International photographer (Jan-Dec 1933)

EASTMAN FILMS BRULATOl WHAT'S WHAT! Published Monthly by J. E. Brulatour, Inc., Distributors. iasl CAMERACRAFT ACCLAJMED Saturday Evening Post Pays Tribute To Photographers More years ago than we care to admit, and long: before we had traveled west any further than Chicago ; about the time we began making our living in a branch of the motion picture industry, we remember with what great interest we read the first inside stories about production in Hollywood. These pen pictures were drawn for the world by Rob Wagner (now picture editor of Liberty Magazine), and periodically appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. Since then this latter publication has presented, from time to time, other stories from the pen of Mr. Wagner, and also from other authors of national and international reputation. We have read all about the tricks of the trade ; intimate stories of the stars; of directors ; of writers ; producers ; but we believe the Saturday Evening Post nor any other national periodical has ever previously devoted feature editorial space exclusively to the cameramen of 1 1 1 >ll> wood. It remained for Palma Wayne to write the first great story of the "Aces of the Camera," which appears in the Post, issue of July 22nd. Copyright restrictions prohibit reproduction or reprint of any part of this story. It is intelligently, interestingly, truthfully and graphically presented. It is a revelation to many members of the cameracraft. It is bound to impress the producers themselves, and every person who makes his living in any branch of our industry. Also it will make far reaching and favorable appeal to the box office public. It will increase the world's respect for the cameraman and his importance to this, the largest branch of the entertainment business. In recent years it has been the aim and the purpose of individual and organized cameramen to obtain public credit for their achievements. Not so many months ago at the annual installation of officers of the American Society of Cinematographers, President John Arnold (of the A. S. C.) in his speech on policy and procedure pledged to the assembled cameramen the desire and intention of the A. S\ C. toward obtaining proper recognition from the critics, newspaper and magazine writers, throughout the world. At this meeting Charles J. Ver Halen, business manager of the A. S. C, and editor of the American Cineniatographer, was instructed by President Arnold to extend the Society's campaign with renewed effort and encouragement. We have kept closely in touch with the progress of this campaign, and on January first of this year we inaugurated a press clipping service for cameramen, whereby we have received from our home office in New York and from our Chicago branch newspaper clippings on the reviews of all pictures opening and playing in eastern cities. Generally these critiques have expressed opinions regarding the box office values of the pictures ; they have praised or condemned the writers, directors and actors ; but too seldom have they even credited or mentioned 'the cameramen. Exceptions have been made where in the opinion of the writers the cameramen contributed outstanding achievements to the production. However, as UNIVERSAL ARTHUR EDESON continues in production on that very intricate photographic assignment, "The Invisilbe Man," which is being directed by James Whale. King Gray rides the perambulater — while Jack Eagan changes focus, etc. CHARLES STUMAR is busy placing the lights on another picture here. This one is "Saturday's Millions," a football story. We saw some of the U. S. C. football players on the set so Charley should have some real inside information for the coming games. It won't be long now. Edward Sedgwick is the director and Will Cline is operating the camera. Johnny Martin holds down the assistant's job very nicely too. GEORGE ROBINSON was the unnamed photographer referred to in the Saturday Evening Post story, "The Well Dressed Man in Grey." George is finishing another of those hilariously funny ZaZu Pitts-Slim Summerville features directed by Eddie Buzzell, titled "Love Honor and O'Baby". The operative cameraman is Jimmy Drought and Llovd Ward is assisting. MERRIT GERSTAI) continues in production with John M. Stahl directing "Only Yesterday." Merrit is turning in a very nice photographic job as usual. His crew comprises Al Jones, at second, Paul Hill and Ross Hoffman assistants. TONY GAUDIO has completed an excellent piece of camera work on "Lilies of Broadway." directed by Mr. Dupont. Studio officials here are high in their praise of Tony's latest effort. Dick Fryer was the man on the camera and Bill Dodds the assistant. JOHNNY HICKSON and BILL STCKNER have completed their serial "Gordon of Ghost City," which Ray Taylor directed. The second cameraman was Howard Oswald. The assistants were: Buddy Weiler. Carl Meister. Charles Crane and Bennv Trafton. LEN POWERS has completed several more comedies for Warren Doane and at the moment is ready to start another one — that is. if his sprained ankle will permit it. He swears it happened while working in the garden. James Horn naturally was the director and the assistant cameraman was Walter Williams. PARAMOUNT MeCLUNG RESUMES AT U. A. HUGH MeCLUNG. after too long ? vacation, returns to his former positior of laboratory technician for U. A. Witl" the added production of Twentieth Cen tury Pictures at LTnited Artists, Mac will be kept plentv busy when Sam Gold wyn swings into action. stated, this has been the exceptior rather than the rule. We hope and we believe that th Saturday Evening Post story referred ti will have a very definite psychologies effect upon these writers, and tha henceforth their critiques will at leas identify the cameraman who is respon sible for the photography. In conclusion of the Saturday Evening Post story we are gratified to note th: highly complimentary reference to the introduction of Super-sensitive Panchromatic negative which, as is known to the entire cameracraft, was introduced by Eastman Kodak Company and J. E. Brulatour, Inc., in February of 1931. HENRY SHARP, who did such good work on the Charles Rogers pictures, is now shooting the Four Marx Brothers (when he can find them). The picture is directed by Leo McCarey. Otto Pierce and Freddy Mayer are keeping in trim shoving the pan handle around. Art Lane and Neil Burger do the assisting. CHARLEY LANG continutes on the Maurice Chevalier picture, "The Way To Love," and is getting along right well. We enjoyed Charley's crack about what makes an ace cameraman an ace. Bob Pittack and Cliff Shirpser, as usual, are Charley's photographic asso VIC MILNER, who did such a gorgeous job on "Song of Songs" with MarIene Dietrich, is shooting "Design For Living," that highly sophisticated comedy directed by Ernst Lubitsch. Vic has Bill Mellor operating the camera, and Guy Roe as assistant. These two boys seem to have a fairly steady job with Mr. Milner. The studio officials liked THEODOR SPARKUHL'S work on his first pictureso well that they immediately signed him to a long term contract. Sparkuhl is now in production on his second picture, "Too Much Harmony." The picture is directed by Eddie Sutherland and stars Bing Crosby and Jack Oakie. Frank Titus, Buddy Williams, Francis Burgess and Eddie Adams, make up a very efficient staff for Sparkuhl. MILT KRASNER is in Pendleton, Oregon, making exterior scenes for "Golden Harvest," Charley Rogers' epic of the wheat fields. Ralph Murphy is directing. "Golden Harvest" is Krasner's fourth production with Mr. Rogers. Need we say more? Harry Hallenberger, Lloyd Ahearne and Irving Classman make up the camera crew on the trip with Milt. And a very nice crew too, if you ask us. AL GILKS finished "Glory Command" at RKO and has been assigned to "Captain Jericho" at this studio. This will be the initial directorial effort of McNutt and Jones, the famous writing pair. GORDON and DEV JENNINGS, those two little fellas, have been doing splendid work on their miniature and trick effect work, which does so much to add production value to the Paramount pictures. The double exposure work in "Midnite Club" was especially well done. FARCIOT EDOUARD. in charge of the transparency process here, has sent Dewey Wrigley, one of his ace cameramen, to Baton Rouge. Louisiana to make background shots for "WhiteWoman, " a forthcoming Paramount production. Farciot has been doing some very interesting work in "Design for Living," and other Paramount productions. RKO M.G. M. JIMMIE HOWE, who made so many fine pictures at Fox, with Bill Howard, is photographing "Beauty," directed by Boleslavsky. Jimmie says he's having a >well time and M. G. M. is a great lot. Dick Wade is Jimmie's second camera-nan, and Wilbur Bradley does the as "CHARLTE CLARKE, another oldimer from the Fox lot, has been doing licely here, thank you. He has beer issigned to the new Tarzan pictur< vhich will star Johnny Weismuller. "Iiarlie is a quiet, efficient workman anc' irtist, respected for his unfailing calm n<l good temper. NORBERT BRODTNF is back on the ot, having completed "Deluge" for Sarr 3ischoff at Tiffany. Norbert is nhoto ■raphing "The Late Christopher Bean," eing directed by Sam Wood. OLLIE MARSH continues on "Dancing Lady." the Joan Crawford picture bi me directed by Bob Leonard. (Yes. cs. Eddie Fitzsrerald is the second cameraman and Kyme Meade does the work.) HAL ROSSON has finished nroduc(Continned on Page 45) HENRY GERRARU is b of his previous photograph, ments on that popular stor Women," which is being d George Cukor, who, with Hepburn, Joan Bennett, 1 and Paul Lukas all vouch for statement. Bob De Grasse o camera and George Diskant doing the thousand and one assistant is called on to do. f DAVE ABEL must have cl on his first RKO picture bi mediately upon completion of .( ter Romance") he was a "Ann Vickers," in which ] well is directing Irene Dunn. Oliver, Walter Huston, Bun I and Conrad Nagel. The opera ■ c eraman is Joe Biroc, and Jim 1, handles the assisting job. NICK MUSURACA has I busy month doing all the si on Al Gilks' Annapolis pictu Command," and also shot st comedies. Associated with Nic.mtt "Musicomedy No. 2," which ing directed were Second i Harry Wild and Eddie Pyle, tennis player, and Willard i Barth and Charlie Burke, assist;,;. ^ the "Clark and McCullough p. 4 Nick had Second CameramerHarr Wild and Eddie Hendersoi Barth and Bill Clothier we sistants. ROY HUNT and his assiDavol, completed their work in io i Janeiro, S. A., and flew to M ida, for additional shots for cotning Dolores del Rio pictur "F ing Down to Rio." JACK MacKENZIE finish, added sequences on his last atari "The Doctor," with Lionel B.vmtir and Dorothy Jordan, and al golf games, which he reports ; berte than on his last exhibition i i > Narrator, he returned to the photographed a Brock coined "I and Washington," which former men man George Stevens directed, ative cameramen were Eddie 1 Jeff Gibbons, glad to see The assistants were Charley Hi ap Harold Welhnan. CHARLES— Commodore— RCjlBB through the aid of Western "r.ion Postal Telegraph and U. Guard, was located at Catalina n hi yacht and returned to the st o b shoot the Constance Bennett !l "Without Glory." He natur; j associated with him that vei second cameraman, Frank Redn , a likewise, lack Coonev, assist. VERNE WALKER, head of tl(RB Trick and Process Departmem ing day and night on the m itu»i nous scenes he is called upon i He has Roy Hunt, as above shooting background shots America and Miami, Florida, jl Perry has been added to Walk ' partment and he is shooting miniatures at the Pathe lot, has two complete stages tied u; '»'» POCKEJU LEO TOVER draws one of t '" issignments of the month. 11 ng Mae West in "I'm No Angel, ; s being directed by Wesley Run ' avorite director. With the I )opularitv of Mae West's pn ure, "She Heme Him Wrong," I ' )f the industry will naturally b( lext production, and of course tip eraman will also have addition:! tt< tion focused upon him. , Tover, though young in years . having received 1 "'> m experience. training witn unie iuaisu .>• 48th Street Studios in New /orf™™ Ollie was shooting Norma and Lo anv Talmadge. From there he went