Boxoffice-11.11.1950

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Casting (Harry Blurbers STUDIO PERSONNEUTIES Independent The U.S. savings bond division o( the Treasury department has retained the Ettinger Co. as pubhcity and public relations counsel. First chore tor the firm will be to plan a national promotion program signalizing the forthcoming 200lh weekly Guest Star transcription in a series which began in 1947 and is now broadcast weekly over more than 2,800 radio stations. The public relations firms of Henry Rogers- Warren Cowan and Mack Millar have merged and are now operating as National Public Relations Associates. New offices have been opened in New York. Added to the drumbeating staff of Maury Foladare, independent praise agent, was CHARLEb DAGGETT. Briefies Metro 'Tishin' Around," sports fishing short, is being readied by Pete Smith and will be filmed in Lower California with Dave O'Brien starring. Warners "Skiing Through Europe" has been added to the Europe filming scenes at ski resorts for inclusion in the subject. It is being produced by Gordon Hollingshead. Cleffers Metro DAVID ROSE was signed as musical director on "Rich, Young and Pretty." Republic VICTOR YOUNG will compose and conduct the score lor "Bell Le Grand." 20th Century-Fox ALEX NORTH, Broadway composer, was signed ' write the score for "The Scarlet Pen. to Loanouts Columbia MARTA TOREN was borrowed by Sanlana Pn ductions from Universal-International to star wr Humphrey Bogart in "Sirocco." Meggers Columbia SPENCER BENNET is piloting "The Mysterious Island," a serial, for Producer Sam Katzman. Lippert Productions CHARLES MARQUIS WARREN, making his directorial debut, replaces Harold Shumate on "Little Big Horn " Shumate was lorced to withdraw because of a conflicting commitment. Warren has been active as a novelist and scenarist Metro Producer EDWIN H. KNOPF will make his debut as a director on the forthcoming Greer comedy, "The Law and Lady Loverly." Garson STANLEY DONEN has been given a new directorial ticket. His next assignment will be "Love Is Better Than Ever," starring Elizabeth Taylor. Monogram LEWIS D, COLLINS will direct "Man From. El Paso," forthcoming Johnny Mack Brown starring western. Republic PHIL FOHD will pilot "Missing Women," upcoming Stephen Auer production. 20th Century-Fox ANDRE HAKIM will function as associate producer and HENRY KOSTER will direct "Silver Whistle," upcoming Clifton Webb vehicle. Universal-hitemational "The Iron Man," Aaron Rosenberg production star leff Chandler, will be directed by JOSEPH lo PEVNEY. Warners Assigned to direct "Painting the Clouds With Sunshine" for Producer William Jacobs was DAVID BUTLER. The script is being prepared by Mol Shavelson and Jack Rose. Options Columbia SMILEY BURNETTE will rejoin his old sagebrush saddle-pal. Gene Autry, in the latter's next starring western, "Whirlwind." Burnette returns to .he Autry told for just the one picture, replacing comic Pat Buttram, recuperating from injur. es received in a recent accident. Set for roles in "Dick Turpin's Ride," starring Louis Hayward and being produced by Harry Joe Brown, were FRANK HAGNEY and GEORGE BAXTER BRETT KING, LARRY STEWART, TOMMY FARRELL and WILLIAM TANNEN were handed leatured roles in Producer Sam Katzman's Lon McCallister topliner, "Rookie in Korea." Independent JACQUELINE FONTAINE, nightclub and TV singer, was signed for the temme lead in "Skipalong Rosenbloom Meets Jesse James," to be produced and directed by Wally Kline and starring Maxie Rosenbloom and Max Baer. Metro WALTER KINGSFORD was booked for a character role in "Soldiers Three." The Walter Pidgeon- Stewart Granger-David Niven starrer is being megged for Producer Pandro S. Berman by lay Garnett. Leading comedy role in "Rich, Young and Pretty," toplming Jane Powell and Vic Domone, goes to MARJORIE MAIN. The Joe Pasternak musical will be directed by Norman Taurog. A comedy role also was handed UNA MERKEL. BETSY BLAIR was assigned a featured part in "Kind Lady." ANGELA LANSBURY has been signed for the picture which has Ethel Barrymore and Maurice Evans in the leads of the Armand Deutsch production. John Sturges will direct Monogram VIRGINIA HEWITT was signed for the feminine ' lead in "Bowery Battalion was completed with the signing of JOHN BLEIFER, SELMAR JACKSON, ELLEN HALL, LISA WILSON and PAT HALL. PHYLLIS COATES draws the femme lead opposite Johnny Mack Brown in "Man From El Paso," being megged by Lewis D. Collins. Paramount JEFF COREY will portray the principal heavy and FRANCIS McDonald a US. marshal in "Quantrell's Raiders," current Hal Wallis production. Cast additions include NORMAN KENT and WHIT BIS- SELL. GAIL RUSSELL was booked for the romantic feminine lead in Producer Nat Holt's "Devil's Canyon," to topline Sterling Hayden. ARLEEN WHE- LAN will portray a dance hall queen. Moppet NATALIE WOOD was added to the cast of "Dear Brat." JAN STERLING will star with Ray Milland m "Rhubarb," which Arthur Lubin will direct for the William Perlbera-George Seaton production unit Republic Cast additions for "Honeychile," the Judy Canova starrer, include BRAD MORROW. BETTY LORING, TREVOR BARDETTE, IRVING BACON and EMORY PARNELL. R. G. Springsteen is directing. Set for a heavy role in Producer Stephen Auer's "Missing Women" was JAMES MILLICAN. 20th Century-Fox Contract of actress JUNE HAVER was renewed for another year. She goes next into "Friendly Island." JAMES ROBERTSON JUSTICE, British actor, will have one of the leads with Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward in "David and Bathsheba," Biblical opus to be directed by Henry King. Universal-International MICHAEL PATE, Australian actor, was booked for one of the leads in the Claudette Colbert vehicle, "Bonaventure," which is being produced by Michel Kraike. JOHN ABBOTT has been added to the roster. NANCY GUILD joined Rhonda neming and Mark Stevens in the topline cast of "Little Egypt " Warners MICKEY McCARDLE, former college football star, was added to the cast of Producer Bryan Foy's "The Folsom Story." Booked to portray a rancher in the Kirk Douglas starrer, "The Travelers," was HUGH SANDERS. Raoul Walsh directs. Scripters RKO Radio NORMAN HOUSTON completed the screenplay of the next Tim Holt starring western, "Pistol Harvest," which will be produced by Herman Schlom. Novelist ALFRED HAYES will screenplay Budd Schulberg's "The Harder They Fall" tor Producers Jerry Waid and Norman Krasna. LESLEY SrORM, British playwright who penned "Black Chiffon," arrived from London for huddles with Producer Sol Lesser concerning his projected iilm version of the stage drama. Warners Screen treatment for "The Big Trees," story of California's giant redwood country, is being wntle.-i by JAMES WEBB, Louis F. Edelman will produce FRANCIS SWANN is developing. They Took Manila" as a comedy to be produced by Robert Arthur. Story Buys Lippert Productions "Gestapo," an onginal by Hern been added to the 1950-51 lineup D Ho Warners Richard English's original, "College Days acquired and added to Louis F Edelmon's tion agenda. Technically Columbia SERGT. OSWALD S. ORNELAS, first Gl to the Purple Heart since the start of the Korean war, has been signed as technical director on Producer Sam Katzman's "Rookie in Korea," Metro WILLIAM FERRARI has been set as art director on "Kind Lady." Assistant to Director Harold Kress on "No Questions Asked" will be REGGIE CALLOW. Monogram EDWARD MOREY JR. was named assistant on "According to Mrs. Hoyle," with HARRY NEUMANf. as cmematographer. RKO Radio Assignments on "Two Tickets to Broadway" include CARROLL CLARK, art director; HARRY MARKER, f:lm editor; FRED FLECK, assistant director, and CHARLES WOOLSTENHULM, unit manager. Technical adviser on "Operation O," story of the Korean war, will be Ueut. Col STANLEY P. LATIOLAIS, director of combat operations for the Fifth air force. Universal-International Camera assignments include WILLIAM DANIELS "Bonaventure"; MAURY GERTSMAN. "Little Egypt,' Warners Art director on "The Front Man" LEY FLEISCHER. Title Changes Monogram "Fangs of the North" to CALL OF THE KLON- DIKE. REO Radio "The Stars and Stripes " Forever (Wald-Krasna' to LET ME SING. Republic "Torero" to DEATH IN THE SANDS 20th Century-Fox "Don't Fence Me In " to MEET ME AFTER THE SHOW. "The Flying Teakettle" to US S. TEAKETTLE. United Artists " "The Magic Face M Popkin) lo HEILi Warners JOSEPH I. BREEN JR. has been set as dialog direc tor on "The Folsom Story." Engineers Slate Meeting HOLLYWOOD — Television transmission and reception will be discussed when the Pacific coast section of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers holds its next meeting Tuesday (141 at the CBS studios here. The session will be followed in December by another devoted to television production. 52 BOXOFFICE November 11, 1950
I '! AFM Places Monogram On Union 'Unfair' List HOLLYWOOD—Already far from harmonious, the relationship between motion pictures and television was marred by another sour note when the name of Monogram Pictures was placed on the "unfair" list of the American Federation of Musicians. The action, stemming from James C. Petrillo in the AFM's New York headquarters, was taken because of the showing on video circuits of a number of Monogram features filmed since 1946. Some time ago Monogram disposed of nearly 150 pictures to Telinvest. a New York firm, which has been booking them on TV stations. It is the AFM's contention that video screenings of pictures produced after 1946 are a violation of its contract with the Independent Motion Picture Producers Ass'n, of which Monogram is a member. Acting under Petrillo's orders. J. W. Gillette. AFM studio representative, accordingly notified Monogram that no AFM member will be permitted to work at the studio. At midweek, efforts were being made by Monogram and IMPPA representatives to negotiate the difficulty with Petrillo's group. William Stephens Television Productions has been organized by Stephens, veteran film producer, and Joseph Justman, picture financier and head of the Motion Picture Center studios. The new firm plans a series of TV films based on the "Florian Slappey" stories by Octavus Roy Cohen. his regular salary in the event the script was not used. The action alleges that although Small duly notified Gibney that his screenplay was not used, the scenarist has not been paid the $5,000 assertedly owed him. The war in Korea had its reverberations in federal district court here when the Unasia Trading Corp. filed an action against Monogram seeking dissolution of a contract under which it was to have distributed Monogram films in that wartorn country. The pact had been entered into some months prior to the beginning of hostihties there. Unasia claims it is now unable to distribute pictures in Korea and seeks the return of $8,000 which it allegedly advanced to Monogram in partial payment on the releasing commitment. Brackett Joins 20th-Fox HOLLYWOOD—Joining 20th Century-Fox as a writer-producer early next month will be Charles Brackett, who recently secured a release from the balance of his contract at Paramount. His first assignment will be set soon after he reports to the Westwood studio. The commitment is for a straight seven years. THERE was a time, when Hollywood was living in a more rarified—and financially more salubrious—atmosphere, when the self-elected elite of the filmmaking fraternity were prone to look down their noses at the production executive who wielded a sharp pencil over a budget. Tho.se were the days when the fabricators of animated celluloid assumed a hang-the-expenses, we-must-belavish attitude toward their chores, when producers and directors were inclined to feel that they could not be recognized as top craftsmen unless they spent stratospheric sums on virtually everything that went into the filming of a feature and regardless of what, if anything, such expenditures added to the offering's entertainment worth. But those days are gone—probably forever —and undoubtedly to the long-pull benefit of every branch of the motion picture industry. Today, and at long last, coming into his own is the man who was trained in the heretofore comparatively limited school where every budgetary buck had to count — sometimes count as much in the generation of screen entertainment as many dollars lavished by the more lush spenders. One such, and a shining example, is Lewis J. Rachmil, now a full-fledged producer at Howard Hughes' RKO Radio studio. Rachmil Scenarist Sues Producer received his early training as production assistant and budget watchdog for veteran For Breach of Contract Harry HOLLYWOOD—Charging Sherman when the latter breach was of contract, scenarist Sheridan Gibney named producing the Hopalong Cassidy Producer Edward Small programmers in vast quantities, and the defendant an occasional more expensive in a superior court morsel of action sagebrush involving screen fare. Small's recently completed "Valentino as I Knew When Sherman gave Him," up the "Hoppy" pictures, Rachmil, slated for Columbia along with star Bill release. Gibney contends he was Boyd and distribution executive hired Carl to work on Leserman, the organized screenplay of that opus and was Hopalong Cassidy promised Productions and $5,000 plus made a series of the gallopers for United Artists distribution. In both situations, Rachmil built himself a reputation as a canny hombre with a production shekel, a reputation which subsequently won him plenty of free-lance assignments from independent producers who hired him to go over their budgets and show them where money could be saved without sacrifice of entertainment values. On several occasions —and this is a little-known fact—he was commissioned by local bankers to analyze scripts and render an opinion as to whether or not the budget was "loaded" and to voice his views regarding the safety of a loan for the making of the picture. In short, Rachmil became known as a script and budget doctor, and in such specialty he salvaged many a picture from being over-financed. Since he joined RKO Radio Rachmil has produced four pictures, "Bunco Squad," "7 Witnesses," "Crackdown" and "Roadblock," all made on expectedly modest budgets. Only one of the quartet has been released— "Bunco Squad" — which was well treated by the tradepress film appraisers and which is doing yeoman service as a supporting piece on dual programs. In the review digest which is a widely read weekly feature of this publication, "Bunco Squad" is credited with six pluses and three minuses in the composite rating— and that's several cuts above many a feature which cost much more to make. Rachmil's current and future assignments include "Blackbeard the Pirate," "Secrets of the French Police" and "Cat and Mouse." There is a crying need in Cinemania for more men of Rachmil's background and experience, but unfortunately, and as chronicled above, the school in which he was trained always has been limited in enrollment. But the student body is growing—it must, if Hollywood is to survive. It wouldn't do, of course—most especially in the motion picture trade — but the new, ambitious and widely touted production outfit recently organized by Stanley Kramer and Sara Katz would be a natural under the handle of K. K. K. Productions. The third "K" is for kibitzer, none other than Garrulous George Glass, vice-president in charge of publicity and sundry other activities. A-GUY-CAN-DREAM-CAN'T-HE? DEPARTMENT (Marty Weiser Division) From Lippert Productions, word that " "The Steel Helmet' will have its world premiere in Seoul during Christmas week and will also be premiered about the same time in Berlin, through arrangements just completed . . , with military authorities and Syngman Rhee, President of Korea." If Headman Lippert attends the Korean premiere—if any—President Rhee is a cinch to wind up as a stockholder in Lippert Productions. Understandable it would be if Hollywood's tradespress film appraisers adopted "Ol* Man River" as their theme song. In one and the same week they looked at Republic's "Rio Grande" and RKO Radio's "Rio Grande Patrol." The Ettinger Co.. formerly Margaret Ettinger & Co.. but still spearheaded by genial and effective "Maggie." can take a bow over being selected—with remuneration, presumably—to handle the publicity and public relations for the U.S. saving bond division of the Treasury department, including promotion for the division's weekly radio "Guest-Star" transcription series. Not only is the assignment a proud one for "Maggie" and her gang but it augurs well for the recently formed association through which Les Kaufman, veteran theatre and studio publicist, joined the organization to be in charge of its Hollywood office. From Anxious Alex Evelove comes information that Warners' weekly news and feature bulletins sent to the press "will henceforth be translated into French and German for servicing newspapers and magazines in the European area." Evelove's staff of Burbankian blurbers might try translating their trivia into English, too. BOXOFTICE November 11, 1950 53
Page 1 and 2: V/etoen. MctuM yndocd^ Bob Hope, Lu
Page 3 and 4: OF FAME ! Next: M-G-M! M-G-M presen
Page 5 and 6: j^J0HNAGAI)fc'FI!ANKL0VE)Oy^''SyZAN
Page 7 and 8: ' mil. , Sara I ike . 21-23 I Franc
Page 9 and 10: i BOXOFFICE FAIR TRADE PRACTICES CO
Page 11 and 12: k. State Censors Called To National
Page 13 and 14: e 6t V >-. r-^ «J ^)- iM endorseme
Page 15 and 16: There's Only One
Page 17 and 18: . . . . amateur The High ^^^ of Cro
Page 19 and 20: aagraphs That Are Paramount IN Disc
Page 21 and 22: dIe 24.000 YOU'VE GOT TO BE TO STAY
Page 23 and 24: Portrait of an l^xhibitor^s Wife .(
Page 25 and 26: land, Nancy Davis and John Hodiak.
Page 27 and 28: iccaj^on -v viib^.^^^K^. \ I >-N, \
Page 29 and 30: they've played Columbia's sensation
Page 31 and 32: I Use the NSS LUE RIBBON AWARD KIT
Page 33 and 34: Monogram and U-I Have Big Backlogs
Page 35 and 36: i P. .^( CHESTER FRIEDMAN EDITOR ox
Page 37 and 38: I I American -1 bVANCE PROMOTION RE
Page 39 and 40: Football Fans Enter Guessing Contes
Page 41 and 42: ; In ' and • Almost f until I see
Page 43 and 44: I In ^ Senator 'Has Nothing fo Hide
Page 45 and 46: ' Two , (London). I viUe ' BUFFALO
Page 47 and 48: I I i ALBANY—The federal ban on t
Page 49 and 50: . . Bill , . Manager . . The . . .
Page 51: NEWS AND VIEWS THE PRODUCTION CEMTE
Page 55 and 56: . . Among DENVER \rive-ins in the t
Page 57 and 58: ; On I I . . Back . . . . ELC ^ SEA
Page 59 and 60: . ' I I lenses, f ' office , an C |
Page 61 and 62: I Minneapolis Bills Headed by 'Lady
Page 63 and 64: . . . Add . . Merle . . Don . . Hol
Page 65 and 66: . . Louis . . . . Ticket Tax Suit E
Page 67 and 68: ' ATLANTA—East , tured I The I dr
Page 69 and 70: I surest , The ; intricacies I I I
Page 71 and 72: . . . John . . W. . . Walter . . Em
Page 73 and 74: ' I . . . Abe . . . MGM q I CONGRAT
Page 75 and 76: Texas Variety Club Re-EIec!s Office
Page 77 and 78: ;. mary Lowgrade Operations Are Thr
Page 79 and 80: • hotel, ' jSays Exhibitors Share
Page 81 and 82: • . . Katharine . . "La . . . . R
Page 83 and 84: HALT TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING IS ASKE
Page 85 and 86: ; BOXOFFICE Small-Towner Must Watch
Page 87 and 88: , Samoa ,s Monogram ; .-,3—Copper
Page 89 and 90: . Word . handling : Marco, . . ;t.
Page 91 and 92: fcondenmed by many exhibitors for p
Page 93 and 94: ' TOwTisend I DETROIT—lATSE 1 The
Page 95 and 96: ; Hippodrome—The . . . The . . Se
Page 97 and 98: f i I (15) • Rufe, Allied Film Cl
Page 99 and 100: Hartford Theatre Marks Fifth Year H
Page 101 and 102: I Palace—Right . . . Monogram . .
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I 1 O'Rourke . . The . . For . . .
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BOXOFFICE BookinGuide Nov. 11, 19 ^
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' j ' ExhihiioT Has His Say (Contin
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tt Very Good; + Good; — Fair; —
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1 Western : .'iinan-Ward I CHECK RU
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' J elles-J. I JJ. F PUBLIC (IjC We
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'ipln/MS on Current Productions; Ex
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; onal 1 New ! Box , 12 : Advertisi
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Boxoffice-11.11.1950

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