Broadway and Hollywood "Movies" (Jan - Aug 1934)

“MOVIES” 23 For the first time since wild animals have been used for Hollywood motion pictures an African rhinoceros was ridden by an actor — who lived to tell the story ! Johnny . Weissmuller, star of “Tarzan” adventure pictures, last week risked his life in this unheard-of feat when he climbed on the back of an infuriated “rhino” at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios and stayed there while a battery of four cameras photographed the scene. At intervals for more than an hour Weissmuller entered the sipall enclosure with the animal and managed to keep out of reach of its deadly horns. During several of the charges, animal trainers who stood by in case of emergency, wrere forced to run for shelter. George Emerson, well-known “big animal” man formerly with the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus, working on the production declared : “In my years of experience with wild animals this is the first time I have ever known of anyone, either trainer or actor, who has successfully ridden a live African rhinoceros.” Weissmuller’s wife. Miss Lupe Velez, came to the enclosure just as the actor was about to attempt the stunt and pleaded with him not to take the chance. Afer calming her fears and diverting her attention to another setting, Weissmuller entered the enclosure and was on the rhino’s back before his “Lupe” could stop him! Harry Wein is a synthetic liquor expert for RKO-Radio Pictures, making all the beverages used in films by that company. Using apple cider plus a powerful but harmless chemical, he makes champagne that will shoot a cork more than twenty feet, accompanied by a report that would turn green with envy an Epernay distiller. Among the pictures which Universal will make next year will be the famous classic, “Swiss Family Robinson.” Few books have interested more people than this account of a family wrecked on a tropical island and their ingenious methods of carrying on in the face of adversity. It was written in 1813 by Johann David Wyss. RKO-Radio Pictures was forced to retain an off-stage singer for Mary Boland because the noted character actress couldn’t sing badly enough for her humorous role in the current musical drama, “Stingaree.” Miss Boland, as the female “heavy” of the piece, has an exaggerated opinion of her vocal powers which are really such as not even a mother could love. The plot of the story arises from her attempts to prevent the success as a singer of Irene Dunne, a poor relative. But along comes Richard Dix as “Stingaree,” the roguish Robin Hood bandit, to straighten everything out. Dix and Miss Dunne are co-starred. Columbia Pictures has acquired the motion picture rights to Wallace Smith’s popular novel “The Captain Hates the Sea.” Lewis Milestone has been assigned to direct. The story, an absorbing yarn of the sea, has many humorous and entertaining situations, with a strong undercurrent of drama. Wallace Smith, newspaperman, war correspondent and member of Chicago’s famous group of outstanding writers, is noted as artist, novelist and screen writer. Milestone’s fame as a result of his direction of “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Front Page” was preceded by the worldwide renown he gained as director of “Two Arabian Knights,” heralded as an outstanding feature length comedy. Immediately upon completing her leading role opposite Stuart Erwin in “The Party’s Over,” Ann Sothern, former stage and musical comedy star, will be paired with Robert Armstrong as a new romantic team for Columbia’s “The Hell Cat,” a newspaper story by Adele Buffington and Fred Niblo, Jr., ( Continued to Page 38) Katharine De Mille was a big hit as Wallace Beery’s wife in “Viva Villa.” The fans are expecting great things from this little miss. Columbia announced that the production which bore the working title “Murder in the Studio” has been definitely named “The Crime of Helen Stanley.” This is the third of the series of Columbia’s detective mysteries, featuring Ralph Bellamy as “Inspector Trent.” Henry Hull, eminent stage actor and star of the current Broadway play, “Tobacco Road,” was signed by Carl Laemmle, Jr., to a five-year contract. Under this contract, the actor will appear in two or possibly three pictures each year. He will begin work in Universal City June 20th. Hull recently made a screen appearance in “Midnight,” a Chester Erskin production, which was released by Universal. Four more players have been added to the cast of “Treasure Island” at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. They are Lewis Stone, Edmund Breese, Nigel Bruce and Cora Sue Collins, the little girl who played Greta Garbo as a child in “Queen Christina.” Victor Fleming is directing this film version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic with Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Lionel Barrymore, Otto Kruger, Dorothy Peterson and William V. Mong in important roles. Rian James arrived in New York last week with a new long-term contract with Universal Pictures. The contract calls for Mr. James, former columnist of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, to perform the services of associate producer, screen writer and director at Universal City. He has no definite assignment as yet. Mr. James is author of “The Crooner,” “Hat Check Girl,” and “The Parachute Jumper,” and has also acted as producer in two Hollywood studios.