Talking Screen (Jan-Aug 1930)

In Reply Would Say Here are the answers to those burning by talkie fans everywhere. Answers are TALKING SCREEN Fan Service Bureau ALTA — The reason why certain picmres displayed in lobbies or on billboards are not contained in the action of the production they advertise is that frequently during the cutting of the film these scenes have been eliminated. Many times the elimination of certain scenes is due to censorship. Nancy Carroll is now in New York at the Paramount studio in Laughter, with Frederic March as her leading man. far away land. His next is The Dawn -Patrol and for the first time, Dick is without a leading lady. LILLIAN — A Lady To Love was Vilma Banky's second talking picture, and from a recent statement Vilma gave out to the press, it is probably her ROSE — The first ail-singing all-talking production was The Broadtvay Melody released in February, 1929 The principle players were Bessie Love, Anita Page and Charles King. It was direaed by Harry Beaumont. Ramon Novarro is not playing in anything just now. He's on his way to a vacation in Europe. Before he left Hollywood he finished Singer of Seville in which he had little Dorothy Jordan as his leading woman for the third time. The Prisoner of Zenda was produced by Metro in 1922 and Alice Terry and Novarro were the leads. R. P. — You were right in your surmise, for the wife of George Arliss in Disraeli is really his wife in private life. Mrs. Arliss was billed as Florence Arliss. They're both in Hollywood now, preparing for the next Arliss production which will be Old English. FRANCIS — Lola Lane, that luscious bit of blonde haired, grey eyed ferpinity, is not married. Perhaps you're thinking of her sister, Leota, who is in the throes of unshackling the bonds of matrimony. Lok is now temporarily parking her makeup kit on the Good News set at the Metro studio in Culver City, Calif. PHILOMENA— Richard Barthelmess is the proud possessor of one of those contracts that call for only two pictures a year until 1933. His earnings are said to be a half million a year but we wouldn't blame you if you tck tck this figure. Between pictures, Dick gets in a trip to Europe or some particularly The Month's Best Question Several talking pictures in which dogs were the only players have made me wonder as to how the effect that the dogs were talking was accomplished? Will there be more of these pictures? —A. L. All of the animals used in the pictures you saw are trained dogs, of course. First, the scenes are shot silently, for sometimes as many as twelve trainers are shouting instructions to the dogs, who have all learned to bark while they go through their tricks. The finished scenes are run off and the script is written by dialogue writers as they watch the mouth movements of the dogs. Then the projector is synchronized with a recording machine and a cast of players, men and women, speak the lines, watching the dogs' mouths. Sounds simple, doesn't it, but the actual work requires a great deal of patience. The next canine talking feature is called The Dogville Murder Mystery which employs the same cast as in Hot Dogs and College Hounds. It promises to be swell. questions asked prepared by the which the microphone suspends. "Mike stew" indicates undesired sounds heard by the mixer. The mixer is the man who controls the volume of sound that passes through the microphone. E. M. — Although Nick Stuart represents the perfect American boy on the screen, he was born in Abrud, Roumania. Nick came to America when he was fifteen years old,, which is ten years ago. He is now free-lancing and his latest picture is Swing High for Pathe. MARGUERITE — A brief biography of Jean Arthur reads like this: Born on Oaober 17th in New York City, blue eyes, brown hair; displaces 105 pounds and is five feet three inches tall. Yes, she was the nurse in the Leon Errol skit in Paramount On Parade. J. S. ■ — Chasing Rainbows was George K. Arthur's latest talkie before he started his extended vaudeville tour. George is now back again in the land of eternal sunshine and RKO are starring him and Karl Dane in six two-reel funny talkies. Louise Fazenda will be their full of fun girl. Some fun, eh kid? last. Vilma, as you know, is Mrs. Rod La Rocque and she has decided to retire and devote her time exclusively to the role of house wife in the LaRocque menage. JOE — Your letter addressed to Cecil De Mille should be forwarded to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio, Culver City, Calif. De Mille is focusing all his attention to the direction of Madame Satan in which Kay Johnson and Reginald Denny Tiead the cast. SIDNEY — The meaning of the four terms that you mentioned are as follows; "lock 'em up" signifies locking the cameramen in sound-proof booths. "Mike boom" is the control rod from IRENE — Curling or marcelling the hair for a certain role is no unusual thing for a male star to do. James Hall certainly did not grow curls for his part in Smiling Irish Eyes. Each tendril was tenderly nursed into being via the curling iron. Jimmie usually wears his brown mane slicked down. Dallas, Texas is the city of his birth which occurred on October 22, 1900. At this writing he and Merna Kennedy have not yet said "I Do" but they sure are the turtle-doves. ESPANOL — We doubt whether Loretta Young has made any Spanish talking pictures. But this condition is speedily being remedied, for Warner Brothers have instituted a Vitaphone School of Languages for stars and featured players on the First National and Warner Brothers' payroll. The [Continued on page 98] 10