LATEST DOINGS FROM THE STUDIOS

Chronicle (Levin), 4 January 1947, Page 6

LATEST DOINGS FROM THE STUDIOS

Les. M.

Murphy)

V k •' (SPEGIAL — From

Lana Turner has been chosen for the title role in "Coquette," the role which won an Academy Award for Mary Piekford in 1928. The dramatic story of a Southern belle, the film is set for early production. Kathryn Grayson and Tony Martin will co-star for the first time in "The Kissing Bandit," an M-G-M musical plahned on a lavish scale. The story is set against a South American backgro_und. Virginia O'Brien will play her first romantic lead in the Red Skelton comedy, "Merton of the Movies." The dead-pan singer will play the daughter of comedyveteran Buster Keaton, the original dead-pan actor of the screen. v Frank Launder, who is directing the latest Individual Picture, "Captain Boycott," starring Stewart Granger, announces that the title role will be played by Cecil Parker. Kathleen Ryan, the Irish discovery whose performance in James Mason's new film "Odd Man Out" is expected to make her an immediate success, will play oppo- ■ site-' Stewart Granger. The film tells the story of how the name of an English land agent became an international word. Robe'rt Montgomery and Audrey Totter will be teamed for the second.time on the screen in "Upward to the Stars," one of the year's ' mos$ ; unusual and dramatic love stories.- It is a thrill-romance of a doctor's strange search for his ideal woman. His quest is successful, but the lady is of questionable charac-' ter, and the doctor becomes involved in a murder. After an absence of nearly four years from the screen Melvyn Douglas returns in one of the starring roles in the super Western, j • "Sea of Grass." Spencer Tracy, i Katharine Hepburn and Robert Walker are the other stars of the 1 film. Loretta Young's favourite pastime seems to be eating. Acting on her doctor's orders Loretta is increasing her weight. She has snack meals, usually milk and crackers, or sandwiches throughout the day's shooting. Her health has greatly improved since her holiday in Honolulu and she is back at her studio ready for work. Ida Lupino devotes the major part of her spare time . off the screen to writing. She keeps a typewriter in her dressing' room at the studio, and it was during the production of "Escape Me Never" that the dramatic star comple'ted the book of her musical play, "Apple Tree Farm," which is destined for Broadway.- In addition to two original scfeen plaiys, Miss Lupino has completed lyricg as wellas_ music for the songs.. /l^/isc'h# hope to give up grease-palnt for a literary career some'day.