Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1943)

40 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW January 16, 1943 Goldwyn Plans Next Bob Hope Comedy A swashbuckling pirate comedy of epic proportions is planned by Samuel Goldwyn for his next production to star Bob Hope, following "They Got Me Covered," which will be released in February. Based on an idea by Don Hartman, the story will use the title of a previously announced vehicle for Hope, "Treasure Chest," but will have a fresh angle. Designed as "escapist" adventure de luxe, the picture will be filmed in Technicolor and keyed to what the producer foresees as a demand for this type of film in 1943. Giving Hope a new and lavish background for his comedy, the story will be ready for filming in the Spring of 1943. "Faculty Row" Playwright Carlson A striving playwright before he became an actor, Richard Carlson will resume his former career for his new role in MGM's "Faculty Row," in which Herbert Marshall, Mary Astor and Susan Peters have already been cast. Carlson began writing plays while in grammar school, and some years later had one produced on Broadway in which Van Heflin starred. He just completed the role of a playwright in "Presenting Lily Mars," which Jules 'Dassin directed, with Robert Sisk producing. Two Unusual Roles Assigned Two of the most unusual roles ever assigned American actresses have been given to Viola Louie and Dolly Dare at Warner Bros. Miss Louie has been chosen to portray a Russian locomotive engineer and Miss Dare the locomotive fireman in "Mission to Moscow," screen adaptation of the best-selling book by former U. S. Ambassador to Russia Joseph E. Davies. The film is now in production. Manning on Special Mission Bruce Manning, Universal producer-writerdirector, has been granted a leave of absence by the studio to carry out a special mission for the War Department. Alanning has just completed "The Amazing Mrs. Holliday," which he produced and directed with Deanna Durbin as its star, and which will follow "Shadow of a Doubt" into the Rivoli Theatre on Broadway. Republic Tries Singing Cowgirl Republic has decided to incorporate music in its Bill Elliott series. Melody will be provided by Anne Jeffreys, blonde, who will be the heroine in the series. Thus Republic, which launched the singing cowboy, is now trying out the singing cowgirl. No producer has yet been chosen for the series. Miss Lupino's Option Renewed Ida Lupino, co-starred with Joan Leslie and Dennis Morgan in "The Hard Way," scheduled for release in the near future, has signed a new contract with Warner Bros. Miss I_upino is currently working with Olivia de Havilland and Paul Henreid in "Devotion," story of the Bronte sisters. Pete Smith Nominates "Marines" The M-G-M short subject, "Marines in the Making," has been selected by Pete Smith, producer and narrator of the short, as his candidate for the forthcoming Motion Picture Acad■emy short subject award. To Serve as Liaison War Department has assigned Lieut. Col. Frank McCabe of the General Staff to serve as liaison officer between the War Department and the Warner Bros, studios during the filming of Irving Berlin's "This Is the Army." Col. McCabe has already left Washington for the coast, where he will confer with Jack L. Warner, executive producer. Babe Ruth Personal Appearances Aid Skouras Theatre Drives In a series of personal appearances which Chris Dunphy, chief of the Amusements Section of the War Production Board, calls "a contribution to the prosecution of the war that cannot be measured in dollars and cents," Babe Ruth came out of retirement this week to start a tour of Skouras Theatres in New York. Special events are planned for each theatre. For his appearance on stage, Ruth is introduced from the screen by a special short subject, "The Sultan of Swat," comprised of newsreel highlights of the Babe's career. Fitzgerald to Have a Top Role In Universal's 'Corvettes in Action' Barry Fitzgerald has been signed by Universal to play one of the three top roles in the Howard Hawks production, "Corvettes in Action," for which Randolph Scott has also been set. The picture goes into work at the studio on January 2Sth with Richard Rosson directing. Fitzgerald, who came to America from his native Ireland with the famous Abbey Theatre Players and remained to play many outstanding roles on the screen, has just completed a featured part in "The Amazing Mrs. Holliday." Monogram Signs Billy Gilbert Billy Gilbert will be starred in a new series of Monogram comedies, according to the terms of a new contract just signed with Producers Sam Katzman and Jack Dietz. Four pictures will be made during the current year, and appearing in Gilbert's support will be the juvenile team of Butch and Buddy, who have previously appeared with the star in a successful series of Universal comedies. First of the Gilbert pictures will be "Twenty-Four-Hour Leave," Saturday Ri'ciiiiii/ Post story. To Continue 'Holmes' Series World-wide box-oflice success of the first two of Universal's three 1942-43 "Sherlock Holmes" features to go into distribution has resulted in the studio setting another trio of the A. Conan Doyle stories for production on its 1943-44 selling season. The new series will again co-star Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. Sol Lesser to Represent IMPP Participating as a group, members of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers have requested Sol Lesser to represent the organization in charitable, state and civic matters. He will cooperate with the Permanent Charities Committee of the Motion Picture Industry. Magazine to Run Hilton's Story Cosmopolitan will run James Hilton's novel, "The Story of Dr. Wassell," in an early issue. Hilton was commissioned to novelize the dramatic story of the Naval hero which C. B. De Mille will produce for Paramount. Eugene O'Neill Signed As 20th-Fox Producer Signing of Eugene O'Neill to a producer's contract was announced this week by 20th Century-Fox. His first pictures will be "Condors of the Sky," an original story based upon a recent battle episode, and "Ground Pilots," another original story to be produced in the spring with the cooperation of the United States Army Air Corps. At the same time, the studio also revealed that options on Anne Baxter and Heather Angel have been lifted for another year. New assignments for these players will be announced as soon as scripts are ready. Sixteen Columbia Westerns Ready Columbia has a backlog of 16 western pictures which will be released during the first half of 1943. A study of the list and chart reveals them to be "Riding Thru Nevada," "Pardon My Gun," "A Tornado in the Saddle," "The Lone Prairie," "The Fighting Buckaroo," "Law of the Northwest," "Riders of the Northwest Mounted," "Silver City Raiders," "Hail to the Rangers," "Robin Hood of the Range," "Saddles and Sagebrush," "The Vigilantes Ride," "Wyoming Hurricane," "The Last Horseman," "Riding West," and "Frontier Fury." Miss Moorehead in 'Eyre' Role Immediately after she was presented with the New York Critics' award for the best performance by a screen actress in 1942, Agnes Moorehead was signed by 20th Century-Fox to play the role of Mrs. Rccd in "Jane Eyre," which will star Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine. The picture will be directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Kenneth Macgowan. Miss Moorehead's award from the critics came as a result of her performance as the aunt in "The Magnificent Ambersons." Eyes Latin-American Market Leon Fromkess, PRC production chieftain, has started an analysis of reports made by his company's distributors in Latin American countries concerning audience tastes in picture material. Results of the survey will be used as a guide in injecting story elements having special appeal to Latin American audiences in some of the productions. This is the first PRC move to cash in on that market. Child Cast in 'Jane Eyre' Twentieth Century-Fox has signed Peggy .Ann Garner, 9-year-old actress who was seen as Roddy McDowall's sister in "The Pied Piper," to play Jane Eyre as a child in "Jane Eyre," the screen adaptation of the novel by Charlotte Bronte. Leading roles in the picture will be played by Joan Fontaine and Orson Welles. The characterization to be essayed by Miss Garner will occupy about one-third of the picture, it was said. Step Up, Call Me 'Speedy' Leon Schlesinger has turned out a special subject for the Treasury Department in eight days. The 600-foot film, "On the War Bond Front," is a report to the retailers of .America showing their combined efforts in bond drives. Goldwyn Signs Schneider Samuel Goldwyn has signed Benno Schneider, noted director of productions for the Theatre Guild, \^inton Freedley productions and the Artef Theatre, to a long termer.