The Film Daily (1931)

22 DAILY Sunday, April 12, 1931 Shorts in Series Being Favored on New Programs Vitaphone Plans Bigger Number of Shorts in Groups In line with a trend that is being ored more and more by a majority of producers, Vitaphone is changing its short subject production program for the coming season and mstead of making individual pictures will make them in series. Production executives are now at work lining up the stars and the series to be made, and titles of the series and the names of the stars will be announced within a short time. 1 wo outstanding series on the current program, which will be released to exhibitors during the spring and summer months are the Bobby Jones golfing pictures entitled "How I Play Golf," and the 12 two-reel "Adventures in Africa" series, filmed by Wynant D. Hubbard. Other series now being shown throughout the country are the Revert L. Ripley "Believe It or Not" topical flash series of which 10 have been released, with another awaiting release; the "'Looney Tunes" series of animated cartoons, of which Leon Schlesinger is the associate producer and of which 10 have been released; the "Naggers" series of domestic comedies, starring Mr. and Mrs. Jack X or worth, seven of which have been released; the Joe Penner Comedy series; the Ruth Etting dramas with songs; the Billy Wayne-Thelma White Comedies; the Helen Broderick manicurist comedies; the series of one-reel comedies, of two-reel comedies, of musical and flash numbers and of dramas. Coming series of shorts announcement of which have already been made include the E. M. Newman travel series, Ted Husing's "Sportplants" and more of the Ruth Etting dramas with songs. Current Vitaphone Series Tiffany's Football Shorts Will Get Syndicate Tie-up Tiffany's series of football shorts to be known as "Pigskin Problems," will be well publicized through a series of illustrated football problems and newspaper articles by Howard Jones, to be distributed by the Sper Newspaper Syndicate. The series will feature Jones, well known football coach of the University of Southern California who has coached Iowa, Vale. Syracuse, and other colleges. McGuire Clubs Popular An important factor in the increased public favor built up for the Mickey McGuire comedies turned out by Larry Darmour for RKO release is Darmour's enterprise in organizing Mickey McGuire kid clubs and personal stage presentations of Mickey and his supporting players. These stunts have proved highly popular and the policy will be continued and expanded upon by Darmour in the new season. "Adventures in Africa," 12 two-reelers, directed by Wynant D. Hubbard. Robert L. Ripley's "Believe It or Not." Five directed by Roy Mack, five by Murray Roth and one by Arthur Hurley. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Norworth in "The Naggers." Five directed by Alf Goulding, two each by Arthur Hurley and Roy Mack. Three to come. "Looney Tunes" cartoons, 11 in series. Leon Schlesinger, associate producer. Bobby Jones "How I Play Golf," series of 12. Directed by George E. Marshall. Ruth Etting dramas, with songs. Four directed by Roy Mack, one by Arthur Hurley. Helen Broderick comedies. Five in series. Two directed by Arthur Hurley, one each by Murray Roth and Harold Beaudine, one to come. Joe Penner comedies, nine in series. Five directed by Alf Goulding. two by Roy Mack, one each by Harold Beaudine and Arthur Hurley. Edgar Bergen Ventriloquist series. Two directed by Arthur Hurley, one each by Murray Roth and Roy Mack. Codee and Orth comedies. Two directed by Alf Goulding, one by Roy Mack. Frank Orth comedies. Two directed by Del Lord, one by Alf Goulding. Giovanni Martinelli operatic series of seven. Four directed by Roy Mack, two by Arthur Hurley, one to come. OUTDOOR PILMS LOOM BIG Red Grange to Receive Record Salary for Serial Under his contract with Nat Levine, president of Mascot Pictures, Red Grange will receive a record salary, reported at about $50,000, for his part in "The Galloping Ghost," serial being made for release by Mascot next September. Grange has previously appeared in one picture, "One Minute to Play " Upon completion of the present serial, he will return to Chicago to begin training for the football season. Four-Language Versions For "Book of Knowledge" English, Spanish, German and French versions are being provided by The Film Exchange, Inc., on its series of 10 "Living Book of Knowledge" all-talking subjects. The titles include: "Let's Go To The Zoo"; "Let's Go Fishing"; "Solace Of The Hills"; "Lonely Soul"; "Pageantry Of India"; "Silvery Salmon"; Birds Of A Feather"; "Jungle Babies"; "Lost Romance" and "Dinnertime In Animal Land." Lipton Being Kept Busy As Writer and Supervisor Lew Lipton, comedy writer, who was recently signed by RKO Pathe and subsequently appointed supervisor of all comedy shorts, succeeding Fred Lalley, who was made business manager of the studio, will personally write stories and serve as gag constructionist in addition to supervising all shorts. Lipton's first assignment with RKO Pathe was a feature for Eddie Quillan, which he has completed and carries the tentative title of "The Whoop-Te-Do Kid." Some of Lipton's early contributions in the comedy field were stories for Buster Keaton on the M-G-M lot where he was for six years, among his outstanding yarns being "Spite Marriage" and "The Cameraman." Current and forthcoming Vitaphone short subjects are invading the open spaces in a big way. The perfecting of the methods of recording sound in the open has made it possible to make talking pictures outof-doors almost as easily as on the sound-proof stage. Among the series of short subjects announced by Vitaphone which will be located almost entirely out in the open are the Bobby Jones series of 12 one-reelers on "How I Play," the first of which, "The Putter," will be released this month; the series of 12 two-reelers, "Adventures in Africa," selected from the 103,000 feet of film shot by Wynant D. Hubbard on a two-year photographing safari in upper Rhodesia and Portuguese East Africa. The first of the Hubbard shorts, "Into the Unknown," will be released on May 17, with the other 11 following at weekly intervals. Coming series, which will be devoted mainly to outdoor activities and occasions are the E. M. Newman travel talks and the Ted Husing "Sportslants." The first releases of both of these series have been shot and are now being edited. Vitaphone has as yet announced no release dates on either the travel picture or the "Sportslants." Outdoor locales have been utilized entirely or in part on a number of the individual shorts on the current program, notably in Earl Sande's racetrack drama, "The Handv Guy," in Eddie Lambert's "Laff Tour of Alaska," in "Honeymoon Trail," and n the two travel pictures, "Algiers" and "A Trip to Tibet." Preparing Third Prizefight Short Tiffany is preparing the third in its series of prizefight shorts starring Paul Hurst. RALPH B. STAUB Supervisor-Director OF Screen Snapshots FOR COLUMBIA PICTURES HAROLD SCHWARTZ Director "THE LONE STARVED RANGER" ROSCO ATES' FIRST STARRING COMEDY FOR LOUIS BROCK PRODS.— RKO