Inside facts of stage and screen (August 2, 1930)

PAGE SIX INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, AUG. 2, 1930 S<3S?(g®W, 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 TUcker 7832 JACK JOSEPHS ARTHUR WM. GREEN WILLIAM C. OWENS - - President and Editor - - Vice Pres, and Counsel Secretary and General Manager Vol. XII Saturday, August 2, 1930 No. 5 ED GOULDING’S OUTBURST EVERYTHING’S wrong- with the newspaper folk, who say anything’s wrong at the studios, is what Director Ed- mund Goulding tells you in a signed article, on page two of this week’s issue of Inside Facts. Director Goulding says: “CERTAIN correspondents, hanging onto the fringe of Hollywood, repeatedly, and maliciously, send to their various newspaper offices unfair accounts of studio conditions, the value of picture productions and theatre box-office receipts.” GOULDING’S charges are interesting but rather vague and general. His article refers to “some of the alleged cor- respondents for eastern newspapers.” What’s the matter with considering some of our home-grown chiselers? EVIDENTLY the much-publicized versatility of the emi- nent Director does not extend to a comprehensive knowledge of simple reporting, for he falls into the very error of those whom he intended to castigate. MUCH MIS-INFORMATION THE FACTS of the matter are that a great deal of the mis-information broadcast about the studios and studio per- sonalities is the result of the rambling style, sloppy work and extensive generalities and vagueness of a great many of the so-called newspaper correspondents, to whom Director Goulding has taken such an intense dislike. WE’LL GRANT that there are certain instances of posi- tively malicious persons, in some cases, fit subjects for psy- chopathic study, who take a fiendish delight in ruining repu- tations, a saddistic pleasure in “panning” those who do not advertise in their publications, and demonstrate a positive genius for mathematical juggling in reporting box-office results. THINGS BALANCE UP BUT THESE instances are not any more particularly out- standing than the studio hired help who take an equally positive delight in making things as difficult as possible for those newspaper people, who don’t happen to be “in” with -their particular little clique. DIRECTOR GOULDING continues to state that: “AN HONEST newspaper man working for a legitimate newspaper has the free and welcome access to any studio executive office, to the men in charge of the publicity and advertising of the various film studios, and to the men who sit in high places with the various organizations operating theatre circuits.” JUST FOR example, we would like to take Mr. Goulding out (in disguise, of course) and have him attempt to pene- trate the icily impregnable barriers of the haughty publicity organization of the Fox Film Corporation. LET’S HAVE SOME DETAILS GOULDING states that “answers to fair questions are fairly given,” yet Los Angeles newspaper men can without much difficulty recall a lengthy list of instances in which im- portant stories have been positively denied, only to break within a few days or weeks. . IN SHORT, the learned Director doesn’t seem to be on exactly familiar ground as a critic of critics. However, should he be interested in presenting a more specific discussion of his pet peeves against the press, the columns of this publica- tion are always open to him. IT WOULD be nothing more than fair to take the onus away, from a great number of competent and honest writers, whose reputations and. past activities hardly match up with the very vague and general remarks of the distinguished megaphone wielder. WHAT’S THE SHOUTING FOR? SO MANY committees, political, social and business big- wigs, candidates for office, public meddlers, and just plain busy-bodies have informed the citizenry that all’s well and everything’s going great, that ninety per cent of the populace has more or less decided to let George or somebody else do it. THESE CHEER-UP boys are proceeding on the theory that the cart goes before the horse,. Ticker-tape snow-falls greeted the RETURN of Lindbergh, Bvrd. Bobby Jones and a flock of other conquering heroes AFTER they had shown their stuff—not before. A MUCH more pertinent theme song right now seems to be “Where Do You Worka, John?” And the answer to that one will not be arrived at satisfactorily by a lot of cheering. Letters From Facts Readers These discussions do not necessarily re- flect the editorial opinion of this news- paper. If you disagree with us, say it anyhow. LONG BEACH—I have noted with great disappointment that the vastly entertaining feud between Mr. Lloydwell Mr. Tenney and Mr. Moore has subsided. That is too bad, really. Here we had a hero, a villain and a lumbering comedian in a perfect setting for drama. I had furtively hoped that it might end up in Messrs. Tenney and Moore killing one another in a duel, and in Mr. Lloydwell destroying all orches- tral conductors and putting over- ailed whitewashers in their places. Then we common herd might have had some genuine excuse for going to what is now humorously termed “Vaudeville,” or for hav- ing our corns mercilessly squashed in your American taxicab dance halls. ' If, peradventure, our friends are incapable from exhaustion, ask them to ring me up and I shall have much pleasure in providing them with refreshment of the good old kind that will restore their juvenile tendencies. Yours in anticipatory anxiety, H. BARCLAY-SMY THE. LOS - ANGELES — I wish to withdraw all I said in previous letters to your paper about clumsy conductors who didn’t know how to beat time. I was a newcomer to California and did not know what the matter was. Now I know—they have fleas. MI STER LLOYDW ELL. DANCERS Nineteen dancers and nine show girls of Pearl Eaton’s chorus at Radio Pictures were given new contracts this week. The dancers are Lillian Aaran, Bernice Bond, Virginia Carroll, Ruth Davis, Ivy Dee, Evelyn Eag- er, Mildred Frizell, June Glory, Blanche Gonzales, Bernice Graves, George Ann Garnette, Ann Karina, Charlotte Lee, Dorothy Ray, Va- letta Rey, Helen Shepard, Marion Weldon and Alice Jans. The show girls are Alice Adair, Nancy Lee Blaine, Nadine Dore, Estelle Etterre, Mary Jane Hal- sey, Dorothy Phillips, Betty Reek- law, Dorothy Simms and Irene Thompson. OSTERMAN’S TOUR Jack Osterman, who is known in the east as “Broadway’s Playboy,” is soon to start on a lengthy RKO tour as a feature of one of the Intact Shows. This glib young comedian has a smart routine and finds favor with most audiences who appreciate sophistication as he sophisticates. GETS LONG ROUTE Booked for a long RKO tour is Anatole Friedland’s “Twentieth Century Revue,” a song-and-dance unit with a company of fourteen. Friedland is not with the produc- tion, as his activities demand his being in New York, but he is using Irving Edwards, master of cere- monies, to head the cast. NEW RKO ACTS “Pat” and Terry Kendall, who were featured in “Great Tempta- tions,” are a new RKO act, called “A Step, a Song, a Story.” The Shaw Sisters and Joe Holmes, like- wise, are offering a new skit for RKO Varieties. LA-PHONEY ftj) JAMES MADISON Hello, Joe Schenck. Hello, James Madison. What makes bank so cool in summer? The frozen assets. vaults Hello, Monte Carter. Hello, James Madison. I know a Ziegfeld chorus girl who has already divorced four husbands this year. “The Follies of 1930.” Hello, Norma Shearer. Hello, James Madison. The names of most senators do not appear in the telephone directory. The public have their num- ber just the same. Hello, Lew Kelly. Hello, James Madison. I want a good slogan for a divorce -court. “We specialize in exchanges.” ARLISS PREMIERE Warner Bros will permiere “Old English,” with George Arliss, at the Warner Theatre, New York, on Thursday evening, August 21. LETTERS There are letters at the Los Angeles office of INSIDE FACTS for the following: BIDMEAD Bros. CULVER, Emilie DECKER, Kirke M. DOWNING, Harry FRANCO, Antone GEORGE and Florence GRANSTEDT, Greta HEYFRON, Frank MILLARD, S. S. PARSONS, Ruth PEDRO, Milly SHARLAND, Fred C. Hello, B. P. Schulberg. Hello, James Madison. What touch of philosophy -can you inject into the day’s proceedings? . It’s all right to rack your brains, provided you don't for- get where you racked -them. Hello, Maxine Lewis. Hello, James Madison. Why -do they have daylight saving in Chicago? To give the gangsters an extra hour of -shooting time. Hello, Elsie Ferguson. Hello, James Madison. In a theatre why do Scotch- men prefer to s-it in the front row? Because it enables them to be close. Hello, Mayor Rolph. Hello, James Madi-son. Why do you think you will be the next governor of Cali- fornia? Because every fanatic, every -bigot, every enemy of person- al freedom is opposed to me. Hello, Reginald Denny. Hello, James Madi-son. First we had sight ,then we added sound, and now odors are about t-o be introduced as part of a motion picture. That means theatre patrons will hesitate about sitting in -the front row for fear some of the film stars will have halitosis. Snacks Of Facts Fritz Tidden, newspaperman and p. a., is playing a comedy part in “The Great Day” at M-G-M— Amos and Andy are infecting the yes-men—sho thing—Pat, Grayce Hampton’s Peke, gets on the U. A. sound stages because he knows enough to keep his mouth shut—that’s a tip— Laura Durward, lyric soprano, has arrived here from the east under the management of L. E. Behymer —Behymer has also taken over the management of Esteleah, 18-year-old prima donna—she’ll make her local debut here shortly. * * * * Fern Dale, who is playing a leading part in “The Road To Glory” at the Theatre Mart, got up in the part in one day and gave an excel- lent performance— George K. Arthur, strolling along Hill Street look- ing for a place to eat— Jack Kearns to San Francisco by ’plane on a mysterious trip, to be back Saturday— A1 LeClaire nursing an injured shoulder— Rudy Wintner entertaining some friends from Bakersfield at Wilson’s Ballroom— Wilbur Cushman interviewing prospects for the new season— Laura LaPlante drinking a coke between acts of “Oh, Judge”— Ralph Welles gathering up angel feathers— Jim Sams doing a rave over his new miniature golf course in the ballroom at Casino Gardens. * * * Junior Coghlan, former young Pathe star, and pupil and protege of Bud Murray, has returned from a location trip to Sacramento with the Warner' Brothers’ “River’s End” company— Hugh McDowell, Radio Pictures technician, has perfected a system for eliminating “ground noises” in talker recording that is said to be a great advance step—Besides playing a featured role in Pathe’s comedy short, “Som% Babies,” Bob Carney wrote the original story — Ann Harding asked Creighton Hale if “this is your first picture for Pathe?” while work- ing on “Holiday”—Hale’s first picture work was with Pathe—seven- teen years ago — * * * Little Billy indignantly denies he thought up miniature golf and disclaims any responsibility for the new peanut cars—the new Austins bother the Dummy Newsboy at Henry’s —every time he runs out into the street to hand a motorist an Examiner, he stubs his toe on one of the things—Newspapermen flocked to Warner’s call for aid on story ideas— Jacob Wilk, story department head, will announce selec- tions from the Fourth Estate contributions the first of August— ♦ * * Ole Olsen and Myrtis Crinley talking over “Monkey Business”' over a coke at Joe Miller’s —with Jerry King and George Riley —the whole gang bumping Max Sbagrin off the curb in front of Warner’s Holly- wood—Max’s smile tells the state of the b. o.—The radio guy who says “You’ll sure have a great audinece ready when you follow me” —Whatever became of the all-talkie bills?— ON LOCATION TRIP Warner Baxter and other mem- bers of the cast of “Renegades,” story of the French Foreign Le- gion, are -at the desert country of California, near Santa Barbara, to make outdoor sequences of this picture. Victor Fleming is di- recting. IN “DARK STAR” Dorothy Jordan has -been cho- sen as “the girl” in “Dark Star,” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s forthcom- ing filmization of Lorna Moon’s novel, which George Hill is to di- rect. BACK FROM CHINA William Adams Universal cam- eraman, has just returned to the studio after having completed a trip to Hong Kong, China, for the purpose of obtaining a number of atmospheric “shots”: of the waterfront, -for inclusion in “East is West. ” TOGETHER AGAIN Cliff (Ukulele Ike) Edwards and Edward Brop-hy are teamed to- gether again in “Those Three French Girls” in which Reginald Denny and Fifi D’Orsay are fea- tured by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.