there is a growing army of ama- teurs who are returning from re- mote regions with documentary footage. The camera - is no longer un- known and film-men who venture into faraway places are no longer surprised when backwoods tribes offer to sell their services as ex- tras. In India recently, for exam- ple, associate producer Frank Fer- rin found the people of Mysore, a fairly remote region, anxious to follow in the footsteps of an illus- trious countryman, Sabu. The visit to Mysore resulted in “Sabaka,” a full-length feature which will be released b“ United Artists in August. Ferrin, associated with the Frank (Continued on page 10) NBC Scjts Sights On Mecca Pilgrimage Fix NBC is going to try fpr some- thing no one (from the Western world) has yet-been able 'to accom- plish—‘photograph a pilgrimage to to Mecca. . I , The network’s public affairs di- vision has assigned jrts stringer in Kurachl, Z. D. Barni, himself a Moslem, to join a pilgrimage, armed with camera and to get pic- tures of the Tomb olf Mohammed and the Kaaba Sanctuary. Only a few from the West, including Lawrence of Arabia, have ever seen them . . NBC isn’t flulte sure. Barni will ■bo able to gel a Way with it. •By ARTHUR BRONSON r The ’53-’54 legit season’s sock- eroo has been the musical, “Pajama Game,” which came into N. Y. at the tail end of the season, on May 13. In only its fourth week now, this musical is a sure bet to recoup, and before the autumn. Of the four or five musical plays this season, it probably will be the only one to pay off. And it will pay handsomely. Returns on it will be'Unusually quick. Show opened on a Thurs- day, and on the following Monday the first 10% return was mailed to investors. A second 10% was sent out last Thursday (3). As- suming that it will run at its pres- ent capacity pace—a. safe bet— show should pay off by its 18th ' week, which will be mid-Septem- ber. It can make between $12,000 and 0 $13,000 a Week. ' Reason for the show’s solid coin position and celerity of returns is fairly simple.- Show was budg- eted at $250,000, with 20% over- call, and came in for a little over, $180,000. It played a nine- show tryout week in New Haven, and three more in Boston, to ca- pacity, and instead of the usual road tryout losses, made about $6,500 profit. Management is tak- ing the bows on this. Producers are Frederick Bris- son, Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince. Brisson, Rosa- lind Russell’s husband, is from the Coast, and raised about two-thirds of the financing there. The other two raised the balance from small (Continued on page 60) People Want Solace And | Escape, Not Realistic Films Against Reds—Johnson World conditions and tension today are shaping audience tastes, says Nunnally Johnson, 20th direc- tor-writer, who graduated into the megging field with “Night People.” Discussing the latter film in N. Y. prior to leaving for the Coast yesterday (Tues.), Johnson ex- pressed disappointment over the reception of “Night People.” “It certainly isn’t the success it ought to be,” he commented. “I guess peQple just want escapist entertain- ment* They don’t want to hear any- thing about the political situation that-stares them in the face day- after-day out of the headlines." And he ac|ded with disgust: “I don’t even want to hear of a pic- ture again that has anything to do with Communism. I suppose the answer is religious films with a message of solaee and hope for the fhture.” Johnson has been in the East locating for “Black Widow,” a mur- der mystery with Ginger Rogers, Gene Tierney, Van Heflin, George Raft and Peggy Ann Garnet. He V (Continued on page 33)