Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

November 25, 1^)44 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 31 IN HOLLYWOOD IT'S NEWS... That John LeRoy Johnston, advertising and publicity director for International Pictures, is having both his sons, lieutenants, at home on furlough this week . . . Monogram's Belita landed full page, with art, in the November 19 issue of American Weekly which has a circulation of more than eight million . . . Tom Gomez, Universal player, recorded the narration for "Enemy Bacteria," feature Cartune which Walt Lantz produced for the Navy . . . William Wilder has acquired rights to "American Gothic," another original . . . "Heritage" has been chosen as the PRC title on the screen biography of Dr. Jose Rizal which Herman Boxer will produce . . . Bill Goodwin won $50 from Frank Sinatra in proving he could grow a mustache . . . W. R. Frank replaced Arthur Guttman. ill, with Willy Stahl to conduct the score for "A Boy, a Girl and a Dog" . . . Sam Zimbalist has chosen Phyllis Thaxter for the lead in "The Green Years," MGM production of A. J. Cronin's book . . . Marjorie Reynolds and Barry Sullivan, who play the romantic leads in "Duffy's Tavern," will sing a new ballad written by Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen, called Now We're Getting Somewhere . . . Eddy White. Republic producer, is mad ; instead of "Swingin' On a Rainbow," two of his cast got the f5u and threw the whole shooting schedule off . . . Turhan Bey will lead the stars into "A Night In Paradise" at Universal . . . Robert Lee Johnson has been signed by Jack Schwarz and his associate, Lou Brock, to polish "Enchanted Forest" so it can be made in color for PRC . . . The first motion picture use of California's sole Moorish castle, the fabulously sumptuous Benedict place near Riverside, will be made for Columbia's untitled "Crime Doctor" picture now in work . . . Leo the Lion made such a hit with the preview audiences in introducing MGM's "Ziegfeld Follies" that he's been given additional scenes; he'll also close the musical . . . John Paxon will do the screenplay for RKO on "Who Is My Love," an original by Ruth McKenney and Richard Bransten which Adrian Scott will produce. $1,750,000 'Guest Wife' Budget A budget of $1,750,000 has been set for the United Artists release, "Guest Wife," which Sam Wood will direct for Producer Jack Skirball. Shooting on the picture, which will star Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche, was scheduled to start this week. Bruce Manning, who collaborated with John D. Klorer on the screenplay from Klorer's original, has an association with Skirball in the picture's production. To Extend 'Gillespie' Films' Scope Plans for extending the scope of the pictures featuring Lionel Barrymore as "Dr. Gillespie" by including actual scientific achievements of several important medical centers, have been announced by MGM, with the latest of the series, "Between Two Women," scheduled for early 1945 release. Producer Carey Wilson is now gathering such data in eastern hospitals. Welles to Star With Colbert Orson Welles has been signed to co-star with Claudette Colbert in International Pictures' "Tomorrow Is Forever," to be directed by Irving Pichel from the novel by Gwen Bristow with a screenplay by Lenore Coffee. David Lewis will produce. From 'Men' to 'Guardsman' A change in casting at Columbia removes Leslie Brooks from the lead in "Men of the Deep" and places her in one of the two feminine leads in "The Fighting Guardsman," which Michael Kraike will produce. Carr Back to Studio Trem Carr, executive director at Monogram, returned to his desk recently following a siege of influenza. Ten Literary Properties Prepared By RKO for Future Production Ten outstanding literary properties are in preparation for the screen at the RKO Radio studio. Novels being scripted include Kenneth Horan's "Remember the Day," Nancy Hale's "The Prodigal Women," Mitchell Wilson's "None So Blind" and Charles G. Booth's "Mr. Angel Comes Aboard," which will be retitled "Johnny Angel." Magazine stories being prepared for filming are Eric Knight's "The Flying Yorkshireman," published in novelette form and in Story Magazine; Katherine Brush's "Lady Not Alone," a Good Housckcep-iny novelette ; Wayne Whittaker's "Chicago Lulu," and Richard English's "Strictly Ding Dong," from the Ding Dong stories published in Collier's and later in book form. Plays in preparation are "Father Malachy's Miracle," which was adapted to the stage by Brian Doherty from the novel by Bruce Marshall, and "The Fabulous Invalid," the New York play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman. B Si^ories for East Side Kids Three East Side Kids pictures to be made from a trio of stories just completed at Monogram must be produced by April 1 to accord with the availability of players. Stories are "Pitch Dark" by Harvey Gates, another untitled by the same author, and "East Side Adventure" by Earle Snell. Building Own Contract List Establishing his own list of contract players for pictures released through United Artists, Producer Andrew Stone has signed contracts with Renee Godfrey, John James, Joel McGuinness and Claudia Drake, all of whom will appear in "Bedside Manner." Stone intends to introduce as many new personalities as possible in liis forthcoming pictures. Caesar & Cleopatra' Completed Gabriel Pascal's filmization of George Bernard Shaw's "Caesar and Cleopatra" has been completed in England and will be released in this country shortly by United Artists. Vivien Leigh and Claude Rains will be seen as Cleopatra and Caesar, respectively, and the supporting cast includes Flora Robson, Stewart Granger and Francis L. Sullivan. Film Debut of Young Soprano Donna Lee, 15-year-old lyric soprano recently signed to a long-term RKO Radio contract, will make her screen debut as a Scottish street singer in "The Body Snatcher," screen version, directed by Robert Wise, of Robert Louis Stevenson's story of the same name. 'Duel' Bought for Jones "Duel In the Sun," best-selling novel by Niven Busch, and the screenplay by Oliver H. P. Garrett, have been purchased from RKO Radio by David O. Selznick as the next Selznick-International starring vehicle for Jennifer Jones. Production is scheduled to start January 15. Johnson, Ball to Co-Star Van Johnson and Lucille Ball have been selected to co-star in a new MGM romantic comedy, "Early to Wed," an original screenplay by Dorothy Kingsley. Jack Cummings will produce. CHICAGO KID (Rep.) Drama. Principals: Donald Barry, Otto Kruger, Tom Powers, Lynne Roberts, Henry Daniels. Director, Frank McDonald. Plot: Endeavoring to clear his father's name of an embezzlement charge, a young man becomes involved with a black market operator, takes a job with the firm his father worked for, hoping thus to clear matters. But he keeps getting in deeper and deeper with the crooked gang, and also learns to his amazement that his father was really guilty. He ends up by killing the boss of the gang and being fatally wounded himself. OUR WANDERING DAUGHTERS (Col.) Drama. Principals: Cora Sue Collins, David Reed. Eric Sinclair. Georgia Bayes, Robert Williams. Director, Oscar Boetticher. Plot: By arranging a raid on a roadhouse which is the hotbed of juvenile delinquency, a judge finds her teen-age daughter involved. Ignored by her schoolmates because of this trouble, the rebellious girl runs away with a young boy who had killed his own father. When the police catch up with them, the boy loses his life when he attempts to run away, and she goes back home to safety. DANGEROUS PASSAGE (Para.) Drama. Principals: Robert Lowery, Phyllis Brooks, Jack La Rue. Director, William Berke. Plot: A young American, after proving he is legal heir to his grandfather's estate, sets sail for home from British Honduras. On board ship he encounters many different experiences, most of them planned l)y two crooks out to get his money. A young entertainer on her way home helps save him from many attempts on his life. When they finally land in America they pledge their love and future together. LET'S GO STEADY (Col.) Comedy-WithMusic. Principals: Pat Parrish. Arnold Strang, Jackie Moran, June Preisser. Director, Del Lord. Plot: Two aspiring songwriters, their hopes pinned on a song they had sent to a publisher, arrive in New York to find everything in chaos because the publisher was a crook. They then arrange to help the young lady who inherited the business and thereby help themselves. BIG BONANZA (Rep.) Drama. Principals: Richard Arlen, Robert Livingston, Jane Frazee, Gabby Hayes. Director, George Archainbaud. Plot: Back from the Civil War a young cavalry captain finds that his boyhood friend has become a crook. Because of this, the captain removes his eight-year old brother from the man's custody. The Captain then rounds up the miners to help dispose of the guy and the crooked element he led. HIGH MAN (Para.) Drama. Principals: Robert Lowery, Phyllis Brooks, Mary Treen. Director, William Berke. Plot: Suffering from a bad case of aerophobia, a high-rigger is forced to become a chipper on the ground. He finally loses this phobia when he saves the life of another worker. He ends up by becoming a high rigger again and then marrying the girl he loves. MAN WHO WALKED ALONE (PRC) Principals: David O'Brien, Kay Aldridge, Walter Catlett, Guinn (Big Boy) Williams, {Continued on Page 39) ADV. What Are Your Needs? Joe Hornstein Has It