Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1939)

October 7, 1939 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 25 Pointers From the Director Director Norman McLeod of MGM's "Remember" starring Robert Taylor, Greer Garson and Lew Ayres, gives Ayres and Taylor a few pointers for a game of squash in the modern comedy which marks Miss Garson's American debut following "Goodbye, Mr. Chips". Universal Signs Richard Wallace Richard Wallace has been signed to a new contract by Universal and his next assignment will be the Gloria Jean vehicle, her second starring picture. The studio also signed Grover Jones to write the screenplay. Joe Pasternak will handle the production reins. Two Lined Up for Tex Ritter Producer Edward Finney announced that he has two scripts completed for his western star, Tex Ritter, who just returned from a personal appearance tour. The pictures are "RoIl,_ Wagons Roll" and "Under Western Stars". Al Herman will direct the first, set to go in about a week. "Wife" Gets Starting Gun The Joel McCrea-Nancy Kelly co-starrer, "He Married His Wife", went before the cameras a few days ago under the direction of Roy Del Ruth. The 20th Century-Fox sophisticated comedy has a top supporting cast including Mary Healy, Lyle Talbot and Roland Young, in addition to : Mary Boland, already' annoimced. Cantor Returns to Screen Dec. 1 When Eddie Cantor returns from his personal appearance tour on December 1, he will immediately start to work in "Forty Little Alothers". This picture will be the first of his starring pictures for MGM, and in it the famous comedian will play his first serious screen role. "Sea Hawk" Delayed Owing to the fact that the tremendous stage over the backlot lake will not be completed for several weeks, start of Warner Bros." 'The Sea Hawk", starring Errol Flynn, has been deferred until after Flynn completes "Virginia City". To Film "Marie Lloyd" Here _ "Marie Lloyd", originally set for production in London and suspended because of the war, was scheduled by RKO for production here early next year. Herbert Wilcox will produce and direct with Anna Neagle starred. Michael Hogan wrote the screenplay. Preston Sturges Is Signed By Paramount to Direct Own Story Preston Sturges, author of a score of stage and screen hits, was signed by Paramount to direct his own story, "Down Went McGinty", on which he also will write the screenplay. In his directorial debut, Sturges will work under the guidance of associate producer Paul Jones. Sturges is currently working at the studio on the screenplay of "Triumph Over Pain", the story of Dr. William Morton who developed anaesthesia. He is author of such famous stage plays as "Strictly Dishonorable" and "Child of Manhattan". Among his screen credits are "Diamond Jim", "Imitation of Life", "Next Time We Love", "One Rainy Afternoon" and "If I Were King". An important cast of star names is being lined up for the picture, scheduled to go into production this coming winter. Rowland Productions Files Charter Corporation papers were filed last week for Richard A. Rowland Productions, newest company to make pictures for United Artists release. Florence Rice in MGM's "Melody" Florence Rice was given one of the featured roles in MGM's "Broadway Melody of 1940", now before the cameras under the direction of Norman Taurog and co-starring Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell. Mickey Rooney's Next Picture For MGM Is "Young Tom Edison" Mickey Rodney's next characterization will be that of Thomas A. Edison as a boy. Immediately upon completion of his role in MGM's "Judge Hardy and Son", Mickey will step into the title role of "Young Tom Edison", which Norman Taurog will direct, with John W. Considine, Jr. producing. Thus the team of boy star, director and producer responsible for the success of "Boys Town", will be reunited. "Young Tom Edison", appropriately enough, will coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the motion picture, a development of one of Edison's inventions. The studio is negotiating with Fay Bainter for the role of Edison's mother. "Life of Dr. Ehrlich" Will Be Edward G. Robinson's Next Film Warner Bros, is making a large number of tests for "The Life of Dr. , Ehrlich", Edward G. Robinson's fiext starring vehicle set to' go before the cameras within the next two weeks under the direction of William Dieterle. Robinson's last picture for Warner Bros, was "Confessions of a Nazi Spy" and recently he appeared in "Blackmail" for MGM. Feminine lead and supportingplayers will be announced shortly. "Goo-Goo-Goo" Baby Sandy, new child star, enjoys a hearty laugh with her director, Charles Lamont between scenes of "Little Accident," UniversaVs comedy in ivhich Sandy co-stars with Hugh Herbert. Note that Sandy has a script with her own name on it. WANDERING AI3€UND H€LLy>VCCD with the "Oldtimer" The story of a good little girl who turns "hootchy-kootchy" dancer will be Lana Turner's next for MGM under the title of "Twenty Little Working Girls." How about a front seat for the "oldtimer" when they shoot the "kootchy" scenes? Why the other nineteen girls with Lana in the picture? Over to Culver City for a chat with Bob Breen on the set of Sol Lesser's "Escape to Paradise," and wound up holding hands with "Cracker," Marla Shelton's trained parrot. Another interview gone to the dogs, and all because we did not brush up on our Spanish. P.S. The bird was house-broken. Every time we see Bette Davis give one of her superlative performances, we wonder why the other actresses don't pass a law stopping her from grabbing all the Academy "Oscars." Miss Davis TOPS everything, and everybody, as Queen Elizabeth in Warner's "Elizabeth and Essex". . . the finest trouping we have ever seen. Anthony Quinn was handed the task of whipping Dorothy Lamour with a bullwhip in Paramount's "The Road to Singapore." Hope the whip don't slip when it connects with the hip ... or something. Nice work if you can get it. During the recent heat wave, a supercolossal Hollywood one. Director Sam Wood treated everyone on the "Raffles" set to beer and ice cream sundaes. A swell combination for leather stomachs and one case where the cure was worse than the sickness. Sidney Salkow's first directorial job for Columbia will be "The Street of Missing Women", a short cut from his last for Republic, "Streets of Missing Men." That's what we call "typing" a director. Hollywood has finally found the way to do away with the double-bill. 20th Century-Fox's "Drums Along the Mohawk" will be released in 14 reels and Selznick's "Gone With the Wind" in 16 reels. Just a couple of "shorties."