Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

52 .1/ o t i o u P i ctur c N e ; October 11. 19 3 0 Stop Us If Were Wrong JIMMY GRAINGER celebrated a birthday last week by admiring that gorgeous new office of his in the new Fox building and reminding himself of the two-by-four he used to occupy in the days when he handled the Marshall Xeilan and Charlie Chaplin sales. . . . That's a long time back. * * * Warren Nolan seen pacing up and down in fr<»tt of the Ford agency in New York, ously fingering the contract on his recent "lisrie" purchase, and waiting to pounce doum on the flowery-tongued salesman 'who made the sale. . . . Warren invited two friends to the Vale-Maryland pigskin tussle at New Haven aturday and suggested they travel via the new boiler. . . . They did, . . . Arriving in New Haven nest in time. . . . for the beginning of the fourth quarter. * * * Lester Cowan of the Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences* technical bureau is enthused over the standardization work the organization is doing. ... He surely knows his stuff, take it from P. A. (International Projector Corp.) McGuire. . . . Cowan was feted at a dinner given by the Projection Advisory Council. * * * The next picture for Marion Davies will be "The Bachelor Father." ... If you see Albert Howson of Warners stopping in the middle of the street to make notes on the back of an envelope you'll know he has been invited to address the AM PA on "The Elements of Scenario Writing." . . . Gee, are those boys getting the habit, too? * * * Most of Germany's talkers are made in a town called Bablesburg. . . . Think up your own wisecrack. . . . Sampson Raphael son, author of "The Jazz Singer," has just tucked a Paramount writing contract in his safety deposit vault. . . . yirs. Howard D. Estabrook, wife of the scenario -writer, arrived Monday from a tour of Europe. . . . Looking out of our window at 729 we see a 24-sheet on "What a li'idow'" and the snipe, "Comina Soon. Rialto Theatre." . . . And it's been playing there for the past two 'weeks' * * * Radio-Keith-Orpheum opines that vaudeville will reach a new peak during October and has signed up Alexander Grey and Bern»ce Claire of the films. . . . Incidentally, "Amos 'n* Andy" first picture will open in more than 200 theatres on Oct. 25. . . . Paul C. Hunter has become president and publisher of Screenland and Silver Screen. . . . Finis Fox is writing the adaptation and continuity of "Merry-Go-Round" for Universal. Buddy Brings Riot Call Providence — Twentyfive cops were required to keep mobs of feminine admirers orderly when Charles (Buddy) Rogers made a flying visit to town in connection with the appearance of his film, "Follow Through," at the Paramount. Although it was a hurried job of exploitation, ads not making the papers until the day of his arrival. Rogers jammed 'em in during his two appearances in the evening. Retaking Retakes Hollywood — Mary Doran, who was scheduled to travel to New York this week by train, went by plane instead. The reason for the speedier transportation was that Mary had to retake retakes. One day's work of remaking scenes was needed for M-G-M's "Remote Control." The cast agreed to work Sunday so that Mary could get off for New York on time. The shooting started at 8 o'clock and continued until 10 that night. The next morning when the film was developed it was discovered that the shutter had stuck on the sound track slot and none of the sound for the whole day's work had been recorded. So Mary had to work again and fly to New York in time for her appointments. AL { BIG BUCK) STEFFES spent several days in Xew York during the week on a summons from Abram F. Myers, Allied chieftain. . . , Al left a sick bed to be on hand in New York. . . . How he must like trains. . . . Cunnel Cole of Texas also was an Allied visitor, leaving on Monday to attend the Michigan convention at Grand Rapids. . . . Oscar (Tiffany) Hanson had to pass up the Michigan sessions due to pressure of business. . . . Harvey B. Day, veteran Educational exec, is sporting a new brown suit. . . . Harve always was a Beau Brummell. . . . Manne Brown of Tiffany is in New York from the Coast, reporting things are fine out in the Far West. . . . Henri Ellman, veteran of the Middle West, also is moseying along the Main Stem. * * * Madeline Hurlock, former heartpal pitator for Mack Sennett, and Marc Connelly, author of "The Green Pastures," clinched at the attar. . . . Mike Simmons says tlutt Ruth Rolaiid, who makes her return to the screen in "Reno," has come to New York solely for the purpose of attending the preview of the film by the prisoners in New York's "Alimony Jail." . . . Hy Daab has turned out a 24-page press book for "Cheek and Double Check." Blame Winchell for this paragraph: . . . Gene Buck, one of our betters, says he was brought up in Detroit and brought down in New York. . . . Con Conrad paid 10 Gs to Fox for his release, which was accepted a fortnight before they were plotting to offer him twice that much to ta-ta. . . . Dolores Del Rio has her new contract, but not for long. ... Of the 2,000 members of the Society of Authors and Composers League only live have delivered chin-ema successes. * * * Ralph Morrow, who has been doing a whale of a job in running the southern division, is another of the Tiffany coterie in Xew York conferring with Sales Manager Oscar Hanson. . . . Oscar, by the way, is preparing for a jaunt to the Pittsburgh and Dallas conventions. . . . Oscar Straus, Yinnese composer, is suing M-G-M for $7,038.48, alleged to be due on his $50,000 contract. . . . Xat Levine is getting a lot of play in Xew York with his Rin Tin Tin serial, "The Lone Defender. " . . . Lou B. Metzger, former Universal general manager, is to join Columbia soon, but in what capacity has nut yet been determined. DIDJA ever hear Milt Silver's story of corporals and advertising managers? It's good. Ought to have him tell it to you sometime or other. . . . Lou Brager's idea of a gastronomical rhapsody : A piece of cheese cake at the Empee Club. * * * L. A. Young and Grant L. Cook, president and vice-president, respectively, of Tiffany, are to be done in oil by Al Roumano, artist and sculptor. . . . Paramount has obtained the screen rights to Mendel, Inc., stage play, and the services of its co-stars, Charles Dale and Joe Smith. . . . National Screen Service is preparing special trailers for Hallo-ween. . . . Frank Rogers, of Jacksonville, fla.. and J. Real Xelh, of Columbus, O., were among the exhibitors zvho z'tstted the Big City this -week. * * * Montford Steele, special sales representative for Pathe International Corp., is on the high seas bound for London, where he will join the forces of P. D. C, Pathe's organization in the United Kingdom. . . . Irene Rich's daughter, Irene Frances Rich, has been elected president of the house of representatives at Smith College. . . . The Warnerites are organizing a basketball team and challenge everyone in the industry. . . . Send your application for games to Al Zimbalist. * * * A new face at the M. P. Club: Arthur S. Friend, he who was quondam treasurer of Famous Players and now in the law business. . . . The Columbians, another name for the social club of Columbia Pictures, disport themselves at the Astor tonight. First annual informal dance, the occasion. * * * Herb (Columbia Pictures) Berg hiding from city park authorities who are hot on the trail of "the guy" -who dug up the fairway at the J'an Cortland Park golf links last weekend. . . . So John Barrymore has four dogs and eleven cats, all black. * * * This guy W. E. Branson of St. Louis surely is skyrocketing in the Pathe organization. . . . Assistant to the general sales manager a little more than a year after he entered the business is a record. . . . "I'd rather be with Universal looking ahead than with anybody else looking behind," is the slogan adopted for "Looking Ahead," snappy house organ which Ben Grimm is editing. . And, boy. how Carl Laemmle Jr.'s pictures and Phil Reisman's sales organization are putting the company ahead. * * * National Screen Service now is suggesting business-building trailers for exhibitor use. . Pat Garyn's sales gang is an up-and-comiiW lot. Shop Talk Sonora, Calif.— Eugene Pallette lay sleeping soundly in his room. The telephone jingled and the hotel clerk obeying call orders from business managers, called him from his rest to begin his day on Paramount's "Fighting Caravans," in which the comedian is featured with Garv Cooper, Ernest Torrence, Lily Damita and Tullv Marshall. "Good morning; it's 6 A.M.." the voice sounded through the receiver. "Okay for sound," answered Pallette.