Inside facts of stage and screen (November 8, 1930)

NOV. 8, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE SEVEN SAN FRANCISCO HAROLD J. BOCK, Manager, Phone DOuglas 2213 KRESS BLDG., 935 MARKET ST., Office Suite 504 POLITICS HIT FILM GROSS SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 6. —Furore of electioneering and a scarcity of outstanding pic- tures caused a drop in celluloid receipts for the current week. Everything’s okay though. There will be no daylight sav- ing. There was crepe on the Para- mount’s doors in honor of First National's “Gorilla,” which picture starved during seven dreary days with a final gross of somewhere around the $14,000 mark. Next to last of the coast-produced stage shows was no aid either. “Only Saps Work” is current. In its other two houses, however, Publix fared somewhat better, init- ial stanza of Ann Hardmg in “Girl of the Golden West” (F.N.) at the California benefiting by a smash ad- vertising campaign to extent of $16,000, though that st : ll is not up to house’s previous average. Harold Lloyd in “Feet First” is now in. Third week of Chevalier in “Playboy of Paris” at the St. Francis grabbed off only $9500 but stays on. Amos ’n’ Andy continued record smashing at the Orpheum, dropping about ten grand below the opening period, but still maintaining a prof- itable business with $20,000. Market St. Gleanings Governor-elect Rolph offering du- cats to his inaugural affair . . . there’s a showman if ever there was one. San Rubini, Walt Rosner, Pic Smith, Phil Sapiro and plenty of other musickers march- ing down the street in an anti-day- light saving parade . . . the B. in William B. Foy’s monicker means nothing less than Bernard. . . . Hermie King, who has more hair and feet than any other man in show biz, tried on a swanky new top coat . . . Max Baer drops in to take a look. . . . Much activity at KTAHB’S Pep- per Box . . . Bob Roberts wearing spats . . . ee-magine . . Florence Grebe looking grand . . Harry Me- Knight puts over a neat tenor sole . . . Cark Tobin with a nose tha* was lifted, lowered or something like that ... all taped up . . . Walt Rudolph, the king of San Anselmo. nresiding at the box car zither . . . Elbert Bellows dashes into the studio and catches his solo on the up beat . . . Marion Fonville stT with a mustache . . . the derned dude . . Alice Blue, Joan Rav. Madeline O'Brien and John Tee’ . . . waiting for a cut . . . Earl Tow- ner thinks the Pepner Box is a pip of a program . . and it is . . . THREE LEGITS REVIVETRADE SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 6. — Opening of three legit shows “Paris in Spring,” at the Curran; “Step- ping Sisters” at the Alcazar and “Ex-Mistress” at the Green Street sent this week’s legit business scur- rying up with flying colors. While figures are not the highest, at the same time there is more interest in legit than there has been in the past 12 months, a condition that is seen as a break for the houses. Louis Macloon’s and Lillian Al- bertson’s “Paris in Spring” opened cold on Monday night to capacity business with newspapers giving the show rare notices such as have not been dealt in a long time. End of the week is expected to see a mighty comfortable sum in the Curran safe. Sid Goldtree’s tiny Green Street with “Ex-Mistress” got off to a good start and another endurance run is looked for here. Duffy opened “Stepping Sisters” at his Alcazar and did a fairly good $4900 on the piece. It’s expected to build, however, as the excite- ment of election week kept the gross down considerably. Bert Ly- tell bows out of the President in “Brothers” on Saturday night with an expected $4500 intake, and “Dracula,” with Fred Pymm dir- ecting opens the following day. Columbia’s picturization of “Broth- ers” at the RKO Golden Gate took a cut in the legit showing. WHY CHANGE EXECUTIVES? (Continued from Page 6) leans.” “It leaves the shipping room in “But this is show business,” pro- cans, don’t it? And as you say forty tested Backer repeating the first per cent of it leaves in garbage | verse. He was feeling for a thin COLORED WALK - A - THON % National Hall 16th at Mission Sts* SAN FRANCISCO Opens November 11, 8 p. m. Closes — ? “In all the world no show like this ” PROFESSIONAL DANCING OXFORDS Soft Patent Hand Turned Soles Men's Jfl|k Boy’s $6.50 f||f $6.00 DANCE ART SHOE CO. Theatrical Shoe Headquarters WARFIELD THEATRE BUILDING SAN FRANCISCO Phone PRospect 1643 HIRSCH - ARNOLD BALLET MISTRESSES created and costumed all dance numbers now en tour Fox Circuit with F. & M.'s ' Brunettes’* Idea. STUDIO—545 SUTTER ST. SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL GOVERNOR TURK AT JONES SAN FRANCISCO THE HOME OF ALL THEATRICAL PEOPLE PLAYING SAN FRANCISCO SPECIAL RATES TO PROFESSIONALS JACK WOLFENDEN, Prop. FRANK RATCHFORD, Manager spot in Gate’s racket and suddenly found it. “Barnum said”—and he quoted one of the classics with gloat- : ng good humor,—“and Barnum was right.” “Barnum in show business today has a relative value, too,” insisted Gate. “Barnum’s value to the whole program of production is that of a cheap mystery melodrama. That was his value in the old days. He never got into the big tent. He was just a glorified barker with a big side show. The last I heard of him, he and his shills were out at Coney Island.” “He’s dead,” corrected the Boss, relenting a little. “Maybe he is, but his boys are in talkie production. I hear them quoting the old man every day.” Backer winced. “And I believe you are rating the mentality of talkie executives prettv low comparing it to Barnum’s. It would look more reasonable if you put it on the level with executives in more up-to-date rackets. You are employing practically the same methods and scientific devices in production.” Backer scrooched. “And when output goes forty per cent bad, they don’t change execu- tives. They utilize the experience that made the sixty per cent good nroduct. They take that and the forty per cent bad into the labora- tory and find out what’s wrong with it.” Backer was plainly disconsolate. Whatever Gate’s scheme, it was the only one of its kind. Well, he’d slip sooner or later and the Bos r would walk over him like he had the other experts and production would go on as usual. But, they were firing executives, changing them around. They had done that before and pictures had not improved. Still changing ex- ecutives. Change? Perhaps it was necessary to the scheme of things. Then doubts assailed Backer. “Now change may be fundamental to health but the talkie body isn’t sick. It’s healthy, too healthy and too young to be changing its organs around: taking executives who have acquired a special knowledge of their part in production and either throwing them out or putting them in departments where a different soecial knowlege is required.” “And this is an age of specialists” groaned the Boss. “Well, Chick Sale made good at it,” reminded the Kibitzer. Backer was restless. “Maybe you can improve that forty per cent had product. Maybe you can’t I might advise you I emplov the best spe- cialists in the world.” (Continued next week.) ON THE INSIDE - IN SEATTLE ROY OXMAN Representative—630 People’s Bank Bldg., MAin 0799 KING WILL GO INTO FOLLIES SEATTLE, Nov. 5.—Announce- ment made here by George Appleby, manager of the Follies theatre, that Will King, stage and screen comed- ian, will open an indefinite engage- ment on November 20. King’s engagement at the F'ollies will be the signal for the introduc- tion to local theatregoers for the first time in northwest history of a typical metropolitan revue. Personnel of King’s company has not been completed yet, Appleby declared, but the unit will include 16 line girls in addition to nine principals, and a group of specialty artists. King flew here late last week to complete negotiations with the thea- tre, and flew back again to the southwest for artists. Folkes shows will close at the end of this week for seven days, during which time the theatre will be renovated and the campaign launched for King’s opening. PARKS WALKATHON OPENS NOVEMBER 11 SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 5.— Dick Parks has his colored walka- thon set for a November 11 open- ing at ational Hall, Sixteenth and Mission, where he expects to smash a lot of attendance and long run records. Parks will use colored talent as contestants and entertainers. Associated with Parks, who staged the outstanding marathons at Hawthorne a few months ago. are Will Wright and Norvall Snyder. Follies Now Union SEATTLE, Nov. 6.—Negotia- tions were completed this week be- tween members of the theatrica' federated labor body and the Fol- lies theatre, represented by its man- ager, George I. Appleby, wherebv the house returns to the fold of or- ganized labor. The Follies has been for the past five months, on the un- fair list. PATTERSON OUT E. D. Patterson, assistant man- ager of Orpheum, after six year on job, will leave Saturday. Em nloyees of house presented him wit! a wrist watch. Patterson will va ation four weeks, when he prob ably will line with Warner Bros, ar a house manager. Notes Along Fifth Avenue Betty Shilton being a good Sa- maritan . . . and will be rewarded : n the future ... Mever Burnet' entering his place of biz . . . and stimulating trade for Christmas . . . Bob Blair, Walter Hires, Leor Taylor, Milt Franklyn and the press having a private conference of their own . . . without censorship . . . Gene McCormack betting on a “big game” and losing . . . A1 Schuss broadcasting the new show boat urogram from KJR . . . with Gordy McBean, and the Smith Bros. . . Trade and Mark .. . Myrtle Strong going out to lunch with hubby . . . Guido Diero in from a strenuous tour of the state . . . and reporting on Prosperity . . . Harry Mills out for the opening of the Repertory Plajdiouse and mingling in society . . . Dave Himelhoch out for an afternoon ride . . . just a lucky thea- tre manager. 0RPH TAKES FILM LEAD SEATTLE, Nov. 6.—Orpheum took a lead in the town’s receipts, when it grossed $20,500 for the week on Amos ’n’ Andy. Good vaude bill was also in evidence. Not since “Rio Rita” has this spot led the village. Fifth Avenue, with “Way for a Sailor” and F & M’s “Gobs of Joy” idea did a satisfying $17,500. Pic- ture didn’t carry much weight, but the stage act was one of the best. Paramount “bowed” out of the running, with Clara Bow’s “Wed- ding Night,” scoring only a meag- er $14,000. Nice stage unit. Too bad these are being eliminated. Fox turned in good report on "Up the River” and Owen Sweeten’s stage band, registering $10,000. Blue Mouse, with the last week of “The Life of the Party,” was not so forte, only receiving $5400: Music Box did a little better on it’s total of $6,000, with Gloria Swanson in “What a Widow.” Venetian Gardens attracting week end crowds, but only a few couples are seen dancing on week nights. McElroy’s and Trianon, hitting it oil at a good pace. Both places cater to the college folk. Butler is only so-so. With a good band, this place would undoubted- ly become one of the city's top- notchers. RICH CONCLUDES Irene Rich just finished in “Beau Ideal,” a Fox Picture with Ralph Forbes, Lester Vale and Don Al- varado. 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