Showmen's Trade Review (1945)

56 SHO W M EN'S TRADE R E V I E W October 20, 1945 STR West Cocst Offices 6777 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood 28, Calit Telephone, Hollywood 2056 PRODUCTION NOTES FROM THE STUDIOS Vincent Price, Lynn Bari to Co-Star in 20th's 'Embezzler'/ 'Case for Mrs. Nash' Is Johnson's Next at International ►"Third Avenue," based on John McNulty's series of sketches in the New Yorker, goes before the cameras at Paramount with Sonny Tufts, Barry Fitzgerald and Diana Lynn heading the cast. The story has Fitzgerald as the owner of a run-down boarding house with a penchant for playing the horses. Miss Lynn has the role of his daughter, whose romance with Sonny Tufts, a returned Seabee, Fitzgerald tries to break up. John Farrow will direct and Kenneth Macgowan will produce. ►Marking his 50th screen characterization, veteran actor Henry Stephenson goes to PRC for a top role in the Nancy Coleman-Philip Reed starrer, "Once and for All," which is being directed by Edgar Ulmer and produced by Henry Brash, with Felix Bressart and Margaret Lindsay also in the cast. ►Vincent Price and Lynn Bari are to be costarred in the 20th-Fox picture, "The Embezzler," which will be directed by Ben Stoloff for Producer Bryan Foy. ►Monogram has purchased "Atomic Blonde," original story by Max Mercer, and according to present plans it will be filmed as part of the 1945-46 program. ►Pat O'Brien's next starring vehicle at RKO will be "Crack-Up," a powerful psychological melodrama by Fredric Brown. Story concerns a famous art expert whose skill at detecting fake paintings threatens to spoil the operations of a gang dealing in imitation masterpieces. They contrive to make him believe he is losing his mind. Jack J. Gross will be executive producer. ►Robert North, recently returned to Republic, is huddling with Earl Carroll and Allen Wilson, studio vice-president, regarding his forthcoming "Earl Carroll's Sketchbook," deluxe musical which has been assigned North as his first new production. ►Mack Gordon, who will handle the production reins on the 20th-Fox picture, "Three Little Girls in Blue," has signed a new two-year, threeway contract with the studio. Under terms of the new pact he will serve as arranger, composer and producer. ►Papers are now being drawn for the incorporation of the new company that will make the screen version of "Abie's Irish Rose," which will be produced by Bing Crosby, Anne Nichols, the author, and Eddie Sutherland, who will direct. Name of the company will be announced as soon as papers are filed at Sacramento. ►"The Case for Mrs. Nash" will be Nunnally Johnson's next picture for International. Based on the Cosmopolitan magazine story by Eric Hatch, the romantic drama will have four stars heading its cast and is scheduled to begin production in rV'"ember with Johnson as producer as well as writer. ►"Crime on My Hands," an unproduced play by Pablo Andrade, will be the first production to be filmed by the newly formed Phil L. Ryan Enterprises, Inc. Story is a psychological drama based on an actual love-killing in Mexico prior to the war. Juan Segura, famous Mexican painter, has been engaged by Ryan to act as advisor on set design, costumes and technical details. Ryan is now producing "Perilous Holiday" starring Pat O'Brien for Columbia release. i>Guy Madison wins the top male role in "They Dream of Home," which Dore Schary is producing for RKO. Madison is being borrowed from David O. Selznick for this important assignment. He will share stellar honors with Dorothy McGuire and will portray a discharged Marine who faces the problem of readjustment in the postwar world. Edward Dmytryk is directing from a screenplay adapted by Allen Rivkin from the Niven Busch novel. £>New players added to the cast of Republic's "The Madonna's Secret," which William Thiele is directing, are Will Wright, Lee Phelps, Edythe Elliott and Harry Strange. Francis Lederer, Gail Patrick, Ann Rutherford and Edward Ashley are featured in the film. Stephen Auer is associate producer. >"If I Loved You," modern comedy by Lionel Wiggam, has been purchased by Walter Wanger for $50,000 and the author has been placed under long term contract by Wanger. Wiggam has been under contract as a screenwriter at Warners. Joan Bennett will be one of the four stars in the film and William Seiter has been engaged to direct. ►Mary Astor was assigned by MGM to one of the choice roles of her career in the Technicolor extravaganza, "Fiesta," starring Esther Williams with the noted Mexican star Ricardo Montalban. Miss Astor will be seen in a key featured role in the picture which will be filmed mainly on Mexican locations. Richard Thorpe directs and Jack Cummings produces. ►D. Ross Lederman will direct Columbia's "The Lone Wolf on Broadway," with Gerald Mohr in the title role, to be produced by Ted Richmond. This is the first of the "Lone Wolf" features to go into production since completion of "Passport to Suez," which starred Warren William. \ j>Rhys Williams checked into Paramount for his role in "Take This Woman," romantic drama of Victorian England, starring Teresa Wright and Ray Milland, with Lewis Allen directing. Rhys, who recently scored with his performance with Ethel Barrymore in "The Corn Is Green," is playing the Scotland Yard inspector in the Karl Tunberg screenplay. He joins a cast which includes Virginia Field, Anthony Quinn, Reginald Owen, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Melville Cooper. Scott Set for Romantic Lead Robert Scott has been signed for the romantic lead role opposite Lynn Merrick in Republic's "A Close Call for Boston Blackie." Chester Morris is starred. Lew Landers is directing for Producer John Stone. Paramount Inaugurates Program Of Original Story Development Paramount has inaugurated an active program of original story development, placing 10 original story projects into work within the last two weeks. Anticipating a story market which may not meet the demand for variety during the transition period from war to postwar to normalcy, Henry Ginsberg, studio head, has started development of stories which will fit into the program planned for late 1946. The various projects will be developed to assure, when combined with novels and plays owned or now under consideration, a story pool larger than any in the history of the company. In the book field, Paramount is stimulating creative writing for ultimate screen use by commissioning authors in advance of completion 'of story material or at its inception. Appointment for Hebert William Hebert has been appointed advertising and publicity director for "Thanks God, I'll Take It from Here," working title for the Claudette ColbertJohn Wayne comedy which Jesse L. Lasky and Mervyn LeRoy will make for RKO release. Hebert will also continue in the same capacity for "The Robe" and the nonprofit short on tolerance, "The House I Live In," starring Frank Sinatra. Monogram Signs Barbara Reed Barbara Reed, one of the title trio in "Three Smart Girls," has been signed .by Monogram to a contract calling for a minimum of two films per year for two years. Returning to the screen after an absence of four years, Miss Reed will make her debut at Monogram opposite Kane Richmond in Joe Kaufman's production, "The Shadow." Schermer a Columbia Producer Jules Schermer, who recently returned to Hollywood after serving two and a half years with the First Motion Picture Unit, A.A.F., and who prior to entering the Army was with Paramount, has been signed as a producer for Columbia Pictures. Duryea as Romantic Hero Dan Duryea, who specializes in villainous roles, has been signed by RKO Radio to portray the romantic hero of Eddie Cantor's forthcoming production, tentatively titled "Come On Along," which John Auer will direct. Jack J. Gross is executive producer. Players Signed for 'Marble' Producer Jeffrey Bernerd has signed Donald Kerr and Allen Ray for roles in "The Face of Marble," Monogram drama now in production with John Carradine, Claudia Drake and Maris Wrixon featured. William Beaudine is directing. Teamed as Cockney Couple Doris Lloyd and Harry Allen have been teamed by Director Lewis Allen as a cockney couple in "Take This Woman," Paramount's romantic drama of Victorian England starring Teresa Wright and Ray Milland.