Variety (December 1954)

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PICTURES Wednesday, December 29, 1954 Irate Frisco Exchange Locals Cool. OS as IATSE Wins ’Em New Pay Pact San Francisco, Dec. 28. ♦ New pact between the Interna- VISTAVISION ON GALLOP tional Alliance of Theatrical Stage ViiiMViiiwwwi v * UaVr Employees and the companies Sel En ,,„ di Italy- December’s Best 10 1. “White Christmas” (Par)." 2. “Desiree” (20th). 3. “Cinerama” (Indie). 4. “Saw Paris” (M-G). 5 “Carmen Jones” (20th). 6 . “Drum Beat” (WB). 7 . “Star Is Born” (WB). 8 . “Contessa” (UA). 9 . “Track of Cat” (WB). 10. “Phffft” (Col). FOX WEST COAST BONUSES Rhoden Issues Season Passes Te All Circuit Help. Not Just Execs Fan Mags Continued fr pace 7 Los Angeles'Dec. 28. space is holding its own. Delacorte Fox West Coast handed out a said, with this business being only total of $93,748 in bonuses and about 5% off. V drive awards for H)54 to the cir- The importance of the fan mags cult’s Northern and Southern Cali- to the film industry is perhaps . 4 U a UralB on III EiHgftflHU, IHUJ — is looked upon as a step in the Fitzpatrick Travelog •Too right direction” toward eliminating Fttepatric k trav elog, rfioo the beefs of th * f e *^} a " ge Paramount-fostered VistaVision against the parent u . " process, introduced to the public ternational office under the direc- fhe current relcase of .. White tl .°". of . prexy Christmas,” is getting a worldwide obtained a $5.50 across-the-board * ! niir(a hnc ODiaineu a jpa.ou R ... _ t «ii rn nr«*» 1 * »eai is wmiuuib uf * "«* hike and a 37^-hour week. P;^ nly But £111, £° “"^teh up The latter was eighth in N.ve»- Mwta Long time complaint of the at-, wlth , he stm growlng ust of 20th- 1 her. the same executives tur 9 . “Track of Cat” (WB). fornia district and theatre man- summed up by Metro’s advertising 10. “Phffft” (Col). agers. In addition, Elmer C. Rho- chief Si Seadler. “We consider the • den, head of the parent compahy, fan magazines an important ad- L 1 - - 1 ' National Theatres, ordered season junct to our business in selling to 1$ L D ..la passes to be issued to all employes, the mass public, especially to the U 0 C 6 niD 6 r ■ dCOlS In the past they were issued only teenagers who comprise the largest to circuit executives. part of our audience,” he said. ts; continued from page 7 « Northern California managers “When there was a lull in film Beat” (WB) is winding up sixth were' presented with $27,890 by business a few years ago, we did The latter was eighth in Novem- general manager Edwin F. ZabeP not cut our advertising This was h<ap in San Francisco, and the next day too important an outlet.” L,on *> .with the still growing use of 20 th- , 'the same executives turned over filiated unions has been that the i Fox’s- CinemaScope. Spyros P. “Star Is-Born” (WB), second in *35 953 j n Southern California. IA toppers were not Sufficiently Skburas, 20th president, said he November, will take seventh spot. | ’ forceful in their negotiations with ; ,» X pects 125 C’Scope films from the The Judy Garland-James Mason the film companies. The dissatis- > y g ma j or companies In 1955^ starrer was b.o. champ in October. faction was manifested by several j ... p poinp in “Barefoot Contessa” (UAL sixth- abortive a . tt . em P t * * V’Vision. In England two* film! on place winner in November, is man- tb ? IA a 3 |?t t 0 i? Sii ioStrart the J- Arthur Rank Organization a S ln * to finlsh e, * hth ’ other AFL union*. New contract sked flre tQ be , ensed . q thig syg ‘Phffft’ Rounds Out List ^tisfaction bv the ex- tem and others may be added. In “Track of Cat” (WB), also a has somewhat ? taly the Lux ? nd Titanus outfite C’Scopcr. is taking ninth, although •Star Is' Born” (WB), second in KS'eKl. v ^ < t tvember will take seventh spot. * 65 ’ 858 m Southern ( alifornla. For publications whose fate is le Judy Garland-James Mason ■ n % t — —- closely allied with that of the film irrer w r as b.o. champ in October. _ |a aa ■ b ^> the *l ron f» comeback of pic- iarefoot Contessa” (UAL sixth- CathOlIC UNtlC - tbres bas ! P ro Y. ed a g welc °me boon, ice winners in November, is man- wwsmvmv Pines Publications, for example, is ing to finish eighth. continued from page 4 bringing back Silyer Screen and „ . A .. . . . , Screenland which suspended publi- Phffft Rounds Out List not a priest at aU within 20 min- cat i on in Aug., 1954. Previously "Track of Cat” (WB), also a utes after the feature starts.” monthlies, both books will return Scoper, is taking ninth, although ; Foy calls the South Bend attack j n February on a bi-monthly basis, dined to be spotty. Some critics I “completely unwarranted.” He unlike the publishers of Photo- Continued from page 4 rhanre staffers has somewhat ouinm acoper, is taxing mmn, roy cans uie aouiu dc.u in February on a bi-monthly basis, eased demands for more autonomy. bave announced plans for 8 t least inclined to be spotty. Some critics “completely unwarranted. He Unlike the publishers of Photo- a - . ..1 one production m V Vision, and saw this pic as being most suited revealed that he just finished read -1 puJay (Macfadden)> Modern Screen Placing the negotiations in the Henri Alekan has been assigned to for arty theatres. “Phffft” (Col) ing an article on Father Kapaun, iuell) and Motion Picture (Faw- hands of IA international office , j tns a fii m this same process rounded out the Big 10 list for De- a Korean War hero,” for the i cett) Fran k Lualdi vd ahd circu- this vpar rpnrpsented. to an ex-' 1 x V 1IVU this year represented, to an ex- f or a Fte nch group. 1 a a a i 4 U* 1 0 * 1 cember. tPnt “one more chance” for the I —“ —— i — first ^ and could not “see latio ^ director of p in " es , believes iminn Tho PV .h»np»-<! r p- I James A. Fitzpatrick is now mak- ; "Sabrina” (Par), fifth in Novem- any resemblance. Pointing out there is a close relationship be- tKo ovohanopc rp_ 1 n. ciupauivA is uuw mak- i saonna IUII1 111 1XUVCIII- —w .. II1C1 c is a 11USC 1 tfiailUIlSUip oc- VD .v.r.11 i.tk. ?hf. V^r inB ‘ V’VUon travelog in Mexico, ■ her; "Athena- IM-GI and "Reap that he Is himself a Catholic twecn film biz and the fan mags. iS™ d 4ng V U* «n U in IndfvK | • U* « Norway! I Wild Wind" -Pari basis in 1953 The opinion was a n travtlog D rn dl Hawaii OW Pr0ducin,f the runner:up pix ' divided on the outcome of the a . ravel °8 ln Hawaii. “Waterfront” (( f a like subject on Norway, ! Wild Wind” (Par), an oldie, were *nd bas produced such pictures Dudley is now Droducimi • thp runner-uD Dix. * as ^ b ® Knute Rockne Story, . , — , 44 _. „ “When the picture business had the runner-up pix. * a * . T , he . ne j ..t 0 ^’ a comeback, so did the fan maga- “Waterfront" (Col), which has ,°}£,D* < !? , ni V5 F fDl im ,he “fri » fDD zines ." Lu * ldi “ ld - “We wouldn’t "ioner" dTckering with the n about finished the bulk of its big ^SThjt he got the idea of be bringing these books back if we companies. However, on the basis _ . .. .. c“y playdates, managed to obtain ” p *“*? ‘“h 0 is ^ ercn f Z* V’ lnlt of the resulU obtained by Walsh Rank and Ind flS additional coin and was a runner- „Dll y a Red soV from ", pdest D*" U » ™ ,rk . et f° r t hem fr°nn i Co. in the most recent talks """* <,,,M ,n "™» up him one week. "Black Knight" (rie „d of his" and tha™ he agree, be advertising standpoint Adver- It appear, that the exchangites will === c.nu.u.a „. m < Col). a newle was a runner-up pie .^Xbly rt* lowest thing ^ ma” In^Fan maa^Tne bXs's £ w •tick with the IA T , , another week. Hansel and Gretel Ian> ran ma » azine Dusiness is jusi For out-of-town exchange unions. o° V !’ WhIch WM ac< * uired b y the <RKO), which figures to cash in on ^ “rfest ” W ^ ^ m Pe r so nate as good now or even better than the new salary hike represents a ea e « rou P on the basis of script the juvenile patronage in forthcom- F adm j t8 t hat the phony priest eV i uald^warned however that 15% boost. With the average only, the company indicated that in 8 sessions, was in runner-up cate- doeg remark while foraging for th „/ ld ‘ ni Wa l l ne i or ^ 0 ^^ u J" o a n t salary in the hinterlands about $60 it certainly wouldn’t have been gory one sesslon * • food, that St. Dismas—the Good f th , adve rtisinK dollar ?n 1955 weekly, the coin increase amounted averse to looking at any good ‘‘P-ssion” (RKO had tough sled- Thief of the Cross-is his patron- {"J he ^ e ' 'be^e This cut^ to about 9% and the reduction in Guinness J * g00d d ng on most of its playdates bu a lin e which Francis recalled had [Tough Yll magazines, and rival hours follows a policy set last year mining 10 u dld finish as a runner-up subject been quoted of Father Kapaun in ! by the Motion Picture Homeoffice t through the regular channels. j one stanza. “4 Guns to Border” press stories. “But I can’t help * n ___. , TV , Tl ‘. Rank and Indies S Continued from page 3 — aaaiiioiiai cum anu a luiinci- ~ j up film one week. “Black Knight” {jjiji nf fL he JL™ the advertisin * standpoint. Adver- (Tnl) a newie was a runner-uD Die friend of his and that he agrees tisers are interested in the movie llUUld *Wl*W»TO « F vtiv / WVI, 1 WU» J , . |_ , _ by the Motion Picture Homeoffice l through the regular channels Employees Union, Local H-63,1 Universal doesn’t put up any ad- <U) was in bke category insofar as that,” Foy told the Catholic News which won 37V6 hours on its own. vance cash for Rank pix. However winnin 8 runner-up rating for one Service. Morn in San Fr»nr<igf>n hnwpvpv i ik. , , .. Week. She-Wolf (Rep) also * - Here in San Francisco, however, the company maintains that in the W i e€k /i “ She Wo ! f ” ' t R h ep) als H ° there is still some rumbling of dis- l0n „ ,„ r an o | h “ k placcd runnel " up m another round ' content although it has not mani- . g ’ Rank ls beMer off distrib- "Bengal Brigade” (U), which has Indignation In Kansas Kansas City, Dec. 28. media. Drops ‘TV’ Tie A slight but nevertheless strong indication that motion pictures can stand alone without television’s help is shown by the recent name change of Fawcett’s fan mag. All content although it has not mani- * 7 ;° I "Bengal Brigade" (U), wmen nas Kansas City, Dec. 28. chan ge of Fawcett’s fan mag. All fested itself in any overt acts since | utin 8 .through !t and is apt to end finished the bulk of its bigger Protest stirred up in Timken, during 1954, the publication was the two Frisco exchange unions up with more dollars in his pocket, dates, won runner-up classification Kansas, over the interpretation of known as Motion Picture It Tele- withdrew their petitions to the Within the recent past two Rank another session. ‘‘Rear Window” the role of Father Emil Kapaun vision. However,^for the Decem- seeking disaffiliation from the IA. films have been sold away from U <Par) : als 9 concluded on its big- in the film, “Bamboo Prison.” ap- ber issue, it became Motion Pic- John Jensen, president-elect oil—"The Young Lovers” (now re- f er . c */. y en 8 agefnents, got a simi- parently has subsided after a flurry t ure alone. Local F-17 of San Francisco, said t titled “Chance Meeting”), which ar iatin 8 - of moves by Bryan Foy, producer. During 1954, an outfit known as that the International’s lawyer, I went to Pacemaker Pictures, and ‘Girl,’ ‘Gate* Open Smasfi ■■ ; 1 !* 1 f! na " y an r . ar ^ le , in ... , e Star Guidance brought out three Harold Spivak, at a meeting here “Doctor in the House.” which w-ent A whole flock of new productions Catholic paper, Our Sunday \ isi- bi-monthlies—-.Movie Show, Movie two weeks ago promised action in to Republic along with four other were being unveiled as the month by * ranc,s stated the Secrets, and TV and Movie Screen, the local’s search for more auton- Rank films. Neither “Lovers” nor nears its close. One of the more P lcture falsely portrays rather photography Workshop will come omy. Just what action Jensen ex- “Doctor” were in the U “split” important ones is “Country Girl” f^ a P au ”» a former pastor in f* m - out with a new publication early in pects or what he’s # been promised, however. (Par), which was launched with an d a n ero ot the Korean war. >55 it’ll be edited by Ruth Erik- he declined to state, merely noting Indie distribs are naturally very terrific results in N. Y., even pre- A pne p ln . e ^ l,n J ls an under " son, formerly editorial chief of the that request for autonomy was be- interested in the apparent Rank Xmas. A crix film, it racked up a u Stearn Publications film books, ing considered by the IA and move to diversify his American rc- gross opening week at the Cri- , J d J g ff^’X, “7^“* *“ h F *iD Sky Publishing hit the market a Walsh and" that he had received lease channels, with United Artists terion that amazed even the most a “ a P ®mmandfr of the Amerlr^ H ttlc over a year ag0 with Movie a letter to that effect. also in the picture. They know optimistic. Legion Post in Timken Fov re! T an an ^,- Ho l lywood Stars * both Jansen said it was only a coin- that Rank’s managing director, "No Business Like Show Busi- D ii e d the Drotest evidently w-as bl_ ” lon thlies. Movie Prevue, which cidence that Local F-17, the white John Davis, is dissatisfied with the ness” (20th) also looms as smash based on misinformation as no part !i a< L*wl , .f P i- n ^?: b r 2 £ k _ M * collar union, petitioned the NLRB returns of Rank films from the grosser predicated on what it did 0 f the picture is taken from the n { ontbly in December. There are at the same time as local B-17, U. S. market. Their interpretation opening round at the N. Y. Roxy iif e of Father Kapaun and the pic- 8 S ° I ? a 5 ls / 1 0r ,ssuanc ® °* I * 1 *Py U it. - 1 I? np - A j 1 i. ... I1AC VA r flUICI afl r au, *» aim me nnA-chnt filnri hnnlra Hnrinrf 1 representing the backroom staffers, of recent developments is that pre-Yuletide. “Young at Heart” ture early establishes the facts th He stressed that there were no dis- Rank is now in a mood to play ball (M-G), the Xmas pic at the N. Y. the priest in the film is a fake. cusslons or contact between the "ith the indies when it comes to Music Hall, also shapes as sock ^ two locals Jensen also said his artie product, with U concentrating business-getter, “Gate of Hell” an Priest Advised Foy » union had not had contact with the primarily on the “big” commercial import from Japan, astonished the Hftiivwgwf rw Detroit exchange and the latter’s pix. such as "West of Zanzibar.” most critical by registering a great rr. 1 ,- w«iivu/n/vH Pn’ct ♦ inr UI r«u,r rvapau.. «nu v..c p.c- 0 ne-shot film books during 1955. ture early establishes the facts that Tho i_ _ _ fne tnroe long - established the priest in the film is a fake. monthlies have a total circulation . *°f. about 3,600,000, according cir- Priest Advised Foy a Hollywood, Dec. 28. culation figures of Standard Rate and Data Service. The leader is move for autonomy. Stanley Warner aa Vt w 1 \ T H The Hollywood Post of the M acfadden r s PhotoDlav with U * sucb a pol i cy T ,s ne,tber l? t n l H 0pen in g 0 *f SS !K n N * Y ‘ American Legion rallied to support 1.440 000. Modem Screen is sec- confirmed nor denied. Impression Guild, small arty theatre. the Foy production, “Bam- 0 nd ^ith 1 280 000 and Motion Pic- divAn hmrpvor that thn onm. /ITA\ • _ 1 % UIIU Willi l,^OU 9 UUU aUQ MOllOn rlC # is given, however that the com- “Vera Cruz” (UA) is another boo Prison,’’ which had been 7i5? 0 ws with M0^000^ A?cord‘ pany has plenty of good American which promises to be a big grosser, blasted in a column written by i ng 4 0 Macfadden Drexv Irvine S b.O. DTOduct on its hands and haspd nr» tho hiT hpinu oarnororl r-v„t_ s_ c i \ti~s . . maCiaQQen prexy Irving 3. 1 b.o. product on its hands and based on the biz being garnered Dale Francis in Our Sunday Visi- Manheimer Photoolav was one of ■ ■■■ Continued from page 5 r. w0uld "f 11 8 ive up the opening week at N. Y. Capitol, tor, a Catholic newspaper with a t he two of’ 50 national maeazines . . i smaller Rank problem pifc. There are several other new en- circulation of more than 875 000 u- u j national magazines ^ tbat tbe d * rec ^°rs be di- . while U maintains that it’s doing tries on the horizon which promise Evidently Francis did not know vertisin^iwf^cf 311 H inc . reaiad ’ vided into two classes, elected for a the best possible job with these to go places, including “20,000 that Foy is a staunch Catholic and Jr S inea 8 e during 1954. two-year period, with the term of films, its execs also acknowledge Leagues Under Sea,” the new Walt had produced the picture with the nim *£^fiA \h°*i "J 8 n *f ln J tbat Iprnatp vparc c l a ss expiring in al- j that the constant rift over them Disney; “Three-Ring Circus” (Par), advice and assistance of the Rt. duringthA 'Vith Davis makes them wonder "Silver Chalice” (WB) and "Sign Re v. Mgr. John J. Devlin. ™ ,12 ternate 1 years. with Davis makes them wonder “Silver Chalice At the upcoming meeting three whether the arrangement is worth of Pagan” (U). directors are to be elected, with while. Fabian, Rosen, and Baird being nominated by the board for two- Queried on reports that it was ready to disband its special films nr r , ,H S r I and department which handles the tinue their terms of office after fi. k . P ! y den ed Bogart the meeting. Dr. McKhann was elected a director in June, succeed- ing Lester Crown, who had been elected for a two-year term expir- ing Jan., 1956. Dr. McKhann is a consultant to the pharmaceutical industry and chairman of the ex- ecutive committee of Zonite Prod- ' ucts Corp. He also had headed Playtex Park Research Institute, a public service foundation spon sored by International Latex Corp., a subsidiary of Stanley Warner. Fabian Enterprises Inc., the proxy statement notes, owns of rec- ord and beneficially 328,094 shares of common stock of SW, represent- ing about 14% of the shares of the company. Fabian Enterprises, it notes, is a corporation owning and operating a theatre circuit of which Fabian is prexy and Rosen v.p. and treasurer. 1 the story this week. Harriet F. Pilpel (of tho law firm of Groonbaum, Wolf A Ernst) Itai written an Interattinq treatise en U.S. taies at applied to authors titled Pens Into Plough Shares * * * one of the many editorial features in the 49th Anniver»ary Number of J^SrIETy . OUT NEXT K EEK Continued from page 3 ( manager, Mho is veepee-treasurer of the company. Transaction includes Santana's percentage ounerships fn eight film negatives, five for Columbia j release. Pix on block are "Knock on Any Door,” “Sirocco,” “Tokyo Joe,” “And Baby Makes Three,” "Family Secret.” Columbia financed pix in arrangement calling for Santana to get 60% of profits, Col 40% after studio recouped invest- ment. Other films in deal include pair of United Artists releases in which Bogart has interest, “African Queen” and Moulin Productions pic, “Beat the Devil.” _ Amount of coin^ involved cur- rently unknown. Expected negotia- tions Mill be closed Wednesday or Thursday. 0 t I t A star s during the dip in film at- Rev. Mgr. John J. Devlin. tendance. He’s also upbeat on the Meanwhile Wl liam H. Mooring, fllm biz . s (uture .. Ju £ as )ong as who writes a column in The Tid- the n)otion picture industry * r0 . ings, another widely lead Catholic duces good pictures," he said, “it Fov S Dnd e ih C e a ni e clu°rJhas nothing to fear from television. **?££* — ls are go lo SSX ? 1 1 e * There are currently about 20 fan mags'in the field. These are DCA Prexy books that are issued on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. In addition, r red J. Schwartz there are numerous one-timers, hi. for . Th , e total of regularly-issued publi- p,eduction «.w in . pine. m ‘ y ,Ump t0 aboUt 25 ,n The film fan mags include Photo- The Importance of P lay (MacFadden), Modern Screen ■ and Screen Stories (Dell), Motion Momentum Picture (Fawcett), Movieland (Hill- man), Movie Stars Parade, Movie i Life, Movies (Ideal), Filmland Movie World, Screen Stars, Screen Magazine (Goodman), Movie Fan, Hollywood Stars (Sky), Silver Screen, Screenland (Pines), Movie Prevue (Saunders), Movie Play. Movie Spotlight, Movie Time (Stearn). There’s also a regularly- issued quarterly known as Screen Album. ont of the many editorial feature* in the 49th Anniver»ary Number of OUT NEXT WEEK