Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

April 5, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 49 Hollywood Tunes (Special to the Herald-lVorld.) HOLLYWOOD, April 1.— Did you know that Buddy DeSylva, a native Californian, was a night club singer in Los Angeles at the age of 12? That Lew Brown was a former life guard at New York beaches? That Ray Henderson was a church organist in Buffalo? That this trio, DeSylva, Brown and Henderson, had five musical comedies running simultaneously in New York? That they have been signed by Fox under a $2,000,000 contract for three years to write and compose? * jfc Maybe it’s just an old Spanish custom but E. V. Durling has received for the fourth time, in as many weeks, a Broadway and 42nd street sign. Durling, Darmour editorial supervisor, returned this week’s “gift” addressed to Mayor Walker. “Quaint idea,” says he. ^ Eddie Cantor, his wife and the five little Cantors are here. Eddie will make “Whoopee” with Ethel Shutta and (her husband) George Olsen assisting. * * * George Olsen’s engagement at the Roosevelt Blossom Room was concluded this week. Irving Arronson’s “Commanders” move in. * % Three numbers from Fred Waring’s “Rah, Rah Daze” listen like they might mean something. “So Beats My Heart for You” is one and the only sentimental ditty in the show. “I’m in the Mood” and “What’s the Use of Lovin’ ” are the others. * * * Exactly 40 dotted lines were signed this week at R K O. Members of Halls Negro Chorus will furnish the vocal and acting talents for “Dixiana” soon to start. 5}c Harry Woods and Joseph Meyer are the latest song composers to ship their pianos to the new Eldorado of music, Hollywood. Meyer is writing a song for Cliff Edwards in M G M’s “Easy Going.” Woods has not yet been assigned but it is expected he will do the music on an untitled film. * * * Oscar Straus has completed his first screen operetta “Danube Love Song” for Warners. * * * Because of the hundreds of prospective players he is interviewing every day for “Whoopee,” Robert McIntyre, production manager has installed an electric clock which registers half seconds. His secretary is now making appointments for ten and a half seconds after ten, etc. * jfc * Raymond Maurel,, R K O’s opera singer, will do a singing role in Bebe Daniels’ “Dixiana.” * * * There is a very tangible difference between present day stage operettas and those which composers are writing for the screen, according to Harry Tierney. He avers that music for nearly all stage musicals have been written with a view of utilizing the songs for dancing rhythms, fox trots and one-steps. Pure melody will be the first requirement of the screen operetta, he contends. MADAME OCTAVE. STAGE SHOWS ( Continued from page 47 column 1) tribulations of Coxey’s Army. As an encore they do a tap dancing turn, after parting with their uniforms. Eight couples in freak costumes of black and white offer a travesty on the Bowery, singing the old Bowery song, together with “Sweet Rosie O’Grady,” “Bicycle Built for Two,” “After the Ball” and the like, making it very amusing. One gives a killing imitation of a chicken with its head cut off. A dog act follows that proves a wow, with a whole stage full of canines that seem to be having a picnic. They have a lot of tricks down pat and seem to enjoy doing them. Roy Smoot sings “Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere,” while the Harris Trio, Flobelle and Charles, offers an adagio, with eome splendid balancing stunts and feats of strength. The act comes to an end with eight girls performing on rolling balls that look as though they are made of marble. They wheel into intricate formations and seem as much at home on the two-foot balls as on the dance floor. Kansas City Mainstreet Week Ending March 28 The Mainstreet this week presents an elaborate and ambitious vaudeville revue, entitled “Odds and Ends.” It is composed of a large number of short, quickmoving skits and a few ionger specialties. Sidney Marion and Chic Kennedy appear in several of the specialties. Marion is a comedian who would be better if he would clean up his jokes. Miss Kennedy is a small blonde, who is good at impersonations. Katherine Irving has a notable voice. She appears in two numbers, one of which is an interesting Negro spiritualist group, which received much favorable comment. Ruby Norton does a series of impersonations of famous blondes, including one of Lillian Russell and one of Sophie Tucker. She is well received. The bill is a long one, and better than the average. San Antonio Majestic Week Ending March 28 The current big time vaudeville bill at the San Antonio Greater Majestic theatre this week is one that is both highly amusing and full of variety. “The Spirit of Minstrelsy” is the headlining act that is offered to the patrons on the same program in conjunction to the William Fox Movietone Picture. "Men Without Women.” an under sea production that also takes in life as a sailor. For the above number, Mrs. George Primrose, wife of the famous burnt-cork artist of days gone by, is carrying on the minstrel traditions of her late husband, has assembled eight well-known minstrel performers, among them are John Healy, the Molloy Twins, and the Minstrel Four. Her act deserves a world of credit for which she received a good hand from the audiences. Jack Majors, phonograph and radio singer of a wide repute, who is known throughout the country as "The Voice of the Southland,” presented several songs sung in the manner that made him famed. "Sold,” a playlet, features Rose and Thorne, Swedish character actors, drew a nice round of applause for their number. Harum & Scarum, “The Humpty Dumpty Girls,” offered eome acrobatic entertainment that pleased all the young and old alike. As an added attraction, was the four great Mexican stars, Jorge de Moral, composer and Mexico’s greatest pianist ; Martha Myrasoi, soprano ; Jose de Arratia, tenor, and Ignacio Guerra B., baritone. They came here direct from Mexico City and are fresh from a tour of the republic of Mexico. Cincinnati Albee Week Ending March 28 The bill at this house, which is the only one in the city showing stage acts, is delightfully diversified and clicks continuously. As a result, capacity business has been the rule rather than the exception throughout the week despite the bugaboo of the Lenten season. The opening spot is held down by Eileen and Marjorie, a pair of lady acrobats who claim Australia as their home. This is a return date, but the routine has lost none of its appeal since the act was seen here previously. Their “kangaroo” number is, as it was the last time, one of the high spots. The girlies bowed off to good applause. Donald Ross and Jack Brooks, billed as Two Boys and a Piano, are assigned the deuce spot. Their