Inside facts of stage and screen (June 21, 1930)

SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE THREE Lollier’s Candidacy Should Attract Show Biz Interest The candidacy of W. H. Lollier, an executive of Fox- West Coast Theatres, for election to the state legislature as Assemblyman from District 57, should be watched with interest by everyone connected in any capacity with the show business in this sovereign state of California. Fourth largest industry in America, the show busi- ness probably bears the brunt of more silly, crank legis- lation that many industries half as important. In a day when theatre-taxation is a looming topic, when censor- ship agitates the Holier-than-Thous, when the demand for mass entertainment in one form or another is at its peak in world history, it’s about time that those who have invested millions of dollars and years of work and study, should be guaranteed some measure of protec- tion from the meddling activities of inhibited busy- bodies and censorious and fanatical morons. Lollier’s sponsors for the position number some of the most prominent persons in Southern California, both in and out of the amusement profession. Lollier’s reputa- tion as a theatre man and a citizen is well-known. Perhaps, in the position he would occupy if elected, he will not be able to effect sweeping reforms of a number of currently unsatisfactory matters. He may, however, raise a loud and lusty voice against future imposition on an industry and profession that has suf- fered heavily in the past from prejudice and stupidity. JOHN GILBERT PICTURE WEAK AT $8500; OAKIE DRAW The erstwhile John Gilbert fans seem to forget that John now has a wife to support, for they stayed away in consider- able drove from “Redemption” at Loew’s State. The gross for the week was $23,116, a slight matter of $8500 under house average. The big jingle of the week was at the Chinese, of course, for second week of “Hell’s Angels,” which drew a gross of $35,554, close to double the house average. Sid Grauman prologue in support, which was*’ 5 CENT RADIO GROUP DEFIES TUBE CONCERN no drawback. Paramount did somewhat better than expected with Jack Oakie in “The Social Lion,” grossing $26,- 000, which makes him an equal draw with Clara Bow. Business elsewhere was gener- ally off. Seventh week of “All Quiet” at Carthay Circle declined to $11,927, two thou below aver- age for the first time of the run. It gives way to Will Rogers’ lat- est opera June 19. At the Criterion, “Divorcee” dropped eight grand below pre- vious week to a gross of $11,761 for its fourth week, but is only a few hundred below house aver- age. The Boulevard gathered up $4,- 464 with George O’Brien in “Rough Romance” and F. & M. Varieties, three thou under the mark, and the Egyptian, with “Ladies Love Brutes” and Ted Healy, came near its low mark with a total of $7912. The Warner houses were weak also. At the Hollywood, second week of “Bride of the Regiment” sagged to $11,200, and the Down- town did $10,700 with “Golden Dawn.” United Artists took $12,500 with the third week of “Big Pond” and may hold it over another stanza. Fourth and closing week of “Cuckoos” at the Orpheum chalked up around $13,500, making a very acceptable record for this opus. The gage of defiance was hurled at the electrical trust this week by the manufac- turers of the nickel-in-the- slot device for radio. “What if there is a clause on each tube g i v i n g only license for private use?” says W. H. Sorrille, distributor for the Jenkins device, “the purchaser enters into no contract to abide by it. The tube is sold to him outright over the counter by a merchant who makes reservation no part of the deal. There is no stipulation between them other than cash. When the customer buys it, he buys it.” Much interest was aroused when Inside Facts revealed last week that radio reception was being commercialized, without the broadcasters participating in the revenue although being required to furnish the entertainment. While in the city a few days ago, R. C. Witmer, vice-president of the National Broadcasting Co., stated that under present condi- tions the broadcasters could not prevent anyone receiving their programs and turning them into income earners, nor could they insist on receiving royalties from such earnings. The situation was entirely up to R. C. A. Under their patents, the Radio Corporation insists that the orig- inal tube installation of all new radio sets shall be of RCA manu- facture, the use of other brands being permitted only in the case of replacements. Moreover, the tubes are accompanied by a stip- ulation that they shall not be used for any business purposes. When this situation was brought (Continued on Page 8) THE OPENING NIGHT PARADE SEEN FROM A THEATRE LOBBY By GENE SWIFT There are many laughs in Hollywood, but none quite like those to be had around the lobbies of the legitimate theatres on opening nighits. It is then that the pullets and bantams of the picture lots strut, cackle and crow. They wear their borrowed or rented tuxedos, their silly monocles, their freak haircuts, their hast- ily basted evening gowns and glass beads. Around them clings an aroma of cold storage and perfume, and their con- versation is designed to bring PROGRAM TOLD Educational will have 114 short features on its 1930-31 program, of which sixty-four will be two-reel talking comedies and fifty one- reelers. Mack Sennett will person- ally be in charge of the twenty-six Mack Sennett talking comedies, which comprise the largest individ- ual series on the program. A1 Christie will produce three of the remaining six series of two-reel talking comedies, which will be re- leased under the series names, Mer- maid, Lloyd Hamilton, Tuxedo, Ideal, Gayety, and Vanity Talking Comedies. The program of one-reelers con- sists of twenty-six Terry-Toons, made by Paul Terry, creator of the original all-animal animated car- toons; twelve issues of Lyman H. Howe’s Hodge-Podge novelty se- ries, and thirteen one-reel talking comedies, which have not as yet been named. is their faces all of the various va- rieties of theatrical expressions. During the intermissions be- tween acts they stroll out to the lobbies and the street and parade about, one by one or two by two. Nobody seems to know them, so they wear an air of magnificent aloofness. The tourists gag at them and wonder who they are. The wise ones with a sense of humor look upon them and won- der who they are, too. They are there for two reasons, of course. One is the hope of being seen by the big shots, the hope that the lightning will strike them and pick them out for fame. The other is to bask in the sun- shine of tourist adulation. In all of California’s famous sunshine, this is the only kind that warms them. Where do they find the money for the tickets? Well, sometimes they work angles and get a pass. Sometimes they work a pair off someone who has tickets and can- not go. But quite a few times they do not even go inside to see the show. Fifteen minutes before curtain time some of them can be seen lounging indolently in the outer lobby, watching the discharging limousines and taxis with simu- lated expectancy, and then as 8:30 approaches they wander negligent- ly and casually down the street a little way and disappear. Then when the lights go up for an in- termission spill they stroll out of doorways and alleys and mix lux- uriously with the crowd. They have even been known to wander inside with the audience and park in unsold seats for the rest of the show. They are not above opening an empty cigaret case in pained sur- prise near some kindly looking soul who is helping himself ou of a well-filled package. And the; will boldly ask for a match. Sue! courage and resourcefulness mus some day make them great, on- way or another. FILM HONORS MOTHERS Mothers of the soldiers wh died in France are soon to t honored on the screen in a sho: subject, “A Gold Star Mother, to be produced by Columbia Pic tures. Color photography will I used throughout, Harriscolor b< ing the _ method used. Shootin on the picture began Monday wit Aubrey Scotto directing. Twent bona-fide Gold Star mothers appes in the play and several hundre American Legion men take part i the play and several hundre American Legion men take pai in the parade scene. Lightner On R-K-0 Tour Fred Lightner, one of the well-known Lightner family, consisting ‘of Winnie, Thea and Fred, is opening at the RKO Theatre, Los Angeles, during the week_ of June 26 with his charming partner, Miss Roscella. This is Lightner’,s first trip to the coast in five years, the last time being when he ap- peared in the road show, George White’s scandals,” at the Mason Theatre. Since then he has been in several musical shows, includ- ing “Pleasure Bound” and “Hit the Deck.” Lightner is now completing a thirty-five- week route for RKO. Radio Execs Kick About Newspaper Criticisms Here Radio stations and daily newspapers were reported in clash during the past week over what station executives claimed to be prejudiced and unmerited criticism from radio editors. Five major stations were represented at a conference last week where grievances against the ether critics were aired and delegates appointed to wait upon the managing editors of the offending papers to ask for a more constructive policy. At the meeting were; Carl Haverlin, representing KFI, KECA and National Broadcasting 1 Co.; Glen Dolberg, representing KHJ and the Don Lee and Co- lumbia chains; Naylor Rogers of KNX (Paramount), and Jerry King of KFWB (Warner Broth- ers). Questioned individually on the subject, the station managers stated that they had no objection to offer to qualified criticism. They knew that many programs were suscepti- ble of improvement and welcomed comments from competent review- ers, whether favorable or other- wise. What they objected to was an unethical indulgence in person- alities, and to attacks that smacked of prejudice. “Too much cub reporter,” stated one manager positively. “A news- paper has the right to comment NEWMAN PUBLIX DISTRICT HEAD IN BIG SHAKEUP SAN FRANCISCO, June 19.— Frank L. Newman was this week appointed district manager for Paramount Pubilx in charge of the Publix houses here and in Los upon anything offered for public consumption, and we know all about that delicate subject, ‘free- dom of the press,’ but we do not believe a newspaper has a right to put so much responsibility in the keeping of a youthful, inexperi- enced cub.” “By what right does the radio editor of a local paper print the remark that one of our acknowl- edged major stations is declining in popularity, and that the best one in Southern California is one that only operates on part time? By what means of exhaustive survey does he arrive at this conclusion?” asked another executive, a national radio figure. “He has never been seen in our station. If he covered his beat properly and visited us we could quickly show him plenty of evidence of popularity.” Such comments, they claim, work tremendous harm, costing them val- uable accounts who accept the newspaper’s word, and making re- sistance with new prospects very hard to overcome. Carl Haverlin, commercial man- ager of KFI and KECA, laid par- ticular stress on an article in a Los Angeles morning paper which stated that a certain national advertiser had cancelled his program over a local station because that station, in its opinion, did not adequately serve its needs. The comment con- tinued, “We wonder how many more will cancel.” Angeles. Additionally, G u s S. Eyssell, manager of the Para- mount in Los Angeles, was pro- moted to the post of district man- ager for Texas, and leaves next week to take over his new post. Stanley M. Brown, who has been managing the California here, suc- ceeds Eysseh, while Robert Hicks, former captain of the Paramount, Atlanta, follows Brown into the California. Newman was for a long time manager of the Metropolitan (now the Paramount) in Los Angeles, and has been associated with a number of major theatrical ven- tures on the coast. Ed Smith, divisional Publix head, also announced the promo- tion of Max Shane to the newly created position of divisional ad- vertising chief. Shane formerly was p. a. at the United Artists in Los Angeles and prior to that was with the Columbia Studios. As the new Publix lineup on the Coast now stands, C. C. Perry is Western and Pacific Coast divi- sion head; Ed Smith is in charge of the Coast; Bob Blair is in charge of the Northwest houses; Frank L. Newman is divisional chief, heading the San Francisco and Los Angeles theatres, and Max Shane is divisional advertising head. NEW AGENCY IS OPENED BY TRIO The Collins, Sullivan and Duffy Agency has opened new offices on the mezzanine floor of the Roose- velt Hotel in Hollywood, planning to act as representatives for play- ers, authors and directors in all branches of the show business. Johnny J. Collins recently re- signed as an executive of the RKO booking office in New York and was general booking manager and supervisor for a number of the theatres in the east. Joe Sullivan for the past twenty years has made a reputation for himself in promoting obscure ar- tists to stardom. Will Duffy, former owner of the Silver Slipper, The Frivolities and other night clubs in New York, is also one of the promoters of Mad- ison Square Garden of Los An- geles, which, it is planned, will be erected this fall. Duffy is also manager of Primo Camera. “A radio station,” says Haverlin, “has just as much right to broad- cast the news that the Brown and Yellow Soap Co. has, cancelled its page ad with the Daily Clarion, and that it wonders how many more advertisers will cancel for the same causes. There is a wide dif- ference between criticism and cal- umny, and we are not unreasonable in suggesting to the press that they themselves measure up to the standards that they would have us observe.” Manager Rogers of KNX said that he had less to complain about than some of the others, but that they all felt that prejudice and per- sonalities were no part of con- structive criticism, which they wel- comed. Manager Dolberg of KHJ spoke in similar vein, and they all felt that the dailies should listen as reasonably to their plaint as they themselves were expected to sub- mit to daily lancing. On the other hand, newspaper men laughed at what they called a “fuss.” “The idea advanced by this group,” said one managing ed- itor, “that we should comment only on programs that are good and ig- nore the others is 1 preposterous and narrow. Radio stations contribute nothing to the support of newspa- pers, so why should they dictate our policies? Our job is to inter- est our readers, and that is what we are trying to do.” Other newspaper men stated frankly that the daily press had really no great affection for radio, which had cut in on advertising accounts, and gave space to radio doings only as a concession to read- ers, and not to favor the commer- cial ambitions of broadcasters or to further the professional careers of radio entertainers. Not all station managers have joined in the complaint. One of those not invited to the confer- ence stated that “You will note these managers either have tie-ups with newspapers who feature them, or have national network connec- tions that almost demand space. The complaints, I believe, are di- rected against newspapers which have not allied themselves officially with any particular station.” Bill Ray, manager of KGER, stated: “Please tell the boys that we know nothing of this. I am well aware that criticism, especial- ly in a constructive vein, can be ex- traordinarily helpful in many ways. I am not so much concerned with what radio editors say about KGER, just so long as they sey something.”