Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1946)

Thursday, November 14, 1946 Motion Picture Daily 2i New Booking Records Seen During Drive (Continued from page 1) pushed its production schedule far ahead and is ready not only with its group of curpictures foi the dosing weeks of the ^Wipaign, but also with an important lineup for 1947. These productions are expected to keep the schedule of big pictures to come from 20th Century-Fox up to full strength and provide exhibitors with a steady flow of high budget product. Currently receiving final laboratory touches are : "13 Rue Madeleine," starring James Cagney, with Annabella, Richard Conte, Frank Latimore and Walter Abel, Melville Cooper and Sam Jaffe. This behind-thescenes story of Allied espionage was produced by Louis De Rochemont and directed by Henry Hathaway. "Carnival in Costa Rica," a musical in the Latin-American tempo, starring Dick Haymes, Vera-Ellen, Cesar Romero and Celeste Holm. Ernesto Lecuona, Cuban composer, wrote the score of the film, which was produced by William Bacher and directed by Gregory Ratoff. Mystery Story "The Brasher Doubloon," based on Raymond Chandler's mystery, "The High Window," starring George Montgomery and Nancy Guild, produced by Robert Bassler and directed by John Brahm. "The Homestretch" in Technicolor, a racing story, starring Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'Hara, with Glenn Langan and Helen Walker, produced by Bassler and directed by Bruce Humberstone. Also nearing completion are: "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now," musical in Technicolor, starring June Ha ver and Mark Stevens, with Martha Stew art.' Reginald Gardiner and Lenore Aubert. George Jessel produced the film, which was directed by Lloyd Bacon. "Bob, Son of Battle," story of a sheepdog, from the novel by Alfred Ollivant, and featuring Lon McCallister, Peggy Ann Garner, Edmund Gwenn and Reginald . Owen. The film was produced in Technicolor by Bassler and directed by Louis King. Colman as 'Apley' "The Late George Apley," starring Ronald Colman, and based on the Pulitzer Prize winner written by John P. Marquand. Peggy Cummins heads the featured cast, which includes Vanessa Brown, Richard Haydn, Charles Russell, Richard Ney, Percy Waram, Mildred Natwick, Edna Best and Nydia Wotman. Fred Kohlmar I produced the picture, and Joseph L. ManI kiewicz directed. "The Enchanted Voyage," based on the novel by Robert Nathan, and starring John Payne and June Haver with Charlotte Greenwood, Connie Marshal! and John Ireland featured. Lloyd Bacon directed in Technicolor, and Walter Morosco produced. In production at present, or about scheduled to go before the cameras are: omcrang," starring Dana Andrews THE 'Hell' 2-Q century-fox Hit! A NATION-WIDE billboard campaign will be a highlight of the j »■ special merchandising of new 20th Century-Fox product current during the company's observance of "20th Centurv-Fox Week," starting Nov. 28. The above on "The Brasher Doubloon" is typical of the use to which billboards across the nation will be put bv the company. TY POWER'S (Continued from page 4) is nearing completion of colorful drawing: for another of the studio's Technicolor films, "Carnival in Costa Rica," starring Dick Haymes, Vera-Ellen, Cesar Romero and Celeste Holm. Artists who have contributed their work: for campaigns on productions already released include portrait painter Sol Tepper whose full-color paintings for "Anna and the King of Siam" were widely reproduced cartoonist Richard Taylor who created an unusual set of black-and-white teasers for the "Home Sweet Homicide" campaign; artist Gilbert Bundy, who executed £ unique logotype of teen-age dancing figures, and other drawings, for the studio's Technicolor comedy-drama "Margie"; artist Arthur William Brown, who created a series of drawings for "Claudia and David," and Russell Patterson, cover artist and creator of stage decor, who contributed paintings for "Cluny Brown." "Bo ind Jane Wyatt, with Lee J. Cobb and Sam Levene, which producer De Roche mont and director Elia Kazan are now filming on location in the East. "Forever Amber" in Technicolor, with Linda Darnell and Cornel Wilde in tht leading roles, and a supporting cast headed by Richard Greene and Glenn Langan oroduced by Perlberg and directed by Otto Preminger. "The Captain From Castile," starring Tyrone Power, with Cesar Romero and Jean Peters in principal supporting roles, which will go on location in Mexico for many of the scenes, with Lamar Trotti producing and Henry King as director. "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir," starring Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison, with Kohlmar producing. The story is from the R. A. Dick novel, and the screen play is being written by Philip Dunne. Being readied for filming in the near future are: "Chicken Every Sunday," starring Jeanne Crain, Henry Fonda, and Maureen O'Hara, with Alan Young, based on the Rosemary Taylor best-seller and to be produced by Perlberg; "Mother Wore Tights" Technicolor, starring Miss Grable, which Trotti will produce; "Moss Rose," from the Joseph Shearing novel, which Gene Markey will produce with Peggy Cummins in the lead and Gregory Ratoff directing; "The Walls of Jericho," from the Paul Wellman Literary Guild novel. 20th's Sales Officials to 'Razor' Debut Connors Sets' Nov. 28 As ■ ^O-FoxWeek1 THE week of Nov. 28 has been set by Tom J. Connors, vice-president hargc of distribution for 20th Century-Fox, as "20th Century-Fox Week" ""I. m the future, Thanksgiving Week •ach year will be >0 de pany's Miles executives The world premiere of "The Razor's Edge" at the Roxy on November 19 will serve a two-fold purpose for 20th Centuryox division and district managers as wi ll as 11 branch managers. It will give them an opportunity to see the picture -for the first time and also permit Tom J. Connors, vice president in charge of distribution, and William Kupper, general sales manager, to hold important sales meetings while they are in New York. Herman Wobber, Western division sales manager, and Harry Ballance, Southern division manager, will come from San Francisco and Atlanta respectively to join William Gehring, Central division manager, and Andrew W. Smith, sales manager of the Eastern division, for the premiere and the sales conferences. The company's district managers coming to New York Eoi the two events include: C. E. Peppiatt, Philadelphia; E. X. Callahan. Boston; Paul S. Wilson, Atlanta; Philip Longdon, Dal; J. H. Lorentz, Chicago; J. P. Grady, Cincinnati; M. A. Levy, Minneapolis; W E. Scott, Kansas City; Sidney Samson. Toronto; Charles L. Walker, Salt Luke City; and Bryan D. Stoner, San Francisco. Best Sellers (Continued front page 4) Louella Parsons. "Honeyfogling Time," based on the novI by Virginia Dale. The producers who have been assigned to handle this story line-up are William A. Bacher, Robert Bassler, Sam Engel, George Jessel, Fred Kohlmar, Louis D. Lighton, Ernst Lubitsch, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Gene Markey, Walter Morosco, William Perlberg, Otto Preminger, Louis De Rochemont, and Lamar Trotti. on the production schedule of William Bacher ; "The Snake Pit," from the Bookof-the-Month Club best-seller by Mary Jane Ward, to be produced by Bassler ; and "Scudda Hoo ! Scudda Hay I", from the novel by George Agnew Chamberlain. ignated. The comfelt that the inilia tion of a "20th Century-Fox Week" .luring the "Spyros Skouras Sales Drive" par ticularly appropriate and will give exhibitors throughout the country an added opportunity to honor the 20th Century-Fox president. The goal set by the sales department for •'20th Cedtury-Fox Week is to have the company's trade mark on every screen in the nation. Bookings already received at the home office are declared to indicate achievement of that goal. Exhibitors' Manual A special manual has been prepared by the company's advertising and publicity staff to aid exhibitors in getting maximum box-office results during -20th CenturyFox Week." Also, the company is stepping up its overall advertising campaign, which will include special advertising accessories, intensified local ad campaigns and a nationwide billboard showing on the pictures current during the seven-day celebration. In ^release during "20th Century-Fox Week" the company will have many of its top productions that already have proved their box-office potential in pre-release engagements. Among these are "My Darling Clementine," which broke an 18-year record for the Fox in San Francisco at its world premiere there recently, and "Margie," which established a new week-end record at the Roxy in New York following its premiere there. "Three Little Girls in Blue," starring June Haver, George Montgomery, Vivian Blaine, Celeste Holm, Vera-Ellen and Frank Latimore, also will be current in first runs, and 1n New York Darryl F. Zanuck's production of "The Kazor's Edge" will be in full swing at the Roxy during t|lt. co„,j„g ^Olli CenturyFox Week." Tried and Proven Hitting the subsequent runs during this week will be a group of pictures that already have established their box-office draw, including "Anna and the King of Siam," starring Irene Dunne, Rex Harrion and Linda Darnell ; "Smoky" in Technicolor, starring Fred MacMurray with Anne Baxter, and "Centennial Summer," the Technical jnusical Starring Linda Darnell, Jeanne Crain, Cornell Wilde, Constance Bennett, Waller Brcnnan and Dorohy Gish. Augmenting the features that will be available during the week, the company also will have a long list of Terrytoons, Movietone News shorts, March of Time subjects and Movietone New-, ready for release.