The Film Daily (1935)

Friday, Dec. 13,1935 15 22 Vitaphone Shorts In Hands of Cutters » » » TIMELY TOPICS « « « Twenty-two Vitaphone shorts are now in the hands of the film cutters at the Brooklyn studios of the company. They include 11 two-reel subjects and 11 of one-reel length. The two-reelers are: An untitled "Broadway Brevity" musical starring Hal LeRoy with the Preisser Sisters; an untitled Vitaphone Comedy dealing with the adventures of Joe Palooka, featuring Robert Norton and Shemp Howard; "The Stars Can't Be Wrong", a "Broadway Brevity" with an all-star cast; a "Broadway Brevity" starring Irene Bordini; "The Black Network", an all-colored "Broadway Brevity"; "Between the Lines", a "Broadway Brevity", starring Bernice Claire; "While the Cat's Away", a Vitaphone Comedy, starring Shemp Howard; An untitled "Broadway Brevity" starring Phil Harris; "They're Off", starring the Four Yacht Club Boys, a Vitaphone Comedy; "Shake, Mr. Shakespeare" and "Broadway Ballyhoo", "Broadway Brevities". The one-reelers are: E. M. Newman's "Harbor Lights", "Markets and Things We Eat", "Vacation Spot s", "Strange Occupations", "Steel and Stone", all episodes in "Our Own United States" series; Jolly Coburn and Orchestra, Little Jack Little, Ramon Ramos and Orchestra, Red Nichols and His World Famous Pennies, B. A. Rolfe and Orchestra in "Off the Record", all "Melody Master" numbers: An untitled Big Time Vaudeville Reel; "Vitaphone Troupers", another vaudeville reel with Aunt Jemima; and the Radio Ramblers in "The Half Wit-ness," a Pepper Pot novelty. Filing Bill to License All Theatrical Agents A bill to license all classes of theatrical agents and requiring payment of a $25 license fee and the posting of a $1,000 bond will be introduced before the Board of Aldermen within the next few weeks with the approval of the agents, it was said yesterday by I. Robert Broder, counsel for the Loew, RKO and independent vaudeville agents. The bill will classify theatrical agents as "artists representatives" and thus exempt them from the state law limiting the fees of employment agents to 5 and 10 percent. The agents hitherto fought licensing because of the limitation on fees which would result. Says Stars Are Not At Mercy of Cameraman y^LL this talk about a cameraman being able to ruin a film star's career is absolute bunk. A cameraman is an employee, not an executive, and his work is reviewed every day by executives. Where does all this talk about a cameraman's power come from, then? It comes from the fact that most of our stars have slight defects in their features and depend upon the artistry of the cameraman to erase those defects with proper lighting and photography. A poor photographer could ruin a star's beauty only if he were permitted to do so. Should his lens be too high or too low, should he use improper lighting and shading or fail to handle expertly a facial defect, the resultant screening might make the most beautiful actress appear ghastly. There is no such thing as a "fool proof" face. But there are a few lens-perfect faces which can be photographed from any angle with equally good results. We have two on the RKO lot, Katharine Hepburn and Barbara Stanwyck. Their faces and heads are symmetrical, nd their peculiarly sensitive eyes and mouths make photographing them a pleasure. — J. Roy Hunt. * * * Disney Not So Keen On Being Celebrity TT feels fine when being a celebrity helps get choice reservations for a football game. It doesn't feel so good when an autograph enthusiast picks you out of a crowd. Most of the time, I imagine, people just don't go around feeling that they are celebrities. As far as I can remember, being a celebrity has never helped me make a good picture, or good shot in a polo game, or command the obedience of my daughter, or impress my wife. It doesn't even seem to help keep fleas off our dogs, and, if being a celebrity won't even give one an advantage over a couple of fleas, then I guess there can't be much in being a celebrity after all. — Walt Disney. Denver Dribbles Iowa Items Denver — Rick Ricketson, manager of the Fox Intermountain division, is touring Montana looking over the Fox situation there. He had just returned from Kansas City, where he visited with Spyros Skouras, who was on his way to the west coast. Robert Dempsey has been promoted to manager at the Park theater, Greeley, Colo., from the assistant manager's job at the Sterling, both Publix houses. Tom Berta, city manager for Fox at Rock Springs, Wyo., has returned from a trip to the Mayo clinic. He says he gained eight pounds. New Fox house at Boulder, Colo., will be opened Jan. 9. Theater was built on the site of the old Curran theater and will now be called the Boulder. Princess theater at Ault, Colo., closed for more than two years, has been reopened by F. H. Hendrickson and H. A. Johnson. Will Set M-G-M British Program The production schedule to be carried out by M-G-M at London will be definitely set at conferences between Louis B. Mayer and other studio executives and Ben Goetz at the coast probably late in January. Goetz sails for England tomorrow on the Aquitania, but will return m about five weeks after examining the situation in London. Chief theater at Steamboat Springs, Colo., has been bought by John A. Grove, who also operates the Rio at Oak Creek, Colo., and has shows once a week with portable sound in Redcliffe, Gypsum, Minter, and Eagle. Westland Theaters will be reopening two theaters soon. The Palm, which will be called the Chief, is being completely remodeled. The Kiva at Grand Junction, remodeled from an old building for theater purposes, will be reopened about Christmas. Des Moines — Iowa Theater Co. at Emmetsburg plans immediate rebuilding, according to A. J. Swanson, manager. The house was destroyed by fire Dec. 9. Board of Education has allowed Swanton to use the high school auditorium until the new theater is built. Ralph and Charles Young of Woodbine will open a theater at Moorhead sometime in December. Variety club initiation in Des Moines has been postponed due to the inability of national officers to attend. New Dave Apollon Short Finished Dave Apollon and Band completed their latest Vitaphone short at the company's Brooklyn studios yesterday. Featured in this one-reel musical are Florence Sundstrom, Lois and Jean Sterner and the Twelve Debutantes. Joseph Henabery directed. Danubia Gets Hungarian Musical "Budai Cukraszda" ("It Happened in a Gypsy Tea Room"), a musical romance, described as the Hungarian "Two Hearts in Waltz Time," has been imported by Danubia Pictures. It will be presented at the Hunnia Playhouse. Weldon Heyburn in New Play Weldon Heyburn has been cast for the lead in "I Want a Policeman," play which opens at Philadelphia on Dec. 26 prior to a Broadway run. Heyburn leaves New York soon to work in pictures at the Coast. Local 306 Achievements Listed by Joseph Basson In a report to the membership of Local 306 on his stewardship, Joseph D. Basson, who is a candidate for re-election as president of the union in the impending election, cites the accomplishments of his regime including new contracts with major circuits, rehabilitation of the morale of the organization, elimination of discrimination and special privileges, winning of public support, removal of the threat of loss of the union's charter, establishment of true democracy in the union, enforcement of wage scales and progress toward organization of more theaters. Basson states that a committee appointed to draft a new constitution for the local has completed its task and that the document will soon be submitted to the membership. He asserts that the refusal of the LA. T.S.E. to sanction a strike against the circuits at a time when wage negotiations were proceeding, handicapped the local in these dealings. 19 More Dates on "Dream" Nineteen new roadshow dates have beena set on the Warner porduction of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The engagements, all limited roadshow bookings are: Windsor Theater, Windsor, Conn., Dec. 27-28; Capitol, Cincinnati, Jan. 17-23; Keith's, Indianapolis, Jan. 1723; Mary Anderson, Louisville, Jan. 24-30; Colley, Norfolk, Jan. 18; Palace, Bethlehem, Pa., Jan. 15-16; Majestic, Harrisburg, Jan. 23-26; State, Allentown, Jan. 28-31; Embassy, Easton, Jan. 28-31; National, Richmond, Jan. 17-24; Warner, Erie, Jan. 15-18: Cambria, Johnstown, Jan. 14-17; Virginia, Charlestown, W. Va., Jan. 15-18; Warner, Morgantown, W. Va., Jan. 15-18; Smoot, Parkersburg. W. Va., Jan. 22-25; Ritz, Clarksburg, W. Va., Jan. 2225; Library, Warren, Pa., Jan. 2023; Liberty, Sharon, Pa., Jan. 20-23; Bryon Memorial, Washington Depot, Conn., 3 performances beginning Jan. 30. Charge Bank Night Infringement Three infringement suits have been started in New York State by Affiliated Distributors, sponsors of "Bank Night." Actions are pending against the following: Interboro circuit, charging infringement in five Brooklyn houses; two theaters operated by Harry Shiftman and the State at Middletown. All actions are in Federal Courts. Gets RKO Polish Post Christophe Goldstein has been named RKO Radio representative in Poland with headquarters in Moscow. Michael Havas, central European representative for RKO Radio, had been temporarily in charge of the Polish office.