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

PAGE TWELVE INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, FEB. 1, 1930 Facts? Echoes From Melody L,and By JACK B. TENNEY The musical tramp differs from the wandering troubadour, inas- far as the day of the troubadour is passed and a new terminology is in order. The musical tramp, however, may ; be a development, or, at least a direct descendant of the celebrated minstrels who brightened the festive boards of feudal barons. I do not know whether to feel sorry for him or to be keenly exasperated at him. At times I am moved by both emotions. . . . He is here today . . . gone tomorrow. He is us- ually a good salesman and has talent, but he is a gypsy. Somehow the musical tramp misses the “breaks” in the gilded Temples of Music . . . and many I’ve known might well have scin- tillated there. For some reason they always get lost just around the corner from Broadway and spend the rest of their days in aimless wanderings. . . . Mean- time they pipe their tunes and sing their songs, travelling on in pursuit of elusive Fortune . . . They are quite as careless with Dame Fortune as the fickle god- dess is with them. . . . The first money in weeks . . . easy come, easy go. They are usually good fellows and good companions, these mu- sical tramps, and not infrequent- ly, excellent musicians. But they can’t remain long in one place. . . . Distant fields appear so much greener. Something calls and they make haste to answer. ... No- madism is still strong in their blood. . . . They’ll probably have a devil of a time in heaven. * * * Max Bradfield, M. C., is prov- ing popular at the Wisconsin The- atre in Milwaukee. We wonder how Max is enjoying the ice and snow. * * * Reg Code opened recently at the Athens Athletic Club in Oak- land, after a very successful year at Tait’s-at-the-Beach in San Francisco, playing to excellent business. (Coakley followed Reg Code in to the Beach spot.) The orchestra has been enthusiastic- ally received and is going big. * * * “Slim” Martin, Master of Cere- monies and the trombone, has been transferred from the Col- orado Theatre in Pasadena to the Boulevard Theatre in Los An- geles. They still miss Slim in Long Beach and now they’ll miss him in Pasadena. * * * The passing of Art Hickman AT LIBERTY * DICK BURNS Fast drummer; fine outfit; Vibra- phone. Read anything. Union. Age 35. All requirements Xylophone solo- ist with large rep. of solos. Dance or Hotel. All answered. Go anywhere. Care of Inside Facts, 801 Warner Brothers’ Downtown Bldg., Los Ange- les, Calif. leaves a catch in the throat of rhythm musicians. He was an originator and an inspiration to most of the early devotees of jazz and set the first standards for the modern dance orchestra. He leaves considerably more than footsteps upon the historical sands of mu- sic. His influence will be felt in every baton that marks a dis- tinct rhythm. Art Hickman is gone, but what he created lives on. * * * The American Locomjotive Works have gone into the saxa- phone manufacturing business. To start with, they have produced the world’s largest saxaphone. It stands six feet and seven inches in its stocking feet and takes a reed thirteen-sixteenths of an inch at the lip. The rod operating the low C sharp key is said to have a length of thirty-nine inches. The rod for the side C key is thirty- seven and one-half inches long. The pitch is not mentioned, but it is reported that the tone is “sonorous.” We know quite a few saxaphone players who would en- joy owning one of these instru- ments, inasmuch as the present size saxes are entirely to modest and can barely be heard above the other instruments in the or chestra. * * * Joey Starr and his Musical Stars, _ an eight-piece orchestra, open in the Rendezvous Ballroom, Mesa, Ariz., Saturday, February 8, replacing the Rendezvous Com- manders who have had a success- ful run since last September. The personnel of the new band is “Stew” Aspin, reeds; Ted Wells, reeds; Bill Macauley, banjo and violin; Gene “Tiny” Hardesty, trombone; Ralph Menard, piano; M. A. Bradley, hass, violin and banjo, and Joey Starr, drums and leader. ON “REVELS” _ Louis Gottschalk has been signed by Radio Pictures to as- sist Victor Baravalle, musical di- rector, on musical numbers for “Radio Revels.” Gottschalk has been in Hollywood 10 years and has worked on a number of high- ly successful pictures, among them “Broken Blossoms,” for which he arranged the musical score. G. S. M. HERE Billy Weimann, general sales manager for E. B. Marks Music Company, arrived in town for a few days this week. Weimann is making a general tour of the country. NEW WITMARK OFFICE .Witmark, Inc., music publishers, will open their new offices in War- ner Brothers Hollywood Build- ing Monday, Feb. 3. There will be no gala opening, but all the theatrical profession is invited to attend during the day. “AT THE END OF THE ROAD” ========= It’s Always “Open House” in the SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE OF IRVING BERLIN, Inc. Again Managed by ABE BLOOM 300 Kress Bldg. 935 Market ■■ “I’M FOLLOWING YOU” WILL, PRIOR CONDUCTOR NEW STATE THEATRE. SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA TED HENKEL MUSICAL CONDUCTOR PRESENTATION DIRECTOR and CIVIC THEATRE Auckland, New Zealand - : - Stage Band of 20 Pit Orchestra of 30 LOS ANGELES Robbins’ “Chant of the Jungle,” themie from M-G-M’s “Untamed,” continued to lead the song sales in town during the past week, with their “Should I?” continuing to show an increase. The ten best sellers were; 1. “Chant of the Jungle,”— Robbins. 2. “To Be Forgotten”—Berlin. 3. “I’m Following You” — Ber- lin.. 4. “Should I ?”—Robbins. 5. “Love, Your Spell Is Every- where”—Berlin. 6. “Love Me”—Feist. 7. “A Year From Today”—Ber- lin. 8. “What Do I Care?”-—Sha- piro, Bernstein. 9. “That Wonderful Something Called Love”—Robbins. 10. “Singing In the Bathtub” — Witmark. Recordings 1. “Chant of the Jungle”—All recordings. 2. “Should I?”—Paul Whiteman (Columbia). 3. “I’m Following You” — Paul Specht (Columbia). 4. “Singing In the Bathtub”— Ben Bernie (Brunswick). 5. “Love, Your Spell Is Every- where”—All recordings. 6. “That Wonderful Something Called Love” — Roy Ingraham (Brunswick). 7. “Little By Little”—Guy Lom- bardo (Columbia). 8. “Your Fate Is In My Hands” —Paul Whiteman (Columbia). 9. “What Do I Care”—All re- cordings. 10. “You’re Always In My Arms” — Bebe Daniels (Victor). SAN FRANCISCO “When the Sun Goes Down” and “Chant of the Jungle” had the biggest sales increases of the week, other tunes holding quite steadily to their previous pace. Leaders are: 1. Aren’t We All?”- — DeSylva, Brown and Henderson. 2. Sunny Side Up”—DeSylva, Brown and Henderson. 3. “Chant of the Jungle” — Rob- bins. 4. “Talking Picture”—DeSylva, Brown and Henderson. 5. “I’m Following You”—Ber- lin. 6. “When the Sun Goes Down” —Lloyd Campbell. 7. “Singing In the Bathtub”— Witmark. 8. “Your Fate Is In My Hands” Santly Bros. 9. “Turn On the Heat”—De- Sylva, Brown and Henderson. 10. “You’re Always In My Arms”—Leo Feist. HAS NEW NUMBER LONG BEACH, Cal., Jan. 30.— George Broa.dbent, popular organ- ist and soloist for the Fox-Wbst Coast Theatre, has written a song called “Sweetheart Mine.” The number was featured last week at the local house by Herb Kern and his orchestra, with Broadbent on the Wurlitzer. ORGANISTS SHIFTED she mis s. o:s SEATTLE, Jan. 30.—Continuing their struggle with John Dariz, lo- cal non-union theatre magnate, Local 154, Operators’ Union, re- port progress in their efforts to enlighten the public on the sit- uation. The State of Washington Su- preme Court has recently decided in Danz’ favor on the suit to for- bid pickets patrolling the sidewalks near the Columbia and Winter Garden Theatres, which Danz ac- quired from Universal last spring. Danz has not been so successful in keeping the sign carriers from the walks adjacent to the Colonial and Capitol Theatres, the men be- ing permitted to walk a heat pro- viding they do not come within 100 feet of either entrance of either theatre. James McNabb, business agent of the Operators, and Jay G. Brown, business agent of the local theatrical federation, firmly be- lieve that the concerted effort of organized labor is having its ef- fect on Danz’ boxoffices. Opinion around town among the trade and public is divided on this situation, with the majority possibly agree- ing that, should Danz cease his seven-year battle with the labor unions, his b. o.’s would take a nice spurt. Under existing conditions at the Danz houses, all men work seven- day weeks and shifts that average about 20 per cent more time than the union allows, with the pay check declared to take an even greater per cent cut. GREEN AND STEPT SELL PUBLISHING BUSINESS SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29.— In a shifting of Fox West Coast organists, C. Sharpe Minor comes into Loew’s Warfield soon from San Diego. He will be featured in daily concerts. Jamie Erickson moves from the Fox Senator in Sacramento to the California in San Diego, with no definite suc- cessor named for the Sacramento job. TO PLAY CRUISES SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29.— Lou Miller and his band have been signed for the S. S. Dorothy Alexander’s fortnightly cruises to Mexico the first of which begins February 2. Raquel Torres, pic- ture player, will act as hostess. Miller’s organization formerly was at Tahoe Tavern and the Apollo Cafe. QUILLAN TO START Eddie Quillan was due to get into production this week on his next for Pathe, an original by Tay Garnett titled “Great Guns.” Jimmie Gleason and Garnett did the dialogue and the latter will direct. It is a western comedy, with Eddie Quillan being the main laugh-getter in the role of a dude who goes West to -be a cowboy. Green and Stept. music pub- lishers, sold out their interests this week to De Sylva, Brown and Henderson. Billy Burton, who was local representative for Green and Stept, is out, but no other changes have been announced. ARNHEIM ON AIR Gus Arnheim, whose jazz band was a former favorite in Los An- geles, goes on the air regularly beginning next week over KFWB. MILTON CHANTING During the three-week run of “The Love Parade,” Milton Charles is using Robbins’ “Chant of the Jungle” as his organ solo. BIG STAGE NEARLY DONE Radio Pictures’ big new sound stage, the largest in existence, will be in operation within the next thirty days. The building is 500x150 feet on the ground and five stories high. Four motion picture companies can work there at one time. GAYLORD CARTER UNITED ARTISTS LOS ANGELES (Reviewed Jan. 26) Gaylord Carter, in as the new featured organist after two years as relief organist at the Paramount Theatre, again demonstrated that he is a real student of the organ. He presented the numbers from “The Love Parade,” closing with accompaniment to Jeanette Mc- Donald’s record of “Dream Lover.” Although buried in the pit till now, he showed ability to meet an audience with poise and per- sonality, and sold himself for good returns. Carter looks set for a good run. Woody. E AGAINST IB SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29.— After waiting several weeks for the American Society of Authors and_ Composers to take action against the sale of a bootleg mu- sic , sheet called “Songland Her- ald” on San Francisco streets, lo- cal music representatives, acting upon authority of their eastern of- fices, are proceeding legally to halt the peddling. An injunction is being sought in local courts to prohibit sale of the sheets, music men claiming it to be a violation of the copyright law. Sheet music sales fn stores here, they claim, has dropped off to a considerable degree as a re- sult of this new and heavy com- petition. EGGERT DEAD IN CRASH - Jimmie Eggert, well known around the music offices in Chi- cago, . was instantly killed this week in an airplane crash at Kan- sas City. Eggert was making a business trip from Wichita to Kansas City when the plane crashed just before making its landing. Eggert was Chicago of- fice manager for the firm of Ager, Yellen and Bornstein, music' pub- lishers. PLUGGING IN S. F. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 30.— Tubby Garron representing Sant- ly Bros., and Bobby Gross repre- senting Remick, are in town this week plugging their firm num- bers. IT’S A HIT! “I MISS YOU” (When the Day Is Done) Slow Fox Trot AMERICAN MUSIC CO. KEESS BLDG., SAN FEANCISCO OWEN FALLON AND HIS CALIFORNIANS NOW IN SECOND YEAR AT WILSON'S BALLROOM (Formerly Cinderella Roof) LOS ANGELES, CALIF. Hear Our Latest Recordings “Shanghai Rose” and “Till I Kissed You” Phone Your Favorite Radio Station During the Recording Periods