Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1939)

14 MOTION PICTURE HERALD March 18, 1939 STORY INVENTORY FOR '40 PROGRAMS INCREASED BY 55 BOOKS AND PLAYS Universal Largest Single Purchaser, with I I Properties Columbia Buys "Tree of Liberty"; 2 Radio Scripts Among Stories During the past month, Hollywood studios acquired 55 more books and plays for 1939'40 filming for their distributors' commitments to exhibitors. For the second successive month, Universal led all other purchasers in the literary mart, buying 11 original properties. Following closely was Columbia, with a series of nine stories in the "Five Little Peppers" series, bought for Edith Fellows, and "The Tree of Liberty," Literary Guild novel by Elizabeth Page. Two from Radio Two radio scripts were among the acquisitions, one purchased by RKO for Jean Hersholt, and one by Republic. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer bought the only play, Rachel Crothers' "Susan and God," while Paramount, among its nine purchases, numbered O. Henry's short story "The Double Dyed Deceiver." As in the preceding six months, originals accounted for the largest single number of all types of properties, with 11 of the 13 producers buying 33 originals, or 60 per cent of all purchases made. Twentieth Century-Fox and Columbia were the only two companies which did not acquire originals, both restricting their purchases to books. The month's acquisitions, only two behind those of January, are an indication that 1939 may well be a banner year in the buying of properties for films. January, 1938, had a total of only 35 literary acquisitions, compared to last January's 57 ; and February, 1938, listed 38 as against last month's 55. The trend toward social themes has made the task of the story and dramatic editors more difficult, as suitable material for screen fare becomes harder to find in the writings of well known authors and playwrights. This has intensified the efforts to maintain contact with writers, agents and publishers, and made the buying more competitive, as well as acting as an inducement to producers to stock their vaults with material now. The Properties The month's purchases, with all available production credits, follow : After School Days, original by Stephen Morehouse Avery and Frank Partos, purchased by Universal for Deanna Durbin. American School Teacher, original by George Bricker and William Dover, purchased by RKO for Bob Burns. Jack Yellen will write the screenplay and George Haight will produce. Back to Work, original by Abel Kandel, purchased by Universal. Big Town, radio script by Paul Schofield, purchased by Republic. Billion Dollar Racket, original by Stuart and Dorrell McGowan, purchased by Universal. Black Gold, original and screenplay by Huston Branch, purchased by Samuel Goldwyn (United Artists). _ Born to Hang, original by George Bruce, purchased by Arcadia. Bowery Boy, original and screenplay by Sam Fuller, purchased by Republic. Bright Victory, original by Val Burton, purchased by Universal. Commercial Spy, original by Hugh King and Daniel Moore, purchased by Universal. STORY PURCHASES OF YEAR COMPARED Month Original Is Books Plays Totals March, 1938 14 9(a) 2 25 |^pril 25 9(b) 3 37 May 23 13 0 36 June 24 32(c) 3 59 July 1 1 2 18 August 44 43(cl) 6 93 September 39 10(e) 2 51 October 23 28(f) 1 52 November 34 19(g) 6 59 December 27 14(h) 2 43 January, 1939 42 14(1) 1 57 February 33 2l(i) 1 55 TOTALS FOR 12 MONTHS 339 2l7(k) 29 585 (a) Inc luding 3 (b) Inc luding 6 1 (c) Incl luding 3 (d) Including 5 1 (e) Incl luding 2 (f) Incl uding 1 4 (g) Incl uding 13 (h) Incl luding 12 (i) Inc luding 7 1 (11 Incl luding 1 2 (M Inc luding 60 published magazine stories, published magazine stories and comic strip. published magazine stories, published magazine stories and newspaper serial, published magazine stories and newspaper comic strip, published magazine stories, published magazine stories, published magazine stories, published magazine stories and radio program. published magazine story and radio programs, published magazine stories, 2 comic strips, I newspaper serial and 3 radio programs. Day the Bookies Wept, The, magazine story by Daniel Fuchs, purchased by RKO for Joe Penner. Design for Freedom, unpublished story by Ed Sullivan, purchased by Twentieth CenturyFox. Dr. Christian, radio serial by John Hasty, purchased by RKO for Jean Hersholt, who is starred in the radio show. Dr. Cyclops, original by Tom Kilpatrick, purchased by Paramount. Dale Van Every will produce and Ernest B. Schoedsack direct. Double Dyed Deceiver, The, short story by O. Henry (William Sydney Porter), purchased by Paramount. Harry Sherman will produce and Dan Venturini direct. Five Little Peppers, series of nine books by Margaret Sidney Lothrop, purchased by Columbia for Edith Fellows. Friday the Thirteenth, original by Willis O. Cooper, purchased by Universal. Give Us Wings, original by Eliot Gibbons, purchased by Universal. Gun Chores, original by Jack Jungmeyer, Sr., purchased by Paramount. Harry Sherman will produce. Haunted House, The, original by Helen Morse, purchased by Monogram for Jackie Moran and Marcia Mae Jones. Honorable Uncle Lancy, The, novel by Ethel Huston, purchased by Paramount. Include Me Out, original by Rolph Passer and Lyford Moore, purchased by Grand National. In Old California, original by Michael L. Simmons, purchased by Universal. Intermezzo, original by Gustaf Molander and Gaesta Stevens, purchased by David O. Selznick (United Artists). John Van Druten will do the screenplay. It's a Wonderful World, original by Ben Hecht, purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, for Claudette Colbert and James Stewart. W. S. Van Dyke will direct. I Stole a Million, original by Lester Cole, purchased by Universal. Kitchener of Khartoum, original, purchased by Imperadio Pictures, Ltd. (RKO). Lady Jane, novel, by Cecilia Viets Jamison, purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. Madame Mystery, original by Frank O'Connor, originally called "Tempted," purchased by Paramount. Man from Montreal, The, original by Owen Francis, purchased by Universal. Music Is My Faith, autobiography by David Mannes, purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Old Swimmin' Hole, The, original by Roger Pinkus, purchased by Monogram for Jackie Moran and Marcia Mae Jones. "Susan and God" Purchased Red Man, original by John Rathmell, purchased by Monogram for Tex Ritter. Edward Finney will produce. Salute to Hate, original by Faith Thomas, purchased by RKO for John McCarthy and Anne Wilson. Shake Hands with the Devil, unpublished story by William Rankin and Eleanore Griffin, also known as "Dance with the Devil." Purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. Story of Old Man Hod, The, original by Dalton Trumbo, purchased by RKO. Susan and God, stage play by Rachel Crothers, purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Three and One, original by George Beck, purchased by Universal. Timber Stampede, novel by Bernard McConville, purchased by RKO for George O'Brien. Oliver Drake will write the screenplay and Bert Gilroy will produce. Tomboy, original by Jefferson Blake, purchased by Monogram for Jackie Moran and Marcia Mae Jones. "Tree of Liberty" to Oolumbia Tree of Liberty, The, novel by Elizabeth Page, purchased by Columbia. Triumph Over Pain, novel by Rene Fulop Muller, purchased by Paramount. Preston Sturges will write the screenplay and Henry Hathaway direct. Two Gun Troubador, original by Homer King Gordon, purchased by C. C. Burr for an Atlas production. Untitled Original, by Captain Frank Winch (two_ stories), purchased by Paramount. Harrison Jacobs will write the screenplay, and Harry Sherman will produce. What Price College, original by Irving Fineman, purchased by Warner Brothers. World on Parade, The, original by Endre Bohem, purchased by Paramount. J. C. Clemmons Retires as Jefferson Amusement Head Joe C. Clemmons, president and founder of the Jefferson Amusement Company, which operates 71 houses in East Texas, has retired as active head of the firm. After 30 years in show business, Mr. Clemmons says he thought it was time to "slow down and look around." Sol E. Gordon, chairman of the board of directors, becomes the new president. He and Mr. Clemmons started the Jefferson Amusement Company in 1918.