Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

48 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 4 , 19 3 1 Produced by — Norman Krasna (Editor's Note: / am sorry to say tlmt the regular weekly column supplied by our Mr. Krasna is omitted this issue. The young man zms observed to be acting strangely last week, going about the office with a shotgun and mumbling certain numbers which were discovered to be the grosses on the various animal pictures recently released. A bit of investigation has shozmi that he borroived a camera from one of his friends. We presume he took it to Africa, because a letter from there, from him-, lias jiist been delivered to our desk. Inasmuch as his column is lacking ive thought we might reproduce the letter.) HOTEL ROOSEVELT. Senegal River, Africa Mr. Jay Shreck, Quigley Publishing Co., 1790 Broadway, New York. Dear Jay : Please forgive me for running off so abruptly without giving two weeks notice. As you know I have always wanted to be a motion picture producer, and inasmuch as the center of picture production has changed from Hollywood to Africa I thought it would be a good idea for me to hang around where all the big productions are being made. I am in a little trouble, please. I borrowed $120 and a camera to come out here and shoot a picture. I figured Africa is the one place where I could get a whole cast free. Well, Jay, you'll never imagine how this place is. First of all I invested the $120 in glass beads, gum drops, alarm clocks, and opera hats, because I heard that was what the natives liked. It's all a lie. Jay. As soon as I got off the boat I was met by a delegation from the Chamber of Commerce who wanted to know if -I intended to hire union labor and Equity actors, or not. I said I intended to shoot animals and what kind of animals belonged to a union anyway, and you know what they did? They sent a cable to Will Hays. I have not heard from Will yet. Early the next morning I began my safari into the interior. They don't call it "safari" out here, though. It's "location." I met a fellow at the hotel who's acting as my guide. He used to be an assistant director at Paramount, and we visited a pigmy village. The pigmy village has a Chamber of Commerce, too, and they invited me to make a speech at their Tuesday luncheon. They also wanted to know wha;t Paramount was selling at, because a lot of them have stock in the company. I am very surprised. Jay. There was one pigmy who looked interesting. I asked him if he'd mind letting me photograph him. He said it was all right and he went into his hut, coming out with a makeup box and another pigmy, who he introduced as his press agent. Just before I began shooting he came over and asked me whether I understood he was to get $10 a day, and not $7.50. This was a surprise to me, but he explained he was registered in Central Casting and also that he had worked in 14 other pictures, so he was worth more because of his experience. He wouldn't take the glass beads or the opera hat. He also wanted his name in the featured billing. This wasn't so much of a shock. Jay, as about the animals. After lunch I took a little private exploring trip with my gun but I couldn't find any animals, only a little Pekinese which belonged to one of the native girls who said she worked in "Trader Horn." But the girl gave me a telephone number where I could call up about animals. I called up the number and a man made an appointment to see me. He came to the hotel in a big Lincoln. I told him I wanted to shoot some animals fighting. "What kind of animals?" he asked. "Well," I answered, "we can't tell what animals we'll run across." For a while, the man explained to me later, he thought I was crazy. His job is to arrange animal fights. He could give me a good lion-hippopotamous fight for $200. It's usually $300, he said, but his very best lion is sick with Kleig eyes and he'd have to give me his second best one. But this one was good, too, he promised, and had been in some of the very best productions. There is a lot more. Jay, but what is the use of explaining it all, you get the idea. I was wondering, Jay, seeing as we've been such old friends, if you could please let me have fare home. And if you can't do that — maybe I coiild have the Herald agency out here? Believe me, we need one. Hollywood has nothing on this place for movie actors. Sincerely, NORMAN KRASNA Sound Experience Eliminating Waste {Continued from page 47) Radio director. He had known Archainbaud in the World war. He has had experience as a photographer. Film Discussion A discussion of the practical use of the new high speed panchromatic negative film stocks recently brqught out by Eastman and Dupont was held on March 31 by the technician's branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. H. Keith Weeks, executive manager at Fox, presided. Emery Huse and J. Wesley Smith for Dupont, J. M. Nickolaus of M-G-M, L. E. Clark of Pathe and others spoke. Demonstration film was run by Cameramen Virgil Miller, Karl Struss and Ray June. Columbia Production Columbia is shooting one picture, "Miracle Woman," starring Barbara Stanwyck, with Frank Capra directing. Mae Clarke has been chosen for the lead in "Good Bad Girl," now preparing. Nine other pictures are in preparation. Shooting will begin soon. Favors Novels Howard Estabrook, who did the adaptation, continuity and dialogue on "Cimarron," for Radio, says that novels, when well written, offer the best material for the screen because of their story plots and the descriptions which help in adaptation. Hal Wallis, First National executive, adds to this by saying that "most ambitious young writers have all the flambuoyancy of Shakespeare" and urges "dynamic action, crisp dialogue and originality of plot." €N THE DCTTCD LINE... {Continued from page A7) • Moriarity, Matty Roubert, Edward Sutherland, director, "Up Pops the Devil." . . . Davison Clark in "The Vice Squad. ' . . . Radio Robert Woolsey, Anita Louise, Florence Robert, Lita Chevret in "Going, Going, Gone." Mae Murray, Ethel Levey, Alan Roscoe, Phillip Smalley, Maud Turner Gordon, Edwin Martindel, Charles Coleman, Leyland Hodgson, Karen Morley, Lowell Sherman, director, "High Stakes." . . . Howard Estabrook, contract as writer. . . . Bernard Schubert, adaptation of "The Reckoner." . . . RKO Pathe Robert Milton, director, "Little Flat in a Temple." . . . Joel McRea, Lew Cody, Gilbert Roland, Walter Walker, Marion Shilling, Bobby Williams, Paul L. Stein, director, John Farrow, adaptation, "The Common Law." United Artists Nancy Carroll, King Vidor, director, Elmer Rice, adaptation, "Street Scene." . . . Universal Derek Fairman, five-year contract. . . . Warner-First National Winnie Lightner. Charles Butterworth, Guy Kibbe, Donald Cook, William K. Wells, adaptation, "Side Show." . . . Ben Lyon, Constance Bennett, Archie Mayo, director, Charles Kenvon. Raymond Griffith, adaptors, "Virtue's iZlothing." ... William Powell, Alfred _ E. Green, director, J. Grubb Alexander, adaptation, "Heat Wave." . . . Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Loretta Young, William McGann, director, "I Like Your Nerve." . . . Richard Barthelmess, John Mack Brown, Leslie Fenton, Elliot Nugent, John Monk Saunders, dialogue director, William Dieterle, director. "Spent Bullets." . . .