m

'
NEWS AND VIEWS OF THE PRODUCTION CENTEPC
(Hollywood Office— Suite 219 at 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Ivan Spear, Western Manager)
RKO Plans Midyear
Start on 'Galveston'
HOLLYWOOD—From two sources came
news indicating that RKO is not as moribund—as
a production outfit that is—as the
dispensers of gloom have been so vehemently
declaring ever since the venerable company
closed the deal providing that its domestic
distribution is to be handled by U-I.
July 1 has been definitely determined as
the starting date for "Galveston," Niven
Busch having completed the revisions on his
original screenplay. A director will be signed
for "Galveston" within the next ten days,
and conversations are currently being held
with top actors to portray the leading roles
in the Edmund Grainger production. Filming
will be in color and photographed largely
on actual locales of the story, which has for
its climax the devastating hurricane and
flood of Sept. 8, 1900.
From New York, comes word that the
company has put into motion an intensive
campaign of promotion and exploitation on
"Stage Struck," starring Henry Fonda, Susan
Strasberg and Joan Greenwood, and currently
being filmed on location and at Production
Center Studios in Gotham. As pai't
of the ballyhoo, RKO has invited about 100
newspaper critics and amusement editors
from key cities to New York, where they will
watch the picture being shot.
Meanwhile, one of the more mercurial subjects
supplying grist for the ever-active
Hollywood rumor mill concerns the future
status of RKO's cavernous studio on Gower
street and its companion film factory, RKO
Pathe studio in Culver City. At midweek,
it was evident that an opinion was to be
reached sometime within the next ten days
as to whether or not one or both of these
properties would be sold—in which event,
RKO as a production organization would
rent office and sound stage space from the
new owners—or whether they would continue
as a part of the O'Neil industrial empii'e
and would operate as rental lots, which
is already the status of the Culver City plant.
Lead to Dorothy Malone
HOLLYWOO D—Dorothy Malone was
handed the lead opposite Robert Taylor in
MGM's "Tip on a Dead Jockey," which goes
before cameras next month with Richard
Thorpe directing, Edwin H. Knopf producing.
FAN MAG KUDOS—Kim Novak,
It has been reported rather generally that
at least two firm offers have been submitted
for purchase of the physical properties and
that Daniel O'Shea, RKO president, was due
in Hollywood to give them analysis and consideration.
Columbia
star, is shown in the top photo
accepting Photoplay magazine's Gold
Medal Award at that publication's annual
awards dinner staged in Hollywood. Miss
Novak was voted by Photoplay's readers
to be the most popular actress of 1956.
Rock Hudson was similarly selected in
the male category and is shown in the
photo below accepting his award from
actor Ernest Borgnine who emceed the
affair.
MPRC Is Adding Another
Field Man to Its Force
HOLLYWOOD—The Motion Picture Research
Council is implementing its theatre
assistance program by adding another field
representative to its staff.
Qualifications for the job include a working
knowledge of projection systems as a
basis for advertising theatres, willingness
to travel for approximately two-thirds of
the year and ability to meet and discuss
problems confronting the theatre owner.
Interviews of prospective candidates will
be conducted through next week at the
council's
offices.
Champion & Bartlelt
Plan Four Features
HOLLYWOO D—Two of Hollywood's
younger filmmakers have joined forces in the
establishment of a new independent company
with plans for making four modestly budgeted
features within the next 15 months. They are
John Champion, who recently terminated his
connection with MGM with the announced
purpose of re-entering the independent field
in which he wa.s active before his affiliation
The latter was
w^ith MGM, and Hall Bartlett.
most recently affiliated with Earlmar, the
company which is a partnership between
actor Jeff Chandler and his agent, Meyer
Mishkin. In that connection he functioned
as producer on Earlmar's initialer, the current
"Drango." Prior to that, Bartlett produced
"Navajo," "Crazy Legs" and "Unchained."
First venture of the newcomer setup will be
"Zero Hour," previously announced by Bartlett,
which is being readied for a March
camera start. Subsequent pictures will be
"The Joe Foss Story," also a Bartlett property,
and "Gunfight," a western, and "Line
of Fire," a police story, both of which had
already been announced by Champion.
Associated with Bartlett will be Sam Weiler,
who is one of the former's partners in BB&W
Productions, an organization in which actor
Ernest Borgnine is the third owner. That
plans making "The Promoter,"
company still
which will have no relationship to the Champion-Bartlett
setup. No release has been
established for any of the pictures.
Role to Georgann Johnson
HOLLYWOOD—Georgann Johnson was
selected by Jame? Cagney fcr the leading
feminine role in Paramount's "Short Cut to
Hell," her first film. Cagney will make his
directorial debut with "Short Cut." Georgann,
an Iowa girl who graduated from Northwestern
University, starred with Jack Lemmon
on Broadway in "Room Service."
Thanks by Charlton Heston
HOLLYWOOD—At a luncheon men
the Hollywood Women's Press Clu''
1 12). Charlton Heston was gUP
ac-
In December, he won the club'
award as "the most coopera'
Inasmuch as he was on n
tour at that time and
cept the kudos, ' '
thanks to memV
Sated
To Portr(7 afe Manager
HOLLYIVOOD—Isabel Jewell has been
handed the role of a cafe manager in 20th-
Fox's
".Bernardine."
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957 W-1