The Film Daily (1930)

THE Sunday, December 28, 1930 0S PAjLY PRODUCTION IN THE EAST WHO'S WHO AND WHAT'S WHAT IN GREATER NEW YORK STUDIOS NEW SCHEDULE ASSURES BIG VITAPHONE ACTIVITY Production plans for Vitaphone shorts for the coming season promise a program which will tax the capacity of Warner Bros. Brooklyn studio. The three stages at the Vitaphone studios, all of which are at present occupied with current productions, will be kept in constant use to make pace with the short subject production program. The studios are especially equipped for the making of shorts and, being located adjacent to Broadway, are in a position to attract the biggest stars from every branch of the entertainment field. Work will soon be started on the S. S. Van Dine series of two-reel murder mysteries which Van Dine is now writing and for which he has created a new detective character. The first of the series is now being put into continuity form and an actor is being sought for the chief role. The "Naggers" series of Vitaphone domestic comedies, starring Mr. and Mrs. Jack Norworth, having met with a favorable reception by exhibitors, will be continued. An option on the services of the Norworths for six more of the series has been exercised, and continuities are being prepared. Negotiations are also under way for other series of Warner Bros, short reel pictures which will assure the Eastern Vitaphone studios of the utmost activity during the coming year. terial in sufficient quantity to bring the reverberation time down to what it should be. Precise determination of the reverberation time of an existing room, and the treatment necessary for its correction, requires a detailed study of the plans." Short Shots from Eastern Studios ,By HARRY N. BLAIR, PDGAR BERGEN, the only ventriloquist in the talkers, has clicked so big with the kiddies that he has been signed for an entire series of pictures by Vitaphone. Bergen's third short, "Donkey Business," was recently completed under the direction of Arthur Hurley. Stuart Erwin remembered the Paramount East Coast studio crew with a holiday wire. Helen Sheehan, of the Paramount script department, is taking a much delayed vacation in Florida. Internationalism with a vengeance is achieved by the Russian Cathedral Choir who render several negro spirituals in a Vitaphone short soon to be released. Fredric March is receiving congratulations on his excellent piece of acting in "The Royal Family." Robert L. Ripley acted as masof ceremonies at a Christmas party given by the Warner Vitaphone staff at the Brooklyn studio. The big "Believe It or Not" man amused the party with strange facts which he has uncovered and which, for various reasons, could not be printed. The Paramount New York studio played Santa Claus to 100 extras with four fall days of work, plus overtime, right before Christmas. They were used by Dorothy Arzner for "Sex in Business." George Folsey has decided not to make any New Year's resolutions. None of last year's took. Jack Norworth, featured in the "Naggers" series by Vitaphone, is rejoicing in the fine reception given "People Like Us," a new play which he authored and which is now on a try-out tour in Canada. Rube Welch, author of numerous shorts produced by Paramount here, and at present with the Simple Simon comedies, is a product of the London music hall and musical comedy stage, although originally from this country. Frank Heath, Paramount' s casting director, provided work for several bewhiskered character actors by referring them to various institutions where Santa Claus impersonations were needed for Christmas parties. Maurice Chevalier is expected shortly at the Paramount. New York studios to begin work on his next picture, which Ernst Lubitsch will direct. ENTIRE SALES MEETING FILMED FOR FIRST TIME Thousands of Procter & Gamble salesmen in the United States will be entertained and instructed during the months of January and February by a new sales meeting sound motion picture, "The Music of Prosperity," produced by Visugraphic Pictures, Inc. "The Brimming Reservoir," the first sales-stimulation motion picture to be used by the soap manufacturers, also was produced by Visugraphic. The success of this production in terms of audience interest and educational results brought about the decision to produce "The Music of Prosperity." "The Music of Prosperity" is a feature length picture, an all-dialogue sound production dramatizing the further experiences of Bill Harrison of the P. & G. sales staff. The bracing air of Manhattan must be conducive to greater effort judging by the record time in which recent Paramount features have been turned out here. George Abbott's "Stolen Heaven" was completed ahead of schedule and will require no re-takes, with "Sex in Business," which Dorothy Arzner is directing, . also rounding up in ad Matto Grosso Expedition Sails To Explore Jungles of Brazil Headed by John S. Clarke, Jr., • •majtahi'i* -V w^wmanagcr, the Matto Grosso Expedi fMtf llliimi JTltf lition sailed Friday on the Munson •^•w^isteamer, Western World, to explore V and shoot (photographically, for the IVIIkl? KrilWY Ilmost part) the jungles of southwest Wllfafe »fyll.ii«.i* rBrazil Also in the party are Cap No Cohan Picture Negotiations between Para mount and George M. Cohar for a talker version of th« stage star's recent play "Gambling," have been callec off, officials of the companj state. Efforts to close the deal had been under wa; since last summer. party Vladimir Perfilieff, general di>r; Alexander Siemel, field direci Vincent M. Petrullo, ethnologf the University of Pennsylvania; id M. Newell, authority on wild John Newell, engineer; Floyd ,bv, cameraman; S. A. Daveron, ■ i Hoops, Samuel P. Hoop? and illiam E. Greene, Jr. Principal .•ncial backers are F. R. Fenie Johnson, Camden, N. J.; F. Spalding, Boston, John S. Clarke, and W. E. Greene. \ camera >rd will I" made of Brazilian wild life in its natural state. In addition, it is expected that some junkie specimens will be brought back alive. A complete RCA Photophone portable sound recording unit is being taken along, and the party plans to remain in the jungles about a year. Columbia Testing Here Columbia Pictures is using the Fox studios in New York for testing screen possibilities. The tests are being conducted by Eddie Buzzell, with Dal Clawson as cameraman. • Norman Foster Back Norman Foster, who recently went to the West Coast studios to appear opposite Clara Bow in "No Limit," for which exteriors were made in N'cw York, has returned. Dialogue Writer Suggests New Travelogue Method A new approach to dialogue accompaniment for travel pictures is advocated by Burnet Hershey, staff writer at the Warner Vitaphone studio, who has been assigned to prepare dialogue for several recent travelogues. Hershey, who spent ten years in traveling around the globe, believes that audible descriptions should be served up "sugar-coated," that the talk should be light, serving to point up the various facts rather than launch into a detailed account of what is pictured on the screen. He is of the opinion that the term "travelogue" is outmoded and that the already suggested "travelesque" is a much better substitute. Clive Brook Due Soon Clive Brook is due to arrive at the Paramount New York studios shortly after the first of the year. Chatterton Coming Here Ruth Chatterton is scheduled for several pictures at Paramount's New York studio upon her return from a tour to Europe, next month. N. BREWSTER MORSE Originals, Adaptations, Dialogue, Continuity For Henry King "Hell Harbor" and "Eyes of the World" 527 5th Avenue. New York Murray Hill 2600