Boxoffice-12.1953

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AA Lists Dozen Ready
And 12 on Schedule
HOLLYWOOD—AJlied Artists has a back-
log of 12 completed features, and 13 other
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properties in various preparatory stapes for
in 1954.
Completed and awaiting release are Riot in
Block 11. Arrow in the Dust, Dragonfly
Squadron. Pride of the Blue Grass. Loophole.
in the Sea and World for Ransom.
preparation are The Annapolis Story,
Black Prince, Wichita. Eagles of the
Fleet. Ketchikan. Massacre at Dragoon Wells.
Crashing Timber. Wanted by the F.B.I., Meet
the Monsters, Jungle Gents. Quantrill's Raiders,
Tonopah and Cheyenne Crossing
Fred Wile to Hollywood
To Head NBC-TV Work
HOLLYWOOD—Following the recent elevation
of Sylvester "Pat" Weaver to the
presidency of the National Broadcasting Co..
Fred Wile. NBC-TV vice-president in charge
of production, is being transferred here from
New York to become west coast head of programming
and production.
Richard G. Yates has been named vicepresident
in charge of eastern sales for Hollywood
Television Service, Republic's TV distribution
subsidiary, headed by Earl Collins.
Yates succeeds Morton W. Scott, now functioning
as president of Studio City Television
Productions, filmmaking branch of Republic's
video operations.
Bing Crosby's January 3 TV debut as star
of his own show—a one-shot affair—over
CBS will be followed by one other program
during the season, Crosby has revealed, with
the probability that "if they go over well" he
will do six during the next season.
Under terms of the package arrangement,
Crosby produces and stars, while his associates,
Bill Morrow and Murdo MaoKenzie. will
attend to physical details and line up supporting
talent. General Electric will be the
Publicists and Studios
Start Contract Talks
HOLLYWOOD—First submitted tc the
major studios last July. Publicists Guild proposals
for a new bargaining agreement to
supplant the contract which expired in October
came up for discussion as union representatives
began a series of talks with the
Ass'n of Motion Picture Producers. The
studio drumbeaters are seeking a 15 per cent
wage increase, a 40-hour week and establishment
of a pension plan.
THEY
did it again, the members of the
Publicists Guild. The tub-thumpers
lo.s.sed what was doubtle.ssly the brightest,
gayest, most entertaining social-professional
soiree of the year when their seventh
annual Panhandle Dinner was staged at the
Ambassador hotel.
Don Hartman, Paramount executive producer,
was the keynote speaker, and his laughladen
address reflected the many entertainment
tricks he has acquired through his
years of experience as an actor, writer, director
and producer. As the climax of his
appearance he joined with fumiyman Danny
Kaye in a twosome sketch that was but one
of the mirth-provoking highlights of the evening.
Also contributing to the fun were Jim
Backus, who functioned as master of ceremonies,
and guest artLsts including Lena
Home, Hoagy Carmichael, Joe "Fingers" Carr.
Terry Moore, Robert Strauss, Peter Leeds,
Slapsy Maxie Rosenbloom and Phil Foster.
Their material was brightly written, in
the
traditionally sardonic, uninhibited vein of previous
Panhandle affairs, and was delivered
with all of the expertness indicated by the
stellai- qualitias of the performers.
The evening's one serious note came when
Dore Schary. MGM vice-president and production
chief, presented—on behalf of the
publicists—a ;croll to Edwin Schallert. motion
picture and drama editor of the Los Angeles
Times, honoring him Lis "dean of the Hollywood
pre.ss corps" and paying tribute to him
for his many yeaj's of constructive service
to the industry.
Walter Compton, PG president, and Jack
Atlas, chairman of the entertainment committee,
dually impresarioed the event, and
to them and the members of the various committees
who aided, a deep bow for a brilliant
and thoroughly enjoyable evening.
It may be considered a bit ironical that
the quality of the PG clambake transcended
by many notches and on several counts comparable
annual shindigs arranged by the
guilds comprising those groups of Hollj'woodians
who, as producers, directors or writers,
make it their business to create entertainment.
Perhaps some of Cinemania's woes could be
resolved through a shakeup of film capital
personnel: Permit the publicists to produce
and the producers to publicize.
Alas, poor Mitchum! He just can't win.
lis most recent brush with the southland's
ronstahuUiry—and the ridiculous position In
whirh it placed him with the press and public—Indicates
that he might need Ela