Broadway and Hollywood "Movies" (Jan - Dec 1932)

HOLLYWOOD MOVIES 35 NEWS THE Sweet Cheat,” a new novel by Herbert Crooker, assistant director of advertising and publicity for Warner Bros., has just been sent to press by the Macaulay Company. Mr. Crooker is the author of those successful detective yarns, “The Hollywood Murder Mystery” and “The Crime in Washington Mews.” In “The Sweet Cheat,” he works in a new. vein, the story being concerned with the adventures, amorous and otherwise, of a redhaired stage beauty in the Manhattan Tenderloin of 1932. She gets around no end and meets a lot of interesting people, mostly newspaper men, and notably the managing editor of a prominent paper as well as a columnist and an ace reporter. Ann Dvorak has the leading feminine role in “Competition,” the new “Chic” Sale picture which has just started production at the Warner Bros, studios in California. This part was to have been played by Marian Marsh; the change was made when it developed that Miss Marsh’s recovery from a severe attack of influenza had not been sufficiently rapid to permit of her return to the studio on schedule time. David Manners has a prominent role in "Competition,” which is based on the story by Carl Erickson. Miss Dvorak’s most recent release has been “The Crowd Roars.” The continued stories, taken from film productions, seem to be making a hit with some of our readers. We are wondering what the majority of the’ “folks” think. Won’t you write in now and tell us what features you like best in the publication, and how you like “The News Reel” departmentP Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer has acquired motion picture rights to “The Web and the Net,” an unpublished story by Richard Wilmer Rowan. Rowan is a contributor to Munsey’s magazine. The small colony of publicity women and press representatives of the fair sex engaged in serving the cinema capitol has been augmented by the recent arrival in Hollywood of Mary A. Roberts, well known writer, critic and publicist. Miss Roberts built up quite a name for herself in Greater New York City, among book, magazine and newspaper publishers as a ghost writer, feature writer and press agent. A product of Hunter college and having seen service on a number of widely circulated magazines, the young writer already has an enviable reputation and a circle of influential friends among “the gentlemen of the press” back east. Edward Cline, associated with film comedies since 1913 when he was appearing as We Go to Hell,” film version of Cleo Lucas’ novel “Jerry and Joan.” The cast included Frederic March, Sylvia Sidney, George Irving and Adrianne Allen and the picture was directed by Dorothy Arzner. Henry Stephenson, New York stage actor who appeared recently in “Cynara,” has been added to the cast of MetroGold wynMayer’s film version of Katherine Brush’s “The Red-Headed Woman.” Jean Harlow has the title role under direction of Jack Conway, and others in the cast are Chester Morris, Lewis Stone, Leila Hyams, Una Merkel, May Robson, Harvey Clark and Henry Armetta. * The supporting cast for Buster Keaton’s new starring film, “Speak Easily,” will include Jimmy Durante, Ruth Selwyn, Lawrence Grant, Sidney Toler, Henry Armetta and Hedda Hopper. Edward Sedgwick has been assigned to direct the screen adaptation of this novel by Clarence Budington Kelland. Under the title “Footlights,” the story appeared serially in The Saturday Evening post. A police court jury of Syracuse, N. Y., recently returned a verdict of guilty against Perry Spencer, manager of the Strand Theatre, who was charged with criminal libel in showing the $500,000 Warner Brothers talkie, “The Mouthpiece.” Sentence will be passed soon. Action in the case was brought by Ruth Fallon of Syracuse, daughter of the late William J. Fallon, spectacular criminal attorney of New York City. She charged that the film portrayed the life of her father and brought to her and her mother and sister “shame and disgrace.” The film, seized by police following a court order, has been locked in a vault at Police Headquarters for two weeks, aside from a private showing to the jurors and principals in the case. The former Mrs. Fallon is now Mrs. Dennis Nash, wife of a prominent attorney, who received one of the letters sent out by Spencer lauding the film when it first appeared here. Nash retained the letter and the accompanying passes, paid his way to see the picture, and then started action in behalf of his foster daughter. Action is also pending in New York City in the case. Sidney Fox plays the female lead in the contested film, said to be a version 'of Fallon’s colorful career. Notwithstanding the verdict of criminal libel returned in Syracuse in connection with the showing of “The Mouthpiece,” the same film was continued in presentation at the. Winter Garden, Broadway and 50th Street, New York City. ANN DVORAjK a Keystone Cop, has been selected to direct Jack Oakie in Paramount’s Olympic Games Comedy which is as yet untitled. Production has begun, at the Fox Studio, on Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell’s next co-starring picture, “The First Year.” This is the first time the two stars have appeared together since “Delicious,” their musical success, released late last fall. Director William K. Howard has completed the cast. It includes beside Farrell and Miss Gaynor, Dudley Digges, Robert McWade, Maude Eburne, Leila Bennett and George Meeker. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has acquired the motion picture rights to "La Tendresse,” the play by Henry Bataille which was produced here by the late Henry Miller in 1922. The stage cast included Ruth Chatterton, Ronald Colman and Mr. Miller. “La Tendresse” enjoyed a successful run at the Empire Theatre and then went on the road, playing in Philadelphia, Washington and Chicago. Skeets Gallagher, star comedian, returned to Paramount for a leading role in “Merrily Mary A. Roberts: Writer