Boxoffice-August.20.1979

BOXOFFICE/AUGUST 20, 1979
hollywood report ^S i
film projects
THE THIRD WORLD WAR-
AUGUST, 1985, based on a book wilh the
same title, will be made into a feature film In
the Mirisch Corp : filming for the Universal
release is scheduled to begin next year. Oscar
winning screenwriter Edward Anhalt will
adapt the "future history" for the screen The
book traces the outbreak of global hostilities
when the Russians "test" a newly elected
American president, push a series of provoca
lions too far and set off first a conventional
war and then a nuclear conflict. The editor
and major contributor to the book was Gen.
Sir John Hackett, a classical scholar, veteran
of the Arnhem airborne landing and former
commander of the British Army of the Rhine
Producers [die and Ely Landau will begin
filming Sept. 24 in Munich on
HOPSCOTCH, starring Walter Malthau in a
screenplay by Brian Garfield and Bryan
Forbes, based on a novel by Garfield. The $8
million feature also will be shot on locations in
Sal/burg, London. Washington. Atlanta and
Los Angeles.
Dina De Laurentiis' production of FLASH
GORDON began principal photography Aug.
6 in England and will use six sound stages at
Shepperton Studios, the new "Star Wars"
facility at EMI Borehamwood, plus a 6 million
cubic foot complex at Brooklands, in Surrey,
for the massive futuristic sets designed by
Danilo Donati. Six months of photography is
anticipated. Concurrent filming of specialised
optical, model and physical effects is also plan
ned. American actor Sam Jones will play
Flash Gordon. Canadian actress Melody
Anderson will play Dale Arden, Max Von
Sydow will portray Emperor Ming the Mer
ciless and Chaim Topol will be Dr. Hans
Zarkov. Others in the cast are Italian actress
Ornella Muti, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed,
Peter Wingarde and John Hallam.
Matrix Productions, newly formed by Ben
net Carey and Reginald Lake, will film
ALE1STER, based on the book, "The Magi
cian of the Golden Dawn," a biography of
Aleister Crowley by Susan Roberts, who will
write the script.
YELLOW KID WEIL will be filmed in
Canada, the United States and Europe by
Oakhampton Development Corp., based in
British Columbia. J. Robert Nash has signed
to write the screenplay
THE SILVER SURFER, based on the cult
comic strip hero of Marvel Comics, will be
made into a feature film by Lee Kramer who is
forming L K Productions for the reported -^25
million project. Filming is expected to begin in
1980 on locations in the United States and
England and second unit work is planned in
various areas of the world.
THE LAST OF THE GOLDEN BEARS
will be produced by Nu Image and Henry
Fonda will star in the rural story set at the
turn of the century and dealing with the ex
tinction of the great California Golden Bear.
Trevor Black wrote the script and will direct
for producers Remy Donovan and John
Quinn.
MY BODYGUARD, a Melvin Simon production
starring Christopher Makepeace,
began filming Aug. 6 in Chicago. Tony Bill is
directing from Alan Ormsby's original
Screenplay about a young boy who transfers
to a Chicago high school from a private
school.
PROM NIGHT, a $1,500,000 suspense
thriller, began shooting in Toronto Aug. 6.
Paul Lynch is directing from William Gray's
script. Starring is Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter
of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. Also in the
cast are Leslie Nielson. Eddie Benton, Antoinette
Bower. Casey Stevens, Mary Beth
Rubins and Robert Silverman
THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING
WOMAN, starring Lily Tomlm. went before
the cameras at Universal Aug. 13. Joel
Schumacher, whose screenplays include "Car
Wash" and "The Wi/." will make his debut as
a feature director.
Shooting started Aug. 6 on HOG WILD, the
first of three major feature films to be produc
ed by Filmplan International in 1979.
Budgeted at $2.7 million, the picture is a comedy
focusing on an outrageous confrontation
between high school kids and an oddball collection
of would be bikers.
THE MENDELOV CONSPIRACY, bas
ed on the novel by Martin Caidin. has been
scheduled for a shooting start next year in
England by Courier Films of London, headed
by Zoran Perisic who won an Academy
Award for his special effects for "Superman."
STRANGER THAN WEIRD, a comedy
about psychic phenomena, will be produced
by Bob Banner Associates as the company's
first theatrical feature in 10 years. Nick Castle
is writing the screenplay to be directed by Brad
Swernoff.
NEVER TRUST AN HONEST THIEF,
starring Orson Welles and Michael Murphy,
began shooting Aug. 13 in Toronto and film
ing is also planned in Las Vegas. George
McGowan is directing a cast that also includes
Henry Ramer, Doris Petrie, Beth Amos and
Alfie Scopp. Carl and Phyllis DeSantis wrote
the screenplay for producer Zale Magder.
THE SLAYER, a contemporary thriller,
will be made by Greg H. Sims Co. and Onyx
Films; filming is scheduled for locations this
year in Los Angeles. Bill Ewing and J.S. Cardone
are writing the screenplay. Sims will pro
duce and Lincoln Kilpatrick will be associate
producer.
THE DEADLIEST ISLAND will be made
by Yelapa Films as a Canadian co production;
snooting is set for this fall on locations in
British Columbia. Aaron Fiszmann will direct
for producer Irving Simmons.
assignments
Don Gillen has been signed to be producer
Michael Fitzgerald's producer's representative
for WISE BLOOD, directed by John
Houston and starring Brad Dourif, Ned Beat
ty and Harry Dean Stanton.
William Franker will direct Marble Arch
Productions' THE LONE RANGER, for pro
ducer Walter Coblentz; the script is by Rob
Thompson, who has updated the story.
Harriet Helberg has been signed as casting
director for EMI Films' THE JAZZ
SINGER, scheduled to begin shooting in the
fall. Neil Diamond is starring and Sidney
Furie is directing for producer Jerry Leider.
Novelist playwright Jay Bennett has been
signed by Joseph R. Jennings to write an un
titled script about an Indian family and the experiences
they undergo after coming to Los
Angeles.
Edward A. Teets will be associate producer
as well as unit production manager on United
Artists' THOSE LIPS, THOSE EYES,
which began filming Aug. 8 in Cleveland
Man International Pictures has signed Saul
Stember to write the script of THE YELLOW
BUS, based on a true story by Dennis Murray
Filming is planned to begin early next year.
Terry Nelson has been named associate pro-
ducer on XANADU, Lawrence Gordon pro
duction for Universal scheduled to shoot in
September. Olivia Newton John is
starring.
Maurice Jarre will score Universals'
RESURRECTION, produced by Renee
Missel and Howard Rosenman
Costumer Moss Mabry has been signed by
producer Michelle Marshall to create the war
drobe for THE WARNING, a science fiction
suspense thriller starring Joey Travolta.
Charles Fox will compose the score and
Norman Gunnel will write Ihe lyrics for THE
LAST MARRIED COUPLE IN
AMERICA, a Cates Bros Edward S
Feldman production for Universal.
Musician Matthew McCauley has been
signed by Tormonl Film Productions Inc. to
c(.ni|«isc the music for the motion picture
MIDDLE AGE CRAZY, shooting on loca
lion in Texas and Toronto.
casting
Singer Maureen McGovern and Joyce Bull
fant have supporting roles in AIRPLANF'!
McGovern is in the key role of a singing nun
and Bulifant plays a mother accompanying
her sick child aboard an imperiled jet. The film
is a Howard W. Koch production for Para
mount
Bruno Kirby will play the publisher of an
underground magazine in Universal's
WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM, being
produced and directed by Art Lison and starring
Peter Boyle and Bill Murray.
Saul Rubinek, Catherine O'Hara and
Maury Chakin have been signed for roles in
American International's NOTHING PER-
SONAL, starring Donald Sutherland and
Suzanne Somers. The film is now before the
cameras in Toronto. George Bloomfield is
directing the Robert Kaufman presentation
for producer David Perlmutter. The
screenplay is by Kaufman.
Michael Aronm. who plays the role of "Sonny,"
a 19-year-old boxing protege in Broadway's
"Knockout," has been cast in the role of
Detective Davis in William Friedkin's
CRUISIN".
Michelle Pfeiffer, Fran Drescher, Joyce
Heiser. Roberta Wallach, Dawn Clark and
Kim Hopkins have been signed to appear in
THE HOLLYWOOD KNIGHTS.
Jill Mazursky has been cast as a babysitter
for the child of Michael Ontkean and Margot
Kidder in WILLIE AND PHIL, which her
father, Paul Mazursky, is co-producing with
Tony Bill for 20th Century Fox. Louis Guss
and Julie Bovasso have been cast as parents of
one of the title characters in the film.
Mae E. Campbell has signed for a guest star
role in Chuck Barris' THE GONG SHOW
MOVIE, which will begin principal
photography Sept. 4.
Marvin Kaplan has a role as a hotel clerk in
Walt Disney Productions' THE ULTIMATE
GAME.
Barbara Babcock, Judy Landers, James
Woods, Pal Corley, Raleigh Bond and John
Hancock have been cast in supporting roles in
Joseph Waumbaugh's THE BLACK MAR-
BLE.
Kelly Milscheele. Susan Buckley. Christine
and Erica Varnai and Alison Cass Shurpin
have been cast in Paul Ma/ursky's WILLIF'.
AND PHIL for 20th Century Fox. Each will
be playing the same role as the daughter, at
various ages, of Michael Ontkean and Margot
Kidder.
Ruth Buzzi will play a cameo role as a
citizen crusader out to close down the local
roller rink in Columbia's SKATETOWN,
U.S.A.
James Gammon and Cooper Hucabee will
have costarring roles in Paramount's UR-
BAN COWBOY, starring John Travolta and
filming in Houston.
Anne Mcara will star as a teacher in
MGM's FAME, shrxiling in New York. Alan
Parker is directing.
Michael Dante and Mario Milano have
signed for roles in BEYOND EVIL, Gothic
horror feature which Ill/Scope III will begin
filming Sept. 4.
James Jeter, Gailard Sartain, Sandy Helberg
and Richard Schaal have signed for THE
HOLLYWOOD KNIGHTS, Casablan
ca/Columbia feature shooting in Los Angeles.
Sam Krachmalnick, Rita Taggart. Carel
Stryucken, Roger Johnson. Peter Coyote and
Marty Zagon have roles as villains in DIE
LAUGHING, shooting in San Francisco for
Orion Pictures.
Jerry Hall and Ann Wile have been signed
for roles as New York models whose accommodating
ways shock stars Michael Ontkean
and Ray Sharkey in WILLIE AND PHIL.
Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker and David
Zucker, writers and executive producers of
Paramount's AIRPLANE!, have been cast in
cameo roles in the comedy. Abrahams will
play a religious zealot shot while on board a
jetliner and the Zucker brothers will play
ground crewmen.
distribution
Avco Embassy: Joseph Waumbaugh's THE
BLACK MARBLE, which began production
Aug. 6 in Hollywood with Harold Becker
directing, stars Robert Foxworth, Harry Dean
Stanton and Paula Prentiss. Frank Capra Jr. is
producing from Waumbaugh's script
Group I Films: SNAPSHOT, Australian
BUY
EXPERIENCE/ POTTS PLATTERS
Robert Potts, a platter builder since 1970, and
father of the 5 tier platter.
suspense feature about a photographer's
model who faces terror and death. Simon
Wmcer directed a cast headed by Chantal
Contouri. Robert Grunmg and Sigrid Thornton.
POTTS PLATTERS
R.R. #2 • Urbana, Illinois 61801 • Ph. (217) 469-7578