Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1946)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, June 29, 1946 37 HOLLYWOOD STUDIO NEWS & PROGRAM NOTES Laraine Day to Star in RKO Radio's 'Alice Adams'; Michael O'Shea Gets Lead in 'Last of the Mohicans' Assigns 31 Properties To Eight Producers Current peak production at the Warner Bros. Studio, where six top pictures are in work, will be continued without a letup throughout the last half of 1946, according to Jack L. Warner, executive producer, who has made definite production assignments of 31 properties. Schedule of stories assigned to eight producers includes 13 bestsellers and forthcoming novels, 10 originals, five musicals or semi-musicals and three stage and short-story properties. The assignments to respective producers include : Henry Blanke: "The Woman in White," by Wilkie Collins; "The Iron Gates," by Margaret Miller; "Deep Valley," by Don Totheroh; "Ethan Frome," by Edith Wharton; "Treasure of the Sierra Madre," by Ben Traven. William Jacobs : "Love and Learn," by Eugene Conrad; "My Wild Irish Rose," based on Chauncey Olcott's life; "Whiplash," by Kenneth Earl. Jules Furthman : "Young Man With a Horn," by Dorothy Baker; "Dark Eyes," by Elena Miramova and Eugenie Leontovitch; "Winter Kill," by Steve Fisher. Charles Hoffman: "Ships in the River," by Gosta Larsson ; "A Kiss in the Dark," based on the Victor Herbert classic; "The Unsuspected," by Charlotte Armstrong. Alex Gottlieb: "Wallflower," from the Broadway play ; "The Glass Room," by Lester Fuller and Edwin Rolfe; "Howdy, Stranger," by I. A. L. Diamond; "Bill's Gay Nineties," by Louis Sobol; "Honeymoon Freight," by Donald Keyhoe. Robert Buckner : "Captain Horatio Hornblower," by C. S. Forrester; "The Apple Orchard," by John Kafka. Owen Crump : "Man of Our Town," based on the Bellamy Partridge stories; "Night Unto Night," by Philip Wylie ; "Tomorrow is Another Day," by W. R. Burnett ; "Thunder Valley," by James Webb. Jerry Wald : "Possessed" (formerly "The Secret"), by Rita Weiman; "Serenade," by James M. Cain; "Always Keep Them Laughing," the life story of Jack Benny, by Bill Morrow; "Silver Lining," based on the life of Marilyn Miller; "Calamity Jane," by Ethel Hueston ; "Mr. Broadway," based on the life of Sime Silverman. Ford, Cooper Revive Argosy After 5 Years Inactive since the production of "The Long Voyage Home," the Argosy Pictures Corp., producing company headed by John Ford and Merian Cooper, has been revived by its two principals and has purchased a new property, "The Family," a 1940 novel by Nina Federova. Miss Federova has also been signed as screenplay writer. Although Argosy has a commitment with United Artists for one picture. President Cooper did not disclose whether "The Family" would be used to fulfill the obligation. Two other properties owned by Argosy include "The Last Outlaw" and "Uncle Mike Meets Murder." Nadel in New York Joe Nadel, production manager of Cardinal Pictures, is in New York conferring with President Harry M. Popkin on eastern location sites for "Impact" and also to detail background data for the Michigan location filming of "Sheila," initial picture on Cardinal's three -picture schedule. Third property is "Whirlwind," set for late fall shooting. Comet's Third Set Comet's third feature for United Artists release will be "Adventures of Don Coyote" in color, according to Buddy Rogers and Ralph Cohn, co-producers. "Little Iodine" has already been completed and "Miss Television" is now in production. Joey Ray, widely-known performer on the legitimate stage and in musicals, was signed to long-term contract by Paramount and given an important role in "Blaze of Noon," now being prepared for production by Harry Tugend and to be directed by John Farrow. Al Murphy was borrowed from RKO to enact the featured role of the timid bartender in Republic's "The Angel and the Outlaw," which stars John Wayne and Gail Russell. James Warren has been set for the male lead in RKO's "Code, of the West." William Berke will direct, with Herman Schlom producing. Rory Mallinson was given a key role in Warners' "Cry Wolf," Errol Flynn-Barbara Stanwyck starrer which Peter Godfrey directs and Henry Blanke produces. Walter Reisch, who directed "Two Hearts In Three-Quarter Time," was signed by Universal to a term deal as a writer-director and is now working on an original story to star Yvonne DeCarlo and Ann Blyth. Jeffrey Bernerd has signed Clem McCarthy, famed sports commentator, to record the Kentucky Derby sequence of "Black Gold," which Bernerd will produce for Monogram with Phil Karlson directing. Tom Conway, hero of the "Falcon" series of mysteries, has been signed to a long-term deal with Eagle-Lion and will make his first start under the new contract in a major role in "Repeat Performance" with Franchot Tone. First starring role for Laraine Day, following her release from MGM, will be "Alice Adams," in RKO's screen version of Booth Tarkington's novel. Bert Granet will handle the production reins with Jack J. Gross as executive producer. ACTS OUT SCENE. Delmer Daves, director of Sol Lesser's forthcoming United Artists release, "No Trespassing," gives this romantic duo, Julie London and Lon McCallister, a few pointers before they go into the clinch, a highlight episode of the screen adaptation of the novel, "The Red House." McCallister is co-starred with Edward G. Robinson. Roman Bohnen has been signed by MGM to enact the role of President Harry S. Truman in "The Beginning or the End." Una O'Connor, Henry Stephenson and Ray Collins were announced by Columbia for supporting roles to Louis Hayward in the Edward Small production of "The Return of Monte Cristo," now in production under the direction of Henry Levin. June Harrison will play the role of the daughter in "Bringing Up Father," first of the Monogram comedies based on the comic strip. Barney Gerard is producing, with Eddie Cline directing. Alan Hale will portray Robert Hutton's father in "Wallflower," Warners' comedy which David Butler will direct and Alex Gottlieb produce. Jane Wyman, Janis Paige and Edward Arnold also head the cast. "Hideout," story by William Porter recently serialized in the Saturday Evening Post, has been purchased by Republic and assigned to Armand Schaefer to produce. Dona Drake has been given the role of Elena Valdez, joining Kent Taylor in the cast of "Dangerous Millions," Sol Wurtzel production which James Tinling' will direct for 20th-Fox release. Michael O'Shea was signed to play a lead role in "The Last of the Mohicans," which will be produced by Kay Pictures, a new organization headed by Sam Katsman, for Columbia release. Frances Williams, Negro actress and star of "Porgy," will appear in the Skirball-Manning production of "Magnificent Doll" at Universal, playing the part of Dolly Madison's maid. Iris Lipton, daughter of the famous mystery writer, Craig Rice, signed a long-term contract with Eagle Lion and will make her movie debut in the comedy entitled "It's a Joke, Son," starring Kenny Delmar. Kurt Nelmann has been inked by Sol Lesser Productions as associate producer, and will also direct the tentatively titled "Tarzan's Dangerous Game," starring Johnny Weismuller, Brenda Joyce and Johnny Sheffield. Interiors on Location Interiors for Comet Productions' next film, "Adventures of Don Coyote," will be made on location. Production on the Cinecolor feature starts in July with Reginald Le Borg directing. Menjou on Law's Side Adolphe Menjou has been signed by Columbia to play the title role in "Mr. District Attorney," film based on the radio show, which Robert Sinclair will direct.