New Style Musicals planned for movies
NEW YORK (Special) Harry Saltzman and Don Kirshner, two of the entertainment world’s most successful trend-setters, have announced joint production plans for a series of new-style musical adventure films starring a new musical group called Tomorrow.
The first of the films, all to be co-produced by Saltzman and Kirshner and released by United Artists, will be titled Tomorrow. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in London on April 8.
The new group, discovered after a six-month, world-wide talent hunt, consists of four highly-attractive youngsters.
They are: Olivia Newton John 20. a singer from Australia: Karl Chambers, a 22-year old rhythm ‘n blues drummer from Philadelphia: Vic Cooper, 25. a pianist and organ-st from England, and Ben Thomas, 24, a singer and guitarist from Georgia.
Saltzman, one of the most perceptive and successful film makers of cinema history due to the phenomenal popularity of his James Bond thrillers and many other of his films, predicted the pictures will offer a new musical sound and a fresh, original concept in movie-making.
He pointed out that the films will be aimed primarily at the 14-30 year-old group, a group known to be the largest segment of the world-wide movie-going public.
Saltzman also produced the widely popular Michael Caine-Harry Palmer spy films and such artistic box office succeses as Saturday Night And Sunday Morning, Look Back In Anger, and The Entertainer. He is currently completing The Battle of Britain and, with Albert R. Broccoli, is filming the new James Bond picture, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Kirshner, who made musical history with The Monkees, is known in the music and record industry as The Man With The Golden Ear. While still in his twenties he built a music publishing company and record-producing organization that were so effective that they were sold to Columbia Pictures Screen Gems in a multi-million dollar deal. Kirshner was then made president of Columbia Pictures-Screen Gems TV, Record and Music Division.
Under his direction, the music division soon became the leading publisher in BMI. He is credited with publishing music from such pictures as Lawrence of Arabia, Casino Royale, (including the song Look Of Love), To Sir With Love and Born Free. The last earned 2 Academy Awards for best song and score.
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