Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

June 7, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 83 Through Past Achievements mospheric sequences in North Africa, and “Dark Star,” with Marie Dressier. Robert Z. Leonard’s latest success is Norma Shearer’s “The Divorcee,” a film which has been breaking records. Leonard directed Marion Davies in her first talking film, “Marianne,” and recently completed a new vehicle for Miss Shearer, “Let Us Be Gay.” He next is slated to direct Miss Davies in an adaptation of the Ziegfeld musical success, “Rosalie.” Sammy Lee, former dance director for Ziegfeld, has won the highest laurels in his handling of dance ensembles at the MGM studio. Lee staged the dance numbers for “The Hollywood Revue” and other big musical pictures and will continue to direct dances in new season productions. Another prominent Broadwayite who has won new triumphs in Hollywood is Edgar J. MacGregor, who worked with Grinde on the screen transcription of “Good News” and will remain under the MGM banner. MacGregor directed some of the outstanding stage musicals of the past year on Broadway, including “Good News,” “New Moon,” “Fioretta” and “Follow Thru.” Fred Niblo, whose “Ben-Hur” made screen history, directed John Gilbert’s “Redemption” and William Haines’s newest vehicle with a Western setting, “Way Out West.” He is certain to receive some of the leading assignments of the forthcoming season. Harry A. Pollard, a new addition to the ranks of MGM directors, made “Show Boat,” “Uncle Toni’s Cabin” and other important productions. He first won fame for his “Leather Pushers” series, which introduced Reginald Denny to the screen, and his pictures include “Oh, Doctor,” “The Abysmal Brute” and “The Reckless Age.” His first MGM production will be Joan Crawford’s “Great Day.” Charles (“Chuck”) Riesner directed the “Hollywood Revue,” and followed this success with the Marie Dressler-Polly Moran laugh riot, “Caught Short.” Riesner has just completed a musical production that ; seems likely to set a new mark in screen productions; this is “The March of Time,” with Weber and Fields, De Wolf Hopper and old-time stars, as well as some of the reigning popular favorites of the screen. Arthur Robison is the noted German director who was recently placed under exclusive contract to MGM and who will probably make adaptations in German dialog as well as English photoplays. Victor Seastrom, prominent Swedish director who made several of Greta Garbo’s films and recently returned from a trip abroad, will have important new year assignments. Mai St. Clair directed Joan Crawford’s “Montana Moon,” and as the first of his new productions under long term M G M contract will direct William Haines in “Remote Control,” an adaptation of the stage hit of the same name. Edward Sedwick, who has been especially successful with Buster Keaton and William Haines comedies, is now directing Keaton in “Forward, March” and will have a number of other featured productions during 1930-31. Edgar Selwyn is one of the best known Broadway stage producers and spent some time at the Culver City studio last year studying sound equipment and new conditions. He will, in all probability, direct the screen adaptation of one of his own plays for MGM during the coming summer. W. S. Van Dyke is putting finishing touches on “Trader Horn,” on which he has been engaged for the past year and a half. This is an epic production of the book of African adventure that sold 300,000 copies and will have Harry Carey, Duncan Renaldo and Edwina Booth in the leading roles, with sound sequences of jungle life made by an expedition that spent six months on the Dark Continent. Van Dyke’s earlier pictures include “White Shadows in the South Seas” and “The Pagan.” King Vidor, director of “The Big Parade,” directed “Hallelujah,” ranked by many critics as one of the best pictures of 1929, and also directed Marion Davies’ “Not So Dumb.” He is now engaged on an ambitious picturization of the life of the famous Western boy bandit, “Billy the Kid,” which is being made on location in the Southwest. Sam Wood’s successes have been rapidlypaced, such films as “It’s a Great Life,” “So This Is College,” and “The Richest Man in the World” coming in close succession. Wood will next direct John Gilbert’s “Way for a Sailor,” in which Gilbert will have the role of a seafaring adventurer meeting romance and excitement in various ports of the world. Nick Grim'e Victor S astrom