The Film Daily (1929)

THE Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion — €— Film Pioneers Had to Strike Out for Themselves WE claim for the motion picture no approach to perfection. No art, no instrument for the transmission of ideas is ever perfect. We have nothing from the past. Those who have custody of the motion pictures today are to a large extent those very pioneers who a handful of years ago began its development. They have had no precedents, no traditions, no earlier examples. They have developed the motion picture to its present high degree out of the heat and turmoil of the fiercest sort of competition. Will H. Hays * * * Effect of "Picture Age" Stressed by Educator THIS is a motion picture age. The cumulative effect of motion pictures on the millions who have seen them every day for 20 years has not only accustomed the human race to thinking and living vicariously, but also to thinking and living episodically. Today, people demand quick action, something to the point immediate, and immediately afterward something different. Dr. Alexander Russell, Director of Music, Princeton University * * * Talkers Conquer America With Unparalleled Rapidity NOTHING like the' conquest of the American public by the talking movies has ever been seen. Not the telegraph, the telephone, the silent movies, the airplane or the automobile approximated the speed with which the talkies won their way into the hearts of our people. Not even the radio, rapid as was its conquest of America, could coinpare with the audible films. "Charleston (W . Va.) Gazette" -J%P*h DAILY Tucrd-;-, October 15, 192 THEIR FIRST JOBS MAURICE CHEVALIER carpenter apprentice Along The Rialto with PhilM. Daly, Jr. THERE'S plenty of rivalry on broadcast of world series games in Los Angeles. "The Citizen" and "The News" are across the street from each other, almost directly, and the play-by-play announcers drown out the words of each other "Dick" Weil Milt Grosses a coupla wisecracks anent his pitchur, "Hard to Get" Harold Lloyd's preparing to move into his new Hollywood mansion Fred Holzworth's presentation de luxe is a 9i/2 pound daughter. He's manager of Universal's Hilliard Square at Cleveland Theda Bara is making her debut in vaude Toisday at R-K-O's Jefferson Square, Noo Yawk It's good to hear that Mabel Normand is making progress in her fight for life at a Coast sanitarium Samuel Goldwyn is to arrive in Noo Yawk Friday with his entire staff, headed bjr Arthur Hornblow, Jr., Abraham Lehr and Robert Mclntyre. Joe Shea, who was business manager of the John Mc Cormack production unit filming a pitchur in Ireland, surely is sold on that opus, as is Truman Talley, who reviewed rushes of the fillum in London "Little" Will Archie, who played in a number of silents, makes his talker debut in "Let's Play Theater," kid comedy produced by Jack Noble at American Sound Studios. Noo Yawk. Edward L. Hyman, supervisor of theater management of the Century circuit, holds a get-together and tell-your-troubles meeting for managers every Toisday Betty Compson is appealing to Los Angeles' mayor for moral support for her proposal to erect a 700-room hotel "Traveling Jimmy" Grainger has left the home office on a trip to the Coast. He's leaving Chicago today, after a three day sojourn "Why Bring That Up" caused a policy change at the Paramount, Los Angeles, where it is now in its second week "Hizzonner Jimmie" Walker launched Fox's Jubilee Week at the Academy of Music, Noo Yawk Incidentally, Fox showed that he is in fine fettle, when he played host to newspapermen last Sjvattiday at his Long Island home 67 NUMBER 67 Industry Statistics By JAMES P. CUNNINGHAM Statistical Editor, The Film Daily INDIA has three hundred and fifty theaters more film houses actively operating than in fitfy-two other countries on the globe — although a recent check-up U. S. Government representatives reveals but one sound theater (in Bombay) available for the country's enormous population of 250,000,000. Only three talkies and a few synchronized and soundeffected features have been screened. * * * Current year's lineup of feature imports into the U. S. are expected to greatly exceed the number placed on this market in 1928, when over 100 were sold. A comparative few, however, receive general distribution. NANY HAPPY RETURNS October 15 Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who today are celebrating their birthday : Ina Claire Mervyn Le Roy Louise Long Jack Nelson Albert Stetson Clarence Johnston AND THAT'S THAT By PHIL M. DALY Pic ml >pu iavi SWEET MAZUMA, how you M roll into the coffers of Radio Pic ' tures with this big league smajf "Rio Rita" now knocking the popu-l lace cold at the Earl Carroll theate A real accomplishment, gentlemen the film industry, in case you ha overlooked any of the salient point;!1 in connection with this, a really out standing achievement of the curreni season. Let's give it the once over.lf for it is really something that de-||| serves space in large and generous measure. * * * A far-sighted gent named Joe Schnitzer, president of the corporation., corraled this sweet baby. So sure was he of what he had, that he ' personally sponsored and nursed it] all the way down the line till it< emerged finally in completed form' from the cutting room. * * * He turned it over to William Le Baron for production, and that astute1 showman worked in every angle of production that could possibly en' hance the property's box office value. So Le Baron selected Bebe Daniels for the lead, and gave her the chance to prove what we have been yawping for three years, to wit: That Bebe never had been given a big break to prove that she was one of the J screen's superlative troupers. And how she did prove it in "Rio Rita"! Then Le Baron picked Luther Reed to direct. Did Luther show 'em ' something? Go see the show, and then trv and argue with us. * * * It marks the turning point in the brilliant career of Radio Pictures. It justifies all the claims they have been maki)ig for the past eight mouths. Here is a big producing orm ionization that has come through Splendidly with a record of performance on promises. It is'probably also •true that Jiadio Pictures has hit the peak in n shorter time than any hther comixiny in the history ^bf the business. Eight months! Thifik that one over* •J TEN YEARS AGO TO-DAY IN Ralph Bloch made director of advertising and publicity for Goldwyn. * * * Stanley Co. completes arrangement with Nixon-Nirdlinger for interest in Victoria in Baltimore. * * * Missouri Theater Co. increases capital from $400,000 to $600,000.