Variety (March 1959)

pfCTlJMS WSniRfi Wednesday, March 4, 1959 Loew s Eyes Diversification In, Out Show Biz; Studio Operating in Black And Outlook Increasingly Cheery By HY HOLLINGER Loew’s Inc., once It’is officially separated from Loew’s Theatres, has “in mind increasing the size and scale of the company,” prexy: Joseph R. Vogel told the stock¬ holders at the annual meeting Thursday (26) at Loew’s 72d St. Theatre. In answer to a stock¬ holder’s query, he said that the company’s directors had already discussed the possibility of expan¬ sion. Later Vogel told reporters that expansion implies diversifica¬ tion both in and outside entertain¬ ment. A similar diversification pro¬ gram is being considered by Loew’s Theatres. During the course of the two- and-half-hour session, punctuated by the shouting and bickering that has been commonplace at recent Loew’s meetings. Robert H. O’Brien, financial v.p., gave the ...... , ... shareholders a detailed breakdown I ho A British exhibitors association of the per share earnings of each ; has endorsed the idea that foreign division"for the first and quarters of the current fiscal year. He broke down the 49c per share earned in the first quarter as fol¬ lows: theatres and radio, 8e; fiilm- production and distribution, 19c; television, 17c; records and music, 5c. This division, he noted, was on It’s Ernest Hall who’s bowing off the Republic board, and not Edwin Van Pelt, as previously reported. Van Pelt is a candidate for re- election at the company’s upcom¬ ing annual meeting. British Exhibs: Makes Sense To Use U.S. Talent and directors to make their pic¬ tures more suitable for U.S. thea- ! tres and the world market. ! This was made known in a letter ; to George G. Kerasotes, president : of Theatre Owners of America, : from Ellis F. Pinkney, general sec- _ ___ , , ; retary of the Cinematograph Ex- the basis of 5,336,000 shares out- ■ hibitors’ Assn, of Great Britain and standing. Had the company been . Ireland separated into different produc-. Several weeks ago Kerasotes had tion-distribution and theatre com-; forwarded to producer, distributor panies, with each having 2,668.000 a nd exhibitor organizations all over shares outstanding, the breakdown ; the world the recommendation of would have been as follows: thea- j the American Congress of Exhibi- tres and radio, 16c; film produc-; tors’committee on ways and means tion-distribution, 38c; television,! to increase motion picture produc- 34c; records and music, 10c. ! tion, of which S. H. Fabian is The breakdown for the second ; chairman. Fabian's report urged quarter, estimated at 50c, would be j that producers b<; as follows for the combined opera- P reaaed "f Ith ,. the fact ‘ hat lf , they tion: theatres and radio, Tc: pro-i “ uld “ a ke ■•more pictures aimed j. 1Ca . t £ t the American market, they duction-distribution, 16c, teleti- [ wou pj not only he!p t0 re i ie ve the sion, 22c; records‘ ?" d : . ldc Ij product shortage in the U.S.. bui On a separated basis, die dn sio j wou jd a i 5 0 earn a i arger share of would earn the following: theatres (he w mariet and radio, 14c; production-distnbu- j CEA , S genera , coUnciIi in acting tion. 32c; television, .4c, records. on t j le Fabian recommendation, and music, 10c. • said that it agreed with the senti- Converting the earnings of ap- j ments “so far as it may be possible proximately $5,400,000, or 99c per, to do so, whilst at the same time share, for the first six months of • retaining to a reasonable extent the current fiscal period, to two . that element in British films which separate companies, O’Brien said it portrays the British way of life would mean $1.68 per share for the ; and thought ...” production-distribution company : - and 30c for the theatre firm. pygJJ STOPS FOR $4,300,000 for Ad-Pub j * „ u 1 O’Brien also disclosed, in answer SOME LIKE IT HOT to a stockholder’s question, that the ! Fal , .ju,...),,, hSdre P t a for’ S 1959 b ha C s t: bre^ef “at ’ of spendin * ™ ney to “ ke it 1 United Artists is backing the. Billy $4,800,000, with $500,000 represent- . Wi ! der production. “Some Like It with a 5 1 ' 000 - 000 domestic pub-ad budget of $5,292,000 in 19o8 , promotional campaign covering all and $6,317,000 in 1957. Vogel told the shareholders that all divisions of the company are currently operating in the black and he predicted that 1959 would be the company’s best fiscal year since 1950. A spokesman for Loew’s later revealed that the production- available media. Report on the kind of extensive backing UA plans to give the Mari¬ lyn Monroe-Tony Curtis-Jack Lem¬ mon starrer was made in N.Y. Mon¬ day (2f by Roger H. Lewis, UA’s National director of advertising, publicity and exploitation. He was distribution operation showed a • flanked by publicity manager Mort profit, before taxes, of $4,000,000 j Nathangon, ad manager Joe Gould for the first two quarters of the * and aide Fred Goldberg, present fiscal year as compared * Film will open in several keys with a loss, before taxes, of more | on March 18 and reopens Loew’s than $5,000,000 for the same stan- State, N.Y., and at the Grauman’s zas a year ago. Mrs. Soss In Attack The meeting opened with Mrs. Wilma Soss, the battery-micro¬ phone-carrying president of the Federation of Women Sharehold¬ ers, charging that the meeting was not a valid one because of alleged illegality in repealing cumulative voting at the special meeting last Tuesday. She claimed that the com¬ pany had failed to make necessary disclosures in its proxy material and that the matter was something that should be Investigated by the Securities fc F/xchange Commis¬ sion. John Gilbert, another pro-cumu¬ lative vote advocate, moved to adjourn the meeting on the ground that the proxv statement had failed to note that Nathan Cummings, nominated for the board, had bought his shares with the knowl¬ edge thf't an effort would be made to rr - ml 'm vsulative voting. Gil¬ bert a’so s:dd that he would intro- a ie-oIut ; on calling for the (Conunued on page 14) Chinese on the Coast, where it’s the first UA film to get a booking in many years. Wilder and Lemmon are slated to tour Europe as part of the effort to promote the picture globally, Lewis said. .Miss Monroe is set to do telephone interviews with U.S. film editors and critics. Nine Inc. has been authorized to conduct a motion pictures, televi¬ sion and other entertainment busi¬ ness in New York, with capital stock of 600 shares, no par value. Jesse Moss was filing attorney at Albany. CANADIAN-MADE FILMS Use ‘Exploitation* Title*—One Ha* $85,000 Budget Ottawa, March 3. “Bloody Brood,” “Ivy League Killers” and “The Young and the Beat,” are the cheery titles of three Canadian films upcoming. “Killers,” is already completed, and producers William Davidson and Norman Klenman are seeking a distrib. Their maiden effort, “Now That April’s Here,” based on four Morley Calagghan shorts, was a quick flop last year,, but they have a third planned for next April. “Young and the Beat” will be Sidney FUrie’s second shot and, like his first, will import a U.S. lead. Two, in fact—Kim Smith and Tony Ray of N.Y., both now in Toronto for shooting. Furie’s first, “A Dangerous Age,” starring Ben Piazza, was shown in London last year to good reviews and business. Western-Hemisphere rights are owned by Kenneth Hyman, son of Hollywood’s Elliott Hyman. Re¬ ported budget for “Beat” is $85,000. “Bloody Brood” is expected to roll in March, maybe with Larry Kert of “West Side Story” as lead. It’ll run about 80 minutes, with Meridian Films* co-owners, Ralph Foster and Julian Rothman, co¬ producing and Rothman directing. Photographer will be Joseph Brun. U. S. to Europe Don' Ameche George Batson Howard Connell Tom Curtiss ' Sylvia Leigh Ricardo Malipiero Richard Pinkham Debbie Reynolds Michael Stern Michael Tcidd Jr. Dennis Vance Edythe Ziffren Europe to U. S. Max By graves Freddie Carpenter James M. Coltart Max Eisen Leslie Grade Miss Francis Head Mike Nidorf Daphne Willis New York to L. A, Robert Armbruster Leslie Barrett Diana Barth Samuel Bronston Carleton Carpenter C. Terence Clyne Ralph E. Donnelly Ben Goetz Louis Jourdan Willard Keefe Edward F. Kook Francis S. Levien Julia Meade Scotty Rubin Elizabeth Taylor L. A. to N. Y. Samuel Z. Arkoff Wayne R. Ball Frank Capra Ralph Cohn George Eckstein Eva Gabor Zsa Zsa Gabor Connie Haines Bob Hope ■ 'Roy Huggins Leo Jaffe Joe Justman Peter Lawford- Irving P. Lazar Paul Lazarus Jr. Favre LeBret Sam Lutz Adele Mara Harold Mirisch Arnold Moss James H. Nicholson Carlo Ponti Manny Reiner Ted Ritter Thelma Ritter Gus Schirmer Jr. Abe Schneider Tom Sheils Frank Sinatra David Wayne Donald Woods Loews: Always a Good Show At a close to $15,000,000 cost, Metro’s “Ben-Hur” came in $1,- 000,000 over the budget, prexy Joseph R. Vogel told the stockhold¬ ers at last week’s annual meeting . . . “I’m certainly not going to the board to 'ask them to cut my salary,” said Vogel in response to a usual stockholder beef about high executive salaries. There’s always a big turnout at the Loew’s meetings. Credit the live show put on by a vocal group of minority shareholders, the free lunch and a free double feature. ‘Weep No More For Barbara 9 [RIVAL SEQUEL TQ WANGER FILM?] - Hollywood, March 3. A rebuttal to Walter Wanger’s “I Want to Live,” which depicts executed murderess Barbara Graham as an innocent victim of cir¬ cumstances, is being blueprinted by tv commentator-screenwriter Dan Lundberg and writer Hugh Lacy. “Weep No More for Bar¬ bara” is the tentative tag of the film venture. Lundberg said he and Lacy had signed a contract with Deputy District Attorney H. Miller Leavy, who prosecuted Mrs. Graham, whereby they have access to Leavy’s files, diary and other docu¬ ments pertinent to the case. Lashing at “Live” as a picture which editorialized strongly that Mrs. Graham was convicted although innocent, Lundberg said “our screenplay is based on material Wanger’s people did not have access to. They couldn’t use Leavy’s name because he was in no rush to supply them with releases. “We have documentary proor never before made known of Mrs. Graham’s guilt. ‘I Want to Live’ is a farce and virtually begs re¬ drafting and a second production. Wanger should do the other side of the coin. “Their effort to show Mrs. Graham was executed although In¬ nocent is a monstrous miscarriage. There is overwhelming evi¬ dence of her guilt. There is no evidence she was railroaded. “Our picture will be shot either from the point of view of Mab¬ el Montague, the victim of the murder, or the District Attorney’s point of view; we intend to show the other side, of the coin,” he said. Hollywood indie bidding for the film rights to Col. Serge Obolensky’s autobiog, “One Man In His Time.” The hotelier-author, on a book¬ store publicity swing from coast-to-coast, says the dealers think his book “a slayer,” i’e. steady seller ... Ah Weisbord, Metro art director, cited for his third year of volunteer work drawing for and working with the children in the wards of Bellevue Hospital. He’s brother of William Morris agency exec, Sam Weisbord. and is making an indus¬ try pitch for art supplies, via him, to the Children’s Recreation Serv¬ ice of Bellevue Hospital. Pamphlet accompanying Stanley Warner divvy payment plugs the pharmaceutical items of the company’s subsidiary. International Latex Corp. Not a word about theatres or upcoming motion pictures . . . Bill Howard, bootblack for Columbia Pix staffers for past 25 years, died Sunday (1). Gerald Pratley, of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., back at his Ot¬ tawa headquarters after a Hollywood onceover during which he taped some 45 interviews, half of them being 30 minutes in length. Twelve of the interviews were with film composers. Pratley had a date with Cecil B. DeMille, but the veteran producer died just before the Ca¬ nadian broadcaster arrived. Among the Hoilywoodites interviewed by Pratley were Adolph Znkor, Samuel Goldwyn, Mack Sennett, Walt Disney, James Cagney, Dick Powell, Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Capra, Arthur Freed, Richard Fleischer, Jack Lemmon, Doris Day, Delmar . Daves and Roger Furse. “The use of the sex symbol in our society is getting way out of hand,” says Shelley Winters, herself an ex-sex symbol, in a piece (as told to Lester David) in Weekend Magazine. Countless girls, imitating the movie sexers, “grow up believing that the acme of womanliness is to possess the babyish charm and immature surface appeal of the sex symbols, and neglecting all the real attributes of being a woman.” At the peak of her sex-symbolism, she says, she didn’t have a date for New Year’s Eve—and neither had Rita Hayworth. Both spent it at & party at Sam Spiegel’s. Quite a few calls to Variety from dailies all over the country about that Goya “Naked Maja” ad which the P.O. Dept, interpreted as “lewd” and which Variety didn’t run. George Roth, sales chief f6r Richard Davis’ United Motion Picture Organization, has quit. Plans to go into business on his own . . . Ed¬ ward L. Kingsley and wife Lee off for a Florida vacation . Re “Compulsion”: When the 20th-Fox brass first saw the film on the Coast, the reaction was anything but enthusiastic. Since then, what with all the favorable critical reaction, 20th has changed its mind . . . Orson Welles has written a new play . . . Cannes film fest topper, Favre Le¬ Bret, in Gotham and on to the Coast to snare stars for the Cote d’Azur event . . . Irving Shapiro bought the French “Les Cousins” for the States. Stefan Schnabel, back in Europe the past three months, bas been working around the clock. His activities included a featured role In a German film, a tv pilot in which Hildegard Neff is starred, the title role of Othello in a German network telecast, dubbing of American pix in Paris, and a running part in the Bryna Productions’ “Vikings” tv series. Since Feb. 18, he’s been starring in “Process Jesus” at the Briennerstrasse Theatre in Munich . . . Julia Meade left for the Coast to begin work in Universal’s ‘.‘Whatever Way the Wind Blows,” star¬ ring Rock Hudson and Doris Day . . . Producers represehtatives and Universal board member Budd Rogers celebrated his 35th anni in the film biz with a luncheon for friends and associates at Toots Shor’s last week. Franz Werfel’s “Embezzled Heaven” will have its U.S. premiere in Boston March 30. Film, produced by Rhombus Productions, in Vienna and Rome, is being released by Louis de Rochemont . . : Rupert Al¬ lan named a v.p. of the Arthur P. Jacobs pub Shop . . . Columbia prexy Abe Schneider, first veepee Leo Jaffe and veepee Paul N. Laza¬ rus Jr., back at their homeoffice desks after meetings at the studio. ., Metro’s “Green Mansions,” starring Audrey Hepburn and Anthony Perkins, set as the Radio City Music Hall’s Easter attraction . . . Sam¬ uel Goldwyn Jr, will produce “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” for Metro . . . Eva Gabor is in Gotham for a brief stay before leaving for Europe for her role in Metro’s “It Started With a Kiss.” Danny Kaye’s new starrer, “The Five Pennies,” will he sneaked In San Francisco where Kaye is currently making a personal appearance.- His original three-week stint at the Curran Theatre has been extended for two more sessions . . . Phil Gersdorf may be the first publicity unit man to receive screen credit. His name will appear in the credits of Samuel Bronston’s “John Paul Jones,” which Warner Bros, will release . ... Jack H. Harris is reshooting portions of his “4-D Man” and prints, initially scheduled for delivery on Feb. 26, won’t be ready until March 26 . . . Robert J. O’Donnell' of Texas’ Interstate Circuit booked Coluih- bia’s “Gidget” to coincide with the gimmick premiere the film com¬ pany will stage in Dallas in the home of a winner of NBC-TVs “The Price Is Right” showcase. The home premiere was a bonus award. Sheilah Graham gave the Women’s National Press Club in Washing¬ ton a brief insight into her life as a Hollywood columnist and named her candidates for the forthcoming film of her book, “Beloved Infidel.” For her own role, Miss Graham said she would like to have Jean Sim¬ mons, Joanne Woodward or Marilyn Monroe. Nicole Maurey opposite Robert Taylor in “The House of Seven Flies,” David E. Rose production for Metro . . . Columbia Pictures changed Morningside’s “The Weroher von Braun Story” to “Give Me the Stars” . . . “Swiss Family p - /» budgeted at $3,000,000, will be filmed by Walt Disney in Lc . ilenya and on Caribbean island (Continued on page 10)