Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1935)

December 2 8, 1935 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 37 PRODUCERS FINISH 1935-36 FEATURE STORY PLANS WITH 53 PURCHASES Total of 29 Originals, 17 Books, and 7 Plays Bought in Two Months, Low Point for Any Period of Sanne Length Indicating the extent of the completeness of this season's product schedules from the standpoint of story availability, producers in Hollywood in the past two months purchased but 53 manuscripts, an all-time record low. Seven originals, five books and two plays were bought in October, a total of 14, and 22 originals, one magazine story, 11 books and five plays were acquired in November, for a total of 39. This compares with purchases made in previous months as follows : Month Originals Books Plays Totals September, 1934... 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 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 September 34 53* 4 91 October 7 5 2 14 November 22 I2t 5 39 TOTALS FOR 15 MONTHS. .. . 401 313 96 810 * Including 4 published mEtgazine stories; t Including 1 published magazine storjr. Although numerically low, October and November purchases are high in quality, promising good screen material for box offices in the final months of this season, running through to early summer. ' Sinclair Lewis' book, "It Can't Happen Here," was taken by MGM, which also purchased the play, "Paradise Lost," by Clifford Odets. Rupert Hughes wrote an original, "Static," acquired by Radio, and Ellen Glasgow's new novel, "Vein of Iron," made the third Metro purchase. October purchases were made as follows : companies — 16 producers participating in the story market — as follows : October •? Purchasers O Berke, Wm 2 Celebrated I Invincible I MGM I Radio I Selznick (U.A.) 20th Century-Fox ... I Universal Zeldman, B. F October Totals 7 S" Oct. ci Totals 14 Metro-Goldv^fyn-Mayer and Paramount were far in advance of all other companies in the number of properties acquired in November, each buying nine, principally originals Their purchases compared with other November Purchasers 10 o 2^ >• Nov. 5: Totals Burr, C. C Carr, Trem Chesterfield Columbia Conn, Maurice GB Pictures Invincible Korda (U.A.) MGM Paramount Pickford-Lasky (U.A.) Radio 20th Century-Fox Wanger, Walter Warners Zeidman NOVEMBER TOTALS 22 39 Purchases made in October, together with authors' names and production credits available, are as follows : OCTOBER PURCHASES Betsy Takes the Air, original, by Ralph Spence, purchased by 20th Century-Fox, for Shirley Temple. Brain Snatcher, original, by Ted Lloyd, purchased by Celebrated. Ghost Town, original, by Harry Carey, purchased by William Berke. Hitch Hike to Heaven, original, by Robert Ellis and Helen Logan, purchased by Invincible, for Henrietta Crosman, Al Shean, Anita Page, Herbert RawHnson, Russell Gleason and direction bv Frank Strayer. In His Steps, book, by Charles Sheldon, purchased by B. F. Zeidman, who signed Louis Stevens to adapt. It Can't Happen Here, book, by Sinclair Lewis, purchased by MGM. Paradise Lost, play, by Clifford Odets, purchased by MGM. Pecos Kid, original, by C. E. Roberts, purchased by William Berke, for Fred Kohler. Poor Little Rich Girl, play, by Eleanor Gates, purchased by 20th Century-Fox, for Shirley Temple. Silver Spurs, book, by Charles Selzer, purchased by Universal, for Buck Jones. Static, original, by Rupert Hughes, purchased by Radio. Texas Queen, original, by Robert Hopkins, purchased by MGM, for Jean Harlow, with production by Bernie Hyman. Tom Brown's Schooldays, book, by Thomas Hughes, purchased by Selznick International Pictures. Vein of Iron, book, by Ellen Glasgow, purchased by MGM. November purchases, together with authors' names and production credits available, follow: NOVEMBER PURCHASES Arkansaw Traveler, original, by Pinkie Tomlin, purchased by 20th Century-Fox. Big Sqawk, The, original, by Al Martin and Sherman Lowe, purchased by Columbia. Material Acquired Promises Much High Value Screen Productions, However; MGM and Paramount Lead in Buying Caesar's Wife, book, by Somerset Maugham, purchased by Warners. Daughters of Alma Mammy, original, based on college life, by George Marion, Jr., purchased by Paramount. Ever Since Eve, original, by Rian James and Gene Barker, purchased by Warners. Everything Thunder, book, by Jocelyn Lee Hardy, purchased by GB, for Constance Bennett. Exclusive Story, original, by Martin Mooney, purchased by MGM. Fashion Spy, original, by John Francis Larkin, purchased by Paramount, for Carole Lombard, with production by Arthur Hornblow, Jr. To be released under title, "Imported From Paris." Food of the Gods, original, by H. G. Wells, purchased by Alexander Korda, for United Artists release. Four Star Kiss, French play, purchased by Pickford-Lasky, for Francis Lederer. Gentlemen of Fortune, book, purchased by Paramount for Gladys Swarthout. Good for Nothing, original, by Robert Tasker, John Bright and Maurine Babb, purchased by Paramount for Virginia Weidler. Great Day, play, purchased by MGM, for Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. Hats in the Air, original, by Dwight Taylor, purchased by MGM. Hawk, The, play, Francois de Croisset, purchased by GB, for Constance Bennett. I'll Name the Murderer, original, by Philip Dunham, purchased by C. C. Burr. International Quartet, book, by J. B. Priestly, purchased by Alexander Korda, for Charles Laughton, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Elsa Lanchester and Ralph Richardson, for United Artists release. Last Trap, The, book, by Sinclair Gluck, purchased by Chesterfield, with Charles Lamont directing and Ewart Adamson adapting. Love in Reverse, original, by U. L. S. Carrington, purchased by Paramount, for Bing Crosby. Lovely, original, by Charles Kenyon and Rowland Leigh, purchased by Warners, for Kay Francis. Man in His World, A, book, by Louis Stevens, purchased by B. F. Zeidman. Napoleon's Love Story, original, by Helen Jerome, purchased by MGM. Inew Faust, The, original. By H. G. Wells, purchased by Alexander Korda, for United Artists release. Poppy, play, by Dorothy Donnelly, purchased by Paramount, for W. C. Fields, with production by William LeBaron. Robin Hood, Jr., original, by H. H. Van Loan, purchased by Maurice Conn. Rogue's Gallery, play, by Willard Keefe, purchased by B. F. Zeidman. Speed, original, by Milton Krims and Larry Bachman, purchased by MGM, for production by Lucien Hubbard. Spendthrift, book, by Eric Hatch, purchased by Walter Wanger. Strange Adventure of the Missing Link, original, by Harry Stephen, purchased by Trem Carr. Suicide Squad, original, by Ray Nazarro and C. Edward Roberts, purchased by C. C. Burr. Tenth Reunion, original, by George Oppen(Continued on follotving page, column 2)