Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, January 4, 1947 STUDIO ROUNDUP With the Holiday Lull Over, Hollywood Studios Get Down to Business With the Production of Important Features, Thus Starting the Mew Year Impressively Largest A-Film Backlog In History oi Republic With the recent completion of the William Elliott-Vera RalstonJohn Carroll starrer, "Wyoming," Republic studio has the greatest number of major pictures in its backlog in the 11 -year history of the studio, according to Allen Wilson, vice-president in charge of studio production. Studio has scheduled ten deluxe productions to be released on its 1946-47 program, and of these ten, seven have been released or completed, with the remaining three slated to start within the first two months of this year. Being readied for an early start are : "The Fabulous Texan," with Edmund Grainger as associate producer-director ; "Heaven for Jenny," with Allan Dwan as associate producer-director; and "Crime Passionelle" with John Auer as associate producer-director. In the studio's backlog are: "Angel and the Badman," starring John Wayne and Gail Russell ; "Calendar Girl," starring Jane Frazee, William Marshall and Victor McLaglen; "Hit Parade of 1947," starring Eddie Albert, Constance Moore and Joan Edwards, with Frank McDonald as associate producer-director; the Frank Borzage production, "Gallant Man," starring Don Ameche and Catherine McLeod; the untitled Nelson Eddy-Ilona Massey starrer; and "Wyoming." "Eve Always Loved You," also on the 1946-47 program, is currently in release. Package Agreement By Goldwyn and Curtiz Off The package deal between Samuel Goldwyn Productions and the Michael Curtiz independent producing unit at Warner Bros, by the terms of which Curtiz was to borrow Dana Andrews, Virginia Mayo and Cathy O'Donnell to appear in Curtiz' Claude Rains picture, "The Unsuspected," has been canceled, according to the Goldwyn company in Hollywood. Reason for the cancellation according to Curtiz, was Andrews' demand that his role be increased till it was as important as that of Rains — a demand that Curtiz was unwilling to grant. Bcrrat in 'Road' Paramount has signed Robert Barrat for a featured role in the Bing Crosby-Bob HopeDorothy Lamour starrer, "Road to Rio," which has gone into production. George Meeker has joined the cast and will play the role of Miss Lamour's suitor. Wallis Signs Gail Kent Gail Kent, 21-year-old former USO entertainer who was wounded on Saipan, will make her screen debut in Hal Wallis' "I Walk Alone," with Lizabeth Scott, Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. With 1947 officially upon us, Hollywood's production picture is beginning to look much brighter. This is a natural occurrence, following the holiday lull. It is significant that a number of the lots have started some of their bigger efforts, with the coming of the new year. For example, Paramount .kicked off with "Road to Rio," the Crosby-Hope-Lamour Opus ; and Enterprise started "Burning Journey," John Garfield's first independent venture. The production picture, on the whole, is very good; this is remarkable considering the many obstacles imposed by the Conference of Studio Unions strike, which is still in progress. Warners Shooting Six Warner Bros, continues to maintain a strong record of films before the lenses, with a halfdozen now being filmed. "Night Unto Night,'' which is the oldest picture on the lot in point of shooting time, added Creighton Hale to its cast, in a supporting role. John Hoyt, veteran stage star, went into "The Unfaithful," most recent starter at the studio. Also added to this production were Lois Austin, Dorothy Christie and Janet Warren. Jerry Wald, who is producing this one, is also handling the reins on "Dark Passage," Humphrey Bogart-Lauren Bacall starrer. Bruce Bennett, formerly known as Herman Brix, a "Tarzan" of earlier days, gets to concentrate fully on his part in "Dark Passage," having been relieved of his originally scheduled role in "The Unfaithful." Metro Starts 'Pirate' MGM's "The Pirate" has started, another of the super-duper flickers starting, now that the holiday letdown is over. Judy Garland prerecorded two of the Cole Porter numbers she will sing in the film, which will be in Technicolor. Porter wrote seven songs for the picture. Dick Simmons, contract player, was added to another musical that AIGM is making, "The Birds and the Bees." Gloria Grahame, now being seen in RKO's "It's a Wonderful Life," has been cast in "Song of the Thin Man," joining William Powell, Myrna Loy, Keenan Wynn, Jayne Meadows and Leon Ames. MGM has been filming a spectacular storm at sea, the sinking of the Green Dolphin in "Green Dolphin Street." It marks the initial use of three giant water pumps, which gorge 50,000 gallons of water per minute onto the deck of the old-time clipper ship. Victor Saville is directing the scenes. 'Crime Dr.' Begins Delayed "Crime Doctor's Vacation" finally got under way Jan. 3, with Warner Baxter starring in the latest of this series to go before the cameras. Rudolph Flothow produces and George Archainbaud, most recently doing the "Hopalong Cassidys," directs. Rita Hayworth collapsed on the set of "The Lady from Shanghai," due to an attack of influenza. This caused a suspension of shooting for several days, but Orson Welles managed to resume work Dec. 30, shooting around his co-star. Two stages at Columbia have been transformed into a complete amusement park "fun house" for filming a series of dramatic sequences for the picture. Much of the equipment was rented from actual fun houses, including those in Chicago and San Francisco. Adele Jergens, blonde beauty appearing as the glamorous movie queen in "The Corpse Came C.O.D.," will wear 14 complete outfits in the film. Henry Levin is directing a cast headed by George Brent, Joan Blondell, Miss Jergens and Jim Bannon. "Three Were Thoroughbreds" company has another week near Tucson, Arizona, where they have been locationing. Robert Young is producing and starring in this independent production for Columbia release. 'Conquest' Completed Monogram completed "Fligh Conquest," but start another on Jan. 6 when Lambert Hillyer gives the "go" sign to "Land of the Lawless," starring Johnny Mack Brown with Raymond Hatton. Barney Sarecky produces. Paramount i&efiwe Paramount completed its aviation epic, "Blaze of Noon," but started the fifth "Road" picture, "Road to Rio." Plenty of activity resounded on the sets, right from the beginning, with 100 extras working on Rio pier scenes. Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour co-star, with Norman Z. McLeod directing and Daniel Dare producing. Later, 56 dress extras were used for scenes in a motion picture theatre-restaurant aboard a luxury liner en route to Rio. Supporting cast includes Frank Faylen, Gale Sondergaard, Joe Vitale, the Andrews Sisters and the Weir Brothers trio. Daniel Dare is also managing to find time to wind up his producer's chores on the 36-star musical, "Variety Girl," which resumed shooting after a six-day layout during the holidays. DeForest Kelley, playing the hero in the flicker, had his contract continued for another year. Lizabeth Scott began her stint in Hal Wallis' "I Walk Alone" on Dec. 26. The blonde actress appears as a night club chanteuse, and will sing and play the piano. Republic Keeps Busy Republic didn't waste any time after Christmas, starting "Lightnin' Strikes Twice" on Dec. 26, with William Marshall as the male (Continued on Page 40)