Inside facts of stage and screen (Aug 09, 1930)

PAGE SIX INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Published Every Saturday One Year - $4.00 Foreign - $5.00 Advertising Rates on Application 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. i 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 - - - - Secretary and General Manager Vol. XII Saturday, August 9, 1930 No. 6 H. B. FRANKLIN’S STATEMENT CURRENTLY, in a widely broadiast statement, Harold B. Franklin, president and general manager of the Fox West Coast Theatres, pointedly pans those venturesome souls who dare to suggest that the talking motion picture is not quite what the producers would like it to be—artistically and at the box-office. THE NOTED theatre exec builds his argument about a number of recent “big pictures,” pointing out their big appeal at the box-office and remarking that any art is judged by its highest quality product. VERY IMPORTANT POINT THIS IS A highly interesting point. Considering from a standpoint of criticism, your aesthetic commentator, ap- proaching the pop art lifts his skirts in dainty and annoyed dismay at the contemplation of any such “vulgar expressions of modern materialism” as the movies and jazz music, then proceeds to plunge into the stream to come up with huge handfuls of pretty bad examples for caustic critical exam- ination. THIS IS JUST about as sensible as the “low-browed” one, who bases his judgment of the fine arts upon a con- sideration of a ship’s concert or radio soprano rendition of opera, a badly done reproduction of a master, or a cheaply orchestrated overture or a ten-penny plaster version of the Sistine Madonna. YOUR HIGHBROW critic will laugh at the fellow who does that, yet at the same time rates the motion pictures on the basis of the average trite and hokumistic production, and popular music on the renditions of honky-tonk bands and other cheap presentations. TRY LISTENING to Bach’s air for the G string and Tschaikowsky’s Andante Cantabile as reproduced by certain radio virtuosi, if you want some samples. TALKING MOTION PICTURE HITS THE PROMINENT theatre operator, however, uses a phraseology in his statement that is a bit confusing. He says: “Never before has the public responded so enthusiasti- cally as they now do for worthwhile talking MOTION pic- tures.” (The capitalization of MOTION is ours.) Franklin, of course, is absolutely correct in stating that the public is going for “talking MOTION pictures.” They’ve seen less than a dozen of them to date. BUT, IF he meant that they were not losing interest in talking pictures, that would be an entirely different matter. For it happens singularly enough that the big hit pictures of the past few months have been talking MOTION pictures. The public most certainly is showing an increasing antipathy towards TALKING pictures. SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 1930 TEL-A-PHONEYi bj) JAMES MADISON Short Shots At the News Los Angeles.—Dolores del Rio and Cedric Gibbons were married Wednesday at Santa Barbara, ac- cording to reports, and left for the north on a honeymoon trip. * * * Minneapolis.—Publix will ask a reduction in operators to one man in a booth in all except the mam- moth houses when the present agreement with the union runs out. * * * Los Angeles.—Suzette Duncan Renaldo petitioned Superior Court this week to invalidate her decree of divorce from Duncan Renaldo. * * * Oklahoma City. — Consolidated Theatres, Inc., acquired five more theatres located in Cushing, Hobart and Chandler. LEE PARVIN AT LIBERTY Manager-Press Agent 746 South Coronado St. Tel. DR. 5981 or VA. 8246 Los Angeles.—David S. Hall, Fox studio art director, will marry Florence McCrary of Chicago, it was announced this week. The date is undecided, but will be in the near future. ♦ * * Hollywood. — Hunter Brothers closed their engagement at Grau- man’s Chinese this week. Endur- ance fliers did not boost the box- office as much as expected. LOS ANGELES.—Mme. Mau- rice Chevalier, wife of the film star, left via airplane to New York and will sail on the Berengaria to visit her mother who is ill in France. LOS ANGELES. — Alexander Pantages was sued by Mary F. Green, vaude producer, for $14,000 damages this week. She claims this sum is due her on unfilled contracts. LOS ANGELES. — Cliff Ed- wards (“Ukulele Ike”) filed suit for divorce against Mrs. Irene L. Edwards this week, and seeks an injunction preventing her from disposing of $100,000 in property pending trial. LOS ANGELES.—Suit of Mrs. A. E. McCarthy against Renee Torres, film actress, for damages, growing out of an automobile ac- cident in Los Angeles recently, started here this week. Letters From Facts Readers These discussions do not necessarily re- flect the editorial opinion of this news- paper. If you disagree with us, say it anyhow. IT RAN TWO WEEKS LOS ANGELES.—I can’t un- derstand where this fellow Gibbons, who writes motion picture reviews in your paper, got the idea he knew anything about the films. I have just finished reading are- view of the Ronald Colman pic- ture, “Raffles,” in your issue for this week, in which the reviewer takes considerable liberties. I do not at all agree with the statement that this is a very dis- appointing picture, for I found it very enjoyable and thought that Ronald Colman gave a wonderful performance as the delightful char- acter. The picture had all kinds of class and, I think, ranks as one of the ten best of the year. Miss C. E. A. AGREEABLE CUSS LOS ANGELES.—I heartily agree with the comments on the picture, “Raffles,” which is now playing at the United Artists The- atre, in your paper. Much of the dialogue was certainly idle chatter, as your reviewer stated. When will the motion picture producers learn that the public wants to see some action in their film fare instead of watching a lot of ham actors standing around do- ing vaudeville cross-fires and re- hashing old stage-play lines? ' George L. HE’S BACK AGAIN SAN DIEGO.—What is the mat- ter with Mr. Tenney? Has he no- ticed the fleas, too? I am writing from this pleasant city, while en- joying a vacation in the sunshine and other pleasant appurtenances of the border. Before leaving, however, I saw Ronald Colman in “Raffles,” and would suggest that he try being an orchestra leader. He certainly knows a lot of new wriggles. G. Lloydwell. LOS ANGELES.—Erna Schild- kraut, widow of Rudolph Schild- kraut, says that the estate of the deceased actor amounted to only seven hundred and fifty dollars. She further states that no will could be found in applying for administration papers. LOS ANGELES.—Gloria Swan- son says her married bliss is over and the Marquis says there is no open break. Gloria is staying at Malibu and the Marquis with his brother is at a Hollywood hotel. MONTERREL, Mex. — Celia Montalvan, Mexican actress, was saved from death at a bull-ring, the pianist of the theatrical com- pany slaying the animal in the ap- proved nick of time. LOS ANGELES. —Because his wife nagged him, objected to his associates and prejudiced his daughter against him, he alleged, Harry R. Schenck filed suit against his wife, Lillian R. Schenck. BEVERLY HILLS. — Doug Fairbanks failed to live up to his movie tradition as a conqueror of brigands and is now one hundred slugs lighter in the pocketbook, after a Sunday night holdup. One case where a slug on the chin is worth a hundred in the pants. The mishap occurred as a result of an unlocked door at Pickfair after Doug and Mary returned home from spending an evening with Elsie Janis. LOS ANGELES. — Jean Har- low’s divorce suit against Charles F. McGrew suffered a setback when McGrew obtained a reopen- ing of the. case. He charges that the “Hell’s Angels” star posed for indecent pictures against his will. LETTERS There are letters at the Los Angeles office of INSIDE FACTS for the following: BIDMEAD Bros. CULVER, Emilie DECKER, Kirk© M. FRANCO, Anton© GRANSTEDT, Greta PARSONS, Ruth Hello, Eddie Cantor. Hello, James Madison. Burlesque will have 37 shows on the road the coming season. Evidently the leg-gitimate draws better than the legiti- mate. * * * Hello, Sylvia Clark. Hello, James Madison. Lombroso claims we are all born under the spell of some musical instrument. Probably the writers of ciga- rette advertisements were born under the influence of a lyre. * * * Hello, Pressler and Klais. Hello, James Madison. At last Nils Asthef and Vi- vian Duncan are one. Time will prove which one. ♦ * * Hello, Jack Holt. Hello, James Madison. What is your reaction to modern thought? There are two kinds of nurses in this country — those who favor prohibition, and “wet” nurses. * * * Hello, Claudette Colbert. Hello, James Madison. My doctor has prescribed horseback riding, and I have no horse. Try riding a Beverly bus. Hello, Jean Harlow. Hello, James Madison. What does a Scotchman do when he orders “Thousand Island” dressing? He starts counting the isl- ands. * * * Hello, Beryl Mercer. Hello, James Madison. They tell me the Queen of Holland has a sealskin-lined chair. That’s what I call putting the fur in furniture. * * * Hello, Chic Sales. Hello, James Madison. The Scot .Tissue people are looking mighty happy these days. There's a rumor abroad that the big mail-order houses will quit sending out catalogues. * * * Hello, Lon Chaney. Hello, James Madison. What is sweet music to an undertaker? When he hears a despondent person say, “I wish I were dead.” * * * Hello, Jack Oakie. Hello, James Madison. What is the credo of the Hollywood adventurer? “Check—and rubber check.” Snacks Of Facts Among the brilliante at the Paul Muni opening, Pasadena: Sidney Robert Buchman, author of “The Man Saul” ; Richard Krakeur and Arthur Lubin, New York producing team; Judge Ben Lindsay, Ben Vmi and missus, Paul Berne and Frederick McConnell, Julius Nathan- jon, Chicago critic; Neil Hamilton and missus; Mary Duncan, Doris Lloyd, Bell Mitchell, Lowell Sherman and Helene Costello, Doug Montgomery and Doug Donaldson. ft * ft Jack Stern getting on his high-horse and climbing down again— Berman Schenck with Leonard Van BeYg greeting Frank Jenks with i rival song-plugger, Eanjay Mandar, Monroe Jockers making the ounds—needed a wheel-barrow— Professor and Mrs. Ellis with an jffice full of youthful m. c. talent—selling everything but the furni- ure— Bobby Gross with his nose in the air with the usual sad story ibout Gene Swift —not knowing— Eddie Janis crying the blues Jack Vrcher with a big smlie and a fist-full of orders Frank Wright, a ;tudious-minded music counter manager discussing character * * * Art Schwartz signing a big order before leaving for the North— \be Bloom one hundred ahead of Jack Stern — Tubby Garon at the Hoosevelt looking the stars over—outside!— Ben Berman “not wasting my time at the Montmartre— a big man !— A1 Bernivici with a pleas- mt smile for everyone— Polly Grant Hall clicking at KFI going into he May Company to shop— * * * Gaylord Carter hanging around KHJ—sporting his new Olds :oupe— Jesse Stafford flying to town— Syl Cross burning up the roads jetween Los Angeles and Seattle— Ben Bemie singing the praises of lis “alma mater”—Dear Old Brunswick— George Olsen says “now, YE’LL play it”— George Hood paying a visit— George Weiss without i shave—Louis B. Mayer claiming a parking pl^ce down at Malibu —his own front loaded with other people’s cars— Owen Fallon tickled )ver his daughter’s appearance at Loew’s State—with the Meglin Ciddies. * * • Lon Chaney’s on a fishing trip in the High Sierras— Edward H. Griffith is at his Laguna summer home reading play manuscripts to >elect his next production for Pathe—first RKO premiere of the 5poor-Bergen process for third-dimensional film will be at the local R.KO on September 15th— Technicolor was reported this week experi- menting with new plans for third-dimension in color by means of lew shades—actors out of work were seeking a new “eating 5 ’ dimen- jion—after this year’s seasonal shut-down, Warner® and First Na- tional will work right straight through. * * * Wallace Beery has a new 'plane to replace the one that was wrecked recently— Grayce Hampton claims the letter \ in her given name brought luck—she added it herself— William Janney has a new baby Austin with a lemon colored body, chocolate fenders and wide red stripes— Roland West casts only actors and actresses with me- dium register” voices— Louise Fazenda owns the old stage-coach o display at the Carthay Circle— parasols for the long hnej W i ltin ,5- ” the P sun to see “Blushing Brides” at the Criterion — Ed Moulding phoning from Malibu—the big police battle at the film beach capitol —turning cars away at the gates— • * • A1 King.ton rushing down Hollywood Boulevard— bumping into his former colleague, Lou Heifetz—Jawn T. Kelley ta ' n ® ’ ® d Wilbur Cu.hman with more letters-more P'\ ns ^° ler th "‘? h ‘ S n everybody happy—blankets are out again—but about three in th ftomAnn — IaI’a bo swimming!