Stage actor, director and writer, Garson Kanin is set to make his film directoral debut at RKO on ‘A Man to Remember.’ The cast will include Edward Ellis, Lee Bowman, and Anne Shirley. [Kanin completed the film in fifteen days at the cost of $118,000. RKO would assign him another film for 1938, and two more which he also wrote, to direct for 1939 – ‘The Great Man Votes’ and ‘Bachelor Mother.’ Collaborations with Tracy and Hepburn lay in the future for him, as well as the stageplay ‘Born Yesterday,’ that earned him a million dollar sale to Columbia].
RKO has signed Lee Marcus to a new three year contract to continue producing films for them. (Marcus was exec producer on the above ‘A Man to Remember’). Marcus was predicted to oversee 24 films for their 1938-1939 schedule. Most of them would be for their ‘B’ unit, though several judging by their budgets may cross over to the ‘A’ feature column. [Marcus handled six features for 1938 and 29 for 1939].
Bing Crosby holds the premiere of his new film ‘Sing You Sinners’ at his Del Mar race track. [It is reported that Crosby’s own race horse ‘Ligaroti’ played the winning horse in the film].
Louise Rainer credits a mongrel dog for saving her from a rattlesnake. She had adopted the dog last week after it had wandered into her yard.
Ending his second day of depositions in his attempt to recover the monies he earned as a child, Jackie Coogan admitted that problems had been complicated by his drinking. He points to the fact that he had not indulged in the last four years, and further promises never to take another drop. His mother says that it was his drinking that caused them to refuse him money. She and her husband add that all the money they have is theirs and not Jackie’s.
WB has built department store sets across four sound stages for the new Dick Powell film ‘Going Places.’ He will play a salesman at a sports goods store who gets involved in horse racing to help his boss. [One of the songs in this musical comedy was “Jeepers Creepers,” sung by Louis Armstrong. It would be nominated for the Best Original Song (by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer). It lost to “Thanks for the Memory”].
MGM signs Texan Don Castle up for six more months after his three months contract proved fruitful to the studio. His appearance in the latest Hardy Family film – ‘Love Finds Andy Hardy’ garnered the Clark Gable lookalike a stack of fan mail. [Castle racked up three more films for MGM, and then four more for 1939].
Huntz Hall, on of the Dead End Kids asks columnist Sidney Skolsky to issue a fight challenge to Mickey Rooney.
OUTSIDE HOLLYWOOD
New York City gives Douglas Corrigan a hero’s welcome today. He was visibly cool in the heat wave that was broiling the city. He continues to stick to his story that he flew by mistake to Dublin, instead of his stated destination of California. The New York Post led with the headline – NAGIRROC YAW GNORW OT LIAH.
News out of Stockholm Sweden – Warner “Charlie Chan” Oland is desparately ill. His wife Edith Shearn Oland plans to fly to his side.
Shirley Temple toured and shopped downtown Chicago this morning before catching her train to return to Hollywood, bringing to a close her two month vacation.
