Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1938)

OPTIONS — Columbia PAUL FRANKLIN joins writing staff. — Metro DENNIS O’KEEFE held for another six-month term. SALKA VIERTEL, currently scripting “Madame Curie,” wins new term writing contract. MILIZA KORJUS, Hungarian singing star, held for another year. Next picture will be “Madame Pompadour.” — Monogram HOWARD RRETHERTON signs two-picture directorial deal. He will megaphone “Tough Kid,” with Frankie Darro, and “Navy Girl.” — Paramount HEATHER ANGEL signs two-picture acting pact, to appear in a pair of “Bulldog Drummond” adventures opposite John Howard. —Hal Itoach COREY FORD signs writing ticket. BERT KALMAR and HARRY RUBY join writing department to write the second of the Langdon-Hardy comedies. — Selznick International PAULETTE GODDARD signs new long-term acting contract, having completed loan-out chore to Metro in “Dramatic School.” — Universal JUANITA QUIGLEY, seven-year-old actress, signs term contract. JERRY SACKHEIM, assistant to Cliff Work, receives new contract. ARTHUR T. HORMAN joins writing staff. GUY ENDORE joins the writing staff, to do an original for Producer John Stahl. Story Buys — Metro “Madame Pompadour,” a musical comedy by Charles Dillingham and Martin Beck. Miliza Korjus will be starred. “The Nickel Show,” a novel by Vera Caspary. It is a fictionized treatment of films’ early days. “Hot Piano,” by Richard English. Jimmie Stewart to be starred in the “jitterbug” story. — Paramount “Moon Over Burma,” by Wilson Collison. George Raft, Dorothy Lam'our and Fred MacMurray will be co-starred. — RKO Radio “What’s a Fixer For?” by Director Henry C. Potter. — Universal “Bull by the Horns,” a new novel by Charles Bonner as a John M. Stahl production. Bonner will script. Universal to Capitalize On the Martian "Scare" While several studios have been reported frantically searching for an idea on which to predicate a screen story as a result of the nation-wide interest in the sensational “War of the Worlds” broadcast over the Columbia network last Sunday, Universal has placed in release “Mars Attacks the World,” a picture which went into production more than a year ago under the title “Flash Gordon.” When the radio show startled the nation, Universal immediately speeded up the editing process and slapped the new title on the film, which is based on the “Flash Gordon” syndicated comic strip. It depicts an attempt by Martians to destroy the earth. Larry Crabbe, Jean Rogers and Beatrice Robert head the cast. Ford Beebe directed for Producer Barney Sarecky. To Remake "Dulcy" M-G-M has announced plans to remake “Dulcy,” filmed several years ago as a Marion Davies starrer, from the stage play by George Kaufman and Marc Connolly. Edward Chodorov will produce. Cruzes Head Court Tiffs A superior court battle between James Cruze, veteran director, and his daughter Julie over $150,000 worth of property now held by her, was in the forefront of local litigious activity involving screen folk during the week. Cruze instituted suit to recover the property, deeded to his daughter in 1933, on the grounds that at that time he believed he was near death from a heart ailment. Miss Cruze, however, maintains in a cross-complaint that her father transferred the property to her to avoid losing it to creditors, and asks that she be given a clear title. The real estate includes nine parcels of land in Hollywood, Flintridge and La Canada. Also on the records in superior court is a suit filed by A. P. Scott against George Hirliman, Eugene Frenke, International Cinema and others, asking that his rights to a portion of the profits from the film “Sunset Strip Case” be established. Scott contends that he and Frenke, at Hirliman’s request, contributed $15,000 to the production of the picture, which GN is releasing, for which Scott claims he was to receive one-third of the net profits. That agreement, however, has not been lived up to, he charges. An injunction against the picture’s release is also asked. Josephine Hutchinson to Face 3 "Horror Menaces" To Josephine Hutchinson has been assigned the task of thwarting the combined menaces of Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone and Bela Lugosi in Universal’s horror special, “The Son of Frankenstein.” Miss Hutchinson joins the cast as the feminine lead. Picture is underway with Rowland V. Lee directing. Roach Assigns McLeod “Captain Midnight,” starring Brian Aherne, will be directed for Hal Roach by Norman MacLeod. Picture starts in December for United Artists release. SCRIPTERS — Columbia MICHAEL BLACKFORT to “Blind Alley." Fred Kohlmar produces. — Nat Levine AURANIA ROUVEROL to "Diary of the Nurse,” which Levine will produce for Metro release. — Metro BEN HECHT to “Let Freedom Ring;,” a musical western which Harry Rapf will produce, starring' Nelson Eddy. — Paramount LAURA and S. J. PERELMAN to an untitled original, which will feature Gene Krupa and his swing orchestra. William Thomas will produce. TALBOT JENNINGS to “Ruler of the Seas,” a Frank Lloyd production. HARRISON JACOBS to “Heritage of the Desert,” from the Zane Grey novel, which Harry Sherman will produce. — Principal HERBERT CLYDE LEWIS collaborates with IAN HUNTER on “Wings of Tomorrow,” a Tommy Kelly starrer. — Republic BEN MARKSON to “Pride of the Navy,” a Herman Schlom production. MAXWELL SHANE to “Undercover Woman,” an M. H. Hoffm'an production; JOSEPH MONCURE MARCH to “All the Tomorrows,” starring Frieda Inescourt, which Sol Siegel will produce. CHARLES ARTHUR POWELL to “State Line,” a Gene Autry western. — RKO Radio CHARLES KAUFMAN and MICHAEL SHERIDAN to “The Saint in London.” Bernie Fineman will produce. PAUL TAWITZ and BERT GRANET to “What’s a Fixer For?” an original by Director H. C. Potter. DONALD OGDEN STEWART borrowed from Metro to polish “Love Affair,” now before the cameras. ADELE COMANDINI to “Little Orvie,” from the Booth Tarkington story, which George Haight will produce. JOHN TWIST to an original for production by Robert Sisk. — Hal Roacli COREY FORD teamed with EDDIE MORAN on “It’s Spring Again,” the Langdon-Hardy comedy, which rolls next week. — Edward Small GEORGE BRUCE completes “The Man in the Iron Mask” and moves to Paramount for a 12week stretch, on a previously-made commitment. — 20th Century-Fox HAROLD LAMB to “Red Cross Nurse.” BARRY TRIVERS to “Man Bites Dog,” a Jane Withers vehicle. M. M. MUSSELMAN to "Song of the Islands. Alice Faye will be starred. — Universal EARL FELTON to an untitled original for Producer Barney Sarecky. — Warner Bros. JOHN HUSTON to “Footsteps in the Dark, "an English mystery play. He has just completed DEAN FRANKLIN and LEE KATZ to the fourth in the “Secret Service” series starring Ronald Reagan. ANTHONY COLDEWAY to “Student Nurse. Ann Sheridan, Marie Wilson and Margaret 'Lindsay will be featured, shooting to start about January 1. ALBERT DEMOND to an untitled orig.nal for Marie Wilson. ERNEST T. BOOTH to the third in the "Secret Service” series. Trophy by Deanna From the offices of the Hollywood committee representing the "Motion Pictures Are Your Best Entertainment" campaign this week came an announcement designed to stimulate interest in the $250,000 “Movie Quiz" contest on the part of the nation's more youthful theatre-goers — particularly those in their 'teens. Local committeemen disclosed that Deanna Durbin, Universal's 15-year-old singing star, has offered a trophy to the boy or girl nearest her own age — born on or near December 4, 1922, which is Deanna's natal day — who wins one of the cash prizes in the contest. The winner's name, as well as Deanna's signature, will be engraved on the cup. Otherwise the local committee, with no other specific activities to occupy its attention for the present, went to work to spur interest in this area in observance of “Music Week," which was set aside, beginning Monday, by the New York headquarters of the MPAYBE drive. Local orchestra leaders in night clubs, hotels and radio programs are devoting programs to a series of song successes from or inspired by past and current motion pictures. “Music Week" has the endorsement of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. BOXOFFICE : : November 5, 1938 37