Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

32 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, November 5, 1949 Hollywood Newsxeel West Coast Offices — 6777 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28. Ccdil— Ann Lewis, Manager PRODUCTION PARADE By Rnn Lewis Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ Samuel Goldwyn has signed Norman Mailer, author of the best-selling novel "Naked and the Dead," and Jean Malaquais, P'rench novelist and scenario writer, to write the screenplay of their original story idea, "Night Wind." 'fi ^ "Miss Androcles and the Lion," an original story by Mort Braus, has been purchased by Republic and assigned to William Lackey as his initial production under a recently signed contract as an associate producer. Lackey, a former producer at Monogram and Paramount, was signed by Republic in July. Alex Nicol, Broadway stage actor, was given a long-term contract by Universal-International. He will make his screen debut in "Confidential Squad" presently being made in New York, with Richard Conte, Coleen Gray and Peggy Dow in the starring roles and George Sherman directing. * * * Joe DeBona, winner of the 1949 Bendix air race and holder of the trans-continental speed record for propeller-driven aircraft, has been signed by Producer Lindsley Parsons for a leading role in "Smoke Hunters." Parsons recently purchased the story from actor-writer Kirby Grant, who will also star in the film. Having settled on four location sites around the Mt. Whitney area for the next Gene Autry picture "Beyond the Purple Hills," President Armand Schaefer plans on starting the picture the middle of November with John English directing ... for Columbia release. * * * "Vengeance Valley," a romantic action story by Luke Short, has been purchased by MGM and put on Producer Nicholas Nayfack's schedule. Nayfack is currently producing "Devil's Doorway," also a western action story, starring Robert Taylor. Bob Osgood, nationally known square dance authority, will assist Nick Castle, dance director for "Summer Stock," on the square dance sequences in this MGM picture which teams Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Production is being handled by Joe Pasternak, with Charles Walters directing. It is currently in the rehearsal stageJose Ferrer, the Broadway actor who scored an outstanding hit in his first film "Joan of Arc," simultaneously signed two important contracts. He reports to MGM shortly for a top role in "Crisis," which stars Gary Grant, and next March joins 20th Century-Fox to begin a five-year term contract arranged with Darryl F. Zanuck. Producer Ken McEldowney, president of Oriental-International Films, Director Jean Renoir and Star Tommy Breen left for New YjDrk on the first leg of their trip to India where "The River," Renoir's dramatization of the Rumer Godden novel, will be filmed in Technicolor. This picture is the first of a series of four filnis the company plans to make in Technicolor, in India, for world-wide distribution. Jack Carson gets the most dramatic role of his career with his assignment in Warner Bros.' "Bright Leaf," Gary Cooper starrer. He will play Cooper's partner in a worldwide tobacco empire. Director Michael Curtiz is presently conducting extensive tests for two top feminine roles. Henry Blanke produces. 'Flying Fish' Deals With Guided Missiles "The Flying Fish," which S. Sylvan Simon will make for Columbia, will deal with the possible use of guided missiles launched from submarines in any war involving this country. Up until this time plans concerning the project had not been revealed because of secrecy imposed upon Columbia by the United States Navy. The picture must receive final Navy approval before it can be shown Jerry Bresler will produce the film under Simon's supervision. The screenplay is by Harry Haislip and Richard Nash. 'Hornblowet' Decisions To Follow Walsh Return Decision as to location of filming and who will star in "Captain Horatio Hornblower" is expected to be made shortly at Warner Bros., following the return of Director Raoul Walsh from England this week. The studio acquired screen rights to the C. S. Forester novel about 10 years ago as a possible vehicle for Errol Flynn. Walsh scouted possible location sites while in England and also discussed with Richard Todd, young English actor, the possibility of playing one of the leading roles. Ward to Play Self In 'Golden Gloves Story' Arch Ward, dean of American sports editors whose daily Chicago Tribune column, "In the Wake of the News," is read by more than a million people daily, has been signed to make his motion picture debut portraying himself in "The Golden Gloves Story," which Carl Krueger is producing for Eagle Lion release. Cast will be headed by James Dunn, Gregg Sherwood, Steve Andrews and Kevin O'Morrison. Ridgeley Signed tor 'Beauty on Parade' John Ridgely has been signed for a role in Columbia's "Beauty on Parade," which Lew Landers is directing for Producer Wallace MacDonald. The cast includes Ruth Warrick, Lola .\lbright, Hillary Brooke, Robert Hutton, Wally V ernon and Jimmy Lloyd. Wallis Borrows Arthur Hal Wallis has borrowed Robert Arthur from 20th Century-Fox for the key role of Joseph Cotten's son in Paramount's "September," in which Gotten co-stars with Joan Fontaine. 'High Stakes' Next Monogram Producer Jan Grippo has announced "High Stakes" as the next production in the Bowery Boys series starring Leo Gorcy with Huntz Hall. To Script 'Hiawatha' Arthur Strawn has been signed to write the screenplay of "Hiawatha," which Walter Mirisch will produce for Monogram in Cinecolor. Auer Sees Benefits in Wise Foreign Production "Foreign production is inherently indicated in some story properties " says John H. Auer, Republic associate producer-director, who recently returned from the Argentine. . , , j r "When a picture can effectively utilize the native background ot & foreign locale, such filming not only yields a tremendous advantage in the production values of authentic atmosphere, but eliminates costly set building at home. Careful preparation can cut the expense of going on location to a point where it will be offset by the saving in set construction." Referring to "The Avenger," which was shot in Argentina, Auer says: "The stars, John Carroll and Adele Mara, were the only Hollywood personalities to accompany me. We recruited our supporting cast and technicians on the spot. We shot what amounted to two pictures in only forty-eight days — an English and Spanish version." The finest of native materials were also made available at a nominal cost so that the costumes, not only for the principals but for the entire cast, have a richness that would not have been possible, for the price, in the states. "From a personal viewpoint," Auer continues, "shooting a picture on foreign location is a refreshing experience. The situation provides a constant challenge to a producer's ingenuity and ability. And from the exhibitor and box-office standpoint, a picture that has been shot in a native locale, with new faces and unknown players in the supporting cast, contains an added amount of interest and curiosity for the average patron. It is a challenge to them to see if they can uncover promising personalities." "I do believe, however, that only those pictures that can take full advantage of natural settings, should be produced out of the states," he added. Foreign shooting is not new to Auer He directed the first American production filmed in Mexico and has since made several Spanish -language pictures there. Now he would like to make a film in England, if he can find the right story. John H. Auer