Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1940)

Page 18 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW February 17, 1940 STR West Coast Offices Guaranty Building 6331 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, Calif. Telephone, Hollywood 1390 . . . Program Notes From the Studios . . . Ida Lupino, whose sensational performance as M aisie in "The Light That Failed" was hailed by critics, will play the leading feminine role in Paramount's film version of the celebrated Joseph Conrad story, "Victory." Miss Lupino is the first player to be assigned. ous novel from the pen of the late Thorne Smith, will begin within the next two weeks on the Hal Roach lot. The cast includes Carole Landis, John Hubbard, Adolphe Menjou, William Gargan and Mary Astor. Hal Roach will produce and direct. With Jean Muir, Laraine Day, Robert CumMiNGS and Billie Burke in the leading roles, MGM's "And One Was Beautiful" went before the cameras under the direction of Robert Sinclair. Miss Muir returns to the screen after two years on the New York stage to appear in the Alice Duer Miller magazine story. Purchase of an original story with a view to bringing John Barrymore back to the screen was announced by Darryl F. Zanuck, 20th Ceiitury-Fox production chief. The story is "The Great Profile" by Melville Grossman, and revolves around the difficulties in which a famous actor finds himself involved with his fourth wife and the daughter of his first wife. _ "Anne of Windy Poplars," next solo starring vehicle for Anne Shirley, has been catalogued in the higher budget class and will be produced by Cliff Reid as one of the major features on RIvO's program. Jack Hively will direct. Tom Brown and Constance Moore have been teamed by Universal for the romantic leads in their current musical production, "Ma! He's Making Eyes at Me," which Harold Schuster is directing from an original story by Ed Sullivan. James Dunn was signed hy Monogram for the male lead in "Son of the Navy," playing opposite Jean Parker, recently signed for the picture. The story is an original radio script in which Ginger Rogers and Elliott Lewis appeared on the Silver Theatre program. William Nigh directs for Producer Grant Withers. George Schaefer, president of RKO, announced thai campaigns will he put into effect immediately to build Maureen O'Hara, Anne Shirley and Tim Holt into hig box office names within the next year. The three have shown real star material in their last assignments. Phillip Wood, veteran New York stage actor, and Dix Davis, child radio actor, have been added to the cast of Sol Lesser's "Our Town," now before the cameras under the direction of Sam Wood. Charles Ruggles has been signed by 20th Century-Fox for one of the top roles in "Maryland," which is scheduled to go before the cameras next week. This will mark Ruggles' first appearance on the Westwood lot. Two of America's most successful song writers, Frederick Hollander and Walter Jurman, are writing special numbers at Columbia for "Two Many Husbands," the Wesley Ruggles production that stars Jean Arthur, Fred MacMurray and Melvyn Douglas. Alfred Werker, who will direct "South of Pago Pago" for Edward Small productions, will soon begin preparations for the location trip to the South Seas which will be made late this month. The picture will be released by United Artists. Producer Walter Wanger has definitely set March 1 as the starting date of his next United Artists production, "Personal History," with Joel McCrea starred. The world famous boy's choir of St. Joseph parochial school in Los Angeles have been signed by Republic for an appearance in "Ranch© Grande," Gene Autry's current starring vehicle. The picture is now in production under the direction of Frank McDonald. "Darktown Strutter's Ball," with a cast headed by the Mills Brothers, goes into production this week with Arthur David Hilton directing and George Randol producing. The picture is being made for Goldberg and Port. Production of "Turnabout," another hilari Warner Bros, will star Ann Sheridan in "Calamity Jane," based upon the famous sharpshooter of the Old West. Jerry Wald and Richard Macaulay are writing the script, which will be filmed during the next few months. A director is yet to be assigned. Surrounded By Beauty It's a lucky predicament Eddie Cantor is in on the set of his new MGM picture, "Forty Little Mothers." From left to right, the young starlets are Louise Seidel, Bonita Granville, Diana Lewis, Martha O'DrisCOLL and Charlotte Munier. Busby Berkeley is directing the picture and Harry Rape is producing. Dr. Christian at Work Jean Hersholt, with the aid of Dorothy LovETT, goes through a scene in the StephensLang production, ''The Courageous Dr. Christian," in uhich he plays the title role. The picture is the second in the series for RKO. Carolyn Lee In "Virginia" Little Carolyn Lee, who made an overnight hit in "Honeymoon in Bali," has been signed by Paramount for a role in "Virginia," which Edward H. Griffith will produce and direct. Carolyn will report to the studio when Griffith is ready to start the new film. Col. Plans "Tiilie" Series Stimulated by the success of the "Blondie" series, Columbia signed a contract covering the film rights to Russ Westover's popular comic strip, "Tiilie the Toiler." Associate Producer Robert Sparks is starting a nation-wide search for the ideal "Tiilie," as well as the other characters. 'Sandy" Gets Go Signal With a cast headed by Baby Sandy, Mischa A UER, Nan Grey, Billy Lenhart, Kenneth Brown, Eugene Pallete, Billy Gilbert, John Sutton and Edgar Kennedy, "Sandy is a Lady" went before the cameras under the direction of Charles Lamont. Loew-Lewin Buy "Night Music" David Locw-Albert Lewin Productions closed a deal for the screen rights to the new Clifford Odets play, "Night Music," which they will make for United Artists release. "Lysistrata" Morros' Next "Lysistrata" has been set as Boris Morros' next production for RKO release with shooting scheduled for an early date under the direction of Rouben Mamoulian.