Inside facts of stage and screen (February 1, 1930)

PAGE SIX INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, FEB. 1, 1930 ACTS S(SIP(§QVQ, Legitimate One Year Published Every Saturday $4.00 Foreign $5.00 Advertising Rates on Application As a bi-monthly publication : Entered as Second Class Matter, No- vember 17, 1924, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. As a weekly publication: Entered as Second Class Matter, April 29, 1927, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Published by Inside Facts Publishing Company, Inc. 800-801 Warner Bros. Downtown Bldg., Los Angeles, Calif. Telephone TUcker 7832 JACK JOSEPHS ARTHUR WM. GREEN WILLIAM C. OWENS - - - - President and Editor Vice Pres, and Counsel - Secretary and General Manager Vol. XI Saturday, February 1, 1930 No. 5 The actor is a patient individual, so patient indeed that it ceases to be a virtue. Let the city lawmakers or the city law-enforcers do dirt to a retail merchant and up rise the retail merchants to de mand justice, forming organizations for the purpose. Let the realtors be touched, or the store owners ,or the Main Street peddlers, or what have you, and up to the city hall parade delegations and representatives telling their vot- ing strength; and things go better for them. But, perhaps from his itinerant life of past times, the actor has always been aloof from politics, casting his vote, when he did vote, individually and taking' what the law- makers and the law-enforcers handed him without so much as a feeble protest. And what has the result been? Why, just what was to be expected, to-wit, that of all classes "of people the actor gets least consideration of his legal rights. Suppose that a publishing house publishes a book which is barred from circulation for alleged indecency. Do the po- lice go down and arrest the linotype operators, the make- up men and the pressmen? They do not. Not by a jugful! Suppose an artist paints a pictures which the purists ob ject to, do the police run around town and find all of the models who have posed for it and cart them off to jail? They do not. Suppose a minister chooses to read from the Bible the story of Lot and his daughters, or of Jacob and his wife’s handmaiden, or of Sampson and Delilah, do the police cart the choir and the altar-boys off to prison? They do not. Or if some multi-millionaire chooses to steal a few mil lion dollars’ worth of oil wells from the government, do the police arrest all the station men who dispense the oil? Of course not. Carry on the examples as you will, you will find that the actors are the only hired employes in the world who are ar- rested for the alleged legal infractions of the employer. What an absurd thing it is that actors are forced to he the judges of plays which later on may result in jury deci- sions of a hair’s breadth. Consider “Bad Babies.” Arrested in San Francisco, the play is acquitted by a jury in seven minutes. Another jury might have found it guilty in' seven minutes. Or another might have found it guilty in seven hours, or have acquitted it in seven hours—and the actor is supposed to be some kind of a prophet whereby the burden is upon him to fortell just what will happen long before the show is even produced! Consider the thing a moment. It is hardly safe for an actor to sign a contract to appear in any of Shakespeare’s plays. If the producer decides to present them exactly as written ,why then off goes the actor to jail. And “Anna Christie, why an actor puts his liberty on the toss of a card when he signs for that. Or “Strange Interlude,” or The Front Page,” or “The Captive,” or any one of a hun- dred others. So there stands the actor, if he doesn’t sign he may lose a part in a play which will be a sensation and unmolested p if he does sign he may go to jail. And he, a hired hand, is forced to be the judge of this. Brothers, there is no other class of people in the world who would stand for such an outrageous infliction of the the laws except the Thespians. Recently Inside Facts, carried an exclusive story of an actors political organization which was being formed, with Charles Miller, Coast Equity representative, as one of the prime movers. Such an organization is a most worthy move and one which every actor should support. For let it be known far and wide that when the actors’ voting power is congealed into a solid weight, as is the case with other groups of men and women, then the actor will no longer be the poo-bah of the law but will have equal rights with other men, including that of not being hauled off to jail on the whim of each and every reformer who has a little political drag or a case of indigestion. THE NEW MOON’ MAJESTIC THEATRE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed Jan, 22) Lillian Albertson and Louis O. Macloon have stepped right out after another record. With this musical romance of the Spanish Mane by Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel and Laurence Schwab, with music by Sigmund Romberg, they have topped their “Desert Song” which, as everyone knows was the only money-mak- ing musical to have played the coast in years without number. Seemingly, anything “New Moon” hasn’t got, it doesn’t need, and if the customers don’f fall over themselves to buy it they de- serve the punishment of missing this most tuneful, colorful and ex- cellently cast light opera. The story is based on an inci- dent that happened during the French Revolution in one of the French colonies. The plot is in- finitely better than is either found or expected in most musical shows. It hangs together, is slightly melo- dramatic and entirely probable withal, having plenty of laughs, scenic effects of unusual grandeur and proper costuming. Principally the latter, for nudity and sugges- tion are conspicuously absent. And while on the subject, the chorus is deserving of more than passing mention. It is one of the best. both vocally and terpsi- chorically seen here in —well, since the “Desert Song” anyway. The male chorus in the “Strong- hearted Men” number are inspir- ing, . and throughout their voices dominate the robust character of the situations in a fine manner. The girls too are extraordinarily well trained and they actually dance. The dancing of both boys and girls is of the sort that was fast becoming a lost art among choruses. The intricate after-beat steps and machine-like movements together with the smooth manner in which the numbers were done was a treat. The credit goes to George Cunningham. The honors of the show go to Charles Boyle in the role of a comedy bond servant. This nice looking young lad, without seem- ing to try, kept his audience con- vulsed with a style of work all his own. He doesn’t mug broad- ly, his slapstick is delicately per- formed, his lines come over strict- ly j in character. In our opinion, he’s the comedy find of the year. The acting of John Merkyl was also something to brag about. He gave a very striking performance in the heavy role which he played with a swagger typical of the pe- riod. Garry Breckner, too, found a more pleasing part than that in which he was recently seen. If for nothing else, his “Interrupted Love Song” specialty would give him high rating in any man’s how. Perry Askam was still Perry Askam. This lad has a splendid voice and a fine figure with an ingratiating personality that is favored by the .women. He looks imposing and sings very well, but when the role calls for a bit of acting Perry is nowhere around. In one, however, singing “Lover, Come Back To Me” as a solo, he reached his highest point of excel- lence, but that was enough to satisfy anyone for one night. Josephine Houston, the new prima donna, was charming. She is the most pleasing sight the most critical bald head could ask. She has grace and verve. Her voice, while thin, was particularly true and sufficiently well-timbred to be thoroughly satisfying. Myrtis Crin- ley as the maid, had the soubrette role. This young lady is full of TEL-A-PHONEY Irj) JAMES MADISON SIGN OPERA SINGER Grace Moore, soprano with the Metropolitan Opera Company, has been signed by M-G-M. Getting her signature followed signing on a long-term contract of Lawrence Tibbett, lead of “The Rogue’s Song,” now showing at the Chi- nese, and public reaction show- ing a warm reception to operatic screen signing. REPORT FIG. LEASE It is reported that Marjorie Rambeau and Hampton Del Ruth have taken a lease on the Fig- ueroa Playhouse where they are to present a series of plays fea- turing Miss Rambeau. Miss Ram- beau recently concluded a very successful engagement at the Vine Street Theatre in Hollywood where she appeared in three plays. Hello, Charles Lindbergh. Hello, James Madison. What’s new? We are deserting the eagle for the stork. Hello, A1 Smith. Hello, James Madison. What do you think of an individual who believes this country should be bone dry? Pie has mental dandruff. Hello, Sid Marion. Hello, James Madison. How is it that France won the navy parley? They know how to parley vous. Hello, Lon Chaney. Hello, James Madison. Has increased salary induced you to finally desert silent pictures? Money talks. Hello, Pat Dowling. Hello, James Madison. My brains are very mellow. No wonder, they’ve been 'aged in wood. Hello, Nat Carr. Hello, James Madison. Why is almond brittle like the Napa Asylum? Both are chock full of nuts. Hello, George Yeoman. Plello, James Madison. Why are old maids refrain- ing from using cold cream? They do not care chapless winter. for Hello, Will Rogers. Hello, James Madison. What’s the latest news about the arms conference? Ireland, Switzerland and Jerusalem have agreed to sink their navies. Hello, Congressman Oscar de Priest. Hello, James Madison. President Hoover declares that all laws should be obeyed. Then why not also observe the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments? Hello, Mary Boland. Plello, James Madison. What is your description of Watts? A town where they wave at passing trains. still B.B.B. Says: The CAMPUS TRIO were down — real good music. PETER B. KYNE spent an enjoyable eve- ning. • • •• P. S. — The CELLAR is at Cosmo Street and Hollywood Boulevard . . . between Vine and Cahuenga . . . the phone numbers are GRanite 8 3 8 2 and HOllywood 9 159 . . . parking is free at the lot across from the CELLAR . . . the CHRYSLER and SAM- SON’S are there. Thank You. giggle-getting talent. Her eccen- tricities won her a full mead of deserving congratulations. She dances very well and sings not badly, David Reese also deserves much praise for his singing as well as for his acting. He was a decided asset to the cast. Others who had parts were Howard Nugent, Edd Russell, John Wagner, Dee Lo- retta, Violette Derbeck, Jerry Jar- tette, Wally Phelps and William Wagner. ° f the musical number that scored heavily the outstanding hits were “Marianne,” “The Girl on the Prow, Gorgeous Alexander,” h Int f3 U K ed „ Love Son s’’ “Stout- hearted Men,” “One Kiss,” “Lover Come Back To Me,” “Ladies of the Jury" and “Wanting You” The direction of Miss Albertson was exceptionally well done The music under the baton of Cecil Stewart was one of the features of show. Jacobs. IS NORMA’S DADDY George Irving has been cast as Norma Shearer’s father in M-G- M’s picturization of “Divorcee,” which Robert Z. Leonard is di- recting. LETTERS There are letters at the Los Angeles office of INSIDE FACTS for the following: BIDMEAD Bros. BUCK, Guy COLLINS, Harry EDWARDS, Chas. H. GILLETTE, Bobby MacDONALD, E. Jeanne MAHRA The Great MASON, Marvel PARSONS, Ruth TAYLOR, Slade (Mike) TIFFANY, Owen HERBERTS Good Food With Courtesy OPEN ALL NIGHT 745-749 South Hill Street Los Angeles Bachelor Hotel & Grill 151-159 Powell Street San Francisco ALLES SHOW PRINT ME. 4872—224 E. 4th St., Los Angeles—ME. 4873 WHEN IN TIJUANA Visit the Rendezvous of the Profession ALEX BAR and RESTAURANT Opposite the Foreign Club FRENCH AND ITALIAN CUISINE PAR EXCELLENCE FINEST IMPORTED LIQUORS AND WINES Proprietors Alex Cardini and Johnnie Montepagno