Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1941)

Page 20 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW February 15, 1941 STR West Coast Offices Guaranty Building 6331 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, Calif. Telephone, Hollywood 1390 Program Notes From the Studios . Brenda Marshall, Olympe Bradna and William Lundigan have been boosted to the topspot positions in Warner Bros. "Highway West," marking the first time they have worked together. Willie Best has also been set for a spot in the comedy which rolls this week under the direction of William McGann. Clarence Brown, MGM producer-director, is playing host to Lt. Henry Neville and Lt. Charles Crosby, two U. S. Army officers. The men are conferring with Brown on technical details for his forthcoming assignment, "The Uniform." Jack Oakie has had to decline the featured comedy role in Gene Markey's forthcoming production at Columbia, "The Great Lady," because of his commitment in "Navy Blues" at Warner Bros. Oakie is currently working in "The Great American Broadcast" at 20th Century-Fox, and reports for "Blues" in about three weeks. "Tumbledown Ranch in Arizona," latest in the "Range Busters" series for Monogram, goes before the cameras late this month. In addition to the three stars, Ray Corrigan, Max Terhune and John King, the picture will introduce the University of Arizona Glee Club, and will be filmed entirely at Tucson. Producer-Director Herbert Wilcox added John Ward, Keith Hitchcock, Edward Mortimer and Peggy Remington to the cast of RKO's "Sunny," Anna Neagle starrer. Lana Turner was handed the second feminine lead in MGM's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," with Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Donald Crisp and Ian Hunter. Victor Fleming is directing. You Take the High Note Penny Singleton practices one of the songs she tings in Columbia's "Blondie Goes Latin" with Morris Stoloff, head of the studio's music dept. Smiley Burnette, Gene Autry's comedy partner at Republic, has been assigned to one of the top roles in "County Fair," Lulu Belle and Scotty feature. Monte Banks, former member of the Keystone Kops, returns to the screen for the first time since 1928, in one of the top comedy roles in 20th Century-Fox's "Blood and Sand," Tyrone Power starrer. Banks joins a cast which includes Linda Darnell, Alan Curtis, Laird Cregar, John Carradine and Lynn Bari. James Rennie was signed by Paramount to appear in "Skylark" currently before the cameras under the producer-directorship of Mark Sandrich. Claudette Colbert, Ray Milland and Brian Aherne are co-starred. A complete auto court has been built on a sound stage at Columbia for scenes in "Under Age," which features Nan Grey, Alan Baxter, Tom Neal and Mary Anderson. Edward Dymtryk is directing. Producer Joe Pasternak has gone to Palm Springs to join Director Henry Koster and writer Norman Krasna where they will work on the shooting script of "Almost An Angel," forthcoming Charles Laughton starrer for Universal. The picture is scheduled to go into production the middle of next month. Republic expects to put "Lady from New Orleans" before the cameras late this month, when Ona Munson returns from New York. Miss Munson has the title role in the picture. Anne Shirley's next starrer for RKO will be "Father Takes a Wife," with Alberto Vila slated for the male lead. The picture goes into production early next month under the direction of Jack Hively. It will also be Signe Hasso's first American film. Choice for the leading feminine role in David O. Selznick's "Jane Eyre," lies between Vivien Leigh, Katharine Hepburn and Joan Fontaine. Selznick is asking Bronte fans to submit a choice of one of these three stars. Paramount's "Aldrich Family" series will have to have a new leading man because Jackie Cooper is growing up so fast, he won't be able to play his young boy role. A substitute will also be sought for Eddie Bracken. The next production will be "Henry and Dizzy," and a quest for other performers is in progress now. George Weeks, producer of Monogram's "Range Busters" series, has ourchased a musical by Bernie Giler and Bill Watters called, "South American Tour." Lloyd Nolan has completed his co-starring role in Universal's "Mr. Dynamite," and checks in at Paramount March 4 for one of the top roles in "Two Bad Angels." New Feature Length Cartoon To Cost Million Dollars "Mr. Bug Goes to Town," the first modern story in feature cartoon form, went into actual production at the Fleischer Studios, following a year's preparatory work. The new milliondollar Technicolor production will be ready for release by Paramount, late this year. Based on the first story ever written for a feature length cartoon, "Mr. Bug" will require the labor of approximately 700 artists ten months to complete. It is neither fantasy nor fable, and, according to Dave Fleischer, production head and director of the new film, departs from everything heretofore accomplished in the cartoon field. Explaining his reason for selecting a modern, dramatic story for the new production rather than a fantasy, Fleischer declared that, in his opinion, the field of the animated cartoon is unlimited. Sanders Out of "Saint" Series George Sanders will not be seen in RKO's "Saint" series, according to an announcement from the studio, which states that they will be produced in London. Sanders' contract with 20th Century-Fox calls for him to remain in this country. "The Saint's Vacation," is the next in the series, and Producer Howard Benedict is looking for a new star. Goldwyn Preps "Little Foxes" Bette Davis in "The Little Foxes," with William Wyler directing, will be the first picture to be produced by Samuel Goldwyn, now free to make any distribution deals away from United Artists. All in a Day's Work Hard-boiled Victor McLaglen groans in despair when Gay Ellen Dakin is turned over to him for a scene in Hal Roach's "Broadway Limited," now in production for United Artists release.