ROUND THE STUDIOS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 286, 29 August 1931, Page 19

ROUND THE STUDIOS

Believe it or not! Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer sound technicians have discovered that the staccato of a pneumatic drill records more like a machine-gun than a mechlne-gun.

Sally O’Neill , has been selected, to play on the screen the role that made Maude Fulton famous on the stage, the title part in “The Brat,” which also was written, by Miss Fulton. As the little chorus girl whom a young author brings into his home in order that he may use her as a type for his next play, Miss O’Neill is expected to give an excellent characterisation. John Ford will direct “The Brat” for Fox Movietone, with a cast which also will include Farrell MacDonald, Albert Gran, and Louise Mackintosh. " / , ' .

The latest British International Pictures’ comedy, “House/Full,” under the direction of Norman Lee, has commenced production at Elstree with Ernie Lotinga in the starring role. The story is one of a down-and-out who steals a lady’s handbag in a kinema and. as a result gets himself and the other characters involved into a series of misadventures that give rise to highly humorous, situations. Modern settings of great beauty and original design will form, the background for “House Full,” and the cast includes, in addition to Lotinga, Molly Lamont, Jack Hobbs, Binnie Barnes, Harold Wilkinson, Fred Rex, and Joan Wyndham.

After having returned from • Spain, where exterior shots have been taken for his film “Carmen,” Cecil Lewis has started in production at the British International Pictures’ Studios at Elstree, where a magnificent set represent-' ing a ma'rket place in Seville has been built Here, dressed. in their gorge-ously-coloured garb, more than one hundred people, including dozens of soldiers in their blue and white uniforms and plumes, moved among the stalls containing fruit, flowers, and baskets. Tom Burke, the famous tenor, has the role'of Don Jose.

From comparative obscuriyt in a series of “kid’* comedies to starring roles in feature, films within a few months is the achievement of seven-year-old Jackie Cooper, seen with Richard Dix in: “Young Donovan’s Kid,” due for early release in Wellington. Jackie won the call over all Hollywood juveniles for the title role in “Skippy.” His performance was labelled sensational. In “Young Donovan’s Kid” he makes a complete character change from light comedy to touching drama and tragedy. Critics claim Jackie is the greatest child actor in screen history. “Young Donovan’s Kid” is taken from Rex Beach’s “Big Brother.’,’

Carole Lombard, Richard Arlen, and Gene Raymond have been assigned stellar roles In Paramount’s forthcoming picturisation of “No One Man,” the best selling novel, by Rupert Hughes, dealing with a too-wise modern generation and a marriage not made in Heaven. .

Evelyn Brent, noted screen star, returns to the Columbia lot after an absence of nearly six months, to portray the featured feminine role in the compahy’s adaptation of the stage success “Pagan Lady." The play, which served as a starring vehicle for Lenore Ulric, and as such enjoyed a record run on Broadway, will come to the screen under the direction of John Francis Dlllion. Evelyn Brent, after a series of setbacks In her attempt to find screen recognition in America, went, to England and became a featured player. She

Jack Hulbert, of the famous partnership of Jack Hulbert and Cicely Courtneidge, who are perhaps the most popular team of their type on the London stage, has been signed for the leading male role in Gainsborough’s musical comedy talkie, tentatively titled “Sunshine Susy,” taken from the phenomen-, ally successful. German musical comedy “The Private Secreary.” ' Miss Renate Muller, the continental dancer, will play the leading feminine role, and. is going to England for that purpose.

“Men of the Sky,” First National and Vitaphone’s musical romance, written for the screen by the celebrated composers Jerome JCern and Otto Harback, is an intensely dramatic story.of a man and womap who are hurled into the maelstrom of war as spies, and who are compelled to suppress their love for each other in the vaster love for their country. Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach are responsible for the .magnificent musical setting which, Is the background for this tense drama of war.

Booth Tarkington has completed the dialogue for “The Ruling Passion,” which will be one of the next Vltaphone, vehicles for George Arliss, so H. M. Warner, president of Warner Bros.’ Pictures, Inc., announces. Arliss, whose “Old English” promises to rank as the outstanding picture of the year, as his “Disraeli” was of the preceding one, prevailed on the famous novelist and playwright to prepare the dialogue to this story for him as an act of friendship. A notable supporting cast is being selected for this production. Earle Foxe, one of the featured players in the Fox picture, “Transatlantic,” left the screen on account of his ten-year-old son. He couldn’t find a suitable school for his boy, so he bought one, and it took all his time until he got it organised and running smoothly.