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

SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN *PAGE THREE LEGIT RECEIPTS FOR PAST WEEK BELOW AVERAGE A*'few more legit eggs are in the nest this week,- and some of them may prove good enough to hatch out. Receipts at the legit houses now open are not impressive. The opening week of George Fawcett’s production, “Under a Virginia Moon,” at the vine Street, grossed $4900, the same total as for the fourth and closing week of “John Ganton.” It will close Saturday night, June 28, and the house will be dark for a couple of weeks. Sidney Miller has a mu- sical production in mind for this house, under the producership of Strong and Wilson. No name has been chosen for the show, but casting will start this week. Open- ing is tentatively set for middle of July. George Fawcett is through producing for a while. Arthur Greville Collins and Noel Madison are preparing “Fata Mor- gana” for the Hollywood Play- house. George Gourling is casting it. The house is dark now. Third week of “The Last Mile” at the Majestic declined to $10,000. End of the fourth week sees the house go dark, with the show opening at the Geary, San Fran- cisco, on Monday, June 30. The Lillian Albertson - Louis Macloon producing team are reported as having no further legitimate ven- tures in mind until October. “Stu- dent Prince” closes June 28. Arthur Gregor, author of “De- cency,” is going to do the play, “Barren Trees.” Edward Eisner may direct. Ina Clair’s “Rebound” went to Santa Barbara Wednesday for a work-out. It then goes on to San Francisco for three weeks, then here to the Belasco. That “Crime” does not pay was evidenced at Henry Duffy’s Presi- dent. First week grossed $2800. It gives way July 6 to “Square Crooks.” The El Capitan checked in $6000 for the first week of “Nancy’s Private Affair,” over average, and is still going. Wallace Stark’s “Paths of Glory,” tried out in Long Beach last week, opens at the Figueroa Playhouse Sunday, June 29. In the cast are: Leroy Mason and Ruth Hill, leads; Paul Panser and Bert Sprotte, characters; Colin James, heavy; Charlie Leland, comedian. Yiddish players occupy the Bilt- more at Present, and “Subway Ex- press” opens the Mason June 30. Alice Barney’s new comedy drama, “Is Wrong Right,” opened at the Theatre Mart, June 25, for one week only. Justina Wayne directs, with Georgia Hale fea- tured. In support are Patrick Lud- low, Guy Hedlund, Jefferson De Angelis, Jr., . Dwight George, Jane La Verne, Henry Price, F. A. Wil- liamson, Clarice Wynn, Dorothy West, Marshall Royale, Kenneth Steiner, Merza Marston, Eily Mal- yon, Marie Harrell and Sid J. Woodhouse. Sam Raphaelson’s “Young Love,” in which Dorothy Gish and James Rennie starred during the 1928-29 season in New York, is to have a Los Angeles production in the near future, according to the au- thor. There is nothing definite yet as to where and when, and by whom. Universal has signed Mai St. Clair to direct “Boudoir Diplomat,” which is expected to go into pro- duction soon. Further Warner Theatre Moves MULTICOLOR IS TAKEN OVER BY HUGHEKROUP Howard Hughes, president of the Caddo Company, producer-di- rector “Hell’s Angels,” has taken over Multicolor Films, Inc., and will construct immediately a new $500,000 laboratory in Hollywood to turn out all-color motion pic- tures. Hughes has just completed ne- gotiations with Rowland V. Lee, president of Multicolor, and asso- ciates, for purchase of controlling interest in the color-process con- cern, in a deal involving approxi- mately $1,000,000. Mr. Hughes is reported planning an elaborate program of produc- tion, turning out all-color feature pictures for his own company and other producing firms in Holly- wood. The new proposed plant will be equipped to turn out a million feet per week of the new process film, and will operate under the new trade name of Multicolor, Ltd. BIG FOUR PLANS WESTERN GROUP — John R. Freuler, president of the Big Four of New York, is due here in a couple of weeks to line up a program of 12 westerns and six melodramas for next year’s schedule of the National Players, Ltd., production organization for the Big Four. National Players this week start- ed on their fifth of a six-picture series on the current program. The company, under the direction of A1 Neitz, will go on location at Lone Pine. In the cast are Yakima Ca- nutt, Wally Wales, Buzz Barton, Rene Bordon, Robert Walker, Bob Reeves, and Cliff Lyons. Andy Schaeffer is assistant director and William Nobles is cameraman. Neitz, the director, is also author of the story. J HENRY STARR IN HOTEL OPENING SAN FRANCISCO, June 26.— Henry Starr, NBC artist, opened an indefinite engagement in the Embassy Room of the Hotel St. Francis last night where he clicked for full returns. Starr’s _ first night was made a gala affair with Leo Carrillo the guest of honor. The dining room was sold out. Starr formerly played and sang for Sid Grauman at the latter’s College Inn of the Hotel Roose- velt, Hollywood, and has been with the local studios of NBC for some time. HEAVY ENROLLMENT Miss Grayce Film Bet Masters and Grayce, who are featured on the front page of this week’s Inside Facts, are a standard Musical Com- edy, Vaudeville and Picture Presentation comedy act. The dainty, diminutive Dor- othy Grayce is one of those rare “naturals” for talking pictures. She possesses a dy- namic and charming person- ality, a keen sense of humor, an ability to sell comedy, and a voice and delivery that is the fruit of lifelong activity in almost all branches of show business. She has majored in stock as well as vaudeville and musical comedy, but up to this date has not been seen ■in pictures. She will be a distinct “find” for some cast- ing director. A record-breaking enrollment is announced by Walter S. Wills at his studio of stage dancing in Hol- lywood for new summer classes. These enrollments included classes in semi-ballet, musical comedy and jazz numbers for adults which are in charge of Buddy Eson. There was also, according to Wills, the largest summer enrollment in the history of the • school in the acro- batic and sofe-shoe divisions, of which William Ritchey will be in charge. LEE IS PROMOTED Robert Lee, who began as a prop boy in 1915, is to be elevated from first assistant to director at Para- mount. Lee’s first assignment will be that of co-directing with Lloyd Corrigan “Her Wedding Night,” featuring Jeanette MacDonald, Charlie Ruggles, Robert Chisholm, Nino Martini and others. YOUNG TENOR SIGNED Donald Novis, young tenor who won the second annual National Radio Audition conducted by the Atwater Kent Foundation, has been cast for a singing role in Ernst Lubitsch’s new Paramount produc- tion, “Monte Carlo.” Instructs Dancers Ballet artists require rigid routines. W. J. O’Connor, physi- cal culture authority, instructs May Haas, Jessie Kassal and Mabel Rickert, Abbott dancers, appearing in Sid Grauman’s prologue to “Hell’s Angels” at Grauman’s Chinese, in newest muscle training exercises. $300,000 DAMAGE ACTION IN SAN FRANCISCO THEATRE WAR SAN FRANCISCO, July 26.-—Climaxing more than a year of legal battling, Nasser Brothers, local theatre owners, this week filed a $300,000' damage suit against the Musicians’ Union and other labor organizations, accusing them of caus- ing the bombing of the Royal Theatre less than a month ago. The complaint, issued by Attorneys Nat Schmulowitz and George Harris for the Nasser Brothers, charges that the unions caused to be placed in the Royal Theatre a dynamite bomb which exploded and caused^-- considerable damage. In addition, more than fifty instances where stink bombs were placed in thea- tres are named in the charges. From Judge C. J. Goodell, Nas- ser Bros, have obtained a tempo- rary restraining order, returnable July 1, enjoining the defendants from picketing the Royal, Al- hambra and Castro, and from dis- tributing circulars declaring these houses unfair, from interfering with patrons, and from using any threatened force against patrons, employes or owners. Beside the Musicians’ Union, other organizations named in the suit include Motion Picture Oper- ators, Local 162; International As- sociation of Theatre Stage Em- ployes, Local 16; Theatrical Fed- eration of San Francisco; Build- ing Service Employes’ Interna- tional No. 9, and Bill Posters’ and Billers’ Union, San Francisco lo- cal. There are some thirty addi- tional unnamed defendants. In the absence of President Walter Weber and Secretary Al- bert Greenbaum, who are in the East attending union conventions, Frank Borgel, vice-president of the Musicians’ Union, character- ized the suit as an attempt to in- fluence public opinion, adding that the union has posted a $1000 re- ward for conviction of the Royal Theatre bombers. The union’s legal reply will be made by July 1 when they will be required to show why the injunction should not be made permanent. The Nasser-union fracas started more than a year ago when the former fired union musicians from their houses, following the installa- tion of talkie equipment. Follow- ing were suits by the unions at- tempting to compel the Nassers to live up to a two years’ agreement to maintain organized labor’s mu- sic in their theatres. Judge Tra- bucco made a decision in favor of the musicians, but several weeks ago the higher courts reversed the decision. NOTHING TO SAY SAYS BLUMBERG M. J. Blumberg, assistant to Joseph Plunkett in RKO theatre operation, handling houses west of Chicago, arrived here Monday on a brief inspection tour of the western RKO houses. As to RKO’s plans for bringing back “big time” vaudeville on a newer and expanded scale, Blum- berg “had nothing to say.” Asked for his opinion on the proposed return to stage shows, Blumberg said the weather “was pretty warm here.” Informed that practically every major de luxe house here would be playing stage support bills with- in a few weeks, Blumberg asked, “What’s the matter? Aren’t they making any money here?” And the reporter departed sadly, not having the heart to ask the exec whether he had heard about Tom Thumb golf. CHRISTIE SIGNS ’EM A1 Christie is rebuilding his com- edy writing staff, having this week signed Neal Burns and Walter De Leon, and last week dotted-lined Jimmy Starr and Harry McCoy. Burns had been associated with the Christies for a number of years as director and star, while DeLeon was recently on the Pathe lot as scenarist. Also, William Watson has been signed to make a series of two-reelers. OLD STAMPING GROUND Alice White, who is starred in the Christie production, “Sweet- hearts On Parade-,” now in the process of filming at Metropolitan Sound Studios for Columbia Pic- tures, left this studio a little more than three years ago as a script clerk. TERM CONTRACT SIGNINGS FOR PRESENTATIONS With Warner Brothers taking over four Santa Barbara houses last week in a $1,000,000 deal, that organization is rapidly forwarding its plans _ for competition against other major chains in the coast picture house field. Warners, it is reported, are plan- ning to develop their western the- atre holdings to a point where they will compete seriously with Paramount-Publix and Fox-West Coast. Definite plans are expected to materialize by early fall for big advance strides in their theatre expansion plan, with Warner scouts already signing talent for the concern’s projected presenta- tion department. Term contract running as high as for 40 weeks, it is said, are be- ing signed, following the initial announcement last week of the re- turn of stage presentation ‘to the Warner Brothers Hollywood and Downtown theatres here, with the Forum expected to get the stage shows within a short time. Temporarily, however, according to M. A. Silver, Warners’ theatre expansion director, no further ex- pansion of the presentation policy in the West is intended for sev- eral months at least. Larry Ceballos units open on July 4 at the Hollywood and at the Downtown, which is now undergoing remodelling of the or- chestra pit, on July 18. Elaborate and expensive productions are planned with the intention of fea- turing names from the studios and ace musical directors of the War- ner-First National organization, such as Erno Rapee, Louis Sil- vers and Leo Forbstein for feature spot bookings into the houses. Simultaneously with the taking over of the four motion picture theatres in Santa Barbara this week by the Warner Brothers Downtown Holding Company, it was announced that $100,000 would be immediately expended in mak- ing improvements in the houses here and that the personnel of th»- theatres would remain the same. The Granada Theatre will be re- decorated, recarpeted and refur- nished, as will the California, while improvements also will be made in the Rose and Mission theatres. New magnascope screen, almost twice as large as present motion picture screens, will also be in- stalled in the Granada. MOVE TO CLOSE DANCING JOINTS Mayor John C. Porter and the Los Angeles police commission this week stepped in on the publicity attendant on a two-year attempt to close taxi-dancehall in Los Angeles. After hearing from the mayor on the matter, the police commission sent a communication to the city council requesting that an ordi- nance be adopted to close the joints, causing considerable specu- lation as to their reason for such action, since the commission al- ready has the power to revoke licenses for cause. There are about ten spots em- ploying girls as dancing partners, according to police, employing ap- proximately 400 girls. The halls have been the object of investiga- tion for some time, the last beef having resulted when a policeman was stabbed by Filipino last New Year’s eve while attempting to halt a brawl. PLANS TWO MORE NEW YORK, June 26.—Fred Herendeen, who has two of his own plays coming to town shortly, contemplates the production of two more by early fall. These, it is said, are a comedy known as “Is That Nice?” and a musical show, “The Golden Pheasant,” for which tunes and lyrics have been fur- nished by Carlo and Sanders, the team functioning in like manner for Herendeen’s “Mystery Moon.”