Box office digest (May-Dec 1946)

4 BOX OFFICE DIGEST F.l.a.s.h.e.s KEEPING UP WITH THE STUDIOS 20th Jcx + + ★ ★ ★ Director Bruce Humberstone, who has just finished the Technicolor special, “Two Little Girls in Blue,” also received a pact renewal from Darryl Zanuck. ★ ★ ★ Allan Joslyn is on loan out to Columbia for a featured spot in "Rio.” ★ ★ ★ George Jessel has settled on June Haver for the feminine lead in his production, "Hello My Baby.” Story is based on incidents in the life of vaudeville comic and songwriter Joe E. Howard. ★ ★ ★ Cathy Downs was a last minute addition to the cast of “My Darling Clementine” which John Ford is directing, Sam Engel producing. ' ★ ★ ★ Sol Wurtzel starts shooting this week on his third independent picture, “Flight to Paradise,” with James Tinling directing. Paul Kelly is starred. ★ ★ ★ Option has been lifted on Ann Revere, Academy Award character star, currently busy in a featured spot for “Carnival in Rio.” Republic + + ★ ★ ★ “Mysterious Mr. Valentine” has been placed on the Donald Brown production slate, with a May 25th starting date scheduled. ★ ★ ★ Bill Saal and Les Kaufman went to Florida making advance tie-ups in connection with the production of “Gasparilla,” pirate yarn slated as a top money special. ★ ★ ★ Gail Russell has been borrowed from Paramount for the femme lead opposite John Wayne in “The Angel and the Outlaw.” ★ ★ ★ Allan Dwan’s fourth production for Republic will be “Dearest.” ★ ★ ★ June Duprez gets a featured spot on “That Brennan Girl,” which starts April 29th, with James Dunn and Mona Freeman starred. £H0-@a4ic + + ★ ★ ★ David McKay’s undetermined draft status created a break for Todd Karns, son of veteran Roscoe Karns, who goes into Frank Capra’s Liberty production “It’s a Wonderful Life.” ★ ★ ★ Shirley Temple has been borrowed from the Selznick organization to star with Cary Grant in “Bachelor and Bobby-Sox,” which Dore Schary, also on leave from Selznick, is producing, with Irving Reis directing. ★ ★ ★ Leo Miller, European director, will meg his own story “Flowers of Evil” for RKO. t(HtterAal + + ★ ★ ★ Alfred Dekker and Edmond O’Brien are recent additions by Mark Hellinger to the cast of his “The Killers.” ★ ★ ★ Robert Siodmak will direct a picture based on the Hungarian play, “Escape For Life,” which Howard Benedict will produce, with production planned for early Fall. ★ ★ ★ Sonny Tufts will be borrowed by Mark Hellinger from Paramount. ★ ★ ★ Stanley Cortez has been signed by Walter Wanger to direct “Angelica,” the Susan Hayward starrer which has a May 15th starting date pencilled in. Hen and Then + + ★ ★ ★ Robert Z. Leonard will direct MGM’s “The Secret Heart” which will star Claudette Colbert and Walter Pidgeon, with plans to start shooting in about two months. ★ ★ ★ Mort Blumenstock, Warner vicepresident in charge of advertising and publicity, is in Hollywood for studio conferences. ★ ★ ★ Steve Broidy, Monogram prexy, is on his way to Europe for a six week jaunt to establish Monogram distribution in reopened countries and to be present for the English launching of “Suspense.” ★ ★ ★ Alfred Hitchcock has formed a partnership with Sidney Bernstein, of London, for the making of two pictures a year. Ingrid Bergman is the probable star of the first. Plans call for one picture to be made in Hollywood, the other in England. ★ ★ ★ “Autumn Crocus” has been assigned to the production list of Henry Blanke, Warner producer. ★ ★ ★ Frances Dee has been signed to a featured spot on the Loew-Lewin production, “Bel Ami.” ★ ★ ★ Joan Crawford, Academy Award queen, having finished with “Humoresque,” is making preliminary tests for “The Secret,” which Curtis Bernhardt will direct, Henry Blanke produces. ★ ★ ★ Nunally Johnson has returned to studio activity after many months spent at the bedside of his mother, who passed away recently in Columbus, Georgia. ★ ★ ★ Arch Oboler will direct “The Arncllo Affair” at MGM. first assignment under his new three-way ticket. Jerry Bressler produces. ( Continued on Page 18! PRC Prexy Young Announcement Makes Clear PRC Not to be Absorbed by PatheEagle Lion Since the news broke that Bryan Fov was leaving 20th Century-Fox for an executive post with the PatheEagle Lion set-up, day to day newspaper stories have served to confuse the PRC position, latter organization also being intertwined with the Pathe interests. In a statement issued .May 10th, Kenneth Young, president of Pathe, Inc., clarifies the situation. Mr. Young’s official declaration follows, as issued for the press: “Kenneth M. Young, president of Pathe, Inc., today (10th) denied reports that PRC Pictures is going out of business or is in any way curtailing its operations and emphasizing that Pathe-Eagle Lion is not absorbing PRC. . . . PRC will continue to produce and distribute motion pictures. . . . Pathe-Eagle Lion will produce and distribute a separate program of motion pictures. . . . Each company will have its own field organization hut with joint physical distribution through the Patlie-PRC exchanges. “Harry H. Thomas, president of PRC Pictures, is now in Hollywood for the purpose of lining up the 19461947 program. ... On the strength of progress during the past year under Mr. Thomas’ direction PRC is further expanding its production budget for the new year. . . . Complete details will be announced at the yearly PRC national sales convention to he held in the near future. “Mr. Bryan Foy has been engaged by Pathe-Eagle Lion as the executive in charge of its production. Sales executives to handle the Pathe-Eagle Lion program will also he announced in the near future.”