Variety (July 1958)

PICTURES PSuBBTf Wednesday, July 23, 1958 Untired Blood Guiding New Lesser Co.; More Films, One Message: 'Escapism 9 National Boxoffice Survey By HT HOLLINGER + The new management team of Sol Lesser Productions, headed by gfi-year-old prtxy Sy Weintraub, plans an ambitious program for its first year of operation* according to Sandy Howard, the 33-year-old v.p; in charge of production. In addition to two Tarzan films, one of the main staples of the Lesser organization for many years, the company has scheduled four low budget films and two king-sized entries. Howard stressed that the com¬ pany has “no desire to make mes¬ sage films” and that it would con-j centrate solely on escapist fare. He pointed out, however, that the low budgeters would not consist of rock V roll or horror items, but that they would be ‘‘adult packages.” Associated with Weintraub and Howard in the new' venture is Harvey Hayutin, a 38-year-old Denver business man and finan¬ cier. AH three principals, accord¬ ing to Howard, have moved to the Coast where the company will main¬ tain its headquarters. Sol Lesser remains as chairman of the board and advisor to the young manage¬ ment trio. , Howard maintained that the com¬ pany would finance its own produc¬ tions for the most part. On the low budgeters, he declared, no releasing deal will be made until after the picture is completed. However, on the projects that re¬ quire larger budgets, efforts will be made to obtain partial financ¬ ing and an advance distribution arrangement. Although the activities of both Weintraub arid Howard heretofore have been entirely in television and radio (Weintraub as a principal In Flamingo Films and as an own¬ er of radio and tv stations and How¬ ard as a radio and tv producer), the company has. no plans to en¬ ter the telepix field. Howard, in If. Y. to confer with Metro on the release of “Tarzan’s Fight for Life,” said the decision to forgo tv activities is based strictly on mathematics. He rioted that profits from telepix are slim while there is still a chance to make enormous profits from a successful motion picture. He noted, for example, that Les¬ ser had Completed a pilot film for. the possible introduction of Tarzan as a telepix series. However, after analyzing the costs and market potential, it was considered “com¬ plete Insanity,” according to How¬ ard, to go into tv. Howard’s point being that it would be suicide to destroy a, property which has grossed some S200.000.000 in 40 years. Since 1918. there have been 32 Tarzan films and, according to Howard, there has never been a loss on a Tarzan film. He said the smallest profit has been $500,000. Trip of. young execs. Howard said, feel they can bring “fresh’ young thinking” into the motion picture business. One of the basic rules of thp organization, Howard said, was to maintain a close liaison with exhibitors and to seek their advice on the type of pictures that should, be made in today’s market. In this connection/ Weintraub is maintaining a close contract with theatremen by mail and telephone.. He has already Written to to some 6.00Q theatremen. According to Howard, the company has already received a half a dozen suggestions “that are terrific.” Base of all the firm’s activities will be in Hollywood at the Paramount Sunset Studios. “We intend to shoot everything in Hollywood/’ Howard declared. , “There’s a fal¬ lacy about shooting pictures over¬ seas. There’s not a scene that can’t he duUticated In Hollywood, and it has the best facilities and technicians.” . In addition. Howard noted that the company.wants to keep the pic¬ tures “under our own control so that we can watch the budgets care- . fully.” Trade Continue* Big; 'Indiscreet’ No. 1, ‘Pacific* 2«i; ‘Viltihgs* 3d; 4«L 'gaby* Stfc Film grosses are. holding up in unusually pleasing fashion: around the country, especially for this season of the year, according to reports from Variftt correspond¬ ents in some 24 representative key cities. Just how strong biz is can be seen by the fact that the four biggest grossers are racking up more than $1,000,000 alone while the next three will show nearly $500,000 total. “Indiscreet” <WB) is the new champ at the wickets, the # Cary Grant-Ingrid Bergman starring vehicle nosing out “South Pacific” (20th) by a narrow margin. “Pacific” is moving up to second position. It was third a week ago, “Vikings” (UA). long on top is dipping to third place. “No Time For Sergeants” (WlJ), Second last stanza, is winding up fourth. “Rock-A-Bye Baby” (Par), pust out this; week. is showing enough to take, fifth money. “Search For Paradise” (Cinerama) is finishing sixth. ‘Around World in 80 Days” (UA) will be seventh while “Gigi” (M-G) is landing eighth position. The next four pix are closely grouped, with “No Time For Love” (U) finishing ninth. “Kings Go Forth” (UA) is taking over 10th place. “Key” (Go!) is 11th while “King Creole” (Par) . rounds out the Top 12. •• “Light in Forest” (BVJ arid “Proud Rebel” (BY) are the two runner-up pix in that, sequence. Former; is just getting around this week and apparently is feeling the pinch of having “Hebei” and “Peter Pari;” both Disney pix (latter on reissue), out in circulation at the same time. / • Launching of ‘‘South Seas Ad¬ venture,” latest Cinerama produc¬ tion, at:the. N.Y. Warner Theatre, is attracting considerable attention among the newcomers. It looks virtually capacity opening session there. . ‘*The Fly” (20th) shapes as a potential. b.o. winner, based on initial playdates this session. It is torrid in Portland, smash in Seattle and socko in Frisco. Pic is rated moderate in L. A., though garnering plenty of chibs from playing in ad¬ ditional nabes and . ozoners, day- date. “Imitation General” (M-G), also new, shapes fine in Cleveland and good in Pitt. : . “Bridge on River Kwai” (Col) is nice in . Washington and sock in N,Y. :It has finished its hard- ticket dates in other big keys covered by Variety. “Bravados’’ (20th), fair in N.Y., 1 is moderate in Philly. (Complete Boxoffice Reports on ; Pages 8-9). WB to Get Las Vegas Original Per Sinatra; J Star’s Iffy’ Schedule Hollywood,' July 22. Frank S i n a t ra .will star in "Oceans of Love,” his own pack¬ age, for Warner Bros. Richard Breen is scripting an original story, localed in Las Vegas. :; . Probable costars with . Sinatra are Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis, Jr. Meanwhile possibility exists Sin¬ atra’s upcoming “Goodbye Eden,” formerly “Hole in the Head,” may be his third vehicle at Metro in¬ stead of a United Artists release. Would be coproduction deal be¬ tween actor’s company and Metro; with Frank Capra producing! No firm decision : can be made: until next year,. however, since film would be shot then. Sinatra won’t know until next mid-summer, or thereabouts whether ABC-TV plans to use him on regular video series again.: If net exercised its option, it would probably preclude chances of his doing “Head” at Metro, where his other two pix are “Some Came Running” and “Devil May Care.” .. Producer-director Otto Premin¬ ger. left for the Coast Monday (21) to begin preliminary casting on two. of his upcoming films for Columbia release“Anatomy of Murder” and “The Other Side of the Coin.” While he’s on the Coast, Prern- inger, who headquarters in N.Y., has two writers working in Goth- im on the: screenplays. Wendall Mayes is converting Robert Trav¬ els novel, “Anatomy of Murder,” to the screen, and A. E. Hotchner Is working on the film version of Pierre Boulle’s “The Other Side of the Coin,” CLOSED 7 YEARS, REOPENS ' Albany, July 22. One smalltown theatre, the Town Hall in Cazenoyia, has been reopened by Nicholas Googin, after a seven-year closedown. Another, the Poland in Poland, has passed from the management of Clarence Dopp to. that .of Leland Warner, who formerly worked for him there. Dopp continues to operate the Star in Northville, near Sacandaga Park. : His Hollywood in Frankfort is dark. Skiatron’s Got An Improvement? New development by Skiatron Electronics lc Television Corp. ; (g a simplified system in the wired toll-tv field is understood to be behind the recent activity in Skiatron stock. Outfit is said to have perfected a method of pay video which requires neither a coinbox nor a. card, attachment at the set. Development is tipped off in a memo from the research de¬ partment of Harris, Upham & Co., pne of the Wall Street out¬ fits. It says the new approach is made possible as the result of a Skiatron invention which has “other valuable applications be¬ yond the toll-tv field.” Arthur Levey* Skiatron prexy, refused to confirm or deny the report beyond saying that his company is working on a number of new approaches to pay video. Theatre Litigation May Soon End, In the Trade Prodded by the Johnston of¬ fice, 20th-Fox changed the text of an ad for “The Fly” last week, but not tbefore it had run in The Motion Pic¬ ture Daily to a good deal of surprised .trade comment. As carried by the Quigley publication, the ad said: “ ‘The Fly’ Is Open—400 theatres never saw anything so big.” This was too much for the MPAA: and it prevailed on 20th to change the text. The new version: ‘“The Fly* Has Opened — 400 theatres never saw business so big!” New contributions to the all-in¬ dustry business building fund, which appears to be picking up momentum,^ raises to nearly 400 the number of individual checks received and to over 3,000 the number of theatres covered by this cash. Although the business building committee has not issued, any fig¬ ures showing the actual amount of cash received, it’s believed to be close to $100,000, which is still far short of the $1,500,000 which ex¬ hibitors are pledged to put up to match the contribution of distribu¬ tion. However, there are pledges and other commitments: for ap¬ proximately another $400,000. The radio campaign the industry hopes to start In September is alone bud¬ geted at $300,000. The new contributors, which are being placed on an “honor roll,” Include theatres and circuits in 18 states. For the first time, according to Abe Montague and Ernest G. Stellings, co-chairmen of the exec¬ utive committee of the campaign, the fund has received cash from every state in the union. - . It’s hoped that the listing of con- . tributors will act as an incentive to other exhibitors to send in their check. + Settlement of the RKO Theatres suit against Metropolitan Play¬ houses was predicted last week by an executive tiose to the talks now going on. If It materializes, the Skouras and Randforce circuits will merge and become a wholly- owned part of-United Artists The¬ atres. RKO Theatres has a 20% inter¬ est in Metropolitan, which serves the “umbrella” for the still- separate Skouras and Randforce circuit operations. It sued to pre¬ vent the projected merger. Both circuits have been losing money and have been closing houses, though the Skouras outfit has been spending quite a lot in recent years on renovation and on. several new theatres. The combined operation would give UA Theatres, around 350 houses, making it one of the top circuits in the country. All opera¬ tions (buying, booking; etc.) would then be concentrated in a single office for all houses In the chain. There’s been a good deal of con¬ solidation already within Skouras and Randforce, but they’re still separate legal entities! UA Theatres now has 60% of Metropolitan Playhouses. RKO Theatres acquired its 20% in the early thirties for $250,000. It has since refused to sell out, though several offers were made. Stock¬ holders holding the remaining 20% of the Metropolitan shares have approved the merger. Entire wrangle over Metropoli¬ tan must be seen, at least partly, in the light of the $100,000,000 anti¬ trust suit which Skouras Theatres has filed against the film compan¬ ies and the major circuits. Includ¬ ing RKO Theatres, Latter have counter-sued. Mrs. Lucchesse Continues San Antonio, July 22. Lula Lucchesse, wife of the late G. T. Lucchesse, has been named prez of the Zaragoza Amusement Company. She will personally direct the Operations of the Alameda* Na¬ tional and Guadalupe Theatres, which comprise the Mexican pa¬ tronage circuit TelePrompter’s Position In Boxing . TelePrompter Corp., has acquired the radio and motion picture rights to the Aug. 18 heavyweight championship bout between Floyd Patterson and Roy Harris. According to TelePrompter prexy' Irving B. Kahn, the $210,000 guarantee paid to the fight’s promoter, William P. Rosensohri, a .former v.p. of TelePrompter, for the closedrcircuit : tv rights also included the radio and film rights: This is the first time that a firm handling the . closed-circuit telecast of a fight has also held the fight promoted by the IBC. “WeTe not fight pro¬ moters,” he declared, “but I’m sure that the IBC will come to us after they see what a Job we’ve done on this fight” He was referring to Tele- Prompter’s bally campaign to interest the public nationally in the Patterson-Harrls bout. Kahn reported that he had received several offers “at good, prices” for the radio rights, but be stated that he was not quite sure as yet if he would lease „ . ,. these rights. He pointed out that the Ray Robinson- radio and film Tights; a situation that has led many Carmen Basilio fight had a radio audience of ap- people in the entertainment and sports industries., proximately 20,000,000 and that he had wondered to believe that TelePrompter is the actual proriioter if a percentage of these listeners would have gone of the fight in partnership with Cus D’Amato, to theatres if radio had riot been available. He Patterson’s manager.: said he would make a decision on the radio matter Kahn, Rosensohn and D’Amato have strongly after he had appraised the market situation further, denied this on numerous occasions. Kahn stated The TelePrompter prexy said he was dickering that he had not been subpoenaed to appear before with three companies on the distribution rights to the California Boxing Commission, but that, he’d the fight films. As part of the deal, he said, there be willing to do so on a day’s notice. “We have, was an agreement that there would be a ringside nothing to hide,” he declared. conference immediately after the fight to decide If Kahri, in addition, did not appear to be disturbed the release of the films would be worthwhile. “If by remarks attributed to Truman Gibson, president it’s a bad fight from the point of view of films, of the International Boxing Club. A Chicago news- well scrap them immediately,” he stated. Kahn paper ; quoted Gibson as saying that now that Tele- added that if there were a disagreement between Prompter has gone in for boxing promotion, the the distributor and himself over tha value of re- IBC regards the firm as competition in the field, leasing the films, the footage would revert to him Kahn maintained that his company would be “in and he would be permitted to seek another dis there pitching” for the closed-tv rights of any tributor. 5 N. Y. to L. A. Mort Abrahams Burt Balaban David Diener Betty Garde Monroe Greenthal Bill Morrow Otto Preminger Jule Styne Joseph R. Vogel L. A. to n. Y. Buddy Adler David O. Alber Harry Babbitt John Compton Frank Cooper Red Doff # Joseph Gould Mitchell T. Hamilburg Paul N. Lazarus Jr. Robert Leeds Claude McCue Edward Morey Joseph H. Moskowltz Harvey Palash Paul Porzelt Norton V. Ritchey Katherine Squire N. Y. to Europe Julian T. Abeles Herman Bernstein AI Galileo Barry Gray John O’Hare Walter Reade Jr M anny Reiner . Alfred A, Strelsln Europe to N. Y. Robert Ardrey Muriel Box Sydney Box - Cary Grant Darren MeGavln Mack Millar Joseph Schaeffer Kim Stanley