Variety (August 1959)

Wednesday, August 5, 1959 CAREER MURDER BY ttCTtrfefes Expected to emerge as.a key fig--* ure in. Columbia’s corporate struc¬ ture as. a result of the death of Screen Gems’ prexy Ralph Cohn Is his brother Robert Cohn, a Col maps rassing N , “ h yF r HIFT , * Til Nils Asther, former matinee .idol . •, 1,1 ■ •_- ■ ■ --, : '■ ■ who. in his heyday during the late . twenties and during the , thirties lim Cnintrpr Hik RnaJ would appear in as many as five or V 1 !* 1 . VtfliUgCI IUMIU s ix pictures during a single year, Hollywood; Aug. 4! . feels he’s being “haunted” by the James R. Grainger, prexy of In- press. do Govt. After Prolonged Delay; Good lill ’62, It Helps Production ” ' . ;' ' ♦ Rome, July 28. ir if ,, |fHA r New Film Aid legislation, valid Kroger JmDD to Mlt through Dec. 31, 1961, has been Hollywood Aue 4 1 approved here by the Council of ^ J Ministers, presided over by Italian e H X „ Pl S“S Prime Minister Antonio signi. Th. - , ,. .. ‘ I ter .Continent Releasing Qrganiza- | He is one of a fairlv laree erOuo lfill ” P roducer when he headed avnt t u production executive on the Coast. lt ion,isonatw 0 week swingthrough 0 f yesteryear film stars who " Hallmark Productions,- has joined ^ e]a bh h J Robert Cohn is the last of the east and Middle West td sfet up Whether thev like it or not are MPC Film Distributing Co. as. ad, * * y three sons of the late Jack Cohn, bookings of uDcomirie hroduct i h th ^ ^ v 1 v w ; exDloitation director ; able industry worry. It arrived f ormer executive veepee. brother | startLn | Mth Benedict Bogeaus’ I w h ?chT^^ Establishment of ad-exploitation : insnired^v t V a I ^^ a a n lld |p t ft^?^ eI S an ? S, of late prexy Harry Cohn and co- *.j et Over the Atlantic:” ' : ISS” hhd trisd?tLm Scordine *' de PL mar ^ MPC’s first move in * 1 , g e !f" founder of the company. Another Bogeaus’“The Gold Bug,” based: this direction in firm’s overall ex- t , hat ‘Current aid law be »on, Joseph Curtis, died several on Edgar Allah Poe classicalso is ^ P ailsl6n plans, ! n .onlyto December of this years ago at the age of 32. on sked i Id c 1 . 1 J? pingS i. co “cprning these per-,*' r ■ ... I year. Old law expired last June. - xi. ^ • j sonalities, digs up the names j 1 30. 1 Ms • !Tre“'v and ^ |MT * QL.-tfl* Ba ? ically the“new" law echoes rinilJ Mllll I Asther.'who is nearing 60 but[\| I A ahulllinff. : *E T °nL 5 ,vea ? ago at the a f of 32. ^ __ | on skcd . ; haSes] .. ~ ■ : : : ■ ' Its anticipated that Robert Cohn | . : ~ ~ j periodically and gives them ‘‘the ; mTn > * /«■ w»1* will serve as spokesman for. his | ^ „ __ I treatment ” : MT A L LhIiIim^. MPEA-Raud Mull W lApnuniing, owning 42,04/ snares of Col stock. [ a sonorously effective voice, com- f . f + .In addition 13.8/8 snares stood of .. . w T\» plained last week that : his profes-. I vinwliAi«ir Iwfn • record in his name and others, as. IT C |f r o n Aa PlV sional standing was being, dam, UrU€IllJ6r£ .11110 executors ^>f t.je w dl of Jack Cohn. U t i) t *rffl||C0 I IX • aged and his job potential reduced v Ralph. Cohn, also had a one-third v ' ; ' /by continuing reports.that he.was A | | . . n -I . remainder lp.tei est in a trust which : Ti 1 broke and couldn’t make a living, j LvAffllhlotf KAl4n owns 1,844 snares and a contingent if K All At ATol 'T™ consulting my lawyer about HI CCllUldll D6I UI interi m a trust winch owns 51;-. -XflCl l\CflvW2tl it,” Asther said. “This just can’t n e w e ^f : g° « n - . Stories keep appearing A major personnel, shakeup in S S^'thejSh CohnlanAtw Paris ' ■ Au «- *■: j'f*^ m f; "rltton. bi.peopIe whom j,TA Pictures, theatrical "distriBu- is the second lareert individiia'i lYed Gronich. Continental »ep-. I wls getttar a^onSfly ; ^o.“ subsidiarj- ot National Tele- holder of Col stock. . j reseiitatiye; for^^ the Motion Picture a Bow ; ance froin; G Garbo be-Uilni Associates; sees . Leonard . .Indications are that Robert Cohn 'Export Assn., and Jacques Flaud, • cause I was a fellc*w>Sw ; ede and : Grpenberg becoming general man- w-ill ho\y have the;say-so in voting head of the French governmental she was sorry for me. It’s just' a * e j. He succeeds H H Green- C^trADu- Cmema, ^. 3,acted ' . . . family. He is scheduled to confer ; cpnclus^-e parieys on the French- ber in 20 years! Not even a Christ- ; " At the same time,: William Shel¬ ly The press, its files bulging w r ith ; ■ uvciaA1 • ; extended only to December of this ord clippings concerning, these per- paubiuu P 1 • ‘ ^ I-year. Old law expired last June, sonalities, digs up the names j 1 30 ESSffcffi and gives them “ the ! IPP k CL itl* Basically, the “new" law echoes whr, i, hoarinw Ro hut ll I A NlHllf lllHF* the le Sislation first approved In and H IHyMUUlUlg, ; One of | a sonorously effeeUve voice, com- - | | , [cinemas and the other cone”™ j plained, last week that,his profesr. ( 1 |r|lp||>|p |‘0 I lit A the: yearly prizes for documen- 33WW.K CrAAnMa’tt [go on.. Stones keep appearing A .major personnel shakeup in j ng of some $3750 f or black and about me, written by people >vhom j pi C ^ures, theatrical distribu- white items and some $6,750 for I haven’t even, spoken, to. One \ p n i n r cK^c fireenblaft Berth Paris. ..Aug. 4 ./ _;-about m'e, written..by-p«>pie \vhom- { n^a. Pictures,' tlibatcical -distribu-' white items and some $6,750 for Pred Gronieh Coptinental r eP" sai^th^x^vas uetthig 1 a^monUily . ^ on aubsidialy of National Tele-. ^orts. resentative; for the Motion Picture a jiow ; ance from Greta Garbo be-■ film Associates; sees. Leonard 4< _* n .addition, 12 0 of these 200 Export Assn., arid Jacqilbs Flaud, cause I was a fellowvSw ; ede and : Gruenberg becoming general man- „^ n ists ®^ ch T te *u iv ^ * tead of ^the French «“Vemn,enf^l :sfm. wayor^ icm ^ -He .succeeds: H: If. Green-cate^ ?he"ild '"legMaffon Centre Du- Cinema, have started Garbo bl j t T hbven t heard from ! bIa • who has ^signed. . ;■ on quality prizes still applies, conclusive parleys on the French- her in’ 20 vears Not even a Christ- i " At .the same time, William Shel- New law will give film producers the various holdings of the shares ' centre Du- Cinema, have started ^^lous. .1 did play opposite, held.by trusts and members of his . . . . Garbo, but I haven.t.heard from family. He is sc’ncdulcd to confer , c P nc lus ive parleys on the French- her in 20 years. Not even a Christ- With Col: officials later this wriek; I.U- .S. Film Accord which lapsed mas card.” Meanwhile, it riopears that Ralph [Jast month. .Accord might be final- ^ . nnlv ‘Silent’ Cohn’s death will hasten the aS-i ^ sooner than anticipated to be x% - similation of ..Screen Gems ihto - a m e . to Present to Ministers Andre 1 Asther,.. vely sensitive about I tori., formerly Times Films’ sales ber ^ a chance to prep new’ film . Meanwhile, it riopears that Ralph .|; as ^: mo ; ^.vv AC.corq mignt- ; De-nnai- Not Onlv ‘Silent’ f chief ahd more recently NTA’s . Cohn's death will hasten-’the a:s- ! lz ^ d sooner than anticipated to be : ' foreign fep moves into the post i similation of Screen Gems irito- abe present to Ministefs.Andre.‘ Asther,.. vely sensitive about- . t ■■ » n t cr f the structure of the ' parent com- ! M* 1 ™* and Antoine ' Piiiay,, of: scribes Who call him: a star of .the o£ sales manager. Gruenberg, who MetTO SUM INI 1^X1301 pany Preliminary steps in this l c M ltu r e and Finance., respectively, “silent” era < 4 ‘I appeared in a lot ; had been in^^ NTA’s tv syndication { direction have already been taken, i h ^? re they go o|f ^n b:z and va-: of talking pictures all the way. lip sales .department, was •; formerly j (a Xpge PriAr such as the . nie Ting on the Coast , catlon - _ : / j through 1948 arid a, jgood many of . N.Y, branch manager for RKO. j w. w«vg unn of pub-ad, talent arid production 1 Gronieh is -trying- for. .more visas them can be seen ert • television’’!,. Greenblatt was also.a former RKO- | . PpijhirAC H^lllflirSllllIPcI activities. There- is a . possibility . over the present .110 allowed Yank : said he was first “amused” about ite..having been sales manager for-, ' * WUICd liaulUUippCU that Irving Briskin. SG!s executive ' majors plus a liberalization of re- i these writerups, but that lately he ! a short -time-before the company j Hollywood, Aug. 4. producer and recently named a : mittanees oyer the preserit $ 3 , 000 .- had begun to feel that they’d dam- ' v *s. aissolved, • Sol Lesser Productions has filed \\p. of the parent company, may . 000 annually for all the compa- a Sed his career. | NTA Pictures, like Its parent suit against Loew’s Inc. for $1,925,- emerge as Uhe top figure in.v the nies. Yanks feel that better eco- : He currently lives in Philadel-. coiripany, is shifting its headquar- 000 damages on Loew’s distribu- ■ \ industrial films. He’s also dabbled : from there. For the most part, NTA and unfair competition. operation of the telepix subsidiary: i noiriic /conditions here ' warrant : Pbia and is partnered with Peter , 'ters to the Coast , and, it’s under- ' tion of two “Tarzan” films cliarg- __J___^ ' these changes ip the cpniing Ac- Harrow’ in an outfit that produces ; stood, all booking will be done ing violation of trust obligation’ . cord agreements . ^ industrial films. He’s, also dabbled : from there. For the most part, NTA and unfair competition. Technical PerfecHnilism’ it is aho pointed out by Yanks ; es ‘ a,e ; but Ws first leve ls : Pictures- theatricar distribution Gist of complaint is that Loew’s ICUlUlld! r vnetuuai&m th4t there is an exHib demand in ; ? tl!t .% theatre and: motion pic- I activities have been; devoted to the ■ Inc , that is , Metr0> has ade lhird fa led TftfJav^ Phnhia France for American films Ovei-^ 1 ** * »ad Angel.’ !frie«n-on-a; rei^uebas^ffilros - Ta ^ an .. feature which it - plan , In : Hoflywpod Colony [mu“ tlSh ^«r vS?“ ySbwS; I Palled T(W<av’« Phnhia France for American films over ;tur J es l " I ": ro ‘ e a p,a ^ '® ad An f a1 -' 1 ^®’ -Tarzan” feature which if plans tailed 1 Otay S rnocia the no. Centre Du Cinema has and toured in it, and it was .very | acqunred by NTA for showing on to put into release while the first 1 If H j A 1 taken the Yank nrnhnsals and will : SUCcessful - N°w I’m trying to set television. Many pictures from the tV vJ 0 are st m i n general distribu- In Hoflywpod Colony SSr. a »> n P^ arfc - View’ that. Hollywood today gar-^h^fode resum^pg^urtlier^tali^d this-' ^ a te;,I^have .very^^od ^c^nec- j^hution.first : Two films involved^are “Taman Ties its quest for technical perfec- ■ V^nr ?t ar " hetber tbe ; : j ng work o n a script which Alec NTA Pictures has been broadening And The Lost Safari which Met- tion too far was voiced in N. Y. i Sgfe gfe^in o “me Of thc'S Gu ‘ d " asa has ** ^'W One scope and has picked up, foreign , !i a i al f gsed F1 «hl. last week ^i«chafd :E infeld ; j dAianls. , ; ;^ ot Metro had The indie . producer, w ho . has ; Last year’s Insistence by Flaud f FO m oeoole who’d be interested to : tion will be enlarged and efforts seven-year distribution rights on cpmpleted_ “The Oregon Trail” as .on giving out 40 of the Yarik visas have me in a plav | will be .made to obtain'American each, worldwide, the first film under his own bam, as merit licenses for companies.. , ( w,v- -***•' . . . .. indie product as well. Lesser Productions complained ner, .opined that the drive for ab-- having helped. Freiirh di«frih anH ; , --This • reputation .v;hicn.-.tne that Metro’s feature. “Tarzan. Th* ? ted -The Oregon Trail as .on giving out 40 of the Yarik visas have me in a nlav will be .made to obtain American each, worldwide, st film under his own bam, as merit licenses for companies.. , ( „v- •***-' indie product as well. Lesser Productions complained ner, .opined that the drive for ab- .having helped French distrib and Thl ? reputation . which the since National Theatres took tliat Metro’s feature, “Tarzan, The solute perfection has golteii in the : production: is. expected to be dis- ? Te ff ts er ^ tl f3 f OT , m? , , over NT 4 the theatrical distribu Ape ^ Ian »” wil1 feature an actor bUagtlS at ;“ ntin “ ad i*>is war, La S t yeat’s S^aSMof^N^teSl^hcr than Gordon Scott (viz. W lattempt.led to- a, truce With the fa^ota^ been somewhat limited. Under a D f n >’ M j n f£\ as * he leadl «g char- . When I ook at the rushes at t French kicking in some extras and 1 tiv . I a7J ii nte ftsied in what j ruling of the antitrust division of f cter a " d _ that lts premature re- the end of the day, and I notice.^ some. leftovers from the defunct r d( J c - n ^hat I vlan to do and the Dept, of Justice, NTA Pictures, ! ease V 11 daraa e e receipts on the a tiny little thing wrong; with the. j KKO and. Republic to make up [for li^i'^^ct^Ire^nthe- ■ in territories where National Thea; t^.pnpr films, background of a scene, I don’t go i those licenses lost by some majors ! { % a s i^ nt has been tres maintain houses, must first ‘Tarzan, The Ape Man” Is only and reshoot the whole works, it’s ' at the expenses of others who got Jtar’> ' nus-veen offer its films to the opposition at one of Tarzan” series owned by silly,”.he said. “After all, the audi-j the “merit”, visas from the CDC... : . * c ,. reasonable rentals. The offers of Metro ’ a11 ot bers being part of the Present Yank deminds are thdse .n’] 3 i tKe oPPds> tio tt need not be sub- Ta< ? a “ 5“ ka ® e *•*“» orisinally done—will be looking at the actors. S et forth bv MPA a hcpw- Frip tlQ n Swedish and Bntish: a ccent,' s f a ntial . controlled by Lesser and consigned : not *at the distant background. So Johnston on his recent trio herri I im P° r ^d to Holly\vood from j exoected that the tieun with ! hy him to Lesser Productions when we shot. a\ set .where, -.'in'-the•; back, recent trip heie.Europe in 192.7 and contftmed mak- ! I^exp^ed ttat. the .faeup with } that company was sold to the a bulb’s blown out. AVho cares? mg films .there and in Britain ; ^ a ^ al : Weintraub-Hayutin Interests. “It’s the same with lighting, and 'LES AMANTS' BOOKINGS .. a lot of other little details.” Ein- _—. .. i.J*.,--S,. picture was. . Sorriell_. and .“-windjammer ” which was J unctl °n to halt release of Metro- feld-deferred to directors who Due In Chi, b.c! and Balto Ahead under a special agreement made Tarza ” film ’ and iu separate overshoot,, repeating scenes end- Of Gotham ^ g Wjnoi : with the antitrust divis^m^ ' ; a f; on f ° r damages claimed that lessly to^correct the smallest im- _____ Lover (1928>, Wild^ Orcliid§ ...... , - ; - ■ ■ ; Metro unfairly discriminated perfections; “Some directors aren't rhira?n Ahp 4 | , w rih G a rbo in l929),“The Bitte r ! ; against the two Lesser Tarzan pix. neaily sure of vvhat they w’ant, so : 7 \ 1 : . Tea ; df General Yen” (1933), ■ .. they shoot 15 different angles and t Zenith - Irit drnational plans to. re-; “Storm at Day Break’’ (1933), etc. I later pick out the .best ones in the ‘ ? ease the French “Les Amants” . He was originally brought over by editing. Other directors know what (The Lovers) in Chicago, Washing- Vriited Artists,, later was under they want and shoot that way, tbo. ton , and Baltimore in Sentemher contract to MGM (“T Quit there be- Perspnally, I think a director wdrk n . a ^^^ 1 dbuldn’l stand making ing .on a short schedule does bet-l p ar ; s Theatre in Ortnher , those 'pretty boy’ films in uniform, ter work than the man. who has all " s . +ueaice in uctoDer. ._ -l :any more”) and, during the war 'LES AMANTS* BOOKINGS with the antitrust division. mtm IV hX TV KM PAR This Matter action asked $637,500 JIlElsCL-LLiin lCAm run damages on U. S. distribution and 'LAWRENCE OF ARABIA Hollywood, Aug. 4. 9 . $1,237,500 in other countries. cause I couldn’t stand making lionywooa, Aug. 4. j JACK HALEY JR. RESUMES those 'pretty boy’ films in uniform,{: Sam. Spiegel and British dir.ee-..;.,. - any more”) and,: during the vvar : tor David Lean will , make “Law - Picks Up Show Business Career the time in the world. And, un- , J 0 ™ G °" d ls .h and bng the pic- ; an d up to 1943, appeared for Para- renbe of Arabia ” bioDic of mvs-’ With Wolper fortunately, there, is just no rela- this territory .but States no ,i mount.:\ During that period he • f . _ _ T ’ ' ... _ r * , —;- tionship between costs and qual- Chi situation has been set for it so ■. starred in: the successful “Man in ' steri °so T. E, Lawrence, of TV orld • Hollywood Aug* 4 ity.” far. A print won’t be submitted to [ Half Moon Street” (1944), j War I connection, as first of two : j aC k Haley Jr., who donned civ- ; Einfeld said the need in the i ^ en ,sors for at least another:; After the war, stories began to ; productions they’ll produce on a . vies .two weeks ago after a stretch business was for “fresh money” to two or three weeks. appear to the effect that Asther, ’ partnership basis . for. Columbia ; wi .tb L T . S. Air Force, will be asso- finarice production. His reasoning “Les Amants” has the distinction who had been a top earner in i rf ; iT> r ., _ -t,. _t ni ‘-ciate producer on David L. Wol- is that this sort , of backing would of being the first. French film to Hollywood,, -.was down-and-out and, (f 1CLUre - reiedse. aecurm pit is • per ' s upcoming spec, “Race for be amenable to experimentation he exhibited on the Champs Ely- at one point, had to work as -a J uhset, 'Space.” and a more imaginative approach ..sees with English subtiUss for the ' delivery clerk at $1 an hour ini. Duo previously were associated Haley also w ; ill handle sam# to film making. The producer, also benefit of Yank and British tour- Los Angeles, A recent story in the on “Bridge on the River Kwai,” (chore oh eight hour-long public plugged for greater opportunties ists who might otherwise miss the N,Y. Post by reporter Gene Smith, also for Columbia release, which. affairs specials for regional spon- for young, creative talent.- unexpiirgated version back home, j : (Continued on page 10) [ won an Academy Oscar jackpot. \ sorshijj which W’olper is prepping.