The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

THE EXHIBITOR 13 fight with William Holden, Richard Denning and other members of the cast. After seeing rushes studio officials offered the newcomer a contract. 20th Century-Fox With the completion of five of the company’s most important pictures — “The Grapes of Wrath,” “The Blue Bird,” “Swanee River,” “Everything Happens At Night,” and “Little Old New York” — Darryl Zanuck has began final preparations for the production of the 15 remaining pictures which will complete the companys 1939-1940 release schedule. “Dance With the Devil,” the Tyrone Power-Dorothy Lamour co-starring picture, was put into production recently and between now and the middle of January all of the remaining pictures will be in work. They include the following productions: “I Was an Adventuress,” “Brigham Young,” “Lillian Russell,” “Public Deb No. 1,” “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” “Young People,” and “The Californian” — all Zanuck specials — and “Charlie Chans Oriental Cruise,” two Cisco Kid pictures, one Jones Family picture, “Marriage in Transit,” “For Women Only” (tentative title), and an untitled drama — to be produced by Sol M. Wurtzel, executive producer. Darryl Zanuck has bought “Yesterday’s Heroes,” a football serial written by William Brent, which is currently running in the Saturday Evening Post. United Artists — Roach Ben Turpin, the cock-eyed comic who convulsed one generation of flicker fans, has put on the greasepaint again and is prepared to do service for the talking pictures. Turpin, 72 years old and retired since 1925, resumed his picture career at the request of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, who engaged the old-time slapstick artist for a feature role in their comedy, “Two’s Company.” United Artists — Small Rowland V. Lee has been signed as the director of “The Son of Monte Cristo.” The story was recently acquired from RKO-Radio. and Louis Hayward will be the star. “The Son of Monte Cristo” replaces the previously announced “House of Monte Cristo” on the production schedule. United Artists — W anger Believing her to be one of the most gifted and beautiful young actresses to come to the screen during the past five years, Walter Wanger has given a long term contract to Osa Massen. Joan Harrison and Charles Bennett have been assigned to do the screenplay of the forthcoming film production, suggested by Vincent Sheean’s “Personal History.” Alfred Hitchcock, who has been announced as the director of the film, will start activity on the production next month. W arners “Bad Boy” is the new title for the screen play that has been known variously as “Mama Raviola” and “My Son” in the earlier stages of its preparation for the cameras. John Garfield will star in the picture. Camera work has been finished on “The Fighting 69th,” screen story of New York’s famous regiment, and the picture now being cut and edited, will be ready for release in mid-winter, according to a wire from the film company’s West Coast studio. James Cagney, Pat O’Brien and George Brent are co-starred in the drama at the head of a cast that includes Alan Hale, Jeffrey Lynn, Frank McHugh. Dennis Morgan, Dick Foran, William Lundi Why I’m OPTIMISTIC An Interview with FRED C. QUIMBY Metro Shorts Subjects Head Bringing with him a print of “Peace on Earth,” Metro’s Christmas cartoon in Technicolor, Fred C. Quimby, head of Metro shorts production, had even more reason to be optimistic when he viewed the results of a sneak screening of the short at a New York City theatre and one for the trade press. Seen in the projection room after it became evident to him that the trade press highly endorsed his effort to put forth a “different” type of holiday cartoon. Quimby was gratified that this venture into new fields was be Fred C. Quimby ing rewarded. “They tell me,” he said, “that the audience which applauded the short at the sneak screening a few nights ago is known as ‘tough.’ Apparently, we have something.” “Peace on Earth,” which represents but a small part of the shorts Metro produces and distributes throughout the year, combines a plea for peace with a swell bit of cartoon making. (For further details, see the complete review in The Blue Section.) Metro’s cartoon efforts, indicated Quimby, are divided into three groups, one headed by Hugh Harman, another by Rudy Ising and a third composed of a group of younsters putting out subjects similar to “The Old Mill Pond” of a few seasons back. Metro, he said, would not curtail production of shorts, it expects that the quality of shorts generally will be upped. Metro, he indicated, is putting names into its subjects so that marquee strength will be made evailable to exhibitors. Already 48 out of the company’s quota of 79 for the new season have been completed. While “Peace on Earth” was the center of attention at the trade screening, he said Metro intends to have plenty of other shorts which will cause discussion. “Pound Foolish,” for example, has Neil Hamilton, Gertrude Michael, Lynne Carver and Victor Varconi in the cast. It is no secret that Metro’s shorts production costs are the highest in the business, and that the shorts system in use has brought forth new names for the features. This, in itself, is proof of the success of the Metro idea — and if Fred C. Quimby is optimistic, it must be remembered that he not only knows what he is talking about, but he has given ample demonstration of that fact. gan, Guinn Williams, Sammy Cohen and Henry O’Neill. William Keighley directed the screen play, written by Norman Reilly Raine, Fred Niblo, Jr., and Dean Franklin. Thomas Mitchell, setting a record for outstanding characterizations, will have the leading masculine role in “Three Cheers for the Irish,” sharing honors with Priscilla and Rosemary Lane. “The American Cavalcade,” which will trace the nation’s history from Columbus’ discovery to the present day, has been selected as the first in Vitaphone’s series of historical short subjects for 1940-1941 production. It will be made in Technicolor. Humphrey Bogart and Jeffrey Lynn have joined Ann Sheridan at the head of the cast of “And It All Came True.” BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! (j reetincpA to JEP and THE EXHIBITOR hjoeH h?0 DOLF -HAPaIanI JsiNG-* CARTOON PRODUCTIONS METRO GOLD WYNMAYER December 13, 1939 QUAD,