Variety (August 1925)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

Wednesday, August 5, 1925 PICTURES .. '■■■^ VARIETY EXTRAS, CAUGHT 'SOLDIERING," NOW DAILY BEING CHECKED UP ft i Large Losses Sustained Through "Old Army Game' —Cached Wardrobe and Slipped Through Back Gate, to Repeat at Another Studio ,. ^«-:'-' i.'^'-:"■■-.. ^ lioa Angreles, Aug. 4. Kxtras at the picture studios have b««n playing the old "army game," soldiering on the Job by re- porting on a set early in the morn- ^Ing. disappearing and showing up In time at night to get their pay checlcs -signed without having done Uny work. t At the larger studios, where sets - toall for 150 to 1,000 extra people, there have been from two to five per cent, playing the army game Und getting away with It They collect from $5 to f 10. for « few minutes each day. One of the largest studios in 'tllollywood tightened up and the ^soldiering" racket cannot be worked In the future. ' It is said that quite a number of (xtra people for mob scenes Tould report at one studio, getting a ^eok at the casting office, also an 0rder for a wardrobe, and then ^hen they had obtained the ward- robe, would "cache" it on some part i»f the lot, go out through the back (ate over to another studio about a mile away, and there go to work for the day. If they chose; other- wise go through the same perform- ance as they ha<f on the other lot. At the end of the day they would turn In the wardrobe, get the pay ▼oucher at the second studio, re- turn to the first studio, turn in their wardrobe there, and also get their i>ay check. Studios Informed Btadlo officials were informed and Instead of permitting the extras to hold their checks when going out of the studio, except at the lunch hour, they must now turn it in to the timekeeper, who checks them oflT for the length of time they have been off the lot, turning the time pff over to the paymaster, who makes deductions for absence. It is rather hard for the directors |>r assistant directors to check up 0n the people while they are at the Studio, especially as there are new inob scenes, as the people generally •re in compact formation, and it is hard to tell whether all on the pay- roll are accounted for in the scene. Studio officials from the casting Offices familiar with the extras and the company they are assigned to make tours of the lot and i.. case they find people who should be working on the sets roving around they send them to the office for their time and do not use them in (utur* productions. At one of the largest studios, it Waa said, that "soldiering" on the part of actors has been very costly. 3 Theatres on 1 Corner? Chicago, Aug. 4. The corner of Crawford avenue •nd Madison street is popular with local movie magnates. Three firms. Cooney Brothers, Marks Brothers and Balaban and Katz announce they will build theatres at that point. The Cooneys and Marks have feach decided upon "Paradise" for a title, with B. &. K. not yet settled upon a name. BOMB EXPLOSION AS BALLYHOO F. P.-L. Leases Edison Bldg^ Los Angeles Los Angeles, Aug. 4. Famous Players-Laaky is taking a lease on the Edison Building in which the million dollar theatre Is located, and prior to the cbtaining the lease, are issuing a $650,000 series of first mortgage, leasehold,' 6^ per cent serial gold bonds. The corporation is known as the Third and Broadway Building Corpora- tion, organized under the laws of the State of California by the Fa- mous Players-Lasky, of New York, for the purpose of acquiring the property. All of the stock of this corporation, except director's qual- ifying shades, will be owned by Fa- mous. The bonds are to be^ secured by a close first mortgage on the lease- hold Interest in the property, which is 12 stories in height. The land has a frontage of 120 feet, a depth of 194 feet, and is leased for 90 years at a cost to the lessees of $40,- 000 a year. Appraisal on the cost to reproduce a building of this type is $1,229,000. Famous is to obtain a lease on the entire building until 1942 at a rental of $160,000 a year. The bonds are to mature July 8, 1927, until July 8, 1941. The net earnings of the corporation, upon which the lease constitutes an operating charge, have averaged around $5,000,000 a year since 1920. Lloyd's on Percentage Harold Lloyd's latest, "The Fresh- man," the final picture which the Pathe organisation will release prloi to the comedian switching to the Famous Players organization as a distributing medium, is being sold on a percentage basis in the ma- jority of the first runs of the country. The terms are in the neighbor- hood of 60-40 with the house rais- ing their prices about 831-8 per cent, over their regular box office top except in the larger cities where the regular box office scale will be held to. Los Angeles, Aug. 4. Frank Newman has booked "The Freshman," Harold Lloyd's last pic- ture for Pathe release to be shown at tho Million Dollar following "The Ten Commandments,'' Aug 28. The release will be about a month prior to the general showing of the pictiM-e throughout the country. Newman figures the picture will be good for from four to six weeks at this office. Iiom Angeles. Aiig. 4. A bomb stunt used as a ballyhoo for the opening of a Fresno theatre is the subject of a rigid investiga- tion by Fred W. Beetson. secretary of the Associated Motion Picture Industry. The explosion of the bomb threw pedestrians in panio. H. W. Barth man, who set it off, was injured by a fragment of steel striking him. Considerable other damage was done in the vicinity of the picture house including the shattering of ndany windows in the neighborhood. Barthman and Frank Purkett, when questioned by the police, claimed they had a permit from the fire department to explode the bomb. SEMON'S FIVE HEELERS Los Angeles Capital Behind Come- dian's Series Los Angeies. Aug. 4. Larry Semon has obtained local backing and organized the Larry Semon Productions, Inc., wlxlch is to produce a series of five-reel pic- tures to be distributed by Pathe. Harry M. Rubey, president of the Manufacturers and Wholesale Credit Corporation of Los Angeles, is presi- dent of the organization and prin- cipal backer. Other financial spon- sors are J. H. Adams, former presi- dent of the Mid-West Theatre Oper- ators, Inc., and Clyde Harms, local attorney. Semon will personally direct all productions to be made, the first of which is to be "Stop, Look- and Listen." with production scheduled for Aug. 16. Sid, Mother and Car San Francisco, Aug. 4. Of all the ambitious young men who dream of some day Rolls-Roycing back to their home towns, there's one who has accomplished it. Sid Grauman. rolling down Market street beside his proud mother in a huge Rolls-Royce is the lad. Every so often the gang along the street sight some new make of car stop- Ing at the various theatre fronts, and Smiling Sid Grau- man is back showing the boys it can be done. Grauman was here this week visiting his mother, and also conferring with leaders pro- moting the Diamond Jubilee celebration to be held here Sept. 6-12. Before motoring back Sid said he intends bringing as many of the movie folks here as possible during the big fiesta. Grauman also conferred with local bankers relative to the building of a monster picture theatre similar to his Egyptian in Hollywood. Mitchell Incoiporates Los Angeles. Aug. 4. Papers of Incorporation were filed for the Bruce Mitchell Productions. Inc., at Sacramento. The capitali- zation is $100,000. Bruce Mitchell, one of the pioneer producers In Hollywood, will head the new or- ganization. They are to make five feature pictures, the first of which will be "The Soul of Tai Lung," a story of the Chinese underworld. It will be followed by "San Francisco Rose," a tale of San Francisco be- fore the earthquake and fire. B'way's Holdover Fdms With the start of the new season in the Broadway picture houses a new policy in the matter of second week runs will be inaugur^ed. Major K. J. Bowes states that at the Capitol there will be no second week runs unless there is such tremen- dous business by Tuesday of the first week that it Will Insure a sec- ond week practically as big in pro- portion. This win mean that the picture will have to do about $30,000 on the first three days of Ita en- gagement to warrant It holding over. The Strand is also going to put a stronger second week policy into eftect, and pictures will have to hit $20,000 by Tuesday night to be re tained. The Chaplin picture will naturally be held for a run and may go for either three or four weeks at the Strand. PHELPS-HOSOES MARBIAOX Los Angeles. Aug. 4. Harry Phelps and Wilhelmlna Hodges, both assistant casting di- rectors for Fox, will marry to- morrow (Wednesday). Beaumont Writing 8toriM Los Angeles. Aug. 4. Gerald Beaumont has t>een placed under contract to write a series of original stories 'exclusively for Famous Players. The contract Is for two years. Strand's Midnight Show For ''Gold Rush"" Charles Chaplin is In New Tork. Chaplin wanted to slip In quietly and play around for- a couple of days before the papers got wise to him, so Eddie Manson handled it Just that way. Chaplin to to remain here for the opening of hto "Gold Rush" at the Strand Aug. 16 and will appear In person at a midnight performance to be given at the Strand Aug. If. On this occasion ^e Strand, for the first time iiPits history. Is going to sell reserved seats, the entire house being so laid out The public wiU be invited to attend and the reviewers will be given their first slant at the picture on the same oc- casion. LOIS WILSON IN IBELAND Ix>B Angeles, Aug. 4. Lois Wilson Is en route to New Tork to sail for Ireland where she Is to play the feminine lead op- posite Thomas Metghan in "The Imperfect Imposter" which Victor Heerman Is directing. On the same train Is Gertrude Astor who Is going to the Long Island studios where she will appe.ir In support of Gloria Swansoh in "Stage Struck." Financing Casting Office Los Angeles, Aug. 4. The executive committee of the Association of Motion Picture Pro- ducers will hold a meeting tomorrow (W*»dn«Bday> for the purpose of ar- ranging to finance the central cast- ing office. This office, to handle all extras, will eliminate the commission which various agents have gotten from the small salaried players who work but occasionally. The financing to be arranged will enable the office to open by Oct. 1. Sohenok's Mysterious Trip , • . Los Angeles, Aug. 4. A. mysterious trip by Joseph M Schenck and Louis B. Mayer last week from Monday to Friday has the associates of both guessing. Both returned on limited trains from the east. Hiram Abrama ar- rived on the same train..* i.»:-' • New Lead "Find" Los Angeles, Aug. 4. Adolph Menjou will complete his work in "The Grand Duchess and the Walter" at thq Paramount studio early In August, and leaves for New York on August 16 where the first half of the sequences in "The King on Main Street" will be made under the direction of Monta Bell. It Is likely that Margaret Morris, a new Paramount find, will play the lead opposite him instead of Flor- ence VIdor, first named. Orpheum,'Atchison, Kan., Sold Topeka, Kan., Aug. 4. The Orpheum, Atchison, Kan., has a now owner, E. H. Rohden, ex- change manager for First National Jn Kansas City., r .•'< •«*<'*h«*.»«) . GINO SEVERI MUSICAL DIRECTOR NOW AT 0UAI;MAN'S hXJYl'TIAN THEATKK. IKr*!, V U ( )Oi) Formerly musical director for the Herbert L. Uolhuohild thftttroH, .Sun Francisco (Granada, California, Imperial), for seven and one-half years. One y««r with West Coast Theatres, Inc. _^.. , POSITIVE FILM EXPORTS GAIN 67 MILUON FT . i United Kingdom's Import Quadruples—^Total Val- uation, $8,634,100 Washington, Aug. 4. Uncle Sam's reports from the va- rious departments on the fiscal year of the government, July 1,- 1924, to June 80, 1925, are no.w beginning to come through. Among the first of these is one from the Department of Commerce, which indicates that film exports are maintaining the high x>arcentage of gain disclosed at the end of the calendar year of 1024. Exports of positives for the fis- cal year, according to t>rellmlnary figures, reached a total of 210,462,- 687 linear feet valued at $6,789,786. This shows a net Increase of 67,- 000,000 feet above exports of the preceding fiscal year. The United Kingdom imported the highest footage of all the foreign countries, that nation's figure touching 47,- 000,000 feet, as against 13,000,000 feet for the year before. An in- crease of close to four times the footage. Canada was next, followed by Australia, Argentina, France, Brasil and Japan in the order named. All of these countries showed gains over last year, France more than double, with the excep- tion of Japan, which showed a slight loss. Negative exports totaled 9,S9S,l8t linear feet valued at 11,894,814, as compared with 7,819,685 feet valued at $1,187,098 for the fiscal year of 1928-24. France, Germany and the United Kingdom continue to be this country's best customers for the negatives. The department points, out that while It does not afford any direct comparison, it is interesting to nets that American exports of positives for the fiscal year topped by over 40,000,000 feet exports of positives for the calendar year of 1924, while exports of negatives for the fiscal period reached about 1,000,000 feet above the similar totals for the cal- ender year. Change and Policy by Waugh at Milwaukee , Mllwaukea, Aug. 4. Howard Waugh, former managsr of Paramount houses In Atlanta and Memphis, arrlvad here August 1 as manager of the Alhambra, which on that date went over to Universal pictures. Waugh re- places O. J. Wooden, now man- ager of the Oaurden, owned by the Bllne interests which sold the Al- * hambra to Laemmle. Waugh announced that the At- hambra will have its formal open- ing August 29 when the house will have been completely renovated. The Alhambra will close about August 10 for alterations, a broad- casting outfit, organ' and other eauipment will be installed. The broadcsMting outfit will be hooked up with WSOE3, the School of Bn- gineering-Wisconsin News station. "The Last Laugh" Is the first Universal picture to be placed In the house, being Waugh's first pro- gram. It Is expected that "The Phantom of the Opera" will be the reopening picture. United Artist attractions will also be shown, Waugh asserted. B. & K. DEAL STATUS Chicago, Aug. 4. Notwithstanding reports on and off with the Famous Players-I^la- ban A. Kats merger, the deal con- tinues under way. As previously reported there is no time limit for the consummation* but as yet there has been no (losure. Pst Csmpbell's Promotion Pat Campbell, for a number of yours attached to the personal staff .'IS sales representative and public- ity, touring the country and making ilircct exhibitor contacts for the producer, Is now aligned with ths ' Harold Llyod forces as a special as- sistant to Jack Raglan. u&.A.^^..