Exhibitors Herald (1927)

6 STUDIO SECTION OF August 13, 1927 IN CONFERENCE * *■ ■■ — " By Bob Early ■ ^ * ' ■— ■■■■* » “T HE directors promised to help the producers; the writers promised to help the producers; the actors promised to help the producers; the technicians promised to help the producers ; and then the producers promised to help themselves.” That’s the way a well known writer who was present described the recent “Conference Dinner” at the Biltmore hotel, during which the producers officially called off the proposed 10 per cent cut in salaries. Because of the peculiar attitude of the producer members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which sponsored the dinner, the net effect of the affair has been rather doubtful. There is no doubt, however, as to one phase of it; that the producer hurt his cause more than helped it by entirely ignoring in the official report what the producers admitted openly in the separate conferences — that the conditions which brought about the panicky move for economy was almost entirely of their own making. The reports were carefully programmed and apparently censored because not a word of criticism for the producer was uttered by the spokesmen for the various branches of the industry. Yet the burden of culpability for the extravagance in picture making was placed by each branch in the preceding conferences on the vagaries of the various executives and supervisors in direct charge of production in the studios. Why Dinner Was Late I T is understood that Cecil B. De Mille, who spoke in behalf of the producers and submitted their “findings” as a result of the conference, had prepared several paragraphs in his report bearing on the little matter of executive mismanagement, but just prior to the dinner, Messrs, Lasky, Goldwyn, Mayer and other producers corralled “C. B.’ and induced him to elude the incriminating paragraphs. Joseph Schenck, who acted as chairman of the producers’ branch of the Academy during the investigation, was said to favor the De Mille report in full, but both of them were overruled. Douglas Fairbanks, president of the Academy, who presided at the dinner, is also said to have voiced his disapproval of the procedure decided upon by the majority producers. The outcome, as a result, was that all of the branches pledged their members to help bring about a more economic manner of making pictures and the producers — well, they promised to help themselves. The only concession to the workers was contained in Douglas Fairbanks’ oral statement that the producers would agree to a uniform contract for free lance artists, directors and writers. WRITERS MAKE BEST SHOWING The writers alone seem to have emerged from the Academy conferences stronger than they entered. They did not hisitate at the first conference to state openly where the chief trouble was and because of their strong showing, the second conference at which the producers were to question the writers, was called off. The producers declared that they had no criticism whatever to make of the writers. The producers did however take a fall out of the directors and the directorproducer conference was enlivened by a verbal clash between Joe Schenck and Fred Niblo during which they exchanged recriminations bearing on the production of “Camille,” which Niblo directed for Schenck. There was also a flurry when Sol Wurtzel, manager of the Fox studio, made pointed reference to directors who got drunk and neglected their work. Beautiful But Dumb That is the title finally decided upon for the De Mille version for the screen of Richard Harding Davis’ great dog story, “The Bar Sinister.” And the new title has reference to the girl in the picture. WAY DOWN IN RE-TAKE VALLEY— ON A LOT OF THE LOTS "LJOLLYWOOD. — ^Benny Schulberg has returned from a relaxation trip to Japan and shocks a sophisticated Los Angeles press with a statement about film business in the Orient. And who cares? .... Sam Warner's decision to remain in Hollywood with Vitaphone permanently came last week; Mrs. Warner is playing a role in a Universal picture. . . . Lillian Gish says she is reading a series of articles in Liberty by Sidney Sutherland and believes Sutherland is a good writer. . . . Louella Parsons printed a story last week calling a good joke Lois Wilson’s signing up to play a series of Western roles for F B O, and “Pinkie” Wingart explained patiently to Louella that the joke must be on her, because Lois will not play any Western roles. . . . Bill Beery, brother of Wally, has come to town to play in pictures, and Wally says Bill doesn’t want to and won’t play in pictures. . . . A lot of press agents are still wondering why they weren’t invited to the Garden of Truth party at the box lot. . . . H. L. Mencken’s visit here was just becoming history when the report began to spread that he has grown serious in his ardor for the young M-G-M actress he has been calling the companion of the litterati. . . . Arch Reeve is convalescing after three weeks of illness at his home. . . . Bess Meredyth is front and center these days with her pockets filled with instructions for new continuities and she and Bartholomae are acting as Ray Rockett’s right and left guard in the last quarter of “The Drop Kick”. ... I don’t know much about making pictures but Lasky spent ^,000 a day for three weeks on “Beau Sabreur” and most of the days were spent waiting for the sun to shine. . . . There is real drama in Poverty Row pictures. Pauline Garon appeared in court last week to explain why she had dealt a DempseySharkey to Gertrude Short between scenes of a “quicky.” . . . Jack Warner has ordered gatemen to keep out men who sell advertising matter and Tom Waller doesn’t believe that should affect him. . . . Anita Loos and John Emerson arrived at the Lasky lot last week to eliminate 9,999 of the 10,000 girls who want the role of “Lorelei” — and why not eliminate the other one? Al Cohn suggests that they give the part to Syd Chaplin. I know nothing about pictures but I’ve read the book and seen the play and believe the best one for the part is Rin-Tin-Tin. —HODGES. Wyman Resigns Casting Post, Original Member (Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 9. — Recent changes in the Central Casting Bureau include Col. O. C. Wyman’s resignation. Wyman was one of the original members of the bureau. He was formerly on the Los Angeles traffic commission and was appointed to handle the personal relations for the bureau. Many of the studio casting departments are calling their own talent or naming those whom they want through the casting bureau. I T is a source of considerable amazement in Hollywood that weeks should be spent in making re-takes of a Lubitsch production. More than a million dollars was spent on “Old Heidelberg” which is to make its bow to the world as “The Student Prince” and when it was all assembled and inspected by the powers that be at MetroGoldwy-n-Mayer, it was decided to retake practically all of the scenes in which Norma Shearer appeared. Meanwhile, Lubitsch had gone to Germany and Director (Continued on page 24) Blystone and Borden Return from Location ( special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 9.— Jack Blystone and his “Pajamas” company, headed by Olive Borden, have returned from location to the Fox studios. The interiors will be made here.