The Film Daily (1929)

THE -<MH DAILY Tuesday, September 10, 1929 AND THA TS THAT By PHIL M. DALY YOU WILL recall us telling you the other day about Nestor Zilk, the young Harvard graduate who in an unguarded moment spilled the fact that he was the only child of the Noodle Trust king, and that he, Nestor, was desirous of going into picture production in a big way. Well, he was cooked right here, although the poor sap didn't realize it. * * * After we had steered him up to our apartment and locked the door for fear that some of those suckerhunters over at 729 Seventh Ave. might have spotted us, we got right down to business. "How much money do you think your old man will put up?" we inquires, polite like. "How much do you want?" parries Nestor. "Oh," we hesitates for just the fraction of a minute, "about, say, one hundred grand to start." Then we hung on to our adenoids, that were pumping a mile a minute, waiting f-or the fatal comeback. Nestor lifted a, glass of our private varnish stock to his Harvard inflection, tossed it off like a man, and sez: "Oh, that's a. mere trifle." We fell off the icebox onto the hardwood floor, and reclined there gracefully for several dumb minutes. The shock was terrific, as you can well magine. * * * At last we came to, and drank two more in quick succession. The varnish oiled us up considerable. At last we were able to speak with an assumption (meaning the old face stuff) of carelessness. "Very well, Nestor," sez we. "If the sucker — we mean the successful Noodle king, your illustrious father, will do that little thing for you, consider yourself president of my new production company, Sizzly Films, Inc." * * * "Oh, this is too much — too much!" he moaned. "Why are you so good to me?" We drew oursef up in that way that all big men have, and spoke: "Listen, Nestor, we know man power when we see it. Also horsepcnver. And you seem to combine both. Of course your dad's dough will help, too, but it's you we're after. We need BIG brain power, like yours." HOBBIES! HOWARD DIETZ is a ping-pong hound. Ask the Empee Club crowd. Side Line — Dashing off lyrics. Along The Rialto with Phil M. Daly, Jr. NATHAN BURKAN and the missus arrive in Noo Yawk today from Europe Janet Gaynor's receiving a big break on her marriage slated for this Wednesday She intends to continue her screen work, fortunately for the industry. There's a "wholesale showdown" on income taxes slated in Hollywood and mebbe some indictments Buddy Fisher, actor, singer and master of ceremonies, has appeared in several pictures lately. He's in "Flight," Columbia's new opus, which opens Friday at the Cohen in Noo Yawk Another opening attracting considerable attention is that on Thoisday of "The Gabbo," Jimmy Cruze's first talker, which Al Grey plans to roadshow. Advance dope is that the picture's there. Charlie Murray, who has been doing a turn in vaudeville. is in Noo Yawk That's good news on the adjustment program, all right, that no strings are to be attached to adjustments Joe Kennedy, Pathe's chairman of the board, got a big blurb in the "N. Y. Graphic" last Sattidy as one of a group of aggressive young businessmen who have forged to the front Harry Hammond Beall, head of the Wampas, has returned to Hollywood after a tour of the Pacific Northwest H. J. Yates may' well be proud of the record gross being rolled up by Consolidated Film Industries M. A. Lightman, whose being named new Empeeteeohay prexy to replace Pete Woodhull, lets no grass grow under his feet, and already is on the job. Hiram Brown, Radio-Keith-Orpheum chief, extols the merits of "Rio Rita" on the Coast. "Greatest", is the term he uses, and he's only been in fillum business a short time That World Wide-Sono-Art combination will be heard from, you may be sure Wayne Pierson, who is representing Howard Hughes in these parts, lets it be known that dialoguing of "Hell's Angels" started Monday and that the elaborate pitcher will be ready about the middle of November 44 Orchestras will remain where the quality of music played by human musicians rises above the quality emanating from a mechanical orchestra. That, in turn, depends upon several factors. The size of the theater is one. Another is the population of the city where the theater is located. A third, is the density of the population. f$ E. V. RICHARDS No.37 Industry Statistics By JAMES P. CUNNINGHAM Statistical Editor, The Film Daily No.37 Theater mortality runs highest in towns having population of less than 3,000. One thousand motion picture theaters are permanently closed or dismantled in an average year and 52 per cent are in towns with less than 3,000 inhabitants. Twenty-nine per cent are located in cities and towns having between 3,000 and 100,000. All large cities, those with more, than 100,000, contribute only 19 per cent to the theater mortality record. The number of new theaters erected in the course of an average twelve month period is sufficient to offset all closings. It is estimated by reliable authorities that between 970 and 1,050 new houses are erected in the U. S. every year. Their total cost runs well over $200,000,000, and the majority are in large cities and towns. * * * Salaries of all players, directors, cameramen, technicians and their assistants represent approximately 35 per cent of the total cost of production. Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion Voice Doubling Difficulty Is Declared Overcome WITH the influx of speaking films a new class of doubles was introduced — the voice double. As far back as a year ago a double was used for Barry Norton in the singing sequences of "Mother Knows Best." Following that other players had their voices doubled when they were supposed to sing. Among them were Richard Barthelmess in "Weary River," Laura La Plante in "Show Boat," Marian Nixon in "Headline," Louise Brooks in "The Canary Murder Case" and Corinne Griffith in "The Divine Lady." At first the doubling proved rather unsatisfactory. It seemed like an impossible task perfectly to synchronize the double's voice with the player's lips. Producers were in a quandary as to whether it would be better to let a picture go with a poor singing voice or let the public know a double was being used. However, that difficulty has been overcome until today it is almost impossible to detect a double if the recording is done properly. Dan Thomas for N.E.A. Service. * * * Return of Keen Minds as Merchandise Seen COMPETITION that will test the mettle of the many industrial and trade mergers effected recently was forecast for the next five years by a local economist. Many of the keenest business minds in the country are now "on vocation," he explained, because their successful organizations have entered combinations. "Some of these men," he said, "have retired temporarily but if human -nature follows its usual course they will be back in harness again in a few years with independent companies that will make it warm for the big combinations. "The N. Y. Times' TEN YEARS AGO TO-DAY IN D. W. Griffith finishes initial film for First National. * * * Joe Plunkett goes to England for Lewis J. Selznick.