Sigrid Gurie portrait and as she appeared as the gypsy in “Algiers”
NEWS AROUND HOLLYWOOD
Walter Wanger’s ‘Algiers’ opens at the Four Star theater. The same day one of its stars – Sigrid Gurie obtained a divorce from Thomas W Stewart. Her husband had revealed that she was not the ‘Norwegian Garbo’ as touted by her discoverer Sam Goldwyn. She had been born in Brooklyn, but their family, originally from Norway, returned to their homeland when she was three. [Gurie would have two films at Universal for 1939 – ‘The Forgotten Woman’ and ‘Rio,’ the project originally planned for Danielle Darrieux].
20th Century Fox producer Sol Wurtzel’s residence was burgled last night. The loss amounted to $50,000 in jewelry and other valuables. The house was ransacked while the family lay asleep. His home has been robbed twice in the past, and police believe that the same gang may be responsible. [Wurtzel was in charge of the ‘B’ picture unit at Fox – such series as Charlie Chan, Mr Moto, and the Cisco Kid, while Zanuck took care of the ‘A’ productions].
Charlie Ruggles wins a judgment against actor’s agent Pat DiCicco. The agent had failed to pay a large bill owed to Ruggles for treatments the agent’s dog received at the actor’s fashionable kennels in the San Fernando Valley. The debt goes back two years. [Pasquale ‘Pat’ DiCicco was known as the Glamour Boy of Hollywood. Born in Queens NY, he is believed to have been a mobster connected to Lucky Luciano. His abusiveness towards his wives (Thelma Todd and Gloria Vanderbilt) eventuated in divorces. An interesting side note – DiCicco was the cousin of James Bond producer Albert R Broccoli, who was also born in Queens two months his junior].
The location caravan for ‘Gunga Din’ departed from RKO this morning. Their destination will be the foothills of Mt Whitney. A total of six 30 person passenger buses, 16 studio cars, and 12 trucks make up the expedition. Also they have rounded up 200 horses, six elephants, nine water buffalo and eight camels for the production. Provision has been made on site to house 1200 people for the next two months.
Former newsman from Minnesota, Jerome Odlum, signs with WB for a seven year stint. He has already sold two properties to them – ‘Each Dawn I Die’ (slated for James Cagney and Edward G Robinson) and ‘Dust Be My Destiny’ (which starred John Garfield and Priscilla Lane). [Both of Odlum’s books were released as films in 1939. He also worked as an uncredited writer on ‘The Oklahoma Kid’].
The final title for the WB property Sister Act has been settled upon. It is ‘Daughters Courageous.’ Besides the Lane Sisters – John Garfield, Gale Page and Claude Rains are featured. [Not to be confused with the Four Daughters film series, which had many of the same actors. It was a stand alone story based on the play Fly Away Home by Dorothy Bennett and Irving White].
OUTSIDE HOLLYWOOD
Howard Hughes reports via wireless to the US Army Station in Anchorage AL that he and his crew were about to cross the Bering Straits on the fifth (and most dangerous leg) of their globe stradling flight. They had also established contact with an amateur radio station in Hermosa Beach, CA.
Writers George S Kaufman and Moss Hart have come up with a new parlor game that they play in their Bucks County farms in PA. They have named it Embarrassing Questions. It has spread to Hollywood. Herman Mankiewicz, a screenwriter, has picked it up as an entertainment for his parties. Problems have ensued, especially among married actors. [Mankiewicz was the first screenwriter assigned to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ in February of 1938. He came up with the idea to have the Kansas part of the story shot in black & white].
