Boxoffice-May.21.1979

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FILM PROJEaS
Happy Birthday Gemini will begin shooting
June 18 in Toronto. The Canadian feature
will be produced by Alan King and
Rupert Hitzik. Ralph Benner will direct.
Madeline Kahn and Rita Moreno are already
signed to star.
The First Hello, to be produced by BM
Filmcorp 1. is set to shoot Aug. 27. Lensing
will take place in Banff, Alberta, with Harvey
Hart directing from a script by Bud
Townsend. Timothy Bottoms will star.
Bruce Mallen will produce with Gene Slott
set as executive producer.
Principal photography on The Man With
Bogart's Face commenced at MGM studios
May 14. Feature is being filmed on a
deal with Melvin Simon Pro-
Robert Day has been set to direct.
Lorimar Productions plans to begin loci.tion
shooting in the fall in Los Angeles
and New York on Saturday Night Knife and
Gun Club. The urban comedy will be produced
by Jerry Leider from a script by
Arnold Schulman.
Linton Productions plans to begin shooting
in July on Knocking on Heaven's Door.
Picture will be a $2 million project to be directed
by John Linton who also co-wrote the
screenplay with Stephen Aubery. The comedy
will deal with the adventures of senior
on The Threat. Dominique Sand will
star in the contemporary adventure story
by Fausto Canal.
Otto Preminger plans shooting on location
this summer on The Human Factor. Based
on the novel by Graham Greene, story concerns
British Secret Service activities in London
and South Africa. Tom Stoppard wrote
'the script. Already cast are Nicol Williamson,
Richard Attenborough, Robert Morley,
John Gielgud and New York model
Iman.
Charles Fries Productions plans to produce
Crash of '79. Picture will be based on
Paul Erdman's book to be adapted for the
screen by David Sherwin. Fries and Malcolm
Stuart will be executive producers.
Warner Bros, has set a Sept. 1 start on
location in the Southwest on Honeysuckle
Rose. Story concerns a married, middleaged
country-western singer who falls in
love with a young singer. Country-western
star Willie Nelson will make his starring
debut in the role. Gene Taft wlil produce,
lerry Schatzberg will direct. Nelson will
A'rite and sing the original music for the
film.
Hollywood Blvd., story of the last years
in the life of actress Barbara Peyton, will be
produced by Kevin Casselman. Screenplay
s by Ellis St. Joseph. Ray Ellis is writing
he score.
MAN International Productions plans to
begin shooting early next year on the first
of three films to be made during the next
three years. The films will have a total budget
of $22 million. First to go before the
cameras in Europe will be the $8 million
The Man Who Laugh.s. Other projects include
The Devil Came to Dublin and The
Yellow Bus.
Section Eight, comedy-drama, will be
made by Cy Chermak's Francy Productions.
Story concerns a man who tries to rig a
newspaper puzzle contest.
Where the Buffalo Roam will begin production
for Universal July 5. Peter Boyle
and Bill Murray star. Art Linson will produce
and direct from a screenplay by John
Kaye. Picture will be fictionally drawn from
events in the life of "Gonzo Journalist" Dr.
Hunter S. Thompson.
American Gigolo, starring Richard Gere
and Lauren Hutton, has completed principal
photography. Lensing took ten weeks in the
Los Angeles area. A late 1979 release is
scheduled.
FEATURE
CASTING
Richard Roundtree has a starring role in
Oh, Inchon. Story is a drama about the Ko-
citizens, their romances and eccentricities. rean War. Filming will commence May 28
Producer Jerry B. Wheeler is scheduling a in Korea. Terence Young is director.
start this summer in the U.S., France and Buck Taylor will play Dynamite Dick in
Cattle Annie and Little Britches. Picture is
now shooting in Durango, Mexico.
Franco Nero, Olivia Hussey, Victor
Buono and Herbert Lorn have been cast in
The Man With Bogart's Face. Shooting began
May 14.
13-year old newcomer, has
been chosen by producers Richard Zanuck
and David Brown to play Michael Caine's
son in The Island. Lensing began May 14.
Los Angeles newscaster Larry Attebery
has been cast as a TV newscaster in MGM's
Captain Avenger.
Jeffrey Frank,
Argentina Brunette, Ralph Manza and
Peggy Mondo will portray members of the
same family who gather for the funeral of
their young cousin in
Fatso.
Rhonda Fleming has been signed for a
featured role in Universal's The Return of
Maxwell Smart. She will play Edith Von
Secondburg, an ex-model. Sylvia Kristel will
play Agent 34 in the movie.
George Dzundza, fresh from his role in
"The Deer Hunter." has been signed to join
Robert Redford and Yaphet Kotto in Brubaker.
Harry Hamlin has signed for a role in
MGMs Clash of the Titans.
Rodeo champion Kenny Call will make
his film debut in Hemdale's Cattle Annie
and Little Britches.
TECHNICAL
ASSIGNMENTS
Bill Conli will compose the nuisieal score
lor Senator. Alan Alda stars for Universal.
Designer Jean-Pierre Dorlcac will do the
coslimies for Somewhere in Time and Blue
Lagoon.
Cathlecn Stimmers will serve as associate
producer for Wind River.
Joe Camp has signed Stan Frcberg to
develop the radio advertising campaign for
Mulberry Square's The Double McGuffin.
John G. Avildsen will direct Fu Manchu,
to be produced bu Zev Braun and Leland
Nolan for Orion Pictures, Peter Sellers will
play the dual role of Fu Manchu and Inspector
Nayland Smith.
Felton Jarvis, producer of all of Elvis
Presley's records since 1965, will produce
the vocal track for The King of Rock 'n
Roll.
John Ramos will wear two hats for Coal
Miner's Daughter, serving as assistant prop
master and playing a singing star who goes
berserk.
Francis Coppola's American Zoetrope
Company will supervise post-production on
MGM's Hide in Plain Sight. Release of the
film has been recheduled from its original
August date in order to complete post-production
chores.
Henry Mancini and Bob Wells will write
a third song for Orion Picture's 10. Mancini
and Wells have already written two
songs for the film.
ACQUISITIONS
Lou Reda Productions: Option picked up
on The Plot to Impeach William O. Douglas.
Story is a soon-to-be-published book
written by Chicago attorney-author Luis
Kutner.
Edward Shaw Productions; Obtained an
option on the life story of space pioneer
Wernher Von Braun, based on the biography
by Eiik Bergant. Shaw plans to produce
the film version, aiming for a spring
1980 start in Germany.
Steven North; Option taken on Bob Levinson's
novel. Presumed Living, a contemporary
black comedy.
DISTRIBUTION
Group I Films: Worldwide rights to
Clonus, PG-rated science fiction thriller starring
Peter Graves, Keenan Wynn and Dick
Sargent. Test marketing in July.
Cinema Shares Int'l; Agreement made
with Cal-Am .'\rtists to handle foreign representation
of Goodbye Franklin High and
One Man Jury.
Lestrig Trading Company; Italian Stallion,
starring Sylvestor Stallone, purchased from
Stallion Releasing for distribution in Australia,
New Zealand and Pacific Islands.
30X0FFICE May 1979