THE PICTURE WORLD

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 8, 9 July 1931, Page 21

THE PICTURE WORLD

Russian Tour ;. ♦ —

* Tlie Wrong Theme

"Young Donovan's Kid." Jane Talent has been added to the cast of "Young'Donovan's Kid," the Richard Dix vehicle now in production at , the Radio Pictures' studio, under the . direction of Fred Niblo. Others announced for the cast in support*' of Dix are Marion Shilling, Boris Kttrloff, Frank Sheridan, Jackie Fred Kelsey, Dick Rush, Robert Wilber, and Harry Tcnbrook. Joan Bennott. , : ; Owen Moore has been selected to play opposite Joan'Bennett, the dainty blonde beauty, ■ in' "Hush Money," a dramatic story of big business in a big city. Sidney Lanfield, director of "Three Girls Lost," will guide the production. C. Henry Gordon, who played in "Charlie Chan Carries On," will have an important part. Added. John Miljan has been added to the cast of Ramon Novarro's forthcoming Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer vehicle, "The Son of the Rajah.". The complete cast of this film, which Jacques Feyder is directing, includes Madge Evans, Nigel de ! Bt-ulier, Conrad Nagel, C. Aubrey Smith, and Fletcher Norton. Melodies. Five original compositions by Oscar Strauss, famous Vienese composer, are incorporated in Maurice Chevalier's latest' Paramount operetta, 'The Smiling Lieutenant." In addition to the star, Claudette Colbert and Miriam Hopkins vocalise the lilting Strauss compositions. The new production was completed recently under the direction of Ernst Lubitseh. Slow Meal. , ft Jeanne • Stuart, the young actress who makes her screen debut in "The Limping l Man," which is being .filmed at Welwyn Studios, owes her acting career to a leisurely lunch. It had always been her ambi-. tion to go on the stage, but her parents were opposed to the idea. Jeanne was sitting in a restaurant toying with a,fruit salad when she was approached by a wellknown theatrical manager. Her beauty had attracted his attention. She played in "Nine iTill Six," the play with an all-female, cast, left with the company to enact it in New York, and on her return to England was caßt once more by Auriol Lee, for an important role in "After All," in which she is now appearing at the Criterion, and where she was "spotted" by John Orton, who was searching for an actress to portray a sophisticated character in "The :Limping Man." Marlon Shilling. • Marion Shilling has been signed to play the role of Kitty in "Young Donovan's Kid," Richard Dixs . current starring vehicles for Radio Pictures 'under the direction of Fred Niblo. Boris Karloff was recently announced for the part of 'Coky Joe. Max Ree, art director, is making elaborate plans for scenic aiid costume effects for this follow-up to Dixs "Cimarron." 1930 was a busy year for .Miss Shilling, with such pictures as "Lord Byron of Broadway," "Wise Girls," "Broadway," "Swellhcad," aiid "On Your Back" to her credit. Featured. , Lois Moran, fresh from a successful .three months on Broadway in "This is New York," is back in Hollywood to resume her screen career. Miss Moran will be one ...of tho featured players in "Transatlantic," a drama enacted aboard a big liner between New York and Cherbourg. Greta Nissen and Edmund Lowe, Myrna Loy, John Halliday, Dixie Lee, and Billy Bevans are part of the large cast. William K. Howard is the director. "The Prodigal."' : In "The -Prodigal," a new MetroGold- :- wyn-Mayec production, Lawrence Tibbett forsakes "period drama" to play his first strictly modern role. The singer appears as the prodigal son of an aristocratic Southern family who returns home to "make good" in an atmosphere of suspicion and hatred. When he attempts to prevent his brother's wife from eloping with a former lover, and falls in love with her himself, the dramatic action begins, working to a surprise ;, climax. Ealston, Roland Young.and Cliff Edwards are included in the cast of "The Prodigal."

"Trader Horn." : ft, t Although the '• wilds of Africa ■ supplied 1 Director W. S. Van Dyke with all the twoe footed and four-footed extras he could pos-, :• sibly want for the filming of "Trader r Horn,", the selection of principal players ] for the roles in the photoplay was a most , difficult and painstaking task. After many , tests, and . rigid-physical ■'examinations, Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer Anally selected Harry Carey, Edwina Booth, Duncan Renaldo, and : Olive Goldon for the principal r roles.' ;. Lew Cody. ) Lew Cody has been signed by Charles , Rogers for his next production for Badio Pictures' release, "The Registered ■Woman." Nance O'Neil, C. Henry Gordon, John Loder, Alfred Hickman, and Edward ' Earle have also been added to the cast, which already includes, according to ■ ■ previous announcement by Badio Pictures, .H. B. Warner, Zasu Pitts, and Helen . Twelvetrees. > His Choice. I For many weeks past, Alfred Hitchcock , has been searching high and low for the : ,ideal Emily, the principal character_ in ' '"Rich.and' Strange," which.he is to direct for British International Pictures. After .a; long series of tests and interviews, . Hitchcock's choice has. fallen on Joan jf Barry, who recently scored a success in . "The Outsider," and is now playing in . "The Barrets of Wimpole Street." This j is the first time she has been directed by r England's premier film producer. The story ■ of the film tells of a young suburban couple who receive a legacy aud determine to use it for a world tour. , Hayakawa. ;v. After'a-twelve-year .absence from the I screen, Sessue Hayakawa, the famous ■ Japanese star, is returning -to' Hollywood .. to appear with Anna May Wong and i Warner Oland in Paramount's forthcoming . picture, "Daughter of the Dragon." Pro , duetion is under the direction of Lloyd . Corrigan. Miss Wong will have the title [ role, and/Warner Oland will portray Dr. . Fu Manchu;. ■ New Trial. I A new noise has. arisen to assail the i sensitive ears of the microphone. Frogs, : aeroplanes, and various other noise-makers [ of greater or less degree have at times , interfered with the production of sound pictures, but no one ever expected that . a grate fire would be added to the listuntil Director Tod Browning was on the point of making a scene at Universal Studios during the filming of "Dracula." A log fire blazed in a gigantic fireplace i which formed a part of a set represent- ; ing an enormous room in a crumbling stove castle, and though the microphones : were hung at a , considerable distance ' away, the souud technician promptly brought work .to a standstill. "Too much roar in that fire," he said. And so Belu : Lugosi and Dwight Frye, who, were to appear in the scene, sat,around on the stage. ■ for a while, waiting for the fire to die down.ft 'ft:- ; ' ft* "Strange Women." "Strange Women," by Ivan Lebedeif and Benn W. Levy, the noted British playwright, has been purchased by Radio i Pictures, and will go into production shortly. "Strange Women" is Russian in its locale,; and is said to embody many of the hairbreadth • of Ivan Lebedeff when the latter passed through many of the momentous phases of the Great War under'the Russian banner, and later through the turbulent days of the revolution. Doris Anderson •is scheduled to do the screen version and dialogue, with Henry Hobart'assigned' to the role of associate producer. "Strange Women" will be done with an all-star cast; including Ivan Lebcdcfi' as one of the chief featured players. Cast. The cast of "The Man at Six," the British Internaticmal. production, which has been ' assigned to ftHarry Hughes, now includes in addition to Henry .Kendall, whose first picture it will be under his new British International Pictures' contract, Anne Grey, Kenneth Kove, Hubert Ross, John-Turnbull, Philip Hewland, and Arthur Stratton.

"Silence." Talking picture rights. to. Max Marein's Broadway stage melodrama, "Silence" have been acquired by Paramount, and the picture will go into production soon witl' Clive Brook heading an all-star cast. Twi members of the cast to surround Brook already have been selected in Mary Briar and John Wray.* Direction has beei assigned to Max Marcin and Louis Gasnier currently directing Brook in "The Lawyer's Secret." "Cracked Nuts." Although "Cracked Nuts" was praetic ally completed, William Le Baron, vice president in charge of production, decided to put a song in the film for Bert Wheele'i and Dorothy Lee.' It is called "Dance,'' and Harry Tierney,' composer, and Ray Egan, lyric writer, did the orchestration. ; Vacation. El Brendel and his wife,. Flo Bert/are enjoying a few'days' vacation in Aqua Calieute.',' ■ ■

Atmosphere. ' A special ; effects crew risked their necks recently by swinging in a strong wind directly' beneath' the midstream girders of the: Brooklyn Bridge to •get shots for including in" Paramount's "Secrets, of a Secretary," starring Claudctte Colbert. In the picture, as the star looks from her flat window she will pee a view obtained'ftby'three men who hung on a slender cable above the water. Second. Elissa Landi has completed-her second Fox picture, "Always Goodbye," which is said to give her alluring "personality an even than her first picture, "Body and Soul." j.... »;.7»rffnTrrresEßa)

The Shubei'ts, one of the biggest American theatre-owners, are to road-show the : Soviet picture,' "The Five-Year Plan," i putting it into i their legitimate theatres in key cities. The picture could not get a regular release in the motion picture houses. The propaganda picture is a silent. Agents will go ahead and there will be a ' manager with each picture. The New York censors'passed the picture without a cut, but the Shuberts are fearful the State Department at Washington may step in and order the tour closed. In the case of some other Russian pictures the State Department asked thatthey be not shown in industrial centres where there was a large foreign population. "The Five-Year Plan" is now being shown in its entirety at the Central Theatre in New York city. Portions of the picture were added to Pathe news reels recently and shown from week to week. The sec- ! tions principally shown were in the farming districts where co-operative farming, , the arrival of tractors, and the mods of , life have been' the subjects of illustration. ' Jean Harlow. Joan Harlow, the ash-blonde girl whose screen "break" came in "Hell's Angels," i will play the leading feminine role in "Goldie," wtih Spencer Tracy and Warren ' Hymcr. I

Solo-Star. 1 Clyde Bruckman has been borrowed from t Harold Lloyd to direct Robert Woolsey's first solo-star vehicle,. "Everything's Rosy." Bruckman is responsible for;such successes >as "Welcome Danger," ; "A', Perfect Gentlei man," "Speedy Smith," and "Horse > Shoes." Woolsey has been teamed with ! Bert Wheeler ever since the two first i started with Radio Pictures in "Rio Rita." i The- signing of Bruckman indicates the , tempo of Woolsey's first solo venture with Radio will, bo fast arid furious. Anita Louise, and John Darrow will have the 1 romantic juvenile leads in "Everything's i Rosy." .•,•'■• 1 Mystery Thriller. ' "The Glass Key," latest mystery novel by Dashielle Hammett,. the former detective, has been purchased 1 by Paramount for Gary Cooper.. .This story of a young politician who thrusts himself into the midst of a startling murder mystery to , save a friend from'the gallows, will offer Cooper unlimited dramatic possibilities. John Cromwell has been 'assigned to direct, and Bartlett Cormack is writing

—: * : — George Kelley says playwrights and novelists approach motion pictures as a secondary'source''of profit, hence the poor quality of material thoy turn out when they write directly for the screen. Kelley is the latest dramatist to desert Broadway for-Hollywood. He has attained a. distinguished position in the theatre as author of "The Tbrch-Bearers," "Craig's Wife," "Behold the "Bridegroom," "Maggie the Magnificent," . and "Philip Goes Forth," which has just ended a run of 100 nights in New York. He is now in Hollywood. "There are. technical problems in -writing for the screen different from those "that confront the playwright," Kelley says, "but there is room for all kinds of creative expression. The standard of taste is rising among picture audiences, due largely to the introduction of dialogue. "I believe pictures . will make their greatest strides forward as they develop a school of writers of their own, and cease to depend on hand-me-downs from the There is not any reason why a successful playwright cannot'be successful also in writing for motion pictures, but he must keep his mind •on what he is doing and not get the two mediums mixed." Kelley feels rather. bitterly toward the stage because of the failure, from tho popular standpoint, of his latest plays. They, .were well, received by the critics, but seemed too serious for the'public.

Secrets of a Secretary. "Secrets of a Secretary," Claudette Colbert's next Paramount - £lm, in which George Metaxa, London stage favourite, makes his debut ■in talking pictures, has gone .into, production at the company's New York studios. George Abbott'is in charge of the direction, and Mary Boland and Herbert Marshall have been assigned to prominent supporting roles. Other cast selections aro in process. By Air. Will Rogers has been eagerly awaiting the word from studio officials that will permit him to make a long-planned aeroplane trip through South America. He expects to get away daily, and' will be gone three weeks. Yielding. Reginald Denny, ' Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer featured player, has substituted milder thrills for those he had of-yore. He gave up flying,to please Mrs. Denny—so now he has taken up yachting instead. He is an' 1 expert navigator.

Marx Brothers. The four Marx Brothers, stars of "The Cocoanuts" and "Animal Crackers," have started work in Hollywood on their next Paramount comedy, titled "Monkey Business." The film play is by S. J. Perelman rad Will B. Johnston, noted humorists, and will pi'esent the stars in further mad iintics. Thelma Todd, Tom Kennedy, William B. Davidson,, and Rockclifi'e Fellowes aro in the. supporting cast. Completed. Two important productions, "The Woman Between" and "Too Many Cooks," have been completed at Radio Pictures' studios. Lily Damita, Miriam Seegar, Anita Louise, Lincoln Stedman, .Lester Vail, and 0. P. Heggie are in • the cast of "The Woman Between," which was directed by Victor Schertzinger. "Too Many Cooks" boasts a cast which includes Bert Wheeler, Jporothy Lee, Florence Roberts, Hallam Cooley, Rosco Ates, Sharon Lynn, and other notable players.

Chevalier Kisset. ' Claudette Colbert was kissed 134 times within the span of three hours by Maurice Chevalier during the making of scenes for "The Smiling Lieutenant," the French star's latest, Paramount operetta.. This was necessitated by the,rehearsals, takes, and retakes.of one of the many love scenes in which Maurice and Miss Colbert share. Ernst Lubitsch directed. Boasberu Contract. Al Boasbcrg, the "king ,of • Hollywood wits," will give his talents to Radio Pictures for at least half a year longer. Al'sgags are one of the chief features in the Wheeler and Woolsey shows. Boasberg collaborated with Douglas M'Lean and Ralph Spence in the writing of the'latest Wheeler-Woolsey film, "Cracked- Nuts."

Rights. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has acquired motion picture rights to Faith Baldwin's story, "Skyscraper." This story is to bo published in the "Cosmopolitan' Magazine" in the near future. Mendes. Lotliar Mendes, who recently completed tho direction of William Powell's new Paramount film, "Ladies' Man," is to handle Ruth Chatterton's "Laurels and the Lady," adapted from the novel by Leonard Merrick. The story, one of intrigue and strange love in the Kimberley diamond fields,_ offers Miss Chatterton a strong . dramatic characterisation. Ex-Prime Minister. The venerable Hitu,.who plays the menace in Paramount's beautiful romance of the South Seas, "Tabu," comes by his dignity in a naturalmanner. He was the Prime Minister of the last of the native queens of the Society Islands. The queen relinquished all her rights to the.French at- the time of the annexation of tho islands, leaving Hitu out of' a job. Reri and Matahi play the romantic leads. Illegal. ; • Illegal according to the law of the State of California, but legal for motion picture purposes only, machine guns, rifles, tear bombs, pistols, swords, rapiers, spears, cutlasses, and other weapons are stored under lock and key in a special. compartment in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's property warehouse. There are also enough roulette' wheels, faro banks, and other games of chance to start a new Monte Carlo. Other illegal weapons frequently used in pictures are knuckle dusters, batons, sandbags, and daggers. ft Featured. Beryl Mercer has been signed for a featured role in "Merely Mary Ann," in support of; Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. Since her work in "Common Clay," Miss Mercer has been,• cast in several Fox Film pictures. She completed a character part •in support of Elissa Landi in "Always Goodbye" a short time a So. ... "Girl Habit." Appearing in support of Charles Ruggles in Paramount's current. comedy, ■ "Girl Habit" are Tamara Geve, Donald Meek, Douglas Gilmore, and Margaret Dumont. Gihnore recently completed a role in* Ruth Chatterton's "Unfaithful," while Meek played an important role in "Night Angel." Eddie Gline is directing "Girl Habit" from .the stage comedy, "Thirty Days," by A. E, Thomas. "Drusilla With a Million." ".', "Drusilla With 'a Million" is to reach the talking screen. Radio Pictures have purchased tho talking picture, nghts, according to an announcement by William Le Baron, vice-president in charge.of pro : duetion. Produced, some eight years ago as a silent picture, "Drusilla-.With -a Million" proved to be one of the popular successes of that' era. Kenneth' Harlan, Mary Carr, and Priscilla Bonner were'the ■stars--of the silent production, which was filmed from' the popular novel-by Elizabeth Cooper. . « Wild Lady of West. Calamity Jane, wild woman of the old West, is coming, by devious processes, to the talking screen. In Richard Arleas latest Paramount Western, "Caught, _ Louise Dresser is featured in the role of that famous woman who, for many years, held primitive sway over a vast; territory. Others in the cast are Frances Dee, Martin Burton, Tom Kennedy,. Sid Saylor,' and Marcia Manners. ■-. Hula. Can you imagine Greta Garbo performing a hula dance? Unless the story is shortened you will'see the Swedish star doing these particular gyrations in - the opening scenes of "Susan Lennox: Her Fall and Rise, which King Vidor Is to direct for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Brushes. '-."''. Painters in the Paramount Hollywood studios annually use more than 1200 paint brushes. Plasterers use 300. tons of plaster sand. The paint department uses between 3000 and-4000 gallons.of.denatured alcohol yearly.

Battle. Thomas Boyd, World War veteran and author of "Through the Wheat," wartime story, "Samuel Drummond," "Light Horse Harry Lee," and "Mad Anthony; Wayne," has reported for writing duty; at Radio Pictures' studio. He has been signed on-a ten weeks' contract, according to Williamle Baron, vice-president in charge of Radio Pictures' production, to write a war story about the famou« Bclleau Woods fight. . Ho came via San Francisco, where he conferred with Marine Corps generals on certain phases of the story treatment. This is the ifirst time the movies have tempted the 31-year-old author, although "Points of Honour" was filmed under the title "Blaze - of Glory/ 1 ! Boyd was 18 when he joined the Marine" during the war. He was wounded ja 1< ranee, and was" decorated with the Crohe de Guerre. '"■'.■" ' '.■ Lukas. • ft,,,.-"ft. Paul Lukas and .Eleanor Boardman head the cast in "Women Love Once," a current Paramount dramatic production. Juliette Compton: enacts .the "other woman," and Geoffrey Kerr the "other man." Others are Helen Johnson, Marilyn Knowlden, Claude King, Mischa Aver* Paul Nicholson, and Florence Enright. The film is based on the -stage "Daddy's Gone A-Hunting." Mary Astor. Salisbury Field, the playwright, has beeni assigned the adaptation and dialogue of Myron Fagan's "Nancy's Private Affair/ according to an announcement by William Le Baron, vice-president in charge of production. This is the piece in which Mary; Astor is to star for Radio Pictures under direction of Gregory.La Cava.- Field wrote "Twin Beds," "Zander the Great," and "Wedding Bells" for the stage, and '"No Limit," the Clara Bow vehicle. Bertram Millhauser will supervise. La .Cava won this assignment through his directorship of "Laugh and Get Rich," declared by; Le Baron to be a comedy hit. ft "Personal Maid." ' • George Fawcett, the veteran character actor, has been added to the .cast of "Personal Maid," Nancy. Carroll's ■■■. current starring picture for Paramount. Pat O'Brien and' Raymond. Guion, formergtage star, are others in the featured supporting roles. Production has just-started under the direction of Monta Bell." ,-. ft Additions. Three further male additions have been made to the cast of "Love Lies," which will star Stanley Lupino, .the well-known comedian,- who. will be making his talkie debut under the direction of his cousin, Lupino Lane. In addition to Lupino, Jack Hobbs and Denis Hoey will appear in this film farce and, to them, have been added Charles Courtneidge, brother of Cecily Courtneidge,. the ; well-known revue star, Sebastian Smith, and .Denis..O'Neill, ' Underworld' Story. , An underworld plot Without a-gun'in dt has been 'purchased by Radio . Pictures* William Le Baron, vice-president hi. charga of production,-announces that? riegotiatioh« have been completed for an original-writ-ten by James Whittaker, tentatively, titlid "The Dove." Bertram Millhauser, associate producer,,.has been.assigned. to super* vise the picture, ft Wallace-Smith, novelist! and screen writer, will adapt -it' and the dialogue, ft Whittaker is ft a' f ormee Chicago' newspaperman and' music crititf who knows the denizens" of'AmericMi civilisation's first 'hand;' Th* ■story centres about'a: character of: lawlesa land in a metropolitanftcity. Search hai ■begun for. a cast." .-■.,.■■ . Wide-Angles. Wide-angle lenses-arenised on, the canw eras to film the; expansivei sets: in "Fiv* and Ten," Marion Dayies's .new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring .vehicle, directed by Robert Z. Leonard., The. two sets that figure most prominently-represent the interior, .of an aristocratic mansion, the rooms spreading .'some sixty feet in width with ballroom-floor depths. ! New Home. -'■

Victor M'Laglen is 'preparing to nor* into.his new home in ftFlintridge,-.aea? Pasadena.