Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1940)

Eligible Productions Goldwyn's "Westerner” to WB; Culled by Academy Other Producers Active Officials of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expect to have completed, almost immediately, their list of productions eligible as entrants in the forthcoming 12th annual Awards race, at which time voting on technical achievements will get under way to signal the official start of what has come to be looked upon as the Academy’s most significant annual activity. Balloting to determine the best picture, actor, actress, supporting players, writing and directing will go into the mail January 19, several important changes in the method of procedure having been adopted. The rules committee announced a short time ago that foreign-made pictures will be eligible in the competition. Further, pictures released locally through January 12 may be voted upon. In the past eligible films have been limited to those nationally released during the period from January 1 to December 31. Change was made because frequently films go into release during the calendar year in other parts of the country but are held over here until after the Christmas season. Banquet, at which the winners will be disclosed, is set to be held early in February. Judell Breathing Spell On 1939-40 Schedule With “The Sagebrush Family Trails West” completed and now being edited, Ben Judell’s Producers Pictures Corp. is in the midst of a short breathing spell before swinging again into action on its 1939-40 production quota. Next to go into work at Judell’s new studio in Prescott, Ariz., will be “Swift Justice,” first in a series of eight westerns starring Tim McCoy. Peter Stewart will direct, cameras to roll January 8. This will be followed January 29 by “The Sagebrush Family Rides On,” second in the eight-picture group starring Bobby Clark, 13-year-old cowboy. Stewart also is slated to direct this one. Locally Judell has no immediate plans for resuming production on the series of action dramas which, with his westerns, comprise the company’s yearly output. Backing up his words with concrete action in a move which local railbirds opine may precipitate several new twists in his current court action, Samuel Goldwyn closely followed his recent declaration that his releasing contract with United Artists was null and void by signing a distribution deal with Warner for the release of “The Westerner,” starring Gary Cooper and now nearing completion. This development supplements Goldwyn’s efforts via a federal court suit to have his UA release set aside as null and void. No further details of the Goldwyn-Warner deal have been disclosed, other than that Warner’s distribution chief, Gradwell Sears, and Sam Schneider, treasurer, were expected in from the east to seal up the pact. “The Westerner,” being directed by William Wyler, has been filming on location in Goldwyn City, Ariz., for nearly a month. Other Activity James Roosevelt continues to solidify the personnel and production structure of his new Globe Productions, Inc. First film to be made will be “The Bat,” by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood, which is being adapted by Roland Kibbee. It will go into production April 1 as the first of two films to be made by Globe during the year. As to personnel, Roosevelt has signed Henry Henigson as his vice-president and associate producer; Guy Trosper has been named story editor; Dee Izzard, through arrangements with Samuel Goldwyn, joins the staff as production manager and Henri Verstappen has moved over from Republic as general production assistant. Release for Globe pictures will be announced shortly. Walter Wanger has turned over his publicity facilities to Roosevelt, with John LeRoy Johnston serving as press contact for the new company in addition to his duties as advertising-publicity head for Wanger. Jack Skirball, head of Arcadia Pictures and formerly production supervisor for Grand National, has become associated with Frank Lloyd in the latter’s formation of an independent production unit. As previously disclosed, Lloyd’s first will be “Tree of Liberty,” which he purchased from Columbia after pulling out of a producer-director deal with that studio. Columbia will, however, release the film, which goes into production in February. Lloyd also holds rights to “The Flying Yorkshireman,” which he acquired from RKO Radio. Skirball declared his deal with Lloyd will in no way affect his plans to produce three films in association with John Wildberg, also for Columbia release. He is currently casting “Angela Is 22,” the Sinclair Lewis play, as his initialer. Harry Sherman has signed a new twoyear deal with Paramount whereby he will deliver six “Hopalong Cassidy” westerns, two Zane Grey features and a “special” each year. Signing of the contract follows the closing of a two-year contract between Sherman and William Boyd to continue as “Hopalong” in the series, which has been on Paramount’s release schedule for the past five years. Boyd has just completed “Hold Your Horses,” his 30th picture for Sherman. The six “Hopalongs” on the 1940-41 schedule probably will be “Riders of the Panamints,” “Buckaroo,” “The Chisholm Trail,” “Men of the Plains,” “Three Men From Texas” and “Border Vigilantes.” The Zane Grey stories will probably be “The Thundering Herd” and “Code of the West.” Grand National’s fate as a productiondistribution company, long in jeopardy because of financial difficulties, seemed slated for a final settlement one way or the other at a creditors’ meeting called for January 5 in New York. Roosevelt Makes Deal With UA United Artists has signed a longterm releasing deal with James Roosevelt, president of the newly-formed Globe Productions, according to a joint announcement made by Roosevelt and Murray Silverstone, chief of UA's world-wide operations. Silverstone has been here for the past two weeks conducting the now-consummated negotiations. First Globe production to go to UA for distribution will be "The Bat," to be followed by “Storm in Paradise." Silverstone declared Roosevelt "will be in every way the guiding spirit behind Globe productions," and said UA "looks to him to contribute outstanding product for our future distribution." BOXOFFICE : : January 6, 1940 H 67