The Film Daily (1935)

THE NEW RKO PROGRAM IS TWO-THIRDS SET {Continued from Page 1) 104 issues of Pathe News, the shorts to include 36 RKO Radio two-reel comedies, 52 one-reelers produced by Van Beuren Corp., 12 issues of "March of Time" and seven "Pathe Topics." Katharine Hepburn will be seen in three features. These are "Mary of Scotland," Theater C.uild hit in which Helen Hayes starred on the stage, to be a John Ford production ; "Sylvia Scarlett." modern romantic drama from the Compton Mackenzie novel, to be directed by George Cukor, and "Quality Street." the J. M. Barrie story in which Maude Adams appeared. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers also are down for three. The first, "Top Hat," with score by Irving Berlin, is already completed, and ready for early fall release. "Follow the Feet," also with Irving Berlin music, will be produced in time for mid-winter holiday issue, while the third Astaire-Rogers film will be ready for the spring holidays. They wi'l be Pandro Berman productions, directed by Mark Sandrich. Lily Pons, Metropolitan Opera coloratura, will appear in a story tentatively titled "Love Song." a Pandro S. Berman production directed by John Cromwell. Two more feature films in the newly perfected Technicolor process will be produced by Merian C. Cooper for Pioneer Pictures. Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey will be seen in two feature comedies, produced by Lee Marcus. The first is tentatively called "The Rainmakers," and will be directed by Fred Guiol, promoted from the short-subject branch. Irene Dunne will appear in one or more RKO productions. "The Return of Peter Grimm," made from the stage hit by the late David Belasco and starring Lionel Barrymore. is now in work. Ann Harding will be presented in two. (Icne Raymond returns to the studio to make one or more. Barbara Stanwyck will appear in "Shooting Star." William Powell will appear in "Two O'Clock Courage," from the Gelett Burgess novel. Richard Dix will make two outdoor dramas for the new program. Ginger Rogers will be seen in "In Person." to be directed by William Seiter and supervised by Pandro S. Berman. Story is by Samuel Hopkins Adams. There may be other Rogers solo-starring films. Charles Boyer will return to the RKO Studio next season to make another film. "Mr. Grant," biographical drama based on highlights in the life of the Civil War generalissimo, will be one of the season's more int productions. John Ford, who directed "The Informer", will again he represented with an Irish drama, this time Sean O'Casey's "The Plow and the Stars." Two new musical pictures, one of which is "To Beat The Band," will be on the list. James Gleason will be seen in two RKO ies during the year. Remainder of the features to complete the quota of 48 will be set later. On the short subject program, the 36 two Sisk Becomes Producer Chicago — Robert F. Sisk, formerly director of advertising and publicity for RKO Radio, and more recently assistant to President J. R. McDonough at the studio, becomes an associate producer with the inauguration of the 1935-36 program, it was revealed in yesterday's convention announcements. Other RKO producers include Pandro S. Berman, Merian C. Cooper of Pioneer Pictures, Edward Kaufman, Kenneth Macgowan, Lee Marcus, Zion Myers and Cliff Reid. ■JZ0»l DAILY Wednesday, June 19, 1935 Building Up Directorial Staff Chiccgo — Directors already set to handle features on the RKO lineup for the coming season include John Cromwell, George Cukor, John Ford, Philip Moeller, George Nicholls, Jr., Stephen Roberts, John Robertson, Mark Sandrich, William Seiter and George Stevens. In addition, Ned E. Dep net told the convention yesterday, negotiations are under way for several other important directors. Directors of the RKO short subjects will include Alf Goulding, Al Boasberg, Fred Guiol, Ben Holmes, Arthur Ripley, Lee Jason, Joe Fields, John Grey, Les Goodwins, Jack Townley and Eddie Moran. Court Acts on Para. Claims Claim against Paramount of John G. Paine as agent and trustee of the Music Publishers Protective Ass'n is disallowed in a report made yesterday by Special Master John E. Joyce and submitted to Federal Judge Coxe. In a second report Special Master Joyce recommended allowance of the claim of Coast Theaters Corp. for $59,224 and allowance of the claim of Friedman, Atherton, King & Turner for $3,944. Hearing will be held June 20 before Joyce on application of the Paramount trustees for approval of an agreement involving the mortgage on the Rivoli theater and building, Chicopee, Mass., originally owned by G. B. Theaters Corp., but later assigned to Olympia Theaters, Paramount subsidiary. Among other details of the agreement it provides for allowance of the $127,500 claim of G. B. Theaters for $55,000 and disallowance of the $127,500 claim filed by Samuel and Nathan E. Goldstein. Graham Joining Law Firm Attorney Arthur Butler Graham, who has handled various film actions, on July 1 joins the law firm of Laughlin, Gerard, Bowers & Halpin. reel comedies will be made at the RKO Hollywood studios, under the producership of Lee Marcus. These will be divided into the following series: Six "Headliners" ; six Radio Musicals ; six Superbas, starring such talent as Ruth Etting, Leon Errol, Walter Catlett and Gene Austin ; six of the Edgar Kennedy comedies and six Radio Flashes, comedies of the rough-and-tumble school. The "March of Time" will be released once a month. Sales and Ad Departments Go in Hand — McCormick Chicago — Sales and advertisingpublicity departments must be inseparable if a company is to function 100 per cent, Barret S. McCormick, director of advertising and publicity, told the RKO convention delegates at yesterday afternoon's session. McCormick said there is a dual job in film selling, by salesmen to the exhibitor and by the press department to the public. "It is the obligation of the salesmen to team with ad men and press agents," he stated. Herbert Bayard Swope, chairman of the board of RKO Theaters, and Irving Berlin, songwriter, were surprise guests at the Tuesday afternoon session. Fred Astaire also stopped off between trains on his way east. Lily Pons, opera star, stops off this morning to appear before the delegates. She arrives on the Century and will be rushed to the Drake Hotel and back to the Chief by Rutgers Neilson in a deluxe speed car with police escort. The convention closes today with talks by J. R. McDonough, Ned E. Depinet, Jules Levy, William Mallard, Phil Reisman, Al Mertz, A. A. Schubart, G. E. Youngman, Cresson E. Smith, E. L. McEvoy and others. The foreign delegation also will discuss conditions abroad. Levy will announce the winners of the several sales contests. A banquet tonight at the Drake, with an array of stage, screen and radio talent on hand, will wind up the confab. A LITTLE from "LOTS" By RALPH WILK HOLLYWOOD T)KO RADIO has renewed the contracts of Preston Foster, now featured in "Last Days of Pompeii"; George Nicholls, Jr., directing "Return of Peter Grimm" with Lionel Barrymore; Anthony Veiller, scenarist, and Ray Mayer, actor. The company also has assigned Walter Abel, Broadway actor, as D'Artagnan in "Three Musketeers," and Margot Grahame for "Sylvia Scarlett," with Katharine Hepburn. T T T As the first picture under his new M-G-M contract, Richard Boleslawski will direct "The Foundry," starring Wallace Beery. Dashiell Hammett is writing the adaptation from the novel by Albert Halper. T T T Florine McKinney, featured player, and Barry Trivers, writer, will be married soon. Wedding is to take place after Miss McKinney's return from New York, where she goes next month to fill a stage engagement. T T T Maxine Jones, daughter of Buck Jones, and Noah Beery, Jr., announced their engagement at a dance in Santa Monica. T T T Mary Rogers, daughter of Will Rogers, is at Skowhegan, Me., appearing in summer stock plays put on at the Lakewood Theater. Keenan Wynn, son of Ed Wynn, and Owen Davis, Jr., also are members of the company. T r T Busby Berkeley will direct "Romance in a Glass House" as his next assignment for Warners. The film stars Dolores Del Rio, Everett Marshall and Jane Froman featured. VAN BEUREN TO NIAIt 52 RKO ONE-REELERS .in i Chicago — A minimum of 52 one^ reelers, divided into six series, wil be produced by Van Beuren Corp for the 1935-36 RKO short subject lineup, according to plans outlined at the RKO convention yesterday by Don Hancock, Van Beuren production supervisor. Re-entry of Van Beuren into the sports field through a series of seven subjects with Bill Corum, newspaper sport columnist, and the use of the new three-point Technicolor on the series of 13 "Rainbow Parade" cartoons to be made by Burt Gillett, are among the highlights of the new Van Beuren program. Other series include 13 "Easy Aces"; seven "World on Parade," with Alois Havrilla as narrator; six "Struggle to Live," studies of animal life, made by H. L. and Stacy R. Woodard, and a minimum of six "Dumb Bell Letters." Harry Rapf Making Eight Harry Rapf, who left New York yesterday on his return to Hollywood, will make a top of eight fea'ires for M-G-M during the new season. He came East to attend the graduation of his son at Dartmouth. Birchfield Gets Carolina House Henderson, N. C— B. W. Birchfield of Durham has purchased the Riggan theater building here for $30,000 and plans to spend $10,000 immediately in overhauling the property. The theater will be reopened about Sept. 1, Birchfield operates three theaters in Alabama. Sherwood Opening Summer Stock George Sherwood, who has been identified with both stage and picture production on the coast, is installing a summer stock company at the Lyceum, Summit, N. J., opening July 8. A 10-week season is scheduled, with the entire program calling for new plays. "Time" Not Reel Competitor Chicago — "March of Time" does not aim to compete with newsreels, John S. Martin, managing editor of Time, Inc., told RKO convention delegates yesterday in discussing the history of "March of Time" and the formula used in it. A surprise of yesterday afternoon session was a special "Time" broadcast put on in New York and wired here, in eluding a dramatization of five coming RKO films, "Annie Oakley", "Mary of Scotland", "Top Hat", "Plow and the Stars" and "Last Days of Pompeii." Another scene broadcast was the inside story of Lily Pons' screen test. *: