Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW. February 22. 1947 43 HOLLYWOOD STUDIO NEWS & PROGRAM NOTES Eagle-Lion Signs Ann Dvorak to Two-Picture Pact; Adrian Scott to Produce, Direct 'Who Is My Love' RKO Music Department Scoring Several Films Several pictures are currently being scored by a full symphony orchestra at the RKO Radio studios. Most of the pictures are being scored under the direction of Constantin Bakaleinikoff, head of the music department, although one of them — "The Long Night," a Hakim-Litvak production — is under the direction of Dimitri Tiomkin, who also wrote the score. Included among the pictures being scored by Bakaleinikoff are "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer," "Magic Town," "Out of the Past," "They Won't Believe Me," "Desperate," "The Woman on the Beach," "So Well Remembered," "Banjo," "Dick Tracy's Dilemma" and "Thunder Mountain." Top Writing Team Signed by RKO Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, one of the top writing teams of the screen, have been signed by RKO Radio to an exclusive producer-writer contract, it was announced late last week by Dore Schary, executive vice-president in charge of production. The team's first assignment will be to write the screenplay of and produce "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House," which is -slated to co-star Cary Grant and Mryna Loy. The Panama-Frank team has just received an Academy Award nomination for an original play "The Road to Utopia," and came to RKO Radio following two pictures at Columbia studios. Basketball Star Gets Juvenile Lead Dick Humphreys, All-Western basketball star from Hollywood High School, has been selected by Producer Eddie Cantor for the juvenile lead in "If You Knew Susie," which co-stars Cantor and Joan Davis. Humphreys is 17 years of age and has been dancing professionally for the past 12 years. RKO Buys Wormser Story RKO has announced the purchase of screen rights to "The Road to Carmichael's," a short story by Richard Wormser published some years ago. Action of the melodramatic story takes place in Lower California. Filming is set for RKO's Mexico City studios with J. Robert Bren producing. Production will begin as soon as Bren completes "Mystery in Mexico" which he is producing at the Mexican studio. Kings Sign Miss Stewart Diane Lee Stewart, 23-year-old brunette, has been signed to an acting contract by the King Bros., and will make her screen debut in their current production for Allied Artists, "The Gangster." Miss Stewart was a former dancing instructor before entering the dramatic field last fall. Added to 'Symphony' Lane Chandler and Margaret Hoffman have been added to the cast of "Tragic Symphony," Allied Artists film being produced by Benjamin Glazer and Nat W. Finston. Frank Sundstrom and Audrey Long are starred. Michael Duane was chosen to play the male lead in "Keeper of the Bees," Columbia film to be based on the famous Gene Stratton Porter novel. John Haggott. will produce. Frankie Darro was signed by Monogram to a 52-week contract, and his first role under the new deal will be in "Sarge Goes to College," which will be produced and directed by Will Jason. Cathy O'Donnell wins the feminine lead in Eagle-Lion's Technicolor production of Louis Bromfield's novel, "Kenny," to be produced on a lavish scale. Bromfield will assist in adapting the story. Adrian Scott was signed to a new long-term contract as producer and director by RKO and his next production will be "Who Is My Love" an original screen story by Ruth McKenney and Richard Bransten. "Heart of the Rockies," original story by Louise Rousseau, has been purchased by Republic as a Monte Hale starrer in Trucolor. Picture will follow "Along -the Oregon Trail," first of the series to go this year. R. G Springsteen will direct. James P. McGuire, Chicago Times reporter, has been signed by 20th-Fox as technical advisor and will assist on the scripting of "Call N'orthside 777" with writers Leonard Hoffman and Quentin Reynolds. Producer Otto Lang assigned McGuire to the picture because he was one of the reporters who covered the case around which the film is based. Louis King will direct. Universal-International has borrowed Spring Byington from MGM for a top feature role in "Singaport," which co-stars Fred MacMurray and Ava Gardner. Film is slated to get under way this month with John Brahm directing for Producer Jerry Bresler. Harry James was signed by Co-producers Benedict Bogeaus and Burgess Meredith for a role in their all-star picture, "A Miracle Can Happen." Alfala Switzer, former member of Our Gang Comedies, was given a comedy role in the James Stewart-Henry Fonda section of the film, for UA release. LeRoy Prinz will create and direct the musical sequences for Warners' forthcoming Technicolor "Two Guys From Texas," soon to go before the cameras with Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson starred and David Butler directing. Joan Lorring, Henry Morgan, Fifi D'Orsay and John Ireland have been signed for featured roles in "The Gangster," King Bros.' current Allied Artists production which stars Barry Sullivan and Bclita. Gordon Wiles is directing. Ann Dvorak signed a two-picture deal with Eagle-Lion and goes immediately into the cast of "Out of the Blue," sharing top billing with Virginia Mayo and James Craig. Picture is set to roll within two weeks with /. G. Goldsmith producing. Screenwriter Geoffrey Homes has had his option lifted by RKO and will work on the screenplay of "A Woman With Spurs," which Richard Berger will produce. Homes originally was signed by RKO to write the screenplay of "Out of the Past," which was adapted from his novel, "Build My Gallows High." Natalie Wood was borrowed from UniversalInternational by 20th-Fox for the part of June Haver's young sister in "Scudda Hoo ! Scudda Hay!" To be produced in Technicolor by Walter Morosco, the film also stars Lon McCallister. Producer Seymour Nebenzal has signed Dennis O'Keefe to co-star with Maria Montez and Jean-Pierre Aumont in "Atlantis." He plays the role of the Englishman who refuses to succumb to the evil Queen of Atlantis. Walter Baldwin, well-known character actor, was signed for the role of the judge in Clarion Productions' color film, "Albuquerque," for Paramount release. Film co-stars Randolph Scott, Barbara Britton and George "Gabby Hayes, with Russell Hayden, Catherine Craig and Lon Chaney in the supporting cast. Ray Enright directs Eddie Dean, singing cowboy, has been signed to a new one year contract by PRC and under the terms of the pact, he will complete eight pictures before March 1, 1948. Jerry Thomas will produce the new series, with the first picture scheduled to roll within the next six weeks. Nan Leslie and Steve Brodie have been assigned the top romantic roles in RKO's "Heading for Hollywood," comedy in which Leon Errol will be starred. Hal Yates will direct for Producer Herman Schlom. Anne Cornwall, silent star and leading lady to Richard Barthelmess, Tim McCoy and Tom Mix, came out of retirement to do a role in Warners' "The Woman In White," with Alexis Smith, Eleanor Parker, Sydney Grcenstreet and Gig Young. Peter Godfrey directs the film. Producer Mark LIcllinger has set Vince Barnett for a featured role in "Brute Force," which stars Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn and Charles Bickford. The women in their lives will be played by Ann Blyth, Ella Raines and Yvonne De Carlo, with Jules Dassin directing. Eire Beauty Winner To Take RKO Test Marna Kennealy, winner of the 1946 AllIrish beauty contest, arrived in Ne wYork from Eire this week, and was on her way to Hollywood for an RKO Radio screen test after seeing the Manhattan sights. The 24-year-old Marna, who earns her living as a dictaphone typist, won the beauty contest from a field of 4,000 contestants from every county in Ireland. She follows the footsteps of Maureen O'Hara, the first winner of the same beauty contest. Stage Actress Signed Jeanne Shepherd, young dramatic actress who appeared on tour in "The Glass Menagerie," has been placed under long-term contract by Jack L. Warner. "Voice of Theatre Speakers" JOE HORNSTEIN has iff