Variety (Jan 1940)

Wednesday, January 3, 1940 Thirty-fonrlh VARIETY Anniversary PICTURES 29 bcllislinient, wUh the 'Hopalong aidys," Gene AuVrys, Tex Hitters, / Rogers and "Three Mesquiters.' orfe O'Brien, Charles Starrctt and McCoy series proved quite ,fltab!e. with Aiitry being the top n getter in this division or en- talnmcnt. jnivcrsal and Republic did re- rkably well with their serials, as I Larry Darmour releasing through liimbia. These studios will prob- ly increase that type of output oh s year's list. Sadie's contribution to the screen is'^no'ihing extraordinary in 193a. , new star material came from the ler waves and studios seem con- iced that this field currently is not good hatchery to fish in. Ezra one and Kay Kyser are the only cs outside ot Orson V/elles to light Also little progre.ss was made by e talent scouts m both the star d little theatre areas. Broadway i not come through either with y s ellar talent with exception ot ary Martin (Par) from musical medy. Hollywood feels Welles did I of his high calibre BCting and laracterizing in the cafes and re- rts of the state where his black lin spinach was more evident than ound the RKO studio. What pres- «e he will add to screen achieve- ents in 1040 is as calculable as u.';solini joining Stalin. liss Garbo's Surprise 'Ninotchka,' was easily the Tvrftn<» PnwAr P9c«<ic of the femme contingent: rower rdbbCb Robert Donat was back In foremost at the studio. quite potent as result of his 'Good Bye Mr. Chips.' Judy Garland proved a big surprise and her strength has mounted tremendously with her performance in 'Babes In Arm.s' and 'Wizard of Oz.' JeaneUe MacDonald, though with only one Nelson Eddy combination picture, more than held her own among the important Metro stars. Norma Shear- er had only The Women' to sus- tain her popularity. Spencer Tracy did not work on his home lot, but with the Academy award and his i>erformance in "Stanley and Livingstone," still ranked high in the Metro fold as did James Stewart, who made one film on the home lot and three for cither isludips. Robert.' T.nylor did not continue the fast pace ! of the preceding year and, unless' given proper material, does not ap- '■ pear to be the big bet the studio, had | acclaimed him. Wallace Beery im- proved his audience value ac did Robert Montgomery. Fred A.staire and Eddie Cantor will not appear on the studio star slate until early "40. Lewis Stone, longest stock player in service on the lot, leads the fea- tured contingent, with Lew Ayrcs and Ann Sothcrn running clo5e sec- onds. Among the other topnotchcis in this division who seein to hold prestige support value in film.TTirc made' to the group on the year was I Allen Jones, who moved over from Shirley at 20th-FoX i Metro. Bob Hope, who was ques- tionable star quantity last year, pro- gressed with his last opus, 'Cat and Canary," and properly tailored with material can become a standard box- office figure for the company. Gary Cooper also was'on the lot for "Beau Geste." , . In the featured group was John Howard, who will be in the star ag.?regalion during 1940, with Rob- ert Preston next in line, followed by Eddie Anderson ('Rochester'). The femme contingent of feature players are not a pretentious lot so far as b.o. clamor can be relied on. Studio has plenty of gals who are considered good in supporting roles, but ■ check-over from exhib angle shows' no outstanding draw value among thorn. ' Melvyn Douglass, Frank Morgan, Fay CoiRcback At M-G' Studio Holden. Robert Young and Walter Mickey Rooney was by far the »st ot the Metro coin stimulants on Pidgeon. Compared Metro with last year the feature li.st has been greatly ,e year. That, of .^^V^^l'hl 1 curtailed, but those who remain on irprising for a studio which has the calculated to have unusual fu irgest aggregation of star talent. lark Gable, their 'Rhett Butler, lade no pix during the year on hi: ome lot. (iarbo, with her surprise come. METRO Stars MICKEY ROONEY *CLABK GABLE GRETA GARBO ROBERT DONAT JUDY GARLAND JEANETTE MacDONALD NORMA SHEARER *SPENCER TRACY J.1ME.S STEWART , ROBERT TAYLOR . UONEL BARRYMORE WALLACE BEERY JOAN CRAWFORD NELSON EDDY WILLIAM POWELL MYRNA LOY ROBERT MONTGOMERY MARGARET SULLIVAN MARX BROS. ELEANOR POWELL ROSALIND RUSSELL GREER CARSON BEDY LAMARR *Made no pic on lot durlne year. Featured, Lewis Stone Lew Ayres Ann Sothern Melvyn DooKlas Frank Morraa Fay Holden Manreen O'Sulllvan Virginia Brnce Lana Tamer Billle Burke Robert Young Walter Pidgeon Cecilia Parker Reginald Owen Nat Pendleton Mlliza Korjus Johnny Welssmuller Ilona Massey I>ennis 0*K«ef« Florence Rice Ann Rutherford VlrglnU Weldler BonH* Granville Rita Johnson Gay Kibbee Ian Hunter Ge«r(te Murphy Loralne Day Sara Haden Doncrlas MacPhall Betty Jaynes June Prelsser Lee Bowman Virginia Gray John Carroll ' Tom Neal-Mary Howard Terry Kllbnrn Bath Hussey Don Castle I<eni Lynn Jo« Ynle Ann MorrlsB Eugene Reynolds Lynne Carver Diana Lewis . John Price Shelton Alan Curtis ture value with Miliza- Korjuj, : Ilona Masscy, Rita Johnson, Belly Jayne, George McPhaill and Lana Turner in this category. j Studio still has number of play- ers who have been there for pa.il four or five years and arc just cast ! conveniently but outside of current ' usage are not figured to climb to i greater heights than they occupy at' present. Many of these people are | on term contracts that call for little \ or no increases in compensation and ' therefore are classified as belonging in Metro pictures. , Studio had considerable number I of stellar freelance players in its im- I portant pictures during the year but, due to single chores, are not classi- fied with the Metro group as to ticket buyer value. Tyrone Power steadily forged his wiiy to the front on the 20th-Fox lot aniX with production he was in dur- in.u the year gained the lead from Shirley Temple, who continues to load i:i value among the femme con- I 'Jn!;ent. Alice Fayc, who is bein»; ■ groniiied here for top money value, holds same' spot as last year, with Jane Withers and Sonja Henie right ■ alon.'jsidc. Richard Greene showed little progress in the star zone, but a I newcomer to the ranks, Nancy Kelly, is considered a good bet by the stu- dio. Warner Baxter still holds strongly as potept factor, with Sid- ney Tolcr, the new Charlie Chaii, ; r\nd Ce.sar Romero, the new 'Ci.sco I Kid,' also included in the star group, i Loretta Young, though oft the lot. I had two pictures on the year, with Ritz Erc.<!. also doing a duo Ijcforc departing; Gracie Fields contributed nothiri;^ this year. 20lh is very strong on women fea- liirc plcycr.-;. It has lot ot develop- i'l"'. ti:l5nt in these ranks, with Binnie Etincs the tbpmounter, strongly crowded by Liiida Darnell. I Many of the newcomers in the femirc group have already registered .slron- ly with the ticket buyers, and l!!:c!y • wiir find themselves close to t-p oillins honors before the 1940-41 Wl:ed is mcde up. Jed Prouty end the ; Mono? Family' reries group confine 1hc!ii?e1ve<! practically to these pic- lurc.«-. while tha male contingent here is whet is known as both audience- proof and audience-satisflers in ihe featured supporting roles they are nllol'cd. Studio has large stock list of girls and a few youths. These, due to fuct of lack of billing and appear- ::ncc. arc not recorded among the players who get into general produc lion work at the studio. Bette Davis, Cagney Are Warners' Honeys Bette Davis and James Cagney ap- pear the ma!n contenders for top honors in the Warner-First National lineup. Miss Davis proves able to aid in carrying a lot of product with her pictures. Cagney, though only having limited number of pictures under his b;lt, is ahead of Errol Flynn and Paul Muni in exhib cstir mation. Flynn did not come through 20th-FOX Stars TYRONE POWER SHIRLEY TEMPLE ALICE FAYE JANE WrrHERS SONJA BENIE AL JOLSON DON AMECHE LORETTA YOUNG RICHARD GREENE HENRY FONDA CLAUDETTE COLBERT WARNER BAXTER NANCY KELLY RITZ BROS. CESAR ROMERO SIDNEY TOLER GRACIE FIELDS Featured Binnle Barnes Linda Darnell Joseph Schildkraut Lynn Barl Doris Bowden Brenda Joyce Tony Martin Jed Prouty Slim- Summervllle Arthur Treacher Lionel Atwill George Sanders Jack Haley June Carlson Marjorle Weaver John Carradino Chick Chandler George Barbler George Ernest Spring By'lngton Gregory Ratott Peter Lorre Eddie Collins Mary Hcaly Mary Beth Hughes Douglas Fowley Ken Howell Robert Lowry Jean Rogers Joan Da:vis Amanda Duff Kay GriBHh Chris-Pin Martin Kane Richmond Robert Shaw Arleen Whelaa Sen Yung Charles Tannen Crosby, Benny, Colman, Paramount's Male Tops Paramount star list is considerably curtailed from that ot 1938 and cp:i- linucs to have Claudette Colbert as its main contractual b.o. magnet. Bing Crosby. Ronald Colman and Jnck Benny lead the male group on the lol, with Madeleine Carroll and Dorothy Lamour only two other con tractupl .stars the company had through the year. Only- addition PARAMOUNT Stars ^ CLAUOETT'E COLBERT BING CROSBY RONALD COLMAN GARY COOPER JACK BENNY MADELEINE CARROLL JOEL McCREA FREO MacMURRAY JACKIE COOPER BOB HOPE DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, DOROTHY LAMOUR WILLIAM BOYD KAY MILLAND BOB BURNS ALLEN JONES Featured John Howard Robert Preston Eddie Anderson (Rochester) Akim Tamiroft Paulctle Goddard Ida Lupino Lynne Overman \"ictor Moore Brian Donlevy P.itricia Morrison Charles Ruggles Martha Raye Louise Campbell William Fr.iwley Tito Guizar William Ilolden Kllcn Drew l.ca Miranda Susiin Hay ward Belly Grable Joseph Allen, Jr. Lloyd Nolan J. Carroll Naish Mary Martin Olympe Bradna Anthony Quinn Judith Barrett Mary Boland William Henry Russell Hayden Frances Farmer Leif Erikson Susanna Foster . Betty Field Ezra Stone Linda Ware Janice Logan Joyce Matthews Muriel Angclus .Albert Dekker Belly Moran Peter Hayes Virginia Dale JR. WARNER BROS.m Stars BETTE DAVIS JAMES CAGNEY ERROL FLYNN PAUL MUNI JOHN GARFIELD EDWARD G. ROBINSON GEORGE RAFT GEORGE BRENT 'DEAD END KIDS' PRISCILLA LANE HUMPHREY BOGART MIRIAM HOPKINS DICK FORAN PAT O'BRIEN ROSEMARY LANE ANN SHERIDAN WAYNE MORRIS OLIVIA DE ILWILLAND JOHN PAYNE GERALDINE FTTZGERALD Featured Jeffrey Lyjin Jane Bryan Eddie Albert Gale Page Claude Rains May Robson Alan Hale Jane Wyman Maxle Bosenbloom Frank MoHugh Ronald Reagan Donald <?rls]> Brenda Marshall Fay Baintcr Henry O'Neill Jahn Litel Barton MacLane Glenda Farrell Allen Jenkins Bonita Granville Lya Lys Johnnie Davis Jerry Colanna John Rldgely Morton Lowry James Stephenson Marls Wrixon William Hopper Tom Kennedy Cileria Dickson Janet Chapnian Dennis Morgan Margot Stevenson Jane Gilbert Ginger Rogers No. 1 On RKO's '39 Roster Ginger Rogers is in a class by herself as RKO's No. 1 star. She did one picture with Fred Astaire and then soloed in a few, meaning she was the essence ot the RKO meal ticket. Cary Grant, who got a couple under his belt, came next, with As- taire, now on Metro lot, third on the year. Other potent stars, who were most- ly, on lot with single picture com- . mitments such as Irene Dunne, Carole Lombard, Barbara Stanwyck, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Victor Mc- Laglen and Charles Laughton, helped polish' the 'A' b-ac!:ct values the company distributed. Joe Penner held his own. George O'Brien did smartly with his west- ern group while the Bobby Breen . returns were fairly good. Laurel and Hardy were over tor one, 'Fly- ing Deuces," released late in the yew<'. -' I Studio had a new star in Kay iCyser tor one, also Jean Hersholt on start of 'Dr. Christian" series. Charles Laughton, in at tail of year with 'Hunchback/ under a new deal with the company, should lead its star contingent in 1940. Douglas Corri- i gan, the wrong-way flier, was also listed with a pic that went the wrong way with the fans. Studio, for its potent feature strength, depended rhostly on the freelance playevs which is shown by standing of such as Adolphe Menjou, Dnvid Niven, Oail Patrick, Sally Eilers, Chester Morris, Leo Carrillo and Allan Mowbray. Plant has not much star or fea- ture strength, either ;-.;-i':ved or de- as Warners figured as result of 'Dodge City," while Muni is another of the studio prestige stars. John Garfield is coming along in good shape, with Howard G. Robin- son consistent in this company"s line-, up. Much, is expected of George Raft, newcomer to star ranks here, also of Priscilla Lane. George Brent, who gave sonie splendid perform- ances in last couple of pics, did not advance in selling value up to the expectations of the Warner crowd. Studio has added Geraldine Fitz- gerald to star group with one pic released late in the year. In the featured class two new- comers to the ranks of players here, Jeffrey Lynn and Jane Bryan, ap- pear to be strongest sales factors, with others in this division showing a chance of advancing their value to the company with increased . work and experience. This studio always puts'promising talent through tense RKO-RADIO Stars GINGER ROGERS CARY GRANT FRED ASTAIRE IRENE DUNNE - CAROLE LOMBARD BARBARA STANWYCK DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR. VICTOR McLAGLEN CHARLES LAUGHTON ANNE SHIRLEY JOE PENNER GEORGE O'BRIEN and those for other studios, . Robert LAUREL and HARDY LUCILLE BALL KAY KYSER «JOHN WAYNE- CLAIRE TREVOR RICHARD DIX BOBBY BREEN JEAN HERSHOLT LEE TRACY j DOUGLAS CORRIGAN * Borrowed from Republic. Featured Adolphe Menjou DavM Niven James EIUsob GaU Patrick Sally Eilers Walter CannoUy George Sanders Chester Morris Betiy Grable Leo Carrillo ' Tim Holt William Gargan Wendy Barrie Roscoe Kams Bradley Page Allen Mowbray Joan Fontaine Lee Bowman Peter Ilolden Edward Ellis Edna Best Maureen O'Hara Linda Hayes StefTi Duna Noah Beery, Jr. Donald Woods Virginia Weldler Robert Barrat Paul Guiifoyle Virginia Vale Robert Armstrong Eleanor Hansen John Archer Barbara Reld veloping, and with the producer-di- rector system pretty well installed, there, will hardly be developed any quantity of RKO's own b.o. magnets. It must depend generally for its pic- ture strength on the freelance fie!,> in all the acting branches. Deanna Durbin, U's No. 1 Star; Others Also Big Deanna Durbin again was the working pace and develops more j Universal top coin getter this year, quantity of it than any other studio over the period of a year. Many changes were made in the featured and stock list during the year with quite a few who had attained im- porta'nt rating dropped from the roster. the studio showing marked progress through having product that proved most acceptable in the 'A' brackets. Bing Crosby, Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer and the W. C. Fields- Edgar Bergen combos all. counted (Continued on page 46)