CINEMA NEWS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 41, 27 November 1942, Page 6

CINEMA NEWS

(By “Spotlight”)

ABOUT WALTER PIDGEON.

Walter Pidgeon was bom in St. John, New Brunswick, and celebrates his birthday on the twenty-third of September. He entered the University of Now Brunswick, intending to follow a business career, a plan interrupted by the World War in which he enlisted. After the Armistice lici worked as a bank messenger in Boston, but his interest in music found ’him studying voice after working hours. An opportunity to join Elsie Jam’s on a. concert tour ntose and. he accompanied her troupe to London. His return to- New York found him an established star. A Hollywood contract followed and he received recognition with his role in “Saratoga.’’ Ho has since appeared in n wide variety of pictures, among them “How Green Was My Valley,” “Blossoms in the Dust,” “Man Hunt” and now “Design for Scandal.”

MILLION bOLLAR SERIAL. Hollywood’!? first “million-clollar super-serial” in niore than 20 years, “Riders of Death Valley,” is Universal’:? tlmll-and-gasp-filled, rip-roaring saga of the Wild West. The first of the 15 tense, exciting chapters is called “Death Marks the Trail.” The allstar cast is headed by Dick F’oran, the flame-headed singing cowboy of the range; Leo Oarrilli, in the part of the likeable Mexican rogue, Panclio; Buck Jones, who has headlined a; hundred and one films of the cattle country, and Charles Bickford;, one- of the most menacing villians of the silver screen. Others in . featured- roles are Lon Chaney, Jr., Noah Berry. Jr., “Big Boy” Williams, Monte Blue and Jeanne Kelly, beautiful new serial queen of motion pictures.

A BOMBER THRILL. One of tbo biggest flying sequences ever screened is in “Ships With Wings.” Yqu sec the aircraft flying over the inferno of flame and getting aboard. But a terrible toll is taken of machines and pilots, with the .result that the Admiral is faced with a shortage of pilots. He includes Stacey in one of the crew, and lie pilots the machine in> a dare-devil attack upon a dam which will flood the country and destroy the enemy, on the move. It does not entirely succeed', and on the way back, Stacey, although out of ammunition, sets after a Nazi bomber. He is shot up, but flies his ’plane on the back of the bomber, both of them crashing on the dam. The exploding bombs complete its destruction. But Stacey does not come: back.

LESLIE HOWARD’S LATEST. Premiere of the forthcoming G.-8.-D. Leslie Howard production, “First of the Few,” was received with acclaim by London Trade critics, indicating that the British aviation production has all the earmarks, of big star entertainment produced with an eye both to artistic and box-office qualifications. British “Cinema” reported, “First of the Few” and is at once an, outstanding instance of British film craft and magnifieent entertainment. ’ ’

GOSSIP FROM THE STUDIOS. Glenn Ford has been sworn in asylum, captain of tire ©anta. Monica police dept, and air raid garden aide to the town’s mayor. Melvyii Douglas won’t be joining the, Air Cbrps until the Columbia tank corps picture “Port Said)”'is completed. Private Burgess Meredith'has been lifted to 2nd Lieut, .in t'lTe Army Air Corps. Louis Hayward 1 , husband of Ida L-upino, lias joined the. Marine Corps. Landlady Greta Garbo has purchased twto more apartment buildings at Milwaukee; cost, 30,782 dollars. Forty-year-old “Tony” Tom Mix’s famous horse, was recently given- a painless death. Looks like there’s some truth in the run or s that Greer Garson, may marry Richard Ney, who plays her son in “Mrs. Miniver.”

Walter Winched writes of the feminine star who riles her producer to the extent that he’s letting her choose her own stories. Fra-nchct Tone and Carole Landis are being lauded for their unselfishness in making time to serve on .the Victory Committee.i Arizona was the scene, of Laraine Day’s first solo flight some few wpeks back. PRODUCTION PARAGRAPHS. Roy Rogers will have Helen Parish for his leading lady in Republic’s “Sunset Serenade.” Nine-year-old John Donat, son of actor Robert, has been signed by R.KO for a role in the war drama, “The Land Is Mine.”

Walter-Huston will be the narrator in Major Capra’s instructional pix “Kn ( cw Your Allies”—appointment comes from Washington.

Warners have set John! Loder and John Abbott for top roles in “Gorilla Man.” '

Republic’s musical. “Johnny Doughboy,” starring Jane Wit-heirs, will be the first picture to show actual cam]) appearances of players. Several of Jane’s appearances will he in-corpor-ate d.

General Do.' Gaulle lim.s accepted Warpers’ offer of £17,000 for film rights of his life story. Money will he used to swell the Fighting French funds.

Lillian Gish, who returned to the screen for a role in Columbia’s “Commandos Come At Dawn,” is a- likely for the lead im “Song of Bernadette,” 20th Fox’s big religious picture.' Florian, reputed to be.- the most intelligent horse in the world, will appear in the Richard Dix staxrer, “Buckskin Empire,” Harry Sherman production for Paramount.