Hollywood Filmograph (Jun-Aug 1929)

10 June 8, 1929 Outline Program For M-G-M At Convention Definite plans for the coming program of talking pictures from M-G-M will be announced at the forthcoming convention to be held in June in Chicago on June 15. At the convention, to be attended by sales executives, production officials and operative heads, the full program for the season of 1929-30 will be gone over, it is announced. In the release plans will be featured: "The Broadway Melody," "Hollywood Revue of 1929," Cecil B. DeMille's "Dynamite," "Hallelujah," King Vidor's all-negro drama, and "Trader Horn," now being filmed in Africa by W. S. Van Dyke. Forthcoming pictures for the new season's release, just finished or in course of final work, include: "Thunder," Lon Chaney's railroad drama, filmed largely on the lines of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad; "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney," new Norma Shearer drama adapted from the play, "Marianne," Marion Davies' new starring vehicle directed in both silent and talking versions by Robert Z. Leonard; "The Single Standard," in which John Robertson directed Greta Garbo, Nils Asther and John Mack Brown; "The Great Ghost," Lionel Barrymore's all-talking mystery drama, adapted from Ben Hecht's story, "College Days"; Sam Wood's campus romance, "Eva the Fifth," produced by Edgar Selwyn, stage producer, from his stage hit, with Bessie Love and Raymond Hackett; "The Idle Rich," William C. De Mille's first talking feature under his new M-G-M contract, "Our Modern Maidens," Joan Crawford's new staring vehicle, and others. Future production listed includes: Tod Browning's next all talking drama, "The Thirteenth Chair", john Gilbert's next starring vehicle; "Olympia," in which Willard Mack is slated to direct Norma Shearer; "The Bugle Sounds," drama of the Foreign Legion, much of it actually filmed in Africa, in which George Hill will direct Lon Chaney; "Road Show," in which Bessie Love and Charles King of "The Broadway Melody" will be featured; Buster Keaton's new alltalking comedy, to be directed by Edward Sedgwick; Tod Browning's tropic mystery drama, "The Sea Boat"; "Bataille de Femmes," famous French stage play recently purchased by MG-M; "The Bishop Murder Case," mystery novel sensation, also recently purchased, and others of note. John Gilbert's first talking picture, "Redemption," directed from the Tolstoy drama by Fred Niblo, is another important new picture of the M-G-M season, as it "Speedway, "new William Haines vehicle being filmed at the Indianapolis races under the direction of Harry Beaumont, director of "The Broadway Melody." The convention announcement continues to state that "This year sound will play an important part in the convention schedule, as all of these features are talking productions, as well as the bulk of the program, Metro Goldwyn Mayer planning both talking and silent versions of practically all of its releases." Special Theatre Uses of Sound Talkie Equipment Made Adaptable for Announcing to Audiences; Amplifying Stage Productions in Big Houses; and Directing Extensive Rehearsals Other than the use of sound equipment for synchronous reproduction of talking pictures, there are several other possibilities for theatre use of the equipment, according to an announcement by J. B. Irwin of the Electrical Research Products, Inc. Discussing the special adaptabilities of the Western Electric Sound Projector Systems, Irwin says: "The first of these special application and, perhaps, the simplest one, is the use of the system for announcing purposes. With the addition of a microphone, a control box, and a switching panel, the theatre manager is equipped to make announcements to the audience during intermissions or between pictures. This attachment may be used to announce details of future programs and to supplement picture advertising of forthcoming attractions; to acquaint the audience with new developments in the motion picture industry or in the policy of the theatre; to present news items of local interest, or for paging. The microphone employed with this attachment is the familiar double but Sir Gilbert Parker, Visiting Hollywood, Says None Can Compete With America "Ninety-five per cent of all pictures shown in the United Kingdom are American. We can never compete with you. We haven't the climate nor the money nor the art. The motion picture is America's contribution to the beauty of the world. Europe may have distanced you in music and the other arts, but in that you are supreme." So says Sir Gilbert Parker, Hollywood visitor, whose novels, "The Weavers," "The Right of Way" and now "The Promised Land" are read wherever the English language is known. From a ripe experience in letters and public affairs, this distinguished visitor to the City of the Kleigs was willing to give his reaction to the audifilm. "I have been mistaken so often in my life," was his modest way of beginning the interview, "that I have to admit being wrong about the sound picture. At first I decried it. Now I love it. 'The Black Watch' ton carbon microphone now widely used in radio broadcasting. The announcing room is usually the manager's office, although it may be any convenient location where the microphone is not in the field of the sound coming from the loud speakers. "The second special application of sound projector system is their use for reinforcing the audible portions of stage presentations. Such a system is ordinarily used only in de luxe houses which put on elaborate stage presentations, or in houses where the acoustics are faulty. With the modification of the system by the inclusion of microphones, special control equipment, and loud speakers, it is possible to reinforce sounds originating on the stage in parts of the theatre where they were previously not clearly audible. The microphones are usually located in the footlight trough, although microphone outlets are also placed at convenient locations back stage. "A number of technical difficulties are encountered in this usage of sound equipment, particularly in the older theatres, but they can be overcome, by various devices and expedients, it is claimed. "The third application of the amplification systems is closely allied to that mentioned above, and deals with their possibilities for rehearsal purposes. When rehearsing stage presentations the director is usually seated near the front of the orchestra, from which position he gives instructions to the stage manager, to the men on the spotlight bridges back stage, and in the booth. It is often difficult for all parties concerned to hear these instructions, a condition which results in a great deal of confusion and delay. When a sound projector system Opera Singer War Ace Now Assists Cruze Fifteen years ago Lieut. Bruce Weyman was one of America's few leading grand opera baritones. Today his vocal organs shattered beyond repair in an airplane accident over the French front, Lieut. Weyman is waging a desperate battle to "come back." Weyman is now at the James Cruze, Inc., studio as assistant art director for "The Great Gabbo" unit. One of the first of the original small group to enlist in the Lafayette Escadrille, Lieut. Weyman was seriously injured in a plane crash. For months he lay in a French military hospital. After many years of convalescence, Lieut. Weyman, former opera baritone and French "ace," is back in the show business, but not as a star performer as in the days before the war. He has many French, English and allied decorations for bravery under fire. i i 1 Catherine Dale Owen Opposite Gilbert Catherine Dale Owen, New York stage actress, has been signed by M-G-M as John Gilbert's leading lady in "Olympia," which will be directed by Lionel Barrymore. Story of the film is from the Ferenc Molnar play. Miss Owen has appeared in but one picture, "For tured in a number of stage attractions in New York and London. is used for rehearsal purposes the di bidden Women," but has been fearector is furnished with a microphone connected through the system described above, to loud speakers placed near the positions occupied by the men who are to carry out the director's instructions. An arrangement such as this enables the director to give instructions to all of the personnel concerned without moving converted me more than any other . ,• . « • ti „„,,..,,_,. ^f ., _ , . , J ,,T, the director during the progress ot film I have heard or seen. Why, the advance in the mechanism in a year and a half is marvelous 1 Nor do I think the legitimate stage is in danger. For nothing can destroy the drama. When the music halls first opened in England, lovers of the Continued on Page 11 In Two Talkie Hits Purnell Pratt has two good parts in leading talkie hits, now running in local theatres. Pratt plays the from his seat, and rehearsals are con police officer father in "Alibi," now ducted more smoothly and without at the United Artists and the hardloss of time. It is also possible with boiled creditor in "On With the a slight modification in equipment Show" at Warner Brothers. He is and circuit arrangement to provide now working in the Ted Lewis picfacilities whereby any one of the ture, "Is Everybody Happy," at men may answer questions asked by Warner Brothers. i 1 i the rehearsal." i 1 i Stanton Finishes In Two Will Stanton has completed parts in Radio's first all-talker, "Half Marriage," and in "The Cock-eyed World" for Fox. Erickson in 'Illusion' Knute Erickson has been added to the cast of "Illusion," which Lothar Mendes is directing for Paramount. Erickson played the father in "The Squall,, for First National.