Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1935)

September 14, 1935 MOTION PICTU RE HERALu 29 AUCUSrS 32 STORY PURCHASES SHOW WELL-STOCKED SH ELVES IN STUDIOS Buying of Story Properties Below 56-a-Month Average, but Quality of Books and Plays Continues at High Standard The completeness of 1935-36 product schedules from the standpoint of story material on hand is reflected by the all-time low record purchase by producers in Hollywood of only 32 books and plays during August, a considerable drop from the 56 monthly average for the last 12 months. Classics Purchased August purchases, a barometer further enlightening exhibitors as to what they may expect on distributors' pre-season numerical commitments, do not, however, suffer from a potential quality standpoint when compared with the larger group acquisitions of previous months. They include some notable properties, Warner has decided on stories of Robin Hood and Beethoven to add to their growing collection of outstanding classics. Paramount, too, made a purchase that promises much in acquiring "Burlesque," George Manker Watters' recordbreaking Broadway play of several seasons ago. The producer has spotted Sylvia Sidney in the star part. Goldwyn Buys Play Samuel Goldwyn was the successful bidder for "Children's Hour," Broadway play of the past season, and to Universal went Phil Stong's Saturday Evening Post serial about "The Farmer in the Dell." "If Winter Comes," a box office performer of the silent days, will be brought back in sound by Fox, while the Broadway play, "Mother Lode," was acquired by Radio. Paramount bought rights to "Turn Off the Moon," forthcoming Pictorial Review serial. Numerically, the August purchases compare with previous months as follows : Month Originals Books Plays Totals 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 4! March 28 15 5 48 April 43 44 13 100 May 23 19 9 51 June 24 19 7 50 July 41 12 10 63 August 21 7 4 32 TOTALS FOR 12 MONTHS . . 338 243 85 666 Nearly two-thirds of all the manuscripts were acquired by three companies, Paramount and Radio each buying six, although both were topped by Universal's eight. Originals lead books and plays by 21 to 7 and 4, respectively, representing 66 per cent of the total purchases, as compared with the 50 per cent represented by originals during all of the previous 11 months. Story deals in August tabulated by companies were as follows : August Purchasers Originals Books Plays Totals Goldwyn (U.A.) I I MGM I I 2 Paramount 4 I I 6 Radio 4 I I 6 Republic I I 20th Century-Fox 1113 Universal 6 2 8 Walter Wanger. I I Warner 4 4 AUGUST TOTALS 21 7 4 32 August purchases, together with authors' names and the production credits available, follow : Adventures of Robin Hood, original, purchased by Warner Brothers, for James Cagney and Guy Kibbee. Amateur Racquet, original, by Albert J. Cohen and Robert Shannon, purchased by Universal. Battle of the Alamo, original, by Lindsley Parsons and Robert Emmett, purchased by Republic. Burlesque, play, by George Manker Watters, purchased by Paramount, for Sylvia Sidney. Cat Across My Path, book, by Ruth Feiner, translated from the German by Norman Alexander, purchased by Metro-GoldwynMayer. Children's Hour, play, by Lillian Hellman, purchased by Samuel Goldwyn (United Artists). Country Beyond, purchased by 20th CenturyFox, for production by Sol Wurtzel, with Rochelle Hudson and John McGuire. Dead Man Inside, original, by Vincent Starrett, purchased by Paramount. German Play Bought Der Schoepfer, German play, by Hans Mueller, purchased by Paramount. Die Heilige Luege (The Holy Lie), book by Karin Michaelis, purchased by 20th CenturyFox. Farmer in the Dell, book, by Phil Stong, purchased by Radio. Glory Hole, book, by Theodore Reeves, purchased by Universal, for Jack Holt. If Winter Comes, play and book, purchased by 20th Century-Fox. Her Master's Voice, book, by Clare Kummer, purchased by Walter Wanger. Home, original, by Julian Josephson, purchased by Universal, for Edgar A. Guest. Indestructible Mrs. Talbot, original, by P. J. Wolfson, purchased by Paramount. Legion, original, by Jerry Wald and Julius Epstein, purchased by Warner, for Joe E. Brown. Life of Beethoven, based on the career of the German composer, purchased by Warner, with arrangements by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and direction by William Dieterle. Play Goes to Radio Magnolia Grove, magazine story, by Tristram Tupper, purchased by Universal, for Margaret Sullavan, and production by Carl Laemmle, Jr. Miss Pacific Fleet, original, by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, purchased by Warner, for Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell and Hugh Herbert, Warren Hull and Allen Jenkins. Mother Lode, play, by Dan Totheroh and Warner Acquires Robin Hood and Beethoven Stories; Goldwyn Gets 'Children's Hour' Play; Paramount, 'Burlesque' George O'Neill, purchased by Radio, for Richard Dix, production by Cliff Reid. One to Two, original, by James Edward Grant, purchased by Radio, for William Powell, direction by Stephen Roberts, screen play by Rian James. Portrait of John Garner, original, by Fred W. Gelsey, purchased by Radio. Sun Never Sets, original, by Arthur Fitz Richards and Jerry Horwin, purchased by Universal. Test Pilot, original, by Charles Beahan, purchased by Radio. Thorobreds All, original, by Tom Storey and Earl Johnson, purchased by Radio. Tomorrow Will Be a Better Day, original, by William Thiele and Edmund L. Hartmann, purchased by Universal, direction by Mr. Thiele. Tosspot, original, by Daniel Moore, purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, for Clark Gable. Turn Off the Moon, book, by Mildred Harrington, purchased by Paramount, as a possible vehicle for Bing Crosby. Untitled original, by Stephen Vincent Benet, purchased by Paramount. Walking Dead, original, by Ewart Adamson, purchased by Warner, for Boris Karlofif, with Mr. Adamson adapting. Yellowstone, original, by Houston Branch, screen story by Arthur Phillips and Cy Bartlett, purchased by Universal, for John King, production by Jerry Sackheim. Self' Sustaining Drama for Relief Abandonment of free shows for a nationwide system of self-sustaining dramatic ventures has been decided upon by federal officials in Washington in mapping out an actor relief program. With many details still unsettled, headquarters of the works program revealed that President Roosevelt has approved expenditure of $27,315,217 for cultural projects intended to give emergency jobs to artists, writers, musicians and actors. Nearly half the total will be spent for drama projects. Including vaudeville performers as well as legitimate talent, relief authorities will concentrate on encouraging local activities which in time will become self supporting and will attempt to provide "entertainment to large audiences at low cost." Equity and stage hands lost their fight for observance of union scales when relief directors announced the subsistence wage schedule, with a maximum of $94 monthly, will be adhered to in the cultural program. Kessler Howe Joins British Lion Kessler Howe has joined the New York office of British Lion Pictures, Ltd., as director of publicity.