The Film Daily (1938)

m ■ Friday, October 28, 1938 W DAILY A "£M&" fro*. HoU^wood "JMz /« op By RALPH WOK HOLLYWOOD Cukor on "Wizard of Oz" ORGE CUKOR will direct "The ^./izard of Oz" for Metro. This Technicolor production is based on Frank Baum's story of the same name. Mervyn LeRoy is producer, i and the cast is headed by Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Bert Lahr, Billie Burke, Ray Bolger and Buddy Ebsen. ▼ r T Maxie in "Broadway Cavalier" Maxie Rosenbloom has been assigned to one of the featured roles in Warners "Broadway Cavalier." Picture, with a cast headed by Pat O'Brien, Wayne Morris, Joan Blondell and May Robson, is scheduled to go into production the latter part of next month. T T T "Hot Piano" for Metro Metro has acquired motion picture rights to "Hot Piano," by Richard English. T T T Jean and June Signed Jean Parker and June Lang have been signed for leading femme roles in Hal Roach's "It's Spring Again," new Oliver Hardy-Harry Langdon comedy. WHO'S WHO IN HOLLYWOOD • • • Introducing Interesting Personalities: No. 201 • • • DERT GILROY. Producer. Born in Arizona and studied to be a mining engineer at the University of Arizona. Was in the U. S. Navy during the war, and on being mustered out, went to work for Paramount as a prop man. That was in 1919. Worked as assistant director and production manager at Paramount. Following that went to Metropolitan Studios as production manager for Producers Distributing Corp. Worked with Fred Thompson and then Pathe where he became associated with short subjects. When RKO and Pathe merged he became assistant to Lou Brock, and later to Lee Marcus. Three years ago became producer of RKO shorts, and when in 1938, RKO took over the George O'Brien westerns, he became producer of those too. His only outside interest is his 98,000 acre cattle ranch in Arizona. Faragoh On Rep. Special Republic has signed Francis Faragoh to do the final screenplay on "Doctors Don't Tell." This will be Republic's first anniverary special for the 1938-39 season. T T T Carr Starts Baker Western Trem Carr has started production on "Ghost Town Riders," starring Bob Baker with Fay Shannon play ing opposite. George Waggner is directing. T T T Bickford In Metro Pix Metro has added Charles Bickford to the cast of "Stand Up and Fight," in which Robert Taylor and Wallace Beery are starring. T T ▼ Lesser Signs Young, Meyer Sol Lesser has signed Victor Young as musical director on "Peck's Bad Boy At The Circus," and Abe Meyer as musical supervisor. T T T Hudson, Taylor As Leads Universal has signed Rochelle Hudson and Kent Taylor for the leads in "Sky Police" which will be directed by Joe McDonough. Picture is based on an original story by Lester Cole. Ben Grauman Kohn wrote the screenplay. ▼ ▼ T Harry Webb Leases Ranch Harry Webb has leased a 25 acre ranch outside of Newhall where he will shoot his Western series starring Bob Steele. It adjoins the Angelus forest reserve. Webb has just contracted with Nat Saland and Bill Steiner to furnish six action melodramas which he will make as the Metropolitan Picture Corp. ▼ T T Plans Kit Carson Pix Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively have been signed by Edward Small Productions to develop a story on the life of Kit Carson. The title will be "Kit Carson — Avenger." Production is scheduled for early Spring. Col. Registers Stock Reserved for Options (Continued from Paiie 1) mon stock. The shares are to be reserved for outstanding options which are held by Samuel J. Briskin, Abraham Schneider and Abraham Montague. Briskin holds options on 10,250 shares and Schneider and Montague each hold options for 7,687% shares. Of the 37,500 shares 25,625 are reserved for the option holders at $13.5366 per share for resale at a market price of $15.00 per share, the other 11,875 shares are reserved for issuance in event of increase in the number of shares which may be taken by the options. They also will be for resale at a market price of $15 per share. The registration states that all the shares will be represented by voting trust certificates if the options are exercised prior to April 1, 1940. Income from the stock sale is to be used for working capital it is stated. The option holders may be the underwriters, the registration states. Clicks In Australia "Marie Antoinette" was enthusiastically received in its Australian premiere Wednesday at the St. James Theater, Sydney, according to a cable received here by M-G-M yesterday. McConville Sails Nov. 4 Penn Newsreel, Picketed, to Discuss Foreign Setup Enters Counter-Picket (Continued from Pane 1) managers on the European situation, it was learned yesterday. Jack Segal, assistant to McConville, accompanies him. An outline of new operating policies for the European territories affected by recent changes will be given to the company's foreign managers by the Columbia foreign chieftain. New W. 43rd St. House Plans have been filed with the Department of Housing and Buildings by Freya, Inc., for the construction of an 862-seat theater to be built at 118-122 W. 43rd St.. New York City, it wps disclosed yesterday. Alexander S. Andr«ws and C. Z. Christopher are president and secretary, respectively, of Freya. Reopen Pact Negotiations Meeting between representatives of the Paramount News Unit of the Newspaper Guild and the newsreel company was held last night to reopen contract negotiations. Minimum wage scales was the principal issue discussed last night. Al Richard represented Paramount News. 160 In Illinois Allied Chicago — President Kirsch of the Allied Theaters reports more than 160 members now enrolled. Picketing of the Pennsylvania News Reel Theater by two members of the Theatrical Protective Union, Local 1, was upset yesterday when the managers of the theater entered the picketing field with their own man. Dressed as William Penn, the theater picket carried a sign telling the theater's side of the story. The union asked the theater to hire two of its men to replace burned out bulbs in the theater marquee, now being done by the porter. The theater states that it does not need any additional employes beyond its present staff. Henie Tour Opens Nov. 2 West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Sonja Henie and her Hollywood ice revue will start their tour Nov. 2 at the Polar Palace, Hollywood, and will play important cities until the middle of January. "Alice In Wonderland" will be one of the outstanding numbers. The ballet consists of 60 members, while 100 people are used in the revue. Sam Gould Hospitalized Pittsburgh — Sam Gould, who has been operating the Arcadia and Gould Theaters for over 20 years, has been confined to the Mercy Hospital here for the past four weeks with a very serious rheumatic condition. RKO Reports Good Business On Revival of "King Kong" Following the successful revival of "horror" pictures, RKO reports a number of first-run bookings on "King Kong," with the South leading in _ then umber of engagements. The picture also has been playing to reported good business in the Philadelphia, Boston and New York territories. Recent showings of "King Kong" in first-run theaters include Albany, Atlanta, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Dallas, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. New prints and a complete new campaign book have been issued. T-M in Three Deals Trailer-Made, Inc., has closed new franchise deals in three territories. Trailer-Made Service of Iowa and Nebraska has been formed to operate at 1515 Davenport St., Omaha. Beverly Miller has organized TrailerMade Service of Kansas City, Inc. while Ben Wilenski is opening offices in Boston to serve New England. All deals are for 10 vears. No Successor to Richey Detroit — Co-operative Theaters of Michigan is giving up the offices formerly used by H. M. Richey, recently resigned from the organization, definitely indicating that no successor will be appointed.