CASTING ON CAMPUS; CONCERNS RAISED AS FILM RECRUITERS SOLICIT AT L.A. SCHOOLS.

Byline: Beth Barrett Daily News Staff Writer

To many of the third-graders assembled in the auditorium last spring at Encino Elementary School, it was like a dream come true: Be a celebrity, appear with big-name stars in a big-time movie.

With the credibility of the school behind the offer, many star-struck parents responded to the flier their children bought home. Although it was billed as free, parents of about 35 children eventually shelled out $40 or more for the chance to appear in ``Junior Sheriff.''

They've been waiting all summer for the call that never came. And now shattered kids and angry parents want to know why the film hasn't been cast and why school officials allowed the solicitation in the first place.

Hollywood officials, too, are worried about what they say is a growing phenomenon, where public school officials give people with limited experience or no credentials access to kids without parental permission on the pretext of giving them a shot at acting roles.

``This is a very disturbing trend,'' said Jeanne Russell, chairwoman of the Screen Actors Guild Young Performers Committee.

``Parents have complained about this more than once,'' added Russell, a child star in the 1960s sitcom ``Dennis the Menace,'' in which she played the neighbor girl, Margaret. ``It's one of the new twists, and some parents are very outraged. The schools should be held accountable.''

Dan Isaacs, LAUSD's assistant superintendent of school operations, said he was unaware of the problem.

``I think we need to put our people on alert that a captive audience isn't to be used for something of that sort,'' Isaacs said. ``We need to take every precaution.''

Encino Principal John Hall said he made ``an exception to the rule,'' which he now believes was ``not in keeping with (district) policy'' in allowing former parent Marcell Yosef to make a five-minute presentation to a couple of third-grade classes in the school's auditorium.

Yosef led him to believe there would be no fee and that it was an opportunity for kids interested in the entertainment field, he said.

Yosef was in Israel and unavailable, according to Morenna Niboucha, the first-time producer of ``Junior Sheriff.'' She said Yosef works for her.

In an interview at her Hollywood office, Niboucha said that the kids will still get to be in the movie.

She said filming has been delayed until Sept. 30 - 2-1/2 months after the July 15 date promised in the flier children brought home.

She acknowledged that she has not signed a contract with a director or a star, nor secured a filming location. She said if parents don't trust her or if their children don't get work with her, they can get their money back.

She said the $40 was for ``services,'' including a free photo session, application processing and ``membership'' - not upfront money for casting in ``Junior Sheriff.''

LAUSD policy forbids advertising, sales and ``soliciting for any cause whatsoever'' of students on campus without board or administrative authorization. Assistant General Counsel Howard Friedman said the policy might not strictly apply if Hall didn't know fees were attached and thought the proposal had educational value.

``An exception can obviously lead to some real problems,'' Hall said. ``I'll make no more exceptions.''

Dashed hopes

For Fleura Ariano, a single mother of three, it's not just about the money. It's the emotional harm to her daughters that really haunts her, she said.

``This is absolutely killing my two older daughters. They told all their friends they would be in this movie. One of my daughters was crying in the car coming home. It's a disaster.''

Several parents said they went to the agency and paid fees but that their children received no services and no photo session. They said when they arrived at the Hollywood offices, they simply filled out an application with a Niboucha-affiliated company, Hollywood Casting CNTV Production. They said they had to pay extra for photos.

Hollywood Casting CNTV has had seven consumer complaints with the Better Business Bureau in the last three years, most of them requesting refunds - which either were made or for which credit was given, said Todd McDonald, trade practice manager for the nonprofit group.

The bureau rated the company as having a ``satisfactory business performance,'' he said.

Niboucha was registered as a franchise talent agent with the Screen Actors Guild until January, when she asked that the franchise be terminated so she could do film production work, according to SAG officials.

Russell said there already are 50 child actors with professional experience registering each month with SAG.

``And there are 2,000 kids who want to join for every one that does,'' Russell said. ``The people who have taken advantage of hopeful parents have an even better field to pick from now.''

Don Cass, supervisor of the Consumer Protection Section of the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office, said his office regularly sees cases where parents have been seduced by promises of Hollywood work for their children.

``Usually there is a promise of acting employment, and it involves an advance fee, then nothing is forthcoming and there is no refund,'' Cass said.

No commitments

Niboucha said her movie is legitimate and produced what she described as letters of intent from noted Australian film director George T. Miller and from Taran Noah Smith, one of the child stars in the TV hit sitcom ``Home Improvement.'' She said she's negotiating with Universal Studios to rent filming space and plans a casting call in a couple of weeks.

Miller's Beverly Hills agent, Don Klein, said, ``There's no commitment that George Miller has to this project.''

Jackie Lewis, one of Smith's theatrical agents, said Smith auditioned for ``Junior Sheriff'' about six months ago but hasn't signed a contract. ``Taran Smith has nothing to do with this movie. He had no commitment, no offer.''

A Universal official said the studios had a call a couple of months ago from Niboucha's company ``looking for information.''

``There is no booking, no contract, no commitments, no reservation,'' the official said.

Niboucha initially was to produce ``Junior Sheriff'' with her former company Niboucha/Belter Films. But the paperwork to become a SAG signatory was never completed, a designation that is necessary to secure professional actors, among other benefits, said SAG spokeswoman Katherine Moore.

Niboucha said the company recently was dissolved, following a dispute with her partner. She said she has since formed Hollywood International Films to produce ``Junior Sheriff'' and that the paperwork involved has been a primary reason for the movie's delay.

Little solace

That's little solace to Ariano, who spent $120 for a chance to ease the sting of divorce for her children with an appearance in a Hollywood movie.

Ariano said she took her children to Hollywood Casting on May 31, where she estimated about 200 other children were waiting. ``They wanted cash, but I charged it on a credit card.''

Niboucha disputed the number of kids, but said casting is ongoing for ``three shows.'' She said all of the 35 to 40 kids signed up as extras for ``Junior Sheriff'' came through the Encino Elementary School contacts.

Ariano said her three girls - ages 5, 6 and 9 - were told that they would appear as extras with top child actors and with ``a famous movie star actress as the mom that for security reasons they couldn't reveal.

``They even said they'd probably give my daughter a line,'' she said.

She said she was told by Niboucha that the $120 was a ``Guild regulation,'' and that it couldn't be paid at a later date, after the children began work at a promised $89 per day for up to eight days of filming.

``My understanding was that anyone in `Junior Sheriff' had to pay,'' she said.

When Ariano pressed the issue with the company last week, she was urged to return to the Hollywood office and have pictures of her girls taken - the first one free, and the rest at $4 each.

Niboucha said casting will begin in about two weeks. She said the script calls for about 300 kids, many extras, and that she still needs about 200 children.

Ann Robertson, who paid $40 for granddaughter Sarah Carroll to be in the movie was poised to cut short a Hawaiian vacation to get Sarah back in time for the July 15 filming date, which according to the flier was supposed to take place at ``Warner Broders (sic) Studio and Valencia Mountains.''

Robertson and parents of the other children said they thought Warner Bros. was producing the film and that it would be shot at one of its facilities in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Barbara Brogliatti, senior vice president of corporate communications at Warner Bros., said none of the companies supposedly affiliated with ``Junior Sheriff'' has rented space at the ranch. ``They have nothing to do with us.''

Niboucha said the film was never supposed to be shot at Warner Bros. She blamed a secretary for errors in the flier, including misspelling the title ``Junior Sherrif.''

``Junior Sheriff'' hasn't appeared in any Hollywood trade publication because, Niboucha said, the company doesn't operate that way. She said there will be widespread promotions soon.

She said the movie concerns a boy who dreams of becoming a sheriff and who builds a western town in his bedroom. In one scene that she said would be shot at John Marshall High School, ``Junior'' goes into the school and the ``bad kids'' get his books and beat him.

The reason for all the extras: ``We need a lot of pretend kids to be going to school,'' she said.

HOW TO GET REFUNDS

Parents seeking refunds for ``Junior Sheriff'' should call Hollywood Casting CNTV Production at [phone].

CAPTION(S):

2 Boxes, Photo

Photo: (Color) Sarah Carroll, whose grandmother paid $40 for the girl to appear in ``Junior Sheriff,'' looks over paperwork from the producer's office.

Box: (1) HOW TO GET REFUNDS (See text)

(2) TIPS FOR PARENTS