Boxoffice-January.08.1955

1 rights
I
on
ims Starts
Schedule
Screen Gems entered upon
1 season with more writers
;ripts than ever before in
i history. Six different
34 half-hour subjects, are
25 scriveners. The output
entures of Rin Tin Tin,
rheatre, Celebrity Theatre.
It and You Can't Take It
heatre series, May Wynn,
se. has been set to co-star
1 in "Garrity's Sons." folft'ill
take off to attend the
istival.
* * *
)tion pictures to TV. Wilof
the actor, has joined
;ion as coordinator of pro-
He was. at one time, an
at Universal-International
le staff of the late Leonard
mic Pictures.
* * *
itrols of Communications
topic of George C. McConrman
of the Federal Comlission,
when he addressed
ng of the Southern Call-
's
Ass'n.
1 Distribute
(11 Starrers
Lippert Pictures has acto
two Jon Hall
ngth theatrical versions of
the "Rama of the Jungle"
;d by Leon Promkess of
Sangoland." toplining Hall
mery and Marjorie Lord,
nationally Feb. 11. "Phan-
:," with Hall, Montgomery
s. will go out later in the
Joins Jacobs'
[tions Group
•Jack Keller, personal press
Dean Martin and Jerry
\rthur Jacobs' independent
continue to handle the
publicity chores in addities
with the Jacobs or-
Star Wyman
-Jane Wyman's next star-
/arners will be "Miracle in
ik P. Rosenberg production
based on a love story by
Iph Mate has been signed
; film will begin shooting
'Fortress'
— Seventy - five clergymen
; Church Federation of Los
aests of Allied Artists at a
ming of "The Mighty Fortry
short subject starring
Jraham, which AA is dlsilly.
S OLD as motion pictures themselves
is that ever-present, all-encompassing
contribution thereto that is ambiguously
termed independent production. The
-so-called independent always has been and
always will be a source of a considerable and
necessary percentage of the world's celluloid
entertainment. Volumes could be compiled
about the history and significance of the unaffiliated
filmmaker.s—big and little—whence
they stemmed, into what they have developed,
why some have survived and prospered down
through the decades while others have fallen
by the wayside.
From such welter of often-contradictory
industry progress one fact appears irrefutably
established. The independent fabricator of
screen fare requires, in order to succeed, two
fundamental essentials—sufficient financing
and unquestionable production knowhow.
If these are to be accepted as constituting
the keystone, seldom— if ever—has a venture
in its field held more promise than the recently
organized C. V. Whitney Pictiu-es, Inc.
As was announced when the company was
formed late in 1954, its destinies are being
guided by Whitney, a leading industrialist
who for the past two decades or more has
been active in the field of motion picture
bank rolling, and Merian C. Cooper, one of
the trade's unchallenged top fabricators of
movie entertainment, who is vice-president
in charge of production.
Quickly the Whitney organization began to
build its manpower by inking megaphonist
John Ford to a non-exclusive, three-picture
pact under which his first assignment will be
"The Searchers," a western novel by Alan
LeMay. The signing of Ford, parenthetically,
brings him and Cooper together in an association
that is entirely separate from their
other partnership, Argosy Pictures. In addition
to "The Searchers," acquired for filming
was "The American," an original by Cooper,
which LeMay currently is scripting.
Also coming into the company's fold were
cinematographer Winton Hoch, music consultant
Max Steiner and novelist Nancy Wilson
Ross, the last named to function as story
editor, while the firm's publicity and public
relations were entrusted to the capable hands
of Frank Perrett, well-regarded in the freelance
praisery field.
From which it becomes immediately and
indisputably apparent that the newcomer to
the independent rank.s has both of the abovementioned
requisites in outsize do.ses. As to
the adequate fiscal background, the "C. V."
in the company handle stands for Cornelius
Vanderbilt. Need more be said? And as
concerns the knowhow front, it is impassible
to conceive of a more impressive compilation
of proven filmmaking experience than that
w-hich is brought to the unit by Cooper, Ford
and their associates.
If the future of C. V. Whitney Pictures
contains anything but .shining success, then
indeed the lot of the independent producer
is a dismal one.
Cryptically concluding a HoUjrwood trade-
paper obituary on the late James Hilton was
the line, "No survivors."
What with "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," 'Xost
Horizons," "Mrs. Miniver" and other comparably
sterling contributions to literature
and the motion picture screen, author Hilton
ha.s survivors that will be alive and bringing
happine.ss and entertainment to the world
for many years after the bereaved relatives
of the average man have been long forgotten.
On Universal-International's agenda of
forthcoming features it a li'l number tagged
'The Second Greatest Sex."
It's about time that the magi of production
progress by one grade. They've been making
features about the first for more than 50
years. Regardless, the Spring street books
will lay eight to five that the opus suffers
a title change before release time.
For the past several years, while the economy
pruningknife has hung over the publicity
departments of the major studios, freelance
press agentries have been springing into
being behind virtually every bush in the
Hollywoodlands. So the advent of still another
normally rates but slight attention.
When, however, the newcomer to the catch -ascatch-can
space-snatching brigade concerns
such widely known persons as Walter Compton
and Duffy Cornell, the debut rates a stick
of type.
Compton has had a lengthy career as a
drumbeater, having been, at various times,
publicity director for Republic and United
Artists, a member of Perry Lieber's staff at
RKO Radio and president of the Publicists
Guild. For the past several months he has
been with Walter E. Kline & Associates, which
public relations firm he will continue to represent.
Cornell is one of the genuine oldtimers
in the newspaper profession, his tenure
including hitches with the Hearst organization
in Chicago and Los Angeles as well as
editorial service on theatrical tradepapers.
If past performances, individ'ually or collectively,
are indicative, C. & C. are dependable
to cut considerable of a swath in the
independent blurbery field.
From those chronic name-garblers in Test
Carle's Paramount praisery, a handout that
informs, "Danny Kaye's pals, Willie Mays and
Louis (sic) Durocher, visited him . the
set . . .
"
Despite which he'll still be known as Leo
back in Brooklyn.
•'ac:tors are surprised to find
plentv of fish in the ocean"
—Joe Reddy-Disney Headline.
What did they hexpect? Hostrich plumes?
Confides a local keyholer: "Shirley Thomas.
NBC glamor gal commentator, uses a rhinestone-studded
microphone."
And the comments are hardly pearls of
wisdom.
inuary 8, 1955 41