The Film Daily (1930)

THE Monday, July 21, 1930 5^2 DAILY 2\ f) Latest Hollywood Happenings f) Coast Wire Service = Leo McCarey Selected to Direct Fox Special Leo McCarey has been selected by Winfield Sheehan and Sol Wurtzel, chief producing executives for the Fox organization, to direct one of their outstanding productions of the year. According to announcement, McCarey has been assigned Stewart Edward White's story, "The Shepper-Newfounder," a tremendously appealing and widely read opus. Several weeks ago McCarey completed the direction of "Wild Company," a tale based on modern youth. His handling of this tale proved as pleasing to both Sheehan and Wurtzel that he was tendered a long term contract whereby he will remain with them for another year. Previous to becoming associated with Fox, McCarey directed "Let's Co Native," a Paramount production in which Jack Oakie heads an allstar cast. He is best remembered for his direction of "The Sophomore," comedy drama, for Pathe. W. L. Wright to Supervise Westerns for Columbia William Lord Wright, who supervised the first series of "Collegians" for Universal, and has written a number of original screen stories, has been signed by Columbia to supervise the making of western features and short subjects. Barbara Bedford in "Sunny" Barbara Bedford is the latest recruit to the stellar cast of "Sunny," in which Marilyn Miller will be starred by First National. The picture is now being made at the Burbank studio, with Lawrence Gray, Joe Donahue, Inez Courtney, O. P. HCggie and Clyde Cook prominent in the supporting cast. William A. Sciter is directing. "Mothers Cry" Cast Completed The cast of "Mothers Cry," soon to start production at the First National Studio, has been completed with the addition of Pat O'Malley, Claire McDowell, Jean Bary and Edward Woods. The leading role will played by Dorothy Peterson. Other prominent players assigned to this production are Helen Chandler, Evalyn Knapp and David Manners. Casting Baxter Film -ting of Warner Baxter's next Mcture, "Renegades," is being rapidy rounded out and production is exfeted to begin soon at the Fox Films studios. The latest selection i Myrna Loy as hading lady. ^HKe Cooper, another late addition, rill have a featured role. The others 1 J. M. Kerrigan, Noah Beery and ^Kry Cav. Victor Fleming is ^Hl to direct. "Renegades" Wb Of the French Foreign L( A Little from "Lots" Bj RALPH WILK Hollywood T. GRUBB ALEXANDER is writ J ing the screen play and dialogue for "The Idol," which will serve as Emil Jannings' initial American-made talking picture. It will be produced by Warner Brothers. Alexander also wrote the screen play and dialogue for "Outward Bound." "Moby Dick" and "Sweet Kitty Bellairs." * * * I. M. Sackin and his cane arc now familiar sights in Hollywood. The cane was presented to him by Willy Pogany, the artist. Sackin is a New York lawyer and is here in the interests of Theodore Dreiser, Christopher Morley and other clients. * * * Sidney D. Mitchell, Archie dottier and George W. Meyer, First National composers, are well pleased with their showing in the initial Coast tournament for composer golfers. Mitchell won a dozen golf balls, Gottler a $45 pair of trousers and Meyer three gold clubs. The tournament was won by Dick Whiting, with Harry Akst second and Milton Ager third. * * * Producers are showing much interest in Pablo Alvarez Rubio, who has just arrived from Spain. He is a well known leading man and costarred with Carmen Seco as "Don Juan" in the play, "Don J nan Tenorio" in the Teatro Calderon of Valladolid, Spain. "Don Juan Tenorio" was written by Zorrilo and only outstanding Spanish actors are chosen to play when it is presented in Valladolid, Zorrilo's birthplace. He is a nephew of C. Alvareze of "La Prensa." * * * Hugh Huntley, well known Broadway actor, has been engaged for an important role in "The Bat Whispers," which is being produced by Roland West, for United Artists. Huntley was brought on from New York to play the "heavy" in "Second Wife," made by RKO. He also played a lead in "Eyes oi the World," which was directed bj Henrj King * * * Genial Jack Cohn of Columbia is here on his annual production visit. He is conferring with Columbia executives regarding pictures for next season. Jack is a booster for California, but his business keeps him in the East most of the year. * * * Ricardo Corti who plays th< ai ter of Fohnnie in "I fei Man," Pathe feature with Helen Twelvetrees, Marjorie Rainbeau and Phillip., Holmes, is back with the company with which he made his screen debut. * * * William LeBaron got out his contractual fishing-reel the other day, baited his hook with fascinating terms and whipped his line all the way from Hollywood, over the Rockies into Chicago to land a "King fish" for RKO's big Amos V Andy feature. "King fish," that personality nightly woven into the lives of "Amos V Andy" on the air, accepted the flattering 'propolition' over the long distance phone, and will reach the screen in Radio's feature in the person of Alex Robb. Robb has never been in motion pictures, but expects to be thoroughly 'ineorpulated' for the job in double quick time once Melville Brown, director, calls upon him to 'unlax' before the camera. * * * Proving his versatility, George Duryea stepped from the role of the smartly dressed man-about-town in "Night Work," Eddie Quillan's new Pathe picture, to the part of a young ranch foreman in "Pardon My Gun," Pathe's novel romantic feature comedy of the Great Open Spaces. * * * Everett Marshall, who plays opposite Bebe Daniels in RKO's "Dixiana," was bitten by the "singing bug" when serving ivater to singers assembled at the Worcerster song fest, Worcester, Mass., when he was 15. At 24 he was featured baritone with Metropolitan opera. * * * The jewelry business was tne vocation of Nat Carr, prominent musical comedy star, before he turned his attention to the theater. Carr, who is now playing in talking pictures, has a leading role in the Pathe comedy. "Two Plus Fours." * * * One of Mack Sennett's most gratifying experiences in his first year and a half of sound production, according to the comedy dean, has been the development of one of the most outstanding individual success/s in talking comedies, namely, \ndii Clyde. Clyde has risen to first place in comedy ranks in a truly meteoric fashion. Sennett has placed Clyde under contract for a long term, and will continue to feature him in the type of role with U /' ich he has been scoring so heav Hy. * * * As First National's production of "Kismet," starring Otis Skinner, in ii s completion, Montagu I .< n e has n added to the cast for an important sequence. Mintz Speeding Up "Toby" Productions Charlie Mintz, producer of the "Toby, the Pup" cartoon series for Radio Pictures, is back from the East and will speed up production and pass on new material prepared by Arthur Davis, Sid Marcus and Dick Huemer, major artists, and Joe De Mat, musical director. Animation for "The Milkman," third of the "Toby, the Pup" cartoons, has been completed, according to the report from Mintz. It is now in the recording room. "The Prospector" is the title of the fourth "Toby," on. which animation has just started at the Mintz studio. Henry Macrea Now Heads Universal Serial Dept. Henry Macrea has been appointed head of the serial department at Universal, succeeding William Lord Wright, who has joined Columbia. Pitts and Gleason Teamed Again* Zasu Pitts and James Gleason, who scored as unusual sweethearts in "Oh Yeah," are teamed again in Pathe's "Beyond Victory," in which Miss Pitts is a circus knife thrower and Jimmie is the object of her affections and her daggers. Mary Nolan Joins Cast Carl Laemmle, Jr., is assembling an all-star cast for "The Boudoir Diplomat." which Malcolm St. Clair will direct from the stage play by Rudolph Lothar and Fritz Gottwald. Mary Nolan has been assigned to the role of Helen. She is the second player to be chosen, Mary Duncan i.s the other. Jeanette Loft" will undoubtedly have one of the leading roles. "Leathernecking" Finished "Leathernecking," RKO's musical comedy adaptation of "Present Arms," has been finished. Four More Weeks in Alaska Another four weeks will be spent in Alaska by the RKO company filming "The Silver Horde." Rex Beach novel, adapted to the talking screen by Wallace Smith. Among the cast, under direction t<\ George Archainbaud, are Raymond Hatton, Joel McCrea, Evelyn Brent, Louis Wolheim, Ivan l.inow and Gavin ( rordon. Added to "Lady Surrenders" Carmel Myers, Vivian Oakland and Franklin Panghorn base been added to the cast of "The Lady Surrenders,'' Universal's screen version of John Erskine's best seller, "Sincerity," which John M. Stahl is dire< ting < i mi oi I ni 1 1 i al's big new ials, with < !onrad Na ' ,i in v I. ■ i robin, R : t>art and ir Norton.