The Film Mercury (1928-1929)

Page Forty-Six THE FILM MERCURY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1928 Hollywood, Calif. WINIFRED DUNN FORREST HALSEY ADELAIDE HEILBRON NORMAN HOUSTON GENE TOWNE ( First National) ARTHUR M. LANDAU, Inc. i) ROBERT LORD WRITER Under Contract to WARNER BROTHERS TAMAR LAN E SOME PRAISE FOR WARNER’S MUSIC Not a little of the credit for the popularity of Warner Bros. Hollywood Theatre must go to Leo Forbstein, musical director and conductor of the theatre orchestra. Forbstein’s music is about the most satisfying from allaround angles that I have ever heard in a cinema theatre. He handles the classical and better grade music admirably, without overdoing it, and for popular and jazzy tunes Forbstein’s aggregation cannot be beaten. There is a young trombone player in the Warner orchestra who is the best I have ever heard. He alone is worth the price of admission. And just to show that mv powers of prediction are not confined to the films I wish to hereby forecast a big future for this young musician, whatever his name may be. MONTAGNE RAPS STAGE AUTHORS Here is some interesting comment from Edward J. Montague, scenario editor-inchief of Universal, who has just returned from a trip to New York in the interests of the company. Montague condemns the tactics now being used by Eastern stage playwrights. “Playwrights and authors are once more killing the goose that laid the golden egg,’ ” said Montagne. “With sound rights to their works in demand, these authors are throwing around figures like oil promoters. They are asking in some cases more for sound rights to stories they have already sold to picture companies, than they originally obtained for their stories. “As for the new plays and books just out, one must have the bankroll of a Rockefeller to talk business with them. This inevitably forces the companies to find some other way of obtaining their ideas for sound pictures. Once more the original author has his big opportunity. , “The original author is not going to be crowded out because of the advent of sound pictures. He is going to have the greatest opportunity of his entire career.” CAMPAIGN ON FOR KENNEDY UNITS Co-incident with recent visit to the Coast of Colvin Brown, right-hand man of Joe Kennedy, it is reported about Hollywood that the various Kennedy production units are launching an honest-to-goodness drive to bring the FBO-Pathe programs into the front ranks of the industry this season. William LeBaron is said to be whipping FBO into an efficient producing organization capable of turning out its product on a very economical basis. Paul Bern has only recently assumed his post at Pathe and the eyes of the entire picture fraternity are watching his progress. Bern is not only one of the most interesting and widelyread men in the film colony but he is also one of the most popular. All Hollywood seems to be rooting for Bern to turn the trick. Ralph Block, who recently returned from New York is also said to be preparing on a new series' for Pathe.