Chayevsky won't give up screen

© New York Times Service

Paddy Chayevsky was in no mood to run out and paint the town red when he got a look at "Paint Your Wagon," the musical film for which he wrote the script. But he had by no means given up on the movie medium.

He has, in fact, just signed with United Artists to pen two more screenplays. The first will be called "The Latent Humanitarian," but is in no way related to Chayevsky's play, "The Latent Homosexual." The film, to be produced by Howard Gottfried, will begin shooting in New York City during the winter.

"It's a comedy about the dehumanization of people," said the author of that memorable human comedy, "Marty."

"We'd like Walter Matthau and George C. Scott for the leading roles," he said, "but we'll probably settle for lesser names."