Variety (December 1954)

f T " * Wednesday D«c«mber 8, 1934 PfiBiTFr pittrtttfes UA GROOMS YOUNG PRODUCERS Levy-Schimel Finalizing 'Wide Areas Of Agreement’ on Arbitration Plan SEES BIG FUTURE FOR TYRO TALENT What’s With Hal Malelim Plan? 3d Sales Boss Now Moves In Many changes in the plans and personnel of the Hal R. Makelim organization has theatrenien won- The exhibitor-distributor sub- ♦ — [ 1 * — ■ - ■ 1 • — ♦ Many changes in the plans and committee on arbitration is ready cv._ i_ n r „J Dn r , iw»ncSnw United Artists is taking an in- »•„v u_ _i_* „ f ;„ Allrk personnel of the Hal R. Makelim to study a draft *“on the wide rrMIK rSraCien dFCUSinjf creasingly active role in the devel- MOCIftir S UOOking LlIlPUp organization has theatrenien won- areas of agreement.” Following a Martin-Lewis’ Next Pic °P ment of producers to the extent For ROXV New York Citv (,eiin 8 whether the producer will meeting in New York on Monday , n „ „ . i that newcomers without actual pro- ... .. , OAl , ,, ,, lever get off the ground with his < (5 >, the committee authorized nlf 6 !',,.! ,m S * r Zii .° r ‘ ,uction experience are being Nevv l ineup °f 20 th ’ 1, | so-called exhibitor guarantee plan. Herman M. Levy, Theatre Owners R in 8|»ng Bros. Bainum & Bailey, handed full financial backing plus p u cop f 1 h f s Vv^n- 4 14 V The P ,an - officially backed by of America general counsel, and ’„ S f n a distribution deal. Policy calls tbe Boxy 1 hea il„' jfj. 111 ,’ ! Allied States Assn., was first pro- Adolph Schimel, Universal’s gen- on * oanout. H° s going to j the abecedarians to turn out M° (lair > managing dmctoi ot mulgated last April 6. It provided icumpii ijnuuiv., " urnrk on ihp namnaipn fnr “Thrpp .. . . . hmicn rpnnrtpH nnnn rolin-n 1o .. . . * .. j A 1 11 1)11 l) 1111111 Cl 1 CllllTViOUi 0 AVii I , * • g* . , l Ul IIIV U V. v UU1 1 1 1 1 l IV# llllll UU1 , . , , iuviip,Mivu »mu|i #»!»••• w. — - A oral counsel, to reduce to "final p? r p!?5» ca ^ a ^ a « 7 ”,ff r _ J j ree product "at a price,” that is. at ^Ported U, 1 0I \ 1 n e . lu f , , , 1 h(1 ! 1 ° j for exhibitors to sign in advance writing” the subjects on which .^ lng 9* tU r\’ y al Bs produc- un elaborate cost levels. Aimed Gotham trom the National llua- for a lota i 0 f 12 pictures which agreement had been reached. Pair t lf) ”. VVlt n.P ean ,Martin an d J^’ry j f or are commensurately modest tr ?L? on /? re J? ce J n L,A ; , .. C i, • i Makelim said he would deliver at were also instructed to submit a Other c^cus flacks will be pro fjt s while the tyros are being There s No Business Like Shi u tbe rate 0 f one a month. There conciliation plan. hiied foi field piomotion, accord-, g r0 omed for the bigtime. In part. Business is the holiday pic, to hi were to be 2,500 charter members Both the arbitration draft and lng . . . . it's UA’s way of building important * o1 Bowed by The Bacers, Un- W , 1Q would receive the Makelim the conciliation plan will be sub- . B X aden „ r . tbc ^ special promotioni{ pro ducer alignments for the future. j j' Ma . n / S., 1 .,,’ pix at flat rentals and then would mitted to the full exhib-distrib * 01 H, on Greatest Show on Earth , Company wants to maintain a Daddy Long Legs a,u * 1 10 share in the profits from additional conciliation plan. Both the arbitration draft and the conciliation plan will be sub- mitted to the full exhib-distrib subcommittee on Jan. 17 for ap- proval. The original purpose of Monday’s meeting was to iron out differences on the subject of damages. However, the official handout, via the Motion Picture Assn, of America, made no men- tion of any decision on this matter. The wording of “wide areas of agreement” leads to the supposi- tion that there’s still not complete harmony on all arbitrable topics. "Both sides expressed satisfaction with the great progress made” at the meeting, according to the MPA A. ■ from such established operators as I ■ I 1 J J Stanley Kramer. Ilecht-Lancaster, I QfpV lYir llffPri Robert Rossen. Joseph Mankiewicz, l^lllvA IllvlUl|vU} Anatole Litvak, etc. This is the major-program. The producer- O ■ 1 III talent development is an aside to it. XfOTlIpi/ W Q If tip If It was under this company policy UlUlllLJ TV CM 11C1 that Samuel Goldwyn Jr. was signed by UA last week. During M ■ (M HHtl 1AA a Coast visit. UA v.p. Max E. Young- IiJPiQ \ I / /II 11|lI stein was advised of young Gold- ilvlO vlyl I vjJLvl/ wyn’s desire to segue into indie ; production, after a number of Stanley Warner Corp. racked up months in the telepix field. Young- Although a Makelim associate 11 $ I\ • ■ recently stated that the producer p |||f Afip C 1 flfll had all the money necessary to LlUl UJIL 011 1111 make the first three pictures, it is known that Makelim approached HI fl • {Allied leaders Trueman Rembusch \llA|f|0(Tp KPUMT and Horace Adams to invest in his kJHUl lU^v LH/I112£ company. Speculation is that i Makelim is employing the signed 11 ■ 1 AAil contracts to obtain bank financing KpOr hy /Ltn for the pictures, but that the banks ULCll Uj uvlll are not going for the idea as ex- 1 pected. Feeling is they’re not in- installation of magnetic striping terested in playdates, but what a net profit of $1,770,100 for the stein was convinced that Goldwyn | and recording equipment in dub- first money is available. fiscal year ended Aug. 28, 1954. had a few story properties of ap- j bing studios abroad along with the , Allied has thoroughly investl- Attending the confab were S. fiscal year ended Aug. 28, 1954. had a tew story properties ot ap- j bing studios abroad along wnn me , Allied has thoroughly investi- H i Si > Fabian, Mitchell Wolfson, Total was determined after the de- parently worthwhile potential and addition of a striping machine at gated Makelim and has found his Max Cohen Leo Brecher and duction of $3,476,400 for deprecia- (Continued on page 16) the DeLuxe Laboratories, N. Y.. reputation and integrity of high 1 * * I A. S -1 - A • _ A. * BAc AAA i i ' til tiff 1 « m • • It • t Levy from exhibition; and Abe Uon and amortization, $1,725,000 Montague. Charles Reagan. Wil- for Federal income taxes, and liam Gehring, Robert Perkins. $100,000 for contingencies. The Austin C. Keough, ifnd Schimel P rofi t »s equivalent to 80c per from distribution. share on the 2,218,520 shares of common stock outstanding. In- cluded in the overall profit is a Milestone’s ‘The Widow’ fst.s o£ $74 000 ,rom sales o£ fixod rn j • j. I Since this is the company’s first uut ot runas in Italy: I full fiscal year of operation since Hyman Breathes Hard for RKO are seen qs important steps in calibre. "He had a failure,” said breaking 20th-Fox print bottle- an Allied leader, “but he paid all neck abroad. his debts.” Makelim’s failure to Milestone’s ‘The Widow’ S, o£ $7400 ° £rom sales of fixod tlarfl I Of KMJ {£ Ai /P J • lil Since this is the company’s first , ,,, .. A . work had to be done there. Uut Ot funds in Italy: full fiscal year of operation since Ell0t Hyman, tv film distributor striping and recording equip , , .j 1 it took over the theatre assets of anc ^ partner in Moulin Produc- rnenl is now in French and Gcr- hnishpfl Ha f-Ffllted Warner Bros, on March 1. 1953, no tion s, continues in pursuit of RKO man studios and will be installed * comparison is made with the profit Radio but now there s been a soon in Italy, too. This will en- Faced with a lack of funds, the 0 f the previous year when the double-pronged switch. Howard able 20th to send "silent” prints Italo-American coproduction "The company was operated by WB. Hughes appears to be showing in- to these countries. Dubbed-in One of the main difficulties to I start production is not causing date has been the limited avail- undue concern among Alliedites. ability of striping and sound-trans- Many members of the exhib org fer machinery, with 20th’s Coast did not favor the plan and only studio carrying the brunt of the gave it "lip service” to go along work since all the foreign print with the organization's leaders, work had to be done there. ! As one dissident put it: "Even if it Striping and recording equip flops, it will have served a useful Widow." completed and half-cut. However, the annual report to terest in selling out and the First sound will be added there, has been temporarily abandoned, stockholders notes that the com- National Bank of Boston is in the j n N. Y. last week, Darryl F. Gene Milford, film editor, reported pany’s first accounting period, the picture. Zanuck. 20th v. p. in charge of in N Y. Monday (6i on his return 26-week stanza ended Aug. 29, What was described as a meet- production, reported a “severe" from Rome. i loss should a rnn«nHHatPd loss i ing of major importance on the nrint shortage in Britain. He said Pic stars Patricia Roc. Akim 1953. showed a consolidated loss . ing of major importance on the I pr int shortage in Britain. He said of $970,000 of which $649,800 was matter took place in N. Y. this 120th and Eastman Kodak were ~ . ..... . tit. a 1 ..4 a 1 i.i 1 1 1 . ! „a _ 1 .. Tamirofr, Anna Maria Ferraro and due to the sale of theatres and week with the participants, along working hard to arrive at a solu Maxaifio Serrata. It was directed other properties. with Hyman, including Serge Se- tion. One of the possibilities, he corporaVion bu^stVll Is "not" tioning by Lewis Milestone. Producer was j n the report, SW prexy S. H. menecko. as First of Boston s rep. said, was the manufacture of a on whether he - d liko to take a d il John Nasht. with Venturini the (Si Fabian pointed up the com- and Greg Bautzer. Coast attorney perfect dupe negative which could ! rect hand in Co j. s afTairs In NY Italian partner who went bankrupt, pany’s "sound financial position.” who sat in in Hughes’ behalf. then be sent to the British Tech- this week M artin queried as to Milford said the production team noting current assets (as of Aug. 28. If there’s to be a firm deal, basis nicolor plant for processing. whether he’s aiming for a scat on had a commitment for two with -54) 0 f $25,835,300 and current lia- of it would be a payoff of $24,000,- It’s understood that, even though the board of directors u trr j ed lh ll . RKO. one of wtiich—"Cartouche” bilities of $11,846,400. The cash 000 to Hughes, presumably on a work on this project is well ad- suc . h a s t hasn - t been offered to —had been delivered. The second, amounted to $12,206,100 which long-term basis. vanced, it may well take another titled “The Sinners,” has been de- Fabian stressed "was in excess of Hyman’s aim is to nab the RKO year before a quality dupe nega- Lale last week the Court f A layed by lack of funds. It was due a n current liabilities.” All proper- library for tv licensing and the tive can be achieved. Meanwhile. , s in Albany upheld N Y State for location lensijig in Egypt. ties, Fabian said, were free of company’s new product for theat- Zanuck is also toying with the idea SuDreme Court and A DDel’late Divi Trouble with Italo production is (Continued on page 20) rical release. (Continued on page 6) si() ‘ n rulin ,, s giving Martin the (Continued on page 20) Lester Martin Scores; Enigmatic on His Goal Within Col Management Lester Martin, minority Colum- bia stockholder, scored another round in his court bout with the by Lew is Milestone. Producer was j j n the report, SW prexy S. II. Trouble with Italo production is the haphazard way in which films • are being shot, with no one worry- ing about dialog synchronization, Milford, who cut “On the Water- front.” opined. He said Italian di- rectors were sloppy in running their show, with actors throwing out careless lines which later have to be rectified via dubbing. "It’s never very satisfactory,’ he added. At the same time, Milford noted great enthusiasm among Italian film folk. "The atmosphere some- what resembles Hollywood in the early and middle thirties,” he found. LOUIS WOLFSON’S STAKE IN ‘LONG JOHN SILVER’ Louis Wolfson, Florida theatre- owner and transit financier who’s been engaging in the Montgomery Ward stock battle, has a stake in “Long John Silver,” which Joseph Kaufman produced for Distribu- tors Corp. of America. Kaufman, 20th-Fox and DCA are other fiscal participants. Film’s “first" money, amounting to $250,000, was put up by 20th. Company has Eastern Hemisphere rights and will recoup from the distribution coin abroad. Wolfson and DCA contributed $235,000 each and Kaufman ante’d $50,000. It slacks up as unusual pic fi- nancing in that no banking sources were tapped for any part of the production fund. The $770,000 Loin Wolfson. 20th. 3CA and | Kaufman represents tt» negative j cost. 1 (Continued on page 6) OUT SOON! The 49th Anniversary Number Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail Special exploitation advantages Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office NEW YORK 36 154 W. 46th St. HOLLYWOOD 28 6311 Yucca St. CHICAGO 11 612 N. Michigan Avt. LONDON, W. C. 2 • St. Martin's Placa Trafalgar Squar* sion rulings giving Martin the right to inspect Coi’s books. The dissident’s action was based on the allegation that Col management wasn’t doing right by the stock- holders. Martin said he now controls 60,- 000 shares, a sizable block since Col's total outstanding shares as of (Continued on ^age 16) TURNER SHELTON VICE ANDY SMITH WITH USA Washington. Dec. 7. Andrew W. Smith Jr. has bowed out as chief of the Motion Picture Service of the U. S. Information Agency, having completed his one- year term in office. Formerly sales v.p. of 20th-Fox, the exec in- tends to segue back to private en- terprise, perhaps the picture busi- ness again. New head of the film division Is Turner B. Shelton, heretofore as- sistant to Smith. Jack S. Connolly continues as chief of domestic pro- duction, including newsreels and special events. Shelton at one time was aide to the late Carter Barron, Loews Theatres division manager and Metro’s liaison with official Wash- ington. He has been an associate director of the Treasury Dept., produced shorts in California, and was a production advisor to the* State Dept. Named assistant to Shelton is Anthony Guraco. formerly chief administration officer of the Office of War lnformaton.