Film Daily (1931)

THE -Zfr* DAILY Friday, April 10. 1931 f) LATEST HOLLYWOOD HAPPENINGS © = Coast Wire Service — Sono Rushing Production In Line with Sales Drive In conjunction with the spring sales drive being conducted by Bud4 Rogers, sales director of Sono ArtWorld Wide, from April 15 to May 15, completion of Sono's "In Old Cheyenne," "First Aid," and "Hell Bent for Frisco" will be speeded up on the arrival of George Weeks, who is due here next week to> personally superintend and expedite these productions. Sono already has 11 pictures on its 1930-31 schedule in current release. Vivian Oakland Cast Vivian Oakland has been selected by Lou Brock to play opposite Rosco Ates in his new Radio Pictures short subject, "A Cleanup on the Curb," to be directed by Lloyd French. Added to "The Lawyer's Secret" Francis McDonald, Wilbur Mack, Harold Goodwin, Sid Saylor, Robert Perry and Lawrence La Marr have been added by Paramount to "The Lawyer's Secret," being directed by Max Marcin and Louis Gasnier. Robert Keith in "White Shoulders" Robert Keith has been added to the cast of "White Shoulders," Radio Pictures' production now being adapted to the talking screen under direction of Mel Brown from the Rex Beach novel, "Recoil." Syndicate Completes Another Syndicate Pictures has completed work on "God's Country and the Man," starring Tom Tyler with Betty Mack, and directed by J. P. McCarthy. "A Son of the Plains," starring Bob Custer, directed by Robert Bradbury, is now in work. The former is a story by Al Bridges, while the Custer story is by Bradbury. Only two more Bob Custer and three more Tom Tyler releases remain to complete Syndicate's yearly program. Chic Sale Starting First Chic Sale, vaudeville star and newly signed by Radio Pictures for a series of six comedy shorts to be known as the "Lem Putt" series, began work this week on the first of these two reelers under direction of Mark Sandrich, according to Louis Brock, the producer. The supporting cast includes Charles Dow Clark, Robert McKenzie, Ben Holmes and Aileen Carlyle. Doubling Tempe Pigott, appearing in RKO Pathe's "Born" to Love," is dividing her time between this picture and a stage role with Leon Errol in "Lost Sheep" at the Biltmore. Fred Esmelton, another player in "Born to Love," runs a profitable catering establishment Tn Hollywood. A LITTLE from "LOTS" By RALPH W1LK ("LIVE BROOK, now making "The Lawyer's Secret" for Paramount, will next be featured m "Silence." * * * Clifford Dempsey ivill have a comedy role with Robert Woolsey in "Going! Going! Gone" for KKO. Clyde Bruckman is directing. Al Boasberg and Ralph Spence did the dialogue. * * * Walter Miller and Ashley Buck were recently added to "1 he Sky Patrol," being directed by Christie Cabanne tor Columbia. * * * Geoffrey Kerr appears opposite Lily Damita in Radio s "The Sphinx Has Spoken," with Victor Schertz tnger directing. * * * "Queen of Hollywood" is now being directed by Norman Taurog at Paramount. In the cast are Mitzi Green, Edna May Oliver, Louise Fazenda and Jackie Searl. The story is by Sinclair Lewis and those who worked on the adaptation and dialogue include Don Marquis, Edward Paramore, Jr., Joseph Mankiewicz and Agnes Brand Leahy. * * * Lillian Worth and Nena Quartaro will appear with Buck Jones in "Red River Rogues," directed by Louis King for Columbia. * * * Max Ree, head of the RKO art department, has been invited to design the interior for a huge new transport plane being built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. * * * Says Al Boasberg, Radio Pictures associate producer: "A bird in the hand is vulgar — use a knife and fork." * * * Dan Totheroh has returned to Paramount and is writing the screen play for "The Rose of the Rancho." * * * A little success goes to the heads of some people — and make them big "heels." % * $ An important event in sound recording was achieved when the Radio Pictures' "Going! Going! Gone!" company, starring Robert Woolsey, succeeded in recording the rustling of leaves, bird calls and natural wind effects during a location trip to Sherwood Forest, 35 miles from Hollywood. The recording was accomplished by the silencer and ground noise eliminator invented by Hugh McDowell, Jr. * * * Our Passing Show: Fred Guiol and Charles "Chuck" Callahan chatting at RKO-Pathe; Frank E. Woods busy at Paramount; Edward Goodman and his staff lunching at Paramount. Ralph Staub is all smiles these days. Staub, who directs "Screen Snapshots," lor Columbia release, has been informed by some prominent stars that they have had a tremendous increase in their fan mail since appearing in his "Snapshots." One star, m particular, declared that he received more fan mail from a 100 foot publicity stunt in "Snapshots" than he did from several feature pictures Dave Garber, formerly of Universal, is now designing the sets for all RKO-Pathe comedy shorts. Solly Biano, Wells Root, Cedric Gibbons, Oliver H. P. Garrett, James Seymour, Martin Cornica, Francis Perrett, Erwin Gelsey, Ted von Eltz, Phil Aioore, Fredrick Smith, John Cromwell, Karl Hovey, Craufurd Kent and Mauri Grashin are among the players tuning up their rackets for the second annual Motion Picture association tennis tournament that will be held next month. Earl Baldwin is writing the treatment for an Eddie Quillan vehicle, which will be made by RKO-Pathe. Baldwin recently wrote an original story, "The Lion's Share," which Fox will make, with El Brendel as the star. * * * Raymond L. Shock and Howard J. Green are writing the screen play and dialogue for "Queer People," which will be directed by Leo McCarey. * * * Millard Webb is preparing the story for another British Gaumont production in London, having completed "The Happy Ending," his introductory assignment. Meanivhile, his wife, Mary Eaton, is continuing her sucess in "Folly to Be Wise," a Paul Murray Revue which has enjoyed a run of many months at the Picadilly in London. Says Robert Woolsey: "A lowbrow tells you what he thinks; a highbrow tells you what somebody else thinks. William K. Wells, stage and screen playwright under contract to Warner Bros., is an ardent sportsman. He has fished the sporty streams from Portland, Me-, to Portland, Ore., and has done a goodly share of deep sea angling as well. His gun racks disclose a fine collection of modern firearms. Fanchon & Marco Finish New Production Studio Construction activity on what is termed the largest stage show production studio in the world has been completed here for Fanchon & Marco. Fifty thousand square ieet of floor space is provided in the seven buildings comprising the plant, which employs a staff of 250. When operation of the studio attains capacity, the present producing budget will be doubled, it was stated yesterday. From this plant will emanate complete stage show units to fill 36 consecutive week bookings. Susan Fleming Opposite Buzzell Susan Fleming, tormer Ziegfeld beauty, will play her first role for Columbia opposite Eddie Buzzell in "Kings or Better," the latest short subject in the company's "Specialties" series. Fitzmaurice Again Directs Colman George Fitzmaurice will again direct Ronald Colman in "The Unholy Garden," by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. Samuel Goldwyn will produce for United Artists. Jack Neville Signed by U Jack Neville, adaptor of "Trader Horn," has been engaged by Universal to do the script of "A Lady of Resource." Edward Laemmle will direct this Arthur Somers Roche story, which was serialized in Colliers. Albright Ass'gned to "Hush Money" Fox has assigned Hardie Albright to the juvenile lead opposite Joan Bennett in "Hush Money." Douglas Cosgrove is another addition to the production, which will be directed by Sidney Lanfield. Paramount Renews Contracts Richard Arlen, Frances Dee and Charles Starrett have had their contracts renewed by Paramount. Arlen is now appearing in "The Lawyer's Secret," Frances Dee is shortly to begin work in "Confessions of a CoEd," and Starrett is en route to the Coast to play the lead opposite Clara Bow in her picture to follow "KickIn." Time Saver George Archainbaud found it so expedient to use an airplane in the work of inspecting locations for "Helga," Betty Compson's next starring vehicle, that he will use this method again in future. First Monogram Goes in Work John P. McCarthy, formerly with M-G-M, will direct "Ships of Hate." first Monogram Pictures vehicle, which goes into production April IS. Wellyn Totman is responsible for the storv.