Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

They Were Guests — Above, Spyros Skouras, operating head of National Theatres, affiliate of 20 th Century-Fox. Below, to the left, William T. Powers, chief film buyer of that circuit. To the right, J. J. Sullivan, film buyer for Fox West Coast, Far West division of National. aviation by Frank Wead. "Here I Am a Stranger,” a father-andson drama with a college background from a novel by Gordon Hillman in McCall’s. "Scotland Yard,” based on the stage play by Denison Clift. "Breach of Discipline,” adapted from a European stage play dealing with women in medicine. "Steinmetz, the Great,” dealing with the life of the famous scientist. "Red Cross Nurse.” "I Was an Adventuress,” drama of a woman leading a band of European swindlers. "A Deal in Hearts,” domestic farce. "Dance Hall,” adaptation of “The Giant Swing,” novel of steel workers by W. R. Burnett. Gregory Ratoff will direct. "Bowery Nightingale,” by Irving Berlin and designed to follow “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” “Brigham Young,” story of the founder of the Mormon Church. “Belle Starr,” story of the woman outlaw whose life, according to the company, rivaled that of Jesse James. "Lillian Russell,” dealing with New York musical comedy world in the days when Miss Russell was its leading light. “The Postman Walks Alone,” a drama of the Youth Movement work of the American Legion. Additionally, there will be two to be made by Zanuck starring Shirley Temple. The 24 which Sol M. Wurtzel will make embrace four Charlie Chans, four Jones Family, four Mr. Motos, four Jane Withers and eight so far not designated. There will be 12 more, but assignments and titles were not designated. More than 280 delegates, representing the domestic and foreign sales organizations, were on hand for the three day (Continued on page 14) Little Change in Shorts Schedule Chicago — With 52 single reelers for the new season, 20th Century-Fox maintains this end of its new program without change in number and, essentially, without change in series. Fox Movietone News, of course, continues at 104 issues. The lineup includes: 6 Magic Carpets of Movietone. 4 Fashion Forecasts in Technicolor. 6 Sports Reviews by Ed Thorgersen. 4 Adventures of a Newsreel Cameraman. 6 “Dribblepuss Parade” comedies with Lew Lehr. 26 Terrytoon cartoons, 10 of them in color. First of the Adventures of a Newsreel Cameraman will be “San Hogs” and is finished. Second will deal with a lone adventurer sailing through the Grand Canyon. “Inside Baseball” and “Big Game Fishing” are the first two of the Sports Reviews. “Muscle Maulers” will open the “Dribblepuss” series. Little British Activity , But Good , Says Dawes New York — “There isn’t a lot of British production going on, but what little there is is good,” says R. Sutton Dawes, sales director for 20th Century-Fox in Great Britain. Robert T. Kane, who is producing in England for Darryl F. Zanuck, will make eight this season, according to Dawes. “Inspector Hornleigh” is the first and is completed. "Kane is making real worthwhile product and we are not fooling,” says Dawes. 52 for 20th-Fox; 13 Solo Stars (Continued from page 8) play of early New York in which Mari:n Davies originally scored one of her biggest hits. Untitled mystery story by S. S. Van Dine to star Sonja Henie. “Hotel for Women” by Elsa Maxwell and Kathryn Scola in which Miss Maxwell, champion of cafe society, will appear. This will be a Cosmopolitan Production. Gregory Ratoff will direct. “Dance with the Devil,” an original by William Rankin and Eleanore Griffin who wrote “Boy.” “Frontier Marshal” dealing with the early west and the experiences of Wyatt Earp. “He Married His Wife,” co-starring Warner Baxter and Binnie Barnes who appeared jointly in “Wife, Husband and Friend.” “Johnnie Apollo,” a drama by Samuel G. Engel, Hal Long and Roland Brown. “The Khyber Rifles” which the company says will be made on a lavish scale. “20,000 Men a Year,” a story of modern While Among Those Present Were — Top row, left to right: William Sussman, eastern district sales manager; William C. Gehring, central division; William J. Kupper, western; Walter J. Hutchinson, director of foreign distribution; Truman H. Talley, vice-president of Movietone News, Inc., and producer of 20 th Century-Fox’s shorts; Felix A. Jenkins, general counsel of the company; Charles E. McCarthy , director of advertising and publicity, and Arch Reeve, advertising manager. 12 BOXOFFICE :: April 1, 1939