Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

Sheehan's ^'Captain Eddie^^ Is in Final Stages by RED KANN in Hollywood "Captain Eddie," long planned and much discussed film based on the life of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, is in the final stages of a 90-day shooting schedule and is expected to be ready for its initial theatre dates in July. The probability is the attraction, which will cost about $3,000,000 to produce, will be the leadoff of Twentieth Century-Fox's 1945-46 program. It will cover Captain Rickenbacker's life from the time he was a boy of 13 until he was rescued in the Pacific after floating 21 days on a life raft. The emphasis has been placed on adventure and his career as a driver of racing cars, as an enthusiast of aeronautics from the days of the Wright Brothers and as a flyer of renown in the First World War. While Winfield Sheehan, who is producing for Eureka Pictures, Inc., said the film was not a war picture in any sense, cooperation of the Army Air Corps and the Navy has been all-out in filming the flight over the Pacific, the crash of Rickenbacker's plane and the widely reported rescue at sea. "Captain Eddie" has been a long time on the way. It took about two years to gather source material and engaged the services of six first-class biographers who interviewed hundreds of individuals on various phases of Rickenbacker's activities. Research Was Extensive Bill Henry, radio commentator and Washington correspondent of the Los Angeles Times and formerly a sports writer who covered many automobile racing events, compiled some of the material of Rickenbacker's boyhood in Columbus, O., and his early auto racing days. Paul Green, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and a professor of philosophy at the University of North Carolina, was another who unearthed facts and figures. Isobel Leighton, Saturday Evening Post writer, spent many days with Mrs. William Rickenbacker to get a mother's viewpoint on her son. John Larkin, scenarist and director, was assigned the Detroit chapters in the central figure's life. The late Edwin Burke, well known author, reported on "Rick's" experiences in Texas. Alva Johnston, nationally known biographer, coordinated the material they gathered, added a mass of facts he himself had unearthed and tied the whole into a biography running more than 750 typewritten pages. The result, in Mr. Sheehan's opinion, emerged as a complete, an authentic and a well-rounded life of Rickenbacker. From this material, and from about 1,000 photographs, John Tucker Battle fashioned a script overtoned in drama and exciting incident. Rights were obtained to impersonate all living people who appear in the picture, including Rickenbacker and his family, the seven men who survived the ordeal in the Pacific and the parents of the boy who died at sea. Old Planes Play an Important Part Research was long and diligent. Sets were copied from authentic old photographs. Fourteen antiquated automobiles were acquired. They range from a 1902 Columbus Horseless Carriage to a 1910 Cadillac — a snappy affair with four cylinders and 40 horsepower. Old planes also play an important part. In the film, a 1910 Curtis Pusher flies again. Allied and German war planes of the type that 22 staff Photo WINFIELD SHEEHAN, producer, and Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, left, whose life of adventure is the theme of Twentieth CenturyFox picture. ranged over France in combat in the last war will re-enact Rickenbacker's dog fights. To assure accuracy, Mr. Sheehan employed technical experts qualified for their jobs. Oldsters may recall Tommy Milton, a famous driver who competed with Rickenbacker in a number of auto races; he is supervising the racing sequences. Lt. Charles A. Rankin, chief engineering officer of the 94th Squadron, "Rick's" own outfit, is checking over the authenticity of World War I flying. Lt. James C. Whittaker, who was on one of the rafts with Rickenbacker, is technical expert on that portion of the film. Christy Walsh is associate producer. MacMurray in Title Role Lloyd Bacon is directing a cast, which Mr. Sheehan points out, is stuffed with important names. Fred MacMurray plays the title role and Lynn Bari his wife. Charles Bickford portrays the flyer's father, and Mary Phillips his mother. The support includes James Gleason, Thomas Mitchell, Spring Byington, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Conte, Stanley Ridges, Ray Collins, Clem Bevans and Chick Chandler. An interesting sidelight has to do with the circumstance by which the attraction got its title. The producer was discussing the film with John Nolan, general manager of Comerford-Publix Theatres. "I'd call it 'Captain Eddie'," Nolan declared. "Captain Eddie" it is. Philadelphians Cited for "This Is Army" Support U. S. Army citations were awarded Philadelphia civilians for "outstanding efforts" in support of the picture "This is the Army" when it ran in that city. The city led the country in its per capita support of the film, proceeds of which go to the Army Relief Fund. The Army citations here included one posthumous award to the late Lou Daroff, while other recipients were Edgar Scott, Jr., of Montgomery Scott Company; Jacob L. Brown, insurance agent ; Sam Radbill, Radbill Oil Company; Morris Honickman, Zuckerman Aldine Company ; George Friedland, Food Fair, Inc. ; Benjamin Goodman, Parkway Oil Company, and William Flickstein, Philadelphia Clothing Manufacturing Company. Chicago Exhibito Wins $105,000 in) Anti-Trust Case \ Chicago Bureau \ A jury in Chicago Federal Court Wednesdl awarded $35,000 in damages, plus costs and attd ney's fees to Thomas A. Murray, former exhibit who sued distributors and major circuits fi $1,000,000 charging conspiracy in restraint of tra^ Under the Sherman law the award is automatt ally tripled to $105,000. Individuals and companies convicted were: M| Theatre Corp., John L. Manta, Van A. Nomik< Henri Elmand, Capitol Film Exchange, Loewi Inc., and Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporj tion. Eight other defendants were dismissed la week by Federal Judge William Holly. Th| were' Paramount, Universal, Columbia, Balabi & Katz, Warners, Monogram of Illinois, Lot Reinheimer and Morris G. Leonard. Judge Holly will hear defense counsel's motio! for appeal on February 5. j Mr. Murray charged the defendants with cO) spiracy in combining to withhold product frfl his Thalia theatre. He testified that .between \9\ to 1925 he had plenty of product but that begii ning in 1926 when the competitive Milo theatl opened he was unable to secure good produd Mr. Manta is a former operator of the Milo ai Mr. Nomikos was its booker and buyer. 14 Murray sold his theatre in 1941. The final witnesses heard Monday were tl plaintiff and his son, Lester Murray, who check< gross receipts of pictures played in the Thalia thi atre. i Among the defense witnesses who testified la week were: Felix Mendelssohn, former MG! branch manager, now retired; Samuel Gorelic RKO branch manager; Clyde Ekhardt, Twentie( Century-Fox branch manager in Los Angeles ai^ former Chicago manager, and Ben Isenberg, Ch cago sales manager for Monogram. All recounte selling experiences with the plaintiff, and with tl competitive Milo theatre. ! Trial of Boston Trust Suits, | Brought in 1935, Begins \ Trial of two 10-year old suits by the Mors and Rothenberg theatres, Boston, charging monoj oly in the distribution of films and restraint <) trade in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Ac] began in Federal Court there last Thursday fore Federal Judge George C. Sweeney. Eight dii tributors are defendants. The actions, begun in 1935, were heard for 20 days by a Master, but his decision was not satis factory to the defendants and the case was re turned to the U. S. District Court for trial. The suits were brought by the Commonwealtl Amusement Enterprises, Inc., against the Coloi nial Theatre Company, Inc., of Nashua, N. H., anc Paramount, Warners, RKO, MGM, Twentietl Century-Fox, United Artists, Universal and Col ; umbia. The Commonwealth Company was rep| resented by George S. Ryan, Boston attorney. , Bayshore Anti-Trust Suit Discontinued in New York The triple damage anti-trust suit by the Associl ated Playhouse, Inc., operator of the Bayshor theatre, Bayshore, L. I., against Loew's, Para mount. United Artists and Universal, last Wed nesday was discontinued in the Federal Court New York, without prejudice to a renewal. The complaint charged that the Bayshore was forced to play 140 days after a Broadway showinf of a picture, and that Loew's Valencia in Jamaica, 32 miles away, and the Bayshore's nearest competitor, overbought on product to prevent tht plaintiff from obtaining "choice" pictures. The discontinuance without prejudice will allow the plaintiff to start the action again with no loss to it, provided the settlement, which was not indi-/ cated in the filed stipulation, is unsatisfactory aftei a reasonable time. jji MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 27, 194