Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1946)

66 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, June 22, 1946 HOLLYWOOD CHECK-UP ON PRODUCT IN WORK (Continued from Page 64) Lon McCallister, Judith Anderson and Rory Calhoun ; Loew-Lewin's "Bel Ami," including George Sanders, Angela Lansbury, Ann Dvorak, Frances Dee, Marie Wilson and Warren William ; Hunt Stromberg's "Dishonored Lady," starring Hedy LaMarr, Dennis O'Keefe, John Loder and Bill Lundigan; and Charlie Chaplin's "Comedy of Murders," with Chaplin, Martha Raye and Marilyn Nash. Pine-Thomcis Begin Film Paramount's stages are still empty, but PineThomas have a new picture in operation, "Jungle Flight," which started June 20. The picture features Robert Lowery, Ann Savage, Robert Kent and Doug Fowley. Otherwise, Paramount's situation is the same, with "Emperor Waltz" on location way up in Canada. Cast includes Bang Crosby, Joan Fontaine, Oscar Karlweis and Roland Culver. 4 Rolling at Monogram Monogram is rolling at a record clip, with a quartet of films before the cameras, besting or equaling the production setup of several larger companies. "Gentleman Joe Palooka," with Leon Errol, Joe Kirkwood, Elyse Knox, Guy Kibbee, Lionel , Stander, Tom Harmon and H. B. Warner, was completed. But the four going are "Hot Money," Charlie Chan; "Bringing Up Father," picturization of the famous McManus comic strip ; "Wife Wanted," co-produced by Kay Francis and Jefifrey Bernerd ; and "Trigger Finger," a Johnny Mack Brown. The "Cisco Kid" untitled film has been postponed to a later date. Terry Morse is directing the Chan, starring Sidney Toler, with James S. Burkett producing. Rick Vallin, recently discharged from the Navy, has been added to the film. Jennifer Holt won the feminine lead in the Mack Brown, with Raymond Hatton. Lambert Hillyer directs. Miss Francis also stars in "Wife Wanted." Universal at Record Peak Universal is currently vicing with RKO for top honors on the production front, having a record number of pictures before the lenses. Nine films are being shot, with several more planned to start momentarily. This is a peak achievement for Universal, and an unusual schedule for any lot. Just completed are "The Killers," Mark Hellinger production, with Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien and Albert Dekker ; and "The Mysterious Mr. M," serial. Hellinger is busy however, on "Swell Guy," story of a war correspondent who goes berserk, with Sonny Tufts, Bill Gargan, Ann Blythe, Ruth Warrick, John Craven and John Litel. Universal, incidentally, picked up Ann Blyth's option for another year. Just started are "Vigilantes Return," Cinecolor outdoor drama with Jon Hall, Margaret Lindsay, Paula Drew and Andy Devine, with Ray Taylor directing ; and "Rustlers' Roundup," Kirby Grant western with Fuzzy Knight. "Once Upon a Crime," now titled "The Unbelievable Hoax," was slated to start June 20, with Leon Barsha acting as associate producer to executive producer Ben Pivar. Still going are the Technicolor special, "Pirates of Monterey," starring Maria Montez and Rod Cameron; "Smash-Up," Walter Wanger Production about another "lost weekend," featuring Susan Hayward, Lee Bowman, Wallace Ford, Eddie Albert, Carleton Young and Marsha Hunt; "Ramrod," Enterprise superbudget outdoor drama with a large cast headed by Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake; "Magnificent Doll," Skirball-Manning Production starring Ginger Rogers, David Niven, Burgess Meredith and Peggy Wood; and "White Tie and Tails," with Dan Duryea, Ella Raines, Bill Bendix and John Miljan. 15 Stars Busy at WB Warner Br&s. currently have 15 stars before the cameras, a further indication of the trend towards large star-combinations in Hollywood's output. Van Heflin reported to "The Secret," starring Joan Crawford and Raymond Massey. Other stars at the Burbank lot in action now are Bette Davis, Paul Henreid and Claude Rains for "Deception" ; William Powell and Irene Dunne in "Life With Father" ; Ronald Reagan, Zachary Scott and Alexis Smith in "Stallion Road"; Barbara Stanwyck and Errol Flynn in "Cry Wolf" ; and Gary Cooper, Lilli Palmer and Robert Alda in U. S. Pictures' "Cloak and Dagger." Teresa Wright has been testing for her wardrobe in "Pursued," next U. S. Pictures flicker, which will be filmed in Technicolor. Location work has been progressing at Gallup, N. M. Screen Guild Ahead Screen Guild completed its second Russell Hayden picture, "'Neath Canadian Skies," based on a James Oliver Cur wood book. The company is well ahead of its release schedule, with five films completed or being edited. Pictures ready for release to branch offices include "Death Valley," "Flight to Nowhere" and "Scared to Death." Being edited are the two Haydens, the first being "Man from Utah." Now being prepared is "My Dog, Shep," which Golden Gate will produce next month. "Yosemite" has been pushed back to a September date. Int'l Ends 'Bella Donna' After shooting several months, International finished "Bella Donna," its second picture under the new United World setup. The picture is receiving minor additions and goes into editing. Edward Small produced and Irving Pichel directed a cast including Merle Oberon, George Brent, Charles Korvin, Paul Lukas and Lenore Ulric. Roach Shoots 'Trouble' Busy on his second production is Hal Roach, now shooting "Here Comes Trouble," Cinecolor comedy drama. Cast is headed by William Tracy, Joe Sawyer and Beverly Loyd. Republic Starts Serial Republic started a new serial, "Zorro Strikes Again," on June 19, with Ron Davidson producing. In addition, the company has five films going. Roy Rogers, responsible for two, is now working on "Home in Oklahoma" in Oklahoma City, having previously started "Heldorado." Both films will be finished, by Rogers when he returns shortly to the home lot. Gene Autry is busy making "Sioux City Sue," with Sterling Holloway returning to the screen to take a comedy lead, and Lynne Roberts and the Cass County Boys, newcomers to westerns. Overtime on their shooting schedule are two extra-budget productions, John Wayne's "Angel and the Outlaw," and "That Brennan Girl," starring James Dunn, Mona Freeman, June Duprez. Al Santell is producing and directing the latter. Sunset Carson is due to start his postponed western, "Rio Grande Raiders," on the 2Sth. Foy's First for PRC The last in a series of eight Buster Crabbe's is being wound up by producer Sig Neufeld for PRC, with Sam Newfield directing. Number seven, as yet untitled, has been completed. Number eight also bears no tag up to date. Bryan Foy, v.p. in charge of production for Eagle Lion, returned from New York on June 17 after a series of conferences with Pathe executives in New York. Ted Bearse, comptroller for Pathe Industries, accompanied Foy, to aid in the million-dollar construction program. Foy's initial picture will be "It's a Joke, Son," set to roll next month. The building program is under way and will continue for several months. Among the major projects planned is the building of a new photographic effects stage, dining room, executive offices, carpenter sihop and new restaurant for employes and top personnel. Two Finished at RKO Despite the completion of two pictures, RKO Radio still remains the most active lot in town on the basis of quantity of product actually shooting now. The films sent to the editing rooms are "Nocturne," starring George Raft, Lynn Bari and Edward Ashley; and "Deadlisr Than The Male," featuring Claire Trevor, Lawrence ("Dillinger") Tierney and Walter Slezak. Disney is working on two feature-length specials, "Song of the South" and "How Dear to My Heart," while another independent RKO organization, Samuel Goldwyn, has two working also. His "The Best Years of Our Lives" and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" are both in their third month of shooting. Former stars Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright and Virginia Mayo; the latter has Danny Kaye, with Miss Mayo again, plus Fay Bainter, Boris Karloff and Ann Rutherford. Still another indie affiliate, Liberty Films, has a bushel full of marquee names working on "It's A Wonderful Life," such as' James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell and Henry Travers. Director Frank Capra has been using new-type snow for sequences in a small New York state town. Instead of the old cornflakes, Capra's invention develops when chemicals are ejected under high pressure from nozzles. Other RKO films in the making are "Riffraff," with Pat O'Brien, Anne Jeffreys and the very busy Mr. Slezak; "Honeymoon," starring Shirley Temple, Franchot Tone, Guy Madison and Lina Romay; "Beat The Band," with Frances Langford, Gene Krupa, Ralph Edwards and Philip Terry; and "Katie for Congress," starring Loretta Young, Joseph Gotten and Ethel Barrymore. Yule Becomes Jiggs Veteran comedian Joe Yule has been signed by Monogram to play Jiggs in "Bringing Up Father," based on the George McManus cartoon strip. Both Yule and McManus had been considered for the role by producer Barney Gerard, but the spot was given to Yule when McManus withdrew for personal reasons. (