The Film Daily (1931)

DAILY Friday, May 22, 1931 \ BY W. F. An improved Western Electric microphone, operating on a principle similar to that of the first telephone transmitter used by Alexander Graham Hell, is announced by Electrical Research Products for use in recording talking pictures. The microphone, already in use in a number of studios, is known as the Western Electric Electrodynamic transmitter. The new transmitter is a development of the Bell Telephone Laboratories. Its use is said to eliminate several recording problems: one of which has been the difficulty in hiding the microphone from the view of the camera. The new microphone is smaller and its associated amplifier may be located as far as two hundred feet from the microphone making it much easier to hide from the view of the camera. The amplifier for the condenser microphone was built as an integral part of the microphone housing and made it extremely difficult to camouflage in many sets. Other advantages of the new transmitter are that it is less affected by dust and moisture and need not be kept in a desiccator. Dubbed U. S. Talkers Stir Boycott Threat (Continued from Po"p 11 foreign actors' unions. The doubling with French voices of roles played by American actors is called "a fraudulent artistic compromise" that degrades the actors who take part in the practice. Objection also is taken to roles being still attributed to actors whose voices are not used. "Variety" Returns to Fifth Ave. "Yarietv," with Emil Jannings and I.ya de Putti, returns for an engagement at the Fifth Ave. Plavhouse starting tomorrow on the same bill with "Tropen Nachts," all-German musical drama with Elfe Heller, Fritz Grainer and Robert Thoeren. M. A. Lightman to Speak at Meet St. Joseph, Mo. — M. A. Lightman, president of the M.P.T.O.A., will deliver the principal address at the annual convention of the M.P.T.O.A. of Kansas and Western Missouri to hp held here Mav 26-27 Earl V. Hyning, local president, will preside at the meetings. COMING & GOING ED KUYKENriAHr. of Columbus. Miss., a member of tbe M.P.T.O.A. board of directors, is in New York on a business trip, following a visit to Boston. F. H. (MANNY) GOLDSTEIN, home office executive at RKO Pathe, has left for the coast. HAROLD B. FRANKLIN leaves today for Dallas. JACK CONNOLLY, general manager ot Pathe News, is back from abroad. MAE MURRAY left yesterday for the coast. HOLLYWOOD FLASHES By RALPH WILK RUSSELL HOPTON, who recent ly finished a stage engagement in "Once in a Lifetime," will play an important role in "The Star Witness," at First National. His initial screen work was in "The Call of the Flesh." Radio Pictures Notes: Rosco Ates' next short comedy for Radio Pictures will be "The Gland Parade." Harold Schwartz will direct it for Lou Brock. . . . Roberta Gale and Rochelle Hudson have been added to the cast of "The Reckoner," starring Richard Dix. . . . Ford West, Gus Leonard, Patsy O'Byrne and Monty Collins, Jr., have been added to the cast of Chic Sale's comedy lor Radio Pictures, "The Cow Slips." Fox has assigned Dorothy Peterson a role with Will Rogers in "The Plutocrat," to be directed by David Butler; John St. Polis for "Their Mad Moment," Harry Rosenthal for "Merely Mary Ann," and Albert dran and Farrell Macdonald with Dorothy Jordan in "The Brat," which John Ford will direct. Guy Kibbee has joined the cast of "Bine Moon Murder," which has been placed in production by First National. Kibbee also will play in "Larceny Lane" for Warners. A story of murder, mystery and melodrama by Martin Flavin, Broadway olavwrieht and author of "The Criminal Code," and Joe Sherman, former presidents of the Wampas and film oublicitv man, will serve as George Bancroft's fir«t starring picture under his new Paramount contract. "Skyb'ne," Thomas Meighan's second victure for For, is? now in nroduction under S"m Taylor'? direction, ffnrdie Albr;aht. J. M. K"rr>rtav. William Hoi dP,n and Kendall MacComas have principal roles. Six more players have been added to the cast of "The Star Witness," which is almost ready to start production at the Warner studios under the direction of William A. Wellman. TI-ipv p-p Tn..i Duea" Harrv Hoiman, Guv d'Ennery. Fletcher Norton, Ed Deering and Noel Madison. On completion of his third Tiffany nc+ion western. "The Two Gun Mav." Ken Maynard left far a tivowek vacation to Columbus, O.. where his varents live. Mavnard. who is a licensed vilot, is pilotinq his own two hundred and twenty horse power biplane on this trip. Nora Lane has been signed to a Fox contract. After waiting two hours to see a casting director, a little extra girl hurried awav from the waiting room declaring, "I don't care if I don't see God before I die." Harold Schuster, who edited "Always Goodbye," also did the cutting on "Quick Millions." He has worked on several Fox pictures. Phil Gersdorf, head of the RKO Pathe studio publicity department, managed several theaters in the South before starting studio work. He was an usher at the New York Rialto before being promoted to the theater's publicity department by Roxy. Charles A. "Chuck" Callahan wrote material for Frank Tinney, Earl Carroll and Joe Cook. He also acted in vaudeville and revues, teaming with his brother, Bobby. He was with Hal Roach prior to joining the Pathe writing staff. Charles Stumar, veteran cameraman, will handle the photography on "Mississippi" for Universal. He also did the camera work on "Aloha." He spent two years in German studios. Arthur Tavares, who cut "Seed," edited "Trilby," which was made bv Richard Walton Tully in 1923. He was with B. B. Hampton for three years, cutting 17 pictures during that time. If studio red-tape becomes any tighter, autograph hounds may be required to get the autographs of executives — on passes. Gilbert Warrenton will photograph "Honeymoon Lane," starring Eddie Dowling. The picture, which is being produced by George Weeks, will be released by Paramount. Warrenton also did the camera work on "The Comedian," a Spanish picture, which will be distributed by Paramount. Although Frances Starr is not a student of astronomy, "stars" figure in her life. The former stage star has completed her first picture, "Five Star Final," and will soon start work in "The Star Witness." C. Henry Gordon will attend the premiere of Florence Reed's play, "Typhoon," in San Francisco. For three years he played the role of "Oshim.o" opposite Miss Reed in "The Shanghai Gesture." Gordon has just finished work in two pictures. "The Black Camel" and "Hush Money." Simile — As truthful as publicity statements, relating the "cordial relations" between studios and executives who have just left their payrolls. Monte Carter is directing "The Waif" for Fashion News. The cast includes Albert Conti, Natalie Moorhead. Mary Carlyle and Barbara Weeks. Carter also wrote the story, which is being made in Multicoloro. NET LOSS FOR REPORTED BY Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., yesterday reported for the quarter endedi Feb. 28, last, a consolidated net loss of $500,066.44 after deducting all charges including interest and deJ preciation. Divisions of the company other than Brunswick and National! Radio Advertising, Inc., show nelj earnings of $769,209.19, after deduct^ ing all charges including interest and depreciation. An operating loss of $1,269,275.63 was sustained by the Brunswick and National Radio Ad vertising divisions. Amortization and depreciation oi fixed assets charged during the perio amounted to $2,524,327.63. Net prof-] it, after deducting the losses sus tained by Brunswick and Nationa Radio Advertising, and after al charges, including interest but befor amortization and depreciation of fixe assets, amounted to $2,024,261.19. The attached consolidated balanci sheet as of Feb. 28 shows currenl assets of $33,962,908.94 compare* with total current liabilities of $16| 330,358.98. Cash on hand amounted to $4,939,404.80, while notes pavabld were $3,006,424.70. Commenting on the report Harrjl M. Warner pointed out that the com pany has decided to set up reserve: on the books of Brunswick for accounts receivable and all possibly losses which might arise owing t the depreciation of the inventories He stated that for the six month! ended Feb. 28, last, the consolidate net earnings of Warner Bros. Pictures, were $3,083,396.93, exclusive rj the losses sustained bv Brunswick and National Radio Advertising. Sachs, Hoyt Off Warner Board Walter F. Sachs of Goldman, Sachl & Co. and Richard F. Hoyt of Haji den, Stone & Co., have resigned a| members of the Warner Bros, e: ecutive committee. The company' board of directors, at yesterday"! meeting, accepted the resignations ; Hollywood Players to Tour Small Towns (Continued ftom Paoc 1) hibit a baseball team of Hollywood girls. Players selected for the firsfl company arc. Princilla Dean, ShaM non Day, Pauline Garon, VirsinS Pearson, Carmel Granada, Rosfl Rosario, Mary Ann Jackson ana Jackie Hoorav. NEW YORK CHARTER Horowitz-Lowey, theatrical; F. & J. WeisJ 35(1 Madison Ave., New York. $10,000. 1 Puppet Pictures, motion pictures; M. RiB kin. In Court St., Brooklyn, N. Y. $10.0M pfd.. 500 shares common. Jaystock Amusement Corp., motion pictures™ Re"it & Kaminsky, 1441 Broadway, Ne# York. $2',50O. Harrison Hall, theatrical enterprises; BoJ« key, Schiller & Serling. 11 West 42nd St J New York. Meyers Amusement Enterprises; Weissman & Rapps, 16 Court St., Brooklyn, N. Y. 100 shares common. NEW JERSEY CHARTER Penn-Jersey Amusement Corp., Camden, theatrical proprietors; Maurice L. Praissman, Camden, N. J. $125,000.