Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1934)

Friday. May 18, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAI ITY 15 Soviet Plans Versions for U. S. Market (Continued from page 1) distribution executives here on reciprocal deals and may journey to Hollywood for a studio visit. The Russian emissary, interviewed entirely through an interpreter, gave the impression that the deals he sought here would involve American bookings for Soviet product in return for production privileges in Russia for interested American companies, with possibly a limited number of American films being taken "on approval" for Russian exhibition. Explaining that the deals were in an early stage at this time, Usievich declined to name names after stating that "a number of American companies have expressed interest in the possibility of producing films in collaboration with us in the Soviet . Union." Won't Drop Propaganda The definite declaration was made, however, that the Soviet film producers do not intend to eliminate propaganda from their films entirely, while attempting to increase their entertainment content for American consumption. Propaganda, it was said, is an essential film item in Russia, and pictures without it are regarded as "empty entertainment." The objective of the Soviet producing trusts is to turn out pictures which combine education and entertainment, it was explained. Usievich related that Russia has 30,000 exhibition places equipped to show silent pictures only, and 2,000 centers for showing sound pictures. Approximately 100 features are produced annually at an average cost of $400,000, he estimated. In addition, the film trust also produces educational and scientific films of feature length, and short subjects and newsreels. "Non-Commercial," He Says The film industry in Russia is entirely "non-commercial," Usievich said, and no business part of the industry is administered by individual enterprise. A production trust is subsidized by the state and distributes through another trust in each of seven federated Soviet republics. A third state trust operates the theatres and plays whatever pictures are released by the distributing trust. Usievich said that Russia is particularly interested now in changing over its larsre number of silent houses to sound and said that this was being done with the installation of 16 mm. equipment, which, he said, makes the changeover economically and quickly. The small size film, he added, is practical in Russia, where most theatres and audiences are small. "Adverse" in 16 Reels Warners are understood planning to release "Anthony Adverse" in 16 reels with running time around three hours. This is understood to hold good for all types of houses. Cowan Will Produce; A Brace Set at Fox (Continued from page 1) operation today with headquarters at the General Service Studios. The first two pictures will be released through Fox. The first will be based on Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises," with Ann Harding in the chief role and E. H. Griffith directing. The firm says it will operate as an independent unit free of outside control. Cowan, former secretary of the Academy, states there is plenty of money behind the enterprise to interest the biggest names who are available for one picture or more a year and are desirous to free themselves of studio supervision and select their own stories. The second production will probably star Edward G. Robinson, although this is not a certainty yet. This makes a total to date of 15 outside pictures scheduled for Fox release next season. Sol Lesser plans 10, six of them to star George O'Brien in action stories. Earl Carroll has a deal set for two musicals while "The Catspaw," starring Harold Lloyd, is the other. Home's Revue Over Big with Ampa Crowd Recommended as ace entertainment for a short subject is Hal Home's revue, which he put on for the benefit of Ampa members yesterday. The bill drew capacity attendance. The show opened with Bob Murray doing a bit accompanied by his son and daughter. Lillian Ellis, new Hal Roach find, gave her impression of an English player's first visit to these shores. She was followed by Jimmy Savo, who clicked with two numbers. Lew Brown sanw two new numbers he wrote and was accompanied at the piano by Lew Alter. Block and Sully closed the show with a fast line of patter and had the author of their act, Home, in the picture for a few lines. The show was a knockout as a U. A. attraction. If produced, Monogram should release. Ornstein. Ampa's next session will be turned over to the Soviet film delegation. Bruce Gallup will be guest chairman at the May 31 meet. Jack Alicoate of Film Daily is slated as guest chairman of the June 21 session, which will have as its main attraction the "Ampa Revels." Plans China Office Columbia will open a branch office in China about June 1. Signs Two Actresses Mady Christians, a Ufa star in Berlin for several years and since then appearing on the New York stage, yesterday signed a long-termer with M-G-M. Rosamond Pinchot, who excited comment several years ago as the nun in Max Reinhardt's production of "The Miracle," also has been signed by the company. She goes west in the fall. La Hiff in Danger Billy La Hiff, owner of The Tavern and well known in New York film circles, is seriously ill at Medical Center, where he is suffering from an abscess of the kidney. Here's the answer to the questions on pages 8 and 9... There are 99 STARS IN VITAPHONE SHORTS Each and every one a definite name draw from stage, radio or screen! Check this list with the photographs on pages 8 and 9 and see how many you identified correctly. 1 Ben Blue 34 Robert Barrat 67 Dawn O'Day 2 George Jessel 35 Gordon Westcott 68 E. M. Newman 3 Leon Errol 36 Hobart Cavanaugh 69 Harry Warren 4 Joe Penner 37 Janet Reade 70 Roy Turk 5 Hal LeRoy 38 Molly Picon 71 Walter Donaldson 6 Mitzi Mayfair 39 Lillian Roth 72 1 Minor & 7 Hugh Herbert 40 Inez Courtney 73 ] Root 8 Patricia Ellis 41 George Givot 74 George Blackwood 9 Frank McHugh 42 Charles Judels 75 Dorothy Dare 10 Dorothy Stone 43 Borrah Minnevitch. 76 Gypsy Nina 11 Gertrude Niesen 44 Eddie Duchin 77 Jack Fulton 12 Roscoe Ails 45 Phil Spitalny 78 Vera Van 13 Jack Haley 46 Vincent Lopez 79 Lulu McConnell 14 1 Block and 47 Abe Lyman 80 Harry Gribbon 15 (Sully 48 B. A. Rolfe 81 Lionel Stander 16 Ethel Waters 49 Edgar Bergen 82 Shemp Howard 17 Gus Shy 50 Jean Sargeant 83 Claude Hopkins 18 Allen Jenkins 51 Isham Jones 84 J. Harold Murray 19 Tom Patricola 52 Jeanne Aubert 85 Florence Lake 20 Jane Froman 53 Stanley Smith 86 Dorothy Lee 21 Queenie Smith 54 Arthur Lake 87 | Morton and 22 Bill Robinson 55 Dave Apollon 88 ] Arthur Havel 23 Ruth Etting 56 Sylvia Froos 89 Teddy Joyce 24 "Fatty" Arbuckle 57 Dr. Rockwell 90 George Houston 25 Dave Rubinoff 58 Olive Borden 91 Dudley Clements 26 1 Easy 59 Fuzzy Knight 92 Janet Rathbun 27 ] Aces 60 | Mitchell and 93 George Meyer 28 Donald Novis 61 j Durant 94 Charlie Nelson 29 Ruth Donnelly 62 Norman Terris 95 Kitty Kelly 30 } Ramon & 63 Georges Metaxa 96 Cora Witherspoon 31 5 Rosita 64 Sigmund Spaeth 97 Patsy Flick 32 Jack Denny 65 Ben Pollock 98 Roy Cummings 33 Bernice Claire 66 Don Tomkins 99 Dewey Robinson