Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1945)

56 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW January 13, 1945 Ross Buys Rights to Story Based On Actual Hollywood Happening Frank Ross, now at work on his production of "The Robe" for RKO Radio release, has acquired the rights to "The Personal Touch," a musical with six feminine leads and a male who belongs legally to all of them. "The Personal Touch" is by William Hebert, Ross' advertising and publicity director and production assistant on "The Robe." Origin of story is the recent report about six Goldwyn Girls, struck by the looks and talent of Allan Dodd, one of the dancers in "Wonder Man," forming a syndicate to advance his career {STR, Dec. 30, 1944, p. 30). Ross will seek Danny Kaye for the central role of the talented youngster whose career, even to his personal life, is regulated by six beautiful girls. "Th Personal Touch" goes on Producer Ross' program which will include at least one other film in addition to "The Robe," to be made in 1945. Stone Names Crandall Head Of Studio Press, Promotion Milton Crandall, for the past ten years in charge of motion picture campaigns, most recently with United Artists, has been appointed studio head of press and promotion by Andrew Stone, UA producer. Crandall's first assignment will be to conduct a special nationwide publicity and promotional campaign for "Bedside Manner," filmization of the Saturday Evening Post serial, starring John Carroll and Ruth Hussey, with Charlie Ruggles and Ann Rutherford in the chief supporting roles. Assigned to Juvenile Lead Loren Tindall will be the juvenile, opposite ingenue Jeff Donnell, in Columbia's Irene DunneAlexander Knox-Charles Coburn starrer, "Over 21." Charles Vidor is directing the film version of the Ruth Gordon stage hit for Producer Sidney Buchman. Columbia Acquires Herbert Story Columbia has bought "When I Come Back," an original story by F. Hugh Herbert dealing with the difficulties faced by a marine veteran in adjusting himself to civilian life. TOPS in QUALITY ♦ ErFECTIVENESS SAME DAY SERVICE 1327 So. Wabash Avenue Chicago, s III. SCREEN ADVERTISING CSHema-cMitt FILM CENTER BLDG., N.Y.C. CI. 6-9565 ADV. What Are Your Needs? foe Hornstein Has It CHAMPS GET TOGETHER. Leaders in various nationwide star popularity polls, Paramount's Bing Crosby ("Going My Way") and International Pictures' star-producer Gary Cooper ("Casanova Brown," "Along Came Jones") were photographed together recently at New Year's war benefit in Hollywood. Both stars added to their popularity through their activities in behalf of fighting men abroad and through entertaining wounded men in military hospitals. Six New Players Promoted to Stardom by Jack L. Warner In a "New Year's Honor List" issued last Friday, Jack L. Warner, executive producer for Warner Bros., revealed the promotion of six young contract players to full-star rating. The new stars elevated from featured rating on the basis of performances in 1944 are Lauren Bacall ("To Have and Have Not"), Dane Clark ("The Very Thought of You," "Hollywood Canteen," "This Love of Ours"), John Dall ("The Corn Is Green"), Faye Emerson ("The Very Thought of You," "Hotel Berlin"), Robert Hutton ("Janie," "Hollywood Canteen") and William Prince ("The Very Thought of You," "Pillar to Post"). This "Honor List," the biggest ever issued by Warners, gives the studio 31 stars, largest number in its history. Set Depicts Tokyo Waterfront One of the largest indoor lakes ever constructed in Hollywood is being used in "Blood on the Sun," W illiam Cagney's forthcoming United Artists release which will have James Cagney and Sylvia Sidney in the starring roles. The set, designed by Wiard Ihnen, measures 225 by 125 feet and depicts the Tokyo waterfront with piers, warehouses, seven houseboats and an assortment of fishing boats. Kruger Set for Bennett Film Kurt Kruger has been chosen by Constance Bennett to enact the role of Captain Weber in the film, "Paris Underground," her first independent production for United Artists release. Top Spots Set for 'Ten Cents' Two top roles in Columbia's "Ten Cents a Dance," which features Jimmy Lloyd and Jane Frazee, have been filled with the signing of John Calvert and Dorothea Kent. Two Get Character Leads Walter Abel and Katherine Alexander have been signed for the character leads in the screen version of "Kiss and Tell," which Sol Siegel, George Abbott and F. Hugh Herbert are producing for Columbia. Dear Mr. Exhibitor's Wife: Cornel Wilde (who Columbia is billing as the Sinatra of Bagdad for this picture) and Adele Jergens, a new find, are being starred in that company's elaborate Technicolor picture, "A Thousand and One Nights. Today they're working on the wedding scene, in which both stars appear, so I've arranged for us to make that studio this week. We pick up our escort. Herb Sterne of publicity, and head for the lot and the set where the picture is being filmed. We enter the stage to the beating of drums, which may sound like they were announcing our presence, but which really mean the dancers are re^ hearsing. A riot of color greets our eyes as we peek over the shoulders of the technicians to get a glimpse of what's going on. The Oriental troupe features Mari Jinishian, a Syrian, as star. They do this fancy head-jerking and whirling stuff for which most Oriental dancers are famous. The lights go on when the rehearsal is over, giving us a chance to walk over near the camera to get a choice spot. The place looks like an Arabian Nights castle. Typical of what we've read of the period, the men are dressed in colored robes and turbans; the girls look luscious in their peek-a-boo long sheer pants with bra tops and bare midriffs. Round, legless tables are provided for the guests, who sit on pillows, with the bridal table a long, narrow one. The tables are laden with plenty of food, fruit and gold drinking goblets of all sizes. The camera is facing the guests, behind whom is a huge, sheer curtain that drops from the ceiling, through which you can see an enormous staircase. The dancers descend the steps as the curtains open. • Director Alfred E. Green (very busy cracking nuts between rehearsals) gives the order for "arc lights; roll it; playback," at which time the action starts with the opening of the curtains and the dancers appearing. The all-white background and huge candelabras (gas jets) give the colors special emphasis; everything takes on the Arabian Nights feeling. It requires at least half a dozen rehearsals before Director Green is satisfied and the "take" okayed. Seated in front of us, so that all we need do is lean over to speak to them, are both Wilde and Miss Jergens. He, scarcely recognizable in his gold brocade coat, his hght blue turban and dark makeup; she, looking like an Arabian Princess in her gold-spangled dress, with long sleeves and bare midriff, her very blonde hair and long gold veil. We find them interesting to meet and visit with them for as long as we're permitted. Then when "the-showmust-go-on," we bid adieu. Until next week. Ann Lewis Thompson in Production Post Walter Thompson, for more than a year executive assistant to William Goetz, president of International Pictures, has been named associate producer of the forthcoming Sonja Henie Technicolor film, "Countess of Monte Cristo." George Beck and Frank Tarlofif are now writing the screenplay, and directorial assignments will be made upon completion of their script. Production is slated for mid-March. Scott to Star in Levey Film Having acquired the screen rights to "The Homesteaders," best selling novel by Ernest Haycox, popular writer of Western stories, Jules Levey plans to start production shortly for United Artists release with Randolph Scott signed for one of the roles. Signs Grant as Producer-Writer In accordance with its policy of giving outstanding writers the opportunity to produce their own stories, the studio has just purchased an original from James Edward Grant and signed him to write the screenplay and produce the picture.