The Hollywood Reporter (Jan-Jun 1933)

Page Two THgg llti[p>©[^TilI<li Feb. 13, 1933 ItB DA.I UV 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. Hollywood, (Los Angeles). California Telephone HOUywood 3957 New York Office ; 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 )une 4. 1932. at the Post Office at Los Angeles, under the act of March 3. 1879. Ernst Lubitsch was that impressed with the beauty of the women at the Sam Coldwyn party for Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Miller Friday night — and well he might have been. Joan Crawford in white, Marion Davies in black, Joan Bennett. Virginia Bruce, Virginia Chernll are a dazzling array for any room. The Dick Barthelmesses, Mr. and Mrs. Alan Lehman. Captain Cohen, Irene Selznick, Major and Mrs. Lyons, the Lionel Barry mores among the guests. Lubitsch (in rare form) supplied Viennese waltzes — on the piano, mind you. Clark Gable sang. Doug Fairbanks Jr. sang. Gene Markey sang. Moss (Caruso) Hart sang the loudest and knew all the words. Fortunately, the singing was en masse and it lasted for hours. Five V/OMEN agreed that Mrs. Jack Gilbert was the most beautiful girl they had ever seen — and that, in case you don't know. IS NEWS! • Some time ago, we warned in these columns, of a girl who was passing herself off whenever possible, as the "sister of Hal Wallis," "the niece of Mike Levee," "the cousin of Ben Schulberg," etc., in order to introduce herself to many film stars. Well, now it develops that it is this same girl who. only a week or so ago. nearly wrecked the career of a certain star by accusing him of assault and worse and entangling him with the law. Fortunately, it has been proved that the girl is quite mad and suffering from hallucinations, with the result that the man has been cleared of the charges. But the girl comes from a wealthy family and is liable to remain on the loose anyway. She seems to have a particular "lech" for Paramount players, and three of them have recently unconsciously laid themselves open to her machinations. One of them found himself in a spot where he had to pay $2000 — or else. He paid it — and for NOTHING. • The Bruce CabotLoretta Young romance waxes warmer. And it IS Loretta. Winchell said it was Sally ^fYorkMyil^^ "HALLELUJAH. I'M A BUM" United Artists prod.; director, Lewis Milestone; writers, Ben Hecht. S, N. Behrman; music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Rivoli Theatre World-Telegram: The names of such eminent directors, authors .composers and lyricists should presuppose a film of great originality, charm, dash and vigor. But in this instance the label is deceptive. None of the expectations materialize. Indeed, the film plods along without ever reaching a given point Herald-Tribune: It must be reported, with dutiful melancholy, that the result of so much activity on the part of so many master minds is not a happy one. Much has been made, in the advance billing of the picture, of something or other known as "rhythmic dialogue." It turns out that rhythmic dialogue consists of having the characters burst, from time to time, into couplets that rhyme very vaguely, and having them stomp around the screen in time with the speeches and the music. Mirror: Jolson never has had a more engaging role than that of the vagrant Bumper. He never uses blackface, never mentions Mammy. But that magnificent personality never has been more potent, and that voice never more affecting. Journal: What it lacks in action and plot it makes up in musical interludes, since just about all the people concerned in the proceedings warble to, at and with each other. Jolson, of course, does most of the singing. The songs, however, are part of the dialogue rather than separate selections. Post: Evidently Mr. Hecht and those others who worked on the shaping of the story were loathe to expose their formula. Rather than tramp out in the open with an honest-to-goodness tale, they preferred to cloak their intentions under a series of drawing-room experiments by the talented team of Rodgers and Hart, who, in turn, slyly hid their light under a bushel of what the publicity department is pleased to call a blanket of "rhythmic dialogue." Times: If is Mr. Jolson's best film. It is a combination of fun, melody and romance, with a dath of satire, all of which make for an ingratiating entertainment. News: There's considerable of worth in "Halleluiah, I'm A Bum" because it is novel in treatment and well acted We hope it does right by the little old box-office. joe Rock To U' Joe Rock today goes on the payroll at Universal on a deal which has him join the company to supervise one production. He is on a story hunt and has been given a free hand in company's story files. Devine To Paramounf Andy Devine goes from Universal to Charles R. Rogers at Paramount for a part in "Legal Crime." Universal has taken up option on term ticket of Devine, also renewing on contracts of Tom Brown and Gloria Stuart. Menu' Short By MCM MCM is preparing to make a short, titled "Menu, "which will demonstrate the fine art of preparing food. It will be made in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel, under the supervision of Jack Cummings. 'Crefa' Script Done Lou Heifitz and Neil Brandt have turned in their script on "The Great Greta" for Joseph I. Schnitzer at RKOPathe and have gone off the payroll Dickie Moore At MCM MGM has signed Dickie Moore for a role in "Gabriel Over The White House." reefing. which Gregory LaCava is di Blane — and other chatterers said it was Polly Ann, But we said it was Loretta. And Bruce says it's Loretta — and he oughta know! Kelly, Bischoff, Saal To Settle Future Plans Eddie Marin is scheduled to wind up shooting activity this morning on "A Study In Scarlet." which is to be the last of the KBS productions to be made by the Kelly-Bischoff-Saal trio. The company is slated to have an important conference during the next few days at which time the future plans of the individual producers and their relations to Earle Hammons, the majority holder of the unit, will be made known. Praskins Collaborated On 'Secrets' Dialogue Through an oversight on the part of the studio publicity department, the name of Leonard Praskins was omitted from the credits in the Reporter's review of the Mary Pickford picture, "Secrets." Mr. Praskins worked with Salisbury Field on the dialogue. Invincible To Handle 'Maedchen In Uniform' New York. — Invincible Pictures has secured the distribution rights to "Maedchen in Uniform" for the New '/ork metropolitan district Weston Out of Para. Finishing work on the script of "Supernatural" for the Halperins' unit, Carnett Weston washes up with Paramount and has left the company's writing staff. Party At Lakeside For Bobby Jones Lakeside Golf Club is staging a party in honor of Bobby Jones Saturday night at the club house. It will include dinner, dancing and entertainment provided by nearly 50 "name" artists from the stage, screen and radio. The entertainment is under the direction of Harry Joe Brown, and Frank Craven will be master of ceremonies. Among those already lined up to provide laughs are Robert Armstrong, Donald Brian. Burns and Allen, Joseph Cawthorn. Charley Chase, Andy Clyde, W. C. Fields, Walter Huston, Guy Kibbee. Harry Langdon, Eddie Quillan, Mack Bennett, Slim Summerville, David and Ernest Torrence, Regis Toomey and Charlie Williarr.s. Jones is using Lakeside during the production of his new series of golf shorts for Warners. Picture Golfers To Gang On Caliente The big motion picture golf tournament to be pulled off at the Agua Caliente course on February 25 and 26 is going to get a big play from the Hollywood colony. Already more than 1 00 entries have been received, representing every branch of the industry. A change in the team championship competition has been made to permit those studios which have a professional on the staff to use him as a fifth, or anchor man . There will be prizes for both four and five-man teams. Schoedsack Arriving With African Shots Ernest Schoedsack is due in from New York. The film explorer spent several months in northern Africa, get ting scenes for an adventure picture for Radio. Dramatic episodes for the production will be made in the studio here. Three For Filmusical Edmund Breese, Franklyn Pangborn and Harrison Green have been signed by Paramount for parts in "International House," forthcoming filmusical drama. Beryl Mercer Signed Beryl Mercer has been signed by the Halperin Brothers for a part in "Supernatural." which they will produce for Paramount. Jaffe Made Producer (Continued from Page 1 ) as a combination man. so he has been given a post in the cbainet. Jaffe is well qualified for this new job. He is one of the production veterans of Hollywood, having been at Paramount in charge of studio activities for six or seven years before going to Radio, and before that was active with B. P. Schulberg in their independent production unit. His first picture will be the WheelerWoolsey yarn, which goes into production today under the direction of William Seiter.