Showmen's Trade Review (1939)

Page 18 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW July 8, 1939 STR West Coast Offices Guaranty Building 6331 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, Calif. Telephone, Hollywood 1390 Strollin' Thru the Studios Franklyn Warner, president of Fine Arts Pictures, returned from New York where lie closed a deal to produce 24 pictures in Cosmocolor within the next two years. It is understood that Cosmoeolor will share financing of a new releasing set-up with Warner. George Brent, Olivia de Havilland and John Payne are slated for leading roles in "Eyes of the Army", forthcoming Warner Bros, film showing how America trains her military aviators. Lieutenant Bernard Lay, of the Army Air Service, has reported to the studio for work on the screenplay. As his first picture away from the Republic lot, Gene Autry, No. 1 cowboy star, will be co-starred with Jane Withers in "Jubilo" at 20th Century-Fox. Cameras are set to start as soon as Autry returns from a tour of England. Universal's two new air-conditioned sound stages, built at a cost of more than $250,000, have been completed several weeks under schedule. "First Love", Deanna Durbin starrer, and "Rio", Sigrid Gurie feature, will be the first productions on the premises. For the coming season, Producer Sol Seicel will handle Republic's four top-budget features. Siecel, and his brother M. J., leave for New York for confabs with Herbert J. Yates on general studio policy before Yates sails for Europe with Gene Autry. "Hit Parade of 1940," will be the first to go before the cameras with a minimum budget of $500,000. Producers Pictures Corporation, recently organized by Ben N. Judell, moved into its new quarters over the week-end. Negotiations for stories and stars for the 1939-40 program are being concluded and will be announced shortly. John Loder, British star, was signed by Paramount for a top role in the forthcoming Isa Miranda-George Brent co-starring picture, ''Diamonds Are Dangerous," which will be directed by George Fitzmaurice. Loder will be the first film actor to make an Atlantic crossing aboard the giant Yankee Clipper. Harry Sherman's "Argentina" troupe returned ' from two weeks' location work at Lone Pine, where the outdoor scenes for the latest "Hopalong Cassidy" picture were filmed under the direction of Nate Watt. William Boyd is starred, with Russell Hayden, Steffi Duna and Sidney Toler in the cast. With over 1,000 extras on call, Frank Caprv's Columbia company, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," co-starring Jean Arthur and James Stewart, worked on the Warner studio New York street last week. Director John Ford and the "Drums Along the Mohawk" company, left over the week-end for location at Utah, where the 20th CenturyFox Technicolor production will be filmed. Claudette Colbert and Henry Fonda are co-starred with Edna May Oliver, John Carradine, Linda Darnell and Eddie Collins heading the supporting cast. Producer Edward Finney's latest Tex Ritter musical western, "Riders of the Rancho Grande," went into production on July 5 with Spencer Bennett directing. The picture is being made for Monogram release. Hal Roach's latest picture for United Artists release, "A Chump At Oxford", starring Laurel and Hardy, is now in the cutting rooms. Alf Goulding directed with Hal Roach, Jr., as associate producer. Sol Lesser completed his cast of principals for the new Irene Dare starring picture, "Everything's On Ice," with the signing of Eric Linden for the romantic lead. The film, which is being directed by Eric C. Kenton, also features Edgar Kennedy, Bobby Watson, Roscoe Karns and Lynn Roberts. Shooting of the circus sequences for "A Day at the Circus", starring the Marx Brothers, was launched at MGM with 130 circus performers and professional clowns answering the roll call. The picture is being directed by Eddie Buzzell under the production wing of Mervyn LeRoy. The Max Gordon-Harry Goetz production of "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," will be directed by John Cromwell as his next assignment for RKO. Cromwell has just completed "Memory of Love," starring Carole Lombard and Cary Grant. Raymond Massey, star of the Lincoln picture, will arrive in Hollywood this month. Together Again Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy seem to be entertaining the crew on the set of Hal Roach's "A Chump at Oxford", their first picture together in more than a year. From the expression on the faces of the stand-ins on the left, the "gag" has something to do with them. The picture will be released by United Artists. 1 • :,f-*> Congratulating a New Star Director S. Sylvan Simon and Tom Brown congratulating Lana Turner on her first big role in "These Glamour Girls". The MGM actress plays opposite Lew Ayres in the film. Ann Sheridan Signed by Warners To Star In Jerry Wald's "Models" Ann Sheridan will be starred by Warner Bros, in "Models", an original screenplay by Jerry Wald, revealing the inside details in the lives of the beautiful and ambitious girls who work as professional commercial models in New York City. Eddie Albert and Jeffrey Lynn will have the leading male roles and George Hurrell, noted portrait photographer, will make his acting debut, by playing himself. Jane Bryan and Jane Wyman are slated for two other top feminine roles. Lew Seiler will direct, with production slated for early fall. Grant Withers to Produce Grant Withers, who recently appeared in Monogram's "Mr. Wong in Chinatown", will leave the acting ranks for a production post at the studio. His initial production effort will be "Irish Luck", starring Frankie Darro, which Howard Bretherton will direct. Withers has spent the past two months on the lot learning various technical production phases, under the guidance of Scott R. Dunlap, Monogram production head. Republic Signs New Mesquiteers Bob Livingston and Duncan Rinaldo will replace John Wayne and Ray Corrigan in the 1939-40 series of "Three Mesquiteer" westerns at Republic. "Raiders of the Wasteland", last on the 1939-40 schedule, will also be the last for Bill Berke, who will turn over the production to Harry Grey.