The Film Daily (1931)

THE Wednesday, January 7, 1931 FOREIGN Dispatches Received From Abroad through the M. P. Division of the Department of Commerce. Haik Capital Increased At an extraordinary general meeting, Establissements Jacques Haik ipproved a capital increase from ' to 15 million francs. The Haik studio in Courbevoie, near Paris, has been reconstructed following a fire some months ago and shooting is resuming. French Firms Merge Omega Films, Elite Films and Les Films Celebres have united under one cooperative banner. The group is financed by M. Martinage. Germans Seek New Regulations The Catholic party of the German Reichstag has introduced two amendments which, if carried, will have serious effects both on production and exhibition of pictures. The first one embodies a number of regulations regarding censorship of films and posters and also demands decentralization of censorship. The other amendment asks for stricter protection of juveniles. Correll Back on Job Director H. Correll, after long absence due to illness has returned to Berlin and resumed his activities as head of Ufa production. Herr Hubert is leaving the Ufa directorate at his own "wish at the end of the year. Director Wilhelm Meydam has become a member of the Ufa's managing board and will take charge both of foreign and home distribution. Mevdam also has been appointed film distribution expert at the Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industrv. Hungarian Sound Device Shown The Hungarian telephone manufacturing company has demonstrated in Budapest its new sound film apparatus. Parts of various sound films originating from many countries were shown and excellent reproduction was attained, it is claimed. TEN YEARS AGO TO-DAY IN First National to show "Big 5" group of pictures in Chicago. High exhibition values placed on them. * * * Associated Producers directors hold important meeting in Los Angeles. * * * Censorship for New York State looms up again. • • • THAT POPULAR pastime of making Similes gets its annual impetus with the release by Frank J. Wilstach of the current crop they are as varied as the ideas at a joint meeting of producers and exhibitors we have culled a few for your delight and delectation, to wit Plain statement of facts, like a yell from a dentist's office. — Arthur "Bugs" Baer They swarm about every star waving autograph books like beggars in Egypt shouting for baksheesh. — Louis Bromfield Useless as a wastebasket in Scotland. — Harry Beresford He gabbed like he was vaccinated with a Vic trola needle. — Charles Francis Coe The runner was as safe as a quart of grape juice at a college prom. — Parke Cum mings As careless as a girl who didn't know whether her lips were chapped or calloused. — William Cunningham Free verse is like free love; it is a contradiction in terms. — G. K. Chesterton Like an interesting woman — good and bad. — Jane S. Davis They drew away from each other like a pair of lovers in a movie theater when the lights went on. — I. Elinson She fell into my lap like a ripe peach. — Ferdinand Pinney Earle Overworked as a parlor sofa before rumble seats were invented. — William Fawcett He sunk so low he struck oil. — Ambrose M. Feeley My account with my broker looked like a blood transfusion. — Texas Guinan Absurd as a grasshopper's honeymoon. — Ben Hecht Alien to our present speech as Walter Winchell's professional vocabulary is to the farmers of Iowa. — Harry Hansen As busy as a lipstick at a college dance. — Barrett C. Kiesling About as shy as Sophie Tucker. — Amy Leslie Her legs were like a wishbone. — Leonard Merrick Humorous as the embryonic acrobat trying to sing love ballads on amateur night. — Jack Alicoate Busy as a flagpole sitter with St. Vitus dance. — Roy L. McCardell which latter we doped out one morn to fill this kolyum proving that Great Minds run in the same Simile channel or that we read Roy's stuff or Roy reads ours take your choice * * * * • • • MAJOR C. COURT TREATT, the veteran British explorer of Egypt, the Soudan and points east, is in our midst in a suite of rooms in a hotel on the 38th floor where he can look over our bally hamlet and the first time he went to the window he looked down on a Fog which made him feel right at home in his dear ole Lunnon the Major is a broadminded Englishman who admits he can learn a Lot about picture production from Hollywood which makes him Positively Unique as an Englishman he's planning to go back to the African wilds and stage a mob scene with 20,000 extras the tribal chiefs are his pals, and will arrange this li'l thing for him and NOT at $7.50 per day per extra, either the Major plans to take sound equipment into the wilds of Africa for the first time, and he is going to Hollywood to get the lowdown on recording and technical methods * * * * • • • GET SET for that Terrific Disclosure we promised you yestiddy we crashed the gate at that luncheon of the Mysterious Gents and got the lowdown for you they have been working on plans for the Players' and Patrons' Jubilee Week which is the N. V. A. Week with a different name to be launched the week of April 4-11 all the theater publicity chiefs are working hand in hand to put this benevolent cause over bigger than ever Walter Winchell will be at the Palace for a week, starting Saturday * * * * • • • AL SELIG celebrates his silver wedding anniversary today my word, Al! 25 years with the same wife and in the picture biz, too unbelievable some gents will call up to congratulate you and others may call up the wife to offer condolences you know how some of these pals are they are gonna give you a surprise party at Ben Riley's Arrowhead Inn we thought we'd tell you so you wouldn't make any other engagement Short Shots from New York Studios «C « » » » _^ By HARRY N. BLAIR »^ j^OUIS BROMFIELD'S best seller, "Twenty-four Hours," has been bought by Paramount for production in the east. George Abbott will direct. * * * Vitaphone has signed Walter O'Keefe, master of ceremonies of Barney Gallant's night club, and Gloria Grafton, of the El Patio Club, for short subjects. * * * "The Smiling Lieutenant" is the title of the next vehicle for Maurice Chevalier, who arrives Jan. 15 and starts work next month at the Paramount New York studio. Claudette Colbert and Miriam Hopkins will be leading woman and Ernst Lubitsch is to direct. The picture will have music by Oscar Straus. * * * H. D'Abbadie D'Arrast also arrives Jan. 15 to begin preliminary work on "Week End," in which Claudette Colbert appears. D'Arrast later will direct a picture for Howard Hughes and then return to Paramount here. * * * Instead of "Up Pops the Devil," Nancy Carroll's next New York made Paramount starring picture will be an original story tentatively titled "Between Two Worlds" by Edmund Goulding, who will also direct. "Up Pops the Devil" has been transferred to the West Coast studios of Paramount for production there in the near future. * * * Max Kohn, for ten years with A. H. Woods and more recently a Paramount "scout" has opened offices at 156 W. Uth St., for the purpose of reviewing manuscripts and scenarios. * * * Harry Baldwin, who is attached to the staff of James Cowan, Paramount studio executive, is reveling in a re-decorated office, the new color scheme being salmon pink and green. Harry says it sounds kinda fishy. MANY HAPPY RETURNS Beit wishes and congratulations are extended by ThE FILM DAILY to the following membera of the industry, who are celebrating their birthdays: January 7 Adolph Zukor Kenneth Thomson Ernest L. Robbing