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By
IVAN SPEAR
Merion Cooper. John Farrow
Form New Corporation
A new film corpyoratioii and its first
multi-million dollar project, a big screen,
color. Civil War drama. 'Two Little Confederates."
has been announced by Merian
C. Cooper and his partner-director John
Farrow. The Thomas Nelson Page novel
will be made as a roadshow, with filming
blueprinted for early next year on location
in Virginia. As plans stand now. the threehour
entertainment will begin long-run
engagements in the fall of 1961. to become
part of the Civil War Centennial.
Cooper, credited with more "firsts" than
any other man in creative motion picture
making, including bringing Cinerama to
the screen, has been loaned by Merian C.
Cooper Enterprises, the company he heads.
to the new corporation, under which banner
he and Fan-ow also will produce another
big roadshow, "Chermault of China."
based on the life of Lt. Gen. Claire Lee
Chennault, his famed Flying Tigers and
Civil Air Trar^sport. In addition to this
and "Two Little Confederates," the corporation's
long-range program embraces
other film projects.
Red Skelton to Produce
Five Feature Films
Five motion pictures, all of them based
on original stories by Red Skelton, were
announced last week when the famed entertainer
inaugurated the production program
at Skelton Studios, lot he recently
bought from AMCO.
"The Trunk." to be filmed in October
1960. is the first of the features, with
"Kasa San." iMr. Umbrella i. to be filmed
in Japan in the summer of 1961. and "The
Great Wilberspoon." "Eight Pretty Girls"
and "Cross Country Spree" following.
Highlight of the press conference ;n
which the star announced his plans was
a tour through a three-bus mobile TV unit
with which he says he can film anything
any place.
Noonan to Do One Film
Away From Marshall
Comic Tommy Noonan temporarily forsakes
his partner. Pete Marshall, when he
begins filming "Operation Gulliver" in association
with Tim Barr and Gene Anderson.
No date has been set for the feature as
.vet. Both Noonan and Marshall are still
filming "The Schnook" for 20th Century-
Fox. Noonan expects to get director Charles
Barton, now helming that picture, to direct
"Gulliver."
Ten Who Dared' Completed
For Buena Vista Release
Walt Disney Productions has completed
filming on an adventure drama titled "Ten
Who Dared," saga of Colorado River conquest
filmed In Technicolor as a full feature
production.
The story Is about Major John Wesley
Powell, one-armed scientist who guided an
expedition down the uncharted Colorado
in 1869. John Beal plays Powell, with Brian
Koith. James Drury. Ben Johnson. R. G.
Armstrong. David Stollery. L. Q. Jones.
David Frankham. Stan Jones and Dan
Sheridan playing the other nine of the
title. William Beaudine directed and release
is. of course, by Buena Vista.
'Unarmed in Paradise' Set
For Allied Artists Slate
Allied Artists has announced production
plans on "UnaiTned in Paradise. " which
Stuart Millar will produce next year.
George Peppard. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
contractee who scored heavily in "Home
From the Hill. has been signed to costar
"
with Maria Schell in the film, a love story
based on the Ellen Marsh best-seller.
"Unarmed in Paradise" follows "Birdman
of Alcatraz" for Harold Hecht and "The
Young Doctors" on Millar's slate. Both of
the latter are for United Artists release.
50 70mm Prints Ordered
For 'Spartacus' Sales
Bryna-Universal has placed an initial
order for 50 70mm color prints of "Spartacus"
with Technicolor, reportedly the
largest ever placed on 70mm prints in
Hollywood.
At 26 reels per print this represents a
ran of over a million feet of film for the
Technicolor plant, which it is estimated
will take two months to process. The picture
will have its world premiere at the
DeMille Theatre in New York on October
6. followed with road show engagements
in key cities throughout the fall.
"The Day ol the Triffids'
Next for King Bros.
"The Day of the Triffids" will be the
next feature to go on the King Bros, slate,
with the film scheduled to begin as soon
as the currently editing "Gorgo." which
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer will release, is finished.
Originally "Ti-iffids" was scheduled by
producer Sydney Box as a joint production
with Philip Yordan. However. Box left the
project when he became ill. The theme
centers about science-fiction.
David Brown Is Promoted
To Producer at 20th-Fox
As the first switch of major significance
on the executive level since Robert Goldstein
was named to head 20th Century-Fox
studio operations. David Brown, executive
story editor on the lot for the past two
years, has been advanced by Goldstein to
the rank of producer. Brown's spot will be
assumed by Theodore iTedi Strau.ss.
20th's New York story editor. The Brown
and Strauss assignment changes become
effective September 1.
LOCAL BOY MAKES GOOD—David
Kory. six-year-old Hollywood lad, was
recently chosen to play the title role
in "Dondi." filmization of the syndicated
comic strip. He is pictured here
with his two bosses, Steve Broidy, left,
head of Allied Artists, and Al Zngsmith.
producer-director of the picture.
John Bryan Assigned Chore
For 'La'wrence of Arabia'
John Bi-yan. highly acclaimed production
designer who turned motion picture
producer in 1952 to make such films as
"The Pui-ple Plain," starring Gregory Peck,
and "The Horse's Mouth." toplining Alec
Guinness, will return to his original craft
for a period of one year. The coup was
achieved by Sam Spiegel, who persuaded
Bryan to turn production designer once
more for his forthcoming "Lawrence of
Arabia," w'hich David Lean will helm, in
color and widescreen.
Bryan, who won an Oscar for art direction
on "Great Expectations." will
have John Box as his associate art director
for "Lawrence."
Associated Producers Plans
To Make Circus Feature
Associated Producers. Inc.. will makei
"The Big Show." a screenplay by Ted
Sherdeman that tells the stoi-y of a circuf
troupe in Europe. To be filmed abroad ir
color and widescreen, the starting dat