The Film Daily (1929)

THE ■3&*% DAILY Sunday, October 20, 1929 PRODUCTION IN THE EAST WHO'S WHO AND WHAT'S WHAT IN GREATER NEW YORK STUDIOS TALKERS TO STIMULATE JAZZ, JAYS TI0MK1N Unlike certain other figures in the screen musical world, Dimitri Tiomkin does not view the increasing popularity of the audible picture as the deathknell of jazz music. To the contrary, contends this composerpianist who is under contract to M-G-M, jazz will be stimulated although somewhat toned down. "The fast tempo of the American public demands music of the jazz pace," declares Tiomkin. This necessity for fast-tempoed music makes it difficult for European composers to successfully compose music for American talkers, he says. "Foreign-born composers must adapt themselves to this new condition or find themselves eliminated," says Tiomkin. "A new language of music is being created by talking pictures produced in this country. For composers to fail to learn it, is to commit professional suicide. "American writers of music and artists, hitherto unknown to the multitudes and elite alike in Europe, will be popularized by the sound picture. New fields of enormous international proportions are opening. But always the composer of the new era must write for that multitude — compose music which arouses their sympathy and interest. The masses, the people who support the motion picture theaters of the world, must be catered to. . . . "The theme song is dead, I sincerely believe. Trite and other material lacking in genuine quality has aided in its demise. But excellent scores, coupled with individual and ballet numbers of merit, are on the ascendency in popularity. , "At the beginning of talking pictures, I, along with many others, opposed them on the grounds of sheer incompetency. I now am frankly ready to admit that I was in error. Nearly every succeeding picture I have viewed has shown an improvement to a degree which assures the picture synchronized with music and dialogue of a future of inestimable scope. I confidently expect their mechanical perfection within a year." After a concert tour in Cuba and an appearance at Carnegie Hall, Tiomkin will return to the Coast in January to resume work for M-G-M. Forming Special Foreign Production Department Organization of a foreign production department is planned at Paramount's Long Island studio as part of the program for increased production at this plant. "Audible shorts and features in several languages will be filmed during 1930," says Jesse L. Lasky. Full production under the studio's increased-activity schedule will be reached in the early months of 1930. "Doug" Makes Another Douglas Stanbury, radio star and for long a member of Roxy's Gang, has made a second Vitaphone short for Warner Bros, under direction of Murray Roth. The picture, which is now being edited, is titled "Pack Up Your Troubles." Short Shots from Eastern Studios ,By ARTHUR W. EDDY FRED KOHLER, now doing an underworld bad man in the Ben Hecht original which Paramount is making at its Astoria workshop, finished work in "Three Godfathers" for Universal before coming East. Paramount loaned him for the part. Maurice Chevalier relays word that Robert Florey, who directed several at Paramount the past year, is now signed to make two pictures in England for a French producing company. Zahrah Haven of the Paramount short subject department is again in view after winning a scrimmage with naughty appendicitis. Irene Shirley, now playing a newspaper women in "Brothers," Bert Lytell's stage hit, got her experience first hand, having been in the business at El Paso. She recently worked in the Vitaphone newspaper short, "Dead or Alive," which her busbar. I, Arthur Hurley, directed at Warner's eastern studio. Lorin Raker, who has worked in various Eastern-made Pathe pictures, is playing in a weekly radio feature broadcast from WJZ. At Sound Studio he worked in the prologue to "Gang War," did a p. a. in "Mother's Boy" as well as other parts. Now it's likely that he'll continue his screen work in "For the Love of LAI," which has been bought for picture purposes. Warner Bros, eastern studio supplies the information that James Sweeney, chief film cutter, at Paramount's Long Island studio, is at the Brooklyn plant for the purpose of aiding in cutting which has fallen behind schedule. George K. Arthur, who is Scotch and who is proud of it, will headline at the Palace next week in a sketch with the Three Aristocrats. The act includes a scene from "Rookies," in which he was co-featured ivith Karl Dane. Later Arthur gangplanks for Europe to work with Adolph Menjou in a picture. Ernest Maas and Frederica Sagor have completed the adaptation and continuity on their play "Slums of Heaven." Horace Heidt, who, with his Californians, recently made several Vitaphone shorts at Warners and also wowed 'em at the Palace, will get a free meal Thursday when he is guest of the Brooklyn Rotary Club. "The Return of Sherlock Holmes," Paramount talking opus which William Steiner, Jr., photographed, is due to exhibit itself at the Paramount in about two weeks. Steiner is now photographing a Ben Hecht original under direction of Hobart Henley. Teddy Pahle, who is working with him, was formerly at the Coast with RKO and First National. Bert Cann is around town these days full of photographic energy. He recently returned from a trip to Wisconsin and Minnesota with Director Charles Glett after making scenes for Eddie Guest subjects for Photo-Kinema. Players Arrive From Coast Dick Barthelmess has arrived in New York with Mrs. Barthelmess en route for a vacation in Europe. They are booked to sail for Naples Oct. 25. Another First National arrival is Constance Bennett, who recently completed the feminine lead opposite Barthelmess in "Son of the Gods." She is due to sail on the Homeric. Edna Murphy, who recently worked in First National's "Little Johnny Jones," which her husband, Mervyn LeRoy, directed, is expected Saturday to visit her parents in Brooklyn and do some serious shopping. Warner Plant Busy Continuing to be the busiest studio in the East from the standpoint of short subject production, Warner Bros.' Brooklyn plant has Vitaphoned more "name acts" during the past week. Subjects made include Charles Derickson and Burton Brown, titled "A Song Drama"; Bobbe Arnst and Peggy Ellis "Low Down, A Bird's Eyeview of Harlem." The cast of the latter includes Monette Moore, May Barnes, Jimmy Johnson, Terry Bradford and the Washboard Serenaders from the Cotton Club. Murray Roth, director-inchief, made these subjects. SAYS SCREEN DIRECTING ' REQUIRESJORE CI Screen directing requires mor 1 care and carries with it moreBl sponsibility than stage directing ir the opinion of Arthur Hurley, wkj is now with Warner Bros.' easten, Vitaphone studio. Hurley, who was with Arum, Hopkins for many years, was th director of many stage plays, star^ ring many notables of the stage. Fc the screen Hurley has done amon;| others "The Familiar Face," "Th Interview," "Just Like a Man," John Hobble, "Dead or Alive," withl Hugh O'Connell, and "Faust," withj Charles Hackett. "Directing for the screen requires mon care than directing for the stage," says Hi ley, "because on the stage you have thl opportunity of trying your play before a audience and there learning whether yom| work is right or wrong. If you are wron|the audience will tip you off and give jo ' time to whip the play into shape belo: opening in New York for the long hoped fo run. On the screen all this is changec, The director must rehearse his play within the advice and help of an audience. He aw fix his business, place his laughs, and wot out his story in a cold, colorless studio wit only his own judgment to guide him, an, once the picture is 'shot' it is shot forever an there is no fixing nor changing to please ft' audience after the opening night. "In screen work the director must judji his story from the 'script' instead of hearin it read by the players. For example : an « ' of a stage play would run perhaps fort minutes, and in directing a stage play we hn the players read the act over and from 4' sound of the voices we can judge whetht1 the story is consistent, whether the situation are worked out properly and whether it motivated properly to be convincing to «. audience. "On the screen that same act would 1| divided into perhaps, 100 scenes, scatter!, to the four corners of the earth, and each < those scenes must be 'shot' separately a»! then put together to make a convincing at interesting story. The responsibility for a this is on the shoulders of the director." . Pilzer Joins Warners Maximillian Pilzer, soloist of Philharmonic Orchestra and music, director, is now a member of the mi' sical staff at Warner Bros. Eastef studio under jurisdiction of Hard Levey, studio musical director. MARK SANDRICH Director Just Finished THE GINSBURG SERIES Starring NAT CARR for RKO Release LOUIS BROCK, Producer RCA Photophone Gramercy Studio, N. Y. C.