Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1945)

MM mU MIMTl FOR IIADIIG Ml 1944 Season Brought to Fore Record iVumber of 'New Faces'' to Bolster Screen's Galaxy of Personalities to Be Featured in Theatre Billing The note of suppressed gloom that hung over Hollywood producers when calls to the Colors made serious inroads into the screen star galaxy, has given way to optimism and good cheer as the movie industry now turns smiling eyes upon the array of younger players and newcomers from the stage who have won plaudits for their acting ability and cheers from the public as favorite personalitiesIt is apparent that there has been no one year in the history of film production in which so many promising youngsters have come up to star-material rank such as has been the case in 1944. In addition, the industry has gained some important "new faces" as stars of the stage have made the successful switch-to top-flight position as stars of the screen. Most notable among these is Danny Kaye — a brilliant performer of the living theatre who registered as a great, and widely popular, screen star with his first picture, "Up in Arms" during 1944. In addition to the newer stars whom exhibitors elect to leading rank for having made the greatest strides last season, there are many exceptional actors and actresses who are comparatively new to picture prominence. Some have been in pictures a few years but only came to the fore last season. Others have come out of the "nowhere," so to say, and are already well established as "names" the exhibitors feature in billing and announcements of pictures in which they appear. Included among the standouts who received votes in our Leaders Poll and upon whom Hollywood can rely for increasing ability to essay roles that call for resourcefulness and assignments that demand "name" strength, are the following: TURHAN BEY. Though he has been in pictures for Universal since 1941, this presently very prominent actor first impressed himself on the consciousness of motion picture fans in "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," though Hollywood had big plans for him before that picture was made. Bey drew a fine acting role and important assignment in MGM's "Dragon Seed" and he furthered his standing with the public by his performance in that picture. His current release is "The Climax," and his forthcoming picture, also for his home studio. Universal, is " Trisco Sal " ARTURO DE CORDOVA. Paramount has given this actor a series of very important roles following his notable success in "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and he is now registering very emphatically with the public as the hero of "Frenchman's Creek." Following this picture, De Cordova will appear in "Incendiary Blonde," "Hostages," and "A Medal for Benny," all for Paramount. GREGORY PECK. He is one of the important newer personalities in pictures and is certain to become increasingly prominent as a result of the assignments Hollywood has given him in "Keys to the Kingdom," his current release, and the forthcoming Selznick-Hitchcock production, "Spellbound," and "Valley of Decision" (MGM) with Greer Garson, Peck's 1944 release was "Days of Glory," RKO Radio. WILLIAM EYTHE. That stark and potent tragedy, "The Ox Bow Incident," which critics hailed with resounding enthusiasm but the broad masses found too realistically grim to applaud as entertainment, brought this actor to the fore. He won an outstanding part in "The Song of Bernadette," that of the boy who was in love with the sainted girl, and parts in "A Wing and a Prayer," "The Eve of St. Mark" and "Wilson" at his home studio, 20th-Fox, and has advanced his stock materially. CHARLES KORVIN. Another actor upon whom Universal pins great hopes and, according to showmen who have seen his first screen work — the name role of "Enter Arsene Lupin" — one destined to become a very popular and prominent "name" for the picture theatre marquees. Korvin was signed by Charles K. Feldman when the actor was playing in his first important role in a New York stage show, "Brown Eyes," and the newcomer to the Universal lot immediately impressed the studio heads there. He has had wide experience on the stage abroad. ELIZABETH TAYLOR. Young English actress who registered with such force and effect in her first picture made in Hollywood, the outstandingly successful "Lassie Come Home," and whose current release, "National Velvet," is carrying her fame high and wide. Her forthcoming picture will be "Hold High the Torch," for MGM, to whom she is under contract. ROBERT HUTTON. Warner Bros, introduced this actor to screen audiences with a substantial part in "Destination Tokyo" and he more than lived up to expectations of the studio by his work. Hutton registered with the public and repeated the feat so emphatically in "Janie" that he was named among the younger players who made the greatest strides last year by exhibitors voting in our Leaders Poll. GAIL RUSSELL. Began her career at Paramount in 1943 in one of the "Henry Aldrich" pictures and from that went on to a role in "Lady in the Dark," with results that appear to have impressed exhibitors and their customers, because this actress scores notably in our poll. Her current release is "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay," while among the forthcoming Paramount releases in which she carries very important assignments are "Salty O'Rourke," opposite Alan Ladd, and "The Unseen" TRUDY MARSHALL. An actress who has been with 20thFox since 1942 and has developed her acting abilities steadily since that beginning on the screen. The importance of her role in the immensely successful "The Sullivans" last year and the accompanying publicity Miss Marshall received has placed {Continued on Page 86) 78 LEADERS of the MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY