Variety (December 1954)

4 *' PICTURES '■ i 1 Global Remittances in 1954 Held Own Sans Windfalls; Johnston Clarifies Picture Although Eric Johnston, Motion* Picture Export Assn, prexy,, said in N.Y. last week (10) that the theoretical net foreign revenue of the American film cotnpanies in 1954 was about $210,000,000—same as in 1953—the figure actually is deceptive in that it implies a gain of between 10% and 15% in actual earnings abroad during the past year. Conceding that, in the absence of statistical data, he was “guess- ing,” Johnston said the theoretical N.Y. share from abroad, ineluding Canada, was $210,000,000 and ac- tual N.Y. remittances ran to be- tween $170,000,000 and $175,000,- 000. The $210,000,000 figure constitutes coin available after ex- penses. Some of it was indirectly remitted via investment in produc- tion etc. On the basis of actual earnings, including fixed remittances and period compensation deals, the ] MPEA companies in 1953 ran up a N.Y. share of about $188,000,000 including Canada. The difference between that figure and the $210,- 000,000 quoted by Johnston was made up for by a series of "wind- fall” remittances, constituting earnings blocked over a period of years. Windfalls of 1953 In all, the 1953 “windfalls” amounted fo approximately $28,- 000,000, including some $12,000,- 000 from Brazil. $5,000,000 from France, $10,000,000 from Japan, (Continued on page 20) Western Nations’ Staffers Get Regular Bids To U.S. Films in Moscow Claremont, N. H., Dec. 14. Americans see motion pictures in Moscow more often than out- siders from other western nations, according to Staff Sgt. Frank E. Echols, who has been visiting his home here after spending nearly a year in the Soviet capital as a security guard at the United States Embassy. He reported that American ' House, near the Embassy, has films, \ a bar and dance hall, with nightly 1 film shows for Americans and thrice weekly programs for other westerners. Echols said Moscow theatres show no American prod- uct and that Russian television shows are dull, usually featuring operas and concerts, plus Red i propaganda. Arthur Shutters St. Louis House, Blaines ‘Shortage’ JOth-fou Story Editor Henry Klinger it *f Hm opinio* that no mattor Hto yoar or goor, The Story’s Always The Thing (Crrdit: Shakrtprare) • * * another editorial featuro in the forthcoming 49th Anniversary Number of . l^-RIETY OUT SOOX Foreign Data Skimpy, Johnston Concedes, And Improvement Dubious Eric Johnston, Motion Picture Export Assn, prexy, sees a great need for more statistical data on the industry. However, he believes present prospects for obtaining them are dim. Asked in N.Y. last week for facts and figures on the foreign and do- mestic earnings picture, the MPEA topper acknowledged that, like everyone else, he was in the dark. Such figures as he had, he said, were “wild guesses.” Johnston agreed that, in seeking the pertinent information, MPEA was blocked by the twin problem of legal complications and the companies’ own hesitancy to di- vulge income data. The Motion Picture Assn, of America at one Now ‘Cyclotrons’ Joins Parade Of Innovations Cyclotrona joins the list of new widescreen film processes this week. It’s a new photographic and projection technique providing a camera range of more than 146 de- grees and using a single camera with standard 35m film. New proc- ess is the invention of Frank Cald- well, independent producer and director. Caldwell is currently in New York to set up the business struc- ture for the exploitation of the new process. The company will be known as Cyclotrona, Inc. Involved with Caldwell in the project is Fred D. Gearhart Jr., a Wall St. broker who was connected with the financing and organization of Cinerama Inc. System, according to a spokes- man, allow-s for three frames of standard 35m film to run horizon- tally through a single camera. The exposed area is 75m in length, or 16 perforations of standard 35m film. It’s said that the new process would be suitable for any theatre following '‘minor” changes in the theatre architecture and the seat- ing arrangement. Cost factors have not been determined yet and equipment won’t be ready for an- other year. Rathvon’s German-Made Feature to Columbia Columbia Pictures has acquired worldwide distribution rights for the N. Peter Rathvon pic, “Special Delivery” (formerly “Embassy Baby”). Film, in which Col has a cut, stars Joseph Cotten and is lensing in Germany. Scribe Producing Hope St. Louis. Dec. 14. Blaming a shortage of new films, Fanchon & Marco last week- shut- tered its 3.500 seater Missouri, in midtown, for an indefinite period. Edward B. Arthur, gen. mgr. of F&M, said the house will be made available on a rental basis to or- ganizations and groups for meet- ings and programs and to touring attractions. Arthur said that with fewer films being produced it has been found impossible to obtain suf- ficient production for the three large theatres in the same neigh- borhood. The other houses are the St. Louis, a 4,000 seater and the Fox, with 5.000 seats and the largest seating capacity of any flicker houses in the burg. Both are operated by F&M and the St. Louis Amusement Co., a F&M sub- sidiary. The Missouri has been operating on a split week policy for the past several months with many of the films being revived. Screening War Films For Fear of Jap Sensitivities Motion Picture Export Assn, has a committee all ready to screen Hollywood war pix exports to Japan, but there haven't been any films for it to review. Five-man group, made up en- tirely of MPEA staffers, was set up in the face of State Dfcpt. and in- dustry concern over the possible negative effects of American war films being sent to Japan. It had originally been planned to include in the review team a number of unbiased outsiders. However, that idea was abandoned. Issue of Japanese reaction vs. war pix arose when Warner Bros, preemed “Task Force” in Tokyo. A Japanese producer, visiting in N. Y. recently, said Japanese audi- ences appeared to like the Ameri- can war films and seemed to show no resentment whatever about them. Harry Mersay, 20th-Fox print department manager, marking his 27th anni with the company. i . time had a research bureau under Robert Chambers which did a thorough nosecount of U.S. thea- tres. The office was later dissolved. In citing his estimates of the in- dustry’s foreign income, Johnston said it was difficult to establish without company cooperation. Fig- ures he cited, for instance, were based on official remittance rates. “We rarely get those,” he quipped. SIX DISNEY CARTOONS FOR RKO IN C’SCOPE Six Walt Disney cartoons on the RKO releasing lineup for 1955 will be in Cinemascope. However, sub- sequent to the playoff of the C’Scop version, the animated shorts will be made available in standard format. First of the six is “No Hunting,” Donald Duck entry, which has a Jan. 14 release date. Disney is continuing to distrib- ute cartoon shorts through RKO although his features are now go- ing through Buena Vista. TAUROG ON KID KICK Picks Nine-Year-Old Boy and a Story To Match Him Hollywood, Dec. 14. Norman Taurog, whose direction of “Skippy” won him an Oscar, thinks now is the time to develop child stars and start a new cycle of kid pictures. With that end in view, he is negotiating for a book about a small boy and his father, and has picked out the boy, nine- year-old Richard Eyer, currently in “The Desperate Hours” at Para- mount. “Basically,” Taurog explained, “there is no change between now and 20 years ago as far as family- type entertainment is concerned. There is always room for family pix, and what is better for mass family appeal than kid pix? Today there’s a brand new generation of kids, both for the screen and the boxoffice.” Hollyw’ood. Dec. 14. Scribe Productions, headed by Jack Rose and Melville Shavelson, closed a deal with Hope Enter- prises to produce three Bob Hope starrers for Paramount release during the next five years. This is the same sort of deal under which the two companies co- produced Hope’s “The Seven Little Foys” in association with Para- mount. In the three future films Rose and Shavelson will write, di- rect and produce. Calls On Japanese Emperor While visiting in Tokyo last week, Eric Johnston had an hour’s audience with Emperor Hirohito, the first American film man to come to the Palace. Johnston presented the Emperor with two documentaries on marine life and with a rare jelly-fish encased in clear plastic. Hirohito is greatly interested in these subjects. The Motion Picture Export Assn, prez told in N.Y. last week how he was the only visitor to see the Emperor without the tradi- tional striped-pants and cutaway outfit. “1 just didn’t have any along,” he explained. Wednesday, December 15, 1954 Skouras Dossiers Theatre-TV Events Twentieth-Fox is keeping close tab on developments in the closed- circuit theatre tv field. Company’s interest, of course, is prompted by its investment in Eidophor, the Swiss-developed large screen color tv unit. Prexy Spyros Skouras had pushed Eidophor two years ago, but shelved it temporarily in favor of Cinemascope. Latter was seen as a more immediate need to resurrect interest in filmgoing. Skouras has longrange plans for Eidophor. The 20th topper feels that when another lull threatens the picture business, large screen color tv may be the thing to arouse the b.o. As a result, 20th is receiving detailed reports of just what’s happening in the theatre tv field, from programming to equipment. Every time there’s a closed-circuit entertainment event, local 20th branch managers clock the theatres and report fully to the home office on the general reaction to the presentation. When the time comes to advance, Skouras will have the experience of others at his fingertips and have a good idea how to move into the closed- circuit field. 20th has never officially stated whether its interest will be merely in providing the large screen color equipment or if it will include the production of special programs as well. Yanks Scent ‘Cartel’ in Italy’s Scheme for European Film Pool Todd Sets British Plans, Promises Early Showing Of His System in London London, Dec. 14. Plans for the launching of two major productions in the Todd A-O process were being developed in London last week by Michael Todd and Phil Reisman. They are due to return to New* York tonight (Tues.) but will come back here early in the New Year for an ex- tended stay. Two projects are an adaptation of Jules Verne’s “Around The World In 80 Days,” which starts location lensing next March with Carol Reed as director, to be fol- lowed later in the year by a filmiza- tion of “War & Peace.” The first project is budgeted at around $3,500,000 and the Tolstoy classic is likely to involve an investment of about $7,500,000. Before leaving on a quickie for Rome and Belgrade last week, Todd told Variety that they in- tended to establish a full-scale or- ganization in Britain in the New Year and appointments would be made as quickly as possible. He was already on the prowl for suit- able town offices and was also negotiating for studio facilities. He hoped to be able to arrange an early demonstration for the British industry and press of the Todd A-O process and was also planning for “Oklahoma” to be brought to London as soon as possible after its Broadway open- ing. He anticipated it would preem in New York towards the end of March and w’ould be brought to London a few weeks later. As an immediate target he envisaged that about 15 theatres would be re- tooled to show “Oklahoma” in the Todd A-O system, as against the 50 theatres planned in America. Similar arrangements were also being made for the continent. N. Y. to Europe Mitchell Benson Sidney Bernstein Stanley Goldsmith Gaston Hakim Henry Henigson Alfred Hitchcock Herbert Jacoby Elkan Kaufman Arthur Lesser George Lourou William Primrose Peter Riethof Ciro Rimac Robert C. Schnitzer David Whitfield Europe to N.Y. Sonia Arova John Byram Paul Vincent Carroll Alfred Crown Merriman Holtz Jr. Edward Kook Paul N. Lazarus Jr. Irvin Marks A1 Martino Rodney Millington Guy Mitchell Elliot Nugent Ethel Linder Reiner Joseph Szigeti Mai Zetterling ♦ Proposal for the formation of a European Film Pool, originating with ANICA, the Italian industry organization, was noted with con- cern by film industry execs in N. Y. last week. It was recalled that last time this idea came up it was within the framework of the International Federation of Film Producers Assns. The Americans at that time threatened to ankle the outfit if the project went through. Observers in N. Y. now feel that the pool idea has been revived outside the scope of the Federa- tion so as to circumvent American criticism. Motion Picture Export Assn, prexy Eric Johnston has taken the position that any such pool, at least as originally pro- posed, constituted a cartel arrange- ment and that, under American law, the MPEA could and would not be part of it. Additionally, Johnston, a firm supporter of freely competitive trading, feels that any pool setup was bound to involve restrictive features. In springing the sur- prise new's of the pool study dur- ing an American Chamber of Com- merce speech in Rome, Eitel Mo- naco, ANICA prexy, went out of his way to stress that this was not an anti-Yank move. He said the arrangement would allow for continued coproduction. However, he noted—and this didn’t get much Italian press attention— that there had been comparatively little coproduction on the part of the major U. S. companies. Agreement to establish a coordl- (Continued on page 20) L. A. to N. Y. Dana Andrews Cleveland Amory Myer P. Beck Sid Blumenstock Walter Campbell Burt Champion Harry Cohn Dan Dailey Olivia De Havilland Sidney Deneau Howard Dietz Nina Foch Joe Glaser Dolores Gray James Lipton Virginia Mayo Myron McCormick Norman Moray Sam Nathanson E. K. O’Shea Frank Sinatra Jerry Pickman Milton Pickman Irving Rapper Johnnie Ray Victor Saville Aubrey Schenck A. W. Schwalberg George P. Skouras Herb Steinberg Dan Terrell N. Y. to L. A. Steve Brodie Wendell Corey Yvonne DeCarlo Alan Dexter Paul Douglas Vernon Duke Eddie Elkort Jose Ferrer Bob Hope Mike O’Shea Jules C. Stern Les Thomas George Wolf