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The History of American Cinema: 1952

July - December

1/7 -

Cinerama is presented to an invited audience at the Broadway Theater in New York.   The new projection system boasts a tall 146’ wide-angle screen onto which a tri-panel panoramic picture is screened by three projectors, and stereophonic sound. [ADD]

24/7 -

Fred Zinnemann’s High Noon is released.   Seen as a metaphor for America’s failure to confront the red menace (or, by some, for the public’s failure to unite against McCarthyism), the film features a memorable theme tune sung by Tex Ritter and helps to resurrect Gary Cooper’s career.   Support is given from Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges and Katy Jurado. [ADD]

6/8 -

David Miller’s Sudden Fear, in which wealthy playwright Joan Crawford  discovers her husband (Jack Palance) is planning with his mistress (Gloria Grahame) to have her murdered, is released. [ADD]

19/9 -

US Attorney General James McGranery orders immigation services to refuse Charlie Chaplin entry into the country until investigations into his political activities are concluded. [ADD]

30/9 -

This is Cinerama, the first Cinerama production, opens to the public at the Broadway Theater in New York.   Released to only a few cinemas, it grosses $32 million. [ADD]

30/11 -

Arch Oboler’s Bwana Devil, the first feature film shot entirely in 3D, is released.   Robert Stack and Barbara Britton star, while the audience, wearing special Polaroid glasses, duck to avoid a lion leaping from the screen. [ADD]

24/12 -

Daniel Mann's Come Back, Little Sheba is released by Paramount.   Burt Lancaster, Shirley Booth, Terry Moore and Richard Jaeckel star. [ADD]

24/12 -

My Cousin Rachel, Nunnally Johnson’s adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier's novel is released.   Directed by Henry Koster, the film stars Olivia De Havilland and young British actor Richard Burton. [ADD]

30/12 -

The Member of the Wedding, Fred Zinneman’s adaptation of the Broadway play based on Carson McCuller’s novel, is released.   22-year-old Julie Harris (playing a 12-year-old girl), Ethel Waters, and Brandon de Wilde repeat their stage roles. [ADD]

Dec -

The Bad and the Beautiful, Vincente Minnelli's searing indictment of contemporary Hollywood, is released.   Kirk Douglas stars as a ruthless producer who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.   Lana Turner, Dick Powell and Barry Sullivan are the people he betrays along the way.   Gloria Grahame, Gilbert Roland and Walter Pidgeon also star. [ADD]

– The Decca Record Company assumes control of Universal Pictures after buying J Arthur Rank’s shares. [ADD]

– US cinema attendance drops to 51 million per week from a 1948 high of 90 million. [ADD]

– 20^th Century-Fox announces that it will cease producing B-movies. [ADD]

Top Ten US Box-office Stars of 1952

1.      Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis

2.      Gary Cooper

3.      John Wayne

4.      Bing Crosby

5.      Bob Hope

6.      James Stewart

7.      Doris Day

8.      Gregory Peck

9.      Susan Hayward

10.    Randolph Scott 

Source: Quigley Poll

The History of Cinema: 1952