Boxoffice-January.08.1955
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Hecbt-Lancaster Completes Four<br />
For UA, Plans 4 More for 1955<br />
NEW YORK—Hecht-Lancaster Productions,<br />
which ha.s completed four features for<br />
United Artists release and is preparing at<br />
least four more for 1955 and 1956, is planning<br />
to expand its operations to include<br />
legitimate stage productions in 1956, according<br />
to Harold Hecht, executive producer.<br />
The independent producing company, headed<br />
by Hecht and Burt Lancaster, also recently<br />
entered into a financial arrangement with<br />
United Productions of America, which will<br />
produce a feature-length cartoon, "The White<br />
Deer," also for UA release.<br />
Hecht, who left for a month's stay in<br />
Europe on the He de France January 5 to<br />
scout locations for the next Hecht-Lancaster<br />
feature, "Trapeze," a circus film in which<br />
Lancaster will star starting about August 1,<br />
will also discuss a possible co-production deal<br />
in England with Michael Balcon. This will<br />
be for production there of "Operation Heartbreak,"<br />
for which Hecht hopes to sign Alec<br />
Guinness, leading British star, as soon as his<br />
many film commitments can be arranged.<br />
In addition to these productions to be made<br />
abroad in 1955, Hecht is also planning "The<br />
Last Chukker" and "Until They Sail," based<br />
on the James Mlchener story, which Lancaster<br />
will direct. "The Way West," based<br />
on A. B. Guthrie jr.'s Pulitzer Prize-winning<br />
novel, previously announced, will be postponed<br />
until 1956 because it calls for early<br />
spring filming. Hecht has also Just bought<br />
"Elephant Bill" from J. Arthur Rank for<br />
$50,000 and will make this during 1956, he<br />
said. "The White Deer," which UPA is making<br />
over a two-year period, will not be ready<br />
for release until 1956.<br />
The features completed for 1955 release by<br />
United Artists are: "Vera Cruz," in Superscope,<br />
now plajang first runs; "The Kentuckian,"<br />
in Cinemascope, starring Lancaster,<br />
and "Marty," adapted from Paddy<br />
Chayevsky's TV prize play, which is in blackand-white<br />
and without star names. The<br />
latter cost only $400,000 to make, Hecht said.<br />
The first Hecht-Lancaster production for<br />
UA release, "Apache," which starred Lancaster,<br />
has grossed approximately $3,000,000<br />
to date and Is expected to exceed $3,600,000,<br />
according to Hecht. "Vera Cruz" is also expected<br />
to equal that gross in view of its smash<br />
opening dates In key cities.
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