The Hollywood Reporter (Jan-Jun 1933)

Pase Two TH Jan. 6, 1933 m i W. R. WILKERSON Editor and Publisher FRANK POPE Managing Editor Published and copyrighted by THE WILKERSON DAILY CORP-, Ltd. Executive-Editorial Offices and Office of Publication. 6717 Sunset Boulevard. HoIlyv«x>d, (Los Angeles) . California Telephone HOHywood 3957 New York Off xe : Abraham Bernstein. Mgr.; 229 W. 42nd St. Wisconsin 7-7193; Chicago. 6 N. Michigan Ave.; London. -41 A Carlisle Mansions; Paris, 122 Blvd Murat; Berlin, 83-84 Mauerstrasse ; Buenos Aires. San Martin 501; Sydney. 198 Pitt St. Published every day with the exception of Sundays and Holidays. Subscription rates, including postage, per year in the United States and Canada. $20. Foreign. $25. Single copies. 10c. Entered as second class matter lune 4. 1932. at the Post Office at Los Angeles, under the act of March 3. 1879, MGM'S 'WHISTLINC IN DARK' CLEVER A1\D EXCITING COMEDY Jack White and his ex-spouse. Pauline Starke, have been battling something awful over that house of theirs in Beverly. Now. it seems. Pauline has been awarded the house, while jack becomes a sole owner on the furniture. Under the California law, however, Mrs. W. cannot take possession of the property for a year — and if she rented the home, the money would go to lack, or something like that. The pay-off. which though hardly of a chivalrous nature, nevertheless, had Its amusing side, is that, from what we gather. White is now contemplating moving back into the huuse and living rent-free for a year — and just for spite! This concerns the same local couple whom we mentioned yesterday as getting that "room without a bath" at Caliente last week-end. We are reliably (and laughingly) informed that, when the husband called to make reservations, he was told that there wasn't a room to be had. "Nothing at all?" asked the man "No," said the clerk. "In fact, we let our last room go yesterday — and it had no bath!" "Oh," answered the Hollywood man, very mad — "^A'hy didn't you SAVE it for us??!" After being selected as official hostess for the Pittsburgh team at its Rose Bowl game, and getting resultant publicity and special box seats for the contest, Gloria Stuart failed to put in an appearance at the banuqet for the grid team Monday night. Local members of the Pitt alumni, responsible for her selection, are plenty burned over her action and is not showing up for the night festivities. Truex, Merkel And Nugent Highlights "WHISTLING IN THE DARK" MCM Direction Elliott Nugent From play by Edwards Childs Carpenter. Lawrence Cross. Screen Play Elliott Nugent Photography Norbert Brodine Cast: Ernest Truex, Edward Arnold. Una Merkel. Joe Cawthorn. |ohnny Mines. John Miljan. Tenen Holtz, Nat Pendleton. Marcella Corday. Constantin Romanoff. Here is the answer to the movie fan's player: A brand new screen personality, framed in fresh lively material. Ernest Truex is the new face and never has a Thespian had a more auspicious debut. A box-office natural, say we. and one that will send them away talking and telling their friends to hurry and get seats. Lest we be accused of lack of chivalry, let us hasten to add that much of Mr. Truex' amazing initial success may be laid to the fortuitous circumstance of having Una Merkel as a team mate. Miss Merkel immediately steps into the very front rank of comediennes, proving that it sometimes takes fast company to make some people show their real speed. The piece is an absurd, but soundly and deftly constructed, concoction of comedy melodrama The comedy and melodrama alternate in just the proper intervals and the steady stream of laughs is always cunningly used to bolster the suspense and excitement. Truex has the role of a crime story writer who has even been decorated by the police for his skill in solving some particular malefaction. With his fiance. Miss Merkel, he is on his way to a Gretna Green when automobile trouble forces them to apply to a lonely old Long Island rookery for aid. The place turns out to be the hangout of a tough band of gangsters, who force Truex into writing out an original scheme for murder which they intend to use in disposing of Joseph Cawthorn. playing a wealthy brewer. Truex works out an ingenious scheme for murder and then he and Una work out still more ingenious schemes to frustrate his own plot The goings-on while he and Miss Merkel are captives are the last word in hilarity. Contributing to the laughs in yeoman fashion are Nat Pendleton, who plays a dumb gorilla on guard duty and on the make for Una; Edward Arnold as the big shot of the gang: John Miljan as another big shot, and Johnny Nines. Marceila Corday plays a deadpan housekeeper with a lot of menace. Elliott Nugent's direction and screen play were consistently meritorious and camera work was first-class You exhibs can go to any extreme in luring them into the theatre. They will go away satisfied and thank you for having introduced them to a comedy pair like Truex and Merkel. MCM Heads Delav Their Trip West New York. — Because of the illness of Irving Thalberg, the Western trip of Nicholas Schenck. Robert Rubin, Felix Feist and Howard Dietz has been postponed and they will not leave here until next Wednesday. Leeches Suck Films Dry, Says DeMille New York. — '"The leeches who have drawn from the rich blood of the picture industry" are largely responsible for present conditions, according to Cecil B. DeMille in a statement just before leaving for the coast. There are plenty of leaders in the business competent to pull it out of its present difficulties, he said, and the "leeches" will have to go unless they can contribute something. Pallette Short Off Lou Brock has postponed indefinitely the Gene Pallette short which Ray McCarey was to direct, owing to the fact that the yarn was written around Pallette and he will not be available for at least three weeks. Keefe On Romanoff Yarn Willard Keefe has been signed by MCM to collaborate with Howard Emmett Rogers on the development of story. "The Bogus Prince," based on the career of "Mike" Romanoff. Ornitz Going East Sam Ornitz leaves Wednesday for New York to make arrangements for the production of his new play, "The New Kentucky." He will return to Hollywood in four weeks. Freund Goes Back To Camera For One Karl Freund. Universal contract director and former ace cinematographer for that company, will photograph "The Kiss Before a Mirror," James Whale's next production. Freund recently directed "The Mummy," and was waiting for the script on his next assignment, "Left Bank," when Whale secured his consent to go back on the camera. Freund is slated to start production on "Left Bank" in March, and permanently discards his camera at that time. Lakeside Golfers Out For Club Championship The first round in the annual club championship of Lakeside Golf Club will be played this week-end, with 16 contestants battling it out to nab the honor. Among the film crowd competing for the championship are Eddie Quillan. Robert McGowan, M. Luxford, Harry Ham, James Townsend, Huntley Gordon and L. H. Buell. Rankin To Adapt Own William Rankin has been engaged by Radio to write the screen play and adaptation of the next Irene Dunne yarn, which the studio recently purchased from him. Sam Jaffe is supervising. Geo. Chandler Signed George Chandler has been signed for a comedy role in the Jimmy Cagney production. "Picture Snatcher," at Warners. New Paramount Title The title of Paramount's "Good Company" has been changed to "A Lady's Profession." All Major Distribs Adopt New Contract New York. — All major distributors have announced the complete adoption of the new standard contract, with Universal and MCM the last two to come in. The former places it in effect February 1 , and MCM about two weeks later. The refusal of some of the majors to give their okay to this new ticket drawn up for deals for pictures between theatres and distributors caused members of the Allied States Exhibitors to ask for a Federal investigation of the picture business. Allied also endorsed the Brookhart bill and other measures that might have tended to embarrass the industry as a whole. Whether the Allied leaders will cease their agitation in Washington now that the companies have bowed to their desires is not known, as none of the executive committee could be reached at the time of going to press. 224 Golfers In The Caliente Tournament Agua Caliente — The Fourth Annual Agua Caliente Open Gold Tournament, to be played at the border resort January 11 to 14, has 224 nationally known golfers, professional and amateur, listed as starters for next Wednesday morning. s#s*s*s#s*^*sr^s*^*N#s#s*s*s#^^s*s*s#s*s*s#s#s#> PARTNER WANTED Well known artists' representative desires partner. Applicant must have experience and professional connections. In replying, please state full particulars in first letter, which will be held confidential. NO INVESTMENT REQUIRED : Address Box 107 Hollywood Reporter