Inside facts of stage and screen (October 11, 1930)

OCT. 11, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE NINE Herman Fisher Takes Place at Meyer Synchro Fulfilling need on the part of the producers for expert sound and ac- oustic advice, Abe Meyer, head of the Meyer Synchronizing Service, Ltd., has added to his organization, Dr. Herman Fisher, well known German Acoustic Engineer who has invented, among other things, a mu- sical instrument based upon a new acoustic principle. The instrument is called the Marvo-lin, and the tone quality is a combination of that of a violin and cello, utilizing a single metal string and has as its basic princi- ple, a vertical vibration against the bridge instead of the usual hori- zontal vibration. Mr. Meyer has completed record- ing tests which have demonstrated the unusual tone and volume of the instrument offering splendid repro- duction. MARTS NEW PLAY Alice Pike Barney’s “The Cour- tesan of Rome,” begins a nine day’s engagement at Theatre Mart, Oct. 14, under direction of Francis Jo- sef Hickson. AL GREEN RETURNS Alfred Green, W. B. director, has returned to Hollywood after attend- ing the New York premiere of his latest release, “Old English.” WORK RETURNS Cliff Work, western manager of RKO theatres on the coast, re- turned from a trip to Salt Lake City this week. AGAIN AT SEA George O’Brien, returns to the navy in his next picture, “The Seas Beneath” by Dudley Nichols and William Collier, Sr. Aviator Detour Message Send From Universal Physical position of Univer- sal lot, surrounded by hills, causes airplane noises to in- terfere with sound picture making more than at other studios. Hills, it seems, act as a sounding board, amplify- ing motor noises of planes 1500 feet high. Latest attempt to control situation is to station two men with field glasses and phones at extremities of the lot. When a plane is sighted, number is obtained, and the scout phones the U. S. Cham- ber of Commerce to obtain information as to which hangar the plane has for its home base. Hangar is then phoned, where name of aviator and his destination is obtained. U then telegraphs the flyer as follows: “Probably you are unaware of damage caused by your flying over Universal studios. Although you complied with government regulations, due to our geographic location the noise from your plane made recording impossible. If you can conveniently de- tour our property on your re- turn trip it will be much ap- preciated.” Gracie Fields, English come- dienne, is held over for a second week at R-K-O Keith Palace The- atre. Miss Fields introduces a repertoire of special song numbers, the type invariably associated with the English music hall artiste. ♦ * * Billy Caryll and Hilda Mundy are an English comedy team recent- ly imported for R-K-O vaudeville. They opened in Long Island thea- tres last week. * * * Two acts, prime favorites of many seasons’ standing in major vaudeville, returned to the R-K-O fold this week. Jim Toney, the elongated, bald-headed comic, who for a score of years was associated with Ann Norman, is back again, but this time he is bringing three as- sistants, including Miss Ray Davis, recently of Broadway musicals. The other favorite act is Florence Tempest and Homer Dickenson, who have been a team for the last six or seven years. * * * Olsen and Johnson, looniest and funniest of laugh-provoking luna- tics, are back on RKO stages after finishing two talkies on the west coast. They opened last week in Cincinnati. * * * Clayton, Jackson and Durante are hoopin’ it up at the RKO Keith’s Palace Theatre, New York. * * * Chic York and Rose King, with their company of four, continue about New York theatres for awhile before hitting the long, long trail of their vaudeville bookings. ♦ * * Marie Burke, prima donna, and Nat Ayres, composer-humorist, have formed a vaudeville partnership and are introducing a novel bit of enter- taining called “A Song Humoresque at the Piano.” Phil Rich, with a company of four, is also presenting a new act on RKO stages, called “The Substitute.” * * * Kay Kyser and his orchestra, who are N.B.C. and Victor recording ar- tists, have come into RKO Vaude- ville during the last week. * * * Frank Masters and Don Gautier, with the Four Queens of Rhythm, are presenting a new song, dance and comedy act in major vaudeville. ♦ * * Joe Bennett and a small company are offering a comedy singing skit, called “Any Place, Any Time, Any- where.” * * * Four Marx Brothers, with their big company, are breaking box- office records in New York RKO theatres. * * * Ann Pennington, diminutive dance star of musical comedies and the screen, continues her RKO en- gagements in New York. * * * Joe Wilton and Rex Weber, vocal illusionists, who last toured the RKO Circuit at the head of “The Dixie Follies,” a company of talented youngsters from the South, have started another tour. * * * “Frivolities.” a diversion of song and dance, with a company of eight, is another new act for RKO the- atres. -Loretta Gray, the Hapke Twins and Claire and Carl Gray , are featured. NEW PRESS AGENT FOR RKO THEATRES SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 9.— Cliff Work has appointed Charlie Leonard publicity director for the three RKO houses of the Bay dis- trict, Orpheum and Golden Gate here, and the Orpheum in Oakland. With Leonard’s appointment, Frank Percy is out of the Orpheum p. a. job. Arvid Erickson, former Golden Gate press chieftain, has left for Tacoma, where he took over management of the Orpheum. Leonard is from Chicago. He will headquarter at the local Or- pheum. DIX A CHIEF Forty Osage Indians, headed by Chief Big Tree, who appeared in RKO Radio Pictures’ “Cimarron,” inducted Richard Dix into the clan at an elaborate ceremony staged at RKO ranch. mXrSCHEK TO EDIT Archie Marschek will edit Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey’s next RKO Radio Pictures’ comedy, “Hook, Line and Sinker.” FULTON TOURS Merideth E. Fulton, director of the Fashion Features Studios, Inc., left last week for an extended tour of the Black Hills country in South Dakota. HOT REMARK FOR MAN AT CONSOLE Churches might appoint publicity men to look after their advertising stunts. Walter Meems tells a good one about a banner he saw floating over a local gospel place. Across the top was the question, “Do You Know What Hell Is” and under- neath was found the mislead- ing reply, “Come In Tonight and Hear Our New Organist.” DENVER SPOT-NEWS Representative L. C. “DUSTY” RHODES 1411 Seventeenth St. TAbor 9901 DENVER, Oct. 9.—Work starts about October 10 on the new million and a half dollar Orpheum theatre. Plans call for completion of this house by next September, leaving Den- ver without Orpheum circuit vaudeville this season. * * * Denham Theatre, long the home of popular stock compan- ies here, will not reopen this season, leaving only the Em- press and Broadway theatres to furnish dramatic fare for the town. * * * With the closing October 1 of the Tabor Grand Theatre, Denver has only one house offering stage pre- sentations. It’s the Denver, offer- ing New York produced Publix units along with the Denver Grande Orchestra, a band of fifteen men, Fred Schmidt, conducting. * * * Rube Milton of the Rivoli is not worrying much about competition from the baby golf courses here, as he has opened a beautiful 18-hole course in the basement of his the- atre, which is playing to capacity business. He gives a free ticket for one game of golf with each paid admission, and the experiment has proven quite successful. A novel idea in these parts. * * * The Empress theatre, long dark, has reopened with “The National Producing Co.” pre- senting legitimate plays with a complete cast of Metropolitan players. “East Lynne,” was the offering last week, and busi- ness seemed fair. ♦ * * Neighborhood houses around the city continue to do excellent busi- ness, practically all being wired and offering good second run pictures with comedies and short subjects. All have their established trade and there is little variation in receipts throughout the year. * * * Theatre managers having just got rid of night baseball, now have night football to contend with, the University of Denver having wired the stadium for a game each Sat- urday night. * * * With cold weather coming on, it looks like the doom of the outdoor baby golf courses, of which there are about 56 in Denver. Interest in this sort of amusement is on the wane here, and boxoffice receipts should pick up considerably with the passing of the craze. There are only five indoor courses in operation at present, and these expect to do capacity this winter. * * * Jackie and Jean, a pair of good- looking young fern organists, are the only “in the flesh” entertain- ment at the new Public 2400-seater. The duo turns loose some nifty mu- sic on the giant twin organs. Busi- ness has been good at this house since opening five weeks ago on a straight pic basis. MURRAY IN “SHOTS” John T. Murray has just com- pleted the role of master of ceremo- nies in the all talking screen snap- shots issue Number 2, directed by Ralph B. Staub for Columbia re- lease. ON UNFAIR LIST Rialto and Broadway Theatres, both grind houses, have been placed on the unfair list by the operator’s union and affiliated amusement federations. PINEAU & HOWSE THEATRICAL STAGE LIGHTING CO. 6720 SUNSET HOLLYWOOD, CAL. PHONE GLadstone 8364 JANET MALBON STUDIO OF ALLIED ARTS VOICE—PIANO—DRAMATICS Art Programs Routine for Variety Artists. To accommodate the profession Miniature Grands and Bungalow Uprights are for sale or rent. Students Prepared for Stage and Screen Placed When Qualified GENE DAVE WE ARE MOVING TO 1451 VENICE BLVD. COR. OF ARAPAHOE ST. O BLK WIST OF HOOVER) _IN MUCH BIGGER, NEWER 5 BETTER QUARTERS AND OUR PHONE NUMBER WILL BE FItzroy 1241 WE'LL BE {EEIN Y0U : 26 r j WRITE FOR GELATINE SAMPLE BOOK 1347.49 W. WASHINGTON ST. LOS ANGELES, CALIF. SCENERY SALES RENTALS COMPLETE STAGE EQUIPMENT J. D. MARTIN STUDIOS STAGE PRODUCTIONS PRESENTATION SETTINGS FABRICS—RIGGING—SCREENS 4110-18 Sunset Boulevard HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA OL. 1101