Hollywood REPORTS

Chronicle (Levin), 15 February 1947, Page 7

Hollywood REPORTS

For liis raio in "The Kissing Bamlit," in whii-h he will eo-star with Kiithiyn Gi'nyson, Tonv Martin ' will wenr a mou.stai-he. Aceording to jtrodueer Joe Pasternak, "Kissing a man without a moustaehe is like eating an oug without salt . Xo selt'-roppocting 'Kissing Bandit' wonld )>e without oiu'. ' ' (/• riilav *.s row ir.cn I : Produce r Paxternuk i; ilcan-shavcn.) ★ ★ ★ Production is under way on Gene Eelly's first post-war film, a comedy-m isical, "Life's fir the Loving." Marie (The 3ody) MacDonald has heen selected for the feminine lcad. This is Miss MacDonald's first appearance in an M-G-M film. * * A As simn as Van Juhiison complotes his rdlo in M-G M's niodorn adveiilure filni. "High I'arltarce." he'll start jiroparatioim 1'or his next assigiunont, "'Ihe Itt.niance of Rosv h'nlgo." a story sot against a hillhilly hackgroiiiul during the ] 8(i0's. It will lio Van'.s first appcaraiH-e iti a period film. ★ ★ ★

★ ★ ★ , George Murphy has heen added to the cast of "The Arnelo Affair," to co-star with John Hodiak and Prances Gifford. The film is a murder mystery. ★ ★ ★ Sixteen-year-old songbird Jane Powell has been choscn to co-star with Jose Iturbi in his liew niusical, "The Birds and the Bees," in wliich the pianist conductor will play his first romantic role. Iturbi and Miss Powell onec before appeared together 011 the screen in "Holiday in Mexico," soon to be released in Australia.

The sereen's most popular chili star, Margaret O'Brien, took her plaee o.iii ially in Hollywood's tlall of Fauie last week, when she placed her sniall hand and footprints in .the eonerefe fioor of tlic tover of Grauniann's Chinese Theatre. ' Thcreby Margaret has joiitcd the rnnks of Hollywood's great, since ncarlv every famcd star in screen history is reprcsetited in the thofttre forecourt, which is one of the sights of Hollywood. ★ . . ★ ★

* * * As soon as Melvyn Douglas completes work in the Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn film, "Sea of Grass," he will leave for Ncw York to pr-pare production of his second, so far untitled, stage musical. JDs first one, "Call Me Mister," provsd a huge success. .★ ★ ★ Po]iular American radio star, Jolinny Johnston, has been chosen tcJ co-star with Bsther Williams and l.auri.tz Mclchiur in the forthcoming musical, "This Time for Keeps." On completion of this film, Tiliss Williams will temporarilv retire to await the nrrival of her baby early in the new year. Tn private life Esthpr is Mrs. Bcn Gage. ★ . ★ ★ Katharine Hepbnrn has renewed her M-G-M cdntract. She will soon make "Song of Love," story of great cojhposer Robert Schumann and his wife Clara Schttmann, a famcus pianist. Production is scheduied for October, as soon as Miss Hepbiirn returns to Hollywood from visiting her family in the E4st. ★ ★ ★ English-Aiuericau stage actor, Godfrev Tearle, has been chosen to portray President Roosevelt in the atom-bonib film, "Tbe Bcginning or the End?" The actor, a brothcr of the late Conway Tcarlc of silent film days, was born in America but spent most of his life in England. He was rushed to Hollywood from London by transatlantic plane.