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

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE THREE LEGIT LIFE - SAVE MOVE MADE BABE BERNIVICI VISITS N. Y. BETTER TALKING MOVIE WEEK GETS RESPONSE FROM PUBLIC An outstanding feature of current picture business is the response the public is giving to “Better Talking Pictures” Week. Most of the theatres are doing much better box office this week than the week just past. Warner Brothers state that so far both their houses indi- cate that the business will double^' this week. They credit it to the fact that beter pictures, sans stage shows, is the reason. Their gross at the Downtown last week was $15,900 with “Scarlet Pages,” while they did that much during the first three days of “Moby Dick” now showing. Out in Hollywood they tilled $16,300 with “The Matriconial Bed,” while the Joe E. Brown opus, “Top Speed,” already has topped that with indications of doubling the figure. Paramount, with William Powell in “For the Defence,” wins the week’s prize with $25,000. The Chinese in Hollywood con- tinues to go strong with “Hell’s Angels” in its twelfth week, gross- ing $23,536. Loew’s State, with “Song o’ My Heart,” finished with $21,977, but is recovering strong with Constance Bennett in “Common Clay.” Car.thay Circle is having a little tough sledding with “Holiday,” comparatively speaking. The first week grossed $21,977—a few grand less than it deserves. Six days at the Criterion drew $19,584 for Joan Crawford in “Our Blushing Brides.” United Artists had a sad week with Cyril Maude in “Grumpy.’ It was lucky to get $11,700. In spiration’s “Eyes of the World” opens this week. At Pantages, Hollywood, Lon Chaney in “The Unholy Three” attracted $14,498. The Egyptian, with Edmund Lowe in “Good Intentions,” got $5074; while the Boulevard, play- ing Don Jose Mojica in “One Last Kiss,” box-officed $3448. Babe Bernivici, wife of the Hol- lywood orchestra leader, returned to New York this week with her mother to visit her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Benny. Bernivici, who has recently com- pleted an eight weeks’ doubling ■engagement at the Mont-Martre and Embassy clubs in Hollywood, is at present negotiating for a new spot. He recently completed a series of 16 double-faced records for Ma- jestic. CHRISTIE TO DO ‘AUNT’ TALKIE LUTHER REED, OPTIMIST Luther Reed does not be- lieve that musical talkies are in a decline. He contends that there are two kinds of musical plays—good and bad. The director, who is mak- ing Victor Herbert’s “Babes in Toyland” for RKO, be- lieves there will always be a popular., demand for well done musicals and points to the perennial Ziegfeld’s Fol- lies as an example. PLAN FIESTA SEPTEMBER 4 LA PLANTE FOR ASSESSOR William La Plante, former film executive, is a candidate for the office of assessor of Los Angeles county. La Plante knows the film industry from the business angle, and promises to regulate taxation from the production angle as far as he is able if elected. His friends in the industry are giving him whole-hearted support. ACCEPT CLIFT PLAY Word has been received by Denison Clift, playwright and staff writer-director with Paramount, ad- vising him of the acceptance for production of his latest play, “Sin Becomes Fashionable,” by an Eng- lish producer. The play, a story of sophisticates, will be staged in London this winter with an all- British cast. RKO, SAN DIEGO FOX - PANTAGES A deal has recently been closed by which West Coast Theatres ac- quire the RKO Theatre in San Diego. The house will be renamed the Fox-Pantages. This house was formerly the Pantages theatre be- fore it was sold by Pan to RKO and was always one of the most successful theatres in the southern city. It is known that Pantages has a tremendous prestige in San Di- ego with theatregoers, and no doubt; W. C. feels that in restor- ing Pantages’ name to the house it will bring back much of the clientele that has been lost. When Pantages sold the house to RKO, it was said that the lease prevented the latter from making any further disposition of the house and in the deal just negotiated, it is believed that Pan had to be consulted. This is further supported by the fact that George Pantages, man- ager of the theatre under the Pan regime, will return as manager under the new arangement. This will make the seventh thea- tre that Fox-West Coast is oper- ating in the downtown and neigh- borhood vicinities of San Diego. A1 Christie is to direct again. This decision came with the an- nounced intention of the brothers to remake “Charley’s Aunt” into a talkie. This picture was made by the Christie company several years ago with Syd Chaplin as the star and created one of the big hits of its day as a silent. A1 Christie, who, with his brother Charles, founded the motion picture industry in Hollywood back in 1911, is con- sidered one of the ace comedy di- rectors. It was his clever wield- ing of the megaphone that brought wealth and recognition to the firm. He has not directed, however, in several years. The cast announced for the new “Aunt” will include Charlie Rug- gles, borrowed from Paramount, who will assume the Chaplin role; Phillip Smalley, Lucien Littlefield and Haliwell Hobbs. F. McGrew Willis, who origin- ally adapted the story for the sil- ent version, has done the new version as well as the dialogue. PATRICOLA CAST Tom Patricola has been cast for an important role in “Children of Dreams,” replacing James Cagney. Los Angeles will celebrate its one hundred forty-ninth anniver- sary, September 4-5. The celebra- tion will take the form of of a fiesta, to be known as “La Fiesta de Los Angeles,” and will be di- rected by Phil Whiting and Ar- thur Belasco. Following the formal ceremony, the city will be turned over to the spirit of Fiesta. Street danc- ing, confetti, cascaronis, and all early Spanish and Mexican cus- toms will be observed. On the second day, a downtown street pa- rade will be held at 7:30 p. m. The section around the Plaza will be decorated with flags and banners. Hundreds of concessions will be erected in the neighbor- hood. Vendors will be in cos- tume, and booths will be decorated in Spanish and Mexican colors. Among artists appearing in the fiesta will be Mildred Costello, pupils of the Maurice Kussel school, Miguel and Alicia Morrow, Ruth Golden, Nelly Fernandez, Jose Fernandez and dancers, Ed- ward Valencia, Gertrude Kamer, Miles Marchon, Marie Carroza, Bud Mercu and Sister, and the Larry Ceballos Revue. Automobiles will be barred from the streets during the celebration. “JEWELS” IS NEXT MAYAN OPENS MUSIC REVUE IN SEPTEMBER Next offering of the Theatre Mart will be Robert Stone’s dra- ma of modern times, “Precious Jewels.” The cast, which will be all professional, will be headed by Florence Lake. She will be sup- ported by Dorothy West, Carlton King, Helene C. Hill, Alan War- dell, Bruce Tilden and Don L. Brodie. The opening will be on August 28. The play will run one week. El Capitan Theatre was the only legitimate house in town to op- erate last week. “Tea for Three,” the attraction, drew about $5500. Last Sunday, the Hollywood Play- house opened with Grant Mitchell in “The Champion.” The Bilt- more, with “Candlelight,” and the Belasco, with “It’s a Wise Child,” opens this week. Mayan Theatre is preparing to open some time in September with a revue on the lines of the New York “Vaniites.” Franklin pro- ductions, who are sponsoring the offering, have engaged LeRoy Prinz to stage the numbers. Prinz last staged the Earl Car- roll “Vanities.” He is said to be selecting 100 chorus girls. Ted Snyder is writing the music, and James Brockman the lyrics. Frank Davis has been engaged for the lead. Two comedians’ names are not announced. Production will be under the di- rection of Bill Woolfinden, recent- ly head of Pathe short subjects department. ‘IDEA’ MAKES ADD TO STAFF Fanchon and Marco are reach- ing out to secure the services of some of the leading producers of dance novelties. They have ■ announced securing LeRoy Prinz, whom they claim has been signed at a salary of $1750 per week, and it is known they are negotiating with Larry Ceballos, formerly with Warner Bros., and Sammy Lee, who produced some of the biggest dance pictures for M-G-M. If these deals are closed, F. & M. will have a trio of high-class step putters for their fall ideas. WILL HAYES SUED Congo Pictures, Ltd., producers of the _ gorilla picture “Ingagi,” filed suit in federal court against WiH H. Hays, Carl E. Milliken, Motion Picture Producers and Ditsributors, Inc., National Better Business Bureau and others, ask ing for $3,365,000 damages. PEABODY SCORES ANOTHER HIT! #9 HmMI i gK§f m - S’ v I ■ aSSl While playing the Fox St. Louis recently, during the endurance flight of O’Brien and Jackson, world record holders, Eddie was called upon by the boys to join ’em in the air and play his famous banjo. Eddie played the “St. Louis Blues” and “Rock-a-bye To Sleep in Dixie” and “Never Too Busy for You,” his new tune, return- ing to the ground to broadcast again to the boys in the air over WIL. Left: Eddie broad- casting. Right: With Shorty Chaffee, pilot of re- fueling plane. PICTURE MEN MOVE TO SAVE SPOKEN STAGE That the spoken stage must be preserved and realizing that the very existence of show business depends upon its continuance, Jesse Lasky, vice-president of Paramount, recently called other producers into a conference in New York. Believing that the extinction of the legitimate stage would be a forerunner of the fate of the talkies, a very active move has been started by the film heads to place the human drama back on its feet. Particularly in the key cities will the attention of producers be given to the in-person theatre. Productions will be sponsored by the big concerns, in cooperation with the Erlanger and Shubert circuit of theatres. The plays will be originals, either before or after filmization , and the casts will comprise tbe better names known to the stage regardless of their picture renown. The first step in the movement has been already taken by Warner Brothers, who have announced “The Devil Was Sick” and “Il- licit,” two originals slated for early screen production, will be also pre- pared for the stage. Paramount, according to the in- formation received, will not re- strict their stage productions to their screen product but will en- gage well established stage writers to create product for the theatre direct after which they will con- sider the filming. It is believed that M-G-M and Fox will shortly follow suit and join with Paramount and W. B. in a determined effort to nurse the stage back to its traditional popu- larity. LIBERTY OUTFIT SOON TO SHOOT Liberty Productions, started eight weeks ago by M. H. Hoff- man, Victor Halperin and Edward Halperin, will start shooting with- in a fortnight, it is reported. Players already signed are Jean Hersholt, Harry Langdon, H. B. Warner, Lois Wilson, Norman Kerry, May Robeson and Judith Barrie. Richard Barry is writing the adaptation, continuity and lialogue for his own play, “Davy Jones’ Locker.” George Draney and Aeneas MacKenzie, English sports- man and writer, and completing a modern version of “East Lynn.” Earl Snell is doing the script for “The Ape,” in which Harry Lang- don will be featured. Liberty plans to make twenty pictures this year, using a new wide screen development which permits the exhibitor to use stand- ard size film, and to have twenty- five distribution offices in the United States and others in South America, the Orient and Europe. Rube Wolf Is Back Rube Wolf, whose picture appears on page one of this issue, opened Thursday at Loew’s State, after an ab- sence of many months. Rube’s last engagement was a run at the Fox Theatre, Brooklyn, N. Y. Previously, he appeared for a long run at Loew’s Warfield, San Francisco. He will remain at Loew’s State indefinitely. Wolf was one of the most popular masters of ceremony around Los Angeles before going to San Francisco and the East. Fox managers usu- ally feel certain of capacity houses when Rube is on the bill. In his last appearance in Los Angeles, he was at the Seventh and Broadway house for over a year.