BREAK FOR KEN HALL

Evening Star, Issue 23325, 22 July 1939, Page 5

BREAK FOR KEN HALL

GINESOUND SIGNS NEW DIRECTOR In line with the progressive policy scheduled for Cincsound as a result of the recent Government legislation favouring local production, Mr Ken G. Hall has announced having assigned Mr William Freshman to the direction of Cinesound’s feature comedy, ‘Come Up Smiling,’ starring Will Mahoney. In Cinesound’s eminently successful career, during which 16 pictures have been made in eight years, this is the first which Mr Hall will not personally direct. He will, however, maintain close personal supervision of the entire production, as well as plan ahead for a -group of ambitious films headed hy the long-awaited ‘ Robbery Under Arms.’

“ With such advance planning to bo done, it was essential that I appoint another director to lighten my load,” said Mr Hall. “ By reason, of his diversified overseas experience, Bill Freshman is the logical choice, and T. know that in ‘ Com© Up Smiling ’ he will turn- in a fine job.” Mr Freshman, an Australian who went to London at the age of eight, has a great number of English films to his credit. He has written 23 scenarios and acted,as associate producer on 17 for British International Pictures, and has also had experience in Holland, Vienna, and Berlin. Just prior to his departure from London three months ago he produced his

own play, ‘ The Last of the Ladies,’ at the Apollo Theatre, with Athene Seyler, Nicholas Hannan, and Charles Heaslop in the principal roles. With him in Australia is his wife, who, under her maiden name, Lydia Hayward, is amongst the foremost of English scenarists. “ With 16 feature length pictures behind us, some at this moment successfully screening in England, on the Continent, and in America,” said Ken Hall, “ I feel that Cinesound has come through the tough pioneering stage—that it has, in fact, shed its swaddling clothes. From a scratch start in 1931 we have kept the ball rolling to the tune of pictures which have consistently earned excellent returns for exhibitions. As a matter of fact, Cinesound pictures hold the house record for takings in a great many theatres in Australia and New Zealand. Now we plan bigger things—are able to do so by reason of the additional time at my disposal. Opportunity will be taken to find big subjects from which to make big pictures—like ‘ Robbery Under Arms,’ which I expect to direct personally, ‘ Overland Telegraph,’ ‘ Eureka Stockade,’ and others of that calibre, though not all necessarily historic.”

Cinesound also plans the importation of overseas stars in the near future, particularly in regard to Mr Hall’s production of ‘ Robbery Under Arms.’ “ At present,” he said, “ we are negotiating with several prominent male personalities for the part of ‘ Captain Starlight,’ who must be an Englishman for story reasons. Prominent actors in both Hollywood and England are under consideration. Our major difficulty, of course, is to get big artists away for the length of time necessary for travelling and actual work in front of the cameras.”

Benny Rubin, the comic doctor in 1 The Headleys at Home,’ the Action Pictures’ family picture, has always played humorous roles on the stage and screen. In real life Rubin is a very serious-minded creature. He is a student of philosophy and economics, and he is an avid reader of history and current events. In addition he is a horticulturist of no small attainments, for his delightful home at Encino, in the north hills of Hollywood, is replete with rare flowers and shrubs planted and landscaped by the comedian’s own bands.