Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1929)

August 10 , 1929 Germans Propose Drastic Contingent For Sound Films 529 Suggestion Is To Put Talkies On 1 To 1 Basis; Nation's Talkfilm Plans Vague By L. C. MOEN f Paris Correspondent, Motion Picture News) Paris, August 1. — German film circles are in an uproar of confusion and discussion over proposals current there to provide special quota legislation as regards sound pictures. It is proposed, at the moment, to put them on a one-to-one basis, distribution of one outside talker to be allowed in exchange for handling of one German talker. Application of this may be difficult, as German feature length talkie production is still rather vague, for the most part, owing to the patents fight. Furthermore, it is pointed out, aside from the novelty of the first few there will be little if any demand in Germany for American talking pictures. Further details will be forthcoming shortly. According to Film-Kurier of Berlin, Germany produced from July 1, 1928, to June 30, 1929, 75 talking pictures with a total footage of 58,450 feet — an average of 780 feet each. "Very little has been attempted as yet in the domain of long features, although Ufa is now embarked on an ambitious program. The four sound-proof studios of Ufa at Neubabelsburg, arranged in star-shaped form around a fifth central building in which are located the mixing and recording rooms, will soon be completed. Two of the studios are 65 x 95 feet, and two are 60 x 80 feet. Canada's Farthest North Movie Is At Hudson Bay Ottawa, Ont., August 8.— Ft. Churchill, on the shores of Hudson's Bay, now has the furthest North moving picture theatre in Canada, the structure having been built by a syndicate of Winnipeg men. Ft. Churchill, as the terminal of the new Hudson's Bay Railway, has become the mecca for construction men, traders, trappers and Indians. For some weeks a tent theatre had filled the bill, but now a theatre building has been erected. Current film programs are more or less antiquated, but the inhabitants are delighted nevertheless. McEvoy 'Potter' Sketches To Become Vitaphone Skits A series of twelve Vitaphone comedies, based on the newspaper series of J. P. McEvoy's which ran under the title of "The Potters," will be filmed by Warner Brothers, who have just closed a contract with the author. Advance preparations for the filming of the sketches are now under way. The series will vary in length from one to two reels to insure proper treatment for each story. No Vitaphone shorts have yet been made in the three-reel footage. RKO Will Spend Two Million On Coast Studio Expansion; 500-Acre Ranch To Be Added Baker A nd Wallis Head F, N. Production FOLLOWING the resignation of Al Roekett as head of First National studios at Burbank, Calif., the company has announced the appointment of C. Graham Baker and Hal B. Wallis to the positions of co-executives in charge of all production. Both Baker and Wallis have been associated with the Warner organization for several years, Baker having recently acted as scenario editor and production executive and Wallis, since Jan. 1 as production manager. Since Rockett's illness both have been handling the new season production schedule. Walter Anthony succeeds to Baker's scenario position. It is reported that Al Roekett received a cash settlement on his contract as general manager of First National, as his agreement did not expire until December, 1930. Pa the Plans Silent Versions Of 21 Talk And Song Features (Hollywood Bureau, Motion Picture News) Hollywood, Aug. 8. — Twenty-one silent versions of Pathe talking and musical features on next season's release schedule will bo available for unwired theatres, according to decision made by Pathe studio officials. A detailed check up of unwired houses throughout the country was responsible for Pathe 's decision to release silent versions on the majority of their product. Among the 21 silent productions slated for release are, "Negligee," starring Ina Claire; "This Thing Called Love," featuring Ann Harding; "Painted Desert," an all color production; "His First Command," "Crashing Through" and "Officer O'Brien," all starring William Boyd; "Clothes," "Saratoga" and "Rich People," starring Constance Bennett; "The Big Shot"; "War and Women"; "Parachute" and "The Racketeer," both featuring Robert Armstrong and Carol Lombard ; ' ' Oh, Yeah ? ' ' featuring Robert Armstrong and James Gleason; "The Sophomore," "Play Boy" and "Hot and Bothered," featuring Eddie Quillan; "Sailor's Holiday," featuring Alan Hale; "Red Hot Rhythm"; "The Grand Parade," and "Her Private Affairs. Gets Newspaper Post John Hobble, dialog and continuity writer for Warner Bros. Eastern Vitaphone studio, has been made New York dramatic editor and critic for "The London Daily Mail" He is the author of "Daddies," produced a few seasons ago by David Belasco and has also contributed to "Life" and "Judge." Company Plans Extensive Building Program While Retaining Present Plant RKO will spend two million dollars for the enlarging of company studio facilities in the West, it is announced this week by Lee Marcus, executive vice president of RKO Productions, Inc. Crowded conditions for producing the present type of pictures in demand is the reason advanced for the move. The studios now in use in Holljrwood are to be retained but the entire fifteen acres are to be rebuilt solidly with new structures in order to expedite next year's program. In addition to these plans it is announced that RKO will acquire a five hundred acre ranch for the filming of outdoor sequences. This also will be equipped with studio facilities, RCA movable outdoor sound apparatus, stables of horses, cattle and anything else which would be used with outdoor work. It is also planned to build a railroad to convey freight to various locales. Four sound-proof stages are now available to RKO and six RCA Photophone units have been installed on the stages. Several innovations in equipment have been perfected by Irving Wolff, Harry Olsen and A. S. Ringel, RCA engineers, among them the creation of a "special effects" department. ■ ■ ■ Radio's Chieftains Confer On Production Program A conference at the Radio Pictures home ofiice in New York was held this week with three of the Radio executives present. Attending were David Sornoff, chairman of the RKO board; Hiram S. Brown, president of Radijo-Keith-Orpheum Theatres, Inc., and William Le Baron, vice-president in charge of RKO Productions. The executives have already previewed "Side Street," "Half Marriage," "Very Idea" and "Delightful Rogue," of the 1929-30 program, as well as "Street Girl." The first of Richard Dix's three vehicles for Radio was selected recently by Le Baron after a long search for suitable material. Title will be announced with the closing of the contract now being drawn for the purchase of the story. Goldstone and Hoffman Will Produce Six Talkies Hollywood, August 8. — Phil Goldstone and M. H. Hoffman have organized Majestic Pictures Corporation, and will produce a series of six talking features for release during the coming year. Included in the six productions will be film versions of Isadora Duncan's novel, "My Life," and "The Melting Pot," by Israel Zang-will. 1.^