Boxoffice-July.04.1960

. . . Warner
. . . Condor
. . Robert
. . George
. .
. . Pilmgroup
Studio Production Notes
25 Top Scenarists at Work
On 20th-Fox Properties
Twenty-five top scenarists arc at work
on properties for 20th Century-Fox which,
according to executive producer Buddy
Adler, insures a sohd hneup of product to
continue production for the next year and
one-half.
DetaiUng the announcement, which
came only two weeks after settlement of
the lengthy writer's strike. Adler said that
the figure represents the greatest collection
of writers in the studio's histoiT- It
includes starting three Todd-AO features
in the last five months of 1960—Walter
Wanger's production of "Cleopatra," which
Reuben Mamoulian directs, starting in July;
George Stevens' "The Greatest Story
Ever Told" in October and "State Fair" in
December.
In addition to the 14 writers who returned
to studio assignments the day after
the strike ended, the following 11 scripters
were set last week:
Samuel Grafton to write a sequel to
"Blue Denim" for producer Charles Brackett;
Robert Thompson, an original screenplay
based on the life of Olympic figure
skating champion Carol Heiss: Lawrence
Durrell, the well-known writer and author
of the "Mountolive" quartet, to pen "Cleopatra";
Luther Davis set to write "The Instant
Prince," biography of Mike Romanoff,
for Charles Brackett; Jamison Brewer
writing "The Schnook," comedy to star
Noonan and Marshall; Jesse Lasky jr. and
Pat Silver, "The Wizard of Baghdad" for
producer Sam Katzman; Oscar Millard,
"The King Must Die" for Samuel G. Engel;
Ted Sherdman, "Misty of Chincoteague"
for Robert Radnitz; Robert Anderson,
"The Night They Burned the Mountain,"
Dr. Tom Dooley's book, for Martin
Manulis; Ivan Moffitt to script George
Stevens' "The Greatest Story Ever Told."
Writers continuing their current projects
are: Nunnally Johnson, "The Visit"; Sidney
Boehm, "Bridge of Sighs"; Joseph
Mankiewicz, "Justine"; C. S. Forester,
"The Battle of Leyte Gulf"; Richard
Breen, "State Fair"; Nigel Balchin. "Dragon
Tree"; Wendell Mayes, "Big River,
Big Man"; Fay and Michael Kanin, "Live
Wire"; Clair Huffacker, "Comancheros";
Don Mankiewicz, "The Chapman Report";
James Foe, "Sanctuary"; Leslie Stevens,
"The Marriage-Go-Round"; Walter Reisch,
"Return to Peyton Place"; Philip Dunne,
as yet unassigned.
Don Ameche Will Return
To Screen in Warner Film
Warner Bros, dominated the casting
news for the week, rounding out the stellar
perfomiers in two upcoming features of
some note. In "A Fever in the Blood,"
Don Ameche returns to the screen after
a 16-year absence to portray the starring
role of a U. S. senator. He is joined by
Jack Kelly, popular star of the studio's
"Maverick" TV series, who gets his first
feature film role in the picture, and by
Herbert Marshall, Ray Danton, and Andra
Martin, the latter playing the third feminine
starring role . . . Warner's other activity
surrounds "Gold of the Seven
Saints," Clint Walker-Roger Moore starrer,
in which Leticia Roman last week
was signed to play the feminine lead, as
.
.
Gene Evans and Chill Wills were set for
leading roles Strauss has been
set at Allied Artists to play one of the key
roles in Albert Zugsmith's "Dondi."
Paul Anka has been named as
.
star of
"Look in Any Window," independent film
which William Alland and Lairy Mascott
plan to start July 30 Chakiris
has been given a key role in Robert Wise's
"West Side Stoi-j'." Miri.sch Pictures, Inc.
presentation, in association with Seven
Arts Productions, for United Artists release.
Allied Artists to Release
Three Films From Major
Negotiations have been concluded for
Allied Artists to relea.se three Major Productions,
Inc. features, according to an
announcement from studio president Steve
Broidy.
All three films, "Herod the Great,"
"Caltiki, the Immortal Monster" and "The
Unfaithfuls," are scheduled for late fall
release and will be given hard-hitting exploitation
campaigns. "Herod the Great,"
filmed in Eastman Color and Totalscope,
is a spectacular production with a Biblical
basis. It stars Edmund Purdom and Sylvia
Lopen and was produced by W. Tourjansky,
directed by Arnaldo Genoino. Gina
Lollobrigida. May Britt and Pierre Cressoy
headline "The Unfaithfuls," Carlo Ponti
and Dino De Laurentiis production directed
by Stcno e Monicelli. The remaining
"Caltiki" is what Broidy calls "a unique
shocker" and stars John Merivale. Didi
Sullivan and Gerald Herter. Robert Hampton
directed as a Climax-Galatea production.
Four Story Buys Reported;
UA and WB Get One Each
Two of the four story buys revealed
within the past week came from major
studio sources, while the remaining two
are a part of independent filming plans.
United Artists bought the rights to
Andre Schwartz-Bart's French novel "Le
Dernier Des Justes" (The Last of the Just)
for assignment to one of their producers
Bros, has secured "White
Wanior," a new western novel by Lewis B.
Patten. No assignment has yet been made
Enterprises, independent unit
presided over by Steve McQueen, has
acquired David Waggoner's "Rock," which
George Forster will screenplay for future
filming . . . Richard Conte has purchased
"Proscenium Archly," upcoming novel by
Harriet Burstein, and plans to make it
early next year under his Pinebrook Productions
outfit.
The Wizard of Bagdad'
On Sam Katzman Slate
"The Wizard of Bagdad" will be the
first of Sam Katzman's productions under
a new 20th Century-Fox pact, it was re-
.
vealed last week. A comedy with special
effects, including a simulated flying carpet,
the film is now being scripted by
Jesse Lasky jr. and Pat Silver from Samuel
Newman's original stoiy. Katzman just
recently moved onto the 20th-Fox lot
after 15 years and 158 films at the Columbia
Studios and Filmgroup
International president Roger Corman
has commissioned "nouvelle vague"
writer Jean PieiTe Lecour to write an
original screenplay entitled "La Vie
D'Amour" for coproduction in France
next week. The story is about the interaction
in a group of Parisian careerists
. . . "Five Guns to Tombstone," the fourth
Zenith picture to be filmed since the termination
of the Screen Actors Guild strike,
has been set to roll July U at Samuel
Goldwyn studios for United Artists release.
Edward L. Cahn directs the Richard
Schayer-Jack DeWitt screenplay for producer
Robert E. Kent.
Philip Barry jr. to Produce
*Sail a Crooked Ship'
Philip Barry jr. has scheduled "Sail a
Crooked Ship," cuiTent best-selling novel
by Nathaniel Benchley, as his initial independent
production for Columbia Pictures
release, it has been announced by studio
chief Samuel J. Briskin.
A comedy-melodrama about a young
man and his fiancee who are kidnapped
by a group of gangsters who have stolen
an abandoned Liberty ship in New York
harbor, Barry is discussing the property
with Jack Lemmon as a possible starring
vehicle for him.
Thad Swift. Herbert C. Strock,
Phoenix Will Coproduce
Producer-writer Thad Swift and w-riterdirector
Herbert C. Strock have joined
forces with Phoenix Productions of Phoenix.
Ariz, to film "The Perfect World of
Rodney Brewster" beginning in July.
A science fantasy story by Swift, it will
be coscripted by him and Strock, with the
latter directing and both coproducing. The
title role will be played by ten-year-old
Thad Swift jr.
The Phoenix deal includes an option for
a second film.
Daniel Mann Will Direct
'Five Finger Exercise'
Daniel Mann has been signed by producer
Frederick Brisson to direct the
screen version of Brisson's "Five Finger
Exercise." which won the New 'Vork Drama
Critics' award for the current season. Columbia
Pictures releases the film, which
will star Rosalind Russell.
Coincidentally, Brisson signed Orry
Kelly to design Miss Russell's wardrobe,
repeating the assignment he had for her
in "Auntie Mame."
Bob Wagner to 'Solo'
HOLLYWOOD — Robert Wagner will
conclude his ten-year pact with 20th-Fox
with the starring role in "Solo," fUmization
of Stanford Whitmore's novel about
a jazz musician. Dick Powell will produce
and direct.
W-2 BOXOFFICE July 4, 1960