The Screen Guilds’ Magazine (1934-10)

October, 1934 25 R. K. O. I T WAS only 10 o'clock in the morning, so all the writers were there—in the E.K.O. barber shop. Jack Wagner, working on the “Little Minister" and the man who invented the “gag" stick, was present . . . and Bob Benehley, who is acting and not writing and, therefore, shouldn't be al¬ lowed to have a shave. Allen Scott and Sam Mintz exchanged glances as H. W. Hannemann entered. Cliff Reid, the producer, owner of fifty-four of the best second-hand Pack¬ ards in the town, was waiting with young John Twist, his fair-haired writer. Twist, the lad who served for fifteen weeks in Reid's Sub-cellar and finally emerged with a swell script on the “Sea Girl." Ray Harris was there . . . and Samuel Hoffenstein was making notes on his clean cuff about what he would do for Ann Harding on the 4 ‘ Enchanted April ’' script. . . . Norman Krasna, his “Ro¬ mance of Manhattan" off his chest . . . Johnny Grey and Joseph Fields of “Lightning Strikes Twice," were whit¬ tling on kitchen matches . . . and Francis Faragoh was talking to himself, doing imaginary scenes from “The Three Mus¬ keteers," which will star Francis Led- erer. Now Bill Hannemann had entered and had the floor. Didn't he rate a vacation? But R.K.O. officials had other ideas— they had decided that the old maestro of “College Humor" fame was just the lad to write the lyrics for a new song— Among the Indes • T HIS is another one of those very bad weeks around the independent film factories, what with all the writers hold¬ ing back the good gags for their next script, and nothing much happening to the actors, except for Edgar Kennedy having the misfortune to beat Frank Pope of the Reporter in a golf game, and Edgar being mighty worried now about the review on his next picture. George Waggner, having finished helping Eddie Nugent over the high hur¬ dles in “Girl of My Dreams," is moving his typewriter to Union Pictures, where he will script “Ex-Judge." Gertrude Orr has joined Ken Goldsmith’s unit at Mascot to do “Little Men." There is a rumor around that RKO is planning to do a sequel to it called “Little Women." Bud Barsky put 10 writers on the Argosy payroll and then quit. The writ¬ ers are Jack Jevne, Robert Dillon, By EDWIN MARTIN an important song. It was to be Kath¬ arine Hepburn's first tune—the one she was to sing in “The Little Minister." So, Hannemann had departed to En¬ senada to write what he called “The Willful Maiden." Two days and several quarts later Hannemann and a new beard emerged from Ensenada and headed toward the little old town of Tia Juana, treking back toward old Cinemania, with the lyric which Max Steiner was to put to music. Alas, he stopped awhile in Tia Juana —tarried a bit too long—or maybe his new script, “The Silver Streak," based on the lightning-speed, streamline train of this name, had something to do with it. Anyway, his car was reported as doing 80, which rapidly landed him in the police court in said Mexican townlet. After the trouble was all cleared up, he got into his car and drove, oh, so slowly, toward the hamlet of San Diego. Then—again, alas—he looked into his wallet and found the precious lyric was missing. He turned back, stepped on it, and once more became the guest of the Mexican police. Yes, he and the police found the lost lyrics. So all had ended happily. But— At this juncture into the barber shop stalked the bad news—a note from the front office. The lyrics for the Hepburn picture were not in character at all. Hannemann had read the wrong script! • • • By UNDSLGY PARSONS George Morgan, Ray Taylor, Yance Hoyt, Homer King Gordon, Betty Bur- bridge, Basil Dickey, Stuart Paton and Norman Dawn. Just enough to play the Mascot serial unit for the inter-inde¬ pendent championship. Chuck Roberts got himself a new job scripting Johnny Miles' story about Wild Bill Hickok, which should have enough killings to satisfy the goriest western fans. Norman Markwell is doing ‘ ‘ Port of Lost Dreams" for Invincible. John Krafft, who wrote for NBC in San Fran¬ cisco, has joined Joe Santley on the new “Million Dollar Baby" script at Mono¬ gram. Adrian Johnson is putting the finishing touches on‘ ‘ Fighting Trooper'' for Ambassador Pix. Ed Joseph is help¬ ing Mrs. Dorothy Reid write “Women Must Dress," which will feature a tie-up with King Charney's film concern. I ENJOY VISITING SUCH A MODERN AND DISTINCTIVE SHOP AS CHRY- SON'S. THERE IS ALWAYS THE SURPRISE OFTHE UNUSUAL... THE DISTINCTION OF GOOD TASTE. 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