Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

Mol lyw ood — — Personnelities Barnstormers Loew-Lewin ALBERT LEWIN, co-producer with David L. Loew of the United Artists release, “So Ends Our Night,” addressed the students of four colleges and five high schools in Washington, D. C., tracing the making of a picture from story conception to release. Lewin has, for the past several weeks, been making a lecture tour of major eastern universities. Paramount STIRLING HAYDEN has checked in from p. a. tour through New England to prepare for his next assignment, “Dildo Cay.” Blurbers Globe JOHNNY MILES returns from San Diego, where he spent the weekend conferring with President James Roosevelt on exploitation plans for “Pot O’ Gold.” United Artists LEW MAREN checks out for San Francisco and Oakland to work out campaigns on several forthcoming releases. Warner Bros. MARTY WEISER has checked out for San Francisco to handle special exploitation on “Strawberry Blonde.” Briefies Metro JAMES FITZPATRICK given new contract, beginning his twelfth year with the studio, and will produce a dozen more Traveltalks in Technicolor. Neil McGuire C'OBY NEAL signed to appear in five musical brevities for dime-in-slot projection. Pathe LOUISE ROUSSEAU is including shots of the “Moon Gates” of Anna May Wong’s Santa Monica home in the next episode of “Picture People.” Warner Bros. CARL HOFF and orchestra starring in a “Melody Master” short which Jean Negulesco is directing. Cletfers Metro EARL BRENT has completed a comedy songand-dance routine for use in night-club sequences in “Washington Melodrama.” HERBERT STOTHART directing musical score for “The Uniform.” RUDY KOPP conducting score for “The Trial of Mary Dugan.” CONSTANTIN BAKALEINIKOFF named musical conductor on “Free and Easy.” Paramount VICTOR YOUNG composing musical score for “Caught in the Draft.” Loanouts Metro JACK CARSON borrowed from Warner for a topline in “Love Crazy,” the William PowellMyrna Loy co-starrer. Picture Corp. of America EVE GABOR, borrowed from Paramount, given feminine lead opposite Richard Arlen in “Forced Landing,” which Paramount will release. 20th Century-Fox RITA HAYWORTH borrowed from Columbia for a topline in the Tyrone Power starrer, "Blood and Sand.” Meggers Metro JOE NEWMAN piloting “Watchdog of the Nation,” a Carey Wilson short. S. SYLVAN SIMON piloting “Washington Melodrama,” an Edgar Selwyn production with Frank Morgan, Ann Rutherford and John Shelton in the toplines. Story is by L. Du Rocker Macpherson. Pyramid Pictures CHRISTY CABANNE to pilot “Scattergood Pulls the Strings,” second in the series of “Scattergood Baines” stories which Jerry Brandt is producing for RKO Radio. Michael Simmons is scripting from a Clarence Budington Kelland story. RKO Radio DAVID HEMPSTEAD to produce “Joan of Paris,” original by Jacques Thiery and Georges Kessels, to star Michele Morgan, French stage and screen player, in her American film debut. Thiery and Kessels are scripting. Republic JOSEPH SANTLEY to direct “Rookies on Parade.” Stephens-Lang ERLE C. KENTON to direct the next “Dr. Christian” feature, starring Jean Hersholt, foi RKO Radio release. Warner Bros MICHAEL CURTIZ to pilot "Dive Bomber,” next Errol Flynn starrer. Backgrounds are being filmed at Pensacola, Fla. Options Columbia JOAN MERRILL, night club singer, and WILLIAM GARGAN draw toplines in "Show Business,” Irving Starr production. GENE REYNOLDS given juvenile lead in “Senate Page Boys.” GLORIA DICKSON given feminine lead in "Chain Gang.” EDWARD DMYTRYK given new four-picture directorial contract. He is currently piloting "Under Age.” BRENDA and COBINA, comedy duo on the Bob Hope radio program, given featured roles in “Show Business.” Metro LEON GORDON, writer, held for another term. CLARENCE MUSE draws a role in “Love Crazy.” Paramount RICHARD CARLSON signed for the male lead opposite Anne Shirley in "Little Miss Muffett.” JIMMY LYDON and CHARLES PECK signed for the leads in “Henry and Dizzy,” next in the Aldrich Family series. They replace Jackie Cooper and Eddie Bracken. Range Busters, Inc. EDWIN BRIAN signs four-picture acting commitment to appear in the “Range Busters” westerns for Monogram. RKO Radio JANE SEYMOUR, stage actress, draws featured role in “Tom, Dick and Harry.” DOROTHY LEE given a topline in "Repent at Leisure.” HARRY CAREY joins cast of “Parachute Battalion.” Republic VINCE BARNETT given comedy role in “Mr. District Attorney.” Universal BUD ABBOTT and LOU COSTELLO held for two more pictures. They are now co-starring in “Oh, Charlie.” Warner Bros. SLIM SUMMERVILLE joins cast of “Highway West.” ROBERT PORTERFIELD, founder, producer and director of the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, given featured role in “Sergeant York.” EDDIE ALBERT boosted to star rating and given role in “The Gentle People.” MARLENE DIETRICH signed for the feminine starring role in “Hard to Get,” with George Raft and Humphrey Bogart in the other top spots. Raoul Walsh will direct for Producer Mark Hellinger from a script being prepared by Jerry Wald and Richard Macaulay. FRITZ FELD draws comedy lead in “Three Sons O’ Guns.” MORONI OLSEN given a topline in “Three Sons O’ Guns.” Scripters Columbia FRANCIS MARTIN to “Pack Up Your Troubles” for Producer Robert Sparks. HENRY K. MORITZ to “Eadie Was a Lady,” forthcoming Gene Markey production. MICHAEL BLANKFORT and LEWIS MELTZER to “Texas,” William Holden starrer which George Marshall will direct. E. B. Derr STANLEY WALLACE to “Confession,” from a play by James Halleck Reid. Production start is scheduled for April 15. Alexander Korda SAMUEL HOFFENSTEIN teamed with JULIEN DUVIVIER on an untitled Merle Oberon starrer. Metro JULIAN HOCHFELDER to an untitled John Nesbitt Passing Parade short subject. DALTON TRUMBO to “Somewhere I’ll Find You,” from a Charles Hoffman original, which Pandro S. Berman will produce. HUGO BUTLER and JACK JEVNE to an untitled Wallace Beery starrer. Paramount SIDNEY BIDELL joins writing staff on term contract. BEN HOLMES to “Birth of the Blues,” Bing Crosby-Mary Martin co-starrer, which Mark Sandrich will produce and direct. JONATHAN LATIMER to “Sing a Song of Homicide.” Pyramid Pictures MICHAEL SIMMONS to "Scattergood Pulls the Strings,” second in the “Scattergood Baines” series which Jerrold Brandt will produce for RKO Radio release. Cameras turn in March. Republic DORRELL and STUART McGOWAN to “Old Grey Mare,” an Armand Schaefer production. RKO Radio PAUL GERARD SMITH to “Lord Epping in Scotland,” forthcoming Leon Errol comedy which Cliff Reid will produce. David O. Selznick PETE YIERTEL given term writing contract. He is the son of Salka Viertel, M-G-M contract writer. 20th Century-Fox HORACE McCOY to “Sioux City,” for Producer Harry Joe Brown. JOHN LARKIN to “Nazi Ace in the U. S. A.,” from a Ralph Dietrich original. CARL KRUEGER teamed with HORACE McCOY on “Sioux City” for Producer Harry Joe Brown. DUDLEY NICHOLS to “Swamp Water,” from the Vereen Bell novel. Warner Bros. FRED NIBLO JR. to “Man Killer,” from a story by Raoul Whitefield. Story Buys Metro “Odor of Violets,” by Baynard Kendrick. Paramount “Cupid With a Beard,” by Michael Uris, as a Bing Crosby starrer. It has a Latin American background. Republic “Newspapermen Are Human,” by Michael Fessier. George Arthur will produce. “Hell on Wings,” aviation story by Martin Williams. RKO Radio “The Play’s the Thing,” play by Ferenc Molnar, as a Charles Laughton starrer which Robert Sisk will produce. Sam and Bella Spewack will script. Warner Bros. “Two Steps to Heaven,” by Arthur Strawn and Jan Leman. Technically Columbia ED ZIEGLER replaces LES WHITE as lenser on “Senate Page Boys.” White has been called back to M-G-M, his home lot, for another assignment. GENE ANDERSON named assistant director on “Show Business.” GEORGE MONTGOMERY named art director on “Senate Page Boys.” Howard Hughes GREGG TOLAND, completing the lensing of “The Outlaw,” has left for Mazatlan, Mexico, to join Director John Ford on a combined vacation and location-scouting expedition. Metro BILL DANIELS lensing “The Uniform.” GEORGE FOLSEY to lens “Lady Be Good.” HENRY JAFFE named Technicolor expert on “Blossoms in the Dust” and “Billy the Kid.” RKO Radio A camera and special effects unit has trained out for Miami Beach to pick up backgrounds and atmosphere for “My Life With Caroline,” the William Hawks production which Lewis Milestone is to direct. Warner Bros. HUGH NETICKER named art director on “The Smiling Ghost.” JACK KILLIFER to edit “Highway West.” GEORGE HOPKINS named art director on “The Gentle People.” WALTER TILFORD set as art director on “Three Sons O' Guns.” DOUG GOULD to edit “The Nurse’s Secret.” TERRY MORSE to edit “Three Sons O’ Guns.” 34 BOXOFFICE :: February 22, 1941