The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

THE EXHIBITOR 31 PRODUCTION FROM AVAILABLE ADVICES, here is a glimpse of how the western field shapes up for this season: COLUMBIA Concentrating on its Charles Starrett series, of which there will be 10 during the 1939-1940 season, Columbia has maintained the standard of the group in its first release this year, without, apparently, trying to build its star into the top western bracket. Secondary western star is Bill Elliott, who gave promise of flashing to the top last year, but then slipped back into the groove. Exhibitors indicate that the Starretts are audience pleasers, while the Elliotts are in the run-of-the-mill bracket. Starretts: Released: “Outpost of the Mounties,” “The Stranger from Texas.” In production and coming: “Two-Fisted Rangers” and seven others. All-Stars: Released: “Taming of the West.” In production and coming: “Gun Lord of the Frontier” and six others. Re-issues: Available: “Law Beyond the Range,” “Fighting Shadows,” “Square Shooter,” “Avenging Waters,” “Fugitive Sheriff,” “Western Frontier,” “Western Courage,” “Lawless Riders.” IMPERIAL Imperial has announced a series of eight westerns for its 1939-1940 schedule. Unnamed: Released: : None. In production and coming: Eight. Russell Hayden METROPOLITAN What Metropolitan expects to do during the 1939-1940 season has not been announced. The following is what it contributed for the 1938-1939 season. Steeles: Released: “Mesquite Buckaroo,” “Smoky Trails,” “Feud of the Range,” “Riders of the Sage,” “The Ridin’ Fool.” In production or coming: “Pinto Canyon,” “The Man from Texas,” “Wild Horse Valley.” MONOGRAM Four series of westerns are on Monogram’s 1939-1940 line-up: six Lone Star Westerns, with Jack Randall; two special westerns, based on James Fenimore Cooper stories, with Randall; eight Tex Ritters, and eight John Wayne re-issues. Lone Star: Released: None. In production and coming: “Kit Carson’s Pony Express,” “Days of Daniel Boone,” “The Covered Wagon Trails,” “The Cheyenne Kid,” “The Last Outlaw,” “The Cowboy and the Bandit.” Special Randalls: Released: None. In production and coming: “The Prairie” and “The Pioneer.” Ritters (Special): Released: None. In production and coming: “Roll, Wagons, Roll,” “West-Bound Stage,” “Riders of Sundown,” “Oklahoma Land Rush.” Ritters (Regular) : Released: None. In production and coming: “South of the Rio Grande,” “The Man from Hell’s River,” “The Kid from Panhandle,” and “Redskin Trail.” Waynes: Released: “Riders of Destiny” and “Sagebrush Trail,” “The Lucky Texan,” Coming: “Blue Steel,” “The Man from Utah,” “Randy Rides Again,” “The Star Packer.” “West of the Divide.” The six Ken Maynards announced by Colony and Nat Saland will be handled by Monogram. Ken Maynards: Released: “Flaming Lead,” "Death Rides the Range,” “Phantom Rancher.” In production or coming in: “Rawhide and Dynamite,” “Lightning Strikes Twice,” “Where the West Begins.” PARAMOUNT Hopalong Cassidy, in the person of William Boyd, continued in the Paramount fold, with four entries for the continuation of the chronicle. In addition to these producer Harry Sherman contributes three others. Russell Hayden has become a valuable name in the series. PERSONALITIES Harry Sherman Boyds: Released: “Range War”; “Law of the Pampas.” In production and coming: “Santa Fe Marshal” and “Four Aces.” Other Sherman productions: Released: “The Llano Kid” (special). In production and coming: “Light of Western Stars.” PRODUCERS The Producers Distributing Corporation, out of its 60 pictures announced for the 1939-1940 season, plans to issue 24 westerns: eight in a Frontier Marshal series, starring Tim McCoy; eight in a Billy, the Kid, series, starring George Houston; and eight in a Sagebrush Family series, with Bobby Clark. Billy the Kids: Released: None. In production or coming: “Man from Oklahoma,” “The Texas Drive,” “The Arizona Trail,” “Trails West,” “Cherokee Kid,” “Frontier Justice,” “Law of the Santa Fe,” “Buffalo Raiders.” Frontier Marshals: Released: None. In production or coming: “Texas Renegades,” “Guns A-Blazing,” “Swift Justice,” “Rio Grande Outlaws,” “Perils of the Pecos,” “Mystery Canyon,” “Lone Wolf Rider,” “Arizona Gang Busters.” Sagebrush Familys: Released: None. In production or coming: “The Sagebrush Family Trails West,” “The Sagebrush Family Rides On,” “The Sagebrush Family Stakes a Claim,” “The Sagebrush Family on a Dude Ranch,” “The Sagebrush Family Across the Rio Grande,” “The Sagebrush Family at the Rodeo,” “The Sagebrush Family Meets the Outlaws,” “The Sagebrush Family Fights Rustlers.” Tex Ritter November 29, 1939