International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

When the History of the Motion Picture Is Written the Camera Will form the Gonfalon of the Procession and the Cameraman Will Be right Alongside. THE CAM Vol. I. MONTHLY NEWS OF PRODUCTKN COLUMBIA CLIPS By Bob Tobey "BROADWAY BILL," directed by FRANK I APRA. Joe Walker, the old lens and lighting maestro, on June 16. threw his clothes into a small valise, packed his special lenses into fourteen trunks and an egg crate and took off for the vicinity of Tanforan, trailing after him an admirable crew consisting of Vic Scheurich, George Kelley, Jim Goss, Jack Andersen, and Walter Lackey. Top spots in this tale of the turf are filled by Warner Baxter, Myrna Loy. Sterling Holloway and that darkly handsome troubador, Clarence Muse. In support — and get a load of this load — Lynn Overman, Ward Bond, Charles Levison, Arthur Rankin, Ray Walburn, Margaret Hamilton, George Cooper, Charles Wilson, Forrester Harvey, Paul Harvey (Fred Harvey was busy building a new restaurant), Samuel S. Hinds, Harry Todd, Barbara Reed, Mary McGrath and Bruce Galbraith. Heigh-ho — looks as if Mr. Capra will need eyes in the back of his head to direct tbis crowd. Your little keyhole-peeker is delighted to announce that this picture moves George Kelley up one notch, and a very sizeable notch, in the camera profession. He takes over a second camera for the first time, on this production, and it is a deserved promotion for a hard working young man. Emil Oster, head of Columbia's Camera Department, and who is indefatigable in the interests of his "boys," put the deal over — with the hearty co-operation of Frank Capra and Joe Walker. Best of luck, George. Irving Lippman toted his Dark Hazard along on the trip and Marty Crail went up, too, as Knight of the Darkroom. Frank Capra is in such a hurry to see his rushes that the film is being rushed to the lab. each night by plane and the dailies are returned to the location the next afternoon in the same speedy manner. If the company stays in Tanforan too long Crail is threatening to stow away on the plane some night and come back and see his wife. And they've been married for two whole years. "GIRL IN DANGER," directed by ROSS I.EDERMAN. Ben Kline, none the rustier for his well-earned vacation, handled the peepsight on this one. Now repeat after your Uncle Bob. little kiddies: "His camera crew consisted of Mr. Browne, Mr. Dawson and Mr. Russell." (In a couple more issues this column will write itself. Untouched by human hands.) George Cooper, the Blonde Menace, took the bows as sound technician, Walter Meins was grip and Howard Robertson, regardless of what he terms himself, gaffed the picture. (Remind me to tell you a funny story about Howard some time.) Ralph Bellamy, Shirley Grey, J. Carrol Naish and Charles Sabin lend their personalities to the epic. Bellamy also loaned (lent, leaned, or whathave-you) a temporarily athletic touch to the ensemble by limping about on a bum ankle, acquired while playing tennis. "TROPICAL MADNESS," directed by ARCHIE GOTTLER. Joe August photographed this idyll of the African Wild with lyrics and music, featuring Frankie Albertson and Lois January. I can't see how the picture can be so tropical with a January cast to it, but we will sort of skim over that and tell about how Dave Regan was operative cameraman and Marcel Grand and Jack Russell did the honors with the focuschanging devices. Glenn Rominger was dialtwister, Jimmy Punter (I can never look at that name of his without wanting to do word-puzzles with it) gaffed for August and Eddie Blaisdell w-as grip. The man with the frantic scissors was James Sweeney (film editor to some). LEWIS MILESTONE has been testing for several days for his production, "THE CAPTAIN HATES THE SEA," which should be already under way by the time you read this. Arthur Edeson makes his first appearance on the Columbia lot, as chief cinematographer for the Milestone production; and AI Keller, he of the beaming smile, is assisting Edeson. The cast is not definitely set as yet, but Victor McLaglen probably will play a leading role. Fred Keating, the former prestidigitician (somi what more skillful than a prestidigitator — magician to the youth of the land), who is now one of Columbia's White Hopes, has been tested on miles and miles of film (to the huge delight of Eastman Kodak Company) and will doubtless have a part in the picture. Ennihoo I don't care so much whom they cast for the production, but if thev change that perfectly marvelous swell title I'll shoot to kill. BARNES AND POLITO HANDLE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROBLEMS OF WARNER MUSICAL "DAMES" By BOB HUSSEY Warner Brothers-First National Studios created a furore in the entertainment world with their "42nd Street" and continued establishing new high standards with the succeeding extravaganzas, "Gold Diggers of 1933", "Footlight Parade" and "Wonder Bar." Each seemed unsurpassable, but each excelled its predecessor. Now comes the Warner Brothers special musical "Dames", and those engaged on the mammoth production declare it is certain to establish itself as the acme of perfection in its type of screen entertainment. "Dames" has been produced in two distinct units. Ray Enright directed the story sequences from Delmar Daves' adaptation of Robert Lord's original story. Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler head an all-star cast which further includes Hugh Herbert, ZaSu Pitts, Guy Kibbee and others. Sid Hickox photographed the story sequences with Messrs. Larson and Anderson assisting. Busby Berkeley unit operated individually and at one stage of the production, both units were before the cameras simultaneously. Of the four Berkeley numbers in "Dames", two were of the intimate or novelty class and two were of the ensemble category. Some of the Berkeley photography was handled by George Barnes, with Warren and Lynch assisting and Sol Polito photographed with Green and de Angeles as his worthy assistants. An endless number of photographic problems were presented in the filming of the Berkeley ensembles. Berkeley has gained his fame from his ability to place the audience eye in usual positions from which is seen the rhythmic and co-ordinated movmnt of groups of screen beauties. In the spectacular "Dames" numbers Berkeley, with Harms and Polito, have outdone their previous sensational efforts. The "Eyes for You" ensemble presented a huge revolving upright wheel, without an axle, and on it was an arrangement of platforms on which the young beauties were placed. The set was erected on a huge turntable and from each side was built a series of stairways which continued, in zig-zag manner, across the turntable, through the wheel and beyond to the other side. This one set. constructed at the studio at a cost of more than $30,000, afforded no end of photographic problems which were successfully surmounted. Silhouettes, angles, black-and-whites, arcs, all were beautifully filmed. The second ensemble number in "Dames", for the song of that title, was a vast, graded floor through which came a maze of half-circled shields to present an odd kaleidoscopic effect and adorned with young beauties in novel costumes appearing in fascinating array. Trick lighting effects were used throughout the filming of "Dames" and served to greatly enhance the photographic beauty of the ensembles. John Ellis was still-photographer with the Ray Enright unit of "Dames" and performed an admirable job with his art. Bert Longworth, doing speciil art photography with the Berkeley unit, won attention for his especially fine work on overhead and angle shots, delivering a fine collection of beautiful studies on the production. RKO-PATHE (Reliance Pictures, released thru United Artists) "TRANS-ATLANTIC MERRY-GO-ROUND." Producer, Edward Small; author, Leon Gordon; additional dialogue and scenes, Joseph Moncure March; comedy dialogue, Harry W. Conn; director, Benjamin Stoloff; assistant, W. J. Reiter; musical numbers directed by Larry Ceballos; first cameraman, Teddy Tetzlaff; operative cameraman. Kenneth Green; assistants, William Whitley and Ellis Carter; stills, Clifford Maupin and Clarence Hewitt; recording engineer, Oscar Lagerstrom; film editors, Grant Wytock and H. T. Fritch; art director. John Ducasse Schulza; chief electrician. Jim Potevin; chief grip, Charles Rose; chief prop, Emmett Emerson. Cast: Jack Benney, Nancy Carroll. Gene Raymond, Sydney Howard, Sid Silvers, Sidney Blackmer. Ralph Morgan. Shirley Grey, Patsy Kelh . Frank Parker. Jean Sargent, Robert Elliott, William Boyd, Sam Hardy, Carlyle Moore, Wallis Clark, Esther Howard. PARAMOUNT "ELMER AND ELSIE." Producer, Lou D Lighton; authors, George S. Kaufman and A Connelly; screenplay, Humphrey Pearson; rector, Gilbert Pratt; assistant, Jay Marchandil cameraman, William Mellor; operative earner ar William Rand; assistant, Guy Roe; stills, ier man Clark; recording engineer, A. W. Si , film editor, Richard Currier; art director, !arl Hedrick. Cast: George Bancroft, Frances Fuller, leu Karns, George Barbier, Nella Walker, Crle Sellon, Helena Phillips. "LADIES SHOULD LISTEN." Pro i Douglas MacLean; original by Alfred :■ Guy Bolton ; screenplay, Frank Butler and m Bunyon; director, Frank Tuttle; assistant, inssell Mathews; first cameraman, Henry Srp; operative cameraman. Roy Eslick; assistant, at Dugas; stills, Don English; recording eni'eer, Don English; film editor, Eda Warren; art ret tor, Ernst Fegte. Cast: Cary Grant, Frances Drake, Ear Everett Horton, Charles E. Arnt, Nydia estman, George Barbier, Charlie Ray. "NOW AND FOREVER." Producer, Lo Lighton; original by Jack Kirkland and M Baker; screenplay, Vincent Lawrence and Thalberg; director, Henry Hathaway; ass Clem Beauchamp; first cameraman, Harry beck; operative cameraman, Fred Mayer; ass Neal Becker; stills, Elwood Bredell; film Ellsworth Hoagland; art directors, Hans 1: Robert Usher and Robert O'Dell. Cast: Gary Cooper, Carole Lombard, .'; Temple, Sir Guy Standing, Charlotte Gr; Telser Komai, Buster Phelps. "THE NOTORIOUS SOPHIE LANG." Pr ducer, Bayard Veiller; author, Frederick um Anderson; screenplay, Anthony Veiller; di § Ralph Murphy; assistant, Neil Wheeler; fir* cameraman, Al Gilks; operative cameramai L: nel Linden; assistant, Francis Burgess; rei ii engineer, Harry Lindgren; film editor, ime: Smith; art director, Robert Odell. Cast: Gertrude Michael. Paul Cavanaup A: thur Byron, Alison Skipworth, Ben Taggart ^era Errol. "MRS. WIGGS OF THE CABBAGE PA H Producer, Douglas MacLean; author, Alice :m Rice; screenplay, Williams Stevens McNu ami Jane Storm; director, Norman Taurog: as:tant. Ewing Scott; first cameraman, Charles ang; operative cameraman, Robert Pittack; as taut. Clifford Shirpser ; stills, Eddie Cronenwet recording engineer, Eugene Merritt; film ifl Hugh Bennett; art director, Robert Odell. . Cast: Pauline Lord, W. C. Fields, Zasupf Jimmie Butler, George Breakstone, Evelyi \"a able, Keat Taylor. Bert Shipman and Edward Garvin are tlnucl: birds who sailed on the Empress of Brill t' secure sea going shots for the new EddiCactor picture. They will stop at Balboa, Cana ionq and return by plane. Karl Struss has been assigned by Parjoild to photograph "Fifty-two Weeks With Fleittt. TINY CAMERA SHOWS SPEED— A « telegram from Leipzig says: The latest dslop-1 raent in photography is a high speed came K able of working by artificial light, which i '<" carried in the vest pocket. Heretofore the cameras capable of catchini '•!'" motion have been un wieldly affairs and brit; sin light was required. The new high speed camera is about tHSS of a cigar lighter and will take sharply ra<| pictures in one-thousandth of a second, or std The unique vest pocket cameras, whi exhibited at the Leipzig Fair, can be open 1 i': ordinary electric light indoors. The Dauntless Three — Hal Rosson. Ray June and Clyde De Vinna, are reported to have put over a cinematographic masterpiece in the photographing of the M-G-M opus, "Treasure Island." MARY PICKFORD SPEAKS— Feelers | by Mary Pickford, for a possible cast that 'i^; be obtained for a picture she has in mini "f ing, convince her that there is a notable a1 in the film industry. The scarcity of talen'va' able impresses Miss Pickford that there i ■" activity in Hollywood now than it has kno ; a long time. j The manv independent producers at work arded as a healthy sign by Miss Pick!. garded as interprets it as the reflection of the "neu into pictures. This is interesting because '" long ago, it was bewailed that the majors 1 business pretty well sewed up.