Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

April 5, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 51 BEST SELLERS Week Ending March 29th No. i “Should 1” — (Robbins Music Corp.). No. 2 "Happy Days Are Here Again” — (Ager, Yellen & Bornstein). “ Cottage for Sale” — (DeSylva, Brown & Henderson). No. 3 “When It’s Springtime in the Rockies” — (Villa Moret). No. 4 "Beside an Open Fireplace” — (Santly Bros.). “Aren’t We All” — (DeSylva, Brown & Henderson). “If I Had a Talking Picture” — (DeSylva, Brown & Henderson). No. 5 “Under a Texas Moon” — (Remick Music Corp.). “I’m Following You” — (Irving Berlin). “Crying for the Carolines” — (Remick Music Corp.). No. 6 “I Love You, Believe Me” — (Harms, Inc.). “One I Love Just Can’t Be Bothered” — (Leo Feist). “Song of the Vagabond” — (Famous Music Co.). “Hanging on the Garden Gate” — (Witmark & Sons). “Kiss Me With Your Eyes” — (Villa Moret). “ Stein Song” — (Carl Fischer). “ What Is This Thing Called Love?” — (Harms, Inc.). “Congratulations” — (DeSylva, Brown & Henderson). “Little Kiss Each Morning” — (Harms, Inc.). “Sunny side Up” — (DeSylva, Brown & Henderson). “Have a Little Faith in Me” — (Remick Music Corp.). “Tip Toe Thru the Tulips” — (Witmark & Sons). * * • “WITHOUT YOU, EMALINE”— (Harms, Inc.) — A very good song that should also prove commercial. It’s a little different. Words by Charles Tobias, music by Peter De Rose. * # * “SORRY” — (Sherman Clay & Co.) — A pretty fox trot tune with a suitable melody that looks very commercial. Makes a nice dance tune and also pretty to sing. Music by Edna Fischer and Anson Weeks, words by Rosetta Duncan. * * * “THERE’S A CHANGE IN ME BECAUSE THERE’S A CHANGE IN YOU”— (Forster Music Co.) — A waltz ballad that i6 very pretty. Has a trick title that is well handled. Ought to sell. Words by Walter Hisch, music by Fred Rose. * # * “WHERE THE GOLDEN DAFFODILS GROW”— (Leo Feist, Inc.) — A natural thought now that the Spring will soon be here. The lyric writer puts over his thought with a bang. The melody written as a fox trot is quite suitable. Words by Gus Kahn, music by Harry Archer. ORGAN SOLOS Charles Williams (New York, Loew’s State) offered a “radio broadcasting community stunt’’ for this week’s organ solo, which, for no reason at all, he entitled, “Tails of Hoffman.” Mr. \V i 1 1 i a.m s opened his solo with a surprisingly correct representation of a radio broadcast. Lending atmosphere, a Workstel E — feet slide (which is nearly twice as large as regular slide) of radio towers with flashes is shown during Mr. Williams’ conversations. Through a “mic” attached to the organ, Williams, with all seriousness addresses himself to the radio audience, and announces that through the courtesy of Loew’s, Inc., this hour was arranged. Most of the house audience took it for granted and helped sing over the air when Williams announced that . he and the audience were to sing “My Wild. Irish Rose,” “Sunnyside Up,” and “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” Between songs, Williams told a laughable “bedtime story” which had to do with the stock market crash. He also announced that Hymie Glutz and his German Band were to play, but as they had not appeared, he would substitute for them, which he did with a burlesque on “The Spring Song.” He played this on the organ, as a German band would play it. A telephone call then interrupts and Williams announced that an “S. O. S.” would force them to “stand by” as a rum runner was in distress, so they would have to “speakeasy.” The audience softly sang, the last named “singing” song for the finale. This solo was one of the cleverest and most pleasing solos Williams has ever done. Bill Meeder (New York, Richmond Hill, R K O) offered for his solo, his “Original Organ Capers.” (This was for the first half of the week.) Opening, as organ rose, with a chorus of “Should I,” Meeder then orally announced that he had received a letter from a fellow who wanted to know how to propose. He then explained that there are three ways of proposing marriage, first the old fashioned way. This cleverly brought in a singing chorus of, “Hanging on a Garden Gate.” Another way is to sing, “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” Meeder then explained that the way Rudy Vallee, the popular “crooner," would do it, is by saying, “I Love You, Believe Me, I Love You.” Meeder then stated that he thought all of these ways were too tame, so he suggested that the modern way is to say, “Come on. Kid, I Have to Have You.” A special chorus of “I Have to Have You” was then sung by the audience for the finale. Mr. Meeder’s cleverly made solos have made him very popular at this house. Leo Weber (New York Loew’s 83d St.) presented his “Singing School” and featured a synopsis to his contests of opposites. This one was a contest between the “Slender and Plump.” Opening his solo with his usual opening song, “Here We Are,” Weber then orally shouted “Come On, You Fatties, Sing.” "Have a Little Faith in Me” was played and the “fatties” sang. The slender ones followed with. “Sweeter than Sweet.” Then the “fatties” 6ang, "Painting the Clouds,” and the "slenders,” “Wonderful Something Is Love.” It is surprising to see and hear how really serious this audience takes these contests, and to prove it they actually applaud themselves and Weber after each number. After these songs were played and sung, Weber orally explained that applause for their own sides was necessary to prove which were the better singers. At first the applause was a little better for the “fatties” so they sang a chorus of "If I Had a Talking Picture” and proved they were the better singers. To close this interesting solo, Weber had everyone join in for a chorus of “Sunnyside Up.” Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Crawford (New York Paramount) feature, in this week’s organ concert, a number recently composed by Mrs. Crawford. This number is “The Moonlight Reminds Me of You.” Mr. Crawford opened this solo with a beautiful rendition of “So Blue,” which Mrs. Crawford was the first to introduce. Mr. Crawford then played her new number as slides with just the notes of the tune on them appearing on the screen. The second chorus was played by both as Paul Small, pleasingly sang. A slide next appeared announcing that they would play this number as different radio bands have been playing it. Starting with Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians they then played it in the style of the following bands: "Bert Lown and His Biltmore Orchestra, The Gypsy Orchestra, Freddie Rich, Arnold Johnson, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, C. B. S. G. Orchestra, Adele Vosa, and Paul Ash and His Paramount Orchestra. Each rendition was surprisingly like the type played by these famous orchestras. Hello, Everybody — The following poem and paragraph was taken from a recent morning paper and I am reprinting it because I’m sure everyone has not seen it and I’m sure you will all be interested in reading it. The Governor sat in his easy chair And opened his ears full wide — “Notv sing me a ditty, a pretty air,” He said to the Song Writers’ Pride. The S. W. P. turned a fiery red. Like the inside of a melon— “I can’t,” he said, “for if l sang Pd still be only Yellen.” Albany. March 26. — And that is as far as Governor Roosevelt got today when he tried to cajole a tune from the lips of Jack Yellen, well known song writer. The Governor was about to sign a bill making it a penal offense for racketeers to pirate copyright songs and sell unauthorized copies on the streets of this stage. Yellen, Gene Buck, president of the American Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers, and Harry Von Tilzer, another song writer, were there to watch him. Pen in hand, Roosevelt paused before signing the bill and 6poke to Yellen. "How about singing your newest song?” A healthy Hollywood tan failed to hide Yellen’s blushes as he replied: “I only wrote it. Governor, I can’t sing it.” Disappointed, the Governor signed anyway. * * * Vincent Youmans, Inc., are publishing the score for the United Artist picture, "What a Widow,” featuring Gloria Swanson. This is the first time that Vincent Youmans has composed songs, directly for pictures. v * * An outstanding figure among recent recruits to the field of talking motion pictures is Charles Wakefield Cadman, w. k. American composer. His first efforts in this new medium are to be heard in the Universal production, “Captain of the Guard,” which is playing, currently, at the Roxy. The body of the score depicts a musical and dramatic interpretation of the French Revolution and the episodes relating to the creation of "La Marseillaise.” • * * Isidore Witmark, executive president and senior partner of M. Witmark and Sons, music publishers to Warner Brothers and First National, moves out of Witmark offices for the first time in forty-five years to occupy a new office in the Warner Bros. Building. Mr. Witmark will remain active in Witmark affairs although now located in the new office. # # * $75,000 for bridal veils is a lot of jack, even for Solomon and his thousand wives 1 But John Murray Anderson is reported to have spent this staggering amount in staging the “Bridal Veil” number in “King of Jazz,” Paul Whiteman’s new Universal Picture. It is said to be one of the most gorgeous scenic presentations ever done on stage or screen. Incidentally, this new Whiteman picture is full of great tunes, including two by Mabel Wayne. These are “It Happened in Monterey” and "Ragamuffin Romeo,” both published by Leo Feist, Inc., who is also publishing “My Bridal Veil,” referred to above. » * • With the announcement that the spacious offices of one of the largest music publishers in the world • — The Red Star Music Co., Inc., are now officially open to serve all in the industry with great songs from great Fox pictures, plans formulated by Pat Flaherty are rapidly nearing an end. Pat's rare judgment of songs and unusual knowledge in spotting and exploiting numbers, has enabled him to line up a formidable catalog of fast selling songs, which will rank second to none in the industry. Mr. Flaherty has wisely refused to permit the catalog to gain prestige solely through the medium of the screen, but has surrounded himself with a capable staff, whose combined efforts have succeeded in getting an unusually fine representation on the stage and on national radio broadcast, for Red Star publications.