Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1942)

September 19, 1942 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 23 HOLLYWOOD STUDIO ROUND-UP According to schedule eleven new pictures started this week: COLUMBIA HAIL TO THE RANGERS— Principals : Charles Starrett, Kay Harris. Director, William Berke. ONE DANGEROUS NIGHT— Principals : Warren William, Marguerite Chapman, Eric Blore. Director, Michael Gordon. MERRY-GO-ROUND— Principals: Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn. Director, George Stevens. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER NOTHING VENTURED— Principals : Lana Turner, Robert Young. Director, Wesley Ruggles. MONOGRAM BYE BYE BABY— Principals : N.T.G. Revue, Ted Fio Rito Orchestra. Director, Howard Bretherton. PARAMOUNT HENRY ALDRICH DOES HIS BIT— Principals : Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney. Director, Hugh Bennett. REPUBLIC ELEVEN WERE BRAVE — Principals : Donald Barry, Jean Parker, George Cleveland. Director, Frank McDonald. HEART OF THE GOLDEN WEST— Principals : Roy Rogers, George "Gabby" Hayes, Ruth Terry, Smiley Burnette. Producer-Director, Joseph Kane. 20th CENTURY-FOX DIXIE DUGAN — Principals: Lois Andrews, James Ellison, Charles Ruggles. Director, Ray McCarey. IMMORTAL SERGEANT — Principals : Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Hara, Thomas Mitchell. Director, John Stahl. WARNER BROTHERS MURDER ON WHEELS — Principals : Richard Travers, Eleanor Parker, Charles Lang. Director, Ross Lederman. TITLE CHANGES "Ride Mountie Ride" (Col.) now RIDERS OF THE ROYAL MOUNTED. Abbott and Costello Back Abbott and Costello are back home in Hollywood. The comics covered an itinerary of 78 cities in 34 days and during that time sold approximately $80,000,000 in bonds. When they returned they found Universal's studio bedecked with banners reading, "Welcome Home, Bud and Lou, Champion Bond Sellers." They'll rest for two weeks and then report for their next Universal picture, "Hold Your Horses." Universal Calls 400 Extras Universal used approximately 400 atmosphere players and 21 stunt men, largest call placed with Central Casting Bureau in more than a month. The pictures for which they were hired include "Sin Town," which Ray Enright is directing; "Pittsburgh" which Lewis Seiler is directing; "Passing the Buck" with Harold Young directing ; and "Forever Yours," with Bruce Manning at the megaphone. Invitation to Exhibitors Leon Fromkess, in charge of production for Producers Releasing Corporation, has written to both the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, and National Allied exhibitor organizations, inviting their members to visit his company's studios whenever they come to Hollywood. Both groups have been asked to relay the invitations to their regional associations. On "Frontier" Location Producer Harry Sherman, left, Max Baer and Dick Dickson, production assistant, look out over them thar hills on location for Paramount's "Buckskin Frontier." Maxie puts up his dukes for the first time since leaving the prize ring, where once he was the ruling Champ, in a bare knuckle fight with Victor Jory in the Sherman western drama. Warner Bros, on Fire And Under Control Fire control measures proved their worth during filming of terrific fire and explosion scene for "Action in the North Atlantic." Set, filling entire stage, is after part and bridge of an oil tanker. Three hundred full-throated gas jets, and 25 separate 5 pound explosions of black powder set off during filming of scene created such an amount of heat that the under-side of sound proofed roof was set afire. Special sprinklers and well-drilled fire crew of 25 had things under control so quickly that not even director Lloyd Bacon knew it wasn't all part of the action. Perlberg Gets New Contract 20th-Fox has torn up William Perlberg's current producing contract and have signed him to a new one covering a term of years. Perlberg was an executive producer at Columbia before going to 20th-Fox where he has made a number of pictures, the most recent of which is "The Meanest Man in the World," the Jack Benny starrer. Monogram Sells in New Pastures Three recently released Monogram pictures have been booked for early showing at Warner's Capitol Theater, Philadelphia. In addition, the studio has sold its 1942-43 program to the Affiliated Theatre Circuit of California, and one of its pictures as been booked by Hamid's in Atlantic City. Hopes' Wooden Typewriters OPA Priorities took a partial toll on realism when the Samuel Goldwyn prop department ordered three dozen facsimile wooden typewritters, now used for window dressing, to be used in the city desk scene of "They Got Me Covered." Noise of clicking machines will be dubbed in later. Goodwins Directs "Silver Skates" Monogram has signed Leslie Goodwins to direct its mammoth ice show "Silver Skates," scheduled to go before the cameras next week. For five years Goodwins has been under contract to RKO where he directed a number of "A" pictures. Milestone to Direct Hellman Film Lewis Milestone will direct the untitled picture about Russian life that Lillian Hellman is now writing for Producer Samuel Goldwyn. The film, which will star Teresa Wright, will go into production in January. AROUXD HOLLYWOOD uaUU Cd RcUcUh. Watch party at Monogram : we watch A. W. "Billy" Hackel and his satellites, watching the director Bill Beaudine who is watching the cast go through their paces in "The Living Ghost." No wonder they keep those budgets down. James Dunn and Joan Woodbury are the leads, and ive glance at them every so often, but can't keep our eyes off Jan Wiley. In her last picture, "City of Silent Men" she did a sivell job but didn't look beautiful. Here in person she is beautiful. So, adding the swell job to the beautiful gal should equal results. The Paramount set for "Night Plane From Chungking" looks like what the movies have made us believe Tibet is like. Nobody I know has ever been there, so who's going to argue. Otto Kruger, wearing a makeup scar, made an electric entrance into the scene which Ralph Murphy was directing, and joined Ellen Drew, Robert Preston and Steve Geray. We remarked that Ellen Dre'" shoidd be happy now that she's on her "home" lot but there were other views. Republic had been very "siveet" to her while she was on loan. News from "Stars Over America" shows such a tremendous reaction to the urging of the Stars that everyone even remotely connected with the industry is proud. No kidding aside, we heard that Jimmy Cagney, at one place auctioned off a pig. a bedspread and a pair of lamps. What a winter. And now that a jockey who heard Jimmy sell bonds commented that he had a silver tongue, we can look foriuard to his next biographical,— William Jennings Bryan. They say also that the 110 percenters in York, Pa., have decided to dedicate a park bench to Hedy Lamarr. What Ecstasy! And, Edward Arnold and Frances Dee were made "Arkansas Travelers" by the Governor of that State when they toured the State selling bonds. We can't believe that either of them can offer serious competition to Bob Burns in playing the Bazooka. Stromberg, Benny, Pressburger Forming Talent Pool United Artists producers Hunt Stromberg, Jack Benny and Arnold Pressburger began formation of a giant talent pool to combat the serious shortage of potential starring material in the film industry. Kitty Carlisle, one of the three highest paid songstresses in the country, is the first star to be selected by the UA producers for this pool. Universal Signs Pat O'Brien On a deal that calls for one picture annually oyer a period of years, Pat O'Brien has been signed by Universal. Studio execs are now looking for a proper vehicle for O'Brien for release on the 1942-43 program.