The Film Daily (1930)

THE iday, August 31, 1930 -^^ DAILY PRODUCTION IN THE EAST WHO'S WHO AND WHAT'S WHAT IN GREATER NEW YORK STUDIOS /TERN ACTIVITIES I ;cess of eastern film production ested by the fact that both Para it and Warner Bros, have ac d additional property adjacent leir studio buildings here, for of expansion. Paramount's recent acquisition is a garage -ite the present studio into which will move their carpenter shop, ing room for one more stage in nain building. Total space ac d since resumption of produc in Astoria is now almost double of the original property. arner Bros., who recently opened new stages at the Flatbush stu licnot long ago acquired a vacant at lagonally across from the pres ation with an eye to greater ;on. Butterfield to Direct alton Butterfield. who has been of Paramount's short subject writers for the past six months, n assigned by Larry Kent to ir t an original script. "Royal Family" Set he Royal Family'' goes into projJon on Tuesday at the Paramount el York studios, under the direc>| of George Cukor and Cyril i ner. Ina Claire and Fredric lah head a large cast which m Mary Brian, Henrietta Crossu and Charles Starrett. H. K. Morton Signed rry K. Morton, vaudeville headid has been signed by Larry Kent >y the lead in a two-reel comedy • started next week. Manhattan Mary" Finished anhattan Mary," starring Ed has just been completed at ramount New York studios, the direction of Norman Tau rogwith Larry Williams officiating camera and Ernest Zatorsky in chs;e of sound. L Nancy's Party Nancy Carroll will play istess to a number of the aramount New York studio aff at the opening of "Frankie id Johnnie," at Jamaica, next eek. The play was written / Jack Kirkland, Miss Carill's husband, and has Ann orrest, former screen actress the leading role. Short Shots from New York Studios \ By HARRY N. BLAIR TV A. DORAN, scenario editor at Paramount's Xew York studio, accompanied by Mrs Doran, will fly from Siasconset, Mass., to Boston on Labor Day, for the opening of Joe Cook's new play, "Fine and Dandy," following which they will be guests of honor at a party given by Cook at the Copley Plaza Hotel. Madge Evans, former child star of the silent days, is in the cast of "The Gob," a Vitaphone Varieties featuring Hal Skelly and Olive Shea. A constant stream of messenger boys bearing floral tributes through the Paramount New York studio offices last Monday disclosed the fact that James R. Cowan, general manager, was celebrating his birthday. Tom Cameron, make-up artist at the Paramount studios, was consulted by Ethel Barrymore regarding her make-up in "Scarlet Sister Mary," in which she plays her first blackface role. Cameron, who began his professional career on the English stage over 40 years ago, in "The Silver Prince," is also supervising makeup for the screen version of "The Royal Family." based on the Barrymore-Drew clan. Employees at Warner Bros. Eastern studio spend lunch hour improving their game at the miniature golf course recently budt opposite the plant. "I'm Only Human After All," song hit of the current Garrick Gaieties, which was written by E. Y. Harburg and Vernon Duke of Paramount's composing staff, rated a special lauditory paragraph from the "American Mercury," a new departure for that high -brow magazine. Arthur Hurley has just finished "Sweet Sixty," by Burnet Hershey, at the Eastern Vitaphone studio, with Thomas W. Ross and Donald Foster featured. He will next direct "Honeymoon Trail," for which cast has not yet been selected. Members of the "Manhattan Mary" company were treated to a thrilling experience while making exterior shots on Broadway, recently. Part of the action involved a chase, with the cops put wise to lay off. However, one bluecoat wasn't in on the gag and was all for locking up the whole bunch, until some other coppers came to the rescue. Dorothea Chard, who appeared opposite Eddie Foy, Jr., in a recent Vitaphone Varieties, made her stage debut in the first "Garrick Gaities," in which Libby Holman, Betty Starbuck and other well known himinaries also made their first stage appearance. Edna Hill, formerly of Audio Cinema, has joined Paramount's cutting department, where her sister Emma has been distinguishing herself by cutting such excellent pictures as "Young Man of Manhattan" and "Heads Up." Burnet Hershey has completed his 20th script, mostly all originals, since joining Warner Bros, writing staff last April. Mary Brian is elated over oeing sent here to play the ingenue lead in "The Royal Family." It's her first visit to New York in three years and she had already planned a vacation here at her own expense. But, of course, it's much better to be sent on by the company. JAZZ IN FILMS PASSE SAYS MUSIC DIRECTOR Jazz music in films is losing popularity with the public in favor of sweet melodies, according to Harold Levey, musical director at Warner Bros. Eastern Vitaphone studio. Levey, who has made a study of music for over 25 years, states that people have tired of the complicated construction which was most necessary with jazz music and are now demanding simple tunes of homely appeal. The old-fashioned type of melody, plus rhythm is the new order in screen music, he claims. The so-called "hot" tunes are now passe, according to Levey, who calls attention to the fact that the songs enjoying greatest popularity at present are of the sentimental type, with appeal to the heart rather than to the senses. So far as Vitaphone Varieties are concerned, those now in preparation, of a musical nature, will follow the new trend until further changes in public taste is noted. Al Goulding, who directed many of the Lloyd Hamilton and Baby Peggy comedies, has just completed his second picture at Warner Bros. Eastern studio, with Eddie Foy, Jr., in the featured role. Joan Blair, who has graced several Paramount short subjects, in addition to "The Best People," has often been compared to the late Jeanne Eagles. Miss Blair recently plaved the leading role opposite George Jessell in the stage production, "Joseph." Hal Skelly and Olive Shea spent several days on location along Riverside Drive for exterior scenes in "The Gob," a Warner short subject, which Roy Mack directed, with Ed DuPar at the camera. Rube Welsh, staff writer at the 1 'aramount New York studio is turning out stories for most of the "big shots" signed by Larry Kent for Paramount short subjects. Rube recently completed originals for Harry Richman. Frances Williams, Gina Malo, Marion Harris and Ben Blue. Adolph Zukor paid a surprise visit to the New York studio and found the plant fairly humming with activity. In company with James R. Cowan, chief studio executive, Mr. Zukor looked over "Best People" and "Manhattan Location Crew Back The sound camera crew comprising Wm. Miller, Sam Leavitt, Chas. Salerno, Wm. Cassell and still man, Frank Serjack, have returned to the Paramount studio after shooting exterior scenes in Chicago with Wjlliam Powell for his next picture, "New Morale." Gordon New and George Loane were in charge of sound recording. Mary," both of ivhich are now finishing production in record time. Ray Foster, Vitaphone cameraman, demonstrated the influence of surroundings while on a recent location trip to Sing Sing prison. Ray asked one of the guards to change a $5 bill and absentmindedly walked off with both change and fin before being stopped at the point of a gun. Ray was so scared he handed over the entire ten bucks and made for the gate in double quick time! 'Skip' Hard to Find "Skippy," originally set to be made this month at the Paramount East Coast studios, has been postponed owing to difficulty in locating the proper child actor for the title role. Victor Schertzinger, who was to have directed the picture, has been recalled to the West Coast to take charge of the next William Powell vehicle.