The Film Daily (1936)

Wednesday, Dec. 16,1936 A "JUUU" faun Hollywood "l&ts // By RALPH WILK HOLLYWOOD T>LANS to produce a musical film under supervision of Fanchon Royer, Fanchon and Marco, today were announced by Paramount. The picture will be a romantic musical comedy based on Mildred Harrington's "Turn Off the Moon," in which much of the action occurs in a model cottage on the floor of a department store. Marguerite Roberts will write the screen play. Featured roles will be given Eleanore Whitney and Johnny Downs. Sam Coslow has been assigned to write five musical numbers. Y T Y From Texas, Gene Autry sends word that new house records were set in five of the first eight theaters in which he and his troupe appeared on his present p. a. tour through the southwest. There will be Charlie Chan Oland, who has identified with signed with studios to star adventure films at least 10 more pictures. Warner become inseparably the character, has 20th Century-Fox in 10 more Chan the first to be Singer-Friedl Effect Minn. Operating Deal Minneapolis, Minn. — Six downtown Minneapolis theaters will go under joint management of Mort H. Singer and Minnesota Amusement Co., it was announced yesterday by John Friedl, president of Minnesota Amusement. The Film Daily previously reported such deal was in prospect. Starting Dec. 25th houses going under joint management are Minnesota, Orpheum, State, Lyric and Aster. The Orpheum was previously operated by Singer, the others by Minnesota Amusement. Mort Singer will be president of the new setup, expected to be called Singer Minneapolis Corp. Friedl, L. J. Ludwig of Minnesota Amusement and Morgan Ames of Singer interests will be the committee in charge. David Robins Improves David M. Robins, manager of the Warner theater in Youngstown, 0., is in the New York Post Graduate Medical School and Hospital, following a serious operation Dec. 9. He is reported recovering. Warners New Haven Party New Haven— The Warner Theater Department will have a Christmas party on Dec. 22, at the Seven Gables Inn, with I. J. Hoffman in charge. Theater managers of the more than 50 houses will attend, and a short business meeting will precede the party. WHO'S WHO IN HOLLYWOOD W • • Introducing Interesting Personalities: No. 8 • • • .LIAM GOETZ. Executive assistant ot Darryl F. Zanuck at 20th Cen tury-Fox, and the youngest of five brothers, all of whom have won their spurs in the industry. Rejected Brother Ben's advice that he prepare for a berth in Consolidated Film Laboratories and instead went to Hollywood. First berth as second assistant director for Asher, Small and Rogers. Later affiliations: With Corinne Griffith as production head, then general manager; M-G-M and Paramount as company production manager; Fox Film as aid to Sol M. Wurtzel and producer; RKO as producer; 20th Century as v.p., executive assistant and associate producer; finally, his present post as second in command to Zanuck at Movietone City. His record in itself is the most eloquent tribute to his brilliant executive ability. Hair, brown. Stands 5, 9. "Charlie Games." Chan at the Olympic Robert North, has signed a contract with Paramount as an associate producer. His first picture will be "Danger, Men Working," a com edy mystery story written by Manfred Lee and Fred Bannay, who collaborate under the name of Ellery Queen. y y y Suffering from a recurrence of the "flu" with which she was strick en while working on her last Columbia picture, Dolores Del Rio, contract leading woman, left the studio yesterday for a week's complete rest in Ensenada, Baja. Y Y T Casting assignments: RKO Radio— Wally Albright, "Escadrille"; First National — Alan Davis. "Marked Woman"; 20th CenturvFox — Peter Lorre, "The Last Slaver." T T T Celebrities of the picture colony will attend the gala preview of Alexander Korda's "Rembrandt," with Charles Laughton in the title role at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood on Dec. 22. The arrangements were completed by Stephen Pallos, general manager of London Films, now on a visit to the West Coast. The film will open regularly for an extended run at the Four Star Theater in Hollywood on Christmas Day. ▼ ▼ ▼ New long-term contracts are announced by M-G-M with Gladys George, who last appeared in "Valiant is the Word for Carrie," Moss Hart, Zoe Akins, and Robert Benchlev. Short Shots from Eastern Studios By CHARLES ALICOATE A L CHRISTIE, producing and directing for Educational at the Astoria studios, completed work yesterday on a one-reel musical short featuring Terry Green, Eddie Lambert, the Alan K. Foster Girls, Murry Lane and Buddy Page and his Educational orchestra. Warren Murray assisted on the direction, with George Weber doing the camera work. "Fun Begins at Home" a two-reel musical comedy produced by Mentone Productions for Universal release, has been completed at the Biograph studios. The cast which was directed by Milton Schwarzwald includes Barry & Whitlege, Virginia Verrill, the Charioteers, Montgomery and Withy, Eddie Bruce and Mary Kelly. Larry Williams and William Kelly did the camera work and Harold Godsoe assisted on the direction. Ken Murray and Oswald, radio, stage and screen players, completed work yesterday in a two-reel Vitaphone comedy film, tentatively titled, "Mail and Female" at the company's Brooklyn studios. Lloyd French directed the short which will be released in Vita phone's "Broadway Brevities" series. direction of William Watson and featuring the Sisters of the Skillet, will be completed Friday. Eddie Lambert, Elvira Sessions, Earl Gilbert and Eddie Hall support the two radio stars. Chris Beute is assisting on the direction, with George Weber doing the camera work. Roy Mack will complete work Monday, at the Brooklyn Vitaphone studios on the direction of a tworeel musical short yet untitled and featuring the Yacht Club Boys. Work on the next of the Bill Corn in. sports pictures, now being made under the supervision and direction of Don Hancock, will be completed Thursday at Madison Square Garden. It will be titled "The Ice Men" and RKO will release. Audio Productions is now at work at the General Service Studios, in Astoria on an industrial picture for Ethyl Gas. Bob Roberts is directing. Joe Henabery will start work Monday at the Brooklyn Vitaphone studio on a short featuring Dave Apollon. Omaha Weighs Occupation Tax Affecting Exhibitors Omaha — The city comptroller has proposed to the city council an occupation tax on all Omaha business firms which would adversely affect exhibitors. The tax, designed to raise $300,000 to meet a budget deficit, would be 50 cents per $1,000 on the first $50,000 annual income and $1 per $1,000 on income over that. The minimum tax would be $25 a year. Pantages Estate Small West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Estate of the late Alexander Pantages totals only $5,026, his widow, Mrs. Lois Pantages, executrix, reported to Judge Clarence L. Kincaid. She added she had disallowed claims of about $1,500,000. God's Lake Gets Films God's Lake, Manitoba— "Talkies" have been introduced for the first time to the people of this isolated northern mining town. They are exhibited in the local community hall. The two-reel short titled "Practically Perfect", now in work at the B. K. Blake plans to get under way next week on another of the "Court of Human Relations" series General Service studio under the of shorts he is producing for Colum bia release. Work will be done at the Biograph studios. Milton Schwarzwald will complete cutting this week of the two-reel musical short, titled "School for Swing". Fen luring Sylvia Froos, Russ Brown. Bert Gordon and Eddie Bnier, it was recently completed at the Biograph studios for Universal relcn