Meet Laslo Benedek (1951) 🇺🇸
When Stanley Kramer decided to assign his most prized property, “Death of a Salesman”, to a director, he chose a man who had had experience in every phase of the motion picture business.
by Paul Manning
Laslo Benedek, known as one of the finest film editors ever to work in Hollywood, the man who got the assignment, had been a cameraman, screen writer, associate producer and a director, and had worked in Europe for Terra and for UFA.
Benedek, born in Budapest in 1907, started out as a psychiatrist. Within a few years, a consuming interest in still photography (he is still one of the finest of still photographers) led him to an interest in motion pictures. When a film company came to Budapest to shoot some exteriors, Benedek was recommended for the job. He became a member of the camera crew. One thing led to another, and, before long, he became an assistant cameraman, a cameraman, and worked at the two German studios mentioned above.
Following that, he became assistant to Joe Pasternak, producing films in Europe for the old Universal Company. When Pasternak came over here, and joined MGM, Benedek came with him, and, after a stint with Slavko Vorkapich in montage became full assistant to Pasternak. He also directed Port of New York, which introduced Yul Brynner to the screen, and The Kissing Bandit.
Benedek now has Death of a Salesman before the cameras, and will follow this with The Cyclists’ Raid [The Wild One (1953)], also for Stanley Kramer, the first of two pictures he will do there following Salesman. He was also associate producer on Storm Over Tibet, a film with amazing technical problems, based on rare Tibetan footage, which will be released soon.
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Good Things to come from Hollywood… “The Blue Veil”
“The Blue Veil” embraces the emotional acceptance of every person from eight to 80 years of age.
by Paul Manning
Those over 80 should have sense enough to hurry to their local theatre when the word gets around about this superb film. Messrs. Jerry Wald and Norman Krasna have delivered, as they gave promise, high grade motion picture merchandise. Enhanced by the “Oscar-headed” performance of the amazing Jane Wyman, and built sturdily upon the fine production mountings of W-K. pictures of this calibre will do much to promote motion picture patronage. Studio Survey takes pleasure in acknowledging this truly good picture. We say it is truly good because the theme of the story is truly good. Far from the “exploitation” type of product, this will make good on its heart. There is no exhibitor who can say, after viewing this picture, that it is not for his patronage. If human beings come to your theatre, The Blue Veil is right for them, 100 per cent right.” — P. M.
In a scene from RKO’s The Blue Veil, Jane Wyman, upper left, receives a child entrusted to her care by Charles Laughton, and, in a later episode, she is shown with Natalie Wood, at upper right, and with Cyril Cusack, at lower left. The film was directed by Curtis Bernhardt, and produced by Jerry Wald and Norman Krasna, lower right.
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UA Takes Ross’ “Lady”
New York — The Lady Says No, a comedy starring Joan Caulfield and David Niven, has been acquired for release by United Artists, it was announced last week by Arthur Krim, president.
Produced by Frank Ross and John Stillman, Jr., from an original screen play by Robert Russell, the film was directed by Ross, whose directing credits include The More the Merrier, The Devil and Miss Jones, A Lady Takes a Chance, Of Mice and Men, and The Flame and the Arrow.
Scheduled for release late this autumn, The Lady Says No was made under the new banner of Ross-Stillman Productions, with Hollywood veterans James Wong Howe (黃宗霑) as director of photography, Emil Newman as composer of the musical score, and Orry-Kelly as costume designer.
Top-featured in support of Miss Caulfield and Niven are James Robertson Justice, Lenore Lonergan, Peggy Maley, Henry Jones, and Francis Bavier.
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WB’s “College” Proceeds
Hollywood — Construction of a fully equipped gymnasium has been completed on a Warner studio sound stage, and Gene Nelson commenced daily work-outs and rehearsals for the gymnastic dance routine he is to do in She’s Working Her Way Through College.
Nelson stars in the picture with Virginia Mayo, Ronald Reagan, and Don DeFore, with Bruce Humberstone [H. Bruce Humberstone] as director. LeRoy Prinz is staging and directing the dance numbers.
William Jacobs produces She’s Working Her Way Through College.
Thomas Sets “Feudin’ Fools”
Hollywood — Producer Jerry Thomas has set Feudin’ Fools as the next in the Bowery Boys series for Monogram, to follow Hold That Line, new title for College Crazy, which Charles Marion [Charles R. Marion] is scripting.
Thomas is now supervising editing of the 24th in the Bowery Boys series, temporarily titled Win, Place, and Show [Crazy Over Horses (1951)].
Collection: Exhibitor Magazine (Studio Survey), October 1951