Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1937)

14 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 6, 1937 17 PRODUCERS BUY 41 STORIES FOR FEW REMAINING CAPS IN SCHEDULES Originals Regain Lead Over Novels as Source of Film Material; Paramount Buys Seven Properties in Month Producers went about the business of filling the rapidly closing gaps in their current season programs through the purchase of 41 literary properties in October, a decrease of 27 stories bought as compared with the previous month. From their unusual position of first place in September, novels as a source of supply dropped to second position, being supplanted by 22 originals, 53.6 per cent of the total purchases, as against 10 novels. Plays, from the purchasing standpoint, showed a slight improvement, increasing from one in September to three last month. The remaining six properties were magazine stories. Paramount Buys Seven Paramount, which ranked far down on the list as a buyer in September, moved into the top position last month by acquiring seven writings — four originals, two plays and one novel. The other purchases in the month were made by 16 producers. The sources of the properties, aside from Par amount's, were as follows: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, four originals, one novel and one magazine; Warner Brothers, two novels, two originals and one magazine; Twentieth Century-Fox, three novels and one play; Universal, two novels; Columbia, two originals; Republic, two originals and one magazine; George Batcheller, two originals; Emanuel Cohen, one magazine and one original; RKO, one novel; Republic, one magazine; Joe Pasternak, one magazine, and Hal Roach, Mervyn LeRoy, Monogram, Major and Principal, one each. The titles of the 41 stories, with all available production credits, follow: American Legion, original by Martin Mooney, purchased by Columbia to feature Don Terry and Mary Russell. Screen play by Michael Simmons. C. C. Coleman, Jr., to direct. Badge of Policeman O'Roon, The, short story by O. Henry, purchased by Paramount as a starring vehicle for Beatrice Lillie and Bing Crosby. Screen adaptation by Jo Swerling and Richard Connell. Black Doll, The, a Doubleday, Doran Crime Club novel by William Edward Hayes, purchased by Universal. Captain Needs a Mate, The, original by Eric Hatch, purchased by Paramount as a starring vehicle for Jack Benny. Central Park Speak, original by Julius Klein, purchased by Columbia. Corn on the Cob, unpublished story by Homer Croy, purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. Eight Hours, magazine story to run in Colliers, purchased by Emanuel Cohen. Emergency Squad, an original by Michael Raymond and Robert Musel, bought by Paramount. Ensenada, original by John C. Moffitt and Duke Atteberry, purchased by Paramount, to be produced by Arthur Hornblow, Jr. Everybody's Girl, original by Samson Ra STORY PURCHASES OF YEAR COMPARED Month O riginals Books Plays Tota Nov. 34 16(d) 9 59 Dec. 31 12(e) 3 46 Jan., 1937 55 23(f) 15 93 Feb. 42 17(g) 9 68 March 42 16(h) 5 63 April 25 "IB 8 44 May 42 I0(j) 9 61 June 28 8(k) 1 37 July 21 5(1) 0 26 August 27 6(m) 12 45 Sept. 24 43(n) 1 68 Oct. 22 l6(o) 3 41 TOTALS FOR 12 MONTHS 393 I83(p) 75 651 (d) Including 5 published magazine stories. (e) Including 5 published magazine stories. (f ) Including 7 published magazine stories. (g) Including 5 published magazine stories. (h) Including 3 published magazine stories. (i) Including I published magazine story. ( j) Including 4 published magazine stories. (Ic) Including 7 published magazine stories. (I) Including I published magazine story and 2 radio serials, (m) Including 2 published magazine stories, (n) Including 29 published magazine stories, (o) Including 6 published magazine stories, (p) Including 77 published magazine stories. phaelson, purchased by Paramount. Frances Dee will have the leading role. For Hal Roach Feature Fancy Free, original by Eric Hatch, purchased by Roach as a vehicle for Ronald Colman. Release will be through MetroGoldwyn-Mayer. Fight Back, original by Richard Schayer and Jerry Horwin, purchased by Metro-GoldwynMayer. Fight's On, The, London stage play by Hagar Wilde, Ernest V. Heyn and Elliott Nugent, purchased by Paramount as a possible starring vehicle for Irene Dunne. Albert Lewin will produce. Fourth Estate, original by Saul Elkins and Sally Sadlin, purchased by Mervyn_ LeRoy. Garden of the Moon, Saturday Evening Post serial by H. BedfordJones and John Browne, purchased by Warner Brothers. Gentleman's Word, A, Collkrs magazine story by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, purchased by Republic. James Gleason will be associate producer. Hall on Wheels, original story by Thornton Martin, acquired by MGM. Hold That Kiss, original by Stanley Rauh, purchased by Major Productions. Hulda, Daughter of Parliament, play by Hella Wuclijeki, purchased by Paramount. Albert Lewin will produce. Crime Club Novel Last Express, The, Doubleday, Doran Crime Club novel by Raymond H. Kendrick, purchased by Universal. Let 'Em All Talk, original by Laurence Stallings, purchased by MGM. Life of O. O. McTyre, novel by Charles B. Driscoll to appear in serial form in Cosmopolitan and to be published in book form, purchased by Warner Brothers. Light Fingered Ladies, original by Armstrong Livingston, purchased by George Batcheller. Monster Men, original by Edgar Rice Burroughs, purchased by Principal. Morgen um Neun, German novel by Gina Kaus, published in 1931 in the magazine, Die Dame, and published in book form in Berlin in 1932, purchased by Twentieth CenturyFox. Night Before the Divorce, The, English translation and adaptation by Huntley Tennyson Holme of the unpublished play, "Die Nacht Vor Der Scheidung," by Gina Kaus, purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. Ninotschka, original by Melchior Lengyel, purchased by MGM. Not Made in Heaven, novel by Rian James, purchased by MGM. Nothing Down, original by Kubec Glasmon, purchased by Monogram. Marion Orth will do the screenplay. Private Pettigrew's Girl, Saturday Evening Post story by Dana Burnet, purchased by MGM as a starring vehicle for Joan Crawford for release under the title "Shopworn Angel." Queen of Crime, original by Martin Mooney, purchased by George Batcheller. Jack London Novel Sea Wolf, novel by Jack London, purchased by Warner Brothers. Serenade for a Wealthy Widow, Saturday Evening Post story by Richard Sherman, purchased by Joe Pasternak. She Married for Money, novel by Ursula Parrott, purchased by RKO as a starring vehicle for Ginger Rogers. Pandro S. Berman will produce. Sing Your Way Out, original by Albert Cohen and Gouveneur Morris, purchased by Republic. Harry Grey will produce. Star of the Sahara, original by Hazel Christie MacDonald, purchased by Emanuel Cohen. Sweet and Hot, original by Herbert Dalmas, purchased by Republic. That's My Sister, original by George Bilson, purchased by Warner Brothers to feature Hugh Herbert. Albert de Mond will do the adaptation and Lew Seiler will direct. Uncensored, novel by Oscar Millard, purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. Untitled, original based on the life of Victor Hugo by Heinz Herald and Wolfgang Reinhardt, being written for Warner Brothers. Gentleman's Word, A, magazine story by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, published in Colliers, purchased by Republic. Mayer Host to French Official Louis B. Mayer, vice-president in charge of production for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, was host at a luncheon last week in honor of Marcel Olivier, former Governor General of the Colonies of France, and chairman of the board of directors of the French line, at the MGM studios. New Durbin Contract Universal Pictures Corporation last week signed Deanna Durbin to a new five-year contract. The company also signed Joseph Pasternak, producer, and Henry Koster, director, to new seven-year contracts.