Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

THE HOLLYWOOD SCENE 52 Pictures Shooting as 20th -Fox Starts O. S. S. Film Starring Cagney Hollyncood Bureau Production activity was static last week, as six new films reached camera stages, five were finished, and one — Republic'se "Heldorado" — was temporarily shelved. At the weekend, there were 52 pictures in work. MGM launched a romantic drama, "The Secret Heart," with a cast headed by Claudette Colbert, Walter Pidgeon, June Allyson and Robert Sterling. Edwin Knopf produces; Robert Z. Leonard directs. "13 Rue Madeleine," the 20th CenturyFox newsdrama of the O. S. S., went before the cameras in Washington, D. C, with Henry Hathaway directing for producer Louis de Rochemont. Included in the cast are James Cagney, Annabella, Frank Latimore, Walter Abel and Melville Cooper. At Universal, Walter Wanger started work on "Smash-Up," which Stuart Heisler is directing. Susan Hayward, Lee Bowman, Eddie Albert and Marsha Hunt head the cast. Monogram Begins Second of "Joe Palooka" Series Monogram launched the second in its "Joe Palooka" series, which Hal E. Chester produces. Titled "Gentleman Joe Palooka," its cast includes Leon Errol, Joe Kirkwood, Elyse Knox and Guy Kibbee. Cyril Endfield is directing. Producer Sigmund Neufeld brought "Dangerous Men," a Western with Buster Crabbe, Al St. John and Pat Knox, before the cameras at PRC. Sam Newfield is the director. The current Golden Gate production, which will be released through Screen Guild Productions, is "Man from Utah," with Russell Hayden, Inez Cooper, Lyle Talbot and Douglas Fowley. William B. David produces; Breezy Eason directs. Incidental News of Pictures-to-Come Marlene Dietrich will return to the screen to co-star with Ray Milland in "Golden Earrings," screen version of Yolanda Foldes' new novel. The story deals with a British colonel who falls in with a band of gypsies, and Miss Dietrich's role will be that of a gypsy girl. Harry Tugend is slated to produce for Paramount, and Alitchell Leisen to direct. Humphrey Bogart will star in Columbia's "Dead Reckoning," which Sidney Biddell will produce and John Cromwell direct. William Prince has been signed for the juvenile lead. . . . Henry Fonda has been engaged by RKO Radio as the first member of an all-star cast to be assembled by producer John Houseman for the screen version of Wilbur Daniel Steele's novel, "That Girl from Memphis." Charles Vidor to Direct Columbia Production Charles Vidor has been chosen by Columbia to direct the Virginia Van Upp production, "My Empty Heart," which will co-star Rosalind Russell and Melvyn Douglas. . . . Lesley Selander, currently directing "Last Frontier Uprising" for Republic, has been given a new one-year contract by that studio. . . . RKO has arranged to borrow Susan Hayward from Walter Wanger to co-star with Robert Young in "They Won't Believe Me," which Joan Harrison will produce. "The Pursued," an original story by Niven Busch, has been acquired by United States Pictures. Milton Sperling will produce the film, starring Teresa Wright, at the Warner studio. . . . Peggy Wood, star of the New York and London stage, will have a top role in "Magnificent Doll," based on Irving Stone's biography of Dolly Madison. A Skirball-Manning production for Universal release, the picture will be directed by Frank Borzage. Set for stellar roles are Ginger Rogers, David Niven and Burgess Meredith. Harvey Parry and Richard Talraadge, coproducers of "Jeep-Herders," and "Detour to Danger," in the future will head producing units of their own, each filming 16mm entertainment features for release by Planet Pictures. . . . Sol M. Wurtzel has signed James Tinling to direct "Dangerous Heritage," which will be Wurtzel's fourth production for 20th Century-Fox release. Joel McCrea will be starred by Enterprise in a top-budget film version of the Saturday Evening Post serial, "They Passed This Way," by Eugene Manlove Rhodes. The film will be the second on Harry Sherman's production schedule. . . . John Dall, who made his screen debut opposite Bette Davis as the young Welsh coal miner in "The Corn Is Green," has been signed to a long term contract by Vanguard Films. Edward G. Robinson will star in "The Wayfarers," forthcoming Paramount production based on a novel by Dan Wickenden. . . . Jeffrey Bernerd is planning to produce a remake of "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" for Monogram. Jack Bernhard is scheduled to direct. . . . Producer William Bacher has had his 20th Century-Fox contract extended. . . . MGM has acquired the screen rights to "The Day Before Yesterday," by the British author, Edward Holstius. DeMille Adds to Cast of "Unconquered", in Color Howard da Silva has been selected by Paramount for a top role in Cecil B. De Mille's forthcoming Technicolor production, "Unconquered," which will co-star Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard. . . . "Ships in the River" has been set as Charles Hoffman's next production for Warners, and will mark the American film debut of the Swedish star, Viveca Lindfors. . . . Victor Sen Young, Chinese actor recently discharged from the U. S. Air Force, has been signed to a five-year contract by Monogram. Johnny Wiessmuller has made a new deal with Sol Lesser Productions, under the terms of which he will continue to play the Edgar Rice Burroughs character, "Tarzan," for the next three years. His first assignment under the new contract will be "Tarzan's Dangerous Game." . . . Jack Carson has been selected for the romantic lead opposite Ann Sheridan in "Calamity Jane," which Jerry Wald will produce for Warners Mark Stevens Given Lead In 20th-Fox Musical Mark Stevens has been assigned the costarring role opposite June Haver in the 20th Century-Fox musical, "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now." Cast for featured roles are Celeste Holm and Reginald Gardiner. . . . Christopher Isherwood, the well known British novelist, has been engaged by Enterprise • Productions to work with producer Wolfgang Reinhardt on an original screenplay, as yet untitled. Paramount has purchased an original story, "Dragnet," by Gerald Drayson Adams, and assigned it to Robert Fellows for production. . . . "The Magnificent Rogue," by John Douglas, has been purchased by Republic. Al Rogell will direct the film for producer William J. O'Sullivan. Astor Acquires Two Astor Pictures has acquired world distribution rights from Boris Morros for "Second Chorus" and "Flying Deuces." 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