OCR Text |
Show By VIRGINIA VALE Released by Western Newspaper Union. SEEMS as if a doffing of hats to Gene Autrey, who enlisted en-listed in the Army Air Corps, is indicated. "He will not receive re-ceive a commission," announces an-nounces the report. He'll get one, of course, eventually he's bound to, because he's the stuff that officers are made of. But when so many men of the motion picture industry are stepping right out as officers at the start, isn't it swell of Gene to begin at the bottom? Reminds me of one movie executive who told me that he had applied for a commission as lieutenant colonel in the army; if he didn't get it, he'd stay out! P.S. He didn't get it! You really ought to see "Mrs. Miniver," if only to find out why the world's largest theater, the Radio Ra-dio City Music Hall, booked it for six weeks running, with 772,983 people peo-ple seeing it during the first five weeks a figure equalling the population popu-lation of Boston, Mass. The film version of Irving Berlin's Ber-lin's "This Is the Army," the army show which delighted New York IRVING BERLIN from the moment it opened, will be photographed in color, luckily. Irving Irv-ing Berlin will supervise the production, pro-duction, In Hollywood. Robert Donat's first screen appearance ap-pearance since "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" will be made in "Sabotage Agent." It will be directed by Harold Har-old Bucquet, who has just finished "The War Against Mrs. Hadley," and will be made in London. Five years ago the Maine Development Devel-opment association sent Walt Disney Dis-ney the two young deer who served as models for the hero and heroine of his "Bambi." So a special premiere pre-miere of "Bambi" was booked for Augusta, Maine, following the first showing of the picture in New York. Daisy, who won fame in the "Blondie" series, recently whelped five pups, all of which are now the property of Penny Singleton because she has a large ranch. She named them, naturally, for the characters in the pictures. By the way, this is the only film series in which the original actors have worked as a unit throughout Penny, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms ("Baby Dumpling"), Dum-pling"), and Daisy. Maybe Esther Williams started something when, wanting a souvenir that she could show friends who weren't in the movies, she bought a white satin bathing suit and had it autographed in black waterproof ink by every star on the Metro lot. Incidentally, Inci-dentally, though she's a swimming star, Esther really swims in "Andy Hardy's Last Fling" usually Hollywood Holly-wood doesn't let an expert do what he or she is expert at -T- The biggest stride of any regional radio network show has been made by "Grand Ole Opry," the Saturday night folk music program heard over NBC. It was the first of the in-person shows to make regular army camp appearances last fall, under the name of "Caravan." Now there are four road units touring the camps. One master of ceremonies cere-monies has landed a network contract con-tract on the new CBS Caravan Hour. To prove that Uncle Sam uses radio talent to the best advantage, take the story of Detroit's Frank Telford, director of the "This Is Our Enemy" series heard over Mutual Sunday nights. A former script writer for the Detroit board of education, edu-cation, Telford went to Washington without network experience, but with a briefcase full of ideas. Now: he's made a niche for himself as a radio executive. ODDS ASD ESDS . . . Jnn week Frank Morgan celebrated his 52nd birthday, began his S2nd jeature pic tare, "While Cargo," and celebrated the completion of 25 years as a motion picture actor ...Red Skelton toys thai he has played so many camp shows thai every time he sees a soldier he goes in to hi monologue . . . Jack Benny won t ,tar in "The Meanest Man m tht World?; it' oid that after he read tht final script he pursuaded the studio It ebandon plans fer it . . . Instead o; giving his annual party for members oj the "Big Tewn" cast at the end of tin season, Edward G. Robinson gave then, all tear bonds this year. |