Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1940)

A p r i 3 , 1940 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 18 PRODUCERS BUY 76 STORIES FOR 1940-41 FEATURE PROGRAMS 56 Acquired in February, 20 in March; Columbia Purchases Two Cartoons; "Jekyll and Hyde" to Be Made Third Time Eighteen producers purchased the screen rights to seventy-six story properties in February and March as potential screen material for the coming product year. These acquisitions represent the first substantial purchases for the 1940-41 season. The material for the current season was bought long since. 56 in February Of 56 properties acquired in February, 32 were original stories, fourteen were books. There were three published magazine stories and one newspaper cartoon. There also were ten plays. In March twenty purchases were made by producers. These included ten originals, ten books, including two published magazine stories, one newspaper comic strip and one film. The companies did not report the purchase of any plaj-s in March. Columbia, following the success of the "Blondie" series, bought in February another newspaper comic strip, "Terry and the Pirates," from the News Syndicate Company. This cartoon is drawn by Milton Caniff. In March, Columbia purchased from King Features, which also handles "Blondie" for distribution to newspapers, the screen rights to "Tillie the Toiler," by Russ Westover. For the title role a nationwide casting contest will be undertaken. Third "Jekyll-Hyde" Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in March acquired from Paramount the screen rights to Robert Louis Stevenson's novel, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." This will be the third time the book has reached the screen. John Barrymore played the dual character in the silent version in 1922. Ten years later Paramount made a talking picture of the story with Fredric March in the title role. Robert Donat is tentatively penciled in for the starring portrayal in the new production. In February, RKO purchased not only the screen rights to the Broadway stage production "Too Many Girls" but also the services of all the principals in the play and George Abbott to produce and direct the film version. The picture will be released early next season to coincide with the football season. FEBRUARY PURCHASES Stores acquired in February, with all available cast and credits, follow: Anne of Windy Poplabs, a novel by L. M. Montgomery purchased by RKO to star Anne Shirley. Argentine Nights, an original story by J. R. Brenn and Gladys Atwater purchased by Universal. Asm of the Law, an original story by Harrison Carter and Charles Williams purchased by Monogram. As Nazi Tourists See Us, a magazine article STORY PURCHASES OF YEAR COMPARED Month Originals Boob Plays Total April, 1939 46 12(a) 7 65 May 29 15(b) 1 45 June 24 15(c) 4 43 July 19 5(d) 2 26 August 19 13(e) 1 33 September 23 4 2 29 October 13 13(f) 6 32 November 12 5(g) 3 20 December 17 16(h) 3 36 January, 1940 40 I5(i) 6 61 February 32 I4(i) 10 56 March 10 I0(k) 20 TOTALS FOR 12 MONTHS 284 137(1) 45 466 (d) (f) (g) (h] Including 3 published magazine stories. Including 4 published magazine stories, 3 films and I radio program. Including 3 published magazine stories and 2 radio programs. Including 2 published magazine stories. Including 3 published magazine stories and I film. Including 2 published magazine stories, 1 newspaper serial and I film Including I published magazine story and 2 films. Including 2 published magazine stories, 2 films and I radio script. Including 4 published magazine stories and I radio program. Including 3 published magazine stories and I newspaper comic strip. Including 2 published magazine stories, I newspaper comic strip and I film. (I) Including 29 published magazine stories, 10 films, 5 radio programs, 1 newspaper serial and 2 comic strips. by Paul Martin purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Atlantic Oible, an original story by Denison Clift. Universal. Babylon Revisited, a magazine story by F. Scott Fitzgerald purchased by Lester Cowan. Benjamin Franklin, Carl Van Doren's biography of Benjamin Franklin, purchased by RKO for an Erich Pommer production with Charles Laughton probably in the title role. Bombay Uprising, an original story by Stanley Rubin and Edmund Hartman. Universal. Original on Brigham Young Brigham Young, an original story by Eleanor Harris. Twentieth Century-Fox. Children's Crusade, an original story by Robert Theoran and Fritz Rotter purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. College Widow, a play by George Ade produced on Broadway in 1907 and filmed in the silent version by Warner Brothers in 1927. Ann Sheridan is set for the title role and the picture will co-star Jeffrey Lynn or Dennis Morgan. Combat Car. an original story by Lawrence Kimble purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Crop Dusters, The, an original story by Elliot Gibbons purchased by Universal. Duchess Rides High, The, stage play by C. Coates Webster purchased by Paramount as a vehicle for Fred MacMurray and Bettv Field. Fifth Avenue, an original story by Polan Banks purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. Fighting Sam, an original story by Mrs. Sam Dreben purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox with William Anthony Maguire doing the screen-play. The story concerns Sergeant Dreben and the World War. Follow Through, a musical comedy stage play by Larry Schwab and Buddy DeSylva purchased by Paramount as a vehicle for Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Forever, an original story by Mildred Cram purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Golden City, an original story by Charles Bennett purchased by Samuel Reacrri for production in Mexico. Half a Rogue, an original story by Garrett Ford purchased by RKO as an Erich Pommer production and starring Charles Laughton. Half a Sinner, based on an original story by Dalton Trumbo, A Lady Gone Wrong. Universal. High Frontier, an original story by Leland Jamieson purchased by Howard Hughes. How Green Was My Valley, a novel about mining labor in Wales by Richard Llewellyn purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. If I Had My Way, an original story and screenplay by William Conselman purchased by Universal. A Nazi Subject I Married a Nazi, a published magazine article purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. George Sanders is slated to have a feature role in the picture. Joan of Arc, an original story by Joanne Benedict purchased by Columbia. Lighthouse, an original story by John Reinhardt, who will also write the screenplay, purchased by Monogram as a vehicle for Boris Karloff. Little Nellie Kelly, a musical comedy by George M. Cohan purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a vehicle for Judy Garland. Arthur Freed will produce. Long Voyage Home, The, a play by Eugene O'Neill purchased by the newly formed Argosy Corp., as its first production and to be distributed through United Artists. John Ford will direct and Dudley Nichols will prepare the screenplay. Male Animal, The, a play by Elliot Nugent and James Thurber purchased by Warner Brothers. Mr. and Mrs., an original story by Norman Krasna purchased bv RKO at a reported price of $60,000. Mummy's Hand, The, an original story by Griffith Jay purchased by LTniversal. Night Music, a stage play by Clifford Odets to be produced by Lewin-Loew and distributed through United Artists. Northern Lights, an original story by William Castle purchased by Universal. Oomph-a-Daisy Girl, an original story by T. R. Watte bought by Republic. Points West, an original story by Sherman Lowe purchased by Universal. Port of Hope, by Gina Kaus and Ladislaus Fodor, purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Based on an original story by Bernardine Fritz. Quietly My Captain Watts, a novel by Evelyn Eaton purchased by Warner Brothers. Rain or Shine, an original story by Vina Del(Ccmtinued on follottr.g page)