The Film Daily (1930)

Monday, August 4, 1930 —z&>* DAILV HOLLYWOOD HAPPENING^ — ■■ Coast Wire Service ■«■ Gelsey Made 'U' Scenario Editor I Erwin Gelsey, formerly with Paramount, has been appointed scenario editor at Universal. Roenhold Heads 'U' Music Dept. Heinz Roenhold has been named head of the Universal music department, succeeding David Broekman, resigned. "Mother's Cry" to Start Production will begin this week on "Mother's Cry" at the First National studios. It will be under the direction of Hobart Henley. Claudia Dell Gets Lead Claudia Dell has been selected for the feminine juvenile lead in "Fifty Million Frenchmen," forthcoming Warner special adapted from the stage production. Casting Amos 'n' Andy Film Melville Brown, who is preparing to direct that inimitable duo of radio funsters, Amos 'n' Andy, has started casting for "Check 'n' Double Check," their first screen story. Thus far Irene Rich has been selected for the feminine lead. Brown, it is reported, has been given carte blanche by chief executive William LeBaron to make this an elaborate production. Hawks to Direct 'U' Air Epic Howard Hawks has been signed by Universal to direct an air epic, written by Ralph Graves. William Adams Back William Adams, Universal cameraman, has returned from China, where he took atmospheric shots for "East Is West." Owsley in "Meet the Widow" Monroe Owsley has been cast by Pathe for a prominent part in "Meet the Widow," Campus comedy now in production. Ray McCarey adapted the script and is directing. Also in the cast are Don Dillaway, Emerson Tracy, Very March and Ray Cooke. New Quillan Film Starting Production will begin at once on Eddie Quillan's second starring vehicle for Pathe, titled "Lookin' for Trouble." Russell Mack is directing. James Gleason, Robert Armstrong, Miriam Seegar and Addie Mcl'hail also are in the cast. Bessie Love in 'U' Comedy Bessie Love has been signed for the feminine lead in Universal's "See America Thirst," in which Harry Langdon and Slim Summerville are featured. Production has started under the direction of William James Craft. Along The Rialto with PhilM. Daly A/fECHANICAL ROBOTS running film theaters in the near future house staffs entirely replaced by electrical automatons doors of playhouses in widely scattered cities automatically unlocked and opened mechanical changemakers robot cashiers projection machines and operators eliminated in their place Television shoots the program on the screen and all controlled from a central power plant in a far-off city mebbe you think that sounds like a coke dream well, so did radio — television — talkies — only a few years ago but they are all commercial facts today THE THOUGHT is advanced by Chester Bahn, writing as M. P. editor in the Syracuse "Herald" he pictures a control station in New York with one man pressing buttons, and shooting electrical currents that automatically do the work of theater house staffs in houses in up-state cities the writer raises an interesting speculation regarding the 250 million dollar institutional center planned by Rockefeller in association with RCA, which will house all the amusement arts — including television and who knows but what the electrical geniuses in back of this project are now working on the "automatictheater-control" idea? mounting theater costs is the present bugbear and this may be the solution IF it can be done in this connection it is interesting to note that the Syracuse Keith theater is already electrically equipped for television. that may mean something — or nothing "CDDIE CLINE went to bat as pinch-hitter for John Adolfi in directing several scenes of First Nash's "College Lovers" when John was laid up with the mumps or somethin' "DENNY RUBIN, doing a vaude turn over the Arkayo route, is walking around with his face all bruised the business calls for Benny taking regular slams on his kisser, and he is pining for the quiet of Hollerword studios Harry Richman drew big stage door mobs last week, to watch him come out from the Palace shows and hop in his big imported bus James Carson, who has done a lotta film work, is in the stage show at the Roxy Revised Nursery Rhymes: Rock a bye, baby, in the tree top, but with all these tree-sitters, there's no place to flop VV/HY STUDIO Publicity Men and Editors Get Gray Hairs: (Picked up on the Pathe lot) — Editor: "Has Monte Carter started that musical comedy yet? Publicity Man: "Yeah. Started this week" Ed: "What's the title?" P. M.: "Mind Your Business" Ed: "What!" P. M.: "Mind Your Business" Ed: "Trying to get funny?" No, 'Mind Your Business' " Ed : " Say " P. M. : "That's the title" Ed: "O-h" TRENE THIRER, one of the better type of metropolitan newspaper empey editors, has gone literary with a Story from Real Life in the "Daily News" all about the son of a famous screen star married to n famous screen star who marries a famous screen star now who do ya suppose she means? Now the theaters of the future will be built without "dead" spots so se/ an article in the "M. P. Projectionist," describing a process known as "Photo-Echo Analysis," which is touted to detect dead spots from the architects plans by a photographing system Congrats to Paul Murphy, assistant treasurer of Pathe International Corp., who now has a little Paul in his domicile Bert Adlcr of Fanchon & Marco has moved his desk to Fox Theaters' new 56th Street building Foreign Markets Unusual Sea Film London — A sea picture of an unusual nature under the title of "Windjammers" is being completed by British Instructional at Welwyn. It has its basis in some realistic pictures taken by two amateur cameramen, one of whom lost his life in a gale, aboard one of the last fullrigged ships plying around Cape Horn. A. P. Herbert has written a story to fit the material, and John Orton is directing. 91 New English Charters London — An official check-up of new film companies chartered in England during a six months' period ended June 30, reveals that 87 private corporations with a total capital of $2,889,000 were formed, and 4 public companies, with a capital of $680,000. Filmcraft Amalgamation London — A meeting of creditors of British Filmcraft Productions, Ltd., has been called for August 11 at 3 P. M. to vote upon the proposed voluntary liquidation for the purpose of reconstruction and amalgamation with the new company, Audible Filmcraft, Ltd. Two New Birmingham Houses Birmingham, Eng. — Two new kinemas, the Odeon, Perry Barr, and the Orient, Aston, are scheduled to open this month. Hoffman Renews Ufa Contract Berlin — Carl Hoffman, noted German cameraman, has renewed his contract with Ufa for another year. British Lion Shows 1929 Loss London — Accounts of British Lion Film Corp., for the year ended Nov. 24, 1929, show a loss of $247,140. Directors of the company attribute the loss to the fact that their studios were not equipped for talkies until February, 1930, with the result that silent films previously made failed to get exhibitor support. MANY HAPPY RETURNS Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the in-' dustry, who are celebrating their birthdays : August 4 Anita Page Helen Kane Charles Delaney Ben Pustelnik