The Film Daily (1931)

THE Sunday, February IS, 1931 •<M?k DAILV Foreign Markets By GEORGE REDDY P.D.C. STATUS UNAFFECTED BY RKO PURCHASE OF PATHE London — In an official announcement as to the status of Producers Distributing Co., Ltd., as a result of the acquisition of Pathe by RKO, Reginald Smith, managing director of the British Pathe subsidiary stated that his organization would continue to function independently of Radio Pictures, Ltd., which remains under supervision of Sol. G. Newman. Banks Directing Another B.I.P. Elstree,1 Eng. — Monty Banks is now directing another comedy in the B.I.P. series starring Leslie Fuller. Title of the production is "Bill's War Debt," and cast in addition to Fuller, features seven year old Peter Lawford and "Bob" the canine performer. Talker Lessons London — As an experiment to test the value of talkers in the education of scholars, particularly those of the "backward" class, a schedule of talkfilm lessons will be conducted in 15 Middlesex schools. This experiment is being made possible through the cooperation of Western Electric, which is supplying free of charge the latest type portable reproducing apparatus. Elite Reduces Capital Hastings, Eng. — Capital of Elite Picture Theaters, with holdings here and in Bristol and St. Leonards, has been reduced from $625,000 to $504,685. Pathe Gazette Prizes London — In conjunction with the 21st anniversary celebration of the Pathe Gazette, for which First National-Pathe is issuing special historical editions of the newsreel covering events from 1910 to 1931, prizes of $1,000 are being offered patrons in a voting competition to decide which of the subjects should be preserved for posterity. BIRN'GHAM EXHIBS PROTEST GRANTING OF NEW LICENSES Birmingham — Claiming that a serious condition o$ overseating was now prevalent in this territory as a result of unrestricted granting of kinema licenses, exhibitors attending the recent annual meeting of the Birmingham) and Midlands branch of the C.E.A. suggested that the organization take legal steps to oppose applications for new licenses. Oscar Deutsch, chairman of the Assn. promised members action would be taken in the matter at the next branch session. EASTERN STUDIO ACTIVITIES Short Shots from New York Studios Stoll Theater Profits Up $40,000 London — An increase in profits of approximately $40,000 was reported at the eleventh annual meeting of Stoll Picture Theater, Kingsway. Elinor Glyn Production Opens London— Elinor Glyn's production, "The Price of Things," directed by the authoress at Elstree studios is now playing at the Pavilion here. Tonbild Declares 8% Dividend Berlin— Tonbild Syndikat AG, German subsidiary of Kuchenmeister International Co., for Acoustics, of Amsterdam, at its recent annual meeting declared a dividend of 8 per cent for the past fiscal year. Circuits Carry On London — Conferences held between the London and Home Counties branch of the C.E.A. and executives of leading theater circuits recently, resulted in a decision that the circuits would continue to open on Sunday despite present controversy with authorities on the matter. \ G-S Starts Series for Fox London — G. S. Enterprises, headed by George Smith, has launched production at the Twickenham studios on "We Dine At Seven," the first of a series of four four-reelers this company will make for Fox. Director of the series is F. Attwood Richardson. Percy Marmont in Fogwell Film London — Pejcy Marmont has been signed by Reginald Fogwell Productions to play the title role opposite Madeleine Carroll in the Gilbert Frankau story, "Martin Make-Believe," now in work at British and Dominion studios. B.I.P's "Glamour" Cast Set Elstree— Assigning of Margot Grahame, new British' star by B.I.P to play the leading role opposite Seymour Hicks in "Glamour," completed the cast of the film. In support of the principals are Ellaline Ternss, David Hawthorne, Betty Hicks, Bromley Davenport, Clifford Heatnerley, Naomi Jacob, Beverley Nichols, Basil Gill and Phillip Hewland. S By HARRY N. BLAIR _ TVTICHOLAS CAVALIERE, Pathe Audio Review cameraman, recently completed the difficult assignment of photographing giant steel converters, in action. No artificial lighting was required, the gleam of light from streams of molten lead and the shower of sparks, providing sufficient illumination. * * * Ruth Etting, a popular radio crooner in addition to her record, stage and vaudeville activities, will be featured in "Radio Romance," by Warner Bros., her third short for that company. Emmanuel Jacobs, in charge of titling Paramount foreign versions, was instrumental in assembling a complete history of the American soldier during the world war, while he was an officer in the army's photographic division, which also included Lewis Milestone, Josef Von Sternberg, Richard Wallace and Wesley Ruggles. * * * Paramount notes: Tallulah Bankhead owns a snow white Pekingese, one of the few in existence . . . .it answers to the name of "Maxmilian" ... .Ernst Lubitsch makes his characters attend rehearsals in complete costume, a new procedure for the East Coast studio. . . .Chevalier, who rates big money for singing over the radio, not to mention talkies, wastes his precious notes tohile roaming the studio corridors.... Thelma White and Billy Wayne have just completed another of their series at the Warner Vitaphone studio. This time the action is built around the muddled efforts of an amateur inventor who is better at making up excuses than patents that sell. Evelyn Gerstein has resigned from Paramount's writing staff to put the finishing touches on a three-act comedy. Miss Gerstein, who is film editor of the "Theatre Guild Magazine" and film correspondent for the Boston "Evening Transcript," recently completed the adaptation of "Up Pops the Devil" with Robert L. Johnson. Franz Liszt's powerful composition, "Mazeppa," is played by the Audio Review Symphonic Ensemble as tonal accompaniment for a scene recently filmed in the mammoth steel mills in Pittsburgh. INDUSTRIALS NO MENACE, SAYS PRODUCTION HEAD Industrial films will in no way effect the demand for short subjects, in the opinion of Sam Sax, general manager of the Warner Vitaphone studio. Exhibitors must depend upon a product they can count on getting regularly, he says. Neither does the appearance of "names" in industrials militate against their effectiveness in ordinary releases, Sax feels, since both are reaching the same market and there is little danger of confliction. The present tendency in shorts is toward one-reelers, he believes, with novelty films and comedies on the ascendancy. Musical films are also popular, with no demand for color. Vitaphone is planning to make about the same number of films as last year, when a total of around 200 was reached. Burns and Allen Short Starts New Para. Schedule Making of a single-reel comedy with Burns and Allen, vaude act, will mark resumption of short subject production at the Paramount New York studio March 30. The second subject scheduled is tentatively titled "Oh, My Operation." O'Connell with Paramount Hugh O'Connell, now appearing on Broadway in "Once In a Lifetime," has been signed by Paramount for a principal role in "The Smiling Lieutenant,"1 about to start under the direction of Ernst Lubitsch. O'Connell has previously appeared in numerous Vitaphone shorts. D'Arrast and Chevalier; Harry D'Arrast is scheduled to direct Chevalier's next picture for Paramount. The story has not yet been decided upon. Vitaphone Signs Husing Ted HusThg, radio announcer, has been signed by Warner Vitaphone for a series on current sports events, to be known as "Sports Slants." Rechetnik on Vitaphone Publicity Sanford Abrahams, who has been in charge of publicity at the Warner Vitaphone studio for the past year, has been advanced to the advertising department at the home office. He is succeeded by Sidney Rechetnik, formerly of the home office. N. BREWSTER MORSE Originals, Adaptations, Dialogue, Continuity For Henry King "Hell Harbor" ind "Eye* ol the World" P. O. Bos 1212, Hollywood. Calif.