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

PAGE SIX INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1930 S<3EP(B<31a!, One Year Published Every Saturday $4.00 Foreign $5.00 Advertising Rates on Application As a bi-monthly publication: Entered as Second Class Matter, No- vember 17, 1924, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. As a weekly publication: Entered as Second Class Matter, April 29, 1927, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Published by Inside Facts Publishing Company, Inc. 800-801 Warner Bros. Downtown Bldg., Los Angeles, Calif. Telephone TUcher 7832 JACK JOSEPHS ARTHUR WM. GREEN WILLIAM C. OWENS - - - President and Editor - - Vice Pres, and Counsel Secretary and General Manager Vol. XI Saturday, June 28, 1930 No. 26 WHEN INSIDE FACTS several months ago commenced printing a series of exclusive stories predicting the return of stage support for talking pictures in de luxe houses, a result- ant series of snickers greeted the announcements. THE WISE boys laughed when this paper printed far ahead of any other trade publication the announcement that Publix planned to return to its policy of coast built units. “NONSENSE,” they argued. “Talkies are going over with a bang. Publix learned a sad and expensive lesson with pre- vious stage acts. Not a chance.” BUT PUBLIX took that chance. So did Sid Grauman. So did a number of other coast independent theatre operators. The stage act policy opened the new Pantages in Hollywood. The same policy, with name bands featured, was retained by Fox-West Coast in the Egyptian in Hollywood. THEN THIS paper announced on its front page that War- ner Brothers would join the stage act landslide. Howls joined the snickers. Several trade publications rushed to print with serious denials that any such move was contemplated, quoting high officials of the Warner organization. BUT WARNER BROTHERS did join the landslide for stage presentations. With Larry Ceballos at the helm and Leo Forbstein as musical director, Warners are coming back to the stage presentation field with a bang. Short Shots At the News Santa Barbara dramatic editor, George W. Lynn, expresses a pretty general opinion on a studio request for stories from gentlemen of the, press: “Warner Brothers are asking all us newspaper folk to send in stories for scenario ideas. I don’t know whether to send them in bundles or just express the two trunks.” TELA-PHONEY, bj) JAMES MADISON Hello, Colonel Lindburgh. Hello, James Madison. . What have you been doing since your son was born? Sending out heir mail. Mrs. Helene Lubitsch, was grant- ed a divorce here this week in Su- perior Judge Hahn’s court from Film Director Ernst Lubitsch. The couple were wed in 1922 in Berlin. The property settlement was made out of court and was not disclosed. Arthur Gregor this week was granted the right to call his stage play, “Decency,” which recently closed at the Mayan, by that title when an injunction asked by Si- mona Boniface, claiming she had copyrighted another play under that title more than a year ago, was denied. Hoot Gibson, western star, giv- ing his age as 36, this week filed notice of intention to wed for the third time, the prospective bride being Sally Eilers, 21, playing for M-G-M. Couple are to be married next Friday at Hoot’s Saugus ranch. SNAPPY ANSWER FOR REFORMER FILMPANNERS The following interesting com- ment on the reformer critics of the motion picture is reprinted from the daily column conducted by George W. Lynn in the Santa Bar- bara “Morning Press,” and should interest every showman looking for material with which to counteract the Holier-than-Thou propaganda: “The moving picture is accused of distorting and misrepresenting American life by Rev. Frederick Siedenburg of Loyola University. ‘Vice is always made pleasant while it lasts,’ he asserts, ‘and working girls are always the in- tended victim of an employer’s greed or design. People rarely work unless they live in the tene- ments, and virtue is generally made to apppar depressing. Emphasis is placed on wealth, luxury and lazi- ness.’ “Difference of opinion is what makes hoss races, and kept A1 Smith out of the White House. The professor is entitled to his view, but millions of fathers and mothers in this country who not only permit but encourage their children to see the movies, can’t all be wrong. “It is true that vice is made pleasant while it lasts, but the vil- lain always gets kicked in the neck in the last reel and the wayward boy returns from his drunken orgy to see hope, honesty and love in the eyes of the innocent girl at the garden gate. Working girls, as he says, are made the intended victim of their employer, but virtue al- Artistic Scenic Advertising Curtains By Far the Best in America CURTAIN PRIVILEGES BOUGHT FOR CASH OR SCENERY Chas. F. Thompson Scenic Co. 1215 Bates Avenue Phone OLympia 2914 Hollywood, Calif. ways triumphs when the orchestra plays the exit march, and if virtue is often pictured as depressing, my opinion is that a whole lot of stiff- backed, leather-lunged virtue is not only oppressive but downright of- fensive. “The flickers have made more than one young man want to get to work, own a Rolls-Royce and take the old home town by storm. They have taught more than one girl that men eventually, when all is said and done, will push a necker off their laps to win the hand of a decent maiden. They have cre- ated a wide interest in athletic’s and clean living, sportsmanship and fair play. They have bred a desire for good clothes, dignity, position, ambition, and caused a multitude to dry their tears and go home and write a letter to mothers who still burn a candle in the open window of the living room. “I sometimes wonder if men like Professor Siedenburg don’t keep their eyes so close to the woods they can’t see the majestic height of the trees.’ STARTS DANCE CLASS Erma Gage, sister of Edward Gage, who composed the original “Ingagi” musical score, will open a class in tap, ballet and technical dancing routine on July 1, at the Tuesday Afternoon Club in Glen- dale. Miss Gage has staged revues and special dancing numbers for Fox- West Coast and others. DIRECTORS ASSIGNED George Cukor and Louis Gasnier have been assigned to co-direct the production of Lajos Zilahy’s story, “The General,” for Paramount. Walter Huston will have the chief role in “The General.” CROSLAND RETURNS Alan Crosland has returned from a vacation tour to summer resorts in Northern California, and will now direct Lotti Loder, re- cently imported by Warner Bros., in “Gay Caballero.” Frank Fay is to have the masculine lead in this original. MARGARET ADAMS SIGNED Margaret Adams has been signed to a long-term contract by Univer- sal. She played in New York in “Three Little Girls,” Shubert op- eretta, . Nacio Herb Brown is still en- gaged in legal controversy with his wife over a property settlement since filing of a recent divorce ac- tion. Mrs. Brown asked this week that a receiver be appointed by the local court, claiming the songsmith is “too free a spender.” SAN DIEGO, June 26.—Indig- nation plenty here over an alleged- ly brutal fight between a bear and a bull, staged by a promoter at the Tiajuana bull ring Sunday, which was described as a “disgusting spectacle,” with Mayor Guillermo Macalpin stating “there will be no more of that around here.” PORTLAND, June 26.—Attempt of a pair of thugs to stick up the boxoffice of the Majestic Theatre at Dallas, near here, Friday night, was a flop when the two gunmen were frightened away by a passer- by on the street. SAN DIEGO, June 26.—The- atre owners here complained to city council about issuing permits to traveling carnivals, rodeos and similar amusements, which they characterized as “itinerant enter- tainment,” with the civic body re- ferring the matter to the city license inspector for investigation. SANTA BARBARA, June 26.— Victor J. Rosen, district manager for Warner Brothers here, will be married Thursday night to Lillian C. Swartz, Florida high school teacher. BLANEY PLAY BOUGHT The most recent Charles E. Blaney play to be transferred to the screen is “Red Kisses” which has just been purchased by Lib- erty Productions. ADDED TO CAST Ernest Wood, Wilbur Mack and Max Asher have been added to the cast of “Sweethearts on Pa- rade,” being made at Metropolitan Sound Studios, Inc., for Columbia release by Christie. Says: En route to New Orleans . . . revising the Hollywood gags to fit the occasion. . . . Will return in two weeks. ... In the meantime drop in at the Cellar and hear the daily bul- letins. • • •• P. S. — The CELLAR is at Cosmo Street and Hollywood Boulevard . . . between Vine and Cahuenga . . . the phone numbers are GRanite 8 3 8 2 and HOllywood 9 15 9 . . . parking is free at the lot across from the CELLAR . . . the CHRYSLER and SAM- SONS are there. Thank You. Hello, Ambassador Morrow, Hello, James Madison. What news can you give me about the new Lindburgh fam- ily addition? Father and child are doing well. Hello, Clara Bow. Hello, James Madison, What’s your favorite play? “The Front Page.” Hello, Monte Carter. Hello, James Madison. Where was the first circulat- ing library started? In Kansas when a cyclone struck a book store. Hello, James Madison. Who was the biggest boob you met last week? A guy who thought Ethyl gasoline was named in honor of Miss Barrymore. Hello, Bebe Daniels. Hello, James Madison. Button, button, who’s got the button? The laundry. Hello, Howard J. Green, Hello, James Madison. The Anti-Saloon League ex- pected to mop up in New Jer- sey. That state went so wet they will have to do plenty of mop- ping up. Hello, A1 Wager. Hello, James Madison. Mahatma. Gandhi hasn’t been much in evidence lately. Perhaps he isn’t “worth his salt.” Hello, Joseph Schenck. Hello, Rodney Pantages, Hello, James Madison. Is it true that the theatre you bought in San Francisco on O’Farrell street will be de- voted to burlesque? No, sir;, we shall not put the “hip” in Hippodrome, Hello, Corinne Griffith. Hello, James Madison. What’s your main worry these days? When next Leap Year comes round, I fear many “Yes” men will become bigamists. Film Row Cuttings By FRED YEATES A couple of shining newly painted faces are in evidence this wee along the Row. One is a place where Mister Theatre Man- ager may go and put his own masterful voice in a masterful speech on. a record, for only one dollar, which he may then grind out in his theatre through his sound projection equipment, and so get over a vital message to his helpless customers. The other is a sound projection school. * * * They are talking about trans- forming the bowling alley across the street into a miniature golf course. There is no truth, how- ever, in the report that the M. P. T. O. Association is trying to maneuvre a corner in the golf stick market. There are no cor- ners available. * * * The New York editor of the Fox "Dynamo,” film exchange house organ,, has come to Holly- wood, and is functioning at the Fox lot at Sunset and Western. Rger Ferri is the name, and if Carroll Johnson’s recommendation means anything, Roger is going to be popular. ’Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. Not all of the Fox blurb artists are popular! * * * . The Columbia office is a collec- tion of bright and happy faces this week. Promotions have been an- nounced. M. J. E. McCarthy, of- fice manager, goes out into the local sales field, and will be suc- ceeded by M. Klein, present booker. John Williams will be the new booker. He was formerly ac- cessories manager. Klein is on a vacation trip to Pocatella, Butte and way pints. Claudia Perichart, that snappy brunette, who presides at the con- sole of the Underwood, is smil- ing broadly, too. She gets a raise out of it all. At the same time, a fourth in- spector has been added to the staff. Less than a year ago there were cjnly two. Watch Columbia grow. (No charge for the slogan.) * * * The vestiges of the Cuckoo Clock have been removed from the RKO exchange. Nothing but a nasty nail hole in the wall re- mains. * * * F. E. (“Benny”) Benson, man- ager of United Artists, is anxious- ly awaiting the final announcement on the nation-wide U. A. sales contest. On February 24 the local office occupied spot No. 25, the bottom of the ladder. “Benny” took charge March 25, and on May 24 the office had climbed dizzily up to No. 2 spot. With all the new contracts tossed into the ring since then, up to June 15, closing, date, the local gang are wondering if they have copped the top hole. Five thousand dollars worth of cash prizes are involved. Packard salesmen are straining at the leash. * * * This week’s sessions of the curb convention have not been able to find a solution for the vexing baby golf problem. The delegates cheer- fully agree, however, that show business was here before the courses, and will probably be here after they have been turned into apartment house basements. Mean- while, however, only about 99 per cent of the theatre owners are figuring on tearing down their the- atres and putting in the pretty golf gardens. The Comedian Saves vaudeville performers, radio entertainers and all high - salaried professional humorists from becoming ‘hot and bothered* thinking up new laughs. Each issue of THE COMEDIAN con- tains new laughs, and new laughs only. It is published monthly at $1 an issue, or $10 by the year. Nos. 1 and 2 are now ready. Small, hut good, and sold with a money- back guarantee. Send orders to the publisher. WALTER LONDON P. O. Box 139, Vine St. Station Hollywood, Calif.