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Post by topbilled on Apr 30, 2023 14:38:22 GMT
There's another thing I wanted to add, relating to 'A' pictures and 'B' pictures. When we hit 1950, I will be including Lippert Pictures output, since independent producer Robert Lippert sort of created his own studio for awhile, before merging with 20th Century Fox in late '55.
During those five years, we see his output decrease significantly. In 1950 and 1951, he's making over 20 pictures a year. But by 1955, he's only making 5 or 6 pictures. Why? Well, from what I read, those early releases were only budgeted at $10,000 apiece and shot in 7 days. So if he did 22 pictures in 1950 at ten grand each, all he was really spending was $220,000.
But in 1955, he made 5 films, each one budgeted at $100,000. That means he increased his spending, since he spent $500,000 making new films that year, but he switched from turning out really cheap product made in a week, to films that had more money and time invested in them. As a result, he could attract "bigger" names, and hopefully those titles would earn more money in release.
So when I was looking over Lippert's output during that five year period, he goes from making those really cheap films with no-name stars, to making more expensive films with big names whose careers were in decline...people like George Raft, Dane Clark, James Craig, Sterling Hayden, Wayne Morris, etc.
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Post by Fading Fast on Apr 30, 2023 14:57:32 GMT
There's another thing I wanted to add, relating to 'A' pictures and 'B' pictures. When we hit 1950, I will be including Lippert Pictures output, since independent producer Robert Lippert sort of created his own studio for awhile, before merging with 20th Century Fox in late '55.
During those five years, we see his output decrease significantly. In 1950 and 1951, he's making over 20 pictures a year. But by 1955, he's only making 5 or 6 pictures. Why? Well, from what I read, those early releases were only budgeted at $10,000 apiece and shot in 7 days. So if he did 22 pictures in 1950 at ten grand each, all he was really spending was $220,000.
But in 1955, he made 5 films, each one budgeted at $100,000. That means he increased his spending, since he spent $500,000 making new films that year, but he switched from turning out really cheap product made in a week, to films that had more money and time invested in them. As a result, he could attract "bigger" names, and hopefully those titles would earn more money in release.
So when I was looking over Lippert's output during that five year period, he goes from making those really cheap films with no-name stars, to making more expensive films with big names whose careers were in decline...people like George Raft, Dane Clark, James Craig, Sterling Hayden, Wayne Morris, etc. That's great color. Wayne Morris is a name that almost never comes up, but he was a successful actor in his day. I almost always enjoy his performances. We all, rightfully, note Douglas' and Menjou's performances when we talk about "Paths of Glory," but Morris', while smaller, is equally impressive and critical.
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