Variety (September 1954)

r 4 PICTURES ‘Cane’ Again Boxoffice Champ, For Ang.; ‘Obsession’ <T1 • With grosses running $500,000 to- $700 weekly ahead of last year at the same time in 24 representative cities, the outstanding develop- ment in the boxoffice sweepstakes for August “was the increase in the number of high-grossing pix. This Is revealed in Variety’s monthly boxoffice survey, which shows that the first six films at the wickets grossed $660,000 or better each, with three of them in the $1,000,^ 000 class. Neither of the next two strongest dipped below $250,000 e ac {) “Caine Mutiny'* <CoD again 'fin- ished first, same as in July, accord- ing to reports from Variety cor- respondents, although not holding in No. 1 spot every week of the month. Pic now Is garnering the bulk of its coin from extended-run engagements. “Caine’’ bids fair to be Columbia’s biggest grosser in the current fiscal year. “Magnificent Obsession’’ (U) and “Living It Up” (Par) ran neck-and- neck most of the month, with “Ob- session” finally copping second po- sition. The fact that it wound up first one week, was second another one and neve* dipped below fifth, .of course, figured in this Tating. Al- though done previously as a pic, which generally, is a handicap to becoming a big grosser, opus baf- fled the most optimistic exhibs not only with smash opening sessions but also by its ability to hold up on extended-runs. “Living It Up,” latest Martin- Lewis comedy, also surprised by its b.o. take. Although not rated the comics’ best vehicle by many crix, the presence of Sheree North as an active, sexy member of the cast, was cited .by some theatre managers as being an added asset for the M&L team. Picture seems (Continued on page 19) Fabian Now Pitching For Girdles; Stretches Point 11 In Stockholders Report Upbeat industry report, coupled with a pitch for Playtex girdles is given by S. H. (Si) Fabian, prexy of Stanley Warner, in a brochure accompanying the company’s most recent dividend payment to stock- holders. ^ “The future outlook is promis-* Ing,” said Fabian, "for an imposing list of important pictures is being prepared for presentation, both in standard size and on the large screens.” He pointed out that box- office receipts are increasing “as the result of the favorable impact of the fine pictures in release” and that the studios “have adjusted themselves to the new conditions arising out of competition and technological changes.” Fabian also makes a pitch for Playtex products, which are manu- factured by the International Latex Corp., tj»e company which SW re- cently acquired as a subsidiary. A folder plugging Playtex girdles is enclosed and Fabian advises: “We suggest you read this folder, pass It on to your family and friends and get acquainted with the prod- ucts in your Playtex line.” CODE OF ETHICS FOR PRODUCERS IN WORKS Hollywood, Aug. 31. Screen Producers Guild and sev- en major companies in the Assn, of Motion Picture Producers Top 12 for August 1. “Caine Mutiny” (Col). 2. “Magnif Obsession” (U). 3. “Living It Up” (Par). 4. “Broken Lance” (20th). 5. “Cinerama” (Indie). 6. “Gone Wind” (M-Gj. 7. “Apache” CUA). 8. “Knock on Wood” (Par). 9. “Susan Slept” (RKO). 10. “Garden of Evil” (20th). 11. “Francis Wacs” (U). 12. “Ring of Fear” (WB). Despite lukewarm appraisal from some newspaper critics, "Living It Up” seenis assured of becoming the highest grossing Martin & Lewis comedy to date and one of Paramount’s big money pictures of this year. It now appears cer- tain of grossing $5,000,000 in the domestic market and may even reach $5,500,000, latter figure be- ing predicated on its ability to do comparably as well in smaller cities as it has done in major keys so far. “Living” is running well ahead of “Sailor Beware,” the biggest M&L pic to date, which had $4,- 700,000 domestic gross. Thus far the latest Martin & Lewis vehicle not only has run ahead of both “The Caddy” and “Money From Home,” two other big M&L films, but by surprisingly big margins. It has topped “Sailor Beware” busi- ness consistently in many spots. In some locations the picture has equalled other champ Par grossers. Sharp example of this is Utica, N. Y., where it hit $11,000 or about the same as “Greatest Show on Earth,” which played there with an upped scale. This compares with $6,800 done by “Caddy.” Another instance is Co- lumbus, O., where "Living” hit $13,700. This compares with $8,200 dene by “Caddy,” which had the benefit of personals by Martin & Lewis when it preemed there. In Pittsburgh, the film went to $22,000 and held over at the Penn. This was $7,000 ahead of “Caddy.” (Continued on page 31) FERN ANDRA TO RESUME GERMAN FILM SETUP Fern Andra, quondam film pro- ducer with, studios in . Germany during the prewar era, sailed for wiesbaden last Saturday (28) to in- vestigate the possibility of picking up where she left off. Tentatively inked for the setup are producer Jacques Revier, radio and tv scripter Helen Leighton and cameraman Pat Rich. Attempt will be made to un- earth properties (films, etc.) scat- tered during the conflict. Also due for exploration will be the possi- bility of issuing remakes on early Andra pix which pulled top Eu- ropean grosses in their day. Bill Zimmerman V.P. agreed to adopt a code of ethics relating to producers. Move had been under discussion for two years, Companies in the agreement are Columbia, Metro, Paramount, RKO, 20th-Fox. UI and Warners. Code provides that producers get proper credit for their films and also establishes a permanent com- mittee to solve problems arising between the two factions. Agreement was announced at a luncheon attended by Arthur Freed, Sam Briskin, Sam Engel and Arthur Horn blow Jr., repre- senting SPG; and Y. Frank Free- man, B. B. Kahane, E. J* Mannix, Lew Schreiber, C. J. Tevlin, Mor- ns Weiner, Elliott Witt, Charles Boren, Maurice Benjamin and Mendel Silberbcrg for AMPP. j Of William Zimmerman, attor associated with the N. Y. firm Leon, Weill & Mahony, yester <Tues.) was elected a v.p. of , newly formed Gregory-Goldn ■ Enterprises, Inc. Stage and scri j production company is headed ■ William Goldman, Philadelp ■ theatreowner, as president j , Paul Gregory as production v.p ; Zimmerman had a major role bringing Goldman and the p ducer together in the outfit. Urn the personnel setup, he’ll part pate in. overall policy and day day business activities. Gordon (Tubby) Y o u n g m i Coast attorney, will be active G-G’s production legalistics. Rooney Suit Settl U Los Angeles; Auf. 31. Mickey Rooney’s $30,000 suit against Gayman Productions was settled out of court for an tindis- • closed sum. Rooneys’ attordly said the settlement was “very agreeable/’ Suit involved a proposed film, “45 minutes to Broadway," for Which Gayman hired Rooney but failed to go through with the deal. *" 1 ■ 1 1 Aims to Crash U.S. Market With Tream-of-Crop’ Fix Productions From O’Seas • Combined European effort to crash the U. S. market via “cream- of-the-crop” productions is to be launched this fall via Jean Gold- wurm, foreign film distributor and also an exhibitor. Returned from a lengthy Euro- pean jaunt, Goldwurm said last week that he was in the advanced stages of negotiation with produc-1 ers in France, Italy and Britain for their top product. He’ll have a financial interest in most of the films. Goldwurm *said he figured on about six films a year—two from each country—and that they may be'channeled either through his Times Films outfit or via a new company. Intention is to sell these pix as the best available from fcach country. There’s a possibility that some may he dubbed. Goldwurm, who owns four houses, among them the Little Carnegie and World, in N. Y., said he was very encouraged by what he had seen in France. “They want to make French pictures,” he said, “not watered^down versions of Hollywood films.” In Goid- wurm’s view, the Italians were on the right track, but got off it when they started copying Holly wood, in order to gain an entry into the U- S. market. “That’s. the Worst mistake they could possibly have made,” Goldwurm opined. He thought that the U. S. so far hadn’t been properly exploited for foreign films. “If you present, them (Continued on page 85) HALO PIX BIZ EXECS IN N.Y. FOR ONCEOVERS Threeltalian execs with past and present show biz affiliation arrived yesterday (Tues.) in N. Y. from Italy aboard the liner Cristofo Co- lombo. They are Dr. Giulio An- dreotti, former Italian Under- secretary of State and an impor? tant figure at the time Italian. Films Export was set up in 1951 via a 12V2% levy on U. S. film earnings in Italy; Comm. Italo. Gemini, honorary president of the Italian General Assn, of Show Bus- iness, and Dr. Vinicio Delleani, general manager of Rome’s Cine- citta studios. Andreotti, currently without a post, was in the cabinet of the late Alcide de Gasperi and functioned as the government’s advisor on the Italian .pic biz at a time when that industry was emerging from War- time confusion. Gemini, apart from topping a distribution outfit, heads up the Italian exhibs. Next month, Eitel Monaco, head of Italy’s all-industry org, and Renato Gualino, iFE general man- ager and producers’ group topper, are due in the U. S. for talks with the Motion Picture Export Assn, on American membership in ANICA, Monaco’s outfit. They’ll also study IFE operations. . Peck‘Left Hand’Lead Hollywood, Aug. 31. Gregory Peck is reported set as lead of 20th-Fox’s “Left Hand of God;” Producer Buddy Adler skied to Paris Monday *'( 30) for confab with Darryl Zanuck, Peck and Ed- ward-Dmytryk on the project. Dmytryk is megging the film, which rolls in November. N. Y. to Europe Claudio Arrau Steve Broidy Charles Coliingwood Louis De Rochemont C .Robert Fine Miriam Laserson Tom O’Brien Terry O’Neill Anna Russell Lou Schreiber Mike Todd Rudy Vallee Dino Yannopoulos Wednesday^ September 1, 1954 Krim Pouring Arthur Krim, president of United Artists, will do the pouring for tradepress reps at his N. Y. home next Wednes- day (8). He states he’ll have no announcements to make, just wants to have a friendly get- together via the cocktailery. Krim shortly after will em- bark on a tour of the Far East, accompanied by Arnold Pick-* er, UA’s foreign department v.p: 85% IATSE Jobs - Highest Since 48; Hollywood,. Aug. 3F.. Pickup in major pix production, plus tremendous assist from tv, has given International Assn, of Thea- trical Stage Employees crafts an overall 85% employment figure or better, highest since 1948. Situa- tion is so rosy that some unions aire even looking for help,. particu- larly in backlot crafts, IATSE international veepee Carl Cooper said Monday (30) that among film editors, camermen and soundmen, the job figure is 98% or more; costumers have 80 to 85% employment, and stagehands in live tv are all employed, their sit- uation best in 25 years.: Cooper explained that during | bad years of 1950-51 many workers among backlot, grips and props, who dropped out, now hesitate to leave regular jobs and return to show biz. This is especially true among backlot workers. “I feel that with studios making bigger and better pictures, with more and more tv shows going to film, and with live tv keeping up pace, the figure'on overall employ- ment may go even higher,” said Cooper. He sees possibility of the shortage developing in some crafts, such as backlot. He says most mem- bers formerly in pix prefer work- ing in tv, since they’re assured of continuity of employment with a video show. “Material and labor are so high, it pays studios to do outside lo- cation work, and basically that’s why so many pictures are being (Continued on page 85) SCHN0Z EMCEES LUNCH TO FETE H’WOOD UPBEAT Hollywood, Aug. 31. First of a series of “special events celebrating the revitalized film industry” was" held yesterday by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, with Jimmy Durante functioning as emcee. Before the luncheoh at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Ed- mund Purdom, star of 20th-Fox’s “The Egyptian,” was footprinted in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Footprinters of past and present attended the af- fair. Europe to N. Y, Maurice A. Bergman Sidney L. Bernstein George H. Bookbinder Geraldine Brooks Marlene Dietrich Ed Fitzgerald Hope Hampton Herman King Robert E. Kintner . William Levy Joseph L. Mankiewicz George R. Marek Leonide Massine Joseph Meyer Joseph H. Moskowitz Marie Powers Gregory Ratoff Casey Robinson Robert E. Sherwood Syd Silverman : Murray Sllverstone William Sloane Gloria Stroock Richard Todd Pat Unger Monty Woolley Comparatively slow expansion of Cinemascope abroad is seen speed- ing the release there of standard versions of C'Scppe pix. While none of the companies are on record as being flatly opposed to the release of 2-D versions of ’Scope films, they’ve also shown no inclination whatever to make pix available in that form. “Reasoning is, of course, that-this would af- fect the drawing power of the Cinemascope, films. Situation is gradually changing, however, with (1), the acceptance of C’Scope by the public and (2), the comparatively small number of C’Scope-equipped theatres abroad. It’s particularly pressing for 20th- Fox, which is committed to a full C’Scope sked and has no major 2-D pix for distribution apart from those it might take on locally or from U. S. indies. Foreign topper of one of the ma- jor companies' this * Wiefck stated flatly that his outfit intended to offer foreign exhibs their choice of 2-D or Cinemascope versions.\“We owe that to our. customers,” he said. “They have the right to get the product.” Such a policy is. based on the assumption that Cine- mascope no longer performs b.o. miracles abroad. If one or several distribs adopt such a sales policy in the: foreign market, it is certain to have rever- berations in the U. S. The same was true when Metro switched to Perspecta Sound abroad. Soon after, 20th modified its . C’Scope sound policy in the U. S., too. Position of 20th on the question of standard versions isn’t clear. The company still has a backlog tContinued on page 80) . Status Quo Seen Behind Allied’s Group Ins. Nix Fear of upsetting the status quo in labor relations, particularly in the smalltown non-union situa- tions, is seen behind Allied States Assn.V nix of the Council of Mo- tion Picture Organizations’, pro- posed group insurance plan. The fight against the COMPO plan at Allied’s board meeting at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va„ last week was led by the smalltown ops. The staunchness of the opposition came as a surprise to some Allied lead- ers who had previously indicated support for the plan. The anti-plan advocates ex- pressed fear that the group insur- ance idea .might lead to a drive toward unionization in areas which for many years have operated free- ly. In addition, ops of union houses pointed out that group insurance might be interpreted as a sign of good business, leading to wage hike demands by employees. Although COMPO is making every effort to get Allied to recon- sider, it is doubted that the exhib org will make the move, basing its action on the strong dissent shown by several board members. L. A. to N. Y. William Alland Don Ameche Irving Berlin Ernest Borgnine Dihann Carroll Billy Daniels Richard Davalos Steve Dohanos Nanette Fabray Nma Foch Doane Harrison Harold Hecht y • Eleanor Holm Kim Hunter Eric Johnston Dr, Herbert Kalmut Saul Krieg Irving H. Levin E. R. (Ted) Lewis Lee Marvin Arnold Moss Otto Preminger Joan Shawlee Spencer Tracy Billy Wilder Harold Wirthweln Frank Worth N. Y. to L. A. Doris Barry Carroll Carroll Alicia Markova Milorad Miskovlch James A. Mulvey