The Film Daily (1929)

£>A|LY Thursday, Sept. 5, 1929 Roach Studio Starts New Program 32 Two Reelers on New Roach Schedule — Six Productions Now Jn Work at Warner Plant — Universal Buys Two Stories For Laura La Plante — Evelyn Brent Film Set— Wilk's Studio Highlights. FOUR UNITS MAKING NEW SEASON HALROACH OUTPUT Four units are at work on new season product at the Hal Roach studio, which has reopened after the annual one month's vacation. Each of the units is to make eight two ree' talking comedies for the new year. Silent versions will be made. The four units at work on this season's program include Laurel and Hardy, Charley Chase, Harry Langdon and Our Gang. Writers preparing material for the new comedies under the supervision of H. M. Walker, story editor, include Mauri Grashin, Carl Harbaugh, Frank Halliday, Charles Rogers and Eddie Dunn. In addition to writing, Rogers and Dunn also fill capacities of director and actor accordingly. All dialogue, as well as titles for the silent versions of the Roach-MG-M comedies, is being written by Harley M. Walker. Laurel and Hardy will be directed by James Parrott. Warren Doane general manager of the Roach studio, will again direct Charley Chase Charles Rogers has been assigned to direct Harry Langdon, and the Our Gang comedies will be made under the supervision of Robert McGowan with the assistance of Anthony Mack. Thelma Todd is under contract with Roach for leading woman with the various comedians, and Ed Kennedy, character comedian, will be featured hereafter with Our Gang, as Kennedy, the Cop. Film editing is under the direction of Richard Currier, and Clarence Graves heads the still department. Agnes O'Malley recently was engaged to handle the publicity for the Roach studios. Holden in Dove Cast Latest addition to the cast of "The Other Tomorrow," which is about to go into production at the First National studio, is William Holden. Billie Dove will be starred, with Sidney Blackmer as leading man and John Francis Dillon directing. Barthelmess Film Started Production has started on the First National studio on "Son of the Gods," starring Richard Barthelmess. The picture is based upon the novel by Rex Beach and will be directed by Frank Lloyd. A number of the scenes will be made in Technicolor. White Gets Fox Contract Marjorie White, who last appeared in "Sunny Side Up" for Fox, has been signed to a long term contract by the company. A Little from "Lots" By RALPH WILK pEORGE MANKER WATTERS, " co-author of the stage play, "Burlesque" and who also wrote the picture version under the title of "The Dance of Life," is now with Universal. It is likely he will direct one of his new plays for the screen before returning East to produce it in January. * ♦ ♦ Sam Wood finished "Cotton and Silk" in record time. He made threefifths of the production in eight days. He does not believe in a long rehearsal period before starting a talker, preferring to rehearse one day and "shoot" the next. * * ♦ Doane Harrison, who has been a film editor for ten years, is now editor-in-chief at Pathe. He was with Warners and Fox before joining Pathe. For the past two years he has been production editor for Ralph Block, who is an associate producer. ♦ » * Our Passing Show: Benny Rubin busy at M-G-M, writing an original story; genial Ralph Hammeras hurrying at Fox. ♦ + * George Davis, former star in shortlength comedies, is keeping busy in the feature field. He played a prominent role in "The Battle of the Ladies," starring Ramon Navarro and has also appeared in support of Greta Garbo. He played in "Broadway," "Four Devils" and "The Awakening." JANE MURFIN, who wrote the screen version of "Street Girl" and the dialogue for "Side Street," will be well represented on the "street" (or should we say that avenue) known as Broadway? Her play "Stripped," starring Lionel Atwill, will be a New York attraction during the new season, while her "Women Who Take," has also been bought for stage production. Miss M'urfin, in collaboration with Jane Cowl, wrote "Lilac Time," "Smilin' Through," "Information Please" and "Daybreak." * * * Leigh Jason, one of Hollywood's youngest directors, will direct Neely Edwards and Mitchell Lewis in an untitled short for Academy Prods. * * * Geoffrey Shurlock, Paramount's scenario editor, will also act as the foreign department representative at the studio, succeeding George Kates, who will enter Oxford. * * * Melville Brown assembled a strong cast for "Jazz Heaven," which he is directing for RKO. John Mack Brown, Sally O'Neil, Clyde Cook and Henry Armetta are among the principals. Brown is expected to rejoin Paramount, following completion of "Jazz Heaven." * * * Alexander Gray is busy at First National. He played opposite Marilyn Miller in "Sally" and is now in "No, No, Nanette." He was a Broadway favorite, appearing in "The Desert Song" and other successes. "U" Buys Two Stories for Laura La Plante Films Universal announces the purchase of "The Poor Sport," by Rita Weiman which appeared in Cosmopolitan. This will be a starring vehicle for Laura La Plante. The screen story is now being prepared by Frances Agnew. "Love and Kisses" was purchased from the author, Jack Townley. The continuity is now being prepared by Matt Taylor. "The Poor Sport" will be placed in production following Miss La Plante's completion of the special production of "La Marseillaise," a story of the French Revolution by Houston Branch. "Acquitted" Assignment for Strayer Frank Strayer has been designated by Columbia to direct "Acquitted." "A Lady in Love" Next Brent Film for P-F-L "A Lady in Love,", an original story by Florence Ryerson, has been selected as Evelyn Brent's second starring picture, it was announced by B. P. Schulberg, general manager of Paramount West Coast nroduction. Dorothy Arzner and George Cukor will co-direct with Clive Brook Opposite. , Miss~ Brent' has just completed her work in "Darkened Rooms," which production makes her debut as a star She is now en route for Euron° where she will vacation, while Daniel N. Ruben, author of the stage play, "Women Go On Forever," is preparing the adaptation and dialogue for Miss Ryerson's original story. 6 PICTURES IN WORK AT WARNERS;START1NG 2 MORE Six Vitaphone productions are now in work at the Warner studio with two more units ready to start shooting soon. Two of the six current pictures are being photographed by a crew of Technicolor cinematographers as 100 per cent natural color Vitaphone roadshows. They are "Golden Dawn," starring Walter Woolf with Vivienne Segal, and "Hold Everything" with an all-star cast including Georges Carpentier and Sally O'Neil. Ray Enright ana Larry Ceballos are directing the former attraction and the latter is being made by Roy Del Ruth. The remaining three Vitaphone features under way are "She Couldn't Say No," starring Winnie Lightner; "Wide Open," with Edward Everett Horton, Patsy Ruth Miller and Louise Fazenda, and "Isle of Escape," co-starring Monte Blue and Myrna Loy. Added soon to the foregoing six pictures will be Al Jolson's next Vitaphone vehicle, "Mammy," and John Barrymore's all-talking production, temporarily titled "The Man." "The Children" Started Lothar Mendez has started production of Edith Wharton's "The Children" for Paramount. In the cast are: Mary Brian, Judith Wheater, Frederic March, Kay Francis, William Austin, Lilyan Tashman, Rockcliffe Fellowes, David Newell and Joan Standing. M-G-M Assigns Montgomery Robert Montgomery has been assigned the male lead opposite Norma Shearer in "Their Own Desires" for M-G-M. Regis Toomey, originally assigned the part, was obliged to forego the role for another assignment. LEE GARMES Director of Photography and Lighting for First National Vitaphone. AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER GRANITE 9752 ■-■i