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TV Tryouf Saves Money on Screenplay,<br />
Producer Frederick Brisson Reveals<br />
LETTERS<br />
NEW YORK—The TV production of "Never<br />
Wave at a WAC." which was shown on the<br />
Schlitz Playhouse in<br />
November 1951, saved<br />
money on the screenplay<br />
treatment and<br />
showed up mistakes<br />
which were corrected<br />
in the picture of the<br />
same name, according<br />
to Frederick Brisson,<br />
producer of the Independent<br />
Artists film<br />
for RKO release.<br />
This was the first<br />
time a TV show was<br />
Frederick Brisson used as a "tryout" for<br />
a picture and, in addition to saving Brisson<br />
"from $30,000 to $40,000" on the screenplay, it<br />
built up audience interest for the picture,<br />
which will be released in January. Rosalind<br />
Russell, who starred in both the TV<br />
show and the picture, queried people in<br />
all walks of life during last season's stage<br />
tour in "Bell, Book and Candle" and all<br />
expressed interest in seeing the forthcoming<br />
picture, she said.<br />
Brisson and Miss Russell (Mrs. Brisson in<br />
private life) are both in the east to show the<br />
picture to RKO executives and set promotion<br />
plans for a January opening in Washington.<br />
After Brisson shows the picture to General<br />
Bradley and WAC officials in Washington in<br />
mid-December, he will set the Washington<br />
opening, which President-Elect and Mrs.<br />
Eisenhower have promised to attend. Miss<br />
Russell, who starts rehearsals in "Wonderful<br />
Town," the musical stage version of "My<br />
Sister Eileen," December 15, will aid in promoting<br />
"Never Wave at a WAC" in the east<br />
while her two co-stars, Paul Douglas and<br />
Marie Wilson have contractual obligations<br />
with Brisson to help promote the picture in<br />
the midwest and the west coast, respectively.<br />
Douglas has a "small piece of the picture"<br />
but Miss Wilson has not, Brisson said.<br />
Because of the U.S. army's enthusiasm for<br />
"Never Wave at a WAC" as a WAC recruiting<br />
aid, Brisson will make tieups with local WAC<br />
offices in all key cities and open the picture<br />
slowly in order to give each date his individual<br />
attention, he said. General Bradley<br />
has an actual acting part in the picture, playing<br />
himself.<br />
In February, Brisson will go to Spain to<br />
look over locations for his next Independent<br />
Artists picture, tentatively titled "It Happened<br />
in Spain," which will go into production<br />
in June or July. It will be made in<br />
Eastman color on a budget of $1,000,000. The<br />
picture would cost double that amount if<br />
made in Hollywood, Brisson said. The Spanish<br />
government has already approved the<br />
story.<br />
Independent Artists already has the financing<br />
for the Spanish picture through Atlas<br />
Corp., of which it is a subsidiary. Atlascontrolled<br />
outfits in Spain will supply some<br />
of the frozen funds to be used, Brisson said.<br />
Bruce Odium, son of Floyd Odium, is already<br />
in Spain as associate producer to check on<br />
location sites. He will work with Joacquin<br />
Agusti, Spanish producer. Brisson will send<br />
over Bill Danils, cameraman, and a technical<br />
crew of 25. Miss Russell may get time<br />
off from her Broadway stage show to play<br />
the lead and, if she is not available, another<br />
American star will play opposite either Gregory<br />
Peck or Joseph Cotten. who may be<br />
signed for the male lead.<br />
Brisson has another story, "You Can't<br />
Judge a Lady," which also may be done on<br />
TV before being made into a picture some<br />
time in the future.<br />
M-G-M TRADE SHOW -DEC
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