Inside facts of stage and screen (June 28, 1930)

STAGE SCREEN PRICE 10 CENTS Only Theatrical Newspaper on the Pacific Coast RADIO MUSIC ESTABLISHED 1924 EDITED BY JACK JOSEPHS Vol. XI Entered as Second Class Matter, April 29, 1927, at Post- office, Los Angeles, Calif., under Act of March 3, 1879, Saturday, June 28, 1930 Published Every Saturday at 800-801 Warner Bros. Down- town Building, 401 West Seventh St., Los Angeles, Calif. No. 26 N FA SHOW BIZ FIGHT LOOMS ON POLITICAL MEDDLING SCARES AND 0PP0SIII0N TOUGH TOR FILMS HERE Exhibitors complain that an infantile paralysis scare adds itself to the unusual number of depressing fac- tors this week. It is stated that while most of the cases are mild, physicians are warning parents to keep their children from theatres so they will not contact incipient cases and spread the disease. Rapidly growing baby golf craze continues to hurt the box office, according to exhibitor claims. The Sunday Times claimed to have in- vestigated the situation and dis- covered that theatre receipts were not hurt, but that is a fact the theatre men have not yet caught up with. Reports are current that the West Coast Theatres, seeing that there is money in the corner lot pastime,_ are preparing to go into the business themselves, especially on properties they themselves own and on vacant lots near their the- atres. They are credited with al- ready having acquired three courses in Glendale, and with pushing plans elsewhere. Said a leading exhibitor this week: “The masses only have a limited amount of money to spend on amusements. They are flocking to the baby courses and spending money there. It comes from some- where. Surely they are not rob- bing the baby’s bank!’’ The theatre men are undeniably blue over the situation. Now ex- tension of night baseball plans are announced, adding a greater weight of pessimism. Among the key houses, the Chi- nese leads the week with a gross of $36,260 for third stanza of “Hell’s Angels,” a gain of seven hundred over the second week and nearly twice house average. At the Carthay Circle, “All Quiet on the Western Front” took (Continued on Page 2) HARRY MASTERS and DOROTHY GRAYCE FANCHON AND MARCO “COUNTRY CLUB” IDEA PANTAGES THEATRE HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. WEEK OF JUNE 26 TALKER REMAKE Universal has acquired the dia- logue rights to “Cat and the Ca- nary” from the author, John Wil- lard. The mystery thriller was originally produced by Universal in silent form in 1927. DANCE GROUP BOOKED SAN FRANCISCO, June 26.— Ann Hofmann has booked 45 of her advanced dancing pupils into the Paramount for the week of July 14. FILM HELD OVER “White Cargo,” foreign - made talker of the Hays banned stage play, was held over for another week by Fred Miller at the Cali- fornia here, due to very good draw. PROPOSED TAX AND DAYLIGHT SAVING MOVE ARE OPPOSED With politicians, busy- bodies and meddlers mix- ing in and taking a whack at the show busisness, many leaders of varied groups are rapidly coming to the opinion that show business locally and in this state must develop its own organ- ization in a political way to offset the tinkering and tampering. The projected attempt to put over a 10 per cent amusement tax and daylight saving at the next election, with the backing in each instance, of minority groups and political grab-baggers, is rousing the ire. of showmen. As one executive put it, theatre and theatrical investments are ex- posed to more and varied forms of attacks, rackets and meddling than any other business or profession.” Here are some samples: First—The proposed 10 per cent amusement tax, calculated to pro- vide more revenue for political log- rollers without regard for the pos- sible unfair and tremendous hard- ships it may work on theatre owners and operators. Second — The audacious attempt of a small minority to foist day- light saving on this state, despite overwhelming opposition from nu- merous other forces outside the show business, and an attempt, which, if it succeeds, will work uncalculable harm to theatre box- offices. Third — The indefatigable and persistent censorship meddling from all sides, from fanatical re- ligionists, from political jugglers, who will cry to the heavens about one show, while being complaisant- ly present at goings-on far more harmful and subversive, from in- hibited fools, from well-meaning but far from clear-thinking repre- (Continued on Page 2)