Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1946)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, February 9, 1946 41 ASSIGNMENTS FOR NEW PRODUCTIONS Peggy Cummins Named for Title Role in ^Forever Ambe// Brian Aharne, Laraine Day Set for^What Nancy Wanted' Signing of Rachmil Assures Steady Output of Hopalongs William Boyd, so long identified with the Hopalong Cassidy series as made by Harry Sherman, will continue along the same lines in his new Hopalongs, it was disclosed this week, through the signing of Lewis J. Rachmil as producer. Rachmil was associated with Sherman and Boyd for five years in the making of the earlier numbers of the series and will now turn out the Cassidys at the rate of six a year. The first of the new Boyd films is scheduled to get under way May 1 at the General Service Studios. As before, the films will be released through United Artists. Cavalcade of Radio Jerrold Brandt, just out of the Navy, will have the help of the nation's radio editors in selecting a group of 20 air stars to appear in his first independent production, "Magic in the Air." The story covers radio from its crystal set days to the present, and the former RKO producer says he will abide by the decision of the radio writers after a country-wide canvass. 'Sigma Chi' Musical in Work Carl Gass has moved on the lot at Monogram to prepare the screenplay for "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi," college musical to be produced by Lindsley Parsons. Shooting will start in April. Dear Mr. Exhibitor's Wife: Today we're invited to Republic to see Jane Withers do a scene in "Lonely Hearts Club," her latest picture for the studio. From what I hear, she really gets herself into quite a marriage mess in this picture, for she not only gets married to Jimmy Lydon, her co-star, but she ALIMOST marries the villain in the film. All this comcs about when, as a small-town girl in a big city, she gels mixed up with a man who makes it his hobby to marry wealthy women wliom he meets through a malrimonial bureau and whom Jane meets through her job as secretary of the Lonely Hearts Club. As soon as we enter the set we know we've arrived at the right moment, for we find them rehearsing the wedding scene. Set is the inside of the church, and all the guests (including us) are there, all ready for the ceremony to begin. Jane, in her lovely white satin period model wedding gown and veil, is standing beside the groom, Charles Quigley (the villain), with Lydon acting as best man. The camera is up close, so that it can catch the action and dialog as the players go through their lines. Director George Blair is standing next to the cameraman checking last-minute details. When Blair gives his okay, a buzzer sounds, at which time everybody quiets down so that tlie scene can be filmed. It starts with the priest reading the service. This is interrupted by a fire alarm siren which halts everything. At this point the sheriff rushes in with two women who immediately point Quigley out as their husband. Pandemonium reins, with Lydon taking a sock at Quigley as he tries to get to the door, the sheriff and the women all talking at the same time explaining the reason for the siren and Jane finally realizing that it is Lydon she loves and giving orders to continue the wedding with him as the groom. It is a difficult and confusing scene and one that needs perfect timing, so that Director Blair has it repeated several times before he okays the "take" by yelling "print it" so quickly that it brings a laugh from everyone present. Now we get our chance to meet Jane. She's free for the moment and we can visit with her until duty calls. In talking about what fun it is to watch the shooting of a picture, she tells us that she usually visits friends on other sets when she isn't working. Sort of a "a busman's holiday." Just before she's called back on the set, we manage to get her autograph and Lydon's, whom we also meet. Until next week. Ann Lewis ^Evelyn Keyes has been set by Columbia to team with Glenn Ford in the air epic "Gallant Journey," which William A. Wellman will produce and direct. The super-budget picture is based on the life of John J. Montgomery, first man in the world to pilot a heavier-than-air craft in controlled flight. Jimmy Lloyd and Robert De Haven have been given top supporting roles. !>Spencer Tracy has begun conferences with AIGM executives on his forthcoming vehicle "Sea of Grass," in which he will co-star with [Catharine Hepburn. The story, epic of the long and bitter struggle on the Western plains between cattlemen and small farmers, will be directed by Elia Kazan, former stage star and now noted director. Pandro S. Berman will produce. ►Elyse Knox and Peter Cookson, Monogram contract stars, have been assigned to leading roles in "Murder in Manhattan," scheduled to start February 15 with Lindsley Parsons producing. George Wallace Sayre is preparing the screenplay, and Phil Karlson will direct. ►Linda Darnell signed a new long-term exclusive starring contract with 20th-Fox and has already been set to play the co-starring role in John Ford's Technicolor picture "My Darling Clementine." ^Richard Webb, Paramount contract player just released from the Army in which he served as Captain, was cast in an important part in "O.S.S.," starring Alan Ladd and Geraldine Fitzgerald. The picture will be directed by Irving Pichel and produced by Richard Maibaum. ^Republic's "Invisible Informer" is scheduled to roll this week with Phil Ford directing and William J. O'Sullivan producing. Stars are Linda Stirling and William Henry with Peggy Stewart, Gerald Mohr, Adele Alara and Tom r.ondon in supporting roles. ►Glenn Vernon, youthful stage star whose click role in "Days of Glory" earned him immediate top billing at RKO, has just drawn another fine role. He plays a young Coast Guardsman in "Desirable Woman," which Jean Renoir is directing with Joan Bennett, Robert Ryan and Charles Bickford heading the cast. ^Leon Barsha was assigned by Bennie F. Zeldman to produce Columbia's film adaptation of "The Keeper of the Bees," Gene Stratton Porter novel. Production is on the slate of John Stone and screen treatment will be written by Ralph Rose. t>Roy Rowland was named as director of MGM's "Tenth Avenue Angel," forthcoming Margaret O'Brien vehicle which Ralph Wheelwright will produce. Based on an original story by Angna Enters, the film marks Rowland's third assignment with the young star. (■'Herbert Marshall will play the role of Somerset Maugham in the 20th-Fox picture "The Razor's Edge," Darryl Zanuck production which Edward Goulding will direct. Also set for the important part of Grey Maturin is John Payne. t>Buddy Rogers of Comet Productions is negotiating for the loan of Pedro Armendariz, the Mexican star who is under contract to Mary Pickford Productions, for the starring role in "Adventures of Don Coyote" the second feature on the Comet schedule for United Artists. ►Richard Lane and John Qualen have been signed by Universal for the Technicolor musical, "Shahrazad," which stars Yvonne De Carlo, Brian Donlevy and Jean Pierre Aumont. Walter Reisch directs. l>Tommy Cook, Ann Lawrence and Sylvia Areland have been added to the cast of Warners' "Humoresque," the Joan Crawford-John Garfield starrer which Jean Negulesco is directing and Jerry Wald producing. t>Peggy Cummins has been named by Darryl Zanuck to play the title role in the 20th-Fox Technicolor film "Forever Amber." Cornel Wilde gets the role of Bruce Carlton, one of the major parts in the picture which William Perlberg will produce and John Stahl direct. \ Constance Moore and William Marshall will play the starring roles in Republic's "Earl Carroll's Sketchbook," and Bill Goodwin was signed for one of the top supporting parts. Al Rogell will direct with Robert North producing. Jules Styne and Sammy Cahn will do the musical score with Nick Castle directing the production numbers. >Signing of Brian Aherne for one of the costarring roles with Laraine Day in "What Nancy Wanted" and the completion of a deal with 20th-Fox by which John Brahm will be borrowed to direct the screen version of the Sheridan Gibney story was announced by RKO. Bert Granet will produce with Jack J. Gross as executive producer. ►LIniversal has purchased the prize winning novel, "Escape for Life," by Ferenz Kormendi, comedy-drama which tells of a small clerk who basks in the reflected glory of a returned school friend who has become a millionaire. Howard Benedict has been set as producer, with Robert Siodmak directing. ►Leon Ames was given one of the key roles in the forthcoming AIGM Red Skelton starrer, "Tlie Show-Off," to be directed by Harry Beaumont. The picture features Marilyn Maxwell, Virginia O'Brien, Marjorie Main and Rochester. Al Lewis produces. ►After photographing "Scarlet Street" and "Without Reservations" on loan from International, Cinematographer Milton Krasner returns to his contract studio to photograph the Nunnall}' Johnson production "The Dark Mirror," starring Olivia de Havilland and Lew Ayres with Thomas Alitchell. Robert Siodmak directs. ►Carl Weyl, art director, drew the assignment to create sets for Warners' "Serenade" which will star Dennis Morgan and Ann Sheridan. Jerry Wald will produce. Shahrazad' Cast Nearly Set Richard Lane and Joseph Qualen are the latest to join the cast of Universal's Technicolor musical, "Shahrazad," which alread^^ boasts such players as Yvonne De Carlo, Brian Donlevy and Pierre Aumont. Lane will enact a Russian Naval officer and Qualen a cook in a Moroccan household. Abarbanel Signs with Comet Sam X. Abarbanel has been signed as publicitj' director of Comet Productions, which releases through United Artists. He is also publicity director for Sej-mour Nebenzal's Nero Films, also a United Artists unit.