The Film Daily (1935)

Saturday, June 22, 1935 DAILY •REVIEWS « "SYMPHONY OF LIVING" with Evelyn Brent, Al Shean, John Darrow, Charles Judels Invincible 75 mins. ENTERTAINING FAMILY PICTURE WITH NICE BLENDING OF HUMAN INTEREST AND COMEDY. Not a pretentious production, but a neat little package of entertainment for the family trade. Al Shean, a musician, enabled by his friends to open a school, finds that one of his smartest pupils is his grandson, who had been placed in the care of a nurse by his parents when they separated. On learning that the boy has great talent, the mother, Evelyn Brent, tries to regain custody of him, but the father shows an agreement whereby she sold all her claims to the boy for a sum of money. Since the lad signifies in court that he prefers to live with his grandfather, the referee orders it so. Mixed in with the story's human interest qualities is a good deal of comedy provided chiefly by Shean and Charles Judels as they try to teach kids to play musical instruments. Both troupers turn in fine performances. Cast: Al Shean, Evelyn Brent, Charles Judels, John Darrow, Albert Conti, Lester Lee, Gigi Parrish, Richard Tucker, John Harron, Ferike Boros, Ferdinand SchumannHeink. Producer, Maury M. Cchen; Director, Frank Strayer; Author, Charles Spencer Belden; Screenplay, same; Cameraman, M A. Andersen; Editor, L. C. Clark. Direction, Good. Photography, Gccd. Cartoon in Broadcast The complete musical score of "Good Little Monkeys," HarmanIsing cartoon released by M-G-M, will feature the "Musical Moods" program, broadcast on a national CBS hook-up from Los Angeles, tomorrow evening. An additional novelty will be the dramatization of highlights of the cartoon success. Phil Baker Booked Phli Baker opens at the Chicago, Chicago, July 5 with his own stage show. Deal was handled by Sam Lyons of A. & S. Lyons. A LITTLE from "LOTS" By RALPH WILK HOLLYWOOD MARSHA HUNT, 17-year-old New York girl, without previous professional experience, has been signed to a term contract by Paramount. Miss Hunt has had considerable work in amateur theatricals. T T T Toby Wing has a new term agreement from Paramount, calling for six-month option periods. T T T M. H. Hoffman has assigned George Waggner to adapt the Rob Eden novel, "Dancing Feet," which is to be the first of eight M. H. Hoffman productions for Republic Pictures. Hoffman plans to start the picture in July. Hoffman also has assigned Scott Darling to adapt "Forced Landing," from the William Boehnel novel, while Albert E. DeMond is adapting "Spanish Cape Mystery." V T T Director Edward H. Griffith and Scenarist Horace Jackson, who have worked very successfully as a team, will be together again on a coming Paramount picture. Jackson is already under contract to Paramount, where he is completing "There's Always Juliet." ▼ ▼ T Mona Barrie has been chosen by Maurice Pivar, as leading lady in the first Jack Holt picture for next year's Universal list. T T T Adele Buffington has been signed by RKO Radio to do the screen play on "Powdersmoke Range," the William Colt MacDonald story of the west in which Richard Dix will star later in the summer. Dix is now in England making "The Tunnel" for GB. T ▼ T Mrs. Pat Campbell. British stage star, has been signed bv RKO for Katharine Hepburn's forthcoming: nroduction of "Sylvia Scarlett," from the novel bv Comnton Mackenzie. George Cukor will direct, and the Princess Natalie Paley will have a prominent role. ▼ t ▼ William Henrv and Charles Buckler will have roles in Johnny Weiss June 10-23: Warner-First National sales convention, Hotel Ambassador, Los Angeles. June 24: Allied eastern regional meeting, Boston. June 25: Independent Exhibitors, Inc., meeting, Boston. June 26-27: Convention of West Virginia exhibitors, Greenbrier Hotel, White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. June 29: M. f> P. Cricuit home office outing, Mayflower Hotel, Plymouth, Mass. June 29: Omaha Variety Club dinner-dance, Omaha, Neb. Ju^8-ll: Unittd Artists sales convention, KVnbassador Hotel, Los Angeles. i j^^9: S. M. P. E. meeting and nomination of officers, Hotel Pennsylvania, New York. Aug. 5: National Independent Allied Theater Day, 25 per cent of receipts going to Allied war chest. Aug. 11-13: Southeastern Theater Owners Ass'n convention, Jacksonville Beach, Fla. muller's next Tarzan picture, as yet untitled, which M-G-M will produce with Maureen O'Sullivan again in the leading feminine role. t t ▼ Spanky McFarland, "Our Gang" star, and Addison Richard will appear in M-G-M's "Here Comes the Band," in which Ted Lewis and his orchestra have featured roles. T T T Grace Moore, who is now in Europe, returns here in time for the M-G-M picture being prepared to go in production about Sept. 15. T T T Completing his assignment on "Cappy Ricks Returns," form the Peter B. Kyne story, for Republic, George Waggner, scenarist, has gone to San Francisco to get Kyne's approval on the script. Robert McWade is to be featured in the title role. ▼ ▼ T Binnie Barnes has been added to the cast of "The Black Chamber." in which William Powell will be starred bv M-G-M. Cast includes Rosalind Russell, Sterling Holloway, Lionel Atwill, Charles Grapewin and Sidney Bracy. T T T Sterling Holloway has been engaged for a part in "Black Chamber," at M-G-M. Ralph G. Farnum set the deal. ▼ T T Universal has assigned Edmund Lowe to his second production for next season's schedule. It is the stellar role in "King Solomon of Broadway," by Albert J. Cohen and Arthur T. Shannon, who are making the adaptation. Others in the cast already include Pinky Tomlin. Edward Pawley and Dorothy Page. Pinky Tomlin lis writing three original songs for this production, which will be made by Alan Crosland. T T T John Colton has been assigned by Universal to adapt "The Invisible Ray," by Howard Higgin and Douglas Hodges. The two principal roles will be assigned in all probability to Kaiioff and Bela Lugosi. HERE & THERE Pacific Northwest Notes Seattle — Hamrick's Music Hall, formerly the Fox and Roxy, is now being used for special entertainments. Lumber strike has caused the Fails theater, Snoqualmie Falls, to run only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Dog racing issue is to be settled in court here on July 15. As a midweek business builder, the Irvington in Portland is holding Wednesday matinees for school children. John Hamrick's "success story" is in the June issue of Seattle's "Town Crier." Foreign Flashes Paris ■ — ■ Marcelle Chautal is reported to have been signed by M-GM for work in Hollywood. London — Ace Films and Films Trading Co. announce a picture based on the life of Colonel Lawrence. Ronald Haines is to direct. Rome — Forzano Film plans seven pictures in Italian and French this year. A new government decree requires theaters in Italy to show 25 per cent native product. Paris — French and Spanish versions of the Lily Pons picture, "Love Song," are to be made, according to the RKO branch here. Baltimore — RKO's "Becky Sharp" broke the opening day house record at the Hippodrome. "Roberta" previously held the mark. Green Bay, Wis. — Lowell Parmentier, for the past year assistant manager of the Bay theater, has been named assistant manager of the Kenosha and Gateway theaters in Kenosha. He is succeeded here by Harry Keiser of Kenosha. All houses are operated by Standard Theater Corp. Falls Church, Va. — William Y. Brady, Jr., of Washington is listed as president of the Falls Church Theater, Inc., chartered to own, lease, operate and manage theater property. Directors are: Charles F. Elliott, West Falls Church, secretary-treasurer; C. E. Bowers and William Y. Brady, Jr., Washington. New Orleans — Disappointed because the motion picture operators' union refused his house a wage cut after it had slashed prices to 20 cents night top for the summer, A. Miles Pratt, president of the St. Charles theater, reopened negotiations this week to put a stock company in the house. Washington — Eva Le Gallienne opened at the Fox yesterday in a condensed version of "Romeo and Juliet," which recently played the Capitol, New York. Sam Lyons arranged the booking. Kansas City — Loew's Midland has secured "Escape Me Never," B. & D. production released by U. A., for its opening on June 27. New Orleans — "Escape Me Never," B. & D. production opens at the State on June 27. U. A. is releasing. GB Product Deal Theatrical Managers, Inc., circuit with headquarters in Indianapolis, has bought the 16 GB releases for 1935-36. GB will nationally release next month "Loves of a Dictator", "My Song for You," "The Clairvoyant" and "The Thirty-Nine Steps'. Charlie Murray Jack Whiting Marguerite de la Motte Harold Godsoe Lee Moran Vera Steadman