Exhibitors Herald (1927)

12 STUDIO SECTION O T August 13, 1927 Smiling Through j Rufus McCosh " '■ ■■ (Continued from page 9) “So have 1, Benny,” she says, "this week and next week and some more weeks after that, the judge said. I don’t hardly get enough outa my salary for gasoline. These damn stores lets you buy and buy and then attaches your salary if you don’t pay — Sorry, Benny, but I can’t help you a bit.” “Well, you can’t blame me for tryin’,” I says, “I could’a used it.” “I’ll bet you could, Benny,” she says. “Say — I got a few lots, out in the Valley.” “Help!” I yells. “Who ain’t? Mine’s for sale, too. All y^ou gotta do is pay three years back taxes on ’em.” “But I just won these at a raffle yesterday,” she says, “and the taxes is paid up to date. I ain’t got no time to fool with ’em but if you’ll sell ’em and give me $750 you can keep the difference,” she says. “They ought to be worth $1500.” “Yell?” I says, “they all are! Try and get it! Where are they?” “San Fernando Valley on the other side of Dark Canyon road, this sida Burbank,” she says. “I’ll take it,” I says. “Sign ’em over to me. Maybe I can find a sucker. There’s plenty around.” I gets a feller I know to look the lots up for me. He don’t offer me no encouragement. “Things is very rock bottom right now,” he says. “How much you want to get off them?” “Two thousand,” I says. “Ha, ha,” he laughs, “now I’ll tell one.” “Well, one thousand is the lowest,” I says. “That’ll just let me out after you get yours.” “I’ll see what can be done,” he says, and that’s the last I heard about it for two weeks. Then one day this here “realator” calls me up. “I just heard that they’re gonna pave a road near your lots out in the Valley,” he says, “and you will be assessed about a hundred dollars apiece.” “Why tell me,” I says, “ain’t you got a buyer yet? That oughta increase the value of them lots.” “Sure,” he says, “after you pay the assessments. However, I ain’t been able to get nobody to pay your price right now. Maybe in a year or so, but for a quick sale do you want to come down any before the news comes out?” “I can’t,” I says, “and get what’s cornin’ to me out’a it. What’s this I hear about First National movin’ their studio out in the Valley? Ain’t there a chance of that?” “That’s out — they ain’t goin’ there,” he says, “they’re goin’ to Culver City — I got it direct,” he says, “from a feller on the inside.” “There is all sorts of rumors,” I says. “I’m givin’ you the low down on it,” he says. “Let me know if you wanta reduce your price.” The lots don’t seem to be no good to me, but if I sell ’em at less than a thousand and pay Gloria $750, I don’t get my $200, and if I hold to it the assessment will have to be paid some day, and nobody won’t buy it after they hear about the assessment. So after thinkin’ it over I fixes up a plan to get my money. First I gets the feller in the office next to me to call Gloria on the phone that evening and ask her if she has any property in the east end of the San Fernando Valley she wants to sell. He tells her he heard she had some property out there. She says she had, but it’s gone. Then he says he’s sorry as confidentially he has just heard on reliable authority that First Na tional Studios is to build their new plant out there and he could have sold her lots at a good price when the news broke. Then he hangs up before she can ask who he is. Next day I goes down to the Lasky lot where Gloria is workin’ and loafs around on her set till she gets through cryin’ a close up. She comes over to me. “Benny,” she says, “did you sell those lots of mine?” “Not yet,” I says. “No hurry — maybe First National will move out that way.” “Not a chance,” she says right quick. “I hear the3’re goin’ to stay where they are. This movin’ is just rumors,” she says. “Oh well, somethin’ else may turn up. They max' strike oil,” I says. “Was you to the opening of ‘Land’s Sakes’ at Grauman’s last night?” “Lissen, grouch,” she says, “I might help you out if you’re broke. Gimme back that paper I give you on my lots and I’ll try to rake up the $200 I owe you. “I’m thinkin’ of startin’ a chicken ranch out there.” “I can’t sell that story to the newspapers,” I says. “They know you too well. Anyhow, chicken ranches is passe. Call it a lion farm or stimpin.” “Do you -want the two hundred?” she says. “iMake it three,” I says. I see I’ve got her hooked. “Benn}-, if they ever puts ‘The Merchant of Venice’ on the screen. I’ll use my influences to get you the part of ‘Shylock’,” she sa\'s. “You’re just the type.” “Them birds at the beach ain’t merchants,” I says, “they’re robbers. I’m only askin’ for w'hat’s due me.” “I don’t mean Venice, Cal.,” she says, “I mean Venice, Italy.” “Why didn’t you say so?” I says. “I ain’t no Italian. Is tlie three hundred a go?” “All right, you blood sucker,” she says, “hand over the paper.” I gets her check and goes back to my office. The phone rings, and it’s my real estate friend. “Congratulations,” he says. “What for?” I asks. “Ain’t you seen the afternoon papers?” he says. “First National is movin’ out to Burbank just a few blocks from your lots. They ought to he w'orth three, four times what 3’ou was holdin’ ’em at now.” ** Chart Your Films to Cut Negative Costs’* {Continued from page 8) face as he removed the offensive records, and I am not at all sure that the chap who was the director in the case did not come to him in a more or less confidential manner. Maybe he admitted that there might be some basis of understanding which would lessen or remove the gap which until now had stood between the overhead and the undertaker sides of this business. Now we are face to face with a solution and end to all this lack of understanding. Our industry is now on the waj^ toward readjustment. We will very soon have sifted the chaff and grits from the grain — the difficult work is done — making those know who should know, that there was a little pebble now and then that looked very much like grain until vmu tried to use it for grain, and a whole lot of chaff that didn’t even look like grain. It does seem that the impossible has been done again, after v'ears of everything else it appears that we have found an actual executive or two who knows enough about business to understand that money has a standard value and will purchase brain power as well as tin roofs and with equal dependability. Faith Is Greatest Theme for Screen Says Garrett Fort HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 9.— Faith, according to Garrett Fort, fiction and screen author, is the greatest of picture themes. The moving force of Joan of Arc is the inspiring note of faith that causes the greatest and most universal reaction, cinematically speaking, says Fort. “The supreme urge in the human is hope,” declares the writer. “This is the basis of aspiration, ambition, betterment of the race, "rhe Cinderella theme is a popular one in the movies, on the stage, in books because it is the quintessence of the faith motif.” The foregoing is the foundation of Garrett Fort’s story of ‘“The Glory Girl” which he is writing for Paramount. Fort has just signed with Paramount after two years of successes on the Cecil B. DeMille program, his outstanding works for which having been “White Gold,” “Gigolo,” “The Yankee Clipper” and “Her Man-o-War.” “The Prince of Headwaiters,” Lewis Stone’s recent First National vehicle was a Fort original. Four Previews Staged in One Week by HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 9. — Four previews in one week is the record for Universal last week according to Charles S. Logue, who ought to know, for as production supervisor out that way he has to attend them. The pictures completed and shown in neighborhood houses were “The 13th Juror” directed by Ed Laemmle ; “The Yukon Trail” by Ernest Laemmle; “The Lone Eagle,” and “A Man’s Past” starring Conrad Veidt. DeLacy Assigned to Special F B O Picture (Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 9. — Robert DeLacy, who is now directing Tom Tyler in another Western, has been assigned by F B O officials to direct a special production following the Tyler picture. DeLacy will have an all-star cast. “Red Riders of Canada” is the title of the story, which is taken from Munsey’s Magazine and as its title implies, is a storv" of the Northwest mounted police. Logue Will Supervise **Phyllis of Follies” HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 9.— Universal has purchased “Phyllis of the Follies.” It will go into production soon under the supervision of Charles S. Logue. Ernest Laemmle has been chosen as the director. John B. Clymer assisted b\ Clarence Marks, gag man, is busy on the continuity and adaptation. The story is original by Arthur Gregor. Rosa Rudami Returns HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 9.— Rosa Rudami, known to fans as “the black orchid of the screen,” returned last week from a tour of the Eastern stage in Italian speaking roles. She is back in the film city to stay, and will divide her time equally between the , stage and screen. Sears Covers Paris Convention BOSTON. — Richard Sears, head cameraman in New England for Pathe will cover the American Legion Convention in Paris for Pathe News. Sears served in Europe throughout the world war for International.