Inside facts of stage and screen (November 1, 1930)

PAGE TWO INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN NOV. 1, 1930 AMOS, ANDY BEAT TORRID WEATHER STOCK PLAYS ‘MILK DATES’ A new stock company, the El Camino Players, just has organized to play small towns under auspices of the Lion’s Club in each com- munity. Some of the players are from the Pasadena Community Playhouse, while others are from Stock organizations, with a pro- fessional background. Arrangement, up to date, has solved the problem of getting, the money in these days of hard times in the spoken drama. With the Lion’s Club back of the deal, sell- outs and better have been obtained for almost every engagement. For instance, in Montebello the other night, seats were sold a second time. First, the cush- ions were sold to citizens, who purchased because the right person solicited them. When the chairs went unoccupied, they were re-sold at the box office to late comers. Net proceeds, with the actors pa d first of course, goes to a milk fund for poor children in each commun- ity. Club reported not pocketing anything for its efforts. Next dates for the plavers will be Corona, La Habra and Covina. The circuit is to be extended and repeat dates are be ; ng arranged at each of the cities already booked. Among professionals in the cast are Margaret Carlisle Tupper. stock actress, who g'ves a very finished performance in the feminine lead: Ladd : e Knudson, and Sherwood Walgamott, the musician. Others, many of whom have also worked professionally, are Mary Alice Wickizer. Harold Swoverland, Wylma Entwistle, Eugart Yerian. Luella Wadsworth Vincenti and Ann Crosby. For the oresent. thev are plavinv "Engaged,” by W. S. Gilbert, which Cross Is Suing Mister Lazctrus Charles Cross and Co., fashion revue, was cancelled in the Pre- Laughlin era at Million Dollar. So-So. And stand by, Mister Lazarus, lessee of the house, and also Strand, Long Beach, once booked with Mei- klejohn, contracts subject to Mister Lazarus’ approval. Sixteen acts could hang up their wardrobe, but only five sent out their laundry. No-No. Mister Lazarus then sampled Bert Levey’s brand of vaude. But for reasons best known to Mister Laz- arus, the job of delivering talent to the Million Dollar was suddenly turned over to a Mister Curt'ss. Now enters our pal. Jack Laughlin in the Million Dollar. Dough- Dough. But Jack closed abruptly, which is Spanish for exit. Now Mister Lazarus is back taking Meikeljohn for hoofers and warblers. Every- thing Yo-Ho? When all of a sudden, Charlie Cross, the same old reliable men- tioned in first paragraph, through his attorney, Charles Summers, su-s Mister Lazarus for two weeks sal- ary. Oh-Oh. Hearing set for Nov. 3. SWAGGER PARTY Swagger Inn, popular rendezvous of vaude, legit and screen celebri- ties, located at old “Coffee Dan’s” on Hill between Seventh and Eighth Streets, staged a Hallowe’en Party, Friday, with Art Varian calling on guests for impromptu bits. has been gett : ng them over to a big hand. Harold Swoverland is busi- ness manager for the venture. Scenerv has been loaned by Pasa- dena Community Playhouse. BIG SHOTS AT PHILLY MEET Some of the bigger executives in the motion p.cture industry will be at the coming Philadelphia conven- tion of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. This meeting will be held at the Benjamin Frank- lin Hotel on Nov. 10, 11 and 12. General Smedley Butler, head of the marines, will be one of the speakers. Mayor Harry Mackey of Philadelphia will be another. George. Arllss, English actor, is listed. Governor Pii.chot of Penn- sylvania gives a definite promise to be present. Present and the future of motion picture business will be discussed by Adolph Zukor. Another expected to be present is Hiram S. Brown, president of Radio-Keith-Orpheum. Delegations from all parts of the United States and Canada will at- tend. The convention dinner w : ll be held at the Benjamin Franklin hotel, November 11. PUB HEADQUARTERS MOVE TO L. A. SAN FRANCISCO Oct. 30.— Coast d vis’onal offices of Para- mount Publix are being shifted to Los Angeles, effective November 1, in a move that takes away from San Francisco the headnuarters that have been here since Publix broke •away from West Coast operation two years ago. Ed Smith, divisional head, will center his activit'es in the Los An- geles Paramount build’ng as will A1 Ackerman, film booker. Divis- ional accounting and maintenance departments will remain in the lo- cal Paramount. Since Smitth took over Publ'x capta'ncv on the Coast several -go. he has made weeklv and semi- ” T eeklv tr’os to the southern citv Transferring of offices is a move to eliminate much the traveling FOX OFFICE MOVES SAN FR A.NCT^CO. Oct. 30 — Aud^'pc offices have h=en e°tab- 'ished in local Fox W°st Co^st hecdouarters in the W^rW'i budd- ing. C. F. Boutel. F. W. C. audi- tor, has transferred from Los An- geles to San Francsco, bringing with him a staff of assistants. STAR COMMITTED SAN FRANCISCO. Oct. 30.—A 'ompla’nt s' J bv her hu c band Tames Harrison, has Committed Laura Oral Varney, old time stage player, to Alameda County hospi- tal, where physicians pronounced her mentally unbalanced. She was one of the stars in the Ferris Hart- man opera companv at the old Tiv- oli many years ago. GUINN WITH MARION Guinn Williams has been signed for a role with Mar'on Davies in ‘The Bachelor Father” at MGM studios. PATRICK and MARSH (AGENCY) VAUDEVILLE—ORCHESTRAS WANTED! ACTS SUITABLE FOR PICTURE HOUSE PRESENTATION AND CLUBS WRITE—WIRE—CALL 607-8 Majestic Theatre Bldg., 845 South Broadway, Los Angeles Phone TUcker 2140 Walter Trask WANTS STANDARD ACTS and ENTERTAINERS for THEATRES, CLUBS. LODGES and SMAROFF-TRASK PRESENTATIONS WALTER TRASK THEATRICAL AGENCY 1102 Commercial Exchange Bldg. 416 West Eighth Street Los Angeles Telephone TUcker 1680 + A ward Ceremony Bills Will Hays Will H. Hays, president of the Motion Picture Producers and Dis- tributors of America, has accepted the invitation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to be the guest speaker at the an- nual business meeting and Awards Dinner of the Academy in the Am- bassador Hotel next Wednesday night. Hays will make a special trip to Hollywood from New York for the dinner. Conrad Nagel will preside. Program of awarding bronze statuettes to this year’s winners will feature a brief presentation ad- dress by a member of the branch of each winner. Among the awards speakers will be Lou's Mayer who will present the award to the producer of the year’s best picture. Mary Pickford has been asked to do the same for the winning actress and Lawrence Grant for the actors. TROMBONE ‘SUM’ WOW AT PANTAGES By BILLY HAMER Slim Mart’n is do'ng a mighty smart and neat bit of m.c.ing at Pantages this week. His yarns about early American history are absolutely “wowirg ’em.” He also batons the orchestra through the following musical se- lections: 1st—a medley of former hits, including “Japanese Sand- man.’ ’ “Hot L : ps,” “Naughtv Waltz,” “Tired Of Everyth : ng Mut, You” and “Avalon,” which we know brought back many memo- ries, and consequently brought forth enthusiasaic applause; 2nd— introduced Oscar Taylor, who, sang “MandaHv” for the complete satis- faction of the customers. A trip to Pantages would con- vince any critic that Slim is firmly and ponularlv entrenched as an m.c. of the first rank. SEARS IS DOUBLING Zelda Sears is being kept equally busy writing for the screen and acting for it. GROSS DOWN AS HEAT UP Exceptionally torrid weather helped to pull down some grosses, but RKO’s “Check and Double Check” at the Orpheum, in its init- ial seven-day bow, grabbed close to $33,500, leading the field. (Seats 2700. 35c-65c). Loew's (seats 2418. 35c-65c). Vaude and pics. “Love in the Rough,” $23,833. Paramount (seats 3596. 35c-65c). Vaude and pics. Nancy Carroll in “Laughter,” $21,500. Grauman’s Chinese (seats 2030. 75c-1.50 twice daily). Third week of “The B'g Trail,” $17,749. Com- ing out for “Morocco.” United Artists (seats 2100. 35c- 65). Third and last week of “Whoopee,” $17,500. Total three weeks $55,000. RKO (seats 2700. 35c-65c). Vaude and pics. $13,250. Bert Ly- tell in “Brothers.” Fox Carthay (seats 1650. 75c- $1.50, twice daily). “Just Imag- ine,” third week, $12,833. Pantages Hollywood (seats 3000. 40c-65c). “The Big Fight.” $8,- 889. Egyptian (seats 1800. 35c-65c). “Monte Carlo,” $6 810. Fox Boulevard (seats 2 300. 35c- 61-). “So This Is London,” $7,- 702. SAN FRANCISCO. Oct. 30. — Amos ’n’ Andy, with $12,000 in ad- vertising, smashed every Orpheum record with $32,000. Warfield, with “Big Trail,” $24,- 000 “Way For a Sailor” at Fox $46,000. Publ'x St. Francis, deuce week of Chevalier in “Playboy of Par's,” $11,000. Paramount with “Laugh- f er” and stage show, grabbed $17,- 500. California suffered with “Vir- tuous Sin,” $12,000. “Doorway to Hell” at Embassy, $ 6 , 000 . MOON CARROLL BUSY Moon Carroll. Engl’sh screen nlaver. has been engaged for a role ; n “Dracula,” now in production at Universal. ::>itmiiniiiifiiiiiiiiiiimiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiii!iiiiimiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiNmii!!iiimiimiiiiriiimiiiiiiiiiimiiiiii!iimmimimmiimiiiiiiiiiimuininiiimimi£ TU 4749—MU 9661 D A N C I N G Swagger Inn + + + E N T E R T A I N M E N T Art Varian Master-Ceremonies A COMPLETE LUNCH 50 Cents + + D’NNER DE LUXE 75c TURKEY or STEAK With DINNER $1.00 | 719y 2 S. HILL STREET = Former Location of Coffee Dan’s | NO COVER CHARGE I CARL PELLEY, Mgr. I | BIG HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION I FITZROY 1241 KL1EGL BROS. LARGEST PACIFIC COAST STOCK GENE DAVE PINEAU & HOWSE THEATRICAL STAGE LIGHTING CO. ROAD SHOWS COMPLETELY EQUIPPED COMPLETE RENTAL DEPARTMENT FITZROY 1241 FOOTLITES BORDERLITES SPOT LITES OLIVETTES PORTABLE SWITCHBOARDS DIMMERS GELATINE EFFECTS FITZROY 124 1 WRITE FOR GELATINE SAMPLE BOOK 1451 VENICE BLVD. LOS ANGELES, CALIF. FITZROY 124 1 SALES RENTALS COMPLETE STAGE EQUIPMENT SCENERY STAGE PRODUCTIONS PRESENTATION SETTINGS FABRICS—RIGGING—SCREENS J. D. MARTIN STUDIOS 4110-18 Sunset Boulevard HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA OL. 1101