Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1942)

46 Producers Buy 26 Properties During December (Continued from page 43) deals with the romantic adventures of a woman from the first World War to the present time. Riders of The Purple Sage, a novel by Zane Grey originally published in 1912 which reached the screen three times before. The story has again been purchased for production this time by Twentieth Century-Fox. Rip Van Winkle, a play by Joseph Jefferson and Dion Boucicault originally published as a book in 1895 and which had previously been presented on the stage in 1865. Fox has purchased the story. Road To Yesterday, an original story by Stanley Russell purchased by Mark Hellinger for production by Twentieth Century-Fox. Shadow of A Lady, an original story by Ladislaus Fodor purchased by MGM. Shanty Town, an original story by Martin Williams acquired by Republic. Sunday Punch, an original story by Fay and Michael Kanin concerning a prizefighters' boarding house in New York. The story has been acquired by MGM. Sunset Gaze, an original story by Luke Short purchased by Twentieth Century-Fox. Spoilers, The, a novel by Rex Beach which has reached the screen twice before. The property has been acquired by Universal. Story of Bonito The Bull, The, an original story by Robert Flaherty, documentary film producer, which has been purchased by Orson Welles. Sundown Jim, a novel of the west by Ernest Haycox purchased by Twentieth CenturyFox as a vehicle for John Kimbrough, football star. Vendetta Against A Dictator, an original story by Charles E. Whittaker purchased by MGM. West of The Tide, one of Britain's best selling novels by O. S. Osborne, a naval officer, dealing with the emergency fleet which transported more than $9,000,000,000 in gold from Europe to the United States. The story has been purchased by Sam Wood. Wreckage Crew, an original story by Robert Perry Shannon and Mauri Grashin the screen rights of which have been purchased by Paramount as a vehicle for Chester Morris. December Purchases Properties acquired during December with all available cast and credits, follow : Aloha Means Goodbye, an original story by Robert Carson purchased by Warner Brothers for a reported price of $12,500. Ann Sheridan and Dennis Morgan are scheduled to star. Battle Stations, a Saturday Evening Post magazine story by Bordon Chase purchased by RKO. Islin Auster will produce the film version. Campus in the Clouds, a magazine story by George Kent about the North Carolina college which also operates as a summer resort during the academic vacation. Fox has acquired the screen rights as a vehicle for Dale Evans, radio singer. Challenge in the Night, a novel by Cecil Lewis published in London in 1938, purchased by RKO as a vehicle for Michele Morgan. Comin' at You, a Saturday Evening Post magazine story by Bordon Chase purchased by MGM. The story concerns American frontier days. Connie Goes Home, a magazine story by Fannie Kilbourn which first appeared in 1921 and was later dramatized by Edward Childs MOTION PICTURE HERALD ALLIED UNIT ASKS BLOCK BOOKING The Connecticut unit of Allied States Association, in a letter to other state units asking a united protest on the consent decree and pointing out that a poll of its own members had resulted in 98 per cent disapproval of the decree, proposed a return to the old plan of block buying. "The plan," the letter said, "should carry a reasonable cancellation privilege on all groups of pictures without any strings attached, and the elimination of the forcing of shorts and newsreels." Carpenter. Paramount has acquired the property. Dakar, an original story by Samuel Engel about the war in Africa, purchased by Fox. Dynasty of Death, a novel by Taylor Caldwell purchased for production by United Artists. Five of Spades, The, an original story by Harry O. Hoyt purchased by RKO. Forty Whacks, a mystery novel by Geoffrey Homes purchased by Warners as a screen play for Humphrey Bogart. Gold Runs the River, an original story by J. Robert Breen and Gladys Atwater, acquired by Republic as a vehicle for John Wayne. Happy Go Lucky, an original story by Michael Uris purchased by Paramount as a vehicle for Eddie Bracken and Mary Martin. MGM Buys RKO Story Keeper of the Flame, an original story by I. A. R. Wylie purchased from RKO by MGM for $50,000. The plot involves a newspaper reporter who uncovers a scheme to set up a dictatorship in the United States. Listening Post, an original story dealing with the activities of aerial defense spotters in Los Angeles who safeguard the populace against Jap bombers. The screen rights have been acquired by Paramount. Personal History, a novel by Vincent Sheean which was on the best-seller lists, purchased by United Artists. Red Harvest, a novel by Dashiell Hammett, published in 1927 and recently bought by Paramount. Alan Ladd will star. Satan Plays the Piano, an original screen comedy by George Beck, acquired by Paramount as a possible vehicle for Charles Boyer. Secret Agent of Japan, an original story of espionage by John Francis Larkin, purchased by Fox as a vehicle for Preston Foster. Shed No Tears, an original story by Joseph Hoffman acquired by Monogram. So Gallantly Gleaming, an original story by Harvey Thew-Peter Ordway, purchased bv United Artists. Stranger, The, an original story by Clarence Upson Young, acquired by MGM as a vehicle for Robert Taylor. Teach Me to Live, an unpublished novel by Forbes Parkhill, dealing with the early settlement of Colorado. The story has been acquired by MGM. True to Life, an original story with a radio background by Ben and Sol Barzman and Bess Tafel acquired by Paramount. War of the Wildcats, an original story of the oil-fields by Thomson Rtirtis purchased by Republic as a Ray Middleton vehicle. Water Carnival, an original story by Mauri Grashin and Robert Shannon purchased by Republic. Western Union, an original story by Ward Wing and Wilfred Rothschild purchased by Fox. January 17, 1942 Mississippi IV ?ighs Sunday Showings With Governor Paul B. Johnson officially on record as favoring the move to rid the state of the Sunday film ban, legislation legalizing Sunday showings of motion pictures is being pressed at the sessions of the state legislature in Jackson, Miss., which went into session on Monday, January 12th. The decision as to whether to ask for outright repeal of the statute which now makes Sunday showings illegal, or to request adoption of a local option law was the main question as the legislators met. Exhibitors, however, are highly confident of passage of some bill which will permit the showings. At the same time theatre men are attempting to secure the repeal of the state amusement tax law, identical with the Federal tax, making the total levy 20 per cent in Mississippi. The state tax is estimated to yield $500,000 in revenue annually. New York Considers Measures A state legislature geared to complete coordination for the war effort by Governor Herbert N. Lehman's annual message got down to work in Albany, N. Y., last week for its 1942 session. Among the bills introduced was a proposal by Senator Phelps Phelps, New York Democrat, for a state lottery under governmental supervision, prizes to be in the form of defense bonds. Government, Senator Phelps said, it might better abandon its "hypocritical attitude" towards gambling of many diversified types and use moneys for the war effort derived from a state-operated lottery. Assemblyman William T. Andrews, Harlem Democrat, sponsored a series of anti-discrimination bills, one of them intending to effectuate the present law against discrimination by public utilities to be broadened to include businesses affected with a public interest. Violations of the law would automatically become misdemeanors under the Andrews bill. Senator Frederic R. Coudert, Jr., and Assemblyman Abbott Low Moffat, both New York Republicans, introduced a measure enabling New York city to continue imposition of its tax on services from July 1st, 1942, to June 30th, 1943, for unemployment and old age pension relief. Ready for introduction in the near future is a bill intended to levy a sliding scale charge of taxation against chain stores and chain theatres. Warners Hold Sales And Circuit Meetings Harry Kalmine, head of Warners' theatre circuit, left New York last weekend for Cleveland to meet Nat Wolf, Cleveland zone manager, and other circuit executives in that area. Accompanying Mr. Kalmine were Leonard Schlesinger, Harry Goldberg and Rudy Weiss, theatre department executives. Roy H. Haines, eastern and Canadian sales manager for Warners, and Arthur Sachson, Warner sales executive, held a sales meeting Saturday, January 10th, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Boston, with all branch heads in the eastern district. The two executives outlined plans for the handling of product during the current "Vitagraph's Drive of Champions." Those attending included: Norman Ayers, eastern district manager ; William Horan, Boston branch manager ; Paul S. Krumenacker, Albany branch manager; Max Roth, Buffalo branch manager; and Roger Mahan. New Haven branch manager.