Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1940)

Hoi lyw ood — — Personnelities Barnstormers Columbia BILL ELLIOTT, western star, checks in after a p. a. tour through Texas. He visited 12 cities and played before more than 50,000 customers. Metro MMEX LEIGH, LAI HENCE OLIVIEK and ALFKEI) HlT('HCO(Tv return from Atlanta, having arrived there too late to attend the anniversary ‘premiere” of “Gone With the Wind.” Their plane was grounded five times by storms. RKO Radio BOB CKOSBV and orchestra to do a p. a. at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco, beginning January 8, in conjunction with the opening of his starring picture, “Let’s Make Music.” They return here January 23 for an engagement at the Paramount Theatre. Warner Bros. PK1SCTLI>.\ LANE returns from two weeks of p. a.’s at the Strand Theatre in New York. Blur hers MAHGAKET ETTIN'GEH lias returned from a weekend business jaunt to Chicago. .JOHN C. I.EE, public relations director tor the Screen Actors Guild, has returned from a two-week New York business trip. Monogram LOU LITTON, publicity-advertising director, arranges nation-wide tieup with Welch’s grapejuice whereby Welch, sponsor of the Irene Rich airshow, plugs “Queen of the Yukon,” in which Miss Rich appears. Tieup includes special window displays linking “Queen of the Yukon” with the radio show. Hal Roach FHANK SELTZEK, publicity-advertising director, has returned from the east, having handled the premiere of “Road Show” in Pittsburgh. He was accompanied by his brother .jri.,ES, advertising agency executive. Universal JOHN JOSEPH, publicity -advertising director, has revamped his staff because of the departure . of DAVID LIPTON, moving over to Columbia. DAN THOM.'VS is now in charge of studio publicity, with EUGENE Ml’KPHY supervising .sales and exhibition activity. Warner Bros. BEKT SIX, still cameraman, became the father of a six-pound baby boy, born to Mrs. Six at Hollywood Hospital, December 9. Brielies Metro PETE SMITH records commentation for his latest Specialty, “Penny to the Rescue,” a onereeler in Technicolor. Paramount GEORGE PAL completes “Western Daze,” first Americanproduced puppetoon, photographed in Technicolor, It stars Jim Dandy, stringless puppet, with Andre Kostelanetz’ music. Prints are being rushed to New York for possible Christmas and New Year bookings. Warner Bros. WILLIAM TILDEN, former amateur and professional tennis champion, signed to star in a short subject — his first screen appearance in 11 years. Clelfers Metro NAT W. FINSTON, head of the music department. addre.ssed the annual convention of California music teachers in Bakersfield. His topic was trends in music as contained in scores of new M-G-M productions. BRONISLAV KAPER directing score for “Rage in Heaven.” 20th Century-Fox GLENN MILLEK and his orchestra signed for a featured spot in “The Great American Broadcast.” Loanouts Frank Lloyd ROBERT PRESTON borrowed from Paramount for the lead opposite Loretta Young in “The Lady From Cheyenne.” Universal will release. Metro GEORGE SANDERS borrowed from 20th Century-Fox for a top line in “Rage in Heaven,” the Robert Montgomery starrer. Universal LEE BOWMAN borrowed from M-G-M for a lead in “Buck Privates.” Meggers Metro EDWIN KNOPF named associate producer on the re-make of “The Trial of Mary Dugan.” from the play by Bayard Veiller. Laraine Day has been handed the title role. Knopf was former story editor at the studio. Picture Corp. of America JAMES HOGAN, borrowed from Paramount, to jnlot “Powder Dive,” first in a series of Dick Arlen starrers for Paramount release. Producers Releasing Corp. PETER STEWART to direct “The Lone Rider Galloping to Glory,” initialer in a series of six George Houston musical westerns. Sigmund Neufeld produces from a story by Jo.seph O’Donnell. RKO Radio IR^'ING REIS to “Show Business,” co-featuring Alan Mow’bray and Donald MacBride, with Elisabeth Risdon, Terry Belmont and Jane Patten in supporting roles. Ploward Benedict will produce. Republic LEONARD FIELDS, former writer, signed as associate producer, with “Mr. District Attorney” as his first chore. William Morgan will direct from Karl Brown’s screenplay. 20th Century-Fox RAV McC'AREY to pilot “The Cowboy and the Blonde.” Warner Bros. GEORGE AMY, film cutter, boosted to directorship and assigned piloting chore on a Melody Master musical short starring Hal Kemp and his orchestra. WII..LIAM KEIGHLEY completes directorial chore on “Strawberry Blonde,” taking the reins over from RAOUL WALSH, out with the flu. (iORDON HOLI..INGSHEAD to produce “The Return of the Falcon,” as his first feature assignment since being boosted from short subjects. MARK HELLINGER to produce “The Widow Wouldn’t Weep,” a story by Dalton Trumbo. Options Metro GKANT WITHEKS given character lead in “Billy the Kid.” Paramount C’LAUDE'I’TE C'OUIKRT given new starring contract to make one picture in 1942 and another in 1943, in addition to two films still to be made under terms of her old deal with the company. Her next will be “Skylark,” with Ray Milland. Miss Colbert first appeared under the Paramount banner in 1929. BING CROSBY signs new three-year contract to star in nine pictures. He will receive $175,000 per film and is allowed to make one outside picture a year. RKO Radio BOB SMITH, Broadway player, given term contract. ELYSE KNOX signed for ingenue lead in “Show Business.” ALBERTO VILA’S one-picture acting deal converted into termer. Republic MALCOEM STFAKT HOYI.AN joins writing staff on one-picture deal. Universal EL.VINE MOREY, little theatre actress, given term ticket and a role in “Buck Privates.” LEONARD ELLIOTT, stage player, given term deal and a spot in “Buck Privates.” WILLIAM SEITKR booked to produce and direct two features following his current chore on “Nice Girl.” Deanna Durbin starrer. TOMMY' KELLY' draws featured role in Deanna Durbin’s “Nice Girl.” ANDREWS SISTERS, musical trio, set to star in three pictures yearly. Warner Bros. STUART ERWIN signed for a comedy lead in “The Bride Came C. O. D.” EDMUND GRAINGER given new contract as associate producer. He is currently making “Knockout.” G. F, HUNTLEY' jr. draws feature role in “WTnged Victory.” RALPH BYRD signed for the lead in “Wings of Steel,” a preparedness short subject. Percenteers BILLY' MANN resigns as as associate in the Lou Irwin agency. Scripters Metro JACK JEVNE to an untitled original Wallace Beery starrer. Milton Bren will produce. Jevne authored “Wyoming,” recent Beery film. IRVING BRECHER to “The Thin Man’s Shadow,” forthcoming William Powell-Myrna Loy vehicle. Hunt Stromberg will produce. HOWARD EMMETT ROGERS to “The Big Time,” a musical, from his own original. Arthur Freed produces. HANS RAMEAU, CLAl DINE WEST and GEORGE FKOESUHEL to “Tonight at 8:30,” from the Noel Coward playlets. Norma Shearer will be starred. Paramount GDKDON KAHN to "Buy Me That Town.” Republic DAVID SILVEKSTEIN to "Nevada City,” forthcoming Roy Rogers starrer. Joe Kane will produce and direct. EVE GREENE to an untitled Gene Autry western. MAURI GRASHIN and JOHN KRAFFT to “The Old Grey Mare,” an Armand Schaefer film to star the Weaver Bros, and Elviry. BETTY BUKBRIDGE to an untitled “Three Mesquiteers” western which Lou Grey will produce. KARL BROWN. SAMMY CAHN and SOL CHAPIN teamed on “Rookies’ Roost,” conscription musical which Albert J. Cohen will produce. JAMES WL^BB to “Sheriff of Tombstone,” a Roy Rogers western. BARRY' SHIPMAN to “Prairie Pioneers” for the Three Mesquiteers. RKO Radio MOKTON GRANT and AKTHFK V. JONES complete “Range Robbers,” fourth in the Tim Holt western series. I.AKKY RHINE and BEN CH.VPMAN comIdete “Hang Out the Moon” for Producer Fred Ullman jr. NORTON S. BARKER to “Horseback Hurricane,” forthcoming Tim Holt western. ■VRTHIR JONES and DORCAS COCHRANE teamed on an untitled musical with a college background. Fred Ullman jr. will produce. 20th Century-Fox WARREN Dl'FF to “Flight Surgeon,” story of navy aviation. Kenneth Macgowan produces. LAMAR TROTTI to “Rise and Shine,” conscription story, which Lou Edelman will produce. GEORGE SEATON to “Caribbean Cruise,” a musical. Universal IA:0 TOWNSEND to “The Man Who Lost Himself.” Warner Bros. BARRY TRIVERS to “Captain Applejack.” ROBERT KENT to “I’ve Got Your Number,” dealing with sabotage of communication systems. LEONARD FRANK to “Office Wife.” THEODORE ST. JOHN, New York stage director and playwright, teamed with ALAN LE MAY' on “Rurales,” story of the Mexican constabulary, which will follow “Reap the Wild Wind” on Cecil B. DeMille’s production schedule. J. Robert Bren and Gladys Atwater wrote the original. RALPH BLOCK to “One Foot in Heaven,” from Hartzell Spence’s novel. Technically Ernst Lubitsch GEORGE I5ARNES, borrowed from 20th Century-Fox, replaces MERRITT GERSTAD as cameraman on “That Uncertain Feeling.” Gerstad and Lubitsch severed relations after a disagreement on handling of the assignment. Globe HAL MOHR to lens "Pot O’ Gold.” HEI.EN TAYLOR set as costume designer on “Pot O’ Gold.” HOW.VRD BRISTOL named set decorator on ”Pot O’ Gold.” LARRY CEBALLOS to stage a rhumba production number for ”Pot O’ Gold.” M-G-M RICHARD ROSSON has checked in from a location scouting trip to Tucson. Monument Valley and other scenic spots, seeking location sites for “Billy the Kid.” GENE RUGGIERO named film editor on “Four Cents a Word.” CONRAD A. NERVIG to edit “Bad Man.” (Continued on next page) 32 BOXOFFICE December 21, 1940