Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1945)

HE HOLLYWOOD SCENE ,a Nat une tan. «li Oc. tvail Spirit" Ike ( \:ine idv Every Jn antu Salome COMPLETED IOLUMBIA Love a Bandleader 'owder River SM bbott and Costello in !| Hollywood SONOGRAM jsunbonnet Sue PRC tlub Havana Checkmate UNIVERSAL Lady on a Train On Stage, Everybody STARTED MGM Letter for Evie RKO RADIO Dick Tracy 20TH CENTURYFOX The Spider SHOOTING COLUMBIA The Kansan Some Call It Love Pardon My Past (Mutual Productions) MGM ■ This Strange Adventure She Went to the Races They Were Expendable For Better, for Worse Early to Wed MONOGRAM Shanghai Cobra Song of the Border PARAMOUNT Too Good to Be True Stork Club Blue Dahlia PRC Buster Crabbe No. 7 REPUBLIC Love, Honor and Goodbye Mexicana RKO RADIO Wanderer of the Wasteland Deadline at Dawn Tomorrow Is Forever (International Pictures) 20TH CENTURYFOX Leave Her to Heaven Enchanted Voyage Now It Can Be Told Fallen Angel Kitten on the Keyes UNITED ARTISTS Young Widow (Stromberg) UNIVERSAL Frontier Gal Uncle Harry WARNERS Two Mrs. Carrolls Janie Gets Married Time, the Place and the Girl Stolen Life | thre P to h ) to bet ■onptoi 34 Pictures in Work; Eight Finished as Three Start \tto MemMinDen Loi' ex r'iUlt Hollywood Bureau \ Production dropped again last week, as the phooting index fell to 34 from the preceding Week's total of 39. Eight pictures were completed, and only three — an unusually small number — were started. ' "A Letter for Evie," described by the studio as "a comedy of war-inspired correspondence romance," went before the cameras at MGM. Marsha Hunt has the title role, with John Carroll opposite her, and Hume Cronyn, Pamela Britton, Spring Byington and Norman Lloyd jin the supporting cast. John Dassin is directling William H. Wright producing. At 20th Century-Fox, work started on "The Spider," a film version of the stage play by Fulton Oursler and Lowell Brentano, which ran for many years on Broadway. Ben Silvey is producing; Robert Webb directing. The cast includes Richard Conte, Faye Marlowe, Martin Kosleck, Harry Seymour and Charles Tannen. RKO Radio launched "Dick Tracy," an action picture based on the comic strip character of the same name. Morgan Conway, recently ■ signed to a term contract by the studio, is in the title role. Others in the cast are Anne Jeffreys, Mike Mazurki, Mickey Kuhn and Edmund Glover. Herman Schlom produces; William Berke directs. Personnel Intelligence About Hollywood John Farrow, who directed Alan Ladd and William Bendix in "China," and "Two Years Before the Mast," is to direct the two stars for a third time in Paramount's "Calcutta," a story of the young American aviators who pioneered the air route over the Himalayas. . . . Sol Lesser has left for Paris, where he will spend several weeks making arrangements to shoot part of his forthcoming production, "Paris Canteen," in that city. United Artists will release the film. Al Rogell, currently directing "Love, Honor and Goodbye" at Republic, has signed a twoyear contract to produce and direct two pictures a year for that studio, with an option of a third picture each year. . . . Frank Pope, veteran trade paper editor and publicist, has joined Don McElwaine's publicity department at PRC. . . . William Nigh has been signed to direct "Allotment Wives," Monogram's next Kay Francis vehicle to be produced by Jeffrey Bernerd and Miss Francis. Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Cummings will co-star in "The Bride Wore Boots," a comedy which Seton I. Miller will produce for Paramount. Irving Pichel has been signed to direct. . . . RKO Radio has acquired the screen rights to "Die Gently, Stranger," by the modern Russian writer, David Tutaeff. . . . Angela Lansbury will have one of the two feminine roles opposite William Powell in "The Hoodlum Saint," which Norman Taurog has been assigned to direct for MGM. Republic Acquires New Borden Chase Story Republic has acquired the screen rights to "That Man Malone," a story by Borden Chase. Frank Borzage will make it as his second production for Republic, following completion of "Concerto." . . . Leslie Fenton has signed Academy Award winner Dimitri Tiomkin to write the musical score for Mutual Productions' "Pardon My Past," which Columbia will release. . . . Robert Cummings' next assignment for Hal Wallis Productions at Paramount will be the starring role in "Dishonorable Discharge." Pandro Berman has been assigned to produce "Green Mansions" for MGM. . . . Frank Wisbar, noted European director, has been signed by PRC to write and direct Leo McCarthy's initial production for the studio, "Strangler of the Swamp." . . . Columbia has promoted Mel Ferrer, dialogue director, to full director status. His first assignment will be the screen adaptation of Gene Stratton Porter's "The Girl of the Limberlost." Paramount has purchased "I Married Them," current best seller by Janet Duyn. Lou Harris will produce it under the title of "Home, Sweet Home." . . . Jimmy Lloyd and Conrad Janis have been chosen for the two male leads in Columbia's film version of the Broadway play, "Snafu." . . . Buster Keaton will have a featured role in Universal's "Once Upon a Dream," third film to be made by the producerwriter team 'of Michael Fessier and Joseph Pagano. Loew and Lewin to Film De Maupassant Novel Guy de Maupassant's novel, "Bel Ami," will be brought to the screen by David Loew and Albert Lewin, with George Sanders in the title role. . . . "Even Steven," an original story by Paul Gangelin, has been purchased by Columbia, and will be used as the basis for one of four Western musicals which the studio will produce next season. . . . Dan Seymour has been signed for an important role in the forthcoming Warner production, "Confidential Agent." Oscar Hammerstein II has arrived in Hollywood to work with Otto Preminger on 20th Century-Fox's "Romance with Music." . . . Ray Nazzaro has been assigned to direct Columbia's "Burning the Trail," which co-stars Charles Starrett and Smiley Burnette. . . . Chester Conklin, old-time favorite of the silent screen, will have a role in MGM's "Abbott and Costello in Hollywood." James Dobbs, of the hat-manufacturing family, has been signed to a term contract by Warners. . . . Ann Savage and Tom Neal will be co-starred in "Detour," which Leon Fromkess will produce personally for PRC. . . . Paramount has acquired the screen rights to "Golden Earrings," forthcoming novel by Yolande Foldes. . . . Craig Reynolds has been added to the cast of "Uncle Harry," which Joan Harrison is producing for Universal. Barbara Hale Gets Lead Role in "Tomorrow" Barbara Hale, former Chicago fashion model, has been assigned the top feminine role in "Tomorrow Is Here," RKO's post-war story of medically discharged service men. . . . Hume Cronyn has been chosen for a key role in MGM's "The Postman Always Rings Twice," which will co-star Lana Turner and John Garfield. . . . The King Brothers have returned to Hollywood from the east to start work on their next production, "Suspense." Samuel Goldwyn has engaged Walter Abel for a featured role in "The Kid from Brooklyn," Danny Kaye's next starring vehicle. . . . Jean Rogers has been signed for the principal feminine role in "Gregory," which Louis Berkoff will produce for Monogram. Harold Hopper Resigns as MGM Studio Manager Harold Hopper resigned May 31 as general manager of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Mr. Hopper accepted the post a year ago on the request of Nicholas M. Schenck and Louis B. Mayer. He plans to devote his entire time to his own business interests, which include the Cinema Mercantile Corporation and financing of productions. He retained the presidency of the Motion Picture Society for the Americas throughout his affiliation with MGM. No successor has been named for the MGM post. Botsford Leaves Lyons Agency A. M. Botsford, vice-president and general manager of the A. and S. Lyons Agency since October, 1942, has resigned. Mr. Botsford formerly had been an associate producer with Paramount and director of advertising and publicity for Twentieth Century-Fox. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 9, 1945