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

SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE FIVE WC In Hollywood"~Now By BUD MURRAY Not a premiere this week in HOLLYWOOD, and yet there are many more New Yorkers, IN HOLLYWOOD—NOW, whom we worked for and with and knew them when. Just follow us over to the Brown Derby for lunch—Monday—and over in the corner is William O’Neal, whom we discovered at the N. Y. Elks in 1923, and placed him with his first stage job, “Lady in Ermine,” and since then he has been a fea- tured tenor, with “New Moon” and “The Desert Song” on Broadway. There’s Louis Shurr,"’ the Broadway ace agent, and Charley Judels, who just signed a long term contract with, Warner Brothers, and Charley takes us back to a Winter Garden play in 1917, “Doing Our Bit,” we were singing and dancing. Charley was head funny man. With Charley is William Collier, Sr., the dean of wise-crackers, who forgot how many benefits he workt at the Winter Garden, while we were the back stage head man. Walter Herzbrun, a publicity man from N. Y., now a real hon- est-to-goodness booking agent, in the Wm. Morris office (how times change). Eddie Kane, he of the old team of Kane & Herman (a sure-fire next-to-closing act). Ed- die is having a tough time trying to convince the moving picture producers he is capable of doing other parts besides imitating Zeig- feld. Another good Broadway com- edian, Eddie Buzzell (yes, former- ly of the Winter Garden), and an- other Broadway booking agent, Max Hart. That’s only a few we saw whom we knew in N. Y. years ago, and they are all IN HOL- LYWOOD—NOW. Along the Boulevard, bumped into Lester Dorr, a'young man who is One of the best character com- edians and staright men we have had in Broadway shows many times, is out here IN HOLLY- WOOD—NOW, and picture peo- ple are certainly missing a good bet when they don’t put this man on a stock contract. (Lon Chaney better watch out.) A few seconds later right smack into one of the sweetest gentlemen we k n o w, Johnny Swor of that famous fam- ous family of black-face comedians, who was with Charley Mack in the “Maid In America" show we were with en tour in 1914-15. We re- minded Johnny about the eat and grow thin diet he started then and when we left him to Cash in in Sioux City, but to look at John now we would match him against “Makes Smelling.” That daddy of character singing comedians, George Whiting, of that famous team of Whiting and Burt, for so many years vaudeville headliners, and with George is the old Colum- bia wheel favorite, with the Ponce de Leon secret, Ned “Clothes” Norton, who looks one hundred per cent better without his toupee. All right IN BOLLYWOOD—NOW. Got a surprise call from an old Chicago friend who is now IN HOLLYWOOD—NOW, as gen- eral booker for Paramount-Publix, who contemplate stage presenta- tions in many coast houses. Harry Santley is the name, and we took him down to Long Beach to see a set of Bud Murray’s California Sunbeams at the Strand Theatre, and on the way home, driving thru the invigorating cool nite air, Harry confided he is in the whirl of a romance, and his future bride is on her way to Hollywood and the wedding bells will soon ring. His frolicking days are over, so we decided to make a nite of it and drove to the cream of nite clubs, George Olsen’s place (m i n u s women), and it happened to be a nite in honor of that charming songstress from Broadway, Vivi- enne Segal, who is making pic- tures for Warner Bros. A nov- elty, folks, we saw Bert Wheeler for the first time without his co- hort, Bobby Woolsey. Also at the same table, Walter Catlett, who got up and told a few “gags.” Bert followed him, and then those two dancing brothers, Louis and Charley Mosconi, staged a little dance with Bernice Spear (Mrs. Bert Wheeler), and they are from the Winter Garden, yes, sir, while we were there. And they are IN H OLLYW O OD—N OW. _ John T. Murray and his charm- ing wife, Vivian Oakland —they, too, were at the Winter Garden years ago, and Joe “Frisco” blew in with his heater and sat with Sid Gary, of that grand singing team of Bernard and Gary, and took us back to the “Frolics” in Chicago. Watch that Arthur Lake (our pupil) swirling around with that “peachy girl,” giving us the “eye,” Lack .of space prevents us from mentioning the many others IN HOLLYWOOD—NOW, be- cause we want to take you over to the Friday nite fites at the Hol- lywood Legion. Rite opposite, ia her regular seat, we see Dolly Nelson (Mrs. Eddie Nelson) looking like a mil- lion dollars and very chic. And rite near Dolly is that legitimate comedian, Charley Winninger, who has been in many Winter Garden shows, with and without his trom- bone. And now we again see those Siamese Twins, Bertie and Bobbie, our two boy friends. Away over is our pal, Lew Pollack, now writ- continued on Page 13) LETCHER PLANS BOOKINGS TIEUP Plans for a booking circuit along the coast for presentations and vaudeville by A1 Leichter are in their formative stages, according to the agent. For the past twenty years Leich- ter has been a producer and book- ing agent with headquarters in New York and branch offices in De- troit. Last week Leichter moved his headquarters to the coast, opening offices in Hollywood to handle screen, stage, presentation, vaude and fair bookings. He plans to open further branch offices in Seattle and Denver by early fall. Associated with him are Max Millard and Eddie Browder. CASTINGSTARTS FOR BURLESQUE (Continued from Page 1) they might go into Hollywood if a house is available. For some months there has been local agitation among the theatrical contingent for a burle house here, it being pointed out that the natu- ral location of this city, doing a heavy sea port business, would be a cinch for this type of show. The Capitol has been a white elephant for a long time, largely due to the legit things offered there, but it is figured that a good show of this type ca'n draw a lot of consistent trade, building up weekly. The house will have an added break by the discontinuance of stage shows at the downtown Casino, only a few blocks away from the Capitol. Irons and Clammage are oper- ators of the Columbia Theatre in New York, the Star and Garter, Gaiety and Haymarket in Chicago and other houses throughout the East and Middle West. They are the largest stock burlesque oper- ators in the country. Some thirteen years ago Irons and Clammage, prospected for a coast chain. At that time Will King, Armstrong Bros., the Dal- tons, Ben Dillon, A1 Franks and one or two others were in com- plete domination of the field and so well established in their re- spective communities that oppor- tunities for competition were re- mote. Accordingly, the firm aban- doned plans for a coast chain until recently. Their plan of a group of stock chain houses is one that has been discussed often by the Daltons in Los Angeles but has never come to a fruition. FROHMAN SHIFTED Bert Frohman, formerly master of ceremonies at. the Fox, St. Louis, has been transferred to the Fox, Detroit. NOTICE Arch Woody is no longer associated with Inside Facts of Stage and Screen in any capacity. About Commercial Ads Fo r Picture House Screens There is a discussion going on in various parts of the country as to the propriety of running advertising mat- ter on theatre screens, and supporters are pointing out that radio mixes advertising with its entertainment, and that fiction magazines run to a large proportion of ad- vertising matter, to which readers make no discernible objection. If picture exhibitors followed the custom of fiction publishers there would probably be no objection to an advertising policy. If you want fiction without advertis- ing you buy it in book form, at a price averaging two or three dollars. Otherwise, you buy a magazine at any- where from a nickel to thirty-five cents, and take it with the advertising that makes the low price possible. The exhibitor, therefore, might let the same principle govern his box office prices, and there could then be no opposition from the public. As for radio, that of course is free, and none but a veterinary should examine the molar equipment of a gift horse. CORNER ‘BUGS’ PUTTING ON BIG TIME TRIMMINGS Corner-lot golf is taking on many of the aspects of show business, and some new ones of its own, in Los Angeles and Hollywood. New courses are being rap- idly licked into shape, and when finished are opened with all the glory of a film premiere, wd-th lights, loudspeakers, music and a master of ceremonies. Noodles Fagan is much in de- mand for these affairs. His line of chattery humor, spoken into a pub- lic address system, kidding the cus- tomers and .getting the laughs, to- gether with the music and prizes for the best opening scores, are making these openings as popular for first-nighters and celebrity hounds as the picture premieres. The courses are getting to be virtually a twenty-four-hour amusement hereabouts. The peak hours seem to be from the dinner hour on until midnight, then some night-owl trade for a couple of hours,' until the milkman comes abroad. From then on, for a cou- ple lof hours or so, milk wagons can be found parked around the course while the drivers match wits over the intricacies of the 18 holes. They are followed by the mail carriers starting out, banker style, a little earlier for their golf, and then there is a lull while the courses are watered and tidied up for early wives on their market- ing trips, garage mechanics at lunch time, then the matinee trade. Now that there are so many courses, the public is becoming quite -choosey. It is not unusual to find, within a block or two of an overcrowded course, another one whose only inhabitant is a disconsolate attendant, squatted un- der -a beach umbrella with a mag- azine for company. The fans say they leave him alone because it is a homemade course, and they re- quire all the modern trappings and facilities. Elaborate sandwich stands and parking yards are now springing up beside the -more prosperous ones, and financial houses are ad- vertising construction loan facili- ties for more new ones. But while -the immediate pros- pect seems depressing for show business with the golf competition, it is bringing joy to many actors who had been chased from the boards by the films. For many of the Tom Thumb operators are thespians, and showmanship meth- ods are in no -small measure re- sponsible for the great and -grow- ing vogue of the lilliputian sport. FAZENDA SERIES STARTS Louise Fazenda will start her first production in the series in which she is to be starred by Larry Darmour July S. Miss Fa- zenda commences work in “Pure and Simple,” a two-reel comedy, under the direction of Phil Whit- man. She is scheduled to make five others to be released by RKO. The series has been held up pend- ing the completion of Miss Fazen- da’s work in “Leathernecking,” now being made at The Radio studios. MOTION PICTURE DIRECTORS and MANAGERS It Will Be to Your Advantage to WATCH THF FRONT PAGE OF INSIDE FACTS NEXT WEEK COLUMBIA SETS FOREIGN POLICY Columbia plans to establish im- mediately foreign production units in both Germany and France, with possibilities of a similar unit later in England, President Jo Brandt announced last week. Production policy projected calls for the use of foreign stars, di- rectors and other talent with the executive and supervising direction in the hands of Hollywood film men. A number 'of American di- rectors will work with the foreign megaphonists. Harry Cohn, who is head of the Hollywood studios of the con- cern, will be in supervising charge of the foreign activities. It is the belief of the Columbia heads that this policy will eventually work out as superior to the multilingual “in Hollywood” method. Columbia’s foreign plans will parallel its production policies in the United States. Outstanding stage successes of Germany and France will be acquired, to serve as the basis of production material, and foreign stories and novels will also be used. WILLS ADDS TEACHERS Walter S. Wills is making ad- ditions to his staff of teachers for additional summer classes, which start Monday, June 23. Buddy Eason will have charge of the semi- ballet, musical comedy and jazz numbers. The acrobatic division will be in charge of William Ritchey. Wills will teach -the tap, off-rythm and eccentric classes. In addition to his principal teachers. Wills will also employ a corps of assistants to teach beginners’ classes. WARNERS STAGE POLICY IS SET (Continued from Page 2) ner and First National studios, are still undecided, but are now being ironed out, with the even- tual possibility that the rapidly ex- panding Warner coast chain will be booked on a basis similar to that now being used by Publix. With the opening production, which will include name acts, will be featured a line of 36 girls trained by Ceballos. Frank Mur- phy, Warners’ electrical head, will handle stage lighting and effects for the new productions. Following on the heels of the Warner announcement is the re- port that Publix is laying plans to complete their return to the stage show policy with a 25-piece orchestra going into the Para- mount here. (Elsewhere in this issue of Inside Facts is news of important personnel changes in Publix coast operation. ) Meanwhile, Fred Miller, who re- cently reopened the California on Main Street, is reported laying plans to introduce stage support for his weekly change talker policy. Local RKO officials refused to confirm reports of that circuit’s intended amplification of their cur- rent coast stage policy, stating that for the present the all-talkie policy at the Orpheum, with vaud- film at the RKO, was highly suc- cessful. But the reports of coast changes p e rsist ed, with RKO promising a full 84 weeks booking for acts by fall. LANGAN RETURNS John Langan, former Paramount director, has returned to Holly- wood after a three months’ trip to Europe, during which he made a tour of the European studios. “JERRY RYAN’S” Red Lion Inn 11143 WASHINGTON BLVD. DELICIOUS CHICKEN and STEAK DINNERS NO COVER CHARGE Entertainment — Music — Dancing Reservations—Call Culver City 2770 SALES RENTALS SCENERY STAGE PRODUCTIONS PRESENTATION SETTINGS COMPLETE STAGE EQUIPMENT FABRICS — RIGGING — SCREENS J. D. MARTIN STUDIOS 4110-18 Sunset Boulevard HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA OL. 1101