Inside facts of stage and screen (November 29, 1930)

ESTABLISHED 1924 EDITED BY JACK JOSEPHS Vol. XII Entered as Second Class Matter, April 29, 1927, at Post- office, Los Angeles, Calif., under Act of March 3, 1 879. Saturday, November 29, 1930 Published Every Saturday at 800-801 Warner Bros. Down- town Building, 401 West Seventh St., Los Angeles, Calif. No. 22 BREAK PICS BY WRITING YOUR BOOK Genius is walking the streets in Hollywood, knocking on doors and standing in line. But it’s looking for work the wrong way. Motion pictures, despite, the numerous “discoveries,” over- night hits and other lightning- like celebs, are overlooking scores of bets every day. Gilmore Mellon worked on the Evening Herald for years, writing a column that betrayed his skill with English composition, before he was “found.” Mellon advanced himself by writing “Sweet Man,” a book. Then he was sought, and demanded a salary. The Graham boys, Garrett and Carroll, did light weight press agenting since the early days of Hollywood, but nobody realized they had the goods until a book publisher accepted their “Queer People.” These are only two examples. Genius is plentiful in hundreds, blit they’re still knocking on doors, the wrong way to go about it. . Right way to break into pics 'is 'to go after the job in a round about way. Competition between Fox and Publix in stage presenta- tion has reached a point hither- to unequalled in western the- atrical history. It looks like the two major circuits are each try- ing to cop a title for the su- premacy of the stage. Fox has brought in Gene Morgan as master of ceremonies foi" Loew’s State, and has Eddie Peabody set to follow on December 4. Publix has set in motion a flood of stage shows for Paramount that smack like Broadway successes, rather than the usual stage show accompaniment for a movie. Fox is buying for Fanchon and Marco such names as Fay Adler and Ted Bradford and Alexandria Sisters, booking many names from the East. Paramount is playing a symphony orchestra, with a different traveling leader each week. Fox has eliminated the sameness of Fanchon and Marco shows by employing new producers to work under F. and M. This group has been turning out consistently novel stuff. It’s a battle of the giants, with the public in on the gravy. NEW HOUSE OPENED Johnson and McManus opened their new; Wilshire at Euclid and Wilshire in Santa Monica, Novem- ber 26. The house seats 1800, and has full stage equipment by the Los Angeles Scenic Studios. They also control two houses in Saw- telle, the Tivoli and Nuart. ROBBINS RETURNS After a trip abroad, during which new contracts with foreign publish- ers were entered into and existing relations were cemented, J. J. Rob- bins, head of the Robbins Music Corporation, has returned to New York. Jolson’s Big Loss A1 Jolson, with a rep for being a lucky speculator, either in sticks or at the track, was taken plenty this year on the market. Sum dropped said to be $814,000 for 1930. He’s set to make another pic, and then a New York show in April. Salary five grand on both jobs, with 50- 50 split on profits. TO WRITE SCORE George Whiting and A1 Von Til- zer will write the score for Walter Brooks’ colored troupe, with Miller and Lyle, which will be produced in New York. he show will be called “Good Times.” SISTERS IN IDEA Alexandria Sisters, Gertrude and Rose, opened this week in the “Tropical Tunes” Idea for Fanchon and Marco. Anne Alexandria, third member of the former RKO feature dance act, will be married shortly BLACK HAIR ORDERED Leon E. Janney was all set to go east, when Fox called for a test. Studio officials wanted his hair dark- ened for the test, according to re- port. He got a part in “Modern World.” CLYDE HAGER ACT PLAYS RKO VAUDE Clyde Hager, who was with Ol- sen and Johnson a season ago, is in vaudeville on his own. He in- troduced a barker character, who sold garters, pen-points and the like on the stage. He has an act ibuilt around this character and will introduce it at RKO in Yonkers. NORWORTHS DO DREW Mr. and Mrs. Jack Norworth con- tinue to make progress in their at- tempt to duplicate in the talkies the silent film success of the Sidney Drew type of domestic comedies. With three of their “Naggers” se- ries already playing about the coun- try, they have turned out another for the Vitaphone Varieties, “The Naggers’ Day of Rest.” EDDIE PEABODY ‘BANJO-BOY OF JOYLAND,’ Home Again After A Successful 24-weeks Engagement at Fox Houses OPENING LOEWS STATE—LOS ANGELES DECEMBER 4th $15,000 Eat Jsp Henry’s, in Hollywood, is reported holding the sack, with tabs and checks in it to- taling $15,000, as the result of playing the good fellow with “friends” for the past two years. F00TLIGHT SUPREMACY TILT IS ON