Inside facts of stage and screen (September 27, 1930)

PAGE SIX INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SEPT. 27, 1930 Published Every Saturday One Year - - - - - $4.00 Foreign ------ $5.00 Advertising Rates on Application PUY BUREAU MAKES DEBUT IN NEW YORK Established 1924 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 President and Editor ARTHUR WM. GREEN - - - - Vice Pres, and Counsel JEAN ARMAND - - - General Manager LOU JACOBS Associate Editor Vol. XII Saturday, September 27, 1930 No. 13 UNIQUE SHOP IS SCREEN CHARITY One of the most unique shops in all the world is the Screen Stars Shop, conducted under auspices of the Motion Picture Relief Fund at 1614 Cahunga Avenue, in Hollywood. It is the pet charity of Mary Pickford and other leaders of the motion picture industry, whose stock of stage and street ward- robe, comprised its chief merchandise. The almost new wardrobe of the stars, both men and women, is donated by them in order that the small part player and the extra people may be well dressed for the street at the least possible expense. The stock is also availabl to the general public, and has been operating to big money returns for nearly seven months. . Among the unique things offered for sale, are autographed books and pictures, bric-a-brac, furnishings as well as wearing apparel. A side line of stockings and sox is maintained, along with a line of dolls and gifts for Christmas buyers. A popular line is the autographed playing cards, supplied by some of the most noted screen players. There is a splendid line of costume jewelry, and a friend of Douglas Fairbanks donated a large line of Mexican novelties, including gold and silver jewelry,, dolls, baskets, pottery and other specimens of the handiwork of the natives of our sister republic. Money taken is for the benefit of the Motion Picture Relief Fund. This fund was organized by Mary Pickford six years ago when she was president. Jack D. Warner of Warner Bros, succeeded Miss Pickford. The fund assists destitute actors, and cares for them free of charge when they are ill or disabled at the Windsor Hospital, Glendale. And when players die destitute, they are buried at the Fund’s expense. ’ Among the players, who have donated to the Screen Stars Shop, are Mary Pickford, Mae Murray, Vivian Banky, Bessie Love, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Moreno, Ruth Stonehouse, Mrs. Jack Pickford, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Torrence, Ronald Coleman, Jack Gilbert, Douglas Fairbanks and many others. A new ,play bureau makes its debut in New York City this week under the name of General Play Company, wth offices at SSI Fifth Avenue. Mr. Rudolph Eissenberg, well-known in theatricals and coun- selor-at-law, is manager. Not only will the firm act as play brokers and authors’ representatives for well-known stage and screen writ- ers, ut also as developers of new material. It already has under exclusive contract such authors as H. Grat- tan Donnelly, author of “Darkest Russia,” famous stage and screen play; “The End of the Road,” a successful motion picture, starring May Allison; C. Hapsburg Liebe, fiction writer and author of “Bill Appearson’s Boy,” starring Jack Pickford, and “Trimmed,” starring Hoot Gibson; Lowell Ames Norris, well-known novelist and author of detective stories and several other writers, who are now completing material for early production. General Play Company is also releasing “The Pay-Off,” formerly known as “Philadelphia,” a Broad- way play, that has enjoyed more than 20 weeks run all over the country, written by Samual John Park, author of Helen Menken’s latest vehicle, “Lily White.” John P. Hopkins, motion picture director, formerly with Lubin, Fox and other companies, is in charge of the motion picture department. Charles E. Wagner, well-known writer and former theatrical man- ager, will have charge of the pub- lication departmet. Ernest E. Pol- lock, well-known stage director for “The Bat” and several other suc- cessful Broadway plays, will have charge of the Broadway play de- partment. Manuscripts with ideas suitable for Broadway productions will be considered and should be addressed to the play reading department. Samual John Park, the well-known dramatist and stage director, will be in charge of this new depart- ment. Short Shots At the News EXPLOITER WINS NEW LAURELS Never before in the history of show business have ex- ploitation men and managers had to battle different forms of competition as they have in the past year. Result of it is that the exploiters, or the managers, who understand and assume exploitation, have not only had plenty to do, but have gone up in the esteem of the big executives to a plane they hitherto had failed to reach. Some of them have been able to boost their salaries accord- ingly, but most of them have been told that, due tO' the heavy competition, they must wait until business is better. Latest theatrical bug-a-boo is football season, always a shock to the box office, but this year threatening to be more of a sock than ever, due to the increased public favor aroused by the games. There also is night football this year, with the smaller colleges gutting in the players. In recent months, theatre exploiters have had to offset, as best they could, the golf panic, nocturnal baseball, marathon dances, municipal pageants, and plenty of flash openings of privately owned business endeavors. Recent infantile paraly- sis ban in Los Angeles also put the exploiter on his mettle to fill the vacant seats. AND SOME LOSE LAURELS And on the other hand. Some press agents show their talent, or their wisdom, by hiring capable assistans, that they, the head of the department may bask in the limelight of a subordinate’s accomplishment, doing nothing themselves except their own personal exploita tion, done verbally in the boss’ office. One studio press department chief recently pulled a hot one. He said, “Press agents are a lot of bunk. I won’t permit any of our stars to have a personal press agent. We sell our firm’s product, without allowing actors to become too great. Stars don’t bring in the money. It’s the good will of the prod- uct that gets the business. Stars, who publicize themselves, hurt our businsss.” In like vein, he continued. “Trade papers don’t do any good. They keep exhibitors from buying pictures. They never help sell one. They print too much stuff that should never be made known.’’ HGHTS DAY SAVINGS DENNY WITH NAVY FRESNO, Sept. 25 — Commis- sioners of this city attacked the proposal that California adopt day- light savings, and at a meeting this week unanimously voted to fight the measure. Reginald Denny will play oppos- ite Mary Pickford in “Kiki.” Denny won the coveted role in competition wth more than a dozen personali- ties of the screen and stage. Barbara Stanwyck, Columbia player, was slightly injured while working in a picture at Columbia Studios early this week. * * * In a suit filed by Jesse James, Jr. for $9400 against estate of the late Fred C. Thompson, and the Para- mount Famous Lasky Corporation, Judge Fletcher Bowron this week non-suited the case. * * * June Marlowe and Armour Mar- lowe, her brother, were named de- fendants in a suit for $5,076.50 dam- ages brought by Harry M. Oviatt, in superior court. Automobile acci- dent. Wife of William R. Fox, sound engineer at Metropolitan Studio, was missing, according to report on file with local police. Mrs. Fox was a former secretary to Jeannie MacPherson, scenarist. * ♦ * Mrs. Renaldo Duncan, former wife of the young film actor, is de- manding $50,000 damages from Ed- wina Booth, film actress and former wife of Anthony G. Schuck, charg- ing theft of actor’s love. ♦ ^ * 'Charging her husband with cruelty, Eileen Percy Busch, wife of Ulrich B. Busch, production m.ana.ger of a film company, yester- day brought suit for divorce in Superior Court. ♦ ♦ * Nine cowboys and Indians of the Paramount Fighting Caravan Com- oany were taken to Sonora Hospital, suffering injuries received when they fell from or were kicked by horses during the filming of an at- tack upon a freight caravan. sK ^ Yvette, prologue songstress, who recently completed an extensive tour of Publix houses on the coast, was engaged bv Harry Gourfain to open in the “Revue Moderne” at the Paramount, Los Angeles, October 2nd. Barbara Kent, screen actiess, was freed of hit and run charges grow- ing out of an automobile collision. TEL-A-PHONEY JAMES MADISON Hello, D. W. Griffith. Hello, James Madison. What is your opinion of minia- ture golf? “Birth of a Notion.” Hello, Col. Sam Behrendt. Hello, James Madison. I understand the prohibition forces are employing a 300- pound female under-cover agent. A Federal ‘truck.’ Hello, Pauline Frederick. Hello, James Madison. What do you think about Co- nan Doyle’s expected spiritual message? It’s a lucky thing Doyle wasn’t Scotch, else his message would no doubt come ‘Collect.’ Hello, Johnny Arthur. Hello, James Madison. What’s wrong with real es- tate? Too many brokers who are li- censed are also lie-sensed. Hello, Carla Torney. Hello, James Madison. Some folks are still building golf courses. They are the same guys who would buy ammunition after the armistice is signed. Hello,'Jimmie Rolph. Hello, James Madison. The Democrats have a dry plank in their platform. Yeah, but who the hell is go- ing to walk it? Hello, Mrs. Ruth McCormick. Hello, James Madison. What sort of dancing is Sena- tor’s Nye investigating commit- tee best equipped for? ‘Tap’ dancing. Hello, Lou Anger. Hello, James Madison. What is the Methodist Epis- copal church doing to abolish war? They are trying to get rid of ‘Canon.’ SNACKS oS FACTS Art Varian trying to get his name spelled right . . . and all flopped up over the opening of the Swagger Inn . . . Phil Lampkin and Babe Kane announcing their engagement . . . and happy . . . and how Esther Luthey collecting music . . . Ruby Berry calling her mother from Salt Lake ... Jean Reynolds talking to Lillian Albertson . . . hope she gets the job . . Alice Goodwin listening to tryouts . . . Art Schwartz and Artie Mehlinger plugging their tunes over KFWB . . . and wise- cracking . . . Abe Sugarman selling Fanchon an act . . . for Lyons and Lyons . . . Isabel Gillie giving us the ten best ... in many things . . . with herself being nominated, privately, in the ace spot. Dan Michaud making a new arrangement ... of music we mean . . Dudley Chambers trying to teach The Rounders ten songs in one hour . . . and succeeding , . . Harry Gourfain getting his new show ready . . . George Wagner playing golf ... but he’s a good song writer . . . Alice Hallett chasing through the Majectic Building . . . she knows her sharps and flats . . . Bob Coulling dropping a line . . . Good luck, Bob ... the sooner we see you the better, . . . Jules Buffano playing his new song . . . “thanks for the buggyride” . . . Gladys Kramer croon- ing songs at the Newberry music counter . . . she’s cute too Leonard Stevens holding down two jobs . . . pnd looking a little dreamy-eyed . . . maybe another dream song. Eh Leonard? . . . Bet he’d trade one of the jobs for a good night’s sleep . . . Ollie Hamer . . . any relation . . . yes, no? . . . going into Loew’s State and looking like the proverbial million . . . even to a compliment from Joe Comblatt . . . Rose Valyda springing a surprise on an unsuspecting news gatherer . . . by unleashing some real Parisian French . . . Miss Belett the same ._ . . the duo backstage pouring over the interesting volume of Josephine between giggles . . . Henry the stage door guardian dis- dosing quite a knowledge of the old dramatic stage . . . and a com- )rehensive one too. Henry is the gentleman who made a palace of the dressing rooms >ackstage of the Warfield . . . Beloved by all in his efforts to make life happy to principals and line . . . Carla Torney hatless ... but even so, more charming than ever . . . chatting to this scribe . . . enthusing about her girls and the world in general . . . Johnny Pierce . . . who staged some of the numbers in Varietrix . . . leaving for New York, with that great kidder Harry Harris .... who, together with Earl La Vere, were trying to inveigle us to make a foursome .... tor a game of miniature gold ... the same trio backstage in Hollywood hunting for the guy with the tickets. Daddy Harmon .... for many years gateman at Fox Studios . . . known and loved by all the stars . . . now at Hollsrwood Pantages . . . and still winning affections ... Mrs. Johnny Candreva . . . and the baby . . . and Johnny . . . going to lunch . . . and no wonder Johnny can toot a horn with a wife and baby like that .... Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Tunrelly ... at the Paramount making friends . . and agreeing that Ollie Wallace is unsurpassed ... in many things Charlie Hill being told that the hoofer’s part in Excess Baggage was made to order for him . . and rightly so . . . for Charlie has that certain something that smacks of Broadway class . . . "The Lassiter brothers . . . hoofers of the show-stopping variety . .' . getting ready for a trip to the coast . . . and Peggy Griffin entertaining . . . with some hollering for spaghetti and not getting it . . . George Griffin, Jr., and his new Ford . . . hopping it down Hollywood Boulevard . . . MULTICOLOR STUDIO TO OPEN Multicolor, Ltd., new color-pro- cess concern controlled by Howard Hughes, is launching widespread plans to dominate the field of color photography. Claiming an all-color process su- perior to other methods, officials of Multicolor are signing contracts daily with various producing firms. According to Howard B. Lewis, general manager, the new million- dollar laboratory of Multicolor in Hollywood will be completed by Nov. 15. The new plant, employ- ing 200' men, will have a maximum capacity of 3,000,000 feet of multi- color per week. Meanwhile, the concern is oper- ating at its old location, supplying multicolor to Universal, Premier Productions, Monarch Pictures, Brown-Nagel Productions and oth- er producers now active in produc- tion. All studios have been invited to send their cameramen to the Multicolor laboratories to become acquainted with the new process. Multicolor is believed the nearest approach to natural color yet de- veloped. Nationwide expansion plans are under way, and 35 industrial labor- atories throughout the country have already been leased to turn out edu- cational and advertising films in Multicolor. ARMY TAKES STUDIO Warner Brothers’ studio in Hol- lywood will be used by tbe War Department for the training of army officers in talking picture technique during the next eight months, prior to the establishing of a government studio in Washing- ton, D. C. WRITES FOR ARLISS Booth Tarkington has completed dialogue for "The Ruling Passion,” which will Jje one of the next Vita- phone vehicles for George Arliss. LETTERS There are letters at the Los Angeles office of INSIDE FACTS for the following: BIDMEAD, Tom BRAY, Mr. R. R. FOUR Playmates Quartet FRANCO, Mr. Antone GRANSTEDT, Greta HALLET, Albert PARSONS, Ruth WARREN, Buck WOODMAN, F. T.