Inside facts of stage and screen (March 22, 1930)

PAGE TWO INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1930 AIR STARS APPEARANCES DRAW COLD AND RAIN TAKE TOLL AT FILM B. 0.’S DESPITE OPENINGS A wintry snap one week and deluges of rain on the succeeding week, including Saturday and Sun- day, took a big cut in the picture house, boxoffice receipts. Openings at four of the class houses put them up over their figures of the previous week, but LEGIT SHOWS SEE! Possible minor curtailment of legit production in Los Angeles was seen locally this week as the result of a new ruling passed by the A. E. A. Council in New York, The ruling provides that people signing for legit productions may not at the same time contract to appear in the picture version of the play, should one be made. The ruling further provides that players signing for a legit show are prohibited from making a part of the agreement an understand- ing with the manager for a cut- back on their salary if they are engaged to play the picture based on the play. While the local ( opinion, both of performers and sponsors of lo- cally-produced originals was that the ruling might affect the num- ber of inde legit shows here, at the same time it was agreed that the move would do away with a lot of fancy stuff that was in the c. rds without it. Already certain legit performers have been badly taken l by being forced into adverse picture contracts in order to ob- tain work, the producers’ cut-in frequently going far beyond even the recognized ten per cent. Some newly-emerging local pro- ducers, entering the limelight since the coming of the talkies, have managed to get their casts for far less than their usual salaries be- cause of the promise the oppor- tunity gave them of crashing into pictures in the parts they were doing in the stage play. General- ly, however, so far this has been a disappointment in Los Angeles, though stage performers have re- sulted in a number of people get- ting a break in pictures in other vehicles. The main abuses at which the A. E. A. is aiming have been in New York, it is stat- ed, as the movie producers still have the habit of seeking mem- bers of the New York cast for their picture versions of stage plays. While a local cut-down in pro- duction plans will follow, it is be- lieved, it will not be of any great extent, and will affect only that small percentage of plays in which someone is making a bid for mov- ie recognition as a producer, a director, or an actor. NEW SHOW RUMORED With two parts cast locally, George Holland is scheduled to open his production of "June Moon” at the Geary Theatre, San Francisco, March 29. The cast of the Chicago production, which closed in Kansas City, is being brought out with the two excep- tions. Colleen Moore’s brother is one of the additions. It is ru- mored Holland may later produce “Congi” with an opening at the Curran, S. F., if he can procure the star he is understood to be seeking. ROACH CLOSED DOWN The Hal Roach Studios are closed down until April 1, with all the players, directors, and other employes on vacation. Hal Roach is over at M-G-M directing a picture for that studio. He will only do the one, returning to his own plant when it reopens. METROPOLITAN QUIET The Metropolitan Studios have not yet picked up to activity fol- lowing the usual pre-March IS slump. The only picture now shooting there is “The Love Trait- or,” with Leatrice Joy, Barbara Bedford and Ronald Drew heading the cast. the intake was not up to what it should have been with the new pictures. All the rest of the run houses took bigger drops than would have happened had the weather been a little more Cali- fornian. Picture sensations were absent during the period. Eddie Peabody proved his draw- ing power at Loew’s State, where the boxoffice went to $36,294 with the banjo master, the F. anl M. “Coral Idea” and M-G-M’s Wil- liam Haines’ picture, “The Girl Said No.” With the better weather and the big draw of the first Zare Gray talkie, “The Lone Star Ranger,” Loew’s had taken in $35,308 on the preceding week— which speaks vigorously concern- ing the draw of Mr. Peabody. Richman Does $18,200 Harry Richman’s U. A. picture, “Puttin’ On the Ritz,” with Joan Bennett in support, didnt’ do the initial draw at the United Artists Theatre which had been anticipat- ed for it. Los Angeles is imbued with loyalty to the old line movie stars, which was part of the rea- son. The opening week did $18,- 200, which is some $900 less than the average for the house since the first of the year. High for the house was the first week of the Pickford-Fairbanks “Taming of the Shrew,” which brought in $34,000. Paramount’s “The Vagabond King” took a big tumble in its second and last week, descending from the $42,000, the house rec- ord for the year, of the opening stanza to $28,000. This is just about average for the year. Opening of Fox’s “Men With- out Women’’ just barely topped house average at the Criterion, with $14,095. This was approxi- mately half of the record set by Greta Garbo’s opening of $28,565. “Grischa” Is Low “Rio Rita,” playing its first downtown run at the Orpheum after the big boxoffice it did at the Carthay Circle, looked good, judging by its getaway. Opening last Saturday, the boxoffice rate looked set to turn in some $25,- 000 for the week. It succeeded “The Case of Sergeant Grischa,” which, getting off to a big start on its opening day, took a land- slide tumble, registering only $12,- 500 in this house where the aver- age for the year stands at $16,195, and where the first week of “Hit the Deck” set the record of $28,750. “Happy Days,” Fox Grandeur film at the Carthay Circle, also tobogganed down, dropping from $23,593, the 1930 record, to $17,663. Average at the house for the cur- rent year is $12,368. Lawrence Tibbett’s M-G-M pic- ture, “Rogue Song,” continued good at the Chinese, turning in $18,924, which was a drop of about $3000 from the previous week’s receipts. Alice Is Floppo Alice White was floppo at the RK'O Theatre, her First National picture, “Playing Around,” doing no better than $14,000. Average for the year for this house is $16,740. High was Columbia’s “Flight,” with $22,500, and low was registered by Columbia’s “Murder on the Roof” at $13,700. Opening week of Warner Broth- ers” “Song of the West” at Warner Brothers’ Downtown The- atre only boosted the boxoffice to $5000 better than house average, drawing in $28,200. High for this house was made on the first stanza of “Show of Shows,” which did $36,000, and low was the last week of “Paris” at $15,000. Billie Dove’s First National pic- ture, “The Other Tomorrow,” failed to register at Warner Brothers’ Hollywood Theatre, get- ting only $14,500. This was only $200 better than the lowest week of the current year. House aver- age for the year is $21,663. “Sally” did the year’s high at $31,000; with “Wedding Rings” doing- the low. Other Houses Up The Boulevard had its first up- to-average week for some time with “Sky Hawk” and the F. and M. Varieties, with Lynn Cowan, m. c., a regular feature at this house. Figure was $8236, better than $100 up from house average Radio is building names with as much power for personal appear- ance draw as motion pictures. The gagster, singer and instru- mentalist who entertains uncount- ed thqusands of people, unseen and yet in the intimacy of their homes, is becoming as much the subject of public attention as any FIoily wood player. The urge to see the artists in person has become so burdensome that many radio stations have found it necessary to close their doors to the public and admit vis- itors only on passes, and the spe- cial programs staged by many of them weekly where the public is admitted have been so swamped by fans that all seats are now re- served and tickets must be pro- cured in advance. Stations are besieged continually by clubs and civic groups to send favorite artists for personal ap- pearances, and in some cases they are willing to pay big fees for the privilege. The automobile show in Salt Lake City offered $5000 for the personal appearance of “Dob- sy,” and even then he was only permitted to appear on the under- standing that he could plug the wares of his sponsor in just the same way that he does it on the air. 6000 Turnaway Last week KFRC, San Francis- co, took its stars over to Oakland for personal appearances in the Oakland Auditorium, and the ten thousand-seat hall was jammed to the doors, with 6000 people turned away. A repeat performance had to be promised for the near future. Harrisoh Holloway, manager of KFRC, wnc- is visiting in Los An- geles this week, declares it ds his belief that radio is today the big- gest factor in the entertainment in- dustry and offers inducements for the intelligent and original artist as great as those of either stage or screen. “The Oakland example should illustrate clearly enough the actual popularity of the recognized radio entertainer. The appearance was sponsored by an advertiser, who took full advantage of every legiti- mate opportunity to speak of his commercial products, and even 24- sheeted the hall, but it detracted no more from the audience’s enjoy- ment of the program than the dis- play advertising in a newspaper detracts from the value of its ed- itorial and news matter. In Public Demand “Radio entertainment is now in public demand. The manufactur- ing of radio receiving sets goes on apace and people who buy them expect to use them, so for a long time to come there will be oppor- tunities for artists who are willing to make it a career and approach it with intelligence. Naturally a featured stage player cannot jump immediately to featured popularity on the air, as he is in a new field and before a new audience, but re- wards both in fame and cash await to crown success.” DANCE HALL PROBE Los Angeles dance halls are to be investigated by the Police Com- mission, following charges that some of them are not being prop- erly conducted. The halls particu- larly under fire are taxis along South Main street. PUBLIX TRANSFER TAYLOR HOLMES AT CAPACITY; ‘ROPE’S END’ ALSO WAY UP The season of Lent and unset-' tied weather conditions, with heavy rains, hail, lightnings and thun- derings (most unusual for South- ern California) did their best to put a crimp in Los Angeles re- turns for the week, but while some of the houses showed a decline, the President and the Vine Street reported very healthy boxoffice. The first week of “Rope’s End.” the William E. Smith production at the Vine Street, was credited with a figure very close to $6000, the best figure this season for the house. At the Hollywood Music Box, the Civic Repertory Players drew $4000 for the first week of “Ro- mantic Young Lady,” only $200 off from their best week. This bill is to carry on another week. The President led the Duffy houses with the big figure of $6100 for the first week of Tay- lor Holmes in “Uncle Dudley,” a capacity figure for the house, and from advance sales another week almost as big is looked for. Sell- outs are the rule for every per- formance and a good run is ex- pected. The Hollywood Playhouse nose- dived to $3800 for the third and final week of Frank Craven in “Salt Water.” May Robson opened there last Saturday in “Helena’s Boys” and promises a big box- office. At the El Capitan, the second week of “Let Us Be Gay,” with Violet Heming, held up with $5700, a quite satisfactory showing for the season and up to year around average. The ninth week of “New Moon” at the Majestic took $16,300, a couple of hundred down from the CHANCE FOR WRITERS AND FOR SONGSTERS Announcement is made of a writer’s contest for a pageant story and pageant play, to be used at the Bells of Solano County Ex- position, May 24 to June 1, at Fairfield, Calif. The contest closes April 15. Fifty dollars is offered for the best words featuring “The Bells of Solano” adaptable for vocal, orchestral or band music, and a like amount for music to fit the words. A trophy valued at $100 is also involved, and there are royalties and other prizes. Full details can be procured from The Bells of Solano County Exposition, Fairfield, Calif. FINISHING FOX SKED. The final picture of this season’s schedule on the Fox list, “The Fa- tal Wedding,” is to go into produc- tion at once with William K. How- ard directing. Based on the stage play of the same name by Theo- dore Kraemer, “The Fatal Wed- ding” will have Edmund Lowe as “David Crisson,” the lead; Robert Ames as “Richard Holt” and Warren Hymer as “Liberty Red.” . The advertising manager of the United Artists Theatre, Los An- geles, A. J. Kennedy, has been transferred to the Seattle Para- mount, and leaves at the end of the week. His successor has not yet been appointed. for the year. Hollywood went for Norma Tal- madge’s first talkie. “New York Nights,” turning in $11,066, about $350 under house average for the exceptionally good returns the house has been having since the first of the year. NEW TIFFANY FILM “Under Montana Skies,” a Tif- fany talkie version of a silent film produced as “Montana Bill’’ by Phil Goldstone nine years ago, will go into production at the Tiffany studios within two or three weeks. Kenneth Harlan will have the lead and Slim Summerville will do the principal comedy role. Lester Scott will supervise. “RITA” GETS AIR RIDE Dubbing the Spanish-speaking print of Radio Pictures 1 “Rio Rita” proved a longer job than had been anticipated, and, what with one thing and another, opening date in Mexico City last Thursday crept up on the studio until air- plane transportation was necessary to get the film there on time. The air journey for “Rita” is under- stood to have set the studio back some $1500 to $1600. ON PUBLIX CIRCUIT Charlie McGarry and Teddy Dawn, “Dancers-In-Ebriate,” open for the Publix circuit March 27 in New Haven, Conn., with Harry Gourfin’s unit “Smart Smarties.” Phil Tyrrell handles the act. 'week before. The beginning of the tenth week showed a pick-up, as advertising announced only two more weeks of this show. After-theatre restaurants in the downtown district reported a gen- eral weakening of business, as- cribed also to unsettled weather and Lent. E IS “Something back of it,” was the hinted explanation given by spon- sors of a show raided in Southgate Saturday night, which resulted in the arrest of twelve show girls and fifty spectators. “Every one of the girls was wear- ing costumes in which they have played club dates constantly in. Los Angeles, and the same cos- tumes in which they have appeared either on the stage or in pictures,” the sponsors continued. The raid was conducted by vice squad members operating out of the West Los Angeles division, and those arrested were marched through the streets at midnight to the Sawtelle police station, and from there driven to the city jail in trucks. Bail for the women was set at $250 each and $25 each for the men. Arraignment took place Monday and the trial was set for April 9 in Judge Georgia Bullock’s court. The charges of giving or attend- ing an indecent performance are to be fought with a plea that the per- formance was not indecent, it is understood. Lawyer Philip Cohan is handling the case for the de- fendants. The audience was composed of wounded ex-service men of Saw- telle. The show was booked by Johnny Beck of the RKO booking offices and was in charge of James A. Black realtor of Southgate. It was held in Klemper Hall, 11632 San Vicente boulevard. The girls who were arrested were Gertie Jacobs, Jean Ray, Bubbles LaVail, Jackie Shannon, R e ggy Starr, Cynthia Hendryx. Helen Drennan. Elise Yerkes, Ruth Hayes, Birdie O’Marr, Ruth McIntosh and Cora Beeson. OPERA SALES BIG Subscriptions for next season’s Grand Opera season in Los An- geles are reported to be coming in strong, although the season does not open until October. Merle Armitage, manager for the Los Angeles Grand Opera Association, reported $20,050 already in the coffers last week. A big season is planned, production to be built here in its entirety and then moved en bloc to San Francisco for the season there. SUING PRODUCER Gladys McConnell and Hug! Allan filed suit against Eska Wil son, picture producer, charging him with violations of the Califor nia State Labor laws. The com plaint states that Wilson engagec them to work in a picture at Hon' olulu, took them there .and thei abandoned them, leaving them tt their own resources. Wilsot pleaded not guilty and demandet a jury trial, which is set for Apri 10 . MILLER GOES EAST William Miller, head of the Wil- liam Miller Productions at Tec-Art studios, has left for New York to confer with eastern film executives on the release in this and foreign countries of his production, “Treamill.” His next work will be program material shot at the Tec- Art’s New York studio before his return. QUINN RETURNING James Quinn, manager of Wai ner Bros. Fresno Theatre, ha been called back to the home ol fice in Hollywood. He will b replaced by George White.