International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

December, 1934 T he IN T K R N A T I 0 N A L 1'HOT O G K A P H K U I'hirty-onc Hollywood Note Book By Earl Theisen Associate Los Angeles Museum, Department Motion Pictures Associate Editor International Photographer UTOGRAPH collectors! The most unusual collector is Courtney McLeod, mail clerk at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He is paid by the studio to collect the signatures of the film-folk, and he spends his time having them sign for registered mail. And sign they must ! That brings to mind the registered mail racket in which worthless items are sent to persons at the studio by registered mail with a return receipt requested. A few days later a bill is rendered. Marion Davies signed for a package one day in which was found a bit of dime store pottery. Later she received a bill in three figures for a "priceless bit of antique art." Norma Shearer had a similar experience with a sketch of herself sent by an admirer. The studio writing departments, or the writers themselves, are shy about signing for registered mail. In the past the studios have been taught that to accept such material is to invite a lawsuit. Unknown writers are in the habit of suing the studios for plagiarism. Too, at times some writers, perhaps unknowingly, copy the plots of stories they have read. The studios have long refused to accept uncopyrighted or unsolicited material. One of the smallest schools is the legally constituted and regularly conducted school on the R. K. O. studio lot which has a student body of only one member. That student, the only minor at this studio, is Anne Shirley. Under the law, all minors must attend school so the studios maintain schools that parallel the work done by pupils in the regular city schools. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer plans to do a series of short subjects in Technicolor based on Song Classics of the most popular songs of this and the past generations. The first to be made will be "My Old Kentucky Home," which is to be based on the life of its composer, Stephen Collins Foster. That sounds like a very good idea, but like the puppy that tried to run down the Ford, what could the pup do after he caught it ? The dear box-office, even though they instigate church drives, doesn't seem to want to pay to see solid stuff. There is nothing like a red-blooded film plot to relieve the itch from curiosity of these vertebrate members of society, and the film producers are not philanthropists but business men who make products that sell. The soul of propriety, wTho likes to live in the sun also likes to peek in the shadow of the theater for delicate speculations. Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't help but think the unbad persons like to go to see ungood pictures. Out at Columbia Studio, persons are getting money for doing nothing but laying in bed. They are working in the hospital sequence of "Broadway Bill." Roamings — 1 saw Emerj Huse, Joseph Dubray, Gordon Chambers, Gerald Rackett, and Myself, the adverb addict, at the Levy Cafe talking about something. Also I saw at the Van Nuys Women's Club, Madge Bellamy, who gave a talk, and I believe I looked at her too much which didn't occur to me at the time. (By the way, 1 was there to talk too! But that's not what I meant to say.) Madge Bellamy made some very "keeping" remarks. She said the motion picture will never be any better than the public for which it is made. All the churches, clubs, and king's horses can do nothing about bettering the social aspect of the pictures unless they first educate the audience. Her statements were greeted as Sir Walgenbach would say, "with loud, or I might say raucous cheers. At this same function Rhyllis Hemington, the Public Relations counsel for Fox-West Coast Theaters told how those audiences could be educated by introducing motion picture courses in the school curricula. "Very, verv swell!" sav I. The women stars who are under twenty-one must do their business through guardians appointed by the Superior Court. That is California law. Iris Adrian, born and raised in Hollywood, could not even get in a studio much less before the camera. All the castings directors turned her down so she went to New York to dance in a night club where she was spotted and grabbed up and rushed to Hollywood. Now she is being described (rightly) by the studio press agents as vivacious, flaming-haired, vibrant with energy, and surcharged with sex appeal ; and other juicy adjectives. Oh, well — Francis Wright, whom I and others admire, reported a novel form of theater. It is the "drive-in" open air theater at Westwood and Pico Streets, Los Angeles, where the audience sit in their autos while viewing the films. I wondered if those leaving in the middle of the show had to climb over the persons next, but was told: "No, it is possible to drive out at any time." Now, from your car, you may buy groceries from the "drive-in" markets, eat your lunch or dinner in "drivein" barbecue stands, sleep in your car, listen to radio programs from all points of the globe, and in fact dc everything in the car except take a shower and change vour clothes. On the night of December 6, the Motion Picture Section of the Los Angeles Museum will be open to the picture colony and its friends. This activity is sponsored by the Society of Motion Picture Engineers. The special motion picture night at the museum should be of interest. Come on down. Be there at seven-thirty. Frank Capra, you know, the ace director, recently had an operation for appendicitis. When he came out from under the ether he found a telegram from Robert Riskin, who writes the screen plays for Capra, which said: "Sorry I couldn't be at your opening." English actors are going Hollywood and Hollywood actors are going English. More than that the English actors are coming to Hollywood to do it while the Hollywood actors are migrating in large numbers to England. There are about eighty English actors at work in the local studios at present. Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.