The Film Daily (1935)

20 Monday, May 20, 1935 RKO STUDIO ACTIVITY GOES INTO HIGH GEAR Short Shots From Eastern Studios West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Production zoomed into high at RKO Radio studios this week with three new pictures starting, two already well along and another set for "shooting" this week. "The Last Days of Pompeii," "Jalna," "Old Man Rhythm" are into their first scenes. Currently in work are "Top Hat," starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, with score by Irving Berlin, under the direction of Mark Sandrich, and "The Return of Peter Grimm" with Lionel Barrymore starring and George Nicholls, Jr., directing. "Alice Adams," starring Katharine Hepburn under the direction of George Stevens, was to have started also, but a week's postponement was found necessary. The Booth Tarkington story, the screen play for which was done by Jane Murfin and Dorothy Yost, will face cameras next week. "The Last Days of Pompeii," spectacle drama directed by Ernest Schoedsack under the supervision of Merian C. Cooper, has Preston Foster in the male lead. Others in the cast are Helen Mack, John Beal, Alan Hale, David Holt, Louis Calhern, Gloria Shea and Jason Ro ?By CHARLES ALICOATE J^EX PRODUCTIONS, producing the "Voice of Experience" series for Columbia release, completed the first short Saturday at the Oceanside studio under the direction of Ben Blake. The Voice of Experience, Muriel Kirkland, Byron McGrath and Ann Cleveland were featured in the picture, which has been titled "Love is Never Blind." Joe Nadel, assisted on the production. Two one-reelers produced by Skirbo Productions for Fox-Educational release have been completed at the Biograph studios under the direction of Al Christie. William Rowland is scheduled to get under way July 6 on "Romance Limited," the first of the series of six features to be produced by him in the east. Work will probably be done at the Biograph studio in the Bronx. Charles Williams and Marcy Klauber will complete ivork tomorrow on the short story which will feature Ernest Truex in a two-reel short which will be put into production Thursday at the Eastern Service studio in Astoria. Al Christie will direct. • Charles Ahearn and His Millionaires completed work Saturday in a one-reel short subject at the Brooklyn Vitaphone studio. In support of the vaudevillians are Vince "Blue" Mondi, one man band of radio, Billy Wells, Fred Harper, George Watts, Dave Burns and Joe Sully. The short will be released in Vitaphone's series of "Pepper Pot" novelties. • Johnny Green and his Orchestra start work today at the Brooklyn Vitaphone studio in a one-reel "Melody Master" band number. Marjorie Logan, Broadway songstress, will appear in support. bards. The scenario was written by Ruth Rose from a story by Melville Baker and James Creelman. ( "Jalna," based on the prize-winning Mazo de la Roche novel of tht same name, is directed by John Cromwell. Kenneth Macgowan is supervising with Kay Johnson, Ian IMPERIAL DISTRIBUTING Presents CORP For 1935-36 7 BOX OFFICE ATTRACTIONS ALL STAR CASTS "MANHATTAN BUTTERFLY" "RICH RELATI ONS" "PENTHOUSE LOVE" "MURDERED BY TELEVISION" "SILVER LININGS" "SECOND CHOICE" "HIGH HAT" ALL PUBLISHED BOOKS BY FAMOUS AUTHORS! IMPERIAL DISTRIBUTING CORP. William M. Pizor, President 729 Seventh Ave., New York City, Cable: PIZORFILMS, N. Y. Hunter, Peggy Wood, David Manners, Molly Lamont, Theodore Newton and George Offerman, Jr., in the principal roles. The screenplay is by Anthony Veiller. "Old Man Rhythm," a musical, has Charles (Buddy) Rogers and Barbara Kent in the leads, with George Barbier, Betty Grable, Erik Rhodes, Eric Blore, John Mercer, Dave Chasen, Evelyn Poe and Ronald Graham in support, along with Lucille Ball, Kay Sutton, Jane Hamilton and Maxine Jennings, the four "Roberta" mannikins whose work in that picture and in "Hooray for Love," just completed, won them studio contracts. Boston Briefs Boston, Mass. — Maurice Wolf, branch manager for M-G-M, is laid up by a slight illness. William Scully, district manager, is at the Boston office. Bert Henson, manager of the RKO Keith Boston, has been granted a leave of absence to build up his physical condition. Ben Domingo of the Bijou is pinch hitting for him. Harry Decker, president of the Film Exchange Transfer, has added two new two-ton trucks to his already large fleet, for suburban delivery. Fred Lieberman of the Tremont Theater has now played "It Happened One Night" for the sixteenth time in that house and remarked that when Columbia was through with all showings he may purchase a print to have on hand for future runs. Ira Loew, operator at the Capitol and brother of E. M. Loew, circuit operator, is the father of a sevenpound daughter. The Casino Theater has reopened 1 1 with straight films. PARAMOUNT STUDIO! IN PRODUCTION SPUl West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Production at the Paramount studios will take a spurt starting today, with the launching of a summer schedule which includes several features slated for fall release. Now before the cameras are Cecil B. DeMille's production, "The Crusades," with a lavish DeMille cast! headed by Loretta Young, Henry Wilcoxon, Ian Keith, Katherine De! Mille, C. Aubrey Smith, Joseph Schildkraut, Alan Hale and 50 others in featured roles in addition to thousands of extra player.s; "Peter Ibbetson," under the direction of Henry Hathaway, with Gary Cooper and Ann Harding; "Accent on Youth," with Sylvia Sidney and Herbert Marshall under the direction of Wesley Ruggles; "The Big Broadcast of 1935" directed by Norman Taurog with an array of talent including Bing Crosby, Burns and Allen, Ruggles and Boland, Jack Oakie, Lyda Roberti, Wendy Barrie, Ethel Merman, Sir Guy Standing, Bill Robinson, Amos 'n' Andy, Walter C. Kelly, Jessica Dragonette, Ray Noble's band, Ina Ray Hutton and Band and others. Also the new W. C. Fields picture, 'Everything Happens at Once," with Kathleen Howard and Mary Brian, directed by Clyde Bruckman; "Men Without Names," with Fred MacMurray, Madge Evans and Lynne Overman; and "Annapolis Farewell," now being filmed on location at the Annapolis Naval Academy with Sir Guy Standing, Richard Cromwell and Tom Brown, directed by Alexander Hall. Films in preparation for early shooting include "So Red the Rose," Stark Young's novel which Maxwell Anderson, Laurence Stallings and William Slavens McNutt adapted and which will have Margaret Sullavan, Pauline Lord and Randolph Scott in leading roles under King Vidor's direction; "The Last Outpost," with Cary Grant, Gertrude Michael, Ray Milland and Claude Rains in the cast; the Harold Lloyd production, "The Milky Way," which Leo McCarey will direct; "Hands Across the Table," with Mitchell Leisen slated to direct and Carole Lombard slated for the leading role; Burns and Allen in "The Plot Thickens," which Norman McLeod will direct; "Invitation to Happiness,'' directed by Lewis Milestone; and Bing: Crosby's forthcoming, "Two For Tonight." Being edited for release are lege Scandal," directed by E Nugent with Arline Judge, Wen Barrie, Kent Taylor and William Frawley, and George Raft in "The Glass Key," the Dashiell Hammett best seller. enay