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DAVID HANNA
SCANDAL
Scandalous remarks about a currently popular leading lady of the screen threaten to cut short her career, as Hollywood hears reports of boycotts and reprisals from various women's clubs and other Organizations throughout the country. That the film industry or a prominent parson in it should be the victim of such comment (whether warranted or not) is most unfortunate.
It reflects unfavorably on the intelligence of those studios' publicity generals Who are willing to countenance anything for a "break" and H&Ve been largely instrumental in building Hollywood "gossip** to such proportions that items flagrantly defying good taste Jorm the daily scribblings of nine out of ten of the film columnists.
Keeping the public conscious of Hollywood and its activities does not necessarily mean that the private lives of its personalities must be displayed in print for the benefit of sensation lovers. It is not within the power of the film business to abolish gossip columns but it can stop feeding material to the gossipers. They will either fall by the wayside or learn that there are millions of interesting stories that can be written about Hollywood without offending propriety.
Today a charming and talented person is bearing the brunt of something Hollywood should have stopped many years ago, film gossip. Most of us are genuinely sorry and we hope the attacks on her career will die down. Meanwhile, we in Hollywood should do everything possible to counteract the vicious reports.
DISNEY GOES CIRCUS
Into Los Angeles, this week, breezed gravel-voiced Frank Braden, publicist extraordinary for the big show, Barnum and Bailey's circus. The reason for Braden's arrival was not Garagantua, the world's largest ape, nor was it the bearded lady, the Wallenda troupe or even Con Colleano, the world's foremost tight rope walker. Mr. Braden is doing business with Walt Disney and Leopold Stokowski and "Fantasia," which is about to open in Los Angeles and other key cities. It seems that Mr. Braden was on his way to Cuba when the Disneyites decided that he was the man to oil the exploitation machinery for their
new classical musical cartoon feature. Patting Garagantua (who has a wife now) a fond farewell, Mr. Braden hied himself to the film city and already the Braden drums are beating — "Walt Disney paints in color animation, never before seen on any screen, the musical numbers of a concert by the great conductor and his orchestra, etc., etc."
Watch out, Messrs. Brand, Birdwell, Einfeld, Strickling, et al! Frank Braden is the loudest addition to the picture business since sound. We hope he visits Hollywood regularly in the future.
HEARST AND HORSES
A pet policy of the Hearst newspapers is to enrage their animal loving readers with fabulous tales of the incredible cruelty of the motion picture studios to animals hired for the screen. Although it would seem that in these troublesome days, editorial space would be crammed with comment of more consequence, the Los .Angeles E.xaminer has recently devoted countIsss inches of space to such rabble rousing material.
I have seen a great many outdoor pictures filmed in Hollywood. I have worked in studios where more horses were employed than actors. Never have I seen anything remotely resembling cruelty. Animals are u-sually hired from stables maintained especially for picture work. During production the beasts are cared for diligently and everything possible is done for their comfort and well being. The Running W (the use of
wires to trip horses) was abolished years ago, although the Hearst newspapers still growl about it. Also, it is a common practice to have a member of the SPC.\ at the studios when animals are being used. This trustworthy organization is not likely to condone any act of cruelty to an animal, nor would it permit anything of the sort to go unpublicized.
When such obvious industr_\ baiting takes place, one wonders what steps are being taken by the Hays office. Quick enough to please its producer members by fighting legislation and hampering the efforts of exhibitors to obtain equitable business practices, it is strange that no rebuttal is offered to such unwarranted attacks, Why doesn't Mr, Hays tell off the noisy Hearst outfit?
JANUARY 11, 1941
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