Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1945)

20th CENTURY-FOX Producer William Perlberg has seven pictures on his immediate schedule of production. First to go is "State Fair," which will be done as a musical in Technicolor. Then comes "Junior Miss", "The Bandwagon," another Technicolor musical; "Forever Amber," also in color; "Jean Valjean"; "Claudia and David" and "Another Claudia." This studio generally is looking forward to an extremely heavy production schedule in the months ahead and 17 directors are now working on material already shooting or in preparation. Scheduled for early starting are: "Dragonwyck," which Joseph Mankiewicz will direct in Technicolor; an unnamed musical which Vvalter Lang is preparing; "The Dolly Sisters," with Irving Cummings directing, and "Junior Miss" to be directed by George Seton. John Stahl will do "Leave Her To Heaven," Otto Preminger is readying "Romance with Music," Frank Tuttle has been assigned to "Two-Faced Quilligan" and Robert Webb will handle "The Caribbean Mystery." Darryl F. Zanuck said this week that the studio will continue its policy of buying as many of the current best-sellers as possible. In 1944, 20th Century-Fox acquired more properties from the bestseller list than almost all other studios combined. This is an expensive project, Zanuck pointed out, but it is also true that high salaried stars are not being used in these pictures and production costs are thereby held down considerably. "The Song of Bernadette," "Laura" and "My Friend Flicka," three of 20th's biggest boxorfice hits, were all adapted from best-sellers, but none involved top rank stars. At Metro, for instance, the valuable story properties also get valuable casts to add lustre to theatre marquees! Only new starter in work is "State Fair," the Technicolor musical, with Dana Andrews, Jeanne Crain, Dick Haymes and Vivian Blaine in the leading roles. Continuing in production are: "A Bell for Adano" (John Hodiak-William Bendix), "Colonel Effingham's Raid" (Joan Bennett-William Eythe), "Captain Eddie " (Fred MacMurray-Lynn Bari). UNITED ARTISTS The Hollywood branch of this outfit was startled by the sudden announcement that Lou Pollock had resigned his post as director of advertising and publicity. He rated high with the producers and generally had been conceded to have done a good job in a difficult spot. A new $5,000,000 corporation has been formed by Sol Lesser for film production and stage plays in 1945. The company will have a stock company to be organized under the direction of Jean Hersholt. a member of the board of directors. Players already signed include Lon McCallister, Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, John Sheffield, Cheryl Walker and Marjorie Riordan. Another deal announced this week is the one between the Skii ball-Manning production company and Don Ameche. Ameche has signed to do a series of pictures for this unit, the first one to be "Genius in the Family." Ameche is currently working in "Guest Wife," with Claudette Colbert, for the Skirball-Manning outfit. This unit just completed "It's in the Bag" (Fred Allen-Jack Benny). Future plans also include a Romberg-Hammerstein musical, "French Town." There are 14 pictures on the United Artists work sheet presently. Three are now shooting and three more are scheduled to roll during January while eight are in editing or awaiting release. The Constance Bennett production, "Paris — Underground," is one of the January starters. "Captain Kidd" (Randolph Scott) is a Benedict Bogeaus film awaiting the gun on January 25 and David O. Selznick's "Duel in the Sun" is scheduled to begin January 29. In wind-up status are: "The Great John L" (Crosby), "Spellbound" (Selznick), "Brewster's Millions" (Edward Small), "Delightfully Dangerous" (Charles R. Rogers), "Hold Autumn in Your Hand" (Producing Artists), "It's in the Bag" (Jack Skirball) and "Bedside Manner" (Andrew Stone). Selznick International has seven pictures scheduled for 1945 production. "Duel in the Sun," starring Jennifer Jones, will be nrst. Then comes "Scarlet Lily" (Ingrid Bergman-Joseph Cotten), Dawning," "So Little Time," "Sarah Bernhardt," "Notorious" (Ingrid Bergman) and "Houdini" are the other properties listed. Edward Small is another U. A. affiliate who has big plans for production. During the next two years, he plans to produce not less than ten pictures at a cost of $10,000,000. The first to go on the list will be Dumas' "Cagliostro," starring George Sanders. This is scheduled for March. Other plans involve "Bella Donna," with Louis Hayworth in the top role, "A Time To Be Born," "Crime on My Hands," from George Sanders' book; the long-talked of "Valentino"; Booth Tarkington's "Kate Fennigate"; "The Ghost of Monte Cristo"; "Lucrezia Borgia"; "D'Artagnan" and "The Notorious Nancy Grey." Most of these are very tentative. Charles R. Rogers has announced the production of four features on a $5,500,000 budget. First will be "My Wild Irish Rose," a Technicolor musical introducing radio singer Lee Sullivan. In June, "Angel on My Shoulder," starring Brian Donlevy, will go; "Varga Girl," in Technicolor and with a reputed budget of $2,000,000, and "One Man's Family" are also on the list. Mary Pickford is laying plans for "One Touch of Venus." her film version of the Broadway musical hit which Sam Coslow will produce for her. Agnes De Mille, famous choreographer, will stage the dances. Shooting is slated to start in June. UNIVERSAL Three features are scheduled for the January program at this studio, in addition to the three already in work. To go are: "Invitation to Death," starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce: "The Naughty Nineties," with Abbott and Costello, and the next Deanna Durbin starrer, "Lady On A Train," which also has Allen Jenkins and Edward Everett Horton in comedy roles. Already shooting are: "That's The Spirit" (Jack Oakie-Peggy Ryan), "Night in Paradise" (Merle Oberon-Turhan Bey) in Technicolor, and the new starter. "Senorita from the West" (Bonita GranvilleAllan Jones). WARNER BROS. One of the first official acts of 1945 was the "creating" of six new stars to be added to the star-contract list officially. They are: Lauren Bacall, Dane Clark, John Dall, Faye Emerson, Robei t Hutton and William Prince. Strange, isn't it, but we had soma silly idea that stars were created by the public, not by an edici from a studio. Each of these new "stars" (Bacall might be classed as one) has been assigned a picture. Lauren Bacall, just finishing "The Big Sleep," draws the coveted role in "Fountainhead." Dane Clark and Faye Emerson will be co-starred in "Catch a Falling Star." Robert Hutton goes into "Janie Gets Married." John Dall, who made his film debut in the still unreleased "The Corn Is Green," goes into "Ethan Frome." William Prince co-stars with Ida Lupino in "Happiness." Unique in the annals of world premieres is the one accorded "Saratoga Trunk." It was held in France, a few miles from the front lines, for the 38th Engineering Regiment ... Full page ad exploitation in 15 national fan magazines has been set for three Warner releases. "Hollywood Canteen," "To Have and Have Not" and "Objective Burma" are the three due for the special hypo in the March issues of the books. This follows close on the national radio spot announcement campaign used for "To Have and Have Not" in conjunction with its general release. The radio campaign cost $100,000 and blanketed every section of the country through leading stations in more than 100 key cities. Howard Hawks has just purchased "Dark Page" from Sgt. Sammy Fuller. The soldier was in France with the invasion force when the check reached him. Hawks plans the story, a psychological drama, for early production. Joe Santley, formerly with Republic, has begun a term-contract as director at Warner Bros. His first picture will be "Shadow of A Woman," with Alexis Smith, Helmut Dantine and Craig Stevens. A recently published financial statement shows Warner Bros, ending their year with a net of $6,953,426. This is a decrease of 51,285,000 over last year due to the turn over of the entire net receipts of "This Is the Army" to Army Emergency Relief. The gross for the year just ended was $141,183,039, an increase of almost ten million dollars over the previous year. Only new starter at the studio is "Three Strangers." Sidm-y Greenstreet, Geraldina Fitzgerald and Peter Lorre are in top roles. Continuing in production are: "Mildred Pierce" (Joan CrawfordJack Carson) and "This Love of Ours" (John Garfield-Eieanor Parker). JANUARY 22, 1945