The Film Daily (1937)

p* THE 12 ■%*n DAILY Monday, March 22, 1937 A "JUttU" from Uoiiuw&od "£ots f* By RALPH WILK HOLLYWOOD "W7ARNERS are planning the production of an elaborate musical based on the "Ice Follies of 1937." Bess Ehrhardt, star of the "Ice Follies," will appear in one of the featured roles and about 30 other skating stars are also being lined up for the production. Warren Duff and Sig Herzig who saw the "Ice Follies of 1937" a fortnight ago in Minneapolis with Hal B. Wallis, associate production executive, are now at work on the screen play. T T T Simone Simon has purchased the screen rights to "Gone To Earth," by the English authoress, Mary Webb. The story is that of an English girl of gypsy ancestry, and Simone admits she hopes she can persuade the studio to make it into a picture with her in the feminine lead. T T T Edward L. Alperson, GN president has signed Stuart Irwin to a two picture contract with options for additional pictures. The first featured role will be in "Small Town Boy," which Zion Myers will produce. The second Irwin featured role will be in "Face the Facts," WHO'S WHO IN HOLLYWOOD • • • Introducing Interesting Personalities: No. 65 • • • FRANK BORZAGE. Director, under contract to Warner Brothers. In the prime of life and already a tradition. As master of youthful romance and homely, human interest has few peers. "Humoresque" was his first big one. Success more than repeated with "7th Heaven." Son of a Utah rancher, worked in a mine to get money for a correspondence course in drama. Course was a fake, but Frank's ambition was genuine, so he set out to be an actor, anyway. Started as prop boy in a cheap road show. Reached Hollywood when actors drew $5 a day and carfare. Met Tom Ince, who gave him better things to do. Not much later, organized own company and made westerns. Then came start as a director. Clear-eyed, jovial, honest, well-balanced. Listens to everybody's troubles. Treats the electrician just like the boss. Stands 5, lO'/i. Hair, brown. Eyes, hazel. Hobbies, golf, squash and polo. the Clarence Budington Kelland story, recently purchased. ▼ T » Richard Dix and Fay Wray will be co-starred as a new romantic team in Columbia's "Once A Hero." T T T Edward Arnold, Jr., has been signed to a Monogram contract by Scott R. Dunlap, vice-president in charge of production. His first feature will be "Burning Barriers," original by Edwin C. Parsons. Hugh Herbert has been assigned by Warners to a prominent comedy role in "Ever Since Eve," which will star Marion Davies with Robert Montgomery, while Joan Carroll, aged 4, has been selected by 20th Century-Fox for a featured role in "One Mile from Heaven," Claire Trevor heading the cast. t ▼ T Spring Byington and Marilyn Harris have been added to the long list of players signed by James Whale for Universal's "The Road Back," and Arthur Lubin has been signed by Trem Carr to direct "I Cover the War," which will be John Wayne's next picture for Universal. T T ▼ "On With the Dance," an original I story idea for George Raft, has been placed on Paramount's future production schedule and Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder were assigned to write the screenplay. Miss Fan j chon will produce. ▼ T T Howard Lindsay and Russell Grouse, writer team with several Broadway musical hits to their credit, including "Anything Goes" and "Red, Hot and Blue," have been assigned to prepare the screenplay for Paramount's "The Big Broadcast of 1938." Harlan Thompson will produce. THEWEEI\ IN REVIEW DOMESTIC (Continued from Page 1) leaders representing all branches of nlmdom. Prior to formal rap of the gavel, M.P.T.O.A.'s board of directors re-elected President Ed Kuykendall and other officers, with no opposing nominations. Three changes were effected in official personnel— Morris Leonard and Ben Berinstein joining directorate, and Mitchell Wolfson succeeding Berinstein as a vice-president. * * * Alarmed at increasing appearance of film stars on radio programs, convention empowered a committee to determine plans for eradicating the practice. Authorization was also vested in the Convention Committee to proceed with the drive for 10point trade practice program. Gathering also demanded 20 per cent cancellation privilege on producerdistributor contracts with exhibitors, and adopted a resolution urging enactment of the Duffy copyright bill by Congress. * * * Strength and momentum of the current boom in film prosperity was strikingly evidenced during the week. 20th Century-Fox reported a net income of $7,924,126, after all income and surtaxes, for the year ended December 26, 1936 — more than double the 1935 earnings of $3,563,087. Profit includes dividends of $1,134,000 received from 20th Century-Fox's 42 per cent interest in National Theaters Corp. Other powerful indications of present upswing came from Selznick International Pictures which plans expenditure of $12,500,000 on the 12 productions, half in color, which the company has scheduled for release by United Artists next season; and from financial circles, The Film Daii,y learned of the ready availability of money for the financing of motion picture projects, and of companies which have tangible assets and a record of experience. Informing sources pointed to the fact that three companies, Condor Pictures, Monogram Pictures and Imperial Pictures, have obtained financing recently, and in each case by different underwriting groups. * * * Additional news highlights included announcement by E. M. Hartley that RCA Photophone is acquiring all United Research Corp. patent rights, including those covering television. Warner Bros, organized URC to manufacture sound recording and reproduction apparatus soon after birth of talkies . . . Meeting of Paramount's theaters partners at Miami Beach . . . Major company attorneys met on Friday at the Hays office to discuss possible further legal action in view of the Court of Appeals ruling upholding New York City's 2 per cent sales tax on film rentals, but adjourned until today when a decision is expected to be reached . . . Irving Trust Co., RKO trustee, reported that claims against the film com pany, which are practically certain of allowance, total $20,388,687, exclusive of the $9,150,628 Rockefeller claim . . . Within a fortnight Skouras Theaters will decide what action it will take to restore single bills to local theaters . . . Prior to drafting standard or model plans for various types of film houses, S.M.P.E. started a nation-wide preliminary survey to obtain data on the size of screens, projection distances and angles, kinds of screens, types of projection, light-sources and all theater interior dimensions. . . . All directors were re-elected at the annual meeting of stockholders of Universal Pictures Co., Inc., held last Monday at Wilmington, Del. FOREIGN (Continued from Page 1) Distributors which provides for the joint production of eight features during the first year at $2,100,000 estimated cost. * * * Lord Portal, General Film Distributor chieftain and representative of Universal Pictures in England, made a trans-Atlantic phone call from London to Universal's home office to tell its board of directors' chairman, J. Cheever Cowdin that "Three Smart Girls" and the starlet, Deanna Durbin, had created a sensation at the West End Charity Fete in Britain's capital. Film also smashed a record of four years standing at Welling ton, Australia; established other records in the three Polish cities of Warsaw, Lodz and Krakow; and at the Plaza Theater in Brussels, it is reported playing to turnaway business. * * * Word flashed from Australia that another Universal attraction, "Show Boat," hung up a new world record for a single feature playing any one house by entering its 40th week at the Liberty Theater, Sydney. Picture also shattered admissions rec ; ord for the house, playing to 374,587 patrons during the run thus far. * * * Arthur W. Kelly, United Artists' vice-president in charge of foreign distribution, announced that releasing rights in all Spanish-speaking countries to two features, "Que Hago Con La Criatura" and "Mas Alia de la Muerte," and one short, "La Cucaracha Mexicana," have been arranged between U. A and Exito, U.C.P.R.S., Mexico City Guatemalan government lifted custom duties on news event films and those of an educational character. . . . Rome reported the formal open' ing of the Italian "Hollywood," giant studio development, set for April 21 ... In Paris, the Ministry of Arts made awards for special service to screen art to Directors Rene Clair and L. Renoir. Actors honored are Alerme (the burgomaster in "Carnival in Flanders"), Charles Lamy and George Treville.