m

— '
Hollywood Neglecting Big
Musicals, Says Donen
NEW YORK—Hollywood has neglected bigscale
musicals of late because "good choreographers
are as difficult to find as name stars,"
according to Stanley Donen, who recently directed
two musicals, "Funny Face" for Paramount
and "Pajama Game" for Warner Bros.,
both unreleased. Donen, a former choreographer,
is under contract to MGM, for which
he directed eight musicals over the past fewyears,
including "It's Always Fair Weather,
the most recent, and "Anchors Aweigh,"
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game," "Deep in
My Heart" and the widely-acclaimed "Seven
Brides for Seven Brothers."
Donen's MGM contract runs until October
1957 (he made his last two pictures on loanout
i, after which he will produce a film version
of Pearl Buck's novel, "Imperial Woman,"
to which he and Charles Schnee, MGM producer,
have acquired the rights. This will be
produced independently in 1958 and may be
done as a straight drama. Donen wants to
do a non-musical, he said. No distribution or
financing deals have been set.
Donen feels he owes a lot to MGM, which
gave him his first chance at directing, in conjunction
with Gene Kelly. Although "Funny
Face" is an original story, but with a musical
score by George and Ira Gershwin, Donen
feels that the majority of musicals are based
on stage hits or books. He also maintains
that musicals could use more imagination
too many have backstage locales. The good
choreographers can be counted on the fingers
of one hand, and most of these are rarely
available. They include: Jerome Robbins,
Michael Kidd, Eugene Loring and Bob Fosse,
although the latter really wants to act, Donen
said.
Maureen O'Hara Ends
Tour of Naval Bases
NORFOLK, VA. — Maureen O'Hara on
Thursday il4i completed a junket to four
naval bases in connection with MGM's "The
Wings of Eagles" in which she is starred.
Newspaper and trade press writers from New
York, Philadelphia, Washington, Richmond,
Charlotte and Baltimore were flown here to
make a one-day tour of the naval base with
Miss O'Hara.
Previously, the star appeared at similar
naval functions in Long Beach, Calif.; Chicago
and Pensacola. In each of the cities.
MGM brought in writers and critics for special
screenings of the picture at base theatres.
Miss O'Hara was accompanied by Admu'al
John David Price and Leslie Peterson of the
MGM studios. Various social events were
held in connection with the showings.
Lt. Commander Art Weismann was in
charge of activities on behalf of the Navy in
Norfolk. MGM was represented, too, by Judson
Moses, southern division field representative:
Tom Baldridge, Washington press representative,
and Bill Ornstein from the home
office.
Academy Considers 'Reef
NEW YORK—The Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences has accepted "Secrets
of the Reef," color documentary being
distributed by Continental Distributing, Inc.,
for preliminary screening for nominations
for an Academy Award in the full-length
color-documentary field. The picture was
made by Albert Butterfield near Florida.
UA to Release 23 Films
In
Five-Month Period
Canadian Branch Formed
Of Telefilm Associates
NEW YORK—NTA Telefilms (Canada'
Ltd. has been formed by National Telefilm
Associates. It is owned half and half by NTA
and three Canadian motion picture executives.
They are David Griesdorf, who is president
and general manager: N. A. Taylor, who
is vice-president, and H. S. Mandell, who i.'^
secretary- treasurer.
All three are senior executives of International
Film Distributors, Ltd., and Allied
Artists Pictui'es of Canada. Ltd. Taylor is
also president of Twinex Century Corp., Ltd..
which operates a large circuit under the
trade name of 20th Century Theatres.
NTA will be represented in the management
through the appointment of three of
the affiliate's six directors.
The new- Canadian company will distribute
NTA feature films, film series and
short subjects to television stations under
a long-term franchise. The product includes
78 20th Century-Fox features which
NTA calls its "galaxy group." British. French
and Italian films will also be distributed.
Oliver A. Unger, NTA executive vice-president,
said the grow-ing TV industry north of
the border merited investment of substantial
capital. He called the deal "the first
step in NTA's plans for worldwide distribution"
and said it set a pattern.
"Local franchises will be formed," he said,
"and leading businessmen, experienced in
our field or related fields, will join with us
to serve as resident associates. NTA will retain
an important stake in all these enterprises."
Double Feature Chuckles
Around the Globe
PLEASANTVILLE, N. Y.—Readers
from all parts of the world contribute
amusing and unusual double feature
titles appearing on marquees to editors
of the Reader's Digest. In the February
issue, the magazine publishes the following
bonafide billings sent in by readers:
In Edinburgh: "The Gentle Sergeant"
— "The Unknown Man."
In Fayetteville, Tenn.: "I Am a Camera"
— "Over-exposed."
In Houston: "Lady Godiva"— "Run
for Cover."
In Detroit: "Loan Shark"— "Everything
I Have Is Yours."
In Port Worth: "An American
Paris"— "The Big Hangover."
in
In Los Angeles: "Trapeze"—"Emergency
Hospital."
In Hollywood: "The Seventh Veil"—
"Great Expectations."
In Los Angeles: "Go for Broke"—"Las
Vegas Story."
In Toronto: "Holiday Affair"— "Let's
Make It Legal."
NEW YORK—United Aitists will release a
total of 23 new features during the fivemonth
period from
? March through July,
including ten "block-
busters," the largest
*«-- ^ ^^ number of top pictures
C- ^°'"
'^^B
"''fi company in a
' A.^B1 five-month period,
William J. Heineman,
WilliamJ. Heineman
v i
c e-p resident in
charge of distribution
told the opening session
of UA's threeday
sales convention
Thur.sday (14) at the
Park Sheraton Hotel.
LIST OF 'BLOCK-BUSTERS'
The ten will include Stanley Kramer's "The
Pride and the Passion" in VLstaVision. It
will be pre-released in July to a number of
key cities, and "Around the World in 80
Days," Michael Todd's Todd-AO roadshow,
will have an expanded program of new
engagements during these months. The other
eight big films are "Men in War," a Security
Pictui-es production; Bryna Production's
"Spring Reunion," starring Betty Hutton and
Dana Andrews; Hecht-Hill-Lancaster's "The
Bachelor Party," starring Don Murray;
Orion-Novas' "12 Angry Men," starring Henry
Fonda; "The Ride Back," an Associates and
Aldrich Co. film, starring Anthony Quinn;
Titanus Films' Technirama production of
"The Monte Carlo Story," starring Marlene
Dietrich and Vittorio de Sica; Otto Preminger's
"Saint Joan," starring Richard Widmark
with Jean Seberg in the title role; and
Hecht-Hill-Lancaster's "Sweet Smell of Success,"
Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis.
Heineman told the district managers and
sales officials from every territory that the
company was in the strongest product position
in its 38-year history. He was confident
that 1957 w-ould be its greatest year.
In speaking of the future, Heineman said
that, "despite competition and changing markets,
theatrical motion pictures still stand as
the world's first line of entertainment. To
sustain and strengthen the medium by distributing
the best possible films will continue
to be the first order of business at UA."
The field executives were addressed by
Ai'thur B. Krim, president; Robert S. Benjamin,
board chairman; Max E. Youngstein,
vice-president, and James R. Velde, general
sales manager.
HOME OFFICE EXECUTIVES
Home office executives and department
heads participating included Milton E. Cohen,
eastern and southern division manager;
Al Fitter, western division manager; L. J.
Schlaifer, assistant to Velde; Roger H. Lewis,
director of advertising, publicity and exploitation;
Alfred H, Tamarin, assistant director;
Mort Nathanson, publicity manager, and
Joseph Gould, advertising manager.
Field managers were Gene Tunick, eastern district;
Sidney Cooper, central; George Pabst, southern; F.
J. Lee, midwest; Ralph Clark, coast; Charles S.
Chaplin, Canadian; Joseph Sugar, New York branch
manager and Harry Goldmen, Chicago branch manager.
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 11