Variety (February 1955)

4 PICTURES ¥edne«l*jr, February 2, 1955 ‘Showbiz,’ ‘Leagues,’ Vera Cruz’ Paced Socko January; Saville’s Chalice’ Runs Strong; Italian Pix Do Well t ttt»t >♦♦» M »» i if New York Sound Track '■} :: : Show business is pondering the effect of a bill introduced at Albany by Senator Pliny W. Williamson and Assemblyman John Robert Brook, to amend present laws to make mandatory, instead of permissive, day- light saving time and extend it until the last Sunday in October, rather than in September. “Unicorn in the Garden,” a UPA cartoon presentation of the James Thurber fable, has been nominated for the British Film Academy Award. It’s the only American contender this year in the animated shorts category . . . Almost a dozen Columbia stars are arriving from the Coast this week to appear on Ed Sullivan’s tv salute to the com- pany. Entire “Toast of the Town" telecast Sunday (6) will be devoted to- “The Columbia Pictures Story” . . . John B. Nathan, Paramount general manager for Continental Europe, returned to his Paris head- quarters Monday (31). James E. Perkins, chairman and managing di- rector of Paramount International in Great Britain, headed by to London . . . Jay Landesman out at KETC, St. Louis, which he describes as “an educational operation" is reading Variety each week to his audiences . . . former editor of highbrow quarterly, “Neurotica," (sic) Landesman has also written a novel about you, you and you called “The Nervous Set” . . . Victor Saville, the indie producer-director may buy himself a New York cooperative apartment . . . Fredric March sailed on the Cristoforo Colombo yesterday (Tues.) en route to Madrid, where he’ll join the cast of Robert Rossen’s upcoming production of “Alexander the Great." Project is scheduled to start Feb. 15. "Illicit Interlude," a Swedish import, held over for a 10th week at the Art Theatre, Bridgeport, Conn. According to Gaston Hakim, who distributes, that’s a history-breaking run for any theatre in Con- necticut. Even beats "Gone With the Wind" . . . Stanley A. B. Cooper, who runs the only theatre in Brazil, Indiana, confided to the Indianap- olis News recently that “Hondo" was his top grossing film of the year. He also said Brazilians preferred Marjorie Main to Marilyn Monroe. Well now . . . Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers sporting a new blue and black cover designed by H. Leslie Varley . . . Harry K. McWilliams named assistant ad-pub and exploita- tion director for Magna Theatre Corp. Latter will distribute the Todd- AOed “Oklahoma" . . . Renewed interest in Greta Garbo stirred up by articles in Life mag prompted Metro to dust off "Camille.” The film, starring Miss Garbo and Robert Taylor, begins a special engage- ment at the Trans-Lux Normandie. Ulric Bell, exec assistant to 20th-Fox prexy Spyros P. Skouras, last week married Vivian Hall of the Wm. Morris Agency. Ceremony was performed by Justice Stanley Fuld of the N. Y. State Court of Appeals. Bell is a former Washington correspondent and president of the National Press Club and the Gridiron Club. Mrs. Bell, who is from Montana, is studying voice. Marriage took place in the home of Maxwell Kriendler, “21" boniface. Arthur M. Loew, prexy of Loew’s International, gifted fiis alma mater, New York U., wtih $300,000 to help defray cost of new student residence hall . . . Lynn Farnol aiming to bring Switzerland to Rocke- feller Center Wednesday (9) with a cheese fondue party at a corner of the skating rink —tie-up is for “Cinerama Holiday.” . . . Mona Freeman, Nancy Olson, and Tab Hunter to attend tonight’s (Wed.) opening of Warner Bros.’ “Battle Cry" at the Paramount . . . Robert Taylor returned to the Coast . . . Anne Francis in for preem of Metro’s “Bad Day at Black Rock" . . . Director George Cukor to Pakistan to begin filming of “Bhowanl Junction" . . . Producers Wil- liam Pine and William Thomas returned to the Coast over the week- end following confabs with Paramount homeoffice execs . . . Nelson Riddle, Capitol Records’ composer-arranger-conductor, signed by Re- public to arrange and conduct musical score for “Rebel Island," re- cently completed film starring Yvonne de Carlo. Rex Harrison signed by George Minter to star in Renown Pictures’ first Cinemascope film, Dickens’ “A Tale of Tw'O Cities." Budgeted at $1,000,000, the pic goes before the cameras at Shepperton studio, England, April 1. Guy Hamilton will direct from a Stanley Haynes script. “Cities" was last filmed by Metro in 1934 . . . Alfred E. Daff, Universal exec v.p., due to return to the Coast over the weekend . . . Indie distribs in N.Y. plead ignorance re a Rome report that Italian producers are mulling a release deal with indie ops in the U.S. Agree- ment wouldn’t involve Italian Films Export . . . N.Y. Times special film biz pulsetaking section out next Sunday (6) , . . Sol Lesser has bought a Danish-made travel documentary, “Among the Cannibals in New Guinea." Film business at first-runs over + the U. S. in January soared to the highest point in several years, ac- cording to reports from Variety correspondents in some 25 repre- sentative keys. The boxoffice was so strong that many theatres car- ried through product, which had been launched early in January, until almost Feb 1. Just how trade soared is revealed in Variety’s monthly tabulation of top grossers which shows that the four leading films grossed $6,282,000. The January boxoffice sweep- stakes saw competition so sharp that the first three strongest films came down to the wire at the end of the month in almost a photo fin- ish. "Show Business” (20th), “20,000 Leagues Under Sea" <BV), and “Vera Cruz" (UA), finished the month with not much to choose between them. The terrific totals racked up by “Show Business" early in January enabled it to grab off No. 1 spot. “Sea” which is proving a phe- nomenal grosser for Walt Disney, landed in second place. Pic proved not only a matinee moneymaker but also a big night pic. This was closely followed by “Vera Cruz," which finished up a strong third. “Cruz" may prove United Artists's top grosser of the year. It »s beat- (Continued on page 20) Film Fan Mags Not All-Teen General impression that film fan magazines have a predominantly teenage readership is refuted by Ralph R. Martin, of Seventeen, a teenager bible. Citing a Starch readership survey, Martin notes that the median ages of two lead- ing fan magazines, Motion Picture and Photoplay, are 26 and 27.4 re- spectively. A third leading fan mag. Modern Screen, not analyzed by Starch, reports in its own sur- vey that the median age of its readers is 21.9. The percentage of readers in the 10 to 17-year-old bracket, Martin notes, are as follows: Motion Pic- ture, 27%; Photoplay, 23.7%; Mod- ern Screen, 24.3%. He points out that Seventeen’s median age is 16.7 and "the basic circulation 100% between 13 and 19 years of age." Robert E. Sherwood Doing Todd’s ’War and Peace’; Two Other Versions Pend The three-cornered race to trans- form "War and Peace” to a motion picture is on in earnest. The Leo Tolstoy classic, which filmakers have neglected up to this tjme, now has no less than three producers ready to bring it to the screen. They are David O. Selznick, the Italo producer Dino DeLaurentis, who is preparing an English ver- sion, and Mike Todd. On the Coast Monday (31), Phil Reisman, prexy of the Michael Todd Co., revealed that Fred Zinnemann had been signed to direct and Robert E. Sherwood to write the screenplay for Todd’s “War and Peace." It’ll be shot in the Todd-AO process, with an an- nounced budget of $7,500,000. Zinnemann recently completed “Oklahoma,” first film in the Todd-AO process. While the Todd Co. did not set a starting date. DeLaurentis. via a report from Paramount which is releasing his “Ulysses," said his “War and Peace" would start in June. The same month was selected by Todd as the time the screen- play Is expected to be completed. Both Todd and DeLaurentis say scenes will be shot in Yugoslavia, Todd noting his project will have the full cooperation of the Yugo- slav army and government. De- Laurentis indicated that his film would take five months to shoot at the cost of $4,500,000 to $5,000.- 000. In addition to a month’s shooting in Yugoslavia, he said his company will shoot a month in Fin- (Continucd on page 22) January Golden Ten 1. “Show Business" (20th). 2. “Leagues Under Sea" (BV). 3. Vera Cruz" (UA). 4. “Deep in Heart" <M-G). 5. “3-Ring Circus" (Par). 6. “Silver Chalice" (WB). 7. “Sign of Pagan" (U). 8. “Cinerama" (Indie). 9. “Young At Heart" (WB). 10. “This Is Paris” (U). Italo Labs Try Color Printing In Second Test Warner Bros, has submitted a second color test reel to the Italian labs as part of a continuing at- tempt to come to an understand- ing with the Italians on their bid that the American companies do their color printing in Italy* The first test reel as processed by an Italian lab was unsatisfactory. Motion Picture Export Assn, meanwhile is continuing discus- sions in Rome in an attempt to stave off an Italo customs edict under which no color prints other than those processed in Techni- color, would be allowed into the country. Impression is given that CinemaScope films also would be allowed in. There is confusion in N.Y. as to whether or not the Italo rul- ing has actually gone into effect or is just being held over the heads of the companies. In any case, it’s felt that the second print test will be more decisive than the first in part, because the com- panies would rather compromise on quality than be faced with a flat nix on tint print imports. The Italo labs have come up with various and sundry explana- tions on why the first test, also submitted by WB, was flunked. The problem is for them to manu- facture Ferraniacolor prints off an Eastman negative. This is conced- ed to be a ticklish job. What American film company execs fail to grasp is the Italian logic in first agreeing to a test and then, when it turns out negative, going through anyway with their law. At the same time, it’s understood here that the Italo move is caused by very strong pressure from both labor and the government. The Italian labs, which once used to do a lot of the U.S. black & white printing, have suffered from Holly- wood’s switch to color and are facing largescale unemployment. Of the Making of Laws There’s No End in Ohio Columbus, Feb. 1. Although the battle against the attempt to revive film censorship in Ohio is getting the main atten- tion, the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio will get in its licks against two other bills if they come to a hearing. Exhibitors will oppose a bill to impose Daylight Saving Time throughout the state every sum- mer. They will be in sturdy com- pany, inasmuch as railroads, bus lines, airlines, PTA’s and farmers are fighting it also. Another bill provides that Ohio State University must have all its football games televised and would expressly prohibit theatre televi- sion unless such telecast also was available in homes. This puts the Legislature in the position of say- ing to Ohio State that it must ob- tain a sponsor for such telecasts and that even if theatre tv was available arid offered more money, the University must turn this down in favor of home video. Flanders Drive-in Theatre Corp. has been chartered for $40,000, $100 par value. Location is Bay Shore. Directors are: Joseph M. Seider. Morris Seider and Walter F. J. Higgins of New York. BOSUSTOW’S UPA TO INVADE TELEVISION Hollywood, Feb. 1. United Productions of America, the cartoon outfit which releases through Columbia, hopes to enter the tv programming field in 1955 with a five-day children’s show, prexy Stephen Bosustow disclosed at the annual meeting of the di- rectors this week. Cartoonery, which in addition to theatrical car- toons also makes industrial, educa- tional, and tv commercials, has re- ceived permission from Col to use the UPA characters in tv advertis- ing. Bosustow disclosed that the com- pany will up its production pro- gram in 1955. In line with the in- creased activity, the board okayed the purchase of adjacent property for further expansion of the Bur- bank studio. The UPA topper disclosed that 1955 production will include 14 Co- lumbia C’Scope short subjects, a backlog of $250,000 in industrial sales to be produced both in New York and on the Coast, and an in- crease in the eastern and western tv commercial sales to a $400,000 gross. # UPA has also started production on its first full-length animated feature, James Thurber’s “White Dear," in a three-picture deal with Hecht-Lancaster, which will finance and distribute the films. Bosustow was elected prexy and board chairman for the tenth con- secutive year. Other officers re- elected were Robert Cannon, vee pee; Don McCormick, veepec in charge of UPA New York; T. Ed- ward Hambleton, treasurer; Mel- vin Getzler, assistant treasurer, and M. Davis, secretary. Faught Roasts Foes of ToD-TV Film theatre operators who’ve been fighting home toll-tv got a roasting last week in a speech delivered before the Pittsburgh Radio & TV Club by Millard C. Faught, economic consultant and frequently a spokesman for the Zenith Corp. and its Phonevision system. Referring to the theatre owners’ apparent concern for “free tele- vision," and their charge that toll- tv would constitute a government- sponsored monopoly, Faught ob- served that “apparently technical progress creates even stranger bedfellows than does politics. I dare say the television broadcasters must themselves be a little aston- ished at their new champions.” Faught then analyzed the exhibs counter-weapon to video, theatre television, which he called “one of the neatest ‘insurance schemes’ ever devised. "If 100 theatres equipped with big tv screens and boxoffices can black out a championship fight on regular tv, and do it at a profit, then what an industrywide insur- ance bargain that is when you realize that this eliminates a seat- (Continued on page 20) L. A. to N. Y. David O. Alber Robert Ardrey Susan Ball Edward Carfagno Donald Crisp Brian Donlevy Gloria De Haven Charles Einfeld Henry Fonda Anne Francis Mona Freeman Steve Goodman Hope Hampton Edward Everett Horton John Hudson Tab Hunter Arthur Kennedy John Kerr Dino de Laurentiis Jack Lemmon Richard Long Marjorie Lord Anna Magnanl Darothy Malone Charles McGraw George Murphy Kim Novak Milton R. Rackmil Ruby Rosenberg Alice Simms Mike Todd Spencer Tracy Tennessee Williams Ralph Wright Gig Young 20th Answers Lardner Washington, Feb. 1. The U. S. Supreme Court was asked yesterday (31) to throw out the appeal of Ring Lardner Jr., who is seeking $25,789 in unpaid salary under a contract with 20th- Fox. Answering brief, filed with the high court, claims Lardner, one of the “Hollywood 10" who went to jail for contempt of Con- gress following the 1947 House Un- American Activities Committee hearings, breached his contract by refusing to answer questions of the house committee. The Lardner petition to the Court alleged that if the decision stands, it will encourage blacklists and “grey lists" in Hollywood. To this 20th entered a general pooh- pooh. N. Y. to Europe Leonard Bernsteui George Cukor Linda Darnell Claude Dauphin Fred Feldkamp David E. Greene Robert L. Joseph Mrs. Emerich Kalman Lee Katz Fredric March Marijane Maricle Gale McGarry John B. Nathan Peggy Nelson James E. Perkins Harold Rome Herman Shumlin Yvonne Wood Telecast of Nominees From Ciro’s, Romanoff’s, Grove In Oscar Preliminaries Hollywood, Feb. 1. Academy Awards nominations will be telecast Feb. 12 by NBC with tv cameras spotted in four widely separated locations. Shots of film stars will be made at Ciro’s, Romanoff’s and the Cocoanut Grove, with pickups from the com- munications center in Burbank. Cameras will be stationed at each of the night spots to televise closc- up reactions of those lucky enough to be nominated for the Oscar Derby. N. Y. to L. A. J. J. Cohn James Dean Percy Faith Gerry Gross Joseph H. Hazen Kitty Kallen Jules Levey Barry McCarthy Mitch Miller Jack Palance Tom Pryor William Pine Eddie Sherman J. Stanford Smith William Thomas Europe to N. Y. Katharine Hepburn Anne Jackson Prince Littler Arthur Lubin Line Renaud Eli Wallach