Variety (May 1941)

22 PICTURES I Wednesday, May 7, 1941 Advance Production Chart (Continued from page 20) Wessel. Robert Strange, Jim Corey, Merrill McCor- mick, Tom Chatterton, Tom Ewell, Ernie Stanton. ANGELS WITH BROKEN WINGS, drama; asso. prod., Albert J. Cohen; dir., Bernard Vorhaus; screen- play. George Carleton Brown and Bradford Ropes; camera, Ernie Miller. Cast: Binnie Barnes, Edward Norris, Gilbert Roland, Jane Frazee, Marilyn Hare, Lois Ranson, Leni Lynn, Katherine Alexander, Mary Lee, Billy Gilbert, Leo Gorcey. SADDLEMATES, western; asso. prod., Lou Grey; dir., Les Orlebeck; no writing credits; camera, Bud Thankery. Cast: Bob Livingston, Bob Steele, Rufe Davis, Gale Storm, Cornelius Keefe. Forbes Murray, Peter George Lynn, Glenn Strange, Marty Fausi, Billy Hazlett. A GAT VAGABOND, don\estic drama; asso. prod., Robert North; dir., William Morgan; orig. screenplay, Ewart Adamson and Taylor Caven; camera. Bud Thackery. Cast: Roscoe Karns, Ruth Donnelly, Lynn Merrick, Rod Bacon, Margaret . Hamilton, Ernest Truex, Carol Adams, Bernadine Hayes, Gloria Franklin. Republic Fix Now in Prodnctlon PUDDIN' HEAD, comedy; asso. prod., Albert J. Cohen; dir., Joseph Santley; no writing credits; cam- era, Jack Marta. Cast: Judy Canova. Francis Leclerer, Eddie Foy, Jr., Slim Summerville, Alma Krueger. NEVADA CITY, western; asso. prod., and dir., Joseph Kane; no writing credits; camera, William Nobles. Cast: Roy Rogers, George Hayes, Sally Payne, Billy Lee, George Cleveland, Joseph Crehan, Fred Kohler, Jr., Pierre Watkin, Jack Ingram, Rex Lease. JUNGLE GIRL, serial; asso. prod., p. S. Brown, Jr^ dir., William Witney and Jack English. No writing credits; camera, Reggie Lanning. Cast: Frances Gif- ford,- Tom Neal, Eddie Acuff, Tommy Cook, Al Tay- lor, Bud Geary, Frank Lackteen, Bob Barron, Kikume, Ken TarrelL 20lh Century-Fox Prom. Com- Shoot- Now To B« Comp. Shoot. 40-41 pitted |D( Cutllns Shot 41-42 41-42 FeatDrcs 52 48 6 4 • 0 1 Pictures in cutting rooms or awaiting release: FOR BEAUTY'S SAKE, comedy-drama: prod., Luclen Hubbard: dir, Shepard Traube; screen play, Wanda Tuchok. Ethel Hill, Walter Bullock: camera, Charles Clarke. Cast: Ted North, Marjorie Weaver, Richard t,ane, Lenita Lane. Ned Sparks, Joan Davis. Pierre Watkin. A VERY YOUNG LADY, comedy drama; asso. prod, Robert Kane; dir., Harold Schuster; no writing credits: camera, Edward Cronjager. Cast: Jane Withers, Nancy Kelly, John Sutton, Richard Clayton, Janet Beecher, June Carlson, Charles Halton. THE COWBOY AND THE BLONDE;-comedyr asso. prods., Ralph Dietrich and Walter Morosco; dir., Ray McCarey; orig. by Walter Bullock and William Brent; screenplay, Walter Bullock: camera, Charles Clarke. Cast: Mary Beth Hughes, George Montgomery, Alan Mowbray, Fuzzy Kni^t, Minerva Urecal. BLOOD AND SAND, drama (in Technicolor); asso. prod., Robert T. Kane; dir., Rouben Mamoulian; Joe Swerling; camera, Ernest Palmer and Ray Renna- han. Cast: Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Laird Cregar. John Carradine, Rita Hayworth, Nazimova, J. Carrol Nai^, Lynn Bari, Monty Banks. THE GREAT AMERICAN BROADCAST, comedy drama; asso. prod., Kenneth Macgowan; dir., Archie Mayo; screenplay, Don Epplinger, Edwin Blum, Robert Ellis, Helen Logan; camera, Leon Shamroy. CZast: Alice Faye, John Payne, Osar Romero, Jack Oakie, Mary Beth Hughes, Wiere Brothers, the Four Ink Spots. THE BRIDE WORE CRUTCHES, comedy drama; asso. prod., Lucian Hubbard; dir., Shepaid Traube; Bcreenplay, E. E. Verdier, from original by E. E, Ver- dier and Alan Drady; camera, Charles Clarke. Cast: Lynne Roberts, Ted North, Edgar Kennedy, Robert Armstrong, Lionel Stander, Richard Lane, Grant Mit- chell, Harry Tyler, Edmund MacDonald. THE GREAT COMMANDMENT, drama; prod., John P. Coyle; asso. prod.. Rev. James K. FriMrich; dir., Irving PIchel; screenplay, Dav6 Bennett; camera, Charles Boyle. Cast: John Beal, Maurice Moscovich; Albert Dekker, Marjorie Cooley, Warren McCullum, Lloyd Corrigan, Ian Wolfe, Olaf Hytten. ACCENT ON LOVE, formirly THE MAN WITH A SHOVEL, formerly RETURN TO LIFE, drama; asso. prod., Walter Morosco, Ralph Dietrich; dir., Ray. McCarey; orig. by Dalton Trumbo; camera, Charles Clarke. Cast: George Montgomery, Osa Massen, J. Car- rol Nalsh, Minerva UreraL Cobina Wright. Jr., Stanley Clements, Hector Samo, ^Thurston Hall, John Banner. MOON OVER MIAMI, formerly MIAMI, musical (Technicolor), asso. prod., Harry Jo Brown; dir., Walter Lang; screenplay, Vincent Lawrence and Brown Holmes; camera, Peverell Marley and Allen M. Davey. Cast: Don Ameche, Betty Grabel, Robert Cummings, Charlotte Greenwood, Jack Haley, Carole Landis, Co- bina Wright, Jr., Laird Cregar, Condos Brothers. MAN HUNT, drama; asso. prod., Kenneth MacGowan; dir, Fritz Lang; screenplay, Dudley Nichols; camera, Arthur Miller. Cast: Joan Bennett. Walter Pldgeon, George Sanders, John Carradine, Roddy McDowell. 20U1-F0X Fix In ProdneUon SDN VALLEY SERENADE, formerly SUN VALLEY, musical (1941-42), asso. prod., Milton Sperling, dir., H. Bruce Humberstone; screenplay, Robert Ellis and Helen Logan; camera, Edward Cronjager. Cast: Sonja Henie, John Payne, Glen Miller Orch, Milton Berle, Joan Davis; Nicholas Brothers. A YANK IN THE R.AJF'„ drama; asso. prod., Lou Edelman; dir., Henry King; no writing credits; camera, Leon Shamroy. Cast: Tyrone Power, Betty Grable, John Sutton, Reginald Gardiner. DRESSED TO KILL, formerly THE DEAD TAKE NO BOWS, drama; asso. prod, Sol M. Wurtzel; dir- Eugene Forde; no writing credits; camera. Glenn Mac- WilUams. Cast: Uoyd Nolan, Mary Beth Hughes. Sheila Ryan. BELLE STARR, drama (Technicolor); asso. prod., Kenneth Macgowan; dir., Irving Cummings; no writing credits; camera, Ernest Palmer, Ray Rennahan. Cast: Gene Tlemey, Randolph Scott, Shepperd Strudwick, Dana Andrews, Louise Beavers, Olin Rowland. Eliza- beth Patterson, ChiU Wills, Paul Burns. THE BOUNCER AND THE LADY, formerly DANCE HALL, inmar, asso. prod., Sol Wurtzel; dir., Irving PIchel; adapted from novel by W. R. Burnett; camera, Lucien Andriot Cast' Cesar Romero, Carole Landis, William Henry, 'June Storey, J. Edward Bromberg, Charles Halton, Perc Launders. LAST OF THE DUANES, drama; asso. prod., Sol M. Wurtzel; dir., James Tingling; story by Zane Grey; camera, Charles Clarke. Cast: George Montgomery, Lynne Roberts, Eve Arden. Francis Ford, George Stone, Joseph Sawyer, Truman Bradley. WB's New Sales Policy ^continued from page United Artists Total sold 22. Five cancelled. 1 to release for '40-41. Pictures in cutting rooms or awaiting release: BROADWAY LIMITED, drama; Hal Roach prod • dir., Gordon Douglas; screenplay Rian James; camera. Norbert Brodine. Cast: Victor MacLaglen, Marjorie Woodworth, Dennis O'Keefe, PaUy Kelly, ZaSu Pitts Leonid Kinsky, George E. Stone. NEW WINE (1941-42), musical; asso. prod, Dr Wil- liam Sekely; dir., Rheinhold Scheunzel; original by Ladislaus Bus-Fekete; camera. John Mescal. Cast: iLrman'f'IflTy' GUblrt.^""*'' UA Pictures In Production nrSflSfn'^*!,* Alexander Korda production; dir., Julian Duvlvier; screenplay, Ladislaus Bus-Fekete; camera, George Barnes. Cast: Merle r^^S"*!,^'^ ^^l^^'h •'°^^P'^ Gotten, Hans J^ray! AS,'Bfl]y"R?;.'" "^"•'l-y' Sara INTERNATIONAL LADY, formerlv G-MEN np SS2^.^~"a7'*^JK. "Ml-42). meller; Edward Small ^Moir" ^^ct-^S^^^J"* Rathbone Massey, George Brent, Basil Uni?ersal PnMB. Com- _ 40-41 pitted Featnres 40 40 Arlen-Devlne Actions 7 4 Westerns' 7 5 Frank Lloyd 3 1 ' Serials 4 4 Shoot- Now To Ho Comn. Shoot. il« Cnttlnc Shot 41-4i 41-4S 5 9 15 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Totals 61 54 5 U 6 5 1 Pictures in cutting rooms or a'Waiting release- DOC ROWNf**™5 '""""^y WHO KILLED ?;? T u i'"',?"^*'^'^ "elo; asso. prod., Ben Pivar- dir., John Rawlins; orig., Lariy Rhine Bpn rLr-i^fJ^' lhw''!f^' ^"c^ RhuieTS^n'^Chapmat & Shane; camera, Stanley Cortez CiKst- Pi^io^i a 1 Andy Devine,'jeanne K^. Edward Bronhv VinJi Barnett, Richard Carle, T^D™, An&^^Tomb" I^wrence. Shep Howard. Spencer Charters^'^Ru'^seU HIT THE ROAD, drama; asso. prod Ken flnlH anith; dir Joe May; no writing*^ credit camera" It^ ^^Jl^^A °jM- "^"yon"T^! Sanfor^.^^" Jf"TS, Comedy; asso. prod.. Joseph G Sanford; dir., Eddie Cline; no writing credits- camera' Charles Van Enger. Cast: Mischa Auer, Una MerkeT Stuart Erwin, Astrid Allwyn, William Frawley Hat- Ue Noel, Ernie Stanton, Mantin Moreland. <?«?2l!IS^J- asso. prod., Joseph G f« ^S - "° ■«'"tine credits; cam- M''"v?°yri«- Peeey Moran, Rank Brookl Una Merkel. Tommy Kelly, Edmund Lowe? William SING ANOTHER CHORUS (1941-42) comedv ^T'-^T"-fr^' Goldsmith; dir., (Charles La- mont; no writing credits; camera, Jerome Ash Cast- Jane Frazee, Johnny Downs. ViM^^^r ^^^h S^"^' '"'"'''"y: asso. prod., Burt SmJ^* ' Harold Young; no writing credits: camera Milton Krasner. Cast: Baby Sandyf Edward Ewe" ^Sl^r"' vT^*^ Y5^*' Sfyniond'^'WaZrn Evelyn t^V^^- FranWln Pangborn, Leonard Elliott, Bert Roach, George Meader. TIGHT SHOES, comedy (Mayfair Production)- asso PTod-. Jules Levey; dir., Albert Rogell; based on a rl^. ?\r^^ Runyon; camera, Elwood Bredell b!^!;.. ?^ ^""^^y^-. Broderick Crawford, Binnie fhlJli'i** Carrillo Anne Gwynne, Samuel S. Hinds. Du^n "^"^ ^'chard Lane, Edward Gargan, Tom HELLO, SUCKER (1941-42), comedy; asso. prod Ken Goldsmith; dir., Edward Cline; no writing credited Mmera, Charles Van Enge. Cast: Hugh Herbert, Tom Brown, Peggy Moran.' MEN OF THE TIMBEBLAND, meller; asso. prod Ben Pivar; dir.. Jack Rawlins; no writing credits- camera.^ John Boyle. Cast: Richard Arlen, Andy De-^ ?Sl*',JPj?^.."^yf?L ^i?.^"J? Robertson. Francis Mac- Donald, Hardie Albright, Roy Harris, Paul E. Burns Gaylord Pendleton. J^S MANY BLONDES, comedy; asso. prod., Joseph G. Sanford; dir.. Thornton Freeland; no writing (Continued on page 26) live which, in their opinion, would make it necessary for them to take three weakics in order to get one topflight pictuie, so far cs Warners is concerned this fear may be re- moved. Emphasizing that with Warners the 'A' pictures, which will constitute the majority of the 1941-42 program, afe to come first. Sears states that the B's to be made are to be no greater in number than the market dcmcnds and that the present plan is not to sell any of them with the A's. He explains that the B's are to stand entirely on their own arid that, in turn, this removes the ceiling on the. A's so far as marketing possi- bilities are concerned. ■Sgt. York' to TeeoS Pointing to "Sergeant York," a top- ouagc.er mat win oe sold as a '41-42 pic.are. Sears asserts that no other piciure will be sold with it and tnai inus it is in no way limited in ob- taining a maximum numoer of cun- ii'acis at term;, in accordance with lU own boxoiiice value. This may uc the first lilm from Warners to be sold under the decree. A second and a third will probably follow, c:iso to be sold separately. With no delined policy laid down so lar as seiiing u concernea, exccp,. inaL Warners is not going to marKc. films only in baskets of live, as otners seem to be planning to do, the com- pany may sell two at a time, or three or lour, as they are ready or as Uiey shape up for best merchandising. It may, on occasion, also make up a group of five but, in all probability, that will be the exception rather than the rule. Sears points to the fact that the company may have five B's and that putting them all to- gether tor accounts, notably the dou- ble-bill theatres, would prove prac- ticable in certain cases. btating that much more per pic- ture will be.spent on the 194i-42 i«a- son tnan tnis year, the Warner saies cnief adds that the studio is shooting foi a large number of 'A' features, ~p'erhaps ;iu to 'ii but may turn out only around 10 in the 'B' division. The 'B's' are going to be desirable from the studio and sales viewpoint only in ratio to the need for tilling market requirements. Because a system is being set up to meet the exigencies of the new selling system in the domestic mar- ket under the decree, Warners is also seriously considering application of the same mode of selling for Canada as well as Hawaii, last-mentioned serviced from San Francisco. Start In July Differing from other consenting distribs, so far as groups of five, no more no less, are concerned, Warners is also in no great rush to start sell- ing the '41-42 film though it will have picture ready earlier than most of the others. Company probably will not be ready to screen and negotiate deals until well into July. The studio is nearly finished with the balance of this year's (1940-41) product and has 'Sergeant York,' 'Navy Blues,' 'One Foot in Heaven,' 'Dive Bomber' and 'Kings Row' in work already for '41-42 release. By June 1 'Man Who Came to Dinner' and the Jack Benny film (untitled) will be before the cameras. Others may go in by then, also. Comprehensive plans to meet the conditions imposed on distribution by the decree are being laid in other directions. Among other things. Sears is preparing to grant what amounts to local autonomy to the exchanges by attaching much more importance to each branch and branch management than ever ex- isted before. Greater authority to all of the exchange managers thus will bo delegated since in the future all deals are to be closed in the branch territory in which the account exists. Though strong in manpower at present at the home office, important additions are planned for the crea- tion of even greater efficiency and the administration of distribution duties. Proposed is to add a mini- riium of two and a.possible maxi- mum of four men in executive posts who will function under Roy Haines, eastern-Canadian division manager, and Ben Kalmenson, western-south- ern division head. They are to be high-powered sales execs and serve as unilateral assistants to the two division managers, much as Carl Leserman does to Sears himself.. The roster of film salesmen, now running around 100 men, will be augmented in line with needs as they develop when WB gets into selling under the decree, the Warner dis- tribution boss indicates. Account- ants, clerks, tabulators and other workers will also be necessary. Need Plenty o' Room Pointing out the number of con- tracts will be many times the 10,000 or 11,000 now handled on a season, because of selling in groups-of-flve or less, Sears announces that he has already ordered over $4,000 worth of equipment, including machines, files, forms, etc., just for the h.o. He as- signed his top men in the contract department to present the problem to business machines' people and sit down to arrange for the proper equipment. Additional equipment will also probably be needed for the exchanges. So far as forms are con- cerned, as well as bookkeeping and clerking, WB will need more than the other majors since it is not re- stricting itself to only groups of five at a time. Enjoying one of the best seasons It has ever had, with gross weekly rentals away up, Warners has close to 11,000 contracts in for the current year's ('40-41) product. In order to handle the vast number of contracts that will come under the decree, as well as provide room for additional h.o. manpower, the distribution de- partment is taking over a consider- able amount of extra space at its New York headquarters. Tradeshowinc Thought has been given in a pre- liminary way to the screening of product in accordance with the de- cree's provisions that this must be done before films are offered for sale. WB will probably rent theatres or use their own, where practical, to tradeshow the 'A' pictures but felt that perhaps the B's can be screened satisfactorily in projections rooms in exchanges or where not having them in private quarters that are rented. On the big pictures, Sears' thought is to arrange to go into theatres for previews such as done on the Coast in advance of release and frequently on .sneaks in the east not far from N. Y. City. Another possibility is to take one of their own houses, such as the Broadway Strand on the final day of a run and throw In a decree- marketing picture for the exhibitors wishing to see it before making deals. Sears has not reached any decision so far as a convention on a national basis or regionals are concerned but is mulling several ideas. One of these is for himself, Leserman, Haines and Kalmenson to blanket the country, hold screenings end contact local sales forces as well as exhibitors when the first offering for '41-42 Is ready. Sears views selling under the de- cree as possessing unlimited possi- bilities on both sides of the fence and that there will be more in pic- tures for distribs and exhibs than be- fore. The advertising and publicity department is to be greatly aug- mented with a view to getting behind •41-42 product in a more elaborate and ticket-selling way than ever be- fore. WB is prepared to spend all the traffic will bear for obvious per- centage profit. WANC^TR ANnSTARS TO VARIETY POWWOW Hollywood, May 6. Walter Wanger represents motion picture producers at the Variety Clubs' convention In Atlantic City. Film stars going to the shindig in- ri.ude Dorothy Lamour. Ray Milland, Patricia Morrjson. Phil Regan. Sl- mone Simon. John Payne, Anne Shirley. Charles Laughton, Lew Ayres, Errol Flynn, Ronald Colman, Rosalind Russell and Bob Burns. Last three are tentative guests from the Coast. BEADERS' NLRB SESSION Hearings began yesterday (Tues- day) before the National Labor Re- lations Board on petition of the Screen Readers Guild of New York to be named collective bargaining agent for both salaried and piece- work readers employed by major film companies. Takinp the testimony is Trial Ex- aminer Dan Baker at the NLRB's New York regional offices. Com- panies are protesting Inclusion of the. piece-workers in the bargaining unit '