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

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE FIVE In Hollywood-Now By BUD MURRAY A WOW—and HOW at the “Masquers’ Mess,” held at Hoot Gib- son’s Ranch Sunday and it was the most enjoyable day we have spent in some time, just like the good old “Elks’ ” chowders on Long Island, and “Boys were Boys,” and we hope you will forgive the writer if he raves too much about what a social success this was—The proceedings were opened by George Olsen and his Band marching across the field about 11 a. m., and they deserve much THANKS after being at Olsen’s Club the nite before—The Harlequin, Mitchell Lewis, started off the opening baseball game between the “Lay-off vs. Stars” and in the midst of the game Archie Mayo walked into the stand with a stein of beer, and the game broke up—they had tapped the barrels—umm-yummm— and from them on—How do you do. We noticed many old pals and friends whom we haven’t seen in years and amongst them—Robert McGowan who directs “Our Gang” comedies—Ralph and John Ince—Fatty Arbuckle—Jack Mulhall—Glenn Tyron—Walter Hiers—Edward Earle—Jimmy Gleason and Russell Gleason—Ed Breese—Dick Carle—Fred Santley—Tyler Brooks—Jerry Hoffman of the Examiner—Harry Joe Brown—Ricardo Cortez—Bobby Vernon and a few who were our bosses or we were theirs or what have you—Noticed our dear friend, Georgie Harris, whom we worked with in “Oh, Susanna”—Georgie was selling peanuts and cigars and athletic straps—Charley Judels, our Winter Garden stand-by, playing the wheel—Cap Irving O’Hay with Passing Show of 1921—Cap was testing the beer—Lew Cody pulling into the Ranch a little late but having a great time—Bobby Vernon trying out his “Razzer”—Hank Mann giving out his “photos” at the Barbecue—Frank Whalen run- ning the plate game—we fell—Our friend, Doc Mace, meeting up with Sheriff Traeger having a great time—Doc met many old timers—Paul Gerard Smith, the black-out king, reading a magazine in the corner— Billy Sullivan trying to get the colored band HOT—Harry Joe Brown making a great host and passing the beer around—Which held out all day, which is not usually the case. Ernie Hilliard losing five athletic events before winning the three- legged race and then he had to have Tom McDonald aid him—and was carried off the field—Bob Armstrong making the weirdest throws to third and home—Ricardo Cortez “muffing” a fly in right field—Lew Cody doubling up with laughs at the game—Dell Henderson winning the Fat Men’s Race—Right in the midst of the ceremonies two ladies accidentally got into the ranch and you never saw ladies “rousted” off a field as quickly as these two were—This was strictly STAG and great—so you see you can have plenty of fun without the ladies—but not for long—Roger Gray doing the “catching” for the LAY OFFS— smoking a pipe at the same time—It reminded us of the days when we were in stock with Roger in Johnston, Pa., back about 17 years ago, and we played “MIDNITE BASKETBALL” for a barrel of beer—Rog looked the same. We met a man we haven’t seen in IS years—Dr. Louis Stern, who used to be the Equity Doctor for at least 12 years—the Dr. is In Hol- lywood—Now—taking a well-earned rest—Bob Lee getting a homer (they walked him)—and so, tolerant readers, I could go on for days telling about the marvelous things that we did—The Beer and the Barbecue were delicious—All these prominent actors and directors play- ing like boys in the glorious sun—and it was just great—real com- radeship and we think that Hoot Gibson, who flew in late, should get a big vote of Thanks—and special credit given to—everyone who actually worked—for it ran so smoothly—not a hitch or an argument— and a GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL—and all this IN HOL- LYWOOD—NOW. To the Olympic Fights Tuesday and entering the sports arena noticed lined up against the wall three good “Song” exploitation men, Benny Berman, of Brown, DeSylva & Henderson; “Tubby” Garron, a real old time singer of songs, and Herman _ Schenck, a regular man- ager of “song firms”—See Charley Murray right in the first row—and even though the club discontinued the free Ladies’ Nite, noticed several old bosses and friends with their wives, including Mr. and Mrs. Mack- lin Megley, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gribbon, Mr. and Mrs. Sid Algier, and Doc and Mrs. Mace and their cute daughter, Tut Mace (our pupil), and what a dancer—Ray Hallor, a brother Masquer, and our old friend “Doc” Kearns in “Frank & Ernest” conversation—and they are all in HOLLYWOOD NOW. We were inveigled into another miniature golf course owned and operated by Wm. Seiter, well known picture director—and walked around (didn’t play), and gabbed with our old friend Gus Shy, former star of “Good News,” “New Moon” and many others—Laura La Plante (Mrs. Wm. Seiter), our pupil, playing with her husband—A1 Cohen almost coaxed us to go ’round—Mervyn Le Roy, F. N. director, and Harold Atteridge, who has written all the Winter Garden shows—now re-writing “Oh Susanna,” for a fall opening—Joe, head man at Henry’s, left the “beanery” for a round—and we just looked on trying to see why this new Nite racket is such a strange fascinating pastime—when one sees such a beautiful layout as Wm. Seiter has—there is some incentive—even in HOLLYWOOD. On the Boulevard in front of the Roosevelt Hotel at 2 p. m. Arthur Caeser in riding breeches—do they ride horses in the Roosevelt now? —Also on the boulevard gabbed with Clarence Muse, that favorite col- ored comedian singer now singing every a. m. at KTM—Clarence in- vited us up some a. m.—7 a. m. to be exact—WOW—what an hour— IN HOLLYWOOD. Dropped into Pantages Hollywood Theatre to give a last “look-see” at our “California Sunbeams,” who left this week for their 40 week tour and ran into our old pal Walter Wills whom we did stock work with in 1912—Walter was head funny-man and we were just a “Util- ity scrub”—but those were the days and here we are in Hollywood now and Walter runs a darn good dancing school, too—IN HOLLY- WOOD NOW. Then the next day to Brown Derby for lunch and we noticed Hal Horne (alone)—we notice very often “The Unholy Three” have been separated—the other two, Will King and John Medbury, were seen later that evening without Hal—Ballard McDonald, whom we _ worked with on Texas Guinan’s Padlocks of 1927 in N. Y.—Ballard just got in from the big town—flew both ways to be back on the Paramount lot—A few minutes gabbing with our dear friend, Noah Beery, who is one of the most charming gentlemen in Hollywood and yet such a “dyed-in-the-wool” villain on the screen—A few minutes with a most charming girl, Jean Harlow (our pupil), who tells us “goo-bye,” going to NOO YAWK and promising to return real soon—then for a visit with our protege and pupil Sylvia Shore, who is now featured with “Modes” idea at Pantages—Sylvia is another sweet girl and very grate- ful and appreciative, and they are IN HOLLYWOOD NOW. To Tom Gallery’s fights Friday—Tom again proved that if you give the paying public a show they will come in—and so this week it was a bad house and the reason was a bad show—but still we noticed a few of the regular weekly patrons including Mr. and Mrs. A1 Jolson and right alongside Harry Wardell, gabbing with Johnny Donnelly— Larry Ceballos, whom we trouped with in 1912 in “The Whirl of So- ciety,” a Winter Garden show in which A1 Jolson was the star, and all in HOLLYWOOD NOW—Alex Carr right in the front row—you know who made Potash and Perlmutter famous—yes, it was Alex— our old friend, Edgar Allen Woolf, one of Broadway’s most popular hosts and writers, whom we worked with in “Le Maire’s Affairs”— A1 Herman, without his polo shirt, still resting IN HOLLYWOOD—A couple of Chicago pals, Sid Gary, a real ballad singer who can hoof, too, and B.B.B. gagging all evening. Then for a “snack” in Henry’s, and a few words with Jerry Hoff- man, who likes “wise-cracks”—but don’t say to Jerry, “Listen, have you heard the one ‘Frisco’ pulled”—This line is now getting in Jerry’s hair—and he doesn’t like large cigars either—and we also were notified by “The Dummy Newsboy” that he has just finished his picture, and Jack Oakie was in it, too—now that the Dummy is back on the job he has fired four boys taking his place—Dave Kay just back from Noo Yawk with a load of fresh diamonds—in business for himself at Roose- velt—Slim Martin “snacking it up—This genial m. c. is the pleasantest of his type—and a peach of a musician—A few more darn good Maestros dropping in—Ben Bernie, who “maestroes” at the Roosevelt, and that California boy, Abe Lyman, at Carthay Circle Theatre, and good people, that is our psalm for this week’s who’s who in Holly- wood NOW. To a Performer “Front*’ Is Everything! HIGH CLASS BARBERS Assisted by Miss Audrey, Manicurist Offer You the Ultimate in Service Lincoln Bldg. Barber Shop 742 South Hill St. (Across From Herbert’s) Phone • MAd. 3703 Sensible - Regular - Prices MAJESTIC TO OPEN SEPT. 1 The Majestic Theatre is being entirely remodeled and will open September 1, by the American Theatres, Ltd., a corporation of business men who also operate the Spreckles Theatre in San Diego. Both houses will be under the general management of Mike New- man, formerly manager for Sid Grauman and other local the- atres. The house will operate upon a 25-35-50-cent policy and will be devoted to second run Warner Bros, and First National product. William Jenner, formerly man- ager for Harry Langdon, will be resident manager. The offices will be opened in the Majestic The- atre building in two weeks. BEBE RE-SIGNS Bebe Daniels will continue as an RKO star. Last week she was signed on a term contract and will appear only in two special productions a year. Miss Daniels has already appeared in five RKO specials. Film Row Cuttings By THE ROUNDER Frankie and Jimmie Gallagher, two little tykes, 9 and 7 years old, are working a racket along film row that shows them to be prom- ising financial geniuses in the making. They have a little mut dog that sits up, walks on his hind legs and jumps at command. The dog is trained to do one trick at a time. The kiddies go into the exchanges and offer to have the purp do a trick for a nickel. It is usually forthcoming and the dog does one trick but refuses to do another until another nickel is contributed. After the three tricks are ac- complished a fourth nickel is col- lected and the dog starts over his repertoire again. They have been cleaning up—and so have the ice cream joints for as soon as a haul is made the kids rush to the blow- out, not forgetting a cone for the hound. * * Elmer Benjamin is wondering what’s going to happen to Sono- Art now that Cruze goes to Tif- fany. He doesn’t care about him- self. * * * Jack Elliott and Bill Blackburn can write an encyclopedia of the show business. Once this pair gets started reminiscing they dig up enough yesterdays to gladden the hearts of the old timers. When their new screen gets into produc- tion they expect to head the film row colony—financially. * * =R J. H. Goldberg, general sales manager for Columbia, arrived here by plane to attend the mo- tion picture trial. He was with West Coast in ’27 and has been called as a witness. LEO LE BLANC • Midwest Traveling Production Rep. For FANCHON and MARCO* You’ve Been • Wonderful To Us • LEO* For Your • Co-operation • Your Thoughtfulness • WE THANK YOU! MRS. EDDIE PEABODY EDDIE PEABODY AND (THE BANJO BOY OF JOYLAND) His Personal Manager