Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

July 24, 1943 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 45 THE HOLLYWOOD SCENE From HOLLYWOOD BUREAU There is more than meets the eye in the maintenance of a high production rate in the face of slowed and slowing release of product due to holdovers and extended runs, but not more than makes sense. A studio is a factory employing many workmen of many kinds, the payroll at the larger plants carrying from 3,500 to 5,000 toilers, when operating in the region of capacity. Even in time of peace it is no simple matter to lay off some thousands of these for a week or weeks with any assurance of getting them back on the job when they're needed again. In time of war, it's impossible or thereabouts, in spite of various expedients arranged, because workmen who decide to fill in their open time by doing a stint at an aircraft factory or shipyards have a way of getting frozen there. There is also the matter of the War Production Board's allocation of raw stock, which is pegged to the principle that a company will require no more stock than it used in the last period, year or quarter, and mayhap can do with less. Under this set of circumstances it's a producer lacking in foresight, which is one way of saying it, who'll permit himself to be caught with his quota down. No Genuine Worrying About Tomorrow So the shooting goes forward, the backlogs pile up, and with the revenues flowing in there is no genuine worrying about tomorrow, which is not to say there's no concern, no precautions taken. Much of the stuff going into the backlogs is what a newspaper desk would call time copy, material that is good for today but will also be good for tomorrow. Some of it, naturally, will deteriorate in various respects if held on the shelves too long. This is counted a risk not too great when weighed against the unforeseen possibility of an abrupt demand for a quickened flow of releases which might develop at a time when studios had neither the manpower to make the pictures nor the film to make them out of. May Set Up Own Units Under Plan of Producing Artists Much of merit could come from Producing Artists, Inc., the new company set up by Arthur Lyons, the agent, and David Loew, the producer, for the purpose of supplying product, to be turned out by top talent, for release through United Artists. Under the plan of the organization, stars, producers, directors, writers, individuals of any calling, may set up and head their own producing companies inside the Producing Artists framework. Jack Benny, who has commitments to Warner Brothers and Twentieth CenturyFox for pictures to be made, is the first to be announced as a personality taking advantage of the Lyons-Loew setup. His case happens to provide, incidentally, an example of the usefulness which the new organization might serve to other individuals in kind. The Benny talent is not, for reasons which a bit of reflection will reveal, an easy one to utilize. The Benny personality is in part a creation of radio, prior to that a creation of vaudeville, and the Benny public does not take kindly to having it changed at will by any director who happens to be assigned to a Benny picture. 'Pin-Up GirV Starts "Pin-Up Girl", the Twentieth CenturyFox answer to the mails from all the fighting fronts and training centers, was started in a week that saw the production level up to 43. Betty Srable has the title role, so to speak, in this Technicolor musical which Bruce Humberstone is directing for producer William LeBaron, and the cast includes Joe E. Brown, Martha Raye, the Roller Follies, Charles Spivak and Band. "Hail the Conquering Hero", which Paramount started, offers Eddie Bracken, Ella Raines, Franklin Pangborn and others, under producer-director Preston Sturges. And for Paramount release the William Pine-William Thomas company started "Timber Queen", last of the Richard Arlen commitments to that studio. Frank McDonald is directing. Columbia launched "Doughboys in Ireland", a Jack Fier production directed by Lew Landers, offering Kenny Baker, The Jesters, Jeff Darnell, Lynn Merrick, Dorothy Vaughn, Sid Sailor, Herbert Rawlinson. MGM sent "Andy Hardy's Blonde COMPLETED Columbia Footlight Glamour Cyclone Prairie Ranger MGM Song of Russia Monogram Nearly Eighteen RKO Radio Adventures of a Rookie Republic Scream in the Dark Deerslayer STARTED Columbia Doughboys in Ireland MGM Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble Paramount Hail the Conquering Hero Timber Queen Republic Riders of Sunset Pass Here Comes Elmer Twentieth CenturyFox Pin-Up Girl Universal Hi Ya, Sailor SHOOTING Columbia Cover Girl There's Something About a Soldier Tropicana Goldwyn Up in Arms Trouble" into production, with Herbert Marshall and Bonita Granville among the additions to the standard Hardy Family cast headed by Lewis Stone and Mickey Rooney, Keye Luke stepping in from the Dr. Gillespie series for a sequence or so. George B. Seitz is directing, as usual, with Carey Wilson producing. Republic started two. "Riders of Sunset Pass" is a Western with John Paul Revere, Smiley Burnette, Jennifer Holt and Roy Barcroft, Lou Gray producing and Jack English directing. "Here Comes Elmer" is a musical offering Al Pearce, Dale Evans, the King Cole Trio, Gloria Stuart, the Sportsmen and Jan Garber's Band. Universal started "Hi Ya, Sailor" under associate producer-director Jean Yarbrough, with Donald Woods, Elyse Knox,. Jerome Cowan, Frank Jenks, Matt Willis,. Eddie Quillan, Phyllis Brooks and a collection of musical talent. The shape of things to come and coming, as of the weekend: MGM Broadway Rhythm Meet the People White Cliffs of Dover Cross of Lorraine Heavenly Body America Madame Curie Guy Named Joe See Here, Private Hargrove Monogram 13th Guest Paramount Ministry of Fear Standing Room Only Story of Dr. Wassell Frenchman's Creek RKO Radio Revenge Government Girl Around the World American Story So This Is Washington* Twentieth CenturyFox Happy Land Guadalcanal Diary Universal Crazy House You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith Man of the Family Ali Baba and the 40" Thieves His Butler's Sister Warners Conflict In Our Time Northern Pursuit Destination Tokyo Shine On Harvest Moon * — Formerly "Dollar a Year Man" This is a circumstance of which Mr. Benny is more keenly aware. There are many variants of the Benny situation. Most of the principals in such situations possess or can obtain the wherewithal to enter into the type of arrangement the Producing Artists formula provides. Do not be surprised if there is a notable procession of talents in the direction of this organization. Paramount has added to its schedule of production a musical with radio origin to be called "National Barn Dance" and to present the stars of the Chicago radio program of that title which has beeen riding the ether waves for some 10 years now with no indications of wear. Although Republic has been turning out radiomusicals in this general format for some time, and using some of the National Barn Dance talent in them, it is not to be deduced that Paramount has simply heard about the grosses these have turned in and elected to duplicate the job. It is more to the point that Paramount, in that period a few years back when the studio list of contract stars got a little lean, took from the microphones several people named Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Bob Burns and so on, and made themselves a list of stars who proceeded to do all right for themselves and Paramount.