Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1943)

October 2, 1943 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 35 STORY EDITORS FIND PLENTY OF MATERIAL AVAILABLE 66 Properties Purchased During July and August by All Producers Despite the occasional fears expressed over the alleged lack of good story material, accented more than ever now with the calling of many writers into service, enough manuscripts are on story editors' desks to keep the Hollywood production line amply supplied. That is the opinion of Leda Bauer, RKO Radio's eastern story editor. "Those whispers have been going around for the last 15 years or so," she said. "But we've still been supplying producers with stories, and good ones." Miss Bauer, conceding that the cycle has turned toward comedies, musicals and other escapist themes, said that major attention is being centered on that type of story at the present time. Story Buying Decreased At End of Season Story buying by producers decreased toward the end of the 1942-43 season. During July and August 66 properties were acquired, 29 of them last month. Originals still comprise the bulk of the total. However, six stage plays were bought during the period. "Escape Me Never" will be filmed by Warners under the supervision of Henry Blanke. The play was adapted from Margaret Kennedy's novel, "The Fool of the Family." Edward Small plans to produce "Up in Mabel's Room," written by Wilson Collison and Otto Harback, and originally produced on the stage in the early 1920's. United Artists will release the film. Booth Tarkington's novel, "Kate Fennigate," also has been acquired by Mr. Small. "Duffy's Tavern," the radio program over which Ed Gardner presides, has been acquired by Paramount. Mr. Gardner and Charlie Cantor, of the original cast, will leave soon for the coast to appear in the picture version. Jack Skirball and Leo Spitz formerly held an option on the program but allowed it to lapse. Mr. Spits since has joined International Pictures, the William Goetz producing company. Properties Purchased for Month of August Following are the story purchases for the month of August: All That I Live For, original by Oscar Brodney, acquired by Universal. Andrew Stone's Sensations of 1944, original to be produced by Andrew Stone for United Artists release. Atlantic City, original by Arthur Caesar purchased by Republic. Centennial Summer, novel by Albert E. Idell, bought by Twentieth Century-Fox. Curtain Call, original by Jacques Thery, purchased by Universal. Duffy's Tavern, radio program, with Ed Gardner, originator, to appear in the film. Purchased by Paramount. Escape Me Never, stage play from the book, "The Fool of the Family," written by Margaret Kennedy. Acquired by Warners for a Henry Blanke production. Happy Days, original by Edward Dein, acquired by Universal. Hot Time in the Old Town, original story STORY PURCHASES OF YEAR COMPARED Month Originals Books Plays Total September, 1942 22 10(a) 2 34 October 32 9(b) 5 46 November 12 12(c) 1 25 December 17 8(d) 25 January, 1943 10 6(e) 1 17 February 32 5(f) 1 38 March 23 10(g) 5 38 April 18 13(h) 4 35 May 24 I0(i) 34 June 24 7(j) 31 July 17 I6(lc) 4 37 August 21 6(1) 2 29 TOTALS FOR 12 MONTHS 252 I2(m) 25 389 (a) Including 4 magazine stories (b) Including 2 magazine stories and 2 songs (c) Including 2 novelettes (d) Including 2 magazine stories (e) Including 2 magazine stories (f) Including 3 magazine stories (g) Including 1 magazine story and 1 song (h) Including 3 magazine stories and 1 song (i) Including 2 magazine stories and 1 comic strip (i) Including 3 magazine stories w Including 3 magazine stories and 1 radio script (1) Including 2 magazine stories and 1 radio script (m) Including 27 magazine stories 4 musical compositions 2 radio scripts 2 novelettes 1 newspaper comic strip with music by Jack McGowan. Purchased by Metro. Jungle Queen, original by Henry Sucher, acquired by Universal as a possible vehicle for Maria Montez. Kate Fennigate, novel by Booth Tarkington, rights acquired by Edward Small for United Artists release. Lady on the Train, original mystery story by Leslie Charteris, bought by Universal. Liberty Hall, tentative title of a musical by Irving Berlin, purchased by Warners for a Hal B. Wallis production. Michael Curtiz will direct. Night and Day, life story of Cole Porter, an original purchased by Warners. Screenplay to be written by Steve Fisher. Ferenc Molnar Novel Is Bought by Paramount Oh, You Kid, original by Jack McGowan, purchased by Metro, probably as a musical comedy production. Olympia, novel by Ferenc Molnar, purchased by Paramount. Charles Brackett is to produce with direction by Billy Wilder. Raiders of the Border, original by Johnston McCulley, bought by Monogram for a Western feature. Ride, Sailor, Ride, original by Eugene Conrad, purchased by Universal. Salome, Where, She Danced, original by Michael J. Phillips, acquired by Universal. Song of the Open Road, original by Irving Phillips and Edward Verdier. An Edward Small acquisition for United Artists release. Star Bright, original by Isobel Lennart, purchased by Metro. Stranger, original by Samuel Hoffenstein and Betty Reinhardt, acquired by Universal. Edward Small Purchases "Up in Mabel's Room" Swing Time for Johnny, original by Clyde Bruckman, purchased by Universal for a musical feature. The Climax, Curtis Siodmak original, purchased by Universal. The Griswold Story, Saturday Evening Post story by Dwight Mitchell Wiley, purchased by Paramount for production by Seton I. Miller. The Last Night, magazine short story by Storm Jameson, acquired by Metro. The Trumpet Man, original by Erik Charrel for production as a musical. Purchased by Metro. This Is the Life, original by Ed Sullivan depicting the life of Arnold Reuben, Broadway restauranteur. Purchased by Hunt Stromberg for United Artists release. Up In Mabel's Room, stage play of early 1920's by Wilson Collison and Otto Harback. Purchased by Edward Small. USO Camp-Shows Increases Tour Units from 34 to 60 New Victory units have been set up by the USO-Camp Shows comprising about 10 performers per unit as a move toward providing a more elastic setup. Formerly Red units containing from 30 to 40 performers and White units with IS went out on tour. Now both have been combined and split up into Victory units. It will increase the number of groups from 34 to 60. Thirty units started on camp tours this week. The Blue units will remain intact and with five performers will continue to visit outposts. USO-Camp Shows has estimated that the units have played before 20,000,000 men and women in service since its inception, exclusive of the overseas audiences. USO-Camp Shows announced this week that the casts of 13 Broadwjay legitimate shows had volunteered a series of "night-off" playdates to entertain the armed forces during the coming winter. Representatives of the casts met recently with USO-Camp Show officials to expand the volunteer program of the legitimate stage. To date the casts of "Early to Bed," "Blithe Spirit," "Doughgirls," "Rosalinda," "Star and Garter," and "Kiss and Tell" have notified USO that they are ready to start camp tours. Specially written material is being prepared for the players and in some instances the casts will present one-act or two one-act plays. George Deber, formerly managing director of the New Park theatre, Woonsocket, R. I., is now assistant to David Schooler, booker for USO Camp Shows, Inc., in New York. Court Grants Stay Major distributors in Philadelphia Federal District Court this week were granted an extension of time in which to answer charges filed by William Goldman, Philadelphia exhibitor, in his anti-trust suit. The hearing is scheduled for some time in November.