Paramount Around the World (1928)

More Paramount Production News — Silent and Sound PRODUCTION NOTES FOR YOUR MENTAL NOTEBOOK The leading feminine role i n Maurice Chevalier’s first Paramount all-talking picture, “T h e Innocents of Paris," will be played by Sylvia Beecher. The picture will be directed by Richard Wallace, who directed "The Shopworn Angel.” Robert Castle, the handsome young Viennese actor ‘discovered’ by Jesse L. Lasky, will have a highly prominent role in the next Paramount production starring Emil Jannings. A new leading man for Clara Bow in her first all-talking picture, “The Wild Party,” will be Frederick Marsh, a stage actor recently signed to a Paramount contract. Jack Oakie, remembered for his work in "The Fleet’s In” has also signed a new Paramount contract. "Through the Night,” a railroad thriller with full sound effects, will be the next starring picture of Fay Wray and Gary Cooper. It will be a one hundred percent dialogue picture. Dorothy Arzner will direct “The Wild Party.” Esther Ralston will he Emil Jannings’ leading woman in his next picture, referred to earlier in this column: Lewis Milestone will be the director. Lilyan Tashman, blonde charmer de-luxe, will appear with O. P. Heggie in the all-talking version of “A Genius Is Born.” Clara Bow’s supporting cast in “The Wild Party,” her first alltalking picture, will include Ruth Taylor, Jack Luden, Philip Holmes. Jack Oakie and Shirley O’Hara. Two additions to the cast of Maurice Chevalier’s first Paramount picture include Russell Simpson and George Fawcett. Skeets Gallagher has an important role in the next Paramount picture starring Charles (Buddy) Rogers. ZAMECNIK WRITING “REDSKIN” MUSIC SCORE A new color technique in musical interpretation developed with Paramount’s latest Technicolor-Sound spectacle “Redskin” starring Richard Dix, will be introduced by J. S. Zamecnik, eminent composer of original scores for motion picture productions. His thought is to produce a music score as colorful as the picture, rich in Indian lore. Into his musical synchronization of “Redskin,” Zamecnik will bring the ancient plaintive melodies of the Navajo and Pueblo Indians. The composer will not change the richness and close harmony of the Indian songs, but he will modernize them sufficiently so as to make possible their use by an ultra-modern sound-recording orchestra. Old musical instruments used by the Navajo and Pueblo Indians have, by a fortunate circumstance, been CHINESE. Lady Tsen Mei, famous Chinese actress, makes her debut in Paramount talking pictures in “The Letter,” which has been made from W. Somerset Maugham’s famous play of the same name. The picture is one hundred percent talking, and there are several sequences in which Chinese is spoken, as well as Chinese music being played. COOPER ZOOMS TO GRAND POPULARITY HEIGHTS Gary Cooper’s rise has been nothing short of a marvel. In “The Legion of the Condemned,” “The First Kiss,” “Lilac Time” and “The Shopworn Angel,” he has shown steadily increasing ability. With each picture his personality has taken stronger hold on the screen public. For October, 1928, Cooper jumps into third place in fan mail, exceeded only by Clara Bow and Buddy Rogers. He will undoubtedly be a great star and salesmen and exhibitors should not overlook his great appeal. NEW NEWS FROM THE STUDIO The official and confidential publication issued during the past twelve months from the Paramount Studio in Hollywood over the signature of Arch Reeve, director of publicity, and called “The Poster,” is now known as “INSIDE with Arch Reeve.” This is a far more apt title, one which adequately conveys the purpose of the sheet. If you are not receiving copies regularly. make known this fact to Foreign Publicity Manager O. R. Geyer in New York. unearthed and Zamecnik proposes to write special parts into the score for these ancient instruments so that when the picture is sound recorded, a convincing interpretation of the Indian melodies will be secured. JANNINGS IN NEW ROLE Emil Jannings’ next starring picture will have an Alpine background. Hans Kraly, adaptor of “The Patriot” has prepared the German star’s new vehicle. The Alpine story, untitled as yet, is based upon an original by the versatile Victor Schertzinger, director, and Nicholas Soussanin, the Russian actor who played the valet in “A Gentleman of Paris.” Jannings will portray the role of an Alpine citizen who is betrayed by his/ friend. Lewis Milestone, director of “Two Arabian Knights” and “The Racket,” will direct. Esther Ralston will be leading woman, and Gary Cooper will have a very powerful role as an artist in love with her. PATRICK KEARNEY ON PARAMOUNT WRITING STAFF Patrick Kearney, one of the most successful members of the younger group of modern playwrights, and a former Paramount publicity man is now on the writing staff at the Paramount studio in Hollywood. Kearney is best known for his dramatization of Theodore Dreiser’s "An American Tragedy” and also of “A Man’s Man.” His most recent play was a dramatic version of Sinclair Lewis’ “Elmer Gantry.” Acquisition of Kearney marks the latest step in the plan of Paramount to assemble a skilled group of playwrights to, prepare the dialogue for the imposing array of all-talking pictures recently announced by Jesse L. Lasky. WILLIAM POWELL SIGNS SPECIAL TALKING PICTURE PARAMOUNT CONTRACT W illiam Powell's present Paramount contract has been torn up and a netv one substituted which specifically provides for his services in talking films. “Interference,” in which Powell gives one of his finest portrayals, is now in its sixth successful week at the Criterion Theatre, New York City. “The Canary Murder Case,” in ivhich Powell plays the principal role, will soon be on the market and, “The 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 1^= CHRISTIE SIGNS RAY I MOND GRIFFITH FOR I TALKING PICTURE A1 Christie has signed Ray | mond Griffith for one of the | short feature talking plays | which his company is produc | ing for Paramount release. Griffith will he starred in | “Post Mortems*” a 100 percent | talking picture adapted from 1 the joyously original story of | Charles Devine. He will play | the part of Whispering Jimmy | Smith, a bridge playing bur | glar. “Post Mortems” marks Grif 1 fi th’s return to the Paramount | program. His talking picture | tests registered excellent. The f picture will go into production | in the near future at the 1 Christie sound studios and will | be pre-released by Paramount f this year. I riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir: Four Feathers, "the Cooper-Schoedsack special talking production in which Powell also appears, ivill be released during the current year. “THE CINEMA” OF LONDON REVIEWS “THE PATRIOT” Paramount’s mighty Emil Jannings picture “The Patriot,” which was produced by Ernst Lubitsch, is personally reviewed by Sam Harris, managing editor of “The Cinema” in the December 5th issue of his celebrated weekly English film paper. Among other things, Mr. Harris says : “ ‘The Patriot’ is a film that will hold the best-class audiences enthralled from beginning to end... No finer character study has ever been seen on the screen.” Oh, Pshaw! Why Not! Purely to oblige Pola Negri, George Bernard Shaw went to Paramount's Plaza in London a few nights ago and satv “The W Oman from Moscow.” He was met at the door by one of the management, but insisted on paying for his seat. When the official protested Mr. Shatv replied, with all the feeling of a playwright who receives a percentage of the box office returns : I “Young man, take a hint from me. | Never let anyone into your theatre without paying!” Mighty set built in the Paramount Hollywood Studio for “The Wolf of Wall Street,” George Bancroft’s starring picture which has been made both as a great silent picture and a one hund r e d percent tolL'ino r mrtnrp CLARA B o w Though undoubtedly the Domestic Department would say (Box) (Office) (Winner) Box Office Wow