The Film Daily (1939)

Mt Tuesday, April 25, 1939 As usual, The Year Book deserves unstinted commendation and I join with the multitudes both in and out of the industry in praising you for its achievement. Irving Lesser Roxy Theatre New York City OJkt 1939 FILM YEAR BOOK published by THE Fl LM DAILY 1501 BROADWAY, N. Y. C. Coast Casting West Coast Bur., THE FILM DAJLY Hollywood — New assignments: Greer Carson to star in Metro's "Susan and Cod," Hunt Stromberg producing; Ona Munson as Belle Wetling in Selznick's "Gone With the Wind"; Joan Bennett to star in Wanger's "House Across the Bay"; Pat O'Brien in Warners' "Dead End Kids at Valley Forge"; Basil Rathbone and Donald Crisp in Warners' "Knight and Lady": Anne Nagel and Warren Hull in Monogram's "Girl from Nowhere." Variety Club Convention Will Elect on Saturday Detroit — Program for the National Variety Club convention was released yesterday by John E. Flynn, general chairman, with four days packed with activities for visiting delegates and guests. The day-byday schedule: Thursday, 1 p.m. Meeting of National Officers only. Friday, 10 a.m., Opening session. Saturday, Closing session, with election of national officers and designation of 1940 convention city. 6:30 p.m., banquet. Sunday, visits to points of interest. John B. Kennedy, news commentator, will be a speaker at the Variety banquet Saturday. Henry and Edsel Ford will personally conduct convention guests through the Ford Factory Friday afternoon. Pittsburgh Sending 25 To Variety Club Parley Pittsburgh— Twenty delegates and five alternates from the local Variety Club will attend the National Variety Club Convention opening in Detroit Thursday, headed by Chief Barker Ira H. Cohn. National delegates from this city are Harry M. Kalmine and Harold Lund; alternates, Dr. A. I. Wise and Mark Goldman, together with the following national officers: John H. Harris, Chief Barker of Variety Clubs of America; John J. Maloney, national chairman, Heart of Variety committee; James G. Balmer, national Dough Guy; John T. McGreevey, national Canvassman. Chicago Group Will Seek Charter for Variety Club Chicago — Charter for a local Variety club will be sought at the Detroit convention this week, according to Johnny Mednikow who will head a delegation including Manny Gottlieb, Peck Gommersall, Jerry Mack, Bill Bishop, Eddie Brunell, Gene Rich and Dave Dubin. Massey Will Portray His Abe Lincoln on Screen Raymond Massey, now portraying the title role on Broadway in "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," has signed with RKO Radio to star in its picturization of the Robert E. Sherwood stage hit. Massey will leave for Hollywood this summer, when the screen version gets under way. 45 BEFORE CAMERAS; PARA. LEADS WITH 9 West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Forty-five pictures are in production with Paramount heading the list with nine. M-G-M 20th Century-Fox and RKO are mak-1 ing five each; Warner Bros, and Columbia, four each; Republic, three Universal, Goldwyn and Mon^vVim | two each. Selznick, Warner, ^mal and Arcadia Pictures are down foi one each. "Dedee of Antwerp" Will be Third Morros Feature We-t Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILr{ Hollywood — The third picture scheduled by Boris Morros Produc tions will be a French remake o: i "Dedee D'Anverse." This will fol low "The Aviator" and "Around the World in Eighty Days," and will b< released in the United States unde; the title of "Dedee of Antwerp." "Miracle of Main Street" Started by Skirball for GN We-t Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAJLM Hollywood — Jack Skirball has| started production on "The Mirach of Main Street" with Steve Sekelji directing. The cast headed by Mar go, includes . Walter Abel, Wymu Gibson, Lyle Talbot, Veda Ami Borg, Pat Flaherty, Jane Darwel and William Collier, Sr. Picturt will be released by Grand National Mills Explains Ascap Method; At Arkansas ITO Meeting Little Rock, Ark. — E. C. Mills' chairman of the administrative com mittee of Ascap, was the principa speaker at the annual ITO meeting; here yesterday. He explained th<; purpose, workings, and results of Ascap and said that his organiza i tion was the most serviceablt agency the film industry dealt with D. R. Milsten, counsel for Ascaj, for the States of Arkansas an^ Oklahoma, spoke briefly, declaring that Ascap came into being as ; necessity. Speeches of both Ascai representatives were enthusiastical ly received. Col. H. A. Cole, Allied prexy answered questions of exhibs. peri taining to various legislative mat ters and film problems. More thai 100 exhibs. and Allied represents tives attended. O. G. Wren of Little Rock, wa! elected president; K. K. King o' Searcy, secretary, and W. E. Mali of Augusta, vice-president. Mrs. Finke Interred Chicago — Mrs. Ida Finke, siste of the Gumbiner Brothers, Vetera: film theater owners, was buried her on Friday in Rosehill Cemetery. He husband and five children survive. Sam Asher Dead Boston — Sam Asher, veteran prci jectionist and brother of Harr Asher, indie film distrib. here, die yesterday in Chelsea Service Hof pital.