The Film Daily (1930)

THE DAILY a Sunday. October 26. 1930 HOLLYWOOD ACTIVITIES CURRENT HAPPENINGS FLASHED BY WIRE FROM THE COAST NEW BATCH OF COMEDIES BEING PREPARED By PATHE Final preparation is in progress on three Pathe comedies, which will go in work soon at the Culver Cm studios. The Bob Carney-Si WiL> team, Franklin Fangborn and Eddii Gribbon will head the casts of the first three two-reelers. "Chuck' Callahan is about to start work on a Rubeville comedy story to be cas later. The first story scheduled for production is "Sea Going Sheiks," an original by Carney and Wills whic. Director Wallace Fox has adapteJ Monte Carter is doing Frankli Pangborn's first story and Frei Guiol and Arch Heath are collaborating on the second vehicle for thit droll comedian. Hugh Cuinmings is gagging a story of his own which will have Eddie Gribbon, Dot Farley and young Bill Barty, the infant comedian, in important roles. "Command Performance" Cruze's Next Tiffany Upon completing "She Got Wha She Wanted", with Betty Compson Lee Tracy, Alan Hale, and Gastoi Glass, James Cruze will start on his next special for Tiffany release, "Thi Command Performance". Gordon Rigby has been signed t( adapt "The Command Performance' from the stage play of the same title. Walter Lang has been selected to wield the megaphone. Richard Tucker, Zack Williams Cast Richard Tucker and Zack William have been cast by Columbia in "Madonna of the Streets," which John Robertson is directing. Others lithe cast include Evelyn Brent, Robert Ames, Josephine Dunn, Iva Linow, Jule Power and Albert Gran Lew Ayres for "Many A Slip" Lewis Ayres has been chosen bv Carl La^mmle. Jr., for the male lead in "Manv A Slip", the play by Edith Fitzgerald and Robert Riskin, which Universal has bought as a follow-up to "The Little Accident." Vin Moore has been assigned to direct. Moore has just finished production of "See America Thirst", which he wrote in collaboration with Edward Luddy, and will be able to start on "Many A Slip" within a week. Logue To Adapt "U" Film Charles A. Logue has been assigned by Carl Laemmle, Jr., to make a new adaptation of ,,Saint Johnson", the Western novel by W. R. Burnett which has received big praise from the book reviewers. A LITTLE from "LOTS" tij RALPH WILK T ARRY DARMOUR'S new Louise J^azenda comeuy is a last number Known as "ioo Hot to Handle. ' veinon Dent, Fern Eminett, irving oacon, tva 1 hatcher, Jtlarry Bernard, .Lyie Tayo, rtilhard i^arr ana joe ioung aisp are in it. Lewis R. roster auecteu from the story ano aiaiogue by E. V. Durling. * * * Benny Rubin is becoming a lingu.st. in Less than a aay he mastered ,us Lnes for the Spanish version oj 'The Cabailero." He also played in the Engush version of the Cyjn ady short. * * * Mervyn LeRoy will soon start the direction of "A Gentleman's Fate," «vhich was written by Ursula Parrott. de is also scheduled to direct the .nitial Kalmar-Ruby comedy on the .ong-writing team's new contract .vim First .National. LeRoy dnecteu Top Speed," which was written by the Kalmar-Ruby combination. * * * William Slavins McNutt, Paramount scenarist, is believed to be .ne first honest "ghost" writer. vVhen Firpo gained fame in the Jnited States his syndicated article appeared in print in the form, "as old to" William Slavens McNutt. McNutt is a sports authority, having covered big football and basebal games for eight years. His brother, Patterson McNutt, was the New York World's golf expert for several years. * * * Wallace Smith, author, under contract to RKO, is also recognized as an artist, his sketches and oil pain ngs commanding big prices for th^ last 10 years. Smith recently completed an oil painting of a majest c view from his hill-site home in Hollywood. * * » Edward T. Lowe, veteran scenarist, is writing the screen play and dialogue for "Does Crime Pay?5' a special, which will be made by Tiffany. * * * Ray Lissner is celebrat'ng his tenth year as an assistant to Herbert Brenon. Although young in years, Ray is a veteran in production work. * * * Al Boasberg is receiving unique payment for material he wrote for Ben Bernie. Al is being paid two cents for each record of "Ben Bernie and Al," which was made recently. Al, who is now an associate producer at RKO, wrote the material for Betty Healy's new vaudeville act. Ray Coffin "predicts" that when Ernest Hemingway's "A barewM to Arms" is ptcturized, the opening shot will be that of the Venus de Milo. * * * Our Passing Show: John F. Goodrich and his daughter playinj miniature golf on a Hollywood Boulevard course; Hugh Harman, Frank Marsales and F. Ising mun hing applej at the Harman-Ising studios. * * * Harold M. McNiff, Paramount sound engineer, does not have to read detective stories. He handled the sound on "The Benson Murder Case," "Shadow of the Law," etc. * * * Alfred Santell, who d'rected "The Sea Wolf," "The Arizova Kid" an! 'Romance of the Rio Grande,' will direct "Squadrons," written by Elliott White Springs. * * * Here and There: John Murray Anderson and William J. Hurl urt lunching at Universal; Norman Taurog and Sam Mintz conferring at MENZIES ROTARY SHOT Something new in camera ingenuity— the "rotary shot" — has been perfected at the United Artists studios for Mary Pickford's latest picture, "Kiki." Moving in three directions, two of them simultaneously, the "rotary shot" is the invention of William Cameron Menzies, supervising art director. He carried out the idea of Sam Taylor, producer-director, for a new angle in filming spectacular scenes. Nan Cochrane Becomes Universal Story Head Nan Cochrane has been appointed head of the story department at Universal, succeeding Leon Abrams, who resigned. Paramount; Wil iam Seiter busy at First National. # * * Jeffrey Pomeroy Phelps seems destined to become a press agent. His father, Russell Phelps, is a member of the United Artists publicity department, while his mother is also a former member of that department, i By the way, Jeffrey is only a w-ek I old. * * * Harry Carr, veteran columnist of1 the Los Angeles "Times," regards "Morocco" as the finest talking pic-1 ture to date. Speaking of Josef von Sternberg's work, he declares "it is' the most finished direction I ever' remember having seen." "Marhnei Dietrich makes most of our ill s-! trious stars sound like an amateur] night," he adds. 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