Inside facts of stage and screen (August 23, 1930)

PAGE TWO INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1930 FRANKLIN ON BABY GOLF STUFF GOLF ‘HAZARD’ mm IT RAINS. Off-Time Tap Is Bug-a-Boo Of Song Team SCREEN, STAGE VOTERS’ LEAGUE (Continued from Page 1) Golden is a nationally known attorney and civic leader who has announced a stand for lower taxes and assessments. He has been closely associated with stage and screen folks for years and is fa- miliar with their problems. Members of the League are much incensed over the broadcast statement of a certain reformer, who in criticizing the gubernatorial candidacy of Mayor Rolph of San Francisco, stated in effect that Rolph’s chief qualification for the job was to dress up and entertain prominent actors. It is said that as a result of that remark the League will endorse Mayor Rolph at its next meeting. COTTON CLUB BOYS FETED As a tribute to the extraordi- nary reception accorded Duke El- lington and his “Cotton Club” Or- chestra, since their arrival in Hol- lywood to appear in the Amos and Andy picture for RKO, Irving Mills, owner and general manager of the orchestra, arranged an elaborate dinner and dance for the executives, artists, directors and others of prominence from the RKO Studios. The affairs was staged on Thurs- day in Cocoanut Grove, at the Ambassador Hotel, and presented Duke Ellington and his orchestra in their first public appearance in Hollywood. The premiere of the band was loked forward to by many and af- forded the motion picture celebri- ties who attended an unusual and entertaining evening. BERNIE TO LEAVE Marco Buying Big Pay Acts For Long Trip Impression exists in the East, especially in some quarters, that Fanchon and Marco do not pay an act as much as other circuits. This is be- cause in the old days they were forced to buy their tal- ent cheap in order to meet coast conditions. Now that they have grown to their present importance, however, they can meet—and in many instances are meet- ing — their opposition with high salaried talent. In mentioning just a few acts that are F and M-ing it, there is Barto and Mann, Mel Klee, Stroud Twins, Castleton and Mack, Lee Wilmot, Ed and Morton Beck, Joe and Jane McKenna, Doc Baker, Renoff and Renova, Masters and Grayce, and many of the other standard big time acts. FOX OPENINGS GOING STRONG Ben Bernie will terminate a suc- cessful engagement at the Roose- velt Hotel to reopen the reno- vated College Inn at Chicago with his orchestra October 1. It is re- ported that Bernie and his orches- tra have been signed to an exclu- sive 10-year contract by the Music Corporation of America. Harold B. Franklin announces opening of several theatres on Fox West Coast circuit. In Pasadena, the remodeled and redecorated Fox opened August IS. September 1 will see opening of new $800,000 Fox Wilshire at Wilshire and Hamilton, Los Ange- les. On September 5, redecorated Californa Theatre will be opened in Berkeley. In Centralia, Washington, the new quarter of a million dollar Fox Theatre will make its bow September 10. September IS will see the advent of new $250,000 Fox in Stockton. GRAPEWIN PLAYS PAPA Charlie Grapewin, stage and screen player, will plav the part of Mary Brian’s father in Para- mount’s “Social Error.” Leon Er- rol, Richard Arlen and Stuart Erwin .also are in the cast. SIGN “MISS UNIVERSE” PROSECUTION SEEKS DELAY IN FILM CASE The so-called Federal trial against the alleged motion picture trust which has been hanging fire for the past year and a half came up last Monday only to find the prosecution unprepared to proceed and asked to have the trial set over. Witnesses from all over the country have assembled to testify for or against the producers in- volved. The charge is that the defendants have conspired or com- bined to “force out” certain inde- pendent exhibitors who refused to sign agreements having to do with priority rights on first run pictures. It is regretable, say both pro- ducers and exhibitors, that this matter must come to trial before a criminal tribunal. There certainly was no intent, they claim, to vio- late the Sherman anti-trust act nor to have their method of operations interpreted as acts in restraint of trade. Producers and exhibitors in- volved believed that they were conducting their affairs in an equit- able and proper manner for the best interests of the industry. They thought that by their manner of booking it would en- able them to give better service, they claim, and are convinced that when all the parties are heard, a decision in their favor will set at rest the matter which has kept the business in a turmoil since the in- dictments were returned. The defendants in the action are: West Coast Theaters, Inc.; Harold B. Franklin, presidena and general manager of West Coast; Paramount-Famous-Lasky Corpo- ration; MetrolGoldwyn-Mayer Dis- tributing Corporation; First Na- tional Pictures, Inc.; Universal Film Exchanges, Inc.; United Ar- tists Corporation; Fox Film Cor-_ poration; Pathe Exchanges, Inc.; Vitagraph, Inc.; Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc.; Vitagraph Com- pany of California, Inc. GENTLEMAN AL FRANKLIN SAYS There is always someone to pre- sent an alibi for bad business. Latest calamity howl at the slump of show business has been directed to the popularity of the miniature golf links that have been springing up in great profusion during the past couple of months. That these have taken a num- ber of patrons away from the theatres seems a natural conclu- sion but whether it has been suffi- cient to make an appreciable in- dent on the boxoffice is a ques- tion. Perhaps the man most interested in the effect of the so-called golf urge is Harold B. Franklin, presi- dent of the Fox West Coast chain of theatres. His company oper- ates the vast majority of theatres on the coast and his observations on the subject are very poignant to the conditions existing. In a letter recently, Franklin stated at some length his conclu- sions on the effect of the golf epidemic upon show business gen- erally. “There has been a great hue and cry about miniature golf courses affecting attendance at the talking picture theatres,” said Franklin. “That is sheer nonsense. “Miniature golf is a by-product of the amusement business and as such we find it an interesting ex- periment. When the novelty-was at _ its height we ' purchased, and built several courses. We wanted to study the reaction of the public to its new hobby. “Our study has taught us just this: Miniature golf is dependent upon novelty and weather. The first courses, ordinary in construc- tion and with few hazards, flat and uninteresting, are already being deserted by the public and prac- tically are abandoned by their owners. “The new and beautiful courses, costing thousands, are being pat- ronized by the youngsters in the daytime and by their elders at night, dependent upon weather. “Personally, I believe miniature golf will have more than a short life. I believe that the smart course owners will take care of drainage and protection of their patrons when winter comes in California, but as far as its being a serious menace to the success of motion picture theatres, that is bosh. “Miniature golf is a good thing. Anything that keeps a mind active and clean is good. “Fox West Coast Theatres op- erate more than 500 theatres be- tween Canada and Mexico, the Pacific ocean and the Mississippi river, and I am sure we can prove by statistics that there are a thou- sand people comfortably seated in a talking picture theatre to every one that patronizes miniature golf. “Miniature golf is not a hazard to show business. It is a by- product and, not a very good one, at that. We are interested. We will continue to be just as long as the public finds interest in golf. “When the time comes that we find golf is growing, instead of decreasing, as it is, we will enter golf seriously. Right now, the mo- tion picture industry has nothing to fear from miniature golf.” LAZARUS TAKES STRAND HOUSE Strand Theatre, Long Beach, has been taken over by Lazarus- Vinnicoff, who operates a chain of houses in this territory. Frank H. Johnson, resident manager, announces a straight policy of five acts of independent vaude and first run independent pictures, with a weekly change. The house is running a 15-cent bargain matinee from 1 to 1:15 and is lining them up and down the pike. It is reported to have the only free theatre parking concession in that city. Twelve thousand dol- lars has been spent for a complete new installation of the latest Western Electric .sound equip- ment. A “Strand Theatre Candy Bar” has been placed on sale in the beach city, with two free tickets in each box. Off-Time Tap Is Bug-a-Boo Of Song Team “Off Rhythm” dancing is on the wane. The tricked up tap routines are clever and diffi- cult to execute; but to the un- trained ear of the average audience, the dancer seems to be out of time. Popular harmony singing teams shy away from minor key arrangements because the average layman thinks that > they are off key when they drift into a minor chorus. The same goes for the “off rhythm” dancing, created by the colored hoofer. The tricky time tapping has been enjoy- ing a prolonged run, and the studios have been mopping up with instructions to the pro- fessional dancers. Among the exponents of “off rhythm” are Jack Lester, who formerly was with Larry Ce- ballos; and Ed Chaney, Fan- chon and Marco dancer. WARNERS WIN RACE FOR SITE Permission has been granted for a new theatre to be erected on the corner of Wilshire and Western for Warner Brothers. For many years, there has been a scramble for this corner on the part of Fox, Orpheum and others who realized the desirability of a theatre in the Wilshire district. The location has been long kept under zoning restriction. The dif- ficulty of the Windsor Square Theatre to run regular profes- sional performances in the face of protests has kept the big ones from taking the risk; Warner Brothers, however, were able to secure the permit for the owner, Marie J. Pellissier, and a $2,000,000 office building and theatre will immediately start into construction. WOOLF SELLS PLAY Edgar Allan Woolf, at present engaged as writer for First Na- tional Studios, has received word from David Belasco that “Argen- tina,” the play he completed be- fore coming to Hollywood, will shortly make its appearance on Broadway, featuring a new star. The play was originally intended for Lenore Ulric. “LYSISTRATA” SLATED “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes is slated to follow Pauline Fredericks in “The Crimson Hour” at the Belasco. There will be 83 in the cast, according to the information. Fanchon and Marco have signed “Miss Universe” who won the title at a recent beauty contest and also 10 other beauties who will be presented in an Idea typify- ing the most beautiful women in the world. BROOKLYN HIT According to advice received from Brooklyn, N. Y., “Gentleman Al” Lyons is making good in an- other tough spot. The Fox Brook- lyn Theatre has, for a long time, been a problem for baton wield- ers. Brooklyn has tried all .kinds of masters, but it appears that they have finally hit the bull’s-eye with Lyons. Billed as the “Aristocrat of Mu- sic,” he is slowly but surely cap- turing the hearts of Brooklyn theatregoers. ADDED TO “WHISPERS” DeWitt Jennings has been added to the cast of Roland West’s pro- duction for United Artists, “The Bat Whispers,” featuring Chester Morris. WILLS STUDIO PLANS CLASSES Summer classes at the' Wills Studio of Stage Dancing in Hol- lywood will continue throughout August up to and including Tues- day evening. September 2. Original plans at the school were to discontinue summer classes during the third week of August, but the enrollments have been so heavy, with the attendance con- stantly increasing, that Wills de- cided to continue the summer classes up to the first week in September. Fall classes will commence Wednesday afternoon, September 3. These will include instructions in tap, acrobatic, soft shoe, eccen- tric, waltz clog, musical comedy and ballet. Wills’ assistants for the coming fall season will be Buddy Eson in charge of the ballet, semi-ballet, and musical comedy divisions, and William Ritchey will be chief in- structor in acrobatic, soft shoe and tap courses. The entire school will be personally supervised by Wills. At The Primaries "--AUGUST 26th— RE-ELECT For Judge of the Superior Court HUGH j. CRAWFORD “The Golden Rule Judge” A member of the Los Angeles County Bar for the past 45 years Ten years a Judge of the Justice Court in Los Ange- les City Five years on the Superior Court Bench in Los Ange- les County Loved and respected by thousands of Los Angeles men atid women in all walks of life Mason — Shriner — Elk — Moose — Knight of Pythias —■ Eastern Star TO OFFICE No. 8 A PROVEN FRIEND TO STAGE AND SCREEN