Variety (January 12, 1955)

Jan 12'3*B VOL. 197 No. 6 Published Weekly at 154 West 46th Street. New York 36. N. Y.. by Variety, Inc. Annual subscription. CIO. Single copies. 25 cents. Entered as second-class matter December 22. 1905, at the Post Office at New York. N. Y.. under the act of March 3. 1B79. COPYRIGHT. 1955, BY VARIETY. INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1955 PRICE 25 CENTS ‘JANE MAKE WITH THE LUNGS’ Yank Film of ’44 Plot to KOI Hitler Tests German Hero-Or-Heel Views Film dealing with the July 20. | 1944. attempt on Hitler's life Is being planned by Henry Lester, representative of Germany’s Carl- ton Films. If produced, this would be Lester’s personal project and done in Germany as an American- made film. Lester said in N. Y. last week that lie had discussed the provoca- tive subject with German govern- ment otficials and had been assured ot their full and wholehearted sup- port. "They are behind it,” he de- clared. "I only hope German audi- ences will be. too.” 'The Germans in recent years : have shown a strong tendency to , revert to original impulses, and the men involved in the 1944 assas- sination try are being frequently denounced as "traitors.” Similar reasoning inspired recent German attacks on an anti-Nazi Austrian producer who’s currently lensing a film on the last days of Hitler at a Vienna studio. Lester said he planned to make his pic in association with Dr. Otto Joseph, prominent Munich show biz attorney. He’s also talking a deal with an American director. TV Gets Priority Over Stage, Film On Bestselling Novel For the first time television will get the first crack at the pres- entation of a bestselling novel, even though the property is al- 1 ready scheduled for a stage ver- sion and is the subject of hot bid- ding from a number of film com- | panics. Book is Mac Hyman’s “No , Time for Sergeants,” a Book-of- the-Month choice three months , back, which will be presented by the Theatre Guild on the "U. S. Steel Hour” March 15 on ABC-TV. Television preem for the book is reportedly a cause of no little con-^ fern to Maurice Evans, who’s pur-’ thased stage rights to the property willi an eye toward bringing it to Broadway next season with an adaptation by "Stalag 17” authors Edmund Trzcinsky and Donald Bevan. And Theatre Guild has re- ceived bids from Hollywood ask- ms that the Guild sell its video rights so that the film companies could then buy film rights without having been beaten out by the video version. C urious circumstances surround- mg the tele presentation came a )'»ut through submission of the )( >ok to Theatre Guild before pub- i •cation by Random House. The ' U1 ‘ ( l hiked it, took an eight-month Pi ion for television, and planned file presentation for before May 1, 1 1p ii th e option expires. Subse- ciucnt success of the book boosted " 1<nv biz value, but meanwhile iicatre Guild had rights to the " 0Vel at a price within television’s means. Do It Our Way, Not Yours, Video Dictate on 1956 Politico Conventions Germans’ Boast The Germans are riding high again in Europe. Travelers returning from the Continent report hordes of prosperous - looking German tourists pouring into Paris, Brussels and the Dutch cities. In Paris and other places, some of the German cars bear stickers with a message reflect- ing the current state of mind. They read: "We’re Back!” Chiang’s Formosa Capital Clings To 2-A-Day ‘Opera By RICHARD H. LARSH Taipei. Jan. 4 . This island fortress town lives under an austerity the rest of the world has forgotten as it stands braced for any blow Red China may unleash. Recreational facili- ties are meagre, two spots with western dance music, nary a night- club, a few cinemas showing Amer- ican cowboy films plus Japanese and Chinese features: that sums up amusements in Taipei save for something uniquely Formosan: three Chinese-type “opera houses.” In one, this Variety reporter caught a play bearing the title, “The Red Maiden.” but 1,400 years old as a story and having no political connotations. The opera houses enjoy SRO nightly and better than half capac- ity at the daily matinees. Highest in prestige is the National Opera Co., with a repertory of two differ- ent bills daily running from broad farce to light comedy similar to Victor Herbert operetta, to turgid historical drama. In residence at the National is a stock company, the personal property of Gardenia Chiang, once (Continued on page 65) HOPE’S HOUR AD LIB PAYS HIM $100,000 Hollywood. Jan. 11. Bob Hope now Is that man of distinctioi. plus—he’s the highest paid man in the world. For his one-hour emceeing of the General Motors Motorama in N. Y. Jan. 17. telecast over NBC, he will be paid $ 100 , 000 . Since it’s all ad lib, requiring little rehearsal and no prepared script as he guides the viewer' through the new auto models and kitchen appliances, there’s no writer expense. Arthur Godfrey for the same chore last year, was paid $15,000. By JOF, SCIIOENFELD Silver Springs, Fla., Jan. 11. Extremes to which motion pic- ture showmanship will go to pro- mote a property, and the willing- ness of press photographers to travel anywhere and play along with any gag if unusual angles are involved, is well exemplified in the stunt underwater opening at these springs of RKO’s new “Un- derwater!” feature. In one of the biggest gimmick stunts of recent years some 156 photographers, re- porters and trade observers rallied round to cheer on cheesecake’s big dunk in the lake, namely the literal immersion of Jane Russell (and others) into the chilly waters to attend a tank theatre. If it all seems like a bunch of crazy mixed up kids on a wacky lark, there is a real payoff in pub- licity. Seldom has any new’ pic- tures in recent years got so much play. If one-tenth the shots taken get published. RKO may set a rec- ord. The lenshounds were using up Eastman Kodak stock as if it was free. The occasion recalls Queen Marie of Roumania, on her visit to America. “Queenie, make' with the skirts.” demanded the camera crew. This was paraphrased here by a witty photog as the amply- (Continued on page 65) Perfect-Balance Studio For Television Not Yel Built; Need Music Pit By HARRY SOSNIK One of the major problems today in live television shows is how to maintain contact between the per- formers and the audience and at the same time also have a close 1 enough relationship between the performers and the conductor and orchestra to attain correct musi-1 cal sound. In the present make- | shift theatres, which are converted movie houses, radio studios or le- I gitimate theatres, if you establish : one relationship you lose the other. ! Although I haven’t seen the tv studios on the Coast. I understand : (Continued on page 66) Tony De Marco Premiere Dancer Tony De Marco who with Sally is at the Plaza, N. Y., will be a guest of honor Jan. 27 at Kleinhaus Music Hall, Buffalo, on behalf of the Philharmonic Society there. Although a headliner in show- biz since the 1920s, this will be the first time De Marco ever made a speech. He’s get- ting some material from Harry llcrshfield. Two other Buffalo V.I.P.’s similarly singled out are Kath- arine Cornell and Rose Bamp- ton. Swiss Radio Votes To Take Over TV, Go Commercial Zurich, Jan. 11. At a recent general meeting, the Swiss Broadcasting Corp. declared its willingness to take over, by next October, television in this country where it is still in its three-year tryout period. It is understood, however, that the tv program serv- i ice is to be built into the already existing radio organization. Fur- thermore, the SBC will have to consider a deficit of about $3,500- 000 to $4,500,000 within the next ! eight to 10 years, which is expected to be covered by a loan from the federal government. As an additional important means to finance tv, the SBC recommends the introduction of commercially sponsored ' telecasts, describing them as “a source of income which should not be put off w ithout plaus- ible reason.” Should this recommendation be put to use, it will represent a revo- > lutionary step forward in this coun- ; try’s radio and tv which so far have stayed entirely clear of any sort of commercials or sponsor- ! ship. Both media have been fed exclusively from governmental sub- sidies. Public and Screen Both Grow Up Hollywood, Jan. 11. Hollywood has discovered that audiences have grown up—and audiences discovered that Hollywood has grown up. And because of this, there are long lines in front of film houses again, accord- ing to Daniel Mann, Broadway director now specializing in mak- ing adult Hollywood pix such as Hal Wallis’ filming of Tennessee Williams’ “The Rose Tattoo” for Paramount. “The big screen made audiences sit up, hut it was adult themes that made them lake notice.” Mann stated. “A few years ago, stories like ‘The Rose Tattoo,’ ‘The Country Girl’ and ‘Come Back, Little Sheba’ would have been considered too adult for the sup- posed 12 year-old audience Hollywood once catered to. Now a story must have intelligence and integrity or it doesn’t stand a chance.” Washington. Jan. 11. Television, in effect, is dictating to Republicans and Democrats alike just what their 1956 national conventions are going to be like. Since video is recognized as the most important aspect^ in gaining attention for the upcoming presi- dential conventions, Bill Henry, in- dependent newscaster and chair- man of the Convention Committee of the Radio-TV Correspondents’ Gallery in Washington, D. C., told the Democratic National Commit- tee today (Tues.) and in part the Republicans last Saturday (8) what cities would be okay for tv cover- age and that the two conventions should be held, not only in the same town, but as close together in time as is possible. These dic- tates might prove in direct contra- diction with current party plans. In laying down the law to the political planners, Henry nixed At- lantic City, one of the three munic- ipalities which formally bid to the Republican Party for the privilege of housing the ’56 convention. (Other two sites formally bidding were Chicago and Philadelphia.) Henry told the Republicans that since the Jersey resort town doesn’t have proper technical video facilities (coaxial, cameras, per- manent video installations, etc.) that it would have to bow out of the picture unless someone were to undertake building at great cost the proper setup. With tv looking to be a bigger convention item than ever before in history due to its increased cov- erage area, Henry told the politicos that in order to accommodate the medium adequately it will be nec- essary to hold the two conven- tions in the same town and as close (Continued on page 66) Murrow-Oppenheimer As Theatrical Release On Tap for Britain Great Britain’s Granada circuit is in the midst of wrapping up a deal with producers Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly un- der which an extended version of last week’s film interview with physicist J. Robert Oppenheimcr on CBS-TV’s “See It Now" would be shown in theatrical exhibition in the U. K. While the Murrow- Oppenheimer teletalk was the usual half-hour, the show shot about three hours of footage with the world famed bossman of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. A one-hour edition is being made available via the Fund for the Republic for distribution to colleges and universities, and as of early this week the Murrow- Friendly office had received well over 100 requests for prints. The Granada deal is for a two- hour film, adaptable to 90 min- utes. The circuit operates a large number of film and newsreel houses m the British Isles.