Hollywood Filmograph (Jan-Jul 1930)

HOLLYWOOD FILMOGRAPH 11 Lloyd Bacon Is To Direct John Barrymore Wide Film Is To Be Used For "Dixiana" Assistant Casting Directors Command Attention Academy Making Changes In Standard Contract 'Moby Dick' Is Story R-K-O Receives 3 SpeSelected, States Dar cial Cameras From ryl F. Zanuck for Inventors for Warners Picture "Moby Dick," the famous sea story from which "The Sea Beast" was adapted some years ago, will be John Barrymore's next starring vehicle, according to an interesting announcement just made by Darryl Zanuck, associate executive of Warner Brothers. Lloyd Bacon will direct. "The Sea Beast" was one of the famous silent pictures of all time. In it Barrymore had for his leading lady Dolores Costello, then new to pictures, since become his wife. The long and vengeful hunt for the mankilling, ship-wrecking white whale is one of the most thrilling and spectacular stories ever filmed. Now with the Vitaphone perfected and new marvels of photography incorporated into such feature pictures, "Moby Dick" is expected to take the lead in interesting cinematic events of the season. The new script is adapted by Laurence Stallings, which adds another interesting angle to this important production. Two whaling boats, quietly chartered some weeks ago, have been cruising the near Pacific, spotting and photographing whales, singly and in schools. Bacon, almost as enthusiastic a seaman as Barrymore, has been with the crews of these ships returning for conferences after the first great catch, a sixty-ton blue whale, was safely in tow. Barrymore has grown a full beard since his last Warner production, for the early scenes of "Moby Dick." The cast, not j'et complete, will be announced later. 1 i i WORKING Mack Swain is working at the M-G-M in a feature, "The Sea Bat," directed by Wesley Ruggles. FOR Men's Clothing and Furnishings ED. WISE 6426 Hollywood Blvd. Phone HOllywood 9121 Titanic images of the super-screen of a new era of talking musical entertainment, came a step nearer reality today! Three Spoor-Berggren wide-film cameras, to be used in filming Radio Pictures' revolutionary musical show, "Dixiana," arrived in Hollywood, the first of their kind to come to the Pacific Coast. The cameras were brought from Chicago in the private compartment of M. W. Spoor and C. A. Luperte, veteran cameramen, who will operate the equipment for RKO. Spoor is a brother of George K. Spoor, noted inventor and co-owner of the Spoor-Berggren wide-film process, which recently was acquired by Radio Pictures. Luperte has operated Spoor cameras for more than ten years. The advent of this equipment necessitated the construction of an especially equipped projection-room building at RKO studios. For the time being, according to Spoor, all film "rushes" will be developed in Chicago, as Hollywood laboratories are not yet prepared to handle the work. "Dixiana," an original operetta by Harry Tierney and Anne Caldwell, will be Radio Pictures' initial effort in the field of wide-film, stereoscopic entertainment. Production will start within a few weeks, with Bebe Daniels starred. i i i Archainbaud Story (Hed) "Smooth as Satin" has been selected as the title of Bebe Daniels' new Radio starring picture, according to an announcement made today by William Le Baron, vice-president in charge of RKO production. Based on the famous stage play, "The Chatterbox," by Bayard Viellers, "Smooth as Satin" will show Miss Daniels and her fiance, Ben Lyon, on the talking screen together for the first time. Lyon plays the leading masculine role opposite the star. George Archainbaud will direct. ■f i -f ENGAGED Lucille Porcett, famous specialty dancer, whose "dance" in the "Show of Shows" created a furore, has Seen engaged for Will Rogers' next picture. She is not only a finished artist of dancing, but one of the most beautiful girls in our midst. The Casting Directors' Contact Men Deserve Attention Created With Freddie Schuessler leading Fred Datig in the most popular casting directors' contest, the assistant casting director today seems to be sweeping the field of emotions of the actors and actresses who are daily sending in their votes for their favorite casting directors who are listed in the Hollywood Filmograph popularity contest, which closes with the February 22 issue of this publication. Assistants Are the Minute Men The old reliable standby in film studios is the assistant director. He has to stand under the fire and ire of every one that is seeking a job and the heartaches of the unfortunates who are unsuccessful in obtaining work, falls upon their shoulders, and no matter what happens, they are the goat. But everybody inside of the studios uses them for the minute men, who never say that anything is impossible when it comes to finding certain types and actors for the pictures in the making. Rossmore-Mayo-Palmer Lead Assistants The trio who are leading the field for popularity among the actors and actresses as far as their positions are concerned, are Harold Rossmore, Bob Mayo and Bob Palmer; they represent, respectively, Columbia, First National and United Artists studios, and they are running in the order named. Just keep your eye on Paul Wilkins at M-G-M., Phil Moore at Fox's Westwood and others who are coming up rapidly to the front line ranks. i i i PAUL WHITEMAN AND HIS GANG LEAVE FEB. 6— WILL RETURN SHORTLY Paul Whiteman and his gang will leave Universal on February 6 to fill an engagement. Before proceeding north the musicians will enjoy a week's vacation, after which they will appear at the Seattle Automobile Show, filling an engagement of two weeks, returning to Universal the latter part of February. The Paul Whiteman Universal super-feature, "The Jazz King," is about finished. Concluding shooting will take place after the band's return from the north. The Paul Whiteman European tour, because of New York engagements, will be postponed until next season. Actors Producers Are Trying to Work Out I mpr ovements By William C. deMille, President of the Academy "Conferences have been under way for several days between an actors' committee composed of members of the actors' branch of the academy and actors not members of the academy, and a committee composed of producer represenatives, preliminary to proposed revisions of the standard contract 'for freelance artists adopted two years ago by the actors' and producers' branches of the academy, approved by the board of directors and in force universally in the Los Angeles district since that time. The original contract has been twice revised and amended and this present revision is carrying out the policy of making alterations and improvements in the contract from time to time as production conditions change, due to the rapid development of the new art of the talking picture. "The purpose of both groups in the conference has been to bring the contract up to date in its provisions and to secure, so far as is humanly possible, the utmost fairness in working conditions, equitable and just to both actors and producers. "The academy is acting as the medium of contact between the two parties in pursuance of its function as the common meeting ground of all branches of the motion picture industry." 1 1 i LATHEM JOINS RADIO Frederick G. Lathem, who probably has directed more musical comedies and operettas than any other man in the theatrical profession, has been added to the RKO executive staff. The announcement was made by William Le Baron, vice-president in charge of production of Radio Pictures. WANTED— FURNITURE RUGS, LINEN WILL PAY TOP PRICES PAY CASH HO. 1985 Dialoguing — Universal's Feature Comedies I4