Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

May /.\ /'^''^ SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 23 Tempting Baby Glamorous Ann Sheridan tries her wiles on eightcen-months old Susan jMcCash, zvith the help of the child's mother, in preparation for a scene in -'Winter Carnival" pne of United Artists' new season pictures. Betty Field and Jackie Cooper To Star in Para's "Seventeen" Bettv Field, who left the New York stage to come to Holhvwood two months ago, was awarded the feminine lead opposite Jackie CooHER in Paramount's "Seventeen", soon to go before the cameras. Miss Field was selected for die part after executives had witnessed her work in her first motion picture, "What a Life", in which she also appears with Cooper. "Seventeen" is based on the Booth Tarkington novel of the same name. Louis King has been assigned to direct under the production wing of Stuart Walker. Looking Over Script Director Roy del Ruth discusses the Charles R. Rogers production, "The Star Maker" with Ring Crosby at Paramount. The new comedy gives Bing o chance to sing six songs, several of idiich are from the old Gus Edwards revues ivhich furnished a basis for the film. \¥A NOCKING AI5€UNE) tiCLLyWOOD with the "Oldtimer" Warner Bros, have just announced "The Patent Leather Kid", as a forthcoming production for John Garfield, which makes number 12 listed for the star. Might be a good idea to look around for some "old man" stories, as we have an idea John will be pretty well gone in years before he finishes. Spotted an MGM casting sheet for "Lady of the Tropics". It calls for 17 elephant men, 6 rickshaw "chauffeurs", 8 Annamite longshoremen, 8 Filipino musicians, 6 dignitaries, 13 native servants, 6 native merchants, 1 policeman, 2 French sailors and 1 experienced bullock driver. What ... no bathtub? Mack Sennelt, world-famous pioneer film producer, will return to active motion picture production in Hollywood, as associate producer with Harry Joe Brown on 20th Century-Fox' "Hollywood Cavalcade". As one oldtimer to another, how about ringing in a flock of your old "bathing beauties"? Over to Republic for a chat with Gene Autry on the set of his latest picture, "Mountain Rhythm", and will say that Gene is all steamed up about his proposed trip to England. Here's hoping Hitler doesn't throw a monkey-wrench into the works, and keeps Gene on this side. That was a swell stunt Paramount pulled in inviting the ladies to a special preview of "Invitation to Happiness". Too bad some of our female columnists didn't take advantage of the idea, but guess "their public" wanted to see them in person, at the theatre, instead of the projection room. Now that Eddie and Ida Cantor have celebrated their silver-wedding anniversary, a near record for Hollywood, we suppose Eddie will lay off his own five girls, and start plugging his grand-children. All kidding aside, Eddie, many happy returns of the day . . . and we mean MANY. Lesser to Build Film Producer Sol Lesser announces that he is searching for a site in either Beverly Hills or Hollywood on which to erect a new $100,000 bloc of executive film offices. The proposed new building will contain not only offices, btit private projection rooms, dining, conference rooms, cutting rooms and an up-to-date gyrnnasium. It is Lesser's plan to have the project ready on or about September L Big Cast in "World Moves On" _ "The World Moves On", a story of prohibition days, has been selected by Warner Bros, as a summer vehicle for the combined talents of James Cagney, Priscilla Lane, Ann Sheridan and Humphrey Bogart. Production will begin when Cagney returns from his vacation. Cagney will portray a cab driver who becomes a racket king and Bogart will be the villain. Spring Production Boom at "U" The spring production boom is on at Universal studio with five productions being launched almost simultaneously. John M. Stahl sent his long-heralded "Modern Cinderella" into production this week, to be followed closeh' by "The LInderpup", a Joe Pasternak production. "Bright Victory", "I Stole a Million" and "After School Days", the Deanna Durbin starrer, are all slated to go before the end of this month. Brown Derby and All Harry M. Warner chats zvith Al Smith, former Governor of Nezv York, during luncheon at Warner Bros. Burbank studio. Note that Al still has his brown derby. Republic Makes Plans For New Million Dollar Film Encouraged by the success of "Man of Conquest", which is currentlv breaking records throughout the United States, Republic is planning another million dollar picture to be started shortly. Studio has four stories under consideration at the present time, and it is a likelihood that the selection will be made from one of the following : "The Life of George Washington", "Dark Command", "David Cook of the Rockies" and "Tv/o Years Before the Mast". An announcement on the selection will be made as soon as board chairman Herbert Yates and associate producer Sol C. Siegel return from the San Francisco sales meeting. "Deceiver" Gets Starting Gun Director Ed. D. Venturini and the cast and crew of Harry Sherman's "The Double Dyed Deceiver", for Paramount, left for location shots at Lone Pine the early part of the week. The picture is being produced by Sherman as a special with expanded budget and players including TiTO Guizar, Jane Clayton, G.ale Sondergaard and Alan Mowbray. Cummings Will Direct "Cavalcade" Irving Cummings' next directorial assignment at 20th Century-Fox will be "Hollywood Cavalcade", co-starring Alice Faye and Don Ameche, with J. Edward Bromberg in an important role. Ernest Pascal wrote the screenplay from Lou Breslow's original story. "Oldtimers" Galore Seen at United Artists' Convention The United Artist Convention sure developed into an "oldtimers " convention, as far as STR's "oldtimer " was concerned, and kept us busy renewing old acquaintances with the gang from New York. Seemed like only yesterday when Paul Lazarus and Moe Streimer started the ball a-rolling, but they tell us it was twenty years ago. And then, to mention a few, there was Harry Buckley, Sam Rifkin, Sam and Charlie Stern, Ed Raftery, Al Margolies, Monroe Creenthal and Tom Walker. It was swell seeing all you boys again, and here's hoping you come out to sunny California next year. • The Oldtimer'