The Film Daily (1929)

Friday, November 15, 1929 Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion € Lasky Foresees Theater Subsidized by Film Industry EVENTUALLY the dramatic stage will be subsidized by the motion picture industry. Certain dire predictions that the stage will disappear as the result of the coming of sound to the screen are wrong. The stage will remain because the public wants it. This is fortunate, for it will be a training ground and proving field for the sound films of the future. Jesse L. Lasky * * * Says Talkers Must Retain Elements of Silent Films REGARDLESS of sound or dialogue, motion pictures must remain essentially motion pictures and not photographed stage plays. The silent motion picture succeeded because it gave the people youth, beauty, scenic grandeur, allure and romance. The talkers must retain all these qualities to succeed. William A. Seiter, Director * * * Use of Talkers in Recording Confessions Will Reduce Crime IF the talking-picture record of a defendant's confession is admitted as evidence by the courts, it is obvious that the suppression of crime has been considerably furthered, and in a way that is frequently overlooked when this subject is discussed. If there was coercion, that ought to be apparent from the mannerisms, facial expressions, &c, of those who appear on the screen; if not, that ought to be apparent too. The jury, for once, will not have to depend on hearsay, but will be able to judge for itself, and the chance of escape by a guilty man ought to be reduced by just that much. "The World," New York TEN YEARS AGO TO-DAY IN Lee Ochs resigns as vice president of United Picture Theaters of America to take active part in Second National Exhibitors Circuit. * * * Cinema Classics formed in Albany; to make short subjects. $ 4c * Al Lichtman reported assuming Walter E. Greene's post with Famous. Along The Rialto with PhilM. Daly, Jr. TO ADD to his already-long list of smashes, Hy Daab, advertising and publicity head of Radio Pictures, is preparing a wow campaign on Rudy Vallee The crooning radio star is the mightiest of the Titans when it comes to draw, Hy says. Watch for this new and unique sales copy Spyros Skouras, Warner theater chief, has a sound projection room at his home Jim (Associated Publications) Milligan is wearing his arm in a sling, the result of a recent smash-up It is David (not Harold) Levy, Emgeem salesman, who is gladhanding on the birth of a son John Barrymore is convalescing from a mild attack of influenza Educational's "Prince Gabby" made a big hit in its run at the Aladdin, Denver, reports A. P. Archer, Denver manager. Bert Lytell is to marry again, with Miss Grace Menken, who plays opposite him in "Brothers," the bride-to-be Another wedding scheduled soon is that of Bessie Love and Scenarist William Hawks Barney Rapp, master of ceremonies and musical advisor of the Fox Poli circuit, had theme song of Pathe's "The Sophomore," played by the Yale band between halves of the Yale-Dartmouth game Eddie Bonns already promises another sweeping campaign on "Show of Shows" when it hits the Winter Garden, N. Y. Talking about the brothers in this industry, don't forget to mention the, Bragers (not braggers). Lou is one of the big men at Warners in a publicity way, while the kid brother Bob does it with ledgers at RKO Harry Krebs is drawing the palm for his work on Emgeem press books in Howard Dietz's high-powered staff Queen Isabella, according to Will H. Hays, was the first woman to play the market, putting up her jewels as margin to back her belief Columbus would come sailing home with Indies gold. S3 NUMBER 93 Industry Statistics By JAMES P. CUNNINGHAM Statistical Editor, The Film Daily fTIHE RADIO, with its light•*• ning-like growth, has been unable to stem the popularity flood-tide of sound motion pictures, despite the fact that 11,500,000 radio sets are now operating in the United States — providing entertainment regularly to an average 58,000,000 listeners. Attendance at picture houses has been growing at the annual rate of between 15 to 20 per cent in the past two years, and, it is predicted, all-sound policies in most of the nation's important theaters will increase this rate to 35 or 40 per cent. MANY HAPPY RETURNS November 15 Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who today are celebrating their birthday: J. Reginald Wilson Lewis Stone Grover Jones Samuel Ornitz Joseph Patrick Rede y Harold L. Danson AND THAT'S THAT By PHIL M. DALY SINGAPORE SALLY in her time was probably the most internationally well known lady of 'em all. Sally was the Queen of Malay Street in the Straits Settlements, which is the most notorious street in the world, bar none. Here the flotsam and jetsam of the earth has drifted for years. Criminals, hijackers, adventurers, confidence men, remittance men, all eventually find their way here, or make it a periodic port of call. Here also on any barmy evening you will find a riotous revel with sailors of all nations disporting themselves as sailors will when on shore leave. If you happen to hit in on this Street of Scarlet on a balmy morning, you will find it as quiet as Alain Street in Siwash, Okla. You will also find the erstwhile disporting sailor lads strewn quietly about the landscape in all sorts of poses — mostly unconscious. It's powerful liquor they feed 'em on Malay Street. And the ladies of the evening from China, Algeria, South America, France, Italy, England, Germany and — yes, America — are reclining languidly on their couches getting up energy for another hectic night's revelry. And over all this kaleidoscopic Kingdom of Don't ■ Give-a-Whoop ruled Singapore Sally, undisputed — supreme — magnificent. As magnificent as any lady of hen profession can be. * * * This is all by way of leading up to a little notice just come to hand from a friend who knows Singapore Sally and Malay Street very well. The press clipping is from a St. Louis newspaper, announcing the magnificent marriage ceremonial of Miss So-and-So to a St. Louis millionaire. Our friend ringed Miss So-and-So's name in blue pencil, with this illuminating phrase: "She's Singapore Sally." * * * Who sez that romance is dead? Girls, take heart! There's hope for us all. * * * After reading that shock, we wenl out with Mysterious Mame to speai a piece of boloney and to try and get a femme's reaction on it all. Aftei we finished the colorful yarn, Mam< sez, with a romantic look in her azun eyes: "I think it was a very beauti ful thing for Singapore Sal to givi a millionaire a break." THEIR FIRST JOBS CHARLES S. GOETZ delivering theater tickets