Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1935)

March 23, 1935 MOTIONPICTUREHERALD 23 ORIGINALS PROVIDE 40 PERCENT OF FEATURES; PLAYS, 12 PERCENT 158 Original Stories, 127 Books and 37 Plays Acquired by Producers in Half Year Since New Season Began The motion picture industry now goes to the original manuscript for 49 per cent of its feature story material, to the published book for 39 per cent and to the play of the stage for 12 per cent. These conclusions are drawn from the records of story purchases made by Hollywood as appearing regularly in Motion Picture Herald for the last six months, when there were acquired by all companies 158 originals, 127 books and novels and 37 plays, a total of 322 for the period begun September 1, 1934, when 1934-35 show season started. At midseason, story purchases are now being made at a rate of 40 a month. In the first quarter properties were purchased at the rate of 75 in September, 51 in October and 64 in November, compared with 44 in December, 47 in January and 41 in February. Governing the steady development of the original story as the principal channel of film material are two factors : ( 1 ) Availability, more than ever before, of wellknown writing talent for studio stafif assignment, and (2) Uncertainty of publication of a steady supply of usable books. Too, except on occasion, producers turn away from the excessive tariffs charged for such plays as are suitable for filming. At least two-thirds of the purchases made in the six months were used to round out feature programs for this season. Producers, as is customary, had completed at the beginning of the sales season in the summer only portions of their product schedules so that timelier subjects and new story successes might be added as they developed. Some 110 purchases, representing the remaining third of the total acquisitions, will be applied to the 1935-36 season. Purchases were made during the six months as follows : ORIG TOMONTH INALS BOOKS PLAYS TALS SEPTEMBER .. 28 40 7 75 OCTOBER ... 25 20 6 51 NOVEMBER .. 39 17 8 64 DECEMBER .. . 19 19 6 44 JANUARY ... 26 14 7 47 FEBRUARY ... 21 17 3 41 TOTALS FOR SIX MONTHS 158 127 37 322 Significant was the fall-off in play purchases from the average of six to eight acquired monthly from September to January, to only three in February. The large number of books acquired in September was attributable to the increased publishing activity that customarily follows the summer. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer led in the number of acquisitions, taking title to some 61 properties, half of them originals, 22 books and eight plays. Paramount scored 50, buying 22 originals, 18 books and 10 plays, with Radio and Warner nearly tied for third place with 34 and 32 purchases, respectively. Fox got 28 properties. Universal 21, and Columbia 19. Purchases by other companies for the six months were made as follows : Ambassador Pictures, eight; London Films Reliance (United Artists), five; Monogram, seven; Twentieth Century (United Artists), six; Reliance (United Artists), five; Chesterfield, King-Ajax Productions and Liberty, four each ; Mascot, three ; Goldwyn (United 'Artists) and Select, two each, and one each by British and Dominions (United Artists), Burr Productions, Cameo, Grace Pictures, Krellberg, Mindenburg and Supreme Pictures. 41 Bought In February There were 41 purchases negotiated in February, as follows : Total for Company Originals Books Plays Month CAMEO i 1 CHESTERFIELD 3 3 COLUMBIA 3 2 5 FOX 2 1 3 GAUMONT . . 1 1 LONDON(U.A.) . 2 2 METRO 4 3 3 10 PARAMOUNT 2 2 4 RADIO 1 1 20TH CENTURY (U. A.) 2 2 UNIVERSAL 1 2 3 WARNERS 6 6 TOTALS FOR THE MONTH 21 17 3 4! February purchases included many outstanding properties : Age of Indiscretion, original, by Leon Gordon, purchased by MGM for direction by Edward Ludwig. Alice Adams, book, by Booth Tarkington, purchased by Radio for Katharine Hepburn. Amateur Hour, original, purchased by Metro. Arctic Wings, original, by Richard V. Grace, purchased by Columbia. Ask for Mrs. Foster, original, by Josepli Santley, purchased by Warners as a possible vehicle for Aline MacMahon. Joseph Santley and Mary McCall, Jr., are writing the scenario. Baa Baa Black Sheep, original, by Arthur Herman, purchased by Fox. Black Room Mystery, original, by Arthur Strawn, purchased by Columbia for Boris Karloff. Bride Comes Home, book, by Elizabeth Holding, purchased by Paramount, for Claudette Colbert. Captain of the Yard, original, by John Bright and Robert Tasker, purchased by Warners as a possible vehicle for Edward G. Robinson. Circumstantial Evidence, original, by Tom Terris, purchased by Chesterfield, which assigned adaptation to Ewart Adamson. Claudius the God, book, by Robert Graves. Story Purchases Now Being Made at Rate of 40 a Month, 75 in September; MGM Takes Title to 61 Properties purchased by London Films (United Artists), for production by Alexander Korda. Dark Dame, book, by Wilson CoUison, purchased by Metro. Death on the 8:06, book, by Philip Wylie, purchased by Paramount. Every Night at Eight, original, by Gene Towne and Graham Baker, purchased by Paramount, for production by Walter Wanger. Far off Hills, play, by Lennox Robinson, purchased by Metro, for Maureen O'Sullivan, Franchot Tone, Charles Butterworth, and direction by William K. Howard. Farrell Case, original, by Seton L Miller, purchased by Warners for James Cagney. Gold Eagle Guy, play, purchased by Metro. Gorgeous Hussy, original, by Samuel Hopkins Adams, purchased by Metro, for Jean Harlow, production by David O. Selznick. Grand Exit, original, by Gene Towne and Graham Baker, purchased by Columbia. House of Trujillo, book, by Anne Cameron, purchased by Metro. I, Claudius, hook, by Robert Graves, purchased by London Films (United Artists), for production by Alexander Korda. I Found Stella Parrish, original, by John Monk Saunders, purchased by Warners for Kay Francis. IvANHOE, book, by Sir Walter Scott, purchased by Twentieth Century (United Artists). Kiss AND Wake Up, original, by Alan Dwan, purchased by Fox for Edmund Lowe and Claire Trevor. Leave It to Us, original, by Isabel Dawn and Boyce Degaw, purchased by Warners for Joan Blondell and Glendall Farrell. Life of Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd, book, by Nettie Mudd, purchased by Twentieth Century, which will release it through United Artists under the title of "Shark Island." Lightning Strikes Twice, original, by F. Tennyson Jesse, purchased by Paramount. Little Annie Rooney, published in comic strip form by Brandon Walsh, purchased by Fox as a possible vehicle for Shirley Temple. Littlest Rebel, play, by Edward H. Peple, purchased by Metro. Lost Horizon, book, by James Hilton, purchased by Columbia. Maid of Honor, book, by Katherine Brush, purchased by Columbia, which assigned S. K. Lauren to adapt. Man of the World, original, by John Farrow, purchased by Metro for Paul Lukas. One Thousand and Eleven Fifth Avenue, book, by Eric Hatch, purchased by Universal. Process Servers, original, by George Bilson, purchased by Warners for Joan Blondell. Public Opinion, original, by Karen DeWolf, purchased by Chesterfield. Rich Relations, book, by Priscilla Wayne, purchased by Cameo Pictures. Room and Board, original, by John Krafift, purchased by Chesterfield. Soldiers Three, based on Rudyard Kipling's adventures, purchased by Gaumont. Storm Over Asia, original, by Elliott Gibbons and LaClade Christy, purchased by Universal for Chester Morris. Untitled book, by Wilson Collison, purchased by Metro for Joan Crawford. We Are Three, book, by Marcel Thibault, purchased by Universal.