Variety (January 26, 1955)

WedneMlay, January 26, 1955 All’s Confnsion As Uruguay Fest Opens; Cite Unhep Planning Montevideo. Jan. 18. recent death of Rev. Daniel A. Lord, long ume ecmor oi ine yueen s Work and national director of the Sodality of Our Lady, recalled that it was the 66-year-old Jesuit priest’s first of many “widely heralded’* pageants. “The Dreamers Awake.’’ presented in the mid-twenties, that resulted in the summons to Hollywood as consultant on the filming of Cecil B. DeMille’s “King of Kings.” * _ Continued the NCWC release which appeared in many Catholic papers. “Several years later, he was a natural when the movie industry sought to formulate its code of ethics, and at the request of the old Hays Office, and under the patronage of the late Cardinal Mundelein of Chicago, he drew up the movie code that is still the Hollywood standard. The five American newsreels in 1954 increased the number of indi- vidual clips, the total rising to 3.940 from 3.598 in 1953, a report of the Motion Picture Assn, of America’s newsreel committee shows. Story in Variety last week erroneously put the number of 1954 clips at 3.598, indicating a drop from the prior year. The committee’s analy- sis of newsreel content for 1954 showed there were 167 local and 3.773 national clips. Jane Russell's million dollar contract with RKO. covering six films over a period of 20 years at $50,000 annually, looks like a financial coup for Howard Hughes. Deal calls for Miss Russell to make three pictures for 20th-Fox with Hughes collecting $250,000 for each loanout, a total of $750,000. In addition, it is understood that Hughes will receive another $250,000 for lending the star for a picture by Howard Welsch. New contract ties Miss Russell up with RKO. not with the Hughes Tool Co., under which she formerly worked while at RKO. Despite pleas from exhibitor* leaders for theat remen to give small indie distributors a hearing, the latter still find themselves in the more or less parish category. The nation's exhibitors are just not • buying the small pictures, not even for doublebill slotting. Secondary ! pictures, of course, are finding their level on the second half of the program, but the supply is coming from the major distribs. with the indie peddlers, for the most pail, being left out in the Cinerama Influence On the basis of the advance sale for the N. Y. opening of “Cinerama Holiday.” second picture in the widescreen me- dium. Wall St. firms are rec- ommending Stanley Warner shares “for a speculative trad- ing turn.” In one analysis of the SW's possibilities, it’s noted that under the terms of its contract with Cinerama Productions, the theatre chain, which holds the production and exhibition rights to the medium, recovers the full production cost of the new picture—$2.000.000—and then receives a SI.000.000 bonus before Cinerama Pro- ductions shares in the profits. SW, it’s pointed out. has re- covered 90'r of the equipment Installation costs—SI.900.000— on nine domestic theatres with the first picture. "This Is Cin- erama,” and before the cur- rent engagements end. that complete recovery is expected. It's stressed that these costs are non-recurrent on the sec- ond and subsequent pictures. From the standpoint of the theatreman. it's to his advantage to obtain as much of a known quality as possible. The "seconds ’ of the majors still represent top- notch production values and names that are known to the public. While the films being offered by the in- dies may be of superior or of equal entertainment value, the exhibs feel it represents a gamble. Al- though the theatres are experienc- ing a product shortage, particularly In filling the doublebills, exhibs are inclined to exhaust the possi- bilities of the major suppliers be- fore talking to an indie. All the indie can do is wait around until the theatres use up the supply of major product and are in desper- ate need of films to cqmplete their programs. With the major studios bidding anxiously for the films of the in- much | and Faith Domergue for top roles in “Time Slip,” to be filmed in England with Kenneth Hughes di- ! reeling . . . Warners’ “Miracle in the Rain.” starring Jane Wyman, is due for a Spiing start in N.Y. U assigned David Johnson to a key spot in “All That Heaven Al- ; lows,” his third job since leaving ; the Army . . . Twentieth-Fox ' bought “The Sorcerer’s Appren- tice.” CinemaScope short subject I produced and directed by Michael Powell in Europe . . . Richard Ross completes his indie film. "The Wiretappers.” starring Bill Wil- liams . . . John Carradine drew a featured role in Bel-Air's “Desert Sands” for United Artists release i. . . Guy Madison signed a contract with 20th-Fox calling for seven films over a period of seven years, starting with "The Tall Men” . . . New indie company. Irving Brecher 1 Productions, bought screen rights to "Doubles in Death.” authored by William Grew . . . Sara Shane up for the femme lead in “The Temptress.” to be filmed by Al- I fonso Sanchez Tello in Mexico . . . ; Paramount assigned Joseph J. ' Lilley to arrange and conduct the Cole Porter score for “Anything ( Goes.” Bert Lahr joined Jeanne Crain, George Nader and Paul Gilbert in U-'s "The Second Greatest Sex.” 1 . . . Gina Lollobrigida signed to co- » star with Burt Lancaster in ' "Trapeze.” to be produced by Hecht-Lancaster in Europe for United Artists release . . . Ron Randall coming from England for a role in Aubrey Schenrk’s "Desert 1 Sands” . . . Darryl F. Zanuek r signed Deborah Kerr to co-star . with Yul Brynner in the 20th-Fox ■ version of “The King and I.” start* - ing in August w ith Charles Brackett ' producing . . . Ross DiMaggio set to score Sam Katzman's “Chicago - Syndicate” at Columbia . . . Peter Hollywood, Jan. 25. i Superior Court approved U's pickup of Myrna Hansen's player j option . . . Metro assigned Liliane Montevecchi as second femme lead in “Gaby,” Leslie Caron starrer. to be produced bv Edwin H. Knopf . . . Jacqueline de W itt drew a fea- tured role in UI s "All 1 hat Heaven Allows.” replacing Ilka Chase who turned it down . . . Warners added Robert Human to the cast of "I Died a 'thousand Times” . . . Shirley MacLaine will plav one of the two femme leads in "Artists and Models.” starring Martin and Lewis at Paramount . . . New indie unit. Gilford-Seelig Production*, will make "Mist of Death.” a tale of smog . . . Colum- bia's "New Orleans Uncensored.” filmed as “Riot on Pier Six." will be preemed Feb. 16 in New Or- leans . . . John Mclntire drew a featured spot in U's remake of "The Spoilers.” Allied Artists signed James Milliean for a featured part in "Neon Rainbow” . . . Josef Shaftel in town to edit “No Place to Hide.” , which he produced and directed in Manila in association with L.V.N. ; Pictures. Inc. . . . Jeanne Crain and die producers, there’s not left for the indie distrib except \ foreign and offbeat product. Not all of this product is keyed for ! art houses, and the indie distribs ; feel, that given a chance, these films can earn their keep in the 1 dual bill market. In some sections af the country, theatremen abso- lutely refuse to take a look at the pictures, especially if it's of British origin. This holds for the midwest where British films are an anath- rr.a even if they contain b.o. names. Dubbed films, although expertly done and containing values for general consumption, are also find- ing difficulty bucking the re- sistance. They’ve been able to get dates, but only jyhen the exhib has exhausted other product source. While the indie exhibs have borne the brunt of the exhib re- sistance to small pix, the majors have also found themselves on the firing line. However, the majors have been able to unload their product since the exhib has no choice when he has to fill a pro- gram calling for three changes a week. A distrib topper complained bitterly that the theatres want two first-run picture for dual billing. There have been instances around the country of theatres dualing two CinemaScope pictures. Hollywood. Jan. 25. Joseph and Irving Tushinsky, inventors of SuperScope, are com- pleting negotiations to establish factories in Japan and England for manufacture of the variable lens. Deal is on with the British Board of Trade for concessions in frozen funds to be used for a Lon- don plant, to service Biitish and European producers. Brothers also are talking here with reps of Shochiku, Ltd., of Tokyo. Re-Edited ‘Tom Sawyer’ Readied for Market i Boston, Jan. 25. As the result of the successful reception of the oldie “Tom Saw- yer” at a sneak preview at the 1.800 seat Capitol Theatre. Allston, last Friday night <14) David O. Selznick is expected to reissue the 1937 pic for general release. Re- edited and processed in Techni- color, the pic was shown to a ca- pacity crowd which included, in addition to the theatres regular patrons, a cross-section of high school and college students. Pre- view was arranged by Joe Le- vine, whose indie Embassy Pic- tures will handle distribution in this area, when the pic is reissued. Prior to the showing Selznick hosted exhibs at a cocktail party at the Ritz-Carlton and discussed plans for i j eissuing the film,* pro- vided the preview audience reac- tion was favorable, or remaking it if received coolly. Consensus among Uie exhibs was a remake would be unwise, opining that most remakes never quite hit the jackpot. DuMont-Linked Company Enters Closed-Circuit New closed-circuit tv firm has been formed by Allan D. R. Stern, a former member of DuMont's op- erations department. Company, known as National Closed Circuit System Inc., has signed a contract with DuMont to act as the web’s sales representative in closed-cir- cuit matters. According to Mor- ris Mayers, general manager of DuMont's closed-circuit operations, it will include closed-circuit biz in commercial, entertainment, and civic group activity. Entry of NCCS gives the closed- circuit field a total of three active companies, including Theatre Net- work Television and Box Office Television. Dor Theatre Tele- vision. which entered the field last year, has been dormant since its proposed telecast of the N.Y. Phil- harmonic failed to materialize. Two other firms, formed at the height of interest in the closed- i circuit medium, have not been heard from in several years. Shift WB Sales Staffers Columbus. Jan. 25. William C. Gehring, general sales manager of 20th Century- Fox, and Abram F. Myers, general counsel of Allied States Assn, will be two of the main speakers at the convention of the Independent Frank Quinn Turns M.C. Frank Quinn, film critic of the N.Y. Daily Mirror, has taken over as m.c. of the weekly “Hollywood Prevue.” seen Tuesdays from 7 to 7 30 p.m. over WOR-TV. Show, produced by Bruce Balaban. fea- tures clips of new pictures and in- terviews with visiting film person- alities. Show was originally presented on Friday evenings in the same time slot but was recently shifted to the Tuesday date. Balaban. it's understood, is planning syndica- tion of. Uvq show via Aim, . v. . t