The Film Daily (1929)

Record Details:

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DAILY Sunday, November 17, 1929 PRODUCTION IN THE EAST WHO'S WHO AND WHAT'S WHAT IN GREATER NEW YORK STUDIOS ==== —"^^^^^ DROPS FEATURE MAKING UNTIL LATE THIS MONTH EUROPE ENTHUSIASTIC OVER TALKERS.JAYS FINEMAN Europe is receiving talking pictures with a great deal of enthusiasm, says B. P. Fineman, former Paramount producer, who has returned to New York after two months abroad. He expects that American producers will make foreign versions of their product for the German and Spanish markets and will reach the remaining countries with pictures synchronized with scores and special songs. The situation at present offers European producers the greatest opportunities ever for developing their home markets, says Fineman. To date production of talking pictures abroad has largely taken place in England, where the results are "slightly primitive," according to Fineman. Reproducer installations are being made at a fast rate in this country, he states. Installing of devices in France is handicapped by Government regulations which require exhibitors to pay one-third of their intakes in taxes, says the producer. Production and installations in Germany have been obstructed by the patent fights which are still in progress. Some European exhibitors are solving the English talker problem by giving translations in titles shown below the screen, Fineman explains. He believes that England is due tor a "break" in production as its drawing room actors and writers will be in demand in this country. Fineman produced the George Bancroft pictures for Paramount as well as "Sweetie," which recently ran two weeks at the Paramount, "The Children" and Clara Bow's next, "The Saturday Night Kid." He returns to the Coast in about 10 days. Recording Apparatus on New Stage Ready Soon Recording equipment on the new stage at the Vitaphone studio, Brooklyn, will be completely installed by the last week in December. The ■^:i«e, however, will probably be used in about three week-, for various purposes. It measures 100x135x60. When the stage is in complete operation three recording channels will be used in the studio through a remote control recording system. In addition to the main stage the new addition to the studio embraces a smaller stage for recording and scoring. Comedy Short Re-Titled "Belle of the Night" has been chosen as the final title for the Schwab and Mandel two-reel talking short recently filmed at the Paramount Long Island studio. The working title was "Where Boobs tome From." Short Shots from New York Studios ,By ARTHUR W. EDDY \ PRESTON STURGES, who authored "Strictly Dishonorable," which any theater broker will tell you is a hit, is now a member of the writing staff at Paramount's Long Island workshop. Perhaps you remember "The Guinea Pig," which he wrote for the stage. His newest legit offering, "Recapture," will soon be produced by Al Woods. Charles Ruggles is packing up preliminary to going coastwards to work in "Young Eagles," new starring vehicle of Charles Buddy Rogers. Ruggles, who recently completed camera and microphone activities in "The River Inn," will return to Astoria about Jan. 1 to do his stuff in "A Young Man of Manhattan." Catherine Dale Owen, having extended what was originally to be a 1C days vacation with her family in NewYork, into a pleasant visit of five weeks, is returning to the M-G-M studios today. Miss Owen does not know what her next picture will be but is hoping for something as good as her role in "His Glorious Night." Frank Ormston, studio manager of RCA Gramercy studios, is keeping bachelor's quarters these days, his wife having sailed abroad for a two month's visit in Paris and Rome. Chromotone Studios are synchronizing the Whoopee series of short comedies made by Bollman and Grant. "Pat" Donahue, script girl at the Astoria studio, is mighty proud of a ■ olid gold chain bracelet presented o her by Gertrude Lawrence as a o venir of their pleasant association during the filming of "The Bat le of Pans." Beautifully engraved with an appropriate inscription, the ranelet is among "Pat's" prize possessions. Saul Tepper, for years identified with the stage production activities of the Selwyns, has joined H. Emer <n Yorke to aid in Paramount's casting department at the Long Island studio. If you want to believe Jay Gorney and /n'.s lyric-writing pal E. Y. Harburg, they're doing a new song number entitled "I Owe Everybody, I Owe," as reaction from the recent Wall St. disaster. As a matter of fact, however, their hit, "What Wouldn't I do For That Man," sung by Helen Morgan in "Applause," was used again by Lee Morse in a dialogue short which Paramount has just made. If the air is fragrant around "The River Inn" set at the Paramount Long Island studios, you can probably trace the scent to George Falsey's rapidly thinning locks. George, cameraman par excellence, found no less than 144 bottles of a famous hair tonic among his household effects which were recently shipped to him from the Coist. Just another Hollywood gag. Name of tonic on request. Edward Savin, who is the likeable studio business manager at the Vitaphone plant in Brooklyn and assistant comptroller of Warner Bros, and subsidiaries, recalls that he first successfully-released talking picture was "The Song of the Volga Boatmen." This Vitaphotie ihort was produced at the Manhat an Opera House about three years ago. Stuart Stewart, casting director at the Warner Vitaphone studios, is a brother of Rosalie Stewart, noted a.having produced several plays including "Craig's Wife" which won the Pulitzer prize. Stewart is an inveterate "first-nighter" and may be seen at all the important openings. Charles Levine, who recently guided a camera in "The River Inn" at Paramount, has been doing such for the past 16 years. He started with Ince at the now defunct Selznick plant at Fort Lee. Giovanni Martinelli, noted Metropolitan opera tenar, who was the first great artist to lend voice to the screen, has just completed another Vitaphone short, under the direction of Arthur Hurley. June Collyer Cast for "Pleasant Sins," Talker June Collyer will head the cast of "Pleasant Sins," production on which will be started next week at Weiss Bros. DeForest Studios. Other players also engaged are Betty Garde. Charles Trowbridge. Eloise Taylor and Hal Thompson. Irvan Willat will direct this original story of modern New York life, with Frank Melford assisting. Paramount's Long Island studio, which has been practically the onlj plant in the East making features, is somewhat quiet as far as features are concerned. The feature department will remain comparatively inanimate until the last week in this month. Then "The Big Pond" will be started with Hobart Henley directing. So far only Maurice Chevalier and Claudette Colbert have been cast for the picture, which will have two versions, one English, the other French. Early January will see production begin on "A Young Man of Manhattan," a talking feature version of the novel by Katherine Brush, now running serially in "The Saturday Evening Post." The picture will mark the return of Monta Bell to directing after a year of supervisory work at the Astoria studio. Principals in the picture will be Richard Arlen, Claudette Colbert and Charles Rugbies, it is understood. Ben Hecht, who wrote the recently-completed "The River Inn" for Paramount, will prepare the adaptation. Retakes are now being made in "The River Inn." Chapman Joining RKO as Coast Sound Chief S. C. Chapman, who has been with the Paramount Long Island studio sound department since its opening, leaves for the Coast Saturday to become director of sound recording for RKO. Barker Makes Another Short "Alpine Love Call" has been completed by Photocolor with Bradley Barker directing. The cast is headed by Kathryn Reece, Frank Kneeland, Otis Sheridan, William St. James N. Stewart and the Sonis Serova dancing girls. This is the fifth of a series of 26 talking shorts, at present in production at RCA's Gramercy studio. MARK SANDRICH Director Just Finished THE GINSBURG SERIES Starring NAT CARR for RKO Release LOUIS BROCK, Producer RCA Photophone Gramercy Studio, N. Y. C.