Screen Guilds Magazine (July 1934)

THE SCREEN WRITERS’ MAGAZINE FOX WESTERN by HENRY JOHNSON Dudley Nichols, who with Lamar Trotti, is writing “Strangers of the Night”, left a heated conference the other afternoon and, to cool off, drove to the Beverly Beach Club. Donning his trunks, he breasted the waves. His thoughts still on the story, he swam on and on. Suddenly he found himself out to sea. He was going to continue on to England, but an unpaid bar bill in Liverpool caused him to turn back. • Stuart Anthony, collaborating with Lester Cole on “Wanted” is a short hand expert. He’ll take anything— including gum, cigarettes or odd frag¬ ments of watermelon. • Philip Klein and Rose Franken are unscrambling the book “State versus Eleanor Norton” for the screen. After a dinner at the Klein menage, Franken, up to her neck in Borst and Beef Stro- goff, returned home and to her couch. During the dark hours of her slumber, Borst and Strogoff started to battle it out. La Franken, attempting to with¬ draw, rolled from her bed. Always putting her arm out as she goes around corners, she did and went places—on her arm and to the hospital. William Conselman and your hum¬ ble servant were caught red-handed by Sol Wurtzel sneaking into the studio Memorial Day. Excuse offered was interest in new Lillian Harvey picture. Charges were preferred against the two with the Guild. Later, Mr.Wurt- zel issued the following statement: “I want the writers to get off the lot at 5 o’clock and keep off. Also, there is no necessity for their coming back and working nights. Furthermore, I don’t want them around the place on Sundays or holidays.” • Winifred Dunn, now working on “Flight of Love” is a Mrs. Her hus¬ band is prominent as a sculptor. To vary her activities, she expressed a desire to “sculpt”. So, her fault finder started her off on wood carving. To date, she has whittled away an office desk and two chairs. Officials of Sequoia National For¬ rest have been notified that Miss Dunn plans to vacation there. DRAMATIC ART Dramatic Art is the basis of all the Arts. It is the mirror or “counterfeit presentment of the Tragedy and Comedy of life.” The Screen employs all the Arts. Often a potentially fine production fails for lack of the technique of Dra¬ matic Art. I recall two recent examples great stories, greatly acted, picturized, lighted, etc.—great in every respect but for the final scenes in which dramatic art values were missed. What every Studio therefore requires, if only on economic grounds, is a master mind of dramatic art through which every part of production is verified,—in fact, a Dramatic Art Department. LAWRENCE E. STERNER. ARGUMENTS by Capt. William Ouferson The president of the World-Wide Clothing Stores was reading a letter and did not observe the entrance of a young man until he stopped before the desk. “What right have you to come in here?” the president demanded testily. “This is my right.” The visitor pointed a revolver at the heart of the president, who threw up his hands. “You needn’t put them up,” the youth declared. “I always give the other fellow a chance. Take the re¬ volver from your desk and fire when I count three.” The president pulled his gun and fired without waiting for the count, and the visitor staggered back with his hands against his chest. “My gun isn’t loaded,” he gasped. “How many shots did you fire?” “Three,” muttered the white-faced president. The intruder unbuttoned his coat and produced three flattened bullets which he laid on the desk under the bulging eyes of the president. “Sir ,” he stated confidently. “These are only the arguments I use, to prove that the Slam-Bang Bullet-Proof Vest is the best. Your order, Sir?” “Good Lord,” whispered the presi¬ dent, about to swoon. “Til take a carload.” “I thank you. Good Day, Sir.” FOX HILLS by ERNEST PASCAL Samson Raphaelson, who has just completed a script, is leaving pronto on a three months holiday, during which he will write plays for next sea¬ son in New York. (We cherish such dreams ourselves from time to time!) • Sonia Levein continues to pay taxes on her little farm back in Stonewall, Connecticut, just in case . . . ! • Seton I. Miller is spending his spare time losing his office key and discover¬ ing more old friends on the Fox Lot than he thought he had in Hollywood. • A clause in Fox Writers’ contracts prohibit writers from publicizing their studio work. Accordingly, during a run-around the studio, your columnist gathered the following choice news items: T. B. Penfield says he is hard at work on — — . Graham Baker says he is hard at work on-— . Joe Cunningham says he is hard at work on-. Paul Green says he is hard at work on --— . Gertrude Purcell says she is hard at work on-. Arthur Ripley says he is hard at work on-. James Gleason says he is hard at work on-. Finally, We WERE hard at work on -, until we became a columnist. See you in August. GEORGE McGUIRE IMPORTED and DOMESTIC WINES and LIQUEURS Hollywood 9377 7582 Sunset Boulevard Hollywood [ 18 ]