THE ANSWER CORNER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE ANSWER CORNER.

REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. A.B. (Te Kuiti).—"The White Sheik" was adapted from "King's Mate," by Rosita Forbes. U.S.—Write to Loretta ' Young at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio, Culver City, California; and to Richard Dix, Clara Bow and Nancy Carroll at the Paramount Studio. Marathon Street, Hollywood, Cal.

"High Society Blues," a Fox-Movie-tone production, directed 'by\ David Butler, has gone into production with Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell again co-featured. Louise Fazenda and Lucien Littleiield h'ave roles in this production Ibased on a magazine story by Dana Burnett.

Forty trained horsemen, all them singers, appear in one of the lavish ' colour sequences in "The, Love. Parade," •Maurice Chevalier's second talking and singing picture for Paramount. "The Love Parade," which features Jeanette Mac Donald in the feminine lead, will be released in New - Zealand as an extended season attraction. \

.Preparation is under way at "the Hollywood studios on "Marco Himself," adapted from the famous story by Octavus Rov Cohen. Jack Oakie and "Richard'("Skeets") Gallagher, the popular comedy team of "Close Harmony," will be featured in the production. The adaptation and dialogue arc in the hands of Walton Butterfield and Patrick Kearney. Frank Tuttle will direct.

The Metro-QJoldwyn-Mayer studio gate served as. opening set for "On the Set," in which Buster K<mton will make his debut as a speaking comedian. Anita , Page 'will haye the leading - feminine role iij this new picture, which Edward Sedgwick is directing. Musical number in this production have been prepared by Roy Turk and Fred Ahlert, with ensemble numbers to be directed by Sammy Lee.

Bpji Hecht, author of "The River Inn," Paramount's new. talkie, featuring Charles Ruggles and Helen Morgan, is also technical director for the produ/tiqn. "The River Inn" is a story of newspaper life, and Hecht, a former city editor, personally supervises the sequences in the newspaper office. "The River Inn" is in production at the Long Island studios, under- the direction ( of •Hobart Henley.

By an exhaustive study of the effects of light upon delicate colours and tints, photographic technicians have finally discovered a new process of colour photography by which both natural and blended colours may be reproduced accurately. The new method was used for the first time during the filming of "The Vagabond King," Paramount's all-colour singing romance, starring Dennis King. , Mr. King is a recruit from the New York stage. ■

After nearly three months in production, Radio Pictures' "Hit the Deck" has been completed. One of the largest choruses ever cast in a film production will appear in the musical comedy. A total of 189 persons make up the chorus. Fifty are chorus girls, 24 chorus men, 24 male pingers, 16 women singers, and there is a mixed negro chorus of 75, The principals include Polly Walker, Jack Oakie, Roger Gray, Wallace McDonald and June Clyde. ."Five new songs were added to the 14 joriginals of the stage. "Hallelujah" once a solo song, .now , becomes an elaborate (spiritualist meeting, involving 100 negro fingers and players. •

Close to 1000. male and female picture (players were engaged 'by Frank Borzage, directing the , world's greatest tenor,--John McCormack, in his first starring iFox-Movietone production, and were [paid 4 sums varying from 30/ to £3 for (the most unique day's work they have iever experienced in motion pictures. All ithey • had to do was to don evening [clothes and sit in the vast auditorium tef the Philharmonic in Los Angeles and 3isten to John McCormackj sing. Hie [McCormack picture is nearing completion, and when it is seen and heard on the screen the most marvellous voice of the present day will! be heard in - ten numbers, including four in foreign (tongue. Alice Joyce heads the supportSng cast, which John Garrick, Maureen O'Sullivan, Farrell Mac Donald £nd J. M. Kerrigan.

Transferred to the talking screen, Badio Pictures' version of William L« Aaron's hilarious stage success, ine [Tory Idea" is soon to be heard and seen Sr. Auckland. Preview critics hail it as fcven superior entertainment to the s age tcrsion, which was translated into every language and had successful runs throughout the world. Frank Craven, plays a leading role and who stageAirected the talking version with Richard Eossen as pictorial. director, has, enhanced the entertainment value of the original, and packed it with laughs. Btory deals with a practical application ef the eugenic theory. Naive treatmen and smart dialogue built up o _ .Very Idea" a great following. It played fat the Astor Theatre in- New York, inonths in London and for mal iL fn Paris, Berlin and Vienna, men the talkies began a renewßdswrcHorP I applicable to motion- pictures, Stives found they had ajeadmg play fright in their midst. Bajon, Vice-president in charge of P , tjons conceived "The Very Idea. The May fa interpreted by Olive » Graven, Dorfa Eaton, Theodore Von S A JSltz, Hugh Trevor and Bally Blane,

Greta Garbo, having, completed her first talkie, "Anna Christie," will at once remake the' picture in German for foreign release. Clarence Brown, who directed the English version, will again be behind the camera with the German cast. - •

Final scenes of the Fox-Movietone production, "The Big Party," are in process of completion on one of the huge stages at Fox-Movietone i City in the Westwood Hills. The vast area of stage 1 is completely occupied with a modernistic apartment peopled with beautifully-gowned women, gentlemen in evening dress and tiny principals of the cast, which includes Dixie Lee, Frank Walter Catlett, "Whispering" Jack Smith, Rlcfhard'-Keene, Sue Carol, Charles Judels, Douglas Gil-more, Ilka Chase and Dorothy Brown.

Leila Hyams, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer featured player, will have the chief feminine role opposite William Haines, and Phyllis Cran will have an important role in "Fresh From College." Sam Wood, who directed "So This Is College," and the Duncan Sisters' new' picture, "It's a Great Life," will make "Fresh . from College"/fronj' a story by A. P. Younger,. with dialogue supplied by Charles MacAruthur and Zelda Sears.

Menacing shadows flitting across panelled walls; a terrifying figure clad in black from head to foot; a fortune in,emeralds, a giant who turns traitor; a debonair gentleman adventurer, and five different seekers after precious stones, each battling the others, are some of the dramatic "high points" in "Temple Tower," Donald Gallaher's current directorial contribution to Fox Films, now in production. "Temple Tower" is the slcond ofH. C. ("Sapper") McNeile's well-known novels, with Kenneth MacKenna playing the role of Bulldog Drummond." Marceline Day, Henry B. Walthall, Cyril Chad-wick, Peter Gawthorne, Ivan Linow,. and A. B. £ane play prominent roles. . x -

Moran and Mack, the Two Black Crows, will shortly start work on a new all-talking picture for Paramount. The war will form the background for Ihe production and the Two Black Crows will be featured as negro soldiers. An entirely new set of comedy gags has been prepared for the picture.

I, Twenty-four of Hollywood's fastest stepping dancers support Helen Kane and Jack Oakie in the song, and dance sequences of "Sweetie," Paramount's musical romance of college life. Nancy Carroll is starred in the production and Stanley Smith plays opposite her. '

"Sweetie," which was recently completed in Hollywood, will be one of the big features for 1930. - •

After two long seasons on Broadway,, first as a stage play with Blanche Yurha and . more recently as a First National picture,'"The Squall" comes shortly to Auckland. "The Squall" is an all-talking and singing production with Myrna Loy as Nubi, the gipsy gale of passion'from which the picture gets its title.'lt is ani adaptation of the stage play by Jean Bart and has been transplanted to the screen with very few changes.

. Thrge of the prettiest children of the stikge are triplets. They appear in "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Hollywood Revue," the all-musical and talking extravaganza. They are Angela, Claudine and Claudette Mawby, and their tiny. engraved calling card —with' their three names in brackets—announces that they live in "The Doll's House," Malibu Beach, California. In the revue, tho x six-year-olds announce the programme.

Colleen Moore's latest talking picture, "Footlights and Fools" has been made in natural colours. .In it Miss Moore portrays an exotic French actress. For weeks before production commenced on the film, Miss Moore divided her time between acquiring a French accent and learning the lyrics for a Beries of catchy song numbers in the picture. The popular star is supported by a strong cast, Raymond Hackett, and Frederic Marsh portraying the two leading roles opposite het, while Virginia Lee Corbin, Edward Martin el and Jack Stone are cast in prominent roles.

Putting 100 youthful! and beautiful dancers through .preliminary paces at Fox studios recently might be set down as the official launching of work on what is expected to prove the most novel and stupendous production to be filmed by Fox in the more than twelve years .of its existence. The production is "The Fox Movietone Follies of 1930," and four masters of dance ensembles are co-operating. . The 100 girls have in their possession term contracts, and were the pick of . v 400 assembled some time since for tryouts. John G. Blystone, director of ithe successful productions, "The Sky Hawk" and "The Big Party," as well as 45 other box, office successes, will direct. The cast will include John Garrick. Maureen Sullivan, Marjorie White and. Tommy Clifford^ ; and number leaders include Fifi Dorsay, "Whispering" Jack Smith, Marjorie White, Noel Francis, Charles Judels, Ilka Chase and Walter Catle'tt. A; score of song writers under contract to Fox and the Red Star Music Company, an auxiliary of * Fox Films, will supply the song hits.

LOCAL NEWS-REELS,

FOX MOVIETONE BUSY.

The Fox Movietone Camera Car, with Ray Vaughan (head cameraman) and aul Hance (sound engineer), left Wanganui after filming in sight and sound the Wanganui River regatta and Maori festivities, and travelled by road to Auckland, via New lymouth. ■ In' Auckland they filmed in both sight and sound the Australasian ' motor championship at Muriwai Beach. On Thursday, January-30, they again visited Muriwai Beach and filmed Mr. Norman ("Wizard") Smith attempting to break speed records. Mr, Vaughan and Mr. Hance left on Friday morning, January 31, for Rotorua, to join Mr. Bridgeman, of the New Zealand Government üblicity Department, who will be with, them during their stay in the thermal region.