Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

2S MOTION PICTURE H ERALD August 7, 1943 STARS OF TOMORROW POLL GUIDES STUDIO CASTING Two Winners of 1942 List Won Academy Awards; Exhibitors Now Voting In three swift and war-influenced years Motion Picture Herald's annual Stars of Tomorrow poll of exhibitors, now in progress, has established itself in the Hollywood concept alongside the older and basic Money-Making Stars poll as an indisputable authority on the always urgent question of personality values. Welcomed at its inception as a long needed direct and democratic means of determining today the identities of the players whom the public is going to be demanding to see in their screen entertainment tomorrow, the poll was implemented at once by studio heads and casting directors, who gave immediate effect to the wishes of the public as expressed in the votes of exhibitors. Role in "Johnny Eager" Wins Van Heflin Award Assignments were switched, roles were built up, publicity was pointed in the direction which the wind of public favor was shown to be blowing, and what happened to the young players named in the first poll is history — box office history. What happened to the players named in last year's poll is a matter of interest at this point to exhibitors with pencils poised over the ballots furnished Herald readers last week. Two of last year's winners in the Stars of Tomorrow poll conducted last summer won Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards last winter. They are Van Heflin and Teresa Wright. Heflin, given that award for his performance in "Johnny Eager," is now an officer in the United States Army. Prior to entering upon that career, however, he established a screen career, renewable on his return to pictures, which included the title role in the much debated "Tennessee Johnson," the lead in "Seven Sweethearts" and an especially good performance in "Presenting Lily Mars." Naming him in Number One position on last year's Stars of Tomorrow list, exhibitors made him a star of today and his studio gave him pictures which assure his stardom in that other tomorrow which is to come. Eddie Bracken to Star In "Rainbow Island" Teresa Wright, given the Academy award for her performance In "Mrs. Miniver," was starred by Samuel Goldwyn opposite Gary Cooper in the successful "Pride of the Yankees," and by Universal opposite Joseph Cotten in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Shadow of a Doubt," ill health intervening then to bring about her withdrawal from the Goldwyn "North Star." Recovered, she is presently to resume her interrupted career. Effervescent Eddie Bracken, holder of second place in last year's poll, added to the gaiety of the nation in "Star Spangled STARS OF TOMORROW PROVE THEIR CASE Motion Picture Herald's annual Stars of Tomorrow poll, now in progress, has elevated 20 players to stardom, out of 20, since its inception. Two of them have won Academy awards. Here are the winners of the previous polls. 1942 Van Heflin Eddie Bracken Jane Wyman John Carroll Alan Ladd Lynn Bari Nancy Kelly Donna Reed Betty Hutton Teresa Wright 1941 Laraine Day Rita Hayworth Ruth Hussey Robert Preston Ronald Reagan John Payne Jeffrey Lynn Ann Rutherford Dennis Morgan Jackie Cooper Eight of the 20 are out of pictures for the duration by reason of enlistment in the armed services. Rhythm" and went from there into a principal role in Preston Sturges' Paramount production, "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek," long in the making and now awaiting release. He is to star in Paramount's "Rainbow Island," an elaborate Technicolor production now in preparation. Jane Wyman, third winner on last year's list, was co-starred in the Twentieth Century-Fox production of "Footlight Serenade," on loan from Warners, and in that company's "Princess O'Rourke," completed and awaiting release. She moved from that picture into the subsequently suspended "Animal Kingdom" and is awaiting reassignment. Newcomers Justify Exhibitors' Votes John Carroll, Number Four in last summer's balloting, is serving in the Army of his country in fact after serving in the skies over China in Republic's "Flying Tigers," on loan from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in a two-picture deal, which included his stardom as the song publisher in "The Hit Parade of 1943." Alan Ladd — well, everybody knows about Ladd ! He, too, is in the Army now, but between the time exhibitors voted for him last summer and he joined the colors he starred in the record-breaking "China" and "Lucky Jordan" and broke all the fan-mail records, including Valentino's, in the books. Lynn Bari, last year's Number Six, played a principal role in the successful "Orchestra Wives" for Twentieth CenturyFox, another in "Hello, Frisco, Hello," still another in "China Girl," and is now at work in that studio's forthcoming "Tampico," a property before the cameras at this time. Nancy Kelly, Number Seven, is to be coStarred in the forthcoming "Hitler's Wom en," announced as Monogram's most expensive production to date. She is to be seen in the Pine-Thomas Paramount production of "Tornado," awaiting trade showing, and opposite Johnny Weissmuller in the likewise completed but unreleased Sol Lesser production, "Tarzan's Desert Mystery." Donna Reed stepped from the Number Eight spot in last year's list to a principal role in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's "Eyes in the Night" and from there into the acclaimed "Human Comedy." She was then given the feminine romantic lead in that studio's "The Man from Down Under," reviewed in this edition, and is at work now in "See Here, Private Hargrove." Betty Hutton, after sparking "Star Spangled Rhythm" opposite Eddie Bracken, moved with him into "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek" and then to the immediately forthcoming Bob Hope film, "Let's Face It." The next assignment for her is the role of the late Texas Guinan in the Paramount picture to be based on the life of that night club personality. Three of last year's winners — Van Heflin, John Carroll and Alan Ladd — and five of the previous year's winners — Robert Preston, Ronald Reagan, John Payne, Jeffrey Lynn and Jackie Cooper — are taking time out from the careers of stardom voted them to defend the country that guarantees exhibitors in common with other Americans the right of ballot by exercise of which, in election of stars or statesmen, the will of tne people is implemented. The 12 other previously elected Stars of Tomorrow are making good as stars of today. Mark and mail your ballots early. National Decency Legion Classifies 10 Pictures The National Legion of Decency reviewed 10 films during the current week, classifying five as unobjectionable for general patronage, three as unobjectionable for adults and two as objectionable in part. The listing follows : Class A-l, Unobjectionable for General Patronage : "Headin' for God's Country," "The Saint Meets the Tiger," "Nobody's Darling," "Sky's the Limit" and "This Is the Army." Class A-2, Unobjectionable for Adults: "I Dood It," "Tartu" and 'Someone to Remember." Class B, Objectionable in Part: "First Comes Courage" and "Behind the Rising Sun." Paramount Closes 4,000 Deals on Last Group A total of 4,064 contracts with independent exhibitors have been sold on Paramount's sixth and last block of the 1942-43 season in four weeks of selling, it was announced last Friday by Neil Agnew, the company's general sales manager. During the past four weeks, records were broken each week, he said. Total contracts sold to independents so far better last year's mark by more than 1,000. Block Contract Renewed Twentieth Century-Fox has signed Bertram Block eastern story editor, to a new long-term contract. He has held his present position since June, 1941. I