The Film Daily (1931)

THE 10 #&>*> DAILV Friday, February 6, 1931 €> LATEST HOLLYWOOD HAPPENINGS © Coast Wire Service "An American Tragedy" Starts Work Next Month Definite plans for production early next month of Theodore Dreiser's novel and play, "An American Tragedy," are announced by Jesse L. Lasky. Josef von Sternberg will direct, with Phillips Holmes and Sylvia Sidney featured. Samuel H. Hoffenstein and von Sternberg are preparing the adaptation. A LITTLE from "LOTS" tt-y HALPH WIl.K Ade Writing Will Rogers' Next Two of America's leading humorists will combine their talents on "Cure For The Blue-." Will Rogers will be the star and George Ade the author. Ade is writing the story expressly as a Rogers vehicle and almost has finished it. Frank Borzage will direct. The picture will go into production upon Rogers' return from his tour in the interests of the Red Cross drought relief fund. World War Prologue to "Victory" "Beyond Victory," Fathe's picture with the war as a background, will contain some of the most accurate scenes of the great conflict ever presented in one motion picture. The reason is that the scenes are actually those of the war itself and were obtained in the Pathe film library which boasts the most complete pictorial record of the war existant. Joan Crawford's Next Starts Joan Crawford has returned to the M-G-M studio, after a six weeks' leave of absence, and begun work on "The Torch Song." Harry Beaumont will direct the new film, which is an adaptation of Kenyon Nicholson's stage success of the same name. Among player selected to support Miss Crawford are Neil Hamilton, John Mack Brown, Marjorie Rambeau, George Marion, Norman Phillips. Gertrude Short, Clara Blandick, and George Cooper.' Additional dialogue was provided by Martin Flavin and continuity by Bess Meredyth. Newsy Three prominent Pacific Coast newspapermen, Jim Mitchell of the Los Angeles "Examiner ," Speed Kendall of the Los Angeles "Times," and George Beale of the United Press, are lending their experience and knowledge to "The Finger Points," the First National production starring Richard Barthelmess under the direction of John Francis Diflon. The advice of these trained newspapermen is being used to insure absolute authenticity, in the journalistic sequences. T. L. WARNER, Darryl Francis J Zanuck, James J. Jeffries, Eric von Stroheim, Paul Kohner and John Dyer were among the guests of honor at the Masquers' Revel. * » * Our Passing Show: Harold B. Franklin, Jesse Lasky, Sid Grauman, C. B. De Mille, Al Kaufman, David Butler, Harry J. Brown, David Mendoza, Eddie Buzzell, Harry Collins, Wells Root, Marie Halvey, at the opening of "City Lights"; Harry J. Brown, Dave Garber and Danny Hall chatting at Universal. » * * To Malcolm Stuart Boylan and William Conselman will go the honors for the dialogue for "A Connecticut Yankee," when Fox releases that Will Rogers starring vehicle Boylan, lineal descendant of a long line of Celtic forebearers, is responsible for the archaic dialogue, while the modern talk was handled by Conselman. * * * Nat Carr, well known charactr comedian featured in the Pathe comedy, "Campus Champs," wrote his own Jewish dialect, for his role of "Ginsberg, the College Tailor." This is a sequel to Carr's recent Pathe hit, "Two Plus Fours." * * * Una Merkel has been signed to a Fox contract. * * * Jack Raymond celebrated his return from London by going to a dentist. He is to George Jessel what George is to Eddie Cantor. * * * Mae Murray reported for work, as usual, at Radio Pictures studio while a new oil gusher roared in her back yard at Venice. Miss Murray has named the well "Lowell Sherman," a tribute to the actor and director of "Bachelor Apartment," in which she is featured. Miss Murray has three other oil producing wells. * * * Robert Ames will remain with Radio Pictures. His option recently was taken up and extended to a term contract arrangement. * * * While Charles Farrell is in Europe on a three months' vacation, some other young player will get a chance to plav opposite Janet Gaynor in Fox's "Merely Mary Ann." * * " * "An author is the person who wrote the story, if the picture is a flop," according to Ben Lyon. * * * Walter Hiers, who attended the funeral of his mother in Hollywood, will resume his personal appearance tour of Publix theaters. A i Hold Lucy, who plaijid the schoolmaster in "All Quiet on the Western Front," has been signed for an important role in "Merely Mary Ann," which will be made by Fox. * * * Max Rae, Radio Pictures' art director, is in New York on his annual research for architectural, fashion and furnishings ideas. * * * Donald Haines, 10-year old screen actor who appears in "Hot Wires," is the third lad to play Daphne Pollard's son in a series of Pathe comedies in which the tiny comedienne portrays the role of Mrs. Heminway, the Cockney cook. Buster Slovin and Ginger Connelly are the others. * * * Believe it or not, Will Rogers has taught a King how to spin a lariat with all the ease of a cowboy. The "king" was William Farnum, wearing the gold brocaded costume and ermine Hned cape of King Arthur, whom he portrayed in "A Connecticut Yankee." Between scenes Rogers taught Farnum how to handle the lariat. The star himself performs some astonishing tricks with the rope in several scenes of the picture. * * * King Arthur's guards in "A Connecticut Yankee" are really a group of gridiron stars from the University of Southern California making a little extra money by acting in Fox pictures. They are James Musick, Ward Bond, Ernie Pinckert, Gene Clark, Don Moses and Tay Brown, familiar faces to football followers, although a bit difficult to recognize in suits of armor. * * * William K. Howard's next picture will be "I Surrender," a talking picture adaptation of Pierre Benoit's novel, "Axelle." The story deals with life in a German prison camp. Is * ♦ Constance Bennett is noted for her ability to learn dialogue quickly. * * * Tommy Clifford. 12-year-old Dublin youngster who has been under contract to Fox for a year and a half, will be on his way home to Ireland soon. Tommy leaves Hollywood February 9 to return to the Emerald Isle where he was discovered by Director Frank Borage during the filming of John McCormack s picture, "Song O' Mv Heart " * * * Lawrence Grant will be in M-G M's "Squaw Man." * * * Maurine Watkins' training as a newspaper woman came in handy Chic Sale to be Starred By Brock in Two-Reelers Chic Sale, the vaudeville and musical comedy star, will be starred by Louis Brock in a series of tworeelers for RKO release. March Sandrich will direct Sale. Brock also announces 24 two-reel comedies to be produced under his supervision. Six of these are. to star Rosco Ates, and six will feature Ned Sparks. Brock's "Headliner Series" also will be continued. Todd and Bletcher Assigned Harry Todd, character actor, and Billy Bletcher, cowboy player, have been assigned roles in Columbia's latest Buck Jones production, "The Fighting Patrol." Carmelita Geraghty has the stellar feminine part and Ross Lederman is directing. "Flood" Cast Completed Signing of Ethan Allen and Ed Brady, completes the cast of Columbia's "The Flood." Monte Blue and Eleanor Boardman are featured, with David Newell, Frank Sheridan, William V. Mong, Arthur Hovt, Viola Barlowe and Ethel Wales. James Tinling is directing. Cast of "All Woman" Complete Casting of "All Woman," Bebe Daniels' next starring picture for Warner Bros., has been completed. The picture will start production early next week. The supporting cast includes, Ricardo Cortez, Dudley Digges, Una Merkel, Robert Elliott, Thelma Todd, Otto Matiesen, Oscar Apfel, Walter Long, Dwight Frye, J. Farrell MacDonald. Augustine Borgato. Kay Hammond A Mother A seven pound son was born Wednesday to Kay Hammond, stage and screen actress, who in private life is Mrs. Henry B. Wetherby. during the filming of "Doctors' Wives," for which she wrote the screen story and dialog. Director Frank Borzape needed a news story, presumably from the front page of a newspaper, to be filmed in closeup telling of the death of a prominent doctor, portrayed by Victor Varconi. Miss Watkins sat down to her typewriter and in a few moments had a spot news story written and ready for printing. * * * Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Breese plan to go east next month. Anything for a Change RKO announces that the title of "Room and Board" has been changed to "Board and Room."