Hollywood Filmograph (Jan-Jul 1930)

HOLLYWOOD FILMOGRAPH 21 Salaries to be Slashed by Wall Street-^Rumored Directing Talkies Easier than Silents— Edward Sedgwick Will Strike Everyone From Top of Payroll List On Down If bankers have their way, there will be a general reduction in salaries throughout the entire motion picture industry in the near future with none of the high-salaried men escaping. The planned slash will not only be felt by the high-salaried executives but the entire personnel of the studios and theatre chains as well. The weekly checks issued to heads of the numerous distributor branches and chain theatres will be cut "plenty" according to financiers who contend that the salaries paid in the film industry should be no different from salaries paid to individuals holding similar titles as executives in other lines of business. Film men argue that the financiers fail to consider the difference in the type and kind of work done in the film game and other industries. Studio payrolls are "up" for the first slash with the main office and exchange personnel of each production company "on deck." Included in the studio salary-cut will come contracts held by actors, directors, composers and writers. The new policy has already reached the experiment stage with several directors and players receiving salary cuts with the explanation that the "talkies" have placed an uncertainty upon their value as compared to their popularity in the "silents." Purse strings have been tightening for some time; ever since the banking interests took part in film work. Now that the banking groups are the dominant figures in many of the major production organizations, in many cases being in actual control, the strings will be pulled more rapidly as they are overlooking no opportunities to reduce the overhead. PLAYS in "The Girl of the Golden West" and "Under Western Skies" for First National. Jean Darling former star of "Our Gang," is undecided. Three different companies are negotiating with her and she has not decided which contract she will accept. Marie Partridge Price "Teacher of Voice" 6606 Sunset Boulevard Studio— GL. 5794 Residence— CR. 6689 WILBUR MACK Who came out here from the' New York stage two years ago and since that time has worked in twenty feature pictures. Wilbur can play about any type of part having had much of his early experience in dramatic stock and repertoire companies, and later with New York dramatic and musical productions. Past few years he has been a big headliner on the Keith and Orpheum circuits. Wilbur is often called the Jimmie Walker of pictures — and the way Wilbur can wear clothes is nobody's business. He gave a very fine performance as Sutton, the broker, in "The Girl Said No," an M-G-M picture; also made an excellent showing in the heavy in "Czar of Broadway," a new Universal picture. i i i Hollywood School Of Dance to Stage Show on May 3 The Hollywood School of the Dance has three sets of twins registered at the school, and it so happens that the Kleimer Twins will celebrate their tenth birthday on May 3rd, which is the occasion for an invitation being sent through all papers to all sets of twins in Los Angeles County to attend the celebration in the spacious dance studio at 5653 Hollwood boulevard on Saturday afternoon, May 3rd, at 3 o'clock. Judge Guy Bush, and brother Eli, who is also a judge, will officiate, while Congressman Crail and brother, who are also twins, will be present. v Fox Movietone News will record the party on their News Reel Service, while other paper photographers, will take snaps of the twins for publication. Ice cream, cake and candy will be served, and a prize will be awarded the winner for talent. Theatre Review "LOVE 'EM AND LEAVE 'EM" A Comedy by George Abbott and John V. A. Weaver. Staged by Edwin H. Curtis. Starring Isabel Withers. Henry Duffy Players are always good for an afternoon or evening of clean entertainment, as in "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em," in which the quaint mannerisms of Isabel Withers are brought to life very forcibly through the contrasting role that is played by Muss Emily Lowry, as her sister. The love affair of the two sisers, with Kenneth Daigneau, is the nucleus of a very fine comedy, and they are helped along laugh row through Harold Waldridge and Byron Hawkins, who sort of have the comedy relief of the piece. Three fine characterizations are given by Frank Darien, Lillian Dean and Olive Cooper. Others who help hold up the interest in the play are Thomas L. Brower, Randolph Hale, Dolores Brown, Jeane Wood, John Mackenzie and James Sergent. You will like Isabel Withers in "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em" and you needn't be afraid to bring your mother, wife or sweetheart to se the show. HARRY BURNS. i i i JOSEPH DISKAY To he able to sing in eleven different languages is a remarkable feat. That is exactly what Joseph Diskay, the Hungarian tenor, has been doing in concerts, theatrical performances and in pictures, for years. In order that he might give what he possesses to the world at large, Mr. Diskay has opened a very pretentious studio located at Granada Studios 47, 672 South Lafayette Park Place, where he will teach his remarkable art to the aspiring singers of the Southland. Mr. Diskay has sung in more talkies than any other artist in and around Hollywood, but seldom is he pictured along with his singing, although he photographs very well and usually looks the very part that he is supposed to portray in the films. Oral Films Offer Better Chance to Gain Real Laughs The much feared and dreaded talkies which were supposed to prove the bane of a lot of the old-line directors, have simplified matters as far as their telling their story, dialogue is mixed with action and when it comes to gaining laughs, why it is just a matter of reaching right out with some bright and snappy dialogue aided and abetted by sound effects, with continuous action and no stopping for titles, and then all you have to do is to clock the laughs as your audiences register them, said Edward Sedgwick, who has directed the best comedies that Buster Keaton ever made. Silent or talkies, they were all box-office winners. Edward Sedgwick has directed 14 feature pictures for M-G-M over a period of four years, and hasn't had a single one of them put on the shelf, nor to lose money for the firm. Just to remind our readers of what those pictures were we herewith submit the following list: "Spring Fever," "West Point," "Circus Rookies," "The Cameraman," "Spite Marriage," "There You Are," "Tin Hats," "High Stakes," "Bugle Call," "The Gob," "Sunny Italy," "Free and Easy" (English and Spanish versions), and "Man o' War." VICTOR SCHERTZINGER With the postponement of'The Caveman" by Paramount, starring George Bancroft, owing to illness Victor Shertzinger, who was slated to direct the picture, has been sent East to direct Charles "Buddy" Rogers in "Hands Up" at the Paramount studios in Astoria, Long Island. Mr. Schertzinger has just signed a new lo n g term contract with that organization which is enough recommendation as to their being satisfied with his directorial work. Victor Schertzinger 1 1 i ARMIDA RUSHING WEST FOR LEASETIFFANY TALKIE Armida, petite and fascinating product of Old Mexico, whose success in talking pictures and on the stage has been almost phenomenal in the past year, is rushing from New York to Los Angeles to play opposite Rex Lease in Tiffany's musical adventure story, "So This Is Mexico." The story was written by Harry Frazer, and Richard Thorpe will direct. Clyde. Cook also has been chosen for a prominent role.