Hollywood Filmograph (Jan-Dec 1932)

DEC 13 193 ww o You'll be Sorry if You're not Represented in Our Yuletide Issue — Out New Year's Eve HOLLYWOOD mo Copyright 1932 — Hollywood PSmograph — Established 1922 VOL. 12, NO. 46 HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY, DEC. 3, 1932 PUBLISHED WEEKLY Radio Studios Will Soon Be A Very Busy Lot Edgar Selwyn Advises Making LA Theatrical Center RICHARD DIX, CONSTANCE BENNETT, LIONEL AND JOHN BARRYMORE START WORKING SOON Constance Bennett will board the westbound train in New York Thursday, Lionel Barrymore will move his bags into an RKO dressing room Monday, Richard Dix will close his ranch and Hollywod extras will prepare for a prosperous, if not white, Christmas at the RKO studio where six productions are due to start shooting next week. Anita Louise, pretty and youthful RKO starlet, will finish her stage role in "The Marquise," with Billie Burke, just in time to be given one of the leading parts in Constance Bennett's next picture, "Our Betters." She will return to the studio to confer with George Cukor, the director, who put the final touches on the script while he was enroute here from New York on the Santa Fe Chief with Jane Murfin and Harry Wagstaff Gribble, the adapters. In addition to Miss Bennett and Anita Louise, the cast will include Anthony Jowitt and and Hugh Sinclair. The new Constance Bennett picture, "Our Betters," "Sweepings," which will star Lionel Barrymore, "Three Came Unarmed," with Katharine Hepburn and Joel McCrea, and "The Magnificent Affair," the recently selected Ann Harding starring vehicle, were set for production the latter part of next week. John Barrymore's new story, "Topaze," and the Richard Dix picture, "The Great Jasper," have already been scheduled to start next Monday. One of those story-book "breaks" that you read about came to pretty Julie Haydon, ambitious young RKO player, today. For Julia was told that she had been selected to play the feminine lead opposite Richard Dix in "The Great Jasper," forthcoming Radio Picture. It was quite an achievement for the blonde girl for every prominent woman star in Hollywood had been considered by the RKO studio executives and a number of tests had been given before final choice was made. "I am too excited about it to eat!" chortled Miss Haydon when Freddie Schuessler, casting director, officially notified her at lunchtime in the cafe that she was to play the part, that of Dix' wife in the picture. ONE OF THE FINEST— is Constance Cummmgs and she has quietly stepped along with Columbia as her home studio and her work in the recent hit, "American Madness," was a gem. "PROMENADE DECK"— for Fox, needed someone to play opposite Warner Baxter, and when a voice mentioned Constance Cummings, the Columbia Studios graciously loaned her. MONA MARIS There are very few actresses who are versatile enough to play comedy and dramatic roles. Mona Maris has proven by her past performances that she can enact any part that fits her charming personality. One of these days some wise producer will sign her to a long term contract. Maurice Gebber Harris (r Frank Building Phone VA-6619 FINE SELECTION OF FURS 635 South Hill Street Room 702 KEEPING PLAYWRIGHTS SATISFIED TO STAY AND BUILD NEW SCREEN PLAYS Edgar Selwyn, who was one of New York's leading stage producers before allying himself with Hollywood as a film director, has a plan for linking the stage and screen in closer working relationship. Hollywood should be the try out ground for New York stage plays, he declared. "Most of the writers and actors and many of the directors who made the New York stage flourish in past years are now in Hollywood," says Selwyn. "They could be made the means of solving most of the problems with which the film industry is faced. "Every one of these writers, actors and directors still feels an attachment for the speaking stage. Why not capitalize this attachment?" Selwyn's idea is for the studios, either by independent enterprise or in joint action thru the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, to take over a theater in Hollywood for the producing of plays. "In this way," he points out, "writers would not feel impatient to get back to Broadway and have their plays produced, but could have them put on in their own backyard, so to speak. If a play proved worthy, film producers could then turn it over to New York to put on, thus helping with the financial and aid they would also give The studio would be recompensed by sharing in the profits from the New York run. "Proving the picture possibilities of a play in the present way is very expensive, because of the high cost of producing plays in New York. There is the extra cost of trying out plays on the road before bringing them to Broadway. This could be done in Hollywood at less cost and film executives would see at first-hand what they have. "Producing in New York now is being curtailed, because of the difficulty of securing financial backing, and the assistance of film money is one of the important factors in metropolitan production. New York producers, therefore, would be glad to have plays tried out first in Hollywood. "Film studios have under contract young players who need developing. They also have experienced players who are not always working. Let them use these players for Hollywood stage productions. The cost of stage production would then be negligible, because these actors have to be paid, anyhow. "Los Angeles is a good enough show town to support such an enterprise. The cost would be further minimized if the various studios joined in conducting an experimental theater through the Academy. I believe it would pay for itself, both financially and in providing material for the screen.