Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (Sep 1935 - Aug 1936)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1936 HOLLYWOOD rLICKERS By HARRY N. BLAIR Hollywood, Cal. Things are starting to hum over on the Universal lot. Rogers, Koenig and Grainger are in daily conferences to decide on the 15 features still due this season. Defying any possible jinx, "U" will start two of its biggest pictures on April 13. These are "My Man Godfrey" with William Powell, Carole Lombard and Alice Brady, and "It's a Small World" with Joan Bennett and Joel McCrea. Rogers tells me that Universal will make 36 next season, including a half dozen John Wayne westerns. There will also be at least eight from Buck Jones and a minimum of four serials. Republic finishes up "Glory Parade" this week and has a real picture, judg ing by the rushes. At least Lew Ayres has lost his customary worried look, if that's a sign. The kid is tickled to death with being a director and wants to forget the grease paint. The future production plans of this outfit will be better known after padre Nat Levine returns from his guick jaunt to Honolulu, next week. Encouraging is the promise that budgets will be upped at least 50%. Just had a peek at a rough cut of the new Grace Moore picture, and happy to report that Columbia has done well by the singing star, this time. At least another six weeks before it is ready due to the intricate scoring. The music is all by Fritz Kreisler and Von Sternberg hasn't done as neat a job of directing in several years. "The King Steps Out" is the final title. The smaller exhibitors may look to Columbia for the type of stuff their audiences eat up. In addition to the Ken Maynards, Sol Lesser is making "The Mine With the Iron Door," popular Harold Bell Wright story of a buried treasure, with Dick Aden starred; George O'Brien will make 10 "de luxe" action pictures for the same company; Charlie Starrett is up in Canada making a series of outdoor films dealing with the mounties plus which a new Zane Grey western, "Outlaws of Palouse," starts next week. This lineup may not spell ART but it sure sounds like good BOXOFFICE. Republic has not yet decided who will replace John Wayne when the latter moves over to Universal after making his eighth and last of the series next month. One thing this outfit is sure of, however, and that is to push Gene Autrey to the limit. The crooning cowboy has gone over with a bang. Plenty of midnight oil being burned over on Paramount's broad acres what with lengthy conferences between Otterson, Zukor and production officials. Everything is expected to be settled by the end of this week, at which time the new lineup for next season will be announced. No doubt about the company being in tip-top shape with over eighteen million cash on hand and rentals in excess of one million coming in weekly. Negative costs have been sliced while the contract talent list is being built. Between 65 and 70 pictures will be made. Recommended: "The Country Beyond," 20th Century's lusty picturization of the James Oliver Curwood story. 20th, with 24 films in preparation, has cancelled its planned part-shutdown and will keep both its studios going ahead on full schedule. May we be the first to congratulate Mary Pickford, whose election to president of United Artists is practically assured. Congratulations also and a word of welcome to Pathe upon its decision to re-enter the production end of the business. Soon the familiar rooster, with which we associate so many hits of the past, will once more grace the screen. Color is coming faster than most people think. An advance peek at some rushes from Pioneer's "Dancing Pirate" shows the rapid advances being made. After all, color suggests music and comedy. It is in this field that color should make its most rapid strides. Harry Sherman is getting ready to shoot "The Barrier" in color. This is one of two famous Rex Beach novels which he owns. The other is "The Ne'er Do Well." Paramount will release, as in the case of his "Hop-along Cassidy" series. First Division CompBef es 85 % of Regular Feature Program With the release of "Southern Maid" and "August Week-End," Alliance and Chesterfield productions respectively, First Division completes 8 5 % of the regular feature program originally announced by this organization at the start of the season. Already released on the Alliance schedule are "Mimi," "Dance Band," "Red Wagon," "Spy 77," "The Living Dead" and "Drake the Pirate." Chesterfield and Invincible productions previously released include "Ring Around the Moon," "Little Red Schoolhouse," "Dark Hour," "Brilliant Marriage," "Bridge of Sighs," "Tango," "Society Fever," Lady in Scarlet," "What Price Crime," "False Pretenses," "Murder at Glen Athol," "Happiness C. O. D.," "Hitch Hike to Heaven," "Death from a Distance," "Girl Who Came Back" and "Condemned to Live." Other regular features announced which have been scheduled are "Hong Kong Nights," and "Java Head." Exclusive of the regular features four Hoot Gibson-Diversion productions have been released with four to come and one Big Boy Williams-Normandy out-door film with seven Rex Bells to follow, the initial, "Too Much Beef" set for release on April 20th. Added to the current schedule for several territories and also released is the Halperin picture "I Conquer the Sea." 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