Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

April 4 , 19 3 1 I MOTION PICTURE HERALD 47 OP H€LLy>V€€D EXPERIENCE IN SOUND PRODUCTION IS ELIMINATING WASTE AT STUDIOS PREMATURE ONVINCED that reports of the death of Byron Morgan, the writer, were slightly premature, I dropped in at First National to see him. He told me that he was quite alive, that his whole family was well, and that he was working hard. In fact, he proved he was working hard by revealing to me that he had only recently completed adapting "Five Star Final," Louis Weitzenkorn's stage play, in record time. A check-up disclosed that he had written the script containing between 15,000 and 20,000 words, in two days less than three weeks, or just 16 days. This is rapid work, and is a mark to shoot at. It is natural, however, that he should be rather snappy on this sort of thing because he has been working at it for 13 years. This too, is something of a record. For six years he pounded a typewriter at Famous. Four more at Metro, and the rest has been spent at Universal and First National. He knows the mechanics of picture writing. He has been doing picture stories since he was 28, a bit young to cash in one's checks. LAUGH There's a laugh in Byron Morgan's entry into the business of picture writing. Perhaps the more conservative will smile. But it's interesting, anyway. Morgan, until he was 27, was not a writer. He was born at Carthage, Mo., had spent much time in San Antonio, and had been in California for several years prior to bursting into print. He had been a trolley motorman, lumber mover, traveling salesman, a bar tender, hotel clerk, and laborer. But never a writer. Suddenly, the idea of writing for the screen intrigued him. He was, at that time, an autosalesman. He dashed ofif a yarn about automobile racing, with "J. P.", the bear (Theodore Roberts played the role later) the cub, (Anne Little) and Toodles Waldron (Wally Reid) and tried peddling it. The industry frowned at his efforts. They couldn't see the yarn. He wrote two more, and the industry turned those down. Not at all discouraged, he sent the stories to George Horace Lorimer, editor of the Satwday Evening Post. Lorimer took them immediately. He asked for more. Morgan wrote ten in all. The industry read the stories and liked them very much. To the extent of buying them. He was set. Only 16 Days Required For Ordinary Film Improvements in Recording Speed Camera Work Through Cutting Down on Retakes By EDWARD CHURCHILL Hollywood (QP) — Studios, after three years of experimentation, have succeeded in eliminating most of the waste in time and film which characterized the making of the first sound productions. Investigation reveals that shooting schedules have been shortened, there are fewer takes per scene, and there is a far better spirit of cooperation than there was during the first two years of sound, when no one apparently knew what to do next. Major studios today are completing pictures of program length in approximately 16 working days. Special productions are running longer, taking between 25 and 50 days. Independent companies, turning out product for state right distribution, are shooting in as little as six days. These pictures are mostly Westerns. These schedules are far shorter than those of the silent days. The speeding up of production is due in part to the fact that the director is sticking close to the script and is rehearsing carefully, and that there is arising a definitely established technique. Improvements in recording also are aiding in cutting down the number of retakes and are adding to mechanical efficiency. Among the recent improvements are "direction finding'' microphones, which eliminate extraneous noises, molybdenum light valves, which do not br_eak as often as the old style valves, noiseless recording, and the constantly increasing use of multiple cameras. Youngster Rising Babe Stafford, 22, being groomed as a director by Mack Sennett, has just completed his second comedy, "The Cowcatcher's Daughter," and soon will be shot into several roles to widen his knowledge of acting and camera values. Stafford has been directing Harry Gribbon, former musical comedy star, Andy Clyde, Scotch comedian, Marjorie Beebe and Frankie Eastman. Journey's End People come from almost anywhere to break into motion pictures, but it begins to look as if Louis Faillot has shattered all existing records. Faillot arrived here this week from Cape Town, Africa, and asked a job of George Archainbaud, (Coutinncd on page 48) CN THE E)€TTED LINE, Fox Irene Kuhn, Imogene Stanley, Jack O'Donnell, signed as writers. . . . Peggy Ross, Cecilia Parker, long term contracts. . . . Dorothy Revier, Violet Dunn, William Post, J. M. Kerrigan, Murray Kinnell, Robert Young in "The Black Camel"; Director Hamilton MacFadden and company of 40 to shoot exteriors in Honolulu. . . . Joe Hachey, Marilyn Harris, Nancy Irish, Cecilia Loftus, Nora Lane, Julius Molnar, Jr., in "Over the Hill." . . . Kathlyn Williams, Martha Lee Sparks, Kendall McComas, Alfred Santell, director, "Daddy Long Legs." . . . M-G-M Robert George, Ruth Selwyn, Charlotte Greenwood, Dorothy Lee, new contracts. . . . Gene Markey, new contract and adaptation of "The Great Lpver."^ . . . Charles Knox Robinson, Zelda Sears in "Girls Together." . . . Billy Elmer, Dick La Reno, Tex Driscoll in "The Squawnian." ... Paramount Monta Bell, Rouben Mamoulian, Berthold Viertal, directorial contracts. . . . John Wexley, exclusive contract as writer. . . . Anna May Wong, long term contract and in "Daughter of the Dragon." . . . Charlie Ruggles, Eddie Cline, director, "Girl Habit." . . . Al Von Beroldingen, Leo Bagnall, Bruce Fowler, Thomas Welles, Hal Hoadley, Ralph Stringfellow in "An American Tragedy." . . . Louis Adlon in "Scarlet Hours." . . . Louis Gasnier, Max Marcin, directors, "The Lawyer's Secret." . . . Skeets Gallagher, Carole Lombard, Lilyan Tashman, Norman Foster, Edward J. Nugent, Theodor von (Continued on page 48) Mickey Mouse says. "Thousands o f theatre goers may laugh at me, but "Time" and "Literary Digest" take me seriously by the space they give me and my boss Walt Disney I