Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1939)

26 MOTION PICTURE HERALD May 2 0, 19 3 9 TITLES OF STORIES BOUGHT IN MONTH (Continitcd from preceding page) Gable will be starred and Joseph Mankiewicz will produce. Ruler of the Seas, original by Talbot Jennings, purchased by Paramount for Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Margaret Lockwood and Will FyfFe. Frank Lloyd will direct. Irving Berlin Music Say It with Music, original, featuring Irving Berlin's music, purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. Shadow Creeps, The, original by Willis Cooper, George Plympton, Basil Dickey and Mildred Barrish, purchased by Universal. Sherlock Holmes, novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox, as a sequel to "Hound of the Baskervilles." Edwin Blum will write the screenplay. Silent Knight, musical stage play by Eugene Heltai, purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. Robert Z. Leonard will produce and direct. Simon Bolivar, unpublished novel by Ulrich SteindorfiF, originally called "Caesar and Cleopatra in America," purchased by Warner Brothers for Bette Davis and Errol Flynn. Sister Carrie, novel by Theodore Dreiser, purchased by Harry Edington (Famous Productions). Son of the Navy, original by Grover Jones and True Boardman, purchased by Monogram. Storm Over Bengal, original by Achmed Abdullah, purchased by Republic. Sunrise, original by Joseph Fields, purchased by RKO. Cliff Reid will produce. Three Sons, original by Lester Cohe, purchased by RKO for Edward Ellis. Timber, original by Paul Jarrico, purchased by Universal. Trigger Fingers, original by Basil Dickey, purchased by Victory Pictures for Tim McCoy. Untitled Original, by Ben Markson, in "Family Next Door" series, purchased by Universal. Western Union, original by Ward Wing and Wilfred Rothschild, purchased by MetroGoldwyn-Mayer. The story is based on the history of the Western Union Company. Wings Over the Andes, original by Hubert Hilton, purchased by Monogram for one of the "Talispin Tommy" series. National Decency Legion Classifies 17 Pictures Of 17 pictures reviewed and classified by the National Legion of Decency in its listing for the current week nine were approved for general patronage, five were listed as unobjectionable for adults, one was cited as objectionable in part and two were condemned. The pictures and their classification follow : Class A-1, Unobjectionable for General Patronage: "Gracie Allen Murder Case," "Law Comes to Texas," "Nancy Drew, Trouble Shooter," "Panama Patrol," "Singing Cowgirl," "Six Gun Rhythm," "SkanorFalsterbo" (Swedish), "Spoilers of the Range," "Tell No Tales." Class A-2, Unobjectionable for Adults: "Double Crime in the Maginot Line" (French), "Dead Men Tell No Tales," "The Eagle and the Hawk," "Rose of Washington Square," "Invitation to Happiness." Class B, Objectionable in Part: "Escape from Yesterday" (French). Class C, Condemned: "Indiscretions" (French), "Wages of Sin." BEST SELLERS AND RENTERS "The Grapes of Wrath," by John Steinbeck, the screen rights of which have been acquired by Darryl Zanuck for Twentieth Century-Fox production, has jumped into the lead as the best seller of fiction, according to the monthly tabulations of "Best Sellers and Renters" in The Retail Bookseller, house organ of The Baker & Taylor Company, New York. Although the best sellers listing has undergone a general change since the previous listing, the best renters listing remains practically unchanged with "All This, and Heaven Too," by Rachel Field, still leading. Ten Best Sellers (Based upon a count of sales from March 20th to April 17th) L The Grapes of Wrafh, by John Steinbeck. 2. Harlequin House, by Margery Sharp. 3. Suns of Burgoyne, by Bruce Lancaster. 4. The Runaway, by Kathleen Norris. 5. Wickford Point, by John P. Marquand. 6. The Middle Window, by Elizabeth Goudge. 7. Wine of Good Hope, by David Rame. 8. All This, and Heaven Too, by Rachel Field. 9. The Patriot, by Pearl S. Buck. 10. The Tree of Liberty, by Elizabeth Page. Ten Best Renters (Based on nationwide reports) 1 . All This, and Heaven Too, by Rachel Field. 2. Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurler. 3. Disputed Passage, by Lloyd C. Doug las. 4. Three Harbours, by F. Van Wyck Mason. 5. My Son, My Son! by Howard Spring. 6. Song of Years, by Bess Streeter Aid rich. 7. Wickford Point, by John P. Marquand. 8. The Tree of Liberty, by Elizabeth Page. 9. The Patriot, by Pearl S. Buck. 10. Seasoned Timber, by Dorothy Can field. Cinematone Corporation of Hollywood has announced the production of a newly perfected phonograph; "Penny Phono," which will play musical selections for one cent each. The "Penny Phono' will have 20 musical numbers on one record, 10 to each side and Cinematone will build the machines as well as make the recordings. Junior Programs IVill Expand to Pacific Coast Expansion of the non-commercial theatrical organization known as Junior Programs, Inc., will be made to serve the entire country next season, with touring companies of adult professional opera, ballet, drama and other performers playing before audiences of children at movie admission prices averaging 10 cents to 25, going as far west as the Pacific Coast for the first time. The performers, equipment and scenery travel in mobile units, playing in school and municipal auditoriums and in film theatres, in arrangements with the local exhibitor, who usually sets morning matinees. The Junior Programs report for 1938-39, made by Mrs. Dorothy L. McFadden, founderdirector, to its directors at a meeting in New York, this week, showed a decrease to $13,305 from the 1937-38 deficit of $23,772. Employment at Equity rates or better was given during 1938-39 to more than SO adult professional performers, including opera singers, ballet dancers, players, musicians, lecturers, pupeteers, and other artists, the report revealed. Performances totalled 323, an increase of 33 per cent over 1937-38, and number of different communities served 130, an increase of 16 per cent over 1937-38. A new opera and a new play will be added during 1939-40 to the organization's existing repertoire of two operas, three ballets and a play. And a small number of new individual artists have been approved by the organization's advisory committees of educators, child psychologists, and drama leaders for booking under Junior Programs banner. For the coming season Junior Programs is now set to provide service to 31 states and Canada, with negotiations pending for six additional states. Saul Lancourt, general manager in 1938-39, scheduled 59 performances by the ballet company in 63 days out and 49 performances by the opera company in 48 days out. New advisory committee chairmen for Junior Programs, Inc., were announced as follows : Community relations — Dr. Garry C. Myers, honorary chairman ; John W. Faust, chairman. Educational guidance — Dr. W. Carson Ryan, Jr., honorary chairman ; Dr. Hugh B. Wood, chairman. Music — Eugene Goossens, honorary chairman ; Lee Pattison, chairman. Drama — Jane Cowl, honorary chairman ; Margaret Anglin, chairman. Radio — Mrs. Sidonie Matsner Gruenberg, honorary chairman ; Margaret Harrison, chairman. New quarters of Junior Programs have been set up at 37 West 57th Street. The organization was incorporated in 1936. In a poll conducted at Mount St. Vincent, a Catholic college for women at Riverdale, N. Y., the students favored a voluntary censorship of motion pictures, stage and radio. Joseph M. Koehler, who has been handling the promotion of the Sponsored Program Service for Muzak Corporation, a Warner affiliate, has resigned to devote his entire time to Radio Events, Inc., of which he is president. Herman Bernie has resigned as head of the New York office of Myron Selznick agency.