Exhibitors Herald World (Apr-Jun 1929)

120 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD June 29, 1929 United Artists Lists First Ten Pictures and Order of Release Ronald Colman's "Bulldog Drummond" Is Leadoff Production for New Season — ^Other Films and Stars Are Named (Special to the Herald-lV orld) NEW YORK, June 25. — United Artists is getting a real start on distribution of next season's product with the first ten pictures already being on sale to exhibitors and their order of release determined. A number of other pictures also were announced today, in addition to the first ten and besides others not yet definitely set. 6 "Condemned," Ronald Colman's sec• ond all-talking picture, a Samuel Following is the list of first ten releases, in the order in which they will go to exhibitors: 1 "Bulldog Drummond," Ronald Col• man's first all-talking picture, a Samuel Goldwyn production, and now in the second month of its extended run engagement at $2 prices in the Apollo theatre in New York, is the first United Artists release of the new season. Its cast includes Joan Bennett, Montagu Love, Lilyan Tashman and Claude Allister. F. Richard Jones directed. The dialogue is the work of Sidney Howard, Pulitzer Prize playwright and author of "The Silver Cord" and "They Knew What They Wanted." The film is recorded by Western Electric devices. Dolores Del Rio Sings 2 "Evangeline," Edwin Carewe's produc• tion of the Longfellow story, with Dolores Del Rio as the star, brings the voice of the star of "Ramona" to the screen. This is the second release of the season. Miss Del Rio sings three times, and Ronald Drew also sings. Alec B. Francis, Paul McAllister and Donald Reed are in the cast. Carewe, the director, also produced and directed "Resurrection," "Ramona" and "Revenge." This is not an all-talking picture. There is a silent version in addition to the singing version done with W E recording. The picture had its world premiere showing at the Saenger theatre in New Orleans June 14. Al jolson and Billy Rose composed the song, "Evangeline." 3 "The Locked Door," George Fitz• maurice's picturization of "The Sign on the Door," Channing Pollock's play, is an all-talking picture in which Rod LaRocque, Barbara Stanwyck, William Boyd, Betty Bronson, Zasu Pitts and Mack Swain have roles. C. Gardner Sullivan wrote the scenario and Ray June photographed the picture, which has been completed at the United Artists Studio. W E recording. 4 "Lummox," Fannie Hurst's novel, • comes to the screen as an all-talking production by Herbert Brenon, director of "Sorrell and Son" and "Beau Geste." Winifred Westover is Lummox, and the cast includes William Collier, Jr., Ben Lyon, Dorothy Janis, Edna Murphy, Myrtle Stedman and Bobby UUman. Miss Hurst wrote the dialog and went to California to aid Brenon in adapting her novel. Elizabeth Meehan wrote the scenario and Karl Struss is the cameraman. The picture is completed. W E recording. Norma Talmadge's First Audien 5 "Tin Pan Alley," the play by Hugh • Stange, will bring to the screen the voice of Norma Talmadge, in her first alltalking picture, the title of which is not selected. Lewis Milestone, director of "The Racket" and "Two Arabian Knights," is directing. Gilbert Roland talks for the first time in this picture. John Wray, Broadway stage star, makes his film debut in the same role he played on the stage. Lilyan Tashman is in the cast, and so are Roscoe Karns and Mary Doran. Jules Furthman, scenarist of "Underworld," adapted the play. It is now in production at United Artists Studio. W E recording. 8. Goldwyn production, screen play by Sidney Howard, will be placed in production at the United Artists studio on the return of Goldwyn to Hollywood, early in July. Dudley Digges, Theatre Guild actor-director makes his film debut in the '^j^u-'^i Vida'l, warden of a prison. He will also direct dialog, F. Richard Jones directing the entire picture. Ann Harding, stage star of "The Trial of Mary Dugan," will be Mr. Colman's leading woman. Blair Niles' book, "Condemned to Devil's Island," is the basis of Howard's screen play. W E recording. Mary and Doug in Same Film 7 "The Taming of the Shrew," Shake• speare's glorious comedy of the brazen Petruchio and the wildcat Katherine, brings together in their first joint film Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. An all-talking picture, directed by Sam Taylor. Cast includes Edwin Maxwell, Dorothy Jordan, Geoffrey Wardwell, Joseph Cawthorne and Clyde Cook. Sam Taylor adapted the comedy to films, and William Shakespeare wrote the dialog. W E recording. The picture is now in rehearsal at the United Artists studio. "Three Live Ghosts," the play that Max Marcin offered on the New York stage eight years ago, has been made into an all-talking picture, with Joan Bennett, Robert Montgomery, Claude Allister, Charles McNaughton, Beryl Mercer, Harry Stubbs, Jack Cooper and Shayle Gardner in the cast. Thornton Freeland, assistant director of "Alibi," directed. Max Marcin wrote the dialog. Rehearsals finished, the picture is now in production at the United Artists studio. W E recording. First from Fannie Brice "It's a Pleasure" is the title of Fannie Brice's first United Artists picture, the story of which is an original work for the screen, from the pens of John McDermott and Billy Rose. Miss Brice now is in Hollywood, and casting on the picture has been begun. It is an all-talking, all-singing film. W E recording. "Song of Broadway," an original story by Irving Berlin, is the first Harry Richman film. Mr. Richman arrived in Hollywood June 17, with Joseph M. Schenck. Production on his first picture will be begun soon; director and leading woman are not yet selected. Richman's phonograph records have enjoyed a great national sale during the past three years. He has been a star in "George White Scandal's" for three years. W E recording. Among Others to Be Made The following pictures, among others not yet definitely set, are scheduled to follow the first ten: Mary Pickford, individually starre/l m xit all-taiking pictu.'-e. "Coquette" was her first. W E recording. Gloria Swanson in "The Trespasser," aivtalking and singing film that is now in production at the Pathe studio in Culver City. Original story and direction by Edmund 9. 10. U A's Third Sectional Sales Meeting in San Francisco (Special to the Herald-lVorld) NEW YORK, June 25.— United Artists will open its third sectional sales convention Thursday at the Palace hotel in San Francisco, following those already held in New York and Chicago. Paul Burger, assistant to Al Lichtman, and David Bershon, western division manager, met in Chicago Saturday and journeyed together to Denver, Salt Lake City and San Francisco. After the convention Bershon will remain in Los Angeles and Burger will return eastward, stopping at Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Charlotte and Washington. He left New York May 27, and stopped at Pittsburgh en route to Chicago. Bershon left New York for Chicago May 28. Others who will attend the Coast convention are D. J. McNerny, Guy Gunderson, Russell Egner, Frederic Gage, G. F. Madsden, Arthur H. TofHer, Jack O'Bryan, F. W. Talbot, F. E. Benson, E. MacLean, J. P. Connors, Harry Levey, Abel Davis and E. L. Walton. Goulding, author of "Broadway Melody" and director of "Love." Cast includes Robert Ames, Kay Hammond, William Holden, Purnell Pratt, Hen'-y B. Walthall and Blanche Friderici. Miss Swanson's voice is heard for the first time, talking and singing. It is a modern story in which the star appears fashionably gowned. RCA recording. Dolores Del Rio to Talk Dolores Del Rio in her first all-talking picture, a story with a French locale. It will be an Edwin Carewe production, though he will not direct the picture. W E recording. Vilma Banky in her first all-talking picture, which Samuel Goldwyn will produce. W E recording. Charlie Chaplin in "City Lights," now in production at Chaplin's studio. Not a talking picture. The picture will be synchronized with music and sound. Virginia Cherrill is the leading woman. Fairbanks in All-Audien Douglas Fairbanks, individually starred in an alltalking picture that will follow "The Taming of the Shrew." W E recording. Florenz Ziegfeld and Samuel Goldwyn will produce their first all-color, all-talking and singing musical show in Hollywood in the spring of 1930, Ziegfeld will leave for Los Angeles the first week in January. "Out of the Night," a Henry King production for Inspiration Pictures, an alltalking picture based on the novel of the same name by Rida Johnson Young. Adapted by Madame Fred de Gresac, and now being cast, with production scheduled to be begun August 1 at the Tec-Art Studio. Clarke Silvernail is author of the dialog. The locale is the Caribbean Sea. RCA recording. Constance Talmadge Picture Constance Talmadge in "Venus," a Louis Mercanton Production, directed by M. Mercanton and produced in original French and African locales. This sychronized film is completed. "Hell's Angels" is not to be released until after its exhibition during an extended prere.'^ase Broadway run at the George M. Oir-i>,v' theatre on Broadway, Howard Hughes, producer of the film, having engaged that theatre for a two-year period. Ben Lyon, Greta Nissen, James Hall, Themla Todd and John Darrow are in the cast. It cost $3,000,000.