The Hollywood Reporter (Jan-Jun 1933)

f Pasre Four iail^©inri[Ri Ian. 4, 1933 RESEARCHES OF ACADEMY INTEREST £ASTER]\ EXECS Croucho and Chico May Continue Broadcasts New York. — The questions of the new standard release print and the standardized 1700-foot reel have been engaging considerable attention by eastern executives since the arrival < here of Lester Cowan, executive sec/ retary of the Academy. These two matters have been the subjects of much work by the technicians' branch of the Academy and Mr, Cowan came east, armed with the favorable opinions of the coast production heads. Since he has been east, Cowan has conferred with the Eastman people, with the DuPonts, the National Carbon and the Bell Laboratories, and also with many distribution and theatre executives. He says it seems to be the concensus of opinion that doubling of reels in theatres cannot be prevented and, therefore, it would be desirable to release prints on 1700-foot reels. This will simplify shipping and handling, as there will be fewer reels used. This reel, as planned, would be 1 3 Vz inches in diameter and have a fourinch hub. Other matters which have been investigated by the technicians' branch and which Cowan has discussed during his visit here are the improvement in the quality of release prints, film preservatives, more efficient use of the 35mm. film and correction of distortion. Cowan, who leaves for the West New York. — With thirteen national broadcasts completed, the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey is negotiating with Chico and Croucho Marx to broadcast another series of programs, sponsored by the company, the response to previous series having proved gratifying. The new series, it is planned, will get under way upon completion of the brothers' contractual obligations to Paramount. They boarded a train yesterday for Hollywood to go to work on their next picture, tentatively titled "Cracked Ice." Two For McWade Edward McWade has been spotted for two assignments by the Weber office. He goes into Charles R. Rogers' "Strictly Personal" at Paramount and "A King's Vacation" at Warners. Van Sloan At Warners Edward Van Sloan has been signed by Warners for roles in "Silk Express" and the new Arliss picture, "Bachelor Father." Shuberts To Sell All Properties New York — Lee Shubert and the Irving Trust Company will petition the Federal Court today for permission to sell all the Shubert properties and distribute the proceeds to the creditors and bondholders. late this week, stated that the proposed new standard release print would eliminate eight feet of leader thereby causing an appreciable saving. *Lily Turner* Set As Next For Chatterton Despite rumors to the contrary, Ruth Chatterton stays with Warners as a star. Company has selected "Lily Turner," by Phillip Dunning and George Abbott, as her next picture. Yarn is now being prepared and neither a director nor leading man has been set. Milt Howe Resigns Milt Howe, planter in the Paramount publicity department for the past two years, has resigned, and he moves to the MGM publicity staff next Monday. Sam W. B. Cohn will take over Howe's former duties at Paramount. Johnsons To Africa New York. — Martin and Osa Johnson have sailed for Africa to make another picture. Digges At Warners Warners has signed Dudley Digges for a featured role in "Silk Express." Futter Closes For Ski-Jumper Pix Walter Futter has closed a deal with John and Sven Utterstrom, the latter Sweden's Olympic champion skijumper, for the rights to a picture which the brothers made and recently released in their native country. It is tentatively titled "On the Trail of the Grisly," and Futter will remake it for release in the Englishspeaking countries, retaining the majority of footage in the original. The picture deals with the training and life of a ski-jumper and has a feature length story woven into its nine reels. Hammons on Way Out? (Continued from page I) Educational has been compelled to*^ take what has been left in dates. In addition to the above, the company president has been promising ' great things with feature product, es "^ pecially from the Mack Sennett production of 'Hypnotized," which came in at top costs. But with the showing to the banks, those holding the money bags found another big promise gone by the boards, with only the product of KBS coming through as promised. Just what will happen in event of Mammons' departure, who will be appointed to represent the banks in rh» handling of Educational, is a question that none can answer at this time. IRVING ASHER Executive in Charge of Production Warner-First National Productions Berlin London Paris