Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1942)

20 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW July 18, 1942 PROGRAM NOTES FROM THE STUDIOS Bryan Foy to Produce 7 Escaped from Hong Kong'; Hellinger Gets 'Patent Leather Kid'/ Joe Brown Busy on New Comedy ►Producer-Director Gregory Ratoff announced that Cole Porter has written nine songs for his forthcoming "Something to Shout About." The Columbia picture casts Don Ameche, Jack Oakie, William Gaxton, Cobina Wright, Jr., and Haze! Scott, colored headliner of New York night clubs. ^Williajn Dictcrle's "The Man on America's Conscience" is becoming distinguished by its cast. Montague Love, Carl Benton Rcid, J. Edward Bromberg and other character actors have been added to Van HefJin, Lionel Barrymore, Ruth Hussey and Marjorie Main in the MGM production. ►Martin Mooney and Max King have started camera work on "Foreign Agent" which William Beaudine is directing. Monogram has had the producers move their offices to its lot so as to concentrate on the picture v^'hich will star Gale Storm and John Shelton. ^Producer Fred Kohlmar received tivo important Paramount assignments, the first of which it'ill be "Calgary Stampede," a Technicolor musical that imll star J'ictor Moore, Mary Martin and Dick Powell. ►Walter Reed, among the most promising of the screen's new crop of leading men, got a boost with casting as Victor Mature's rival in RKO's "Sweet or Hot," in which Lucille Ball is the female lead. ^Bryan Foy ivill produce "I Escaped From Hong Kong" for 20th-Fo.r, based on the personal experiences of J. H. Marsman, ivho ivrote the story for the Saturday Evening Post and u'ill act as technical adviser. ►Ford Beebe, as producer-director of Universal's "House of Mystery," has cast Nils Asther for an East Indian Yogi, to a company that includes Irene Hervey, Bela Lugosi, Leif Erikson, Ralph Morgan, Don Porter, Lionel Atwill, Janet Shaw, Fay Holm, Frank Reicher, Doris Llovd, Francis Pierlot, Robert Homans and Ed Waller. ^Producer Mark Hellinger has received an assignment to do "The Patent Leather Kid," ivith John Garfield starring. Hellinger li'ill make this one of Warner Bros, big pictures. ►Director Joe Newman used over 100 extras in gambling hall sequences for the MGM "Gambler's Choice" that Sam Marx is producing, ^Sam Katzman, Monogram Producer, conferred zvith his co-producer. Jack Diets, on his return from the East and together they signed IVallacc Fo.r to direct "Boivery at Midniqht." starring Bela Lugosi. The picture starts July 21. ►David Lewis will produce "Four From Coventry." Paramount expects to star Madeleine Carroll in this human interest story by Claire Boothe. ^Producer Bert Gilroy and Director Leslie Goodwins fnt RKO's "Ladies' Day" into production this zveek, with LuPe J 'dec, Eddie Albert. Patsy J-Celly and Ma.r Baer taking the spotlight. ►Archie Mayo is directing the new 20th-Fox Technicolor Tyrone Power starrer, called "Crash Dive." Milton Sperling is producer of the picture, which will be filmed in part at the New London. Conn., submarine base by permission of the U. S. Navy. yPaid Malvern will produce a Universal musical feature called "Cov.'boy in Manhattan." The picture is e.rpcctcd to start late in the fall. ►Norman Krasna is directing his own story, "Princess O'Rourke," at Warner Bros. The Hal B. Wallis production stars Olivia de Havilland and Robert Cummings, with Charles Coburn supporting. ^Robert Sparks' production of "The Daring Young Man," the Joe E. Brown comedy that Frank Strayer is directing, had to have its ozmi bo'wling alley built, because all the local alleys icere constantly crozvded by defense workers. ►B. F. Zeldman has been assigned by MGM to produce a picture based on an original story just purchased from Lili Hatvany. "The Road Home" is about Germans who gradually lose their love for their own country after residing in the U. S. yPay Milland and Vera Zorina will co-star in a picture which David Lewis will produce for Paramount, based on IV. Somerset Maugham's "The Hour Before Dawn." ►Producer Robert Bassler has been signed to a term contract by 20th-Fox. His previous productions were "My Gal Sal" and "Girl Trouble." y Sherlock Holmes in Washington" started Monday and included three new players: Marjorie Lord, Robert Paige and Don Terry, all from Universal's contract list. Hozvard Benedict is the associate producer, and Roy William Ncill is directing. ►Henry Blanke has been assigned by Warner Bros, to the production in Technicolor of the great stage spectacle originally produced by Max Reinhardt, "The Miracle." With Edmund Colliding directing the final screenplay, which will be written by Samson Raphaelson, there should be a real religious stirring among movie-goers. Girls Want Switcharound A sorority at Barnard College notified the Motion Picture Producers Association that they would like to see the stars shuffled into different teams. As examples of their casting, they'd like to get Clark Gable for Martha Scott, Gary Grart for Loretta Young, a virile western type fo Marlene Dietrich, and Charles Boyer for themselves. Signs I. Goldsmith as Producer Long an outstanding figure in European film production and distribution, I. Goldsmith was signed to a term contract by Columbia. His first effort will be "Women Alone," a drama paying tribute to American women left behind by the nation's fighting men. Re-Issue "The Beachcomber" "The Beachcomber," co starring Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester, will be re-issued on July 2-!th by Paramount. Griffith Looking for Talent Director Griffith, who will make "Look Out Below" for RKO, with Fred Astaire starring, plans a trip to New York to look over the talent in the current stage shows and vaudeville. To Wounded Men, Their Blood Hot consomme, coffee and a doughnut is served Alexis Smith, lovely Warner Bros, star, as well as other studio employes following a contribution of a pint of their blood to the Red Cross Donors Service to assist wounded men at front. HOLLYWOOD STUDIO ROIJIVD-UP Cameras started rolling this week on nine new features at seven of Hollywood's studios. COLUMBIA FIGHTING BUCKAROO— Principals: Charles Starrett, Kay Harris. Director, William Berke. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER KEEPER OF THE FLAME— Principals : Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy. Director, George Cukor. MONOGRAM FOREIGN AGENT^Principals: John Shelton, Gale Storm, Hans Schumm. Director, William Beaudine. PRODUCERS BILLY, THE. KID (t.t.)— Principals : Buster Crabbe, Al St. John. Wanda ilcKay. Director, Sam Newfield. SILENT MEN— Principals: Frank Alperson, June Lang. Director, William Xigh. RKO-RADIO THEY GOT ME COVERED— Principals : Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour. Phvllis Ruth. Director, David Butler. UNIVERSAL SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON— Principals: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce. Director, Roy William Neill. ON THE BEAM— Principals : Gloria Jean, Freddie Bartholomew, Donald O'Connor. Director, Charles Lamont. ■WARNER BROTHERS PRINCESS O'ROURKE— Principals: Olivia de Havilland, Robert Cummings, Charles Coburn. Director, Norman Krasna. TITLE CHANGES Isle of Fury (Mono.) now ISLE OF MISSIXG MEN. "$10 Raise" (Fox) now HE HIRED THE BOSS