The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1931)

Eighteen The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER CHICAGO June, 1931 Over the Grapevine Philadelphia, May 14. YE ED, being now something of a Globe Trotter, is scribbling this page out way down in sombre ol' Philadelphia. . . The boss says for us to take a two month flitflit in the interests of good old Hearst Metrotone Newsreel, and here I am. . . And Sunday will see us still here, tsk, tsk, tsk. . . Gene Cour handling Audio-Camex in midwest territory, Burton Holmes has purchased and others are nibbling. . . Soundie Harly Neems has went New Yawk again. . . George Brown, chef de gare over at number 2, Chicago stage hands, is going to take over sound men in midwest — so the grapevine reports. . . When he does there will be several 666 members among the missing. . . Rumors afloat about Chi Daily News taking over complete control of Universal Newsreel production; no announcements, but its okeh with Charlie Ford, if so. . . Indie producers showing more and more interest in low priced recording equipment catalogues; as the repression subsides the Indie plants will be prepared for the rush. . . Dominick Montemurro, 644 camera wizard, has been shifted from New York to Chicago to spend the summer — what with a new Mayor, a windy jubilee and the three other speak softies all open it looks like Monty will not have to join the Navy this year. . . Prexy David looking very sad these chilly nights; someone finally broke the news to him that it's impossible to put sound on an Eyemo. . . Now they've gone and bought Charlie a nice new Mitchell with Vitaglow sound attached and the old back is moanin' even before it arrives. . . Vi Braun reports collections are picking up and hopes they will stay that way, sodowe. . . Jack Barnett has gone in for housekeeping, ah well! after all, there ain't no place like home. . . Jack Chouinard, Chicago Surface lines lens snooper, advises the accidental season is well under way and his squad are legalling more wrecks than ever. . . Wilding wildcats over in Detroit finishing another automotive soundie. . . Ralph Biddy likewise has just completed a silent two reeler for Standard Oil of Indiana. . . Ralph Phillips is synking his trailers these days. . . Charley Geis went over and helped Commander Rosendahl take over command of the new super gas bag at Akron t'other day. . . News photogs of Chicago had a big jamboree over at the Illinois Athletic Club's swimming By NORMAN W. ALLEY pool recently and Chick Keller did his famous standing, sitting, standing back flip off the high board; he's resting comfortably, thanks. . . President Canavan has okeyed the newsreelers' agreement and same is now before the producers; they're making book on the result over at Al Simons' smoke emporium. //? Focus In Spots! By THE SASSIETY REPORTER I SEE where somebody out there on the coast must of figgered it wuz old times because they slipped Harry Birch's monnicker at the start of the page as the conductor of same. So I s'pose the head man, Alley, will be kinda hot under the collar and maybe cut up this here razz line of mine. That's the trouble, though, with a fellow pinnin' his old standby, what he uses on his checks what bounce back, on a news Page. Now you take my ole name what's signed at the top, regardless of who should write it I guess I'd get the credit for it because everybody'd think it wuz me anyhow. So I just want to tip you off, Mr. Page editor, maybe you ought to sign it by "The Herring Choker" and then everybody would know it wuz you, Alley, what wrote the darn thing. [The crime on the "by" line was committed in Hollywood by one old enough to know better, one who herewith and now apologizes — and how. — Ed.] SIX-SiXTY-SIX Agt Xe Cannot W ither And while we're on the subject of Harry Birch. A bunch of us 666's was swappin' lies the other night about a certain car some of us is drivin' and what trouble we is havin' with same, and old pal Harry, who drives one of these here buggies himself, goes into goose pimples about what a swell boat his is and then after the meetin' I pass him up like the rush of dizzy blondes for Reno with my not so good copy of the same make car. SIX-SIXTY-SIX David I\o Longer Silent Shades of the good old silent galloping tintypes! T'other night I stroll into the joint where our worthy Prexy Charlie David grabs the weekly pay check from and there sits the famous Charlie on the floor with a contraption he calls an amplifier trying to figger out how to make a needle move by hcllerin' "woof-woof" and clapping his hands. I thought maybe he was practisin' the high sign of some lodge he wuz plannin to join. Well, about six burned out tubes later the maestro of 666 gets up, says some several pages of dirty words and then tells me maybe the good old days wusn't so bad after all. After beggin' Charlie about what's up I find out this. Charlie David, Pres. of 666, has now also went sound. There's only a few of 'em left now. SIX-SIXTY-SIX Under Your Hat Gene Cour, when he ain't busy on new by-laws or sumpin, is keeping a pretty close eye on the home fires. The Cours are expecting company any day now. Maybe there'll be a Gene Cour Jr. now to follow a famous papa behind the lens. This is confidential nooze. SIX-SIXTY-SIX Some Robins Jack Barnett returns from a barnstorming trip in Southern Illinois telling weird tales about the size of the robins down state. Jack saw flocks of birds down there, and when he asked Brother Shorty Richardson what kind they wuz, Rich pipes up, "Robins!" And the ever trustful Jack lets it go at that. Jack, for your information, when this dept. worked on the farm before graduating into the movie game they wuz named, "Rhode Island Red Hens." Information was the idea when this collim was organized. SIX-SIXTY-SIX That Irish Spirit The old Irish Gridiron at Notre Dame looks like a west coast movie lot. A series of shorts are bein' made to enlighten the world on how the Irish spirit marches on every fall to the enemy's goal line. There's a whole crew of 659 film burners down there with blimps and everything. Will Klein of 659 heads the explorers from the land of sunshine, and his staff includes the following heavyweights of the lens: Fred Eldridge, Will Dodds, Lloyd Ward, and the old still end is held up by our old veteran, Bob Hollahan of 666. Max Markmann also represents the