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Ziv-UA. Inc., to Distribute
Own TV Product Abroad
NEW YORK—For the first time. Ziv-
United Artists, Inc., will distribute its own
television product abroad, having terminated
its franchise agreement with International
Television Programs, Inc., which
has been handling Ziv-UA programs in the
foreign market since 1953.
Manny Reiner, who has been vice-president
of United Ai-tists Associated since
October 1960, has been named vice-president
in charge of foreign operations of
Ziv-UA. He will launch immediately selling
campaigns in foreign markets on "Keyhole,"
"King of Diamonds," "Everglades"
and "Ripcord."
Reiner has appointed Herbert R. Banquer
as continental sales manager with
headquarters in Paris. Ira D. Beck has
been placed in charge of Latin American
sales, with offices in Mexico City, and John
C. Hierlihy has been named foreign sales
coordinator in New York. Dorothy L. Martin
will be in charge of the contract department.
British Exhibitors Ail-Out
In Fight of Pay Television
LONDON—British theatremen will go all
the w^ay in fighting subscription television
in England.
The first move in the all-out campaign
wall be the publication of a pamphlet, "The
Danger of Cash Register Television," by
the Cinematograph Exhibitors Ass'n—^the
CEA—to be distributed to members of
Parliament and active members of the
House of Lords. The publication will be
ready sometime this month.
The exhibitors believe that they have a
better chance of halting pay TV now than
they would have some time ago, in view
of the experience televiewers have had with
the commercial Independent network.
A principal argument will be that pay TV
will serve as "another inflationary factor,"
at a time when the nation's economy is
beset with enough problems as it is.
Zeeman Moves to Col.-Int'l
As a Vice-President
NEW YORK—Bernard E. Zeeman, assistant
treasurer of Columbia Pictures, has
been transferred to Columbia Pictm-es
International as a vice-president and treasurer.
With his return to the international
company, with which he served prior to
1960, Zeeman will be concerned exclusively
with activity in foreign distribution, working
closely with Mo Rothman, executive
vice-president of the international subsidiary.
He will relinquish his former duties.
Zeeman has been with Columbia for more
than 25 years.
Confirm Merger Reports
NEW YORK—Reports that Paramount
Films of Italy and Lux Films of Rome were
studying the feasibility of a merger of their
activities in Italy were confirmed here last
week by James E. Perkins, president of
Paramount International Films, and in
Rome by Renato Gualino, executive vicepresident
of Lux Films. No further details
were given.
^andcM ^e^liont
gIG changes were announced last week
in the composition of BLC, the amalgamation
between British Lion Films and Columbia
Pictures. Victor Hoare, managing
Victor Hoare
director of Lion International,
responsible
for all British
Lion's overseas sales,
has been appointed
managing director of
BLC, and David
K i n g s 1 e y and
Kenneth Hargreaves,
who were joint managing
directors of the
company, have resigned.
Kingsley continues
to act as chairman
and managing
director of British Lion, but Hargreaves
has also resigned his managing directorship
of Columbia Pictures and his other Columbia
directorships. The changes come
into effect as of March 2.
It also was announced that, with the
appointment of Hoare to the new post,
several other executive personnel changes
have been made in the management of Lion
International, the overseas sales arm of
British Lion. Michael Bromhead, who has
been representing the company in the
United States, with headquarters in New
York, will return to London to become
general manager of Lion International, and
Sidney Safir, European manager, will become
sales manager.
Bromhead's place in the United States
will be taken by Garry Dartness who has
served the company in the Far East. These
changes also will become effective March 2.
Six films, costing between them nearly
£1,500,000, are to be made by Hammer Productions
in 1962. This was disclosed by
James Carreras, chief of Hammer, before
leaving for the States. The Carreras statement
declared: "We have been making anything
from eight to ten pictures a year.
But now, to meet changing conditions, and
with the absolute necessity of concentrating
on the world market, Anthony Hinds,
Michael Carreras and their associates at
Bray Studios will make a total of six films
—four for round-the-world release by Columbia,
and two by Universal-International.
We have long-term contracts
with both companies."
Hammer will kick off theii- new program
in May with two "gimmick" thrillers. First
"
will be "The Old Dark House. It will be
made by Hammer in association with
William Castle. And the script for it has
been written by Ray Russell, who wrote
"Psycho" for Alfred Hitchcock. "The Old
Dark House" was written as a novel by
J. B. Priestley in the late '20s under the
title of "Benighted." Casting of the Hammer-Castle
version will start when Castle
arrrives in London next month for discussions
with producer Anthony Hinds and
James Carreras.
Also starting in May will be "Maniac,"
from an original story and screenplay by
Jimmy Sangster who will also produce it.
It will be filmed partly on location in the
By ANTHONY GRUNER
story's setting—the Provence area of
France. "Maniac" will be followed by "One
More River," an adaptation of Beverly
Cross' extraordinary play about mutiny
aboard a British cargo ship in African
waters. It will be produced by Michael
Carreras. After that. Hammer plans to
make "Quatermass and the Pit," author
Nigel Kneale's terrifying exercise in
science-fiction horror. All these will be
made for Columbia.
Before leaving on his American visit,
Carreras said that he had not decided what
the next two subjects would be for Universal-International.
He said, " 'The Old
Dark House' is the only 'pure' shocker on
our 1962 list. But it is more than likely
that Universal-International will want us
to make at least one hornfic for them. In
any case, we have oui- eyes on a niunber of
spine-tinglers which would suit om- book
very well.
The point to remember is that routine
horror productions are out. Audiences are
no longer interested in horror for horror's
sake alone. But give them a macabre piece
with a startling gimmick, something excitingly
new and imaginative, and they'll be
ready to start queuing at the crack of
dawn."
An astonishing boxoffice record has been
sustained by "The Yomig Ones," the Associated
British Elstree Production stan-ing
Cliff Richard. Already breaking all records
on the ABC circuit, the British musical has
now been booked to play the third or
national release from March 12. On ABC,
the film has even overtaken some of the
grosses made by "Hercules Unchained," one
of the all-time boxoffice hits enjoyed by
ABC circuit. On prerelease, "The Young
Ones" has held over for two, three and even
four weeks in no fewer than 31 situations.
It is believed to be the first British film to
be transferred from one circuit to another
after it has completed its run on a firstrun.
"The Young Ones" is filmed in Cinema-
Scope and Technicolor, with Sidney J.
Furie directing and Kenneth Harper as producer.
* * *
Comedian Tony Hancock announced last
week the formation of his own production
company which will be responsible for producing
a minimum of foiu' films in association
with Associated British Picture
Corp. He has completed one film for that
company, "The Rebel" (U.S. title "Call Me
a Genius"). Now, as a result of a new deal
signed between himself and J. R. Wallis,
head of Elstree Studios, the new agreement
supersedes his previous contract with
the corporation under which he was committed
to make several films on a starring
only basis.
First film to be produced by Hancock's
new company will be "Punch and Judy,"
an original stoi-y written by himself in
collaboration with Philip Oakes. It will
enter production in mid-March, and calls
for a location at an English coastal resort
to be followed by interior shooting at
Elstree.
BOXOFFICE February 5, 1962 17