Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1941)

(Continued from Page 16) CASTINtiS: Uoscoe Kai-iis. Hobait Cavanaugli. Keye l,uke. Jaiu-t Beeeher. T-illiaii Bond, Miles Mandei in "X Marks the Spot" . . . Binnie Barnes in "Mr. M. and tlie Pigeons" ... CONTRACTS: Edmund Grainger to 3-year producer part. RKO-RADIO That RKO-George Schaefer contract has not been signed but the buzzings report an agreement between the executive and financial powers on the terms of his deal and the scope of his powers. Again Samuel Goldwj'n is pondering his releasing set-up. With the delivery of "Ball of Fire," the producer has completed his RKO deal and filmites are now wondering if he will return to United Artists, not as an executive of the company but merely as producer utihzing UA's releasing facilities. . .Anticipating more single bills, Walt Disney is enlarging his program of cartoon shorts... RKO is again finding itself hamsti"ung by the lack of name players and as a result several films are being held up... Ellen Drew has been signed for the femme lead opposite Kay Kyser in Harold Lloyd's '"My Favorite Spy "...Frank Ryan will produce and direct "A Plague on You," which Lewis Foster is adapting from a novel by Carroll Graham. IN PRODUCTION— "The Magnificent Ambersons" iJoe Cotten-Dolores Costello), "Mayor of 44th Street" i George MurphyAnn Shirley), "The Tuttles of Tahiti" (Charles Laughton-Jon Hall), "Powder Town" i Victor McLaglen-Edmund O'Brien i. CASTINGS: Victor Francen in "Tlie Tuttles of Taliit i" . . . IUKKCTOK .\SSIGNMENTS: Frank Ryan to "A Plague on You." 20th CENTURY-FOX You've got to take y:ur hat off to this organization. Not in years has there been such an exciting comeback from any studio. Last week Frank Capra joined the list of distinguished producers and directors who are now in charge of the Westwood product. He will function as a producer-director for 20th Century for the nexc thi-ee years and his first effort will be the delightful "The Flying Yorkshireman." Capra reports upon the completion of "Arsenic and Old Lace." Sidney Toler has been given the rights to the Charlie Chan stories remaining on 20th's story shelf and he expects to produce them elsewhere. . ."How Green Was My 'Valley" will go into regular release — foregoing the roadshow engagements planned for it... There won't be much "B" product turned out here for the next few weeks due to the crowding of the sound stages by top productions ...Joan Bennett has been tied for two pictures next year... A Simone Simon campaign will be employed to advise moviegoers that Jean Gabin's first name is pronounced like John — almost, that is... Charles Feldman's ambitious package deal with 20th Century has fallen by the wayside. Although several of the agent's clients have signed one picture deals, the idea of a unit is being definitely abandoned. . .Pi-eston Foster has been signed to a termer as part of 20th's campaign to pick up talent whenever available ...Dana Andrews goes into a headline spot in "The Calif ornian," a story about Joaquin Murietta, western outlaw. A similar picture is being planned by Paramount's Harry Sherman. . .Archie Mavo supplante Fi-itz Lang as director of "Moontide." when Lang disagreed with the studio over development of the storv after 11 days filming. IN PRODUCTION— "Roxie Hart" i Ginger Rogers-Adolphe Menjou), "Tales of Manhattan" (All Star), "To the Shores of Tripoli" (Maureen O'Hara-John Payne), "Not for Children" iJane Withers-Marjorie Weaver), "Moontide" iJean Gabin-Ida Lupino), "This Above All" (Tyrone PowerJoan Fontaine), "Rings on Her Fingers" (Henry Fonda-Gene Tierney). CASTINGS: Dana Andrews in "The Californian" . . . O. Z. Whitehead. Laird Cregar in "Ten Gentlemen from West Point" ... Mary Beth Hughes. Thomas Mitchell in "Moontide" .. .Thomas Mitchell. Philip Merivale, Gladvs Cooper Henry Stephenson, Queenie Leonard in "This Aljove All" ... Spring" Byingtori in "Rings on Her Fingers" ... Lloyd Nolan in "No Coffin for the Corpse" . Cesar Romero in "Tales of Manhattan" .. .Joseph Allen in "The Night Before Divorce".. .Carole Landis, Dale Evans in "Flying Showboat" .. .UIRECTOB AS.SIGNMENTS: Archie Mayo to "A Tommy in the U. S. A." and Moontide". . .Fritz Lang to "A House at Peace" ... Robert Siodmak to ■Flying Showboat"... CONTRACTS: Laurel and Hardy to 2-pic/vear, 5year pact. ■ / UNITED ARTISTS Gradwell Sears is in Hollywood in company with UA executives Edward Raferty and Arthur Kelly — the motive behind the trip being conferences with the company's producers and the desire to line up new ones on releasing deals. Among those who are to be approached within the next few days are Samuel Goldwyn and Walt Disney. The men are reported to be sympathetic to Raferty and Sears and are listening to their propositions with open minds. One producer already signed is Charles Rogers who is to make three pictures on the 1941-42 program. His first will be "Three Blondes and a Redhead. " For his second he expects to use British •star Jesse Matthews and the final of the trio will be "The Powers Girls," based on the model business of John Powers. Charles Chaplin, according to latest advices, will resume active production after the first of the year — making three pictures, one of which will star himself. He is said to be highly in favor of the executive realignment at United Artists and is encouraging coowner Mary Pickford to resume operations. Chaplin is also fostering a plan where'oy UA will acquire additional theatres. This move inspired by the actor-producer's inability to come to terms with Texas exhibitors who declined the percentage arrangements offered on "The Great Dictator." "Shanghai Gesture" has received an okay from the Hays office after thirty-two times at bat... David O. Selznick does not expect to get "Keys of the Kingdom" into production for some months — meanwhile he will concentrate on his anthology, "Tales of Passion and Romance". . .Glenn Tryon, former star comedian and, for the past decade, assistant to William Seiter and associate producer at Universal, has joined Hal Roach's staff as associate producer... Alexander Korda's production plans are up in the air until after liis return from England... UA and Murray Silverstone are about to close the latter's production deal... Lewis Milestone is another name figuring in the new UA set-up. His John Steinbeck-"The Red PDny" deal at RKO is over IN PRODUCTION— "To Be or Not to Be" (Carole LombardJack Benny), "Cubana" (Marjorie Wood worth -George Givot), "About Face" (William TracyJoe Sawyer). UNIVERSAL Two new mystery films went into production Wednesday. One is Edgar Allan Poe's "The Mystery of Marie Roget" with Patric Knowles and Maria Montez in the leads; the other is "The Ghost of Frankenstein" with Lon Chaney. Jr., as the monster and Sir Cedric Hardwicke as his creator. Warners' Ray Enright has been boiTowed by Universal to direct "The Spoilers". . .Universal figures that the Deanna Durbin sit-down strike is costing the studio plenty of money plus an assortment of headaches necessitated by the juggling of schedules to account for her vacancy from the line-up. IN PRODUCTION— "Temporarily Yours" (Hugh Herbert-Robt. Paige-Anne Gwynne), "The Mystery of Marie Roget" (Patric Knowles-Maria Montez ) "The Ghost of Frankenstein" (Lon Chaney. Jr.-Bela Lugosi), "Drums on the Congo" (Ona Munson-Don Barry). CASTINGS: Lon Chaney. ,Tr., Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Bela Lugosi. Evel.vn Ankers in "The Ghost of Frankenstein" ... Ona Munson. Don Parry, Maria Mcntez, Stuart Erwin, Richard Lane in "Drums of the Congo" ... Robt i t Paige, Anne Gwynne. Ernest Truex. Edward Asheley, Esther Dale. Ne!l O'Day, Kathryn Adams in "Temporarily Yours" ... Maria Montez in "The Mystery of Marie Roget.' WARNER BROS. George Raft's status as a WB player is far from settled — the wrangling goes on as Raft seeks to play in Universal's "Marriage of Inconvenience" which William Seiter is planning to put into production shortly .. .Although Samuel Goldwyn has playwright LilUan Hellman under contract, WB is reported to have closed a deal for her hit show, "Watch on the Rhine"... Ida Lupino's next will be "The Damned Don't Cry." The local trade press has glimpsed the two highly touted Technicolor shorts starring the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo — "Gay Parisian" and "Spanish Fiesta." They prove anew that Hollywood has not yet captured the spirit and movement of the ballet — the action being continually interrupted by cuts from long shots to medium and close-up shots. There is no fluidity to either of the subjects — facial expressions have been photographed when the spectator is more anxious to see the movements of the feet and body and the breaks in the music are frequent. The subjects will make the grade in the arty and first run houses although their appeal may be offset by unfavorable word-of-mouth advertising. Elsewhere their value as marquee attractions or as entertainment is negligible. Of the two "Gay Parisian," because it is hghter and more easily understood by the average filmgoer, will have the greater chance of success IN PRODUCTION— "Juke Girl" (Ann Sheridan-Ronald Reagan), "Arsenic and Old Lace" (Gary Grant-Priscilla Lane). "In This Our Life" (Bette Davis-Olivia de Havilland-George Brent), Larceny Inc." (Edward G. Robinson-Jane Wyman), "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (James Cagney-Joan Leslie). CASTINGS: Charles Boyei-, Joan Fontaine In "The Constant Nymph." 22 FILM BULLETIN