Inside facts of stage and screen (March 14, 1931)

Saturday, March 14, 1931 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN i Page Thirteen SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— .Gidqago Civic Opera Company, giv- ing seven perfonnances at the Au- ditorium last week, grossed over $90,000. Flopping of “Die Wal- kure” and the brody of one matinee pulled down the sum total, however, and the company tooK a. loss of several grand. That was much better, however, than the German company did on its recent appearance when the losses hit the $15,000 mark. Selby Oppenheimer will bring the Pacific Opera Company into the Tivoli Theatre late in March for two weeks, to conclude the local opera season. Old But These Babies Hop It Up Like Sixty SAN FRANCISCO, March 13.— In the prancing parade passing the bandstand musicians see a flock of funny things. But John Wolohan Is sure that he and his El Patio musickers view the prize comedy team of dancedom. El Patio ballroom’s hottest danc- ing couple are the cup winners. Pie’s about 60. She’s slightly young- er. He wears white pants, a tux coat, and rubber-soled shoes. She wears a gray dress with a high choker collar and probably is some- body’s grandmother. As a team they're up on the latest steps. The hotter the better. Stomps, kicks, whirls and jumps, they’re just part of a dance rou- tine. They’re great in a corner away from the mob and always dance to a -holdout of onlookers. But let a young passing couple bump into them and they glide away- - in long,.- collegiate strides, heaping, vindictiyes on .the younger generation.- ' s \- ROBBINS TO PUBLISH SCORE OF “BLUES” Jack Robbins, head of the Rob- bins Music Corporation, has con- cluded arrangements with Aarons and Freedley, musical comedy pro- ducers, to public the score for their forthcoming production, “Singin’ the Blues’’ musical drama by John McGowan. This marks the first time that an outside music publishing concern lias succeeded in associating itself with the Aarons and Freedley con- cern. McHugh and Fields will start working, immediately on the score for “Singin’ the Blues,” which is expected to have its first showing in Atlantic City during the Easter holidays. SPOT FILM SONG Another indication that the films are going “single” again happened this week on the RRO lot. “Cracked Nuts” was practically completed, but at the last moment it was de- cided to spot a song in it for Bert W heeler and Dorothy Lee. Harry Tierney and Ray Eagan are writ- ing the number, which is titled “Dance.” MEL HERTZ Organist—Entertainer Fox El Capitan San Francisco T. RAWLS PIANO ACCORDIAN ARTIST Open for Radio and Club Dates Call inside Fact3 for Information Bert Hollowed, who was ni c. at Loew’s State until recently, when he was laid up in hospital for two weeks because of stomach trouble, opened at the. Colorado Theatre, Pasadena, Thursday ’ night to a big reception. Bert m, c.’d it in great Style and led his orchestra through an overture that panicked the cus- tomers. That genial and expansive personality from below the Mason- Dixon, eh, Bert? When it comes to a musical trump hand, you must count in those two boys, Oscar Baum and Carlton Kelsey. They both rate way up there, being two of the classiest leaders that the coast has had in a long, long time. Baum’s offerings at the Paramount are sure-fire at every show, and Kel- sey’s are equally so at the RIvO Theatre. Bill Kelly, trombone player in Vic luce’s orchestra, at Loew’s State,-is spending his off moments these days looking for those things one looks for when expecting a lit- tle visitor to the home. His wife is Gae Foster, popular unit pro- ducer for Fanchon and Marco. Jack Robbins and wife will ar- rive on the coast March 14 on a business and pleasure trip. Jack Reid, who recently repre- sented the. Red Star Music Corpo- ration, says he is going to have something very big to announce in the near future. Fred Dempsey arrived from New York and will, be the general coast manager for Leo Feist. Fred states he has a catalogue of brand new songs, and it Won’t be long until they are paying big dividends. Harry Coe, who recently took over the Los Angeles office for Robbins', says lie has just received two new tunes from New York, “Were You Sincere”- and “Looks Like Love.” MUSICIAN DIES SAN FRANCISCO, March 13— Theodore Herzog, 83, veteran musician here for the past 50 years, died at his home this week. Her- zog, a widower, had not been act- ive in working but had been teach- ing for some time. After a dark period when the syn- chronized screen cut deeply into the ranks of employed musicians, the musical fraternity is now coming into its own with a bang, according to an opinion expressed this week by Ed Smith, business manager of the local musicians’ union. He foresees the day, right at hand, when the legitimate orches- tra will be as big a draw at the pic- ture houses as the best class of screen product. He thinks the new day will bring with it a return large- ly to the better class of music, symphonic in nature, with jazz waning but still used in part for some time. The musician who is equally good at both brands of mu- sic will be the one in demand, Smith opines. For the symphonic class of music, orchestras will be built up to big proportions, he believes. A check-up by Inside Facts this week gave weight to Smith’s opin- ion. It was discovered, that the Paramount Theatre intends to aug- ment its orchestra considerably, un- der the baton of Oscar Baum, that the Loew’s orchestra has been augmented by the addition of sev- eral men, that one man has been added to the RKO orchestra, and (verifying a story carried in Facts last week) at least one and probably both of the Warner Brothers houses will shortly return to a stage show policy with big orchestras getting- featured play. TAKES MANAGEMENT SAN FRANCISCO. March 13- Bob Cole has returned to Los An- geles to take over the general man- agement of Hollywood Syndicate, music publishers, replacing Ray Canfield. Cole will continue to maintain offices in the Majestic building there and -will alternate between L. A. and this eitv. BIG BAND PLUG SAN FRANCISCO, March !3— Balconades Ballroom is stepping out on publicity for Joe Wright’s orchestra and has put out a flock of three sheets on the baud in ad- dition to remote controling over KFWI. Jack Archer of Donaldson, Doug- las and Gumble. went with his “Hello Beautiful” to San Francisco and points north this week. 5 LOS ANGELES , Ten best sellers for the" week "are 1. “I Surrender, Dear”—Powers. 2. “Blue Again”—Robbins. 3. “Just a Gigolo”—De Sylva. 4. “I'm Alone Because I Love You ”—W-i tm a rk. 5. “You’re the One I Care For” —Santly Bros. 6. “Reaching for the Moon”— Berlin. 7. "Lonesome Lover”—Feist. 8. “You Didn’t Have to Tell Me”—Donaldson. 9. “Ninety-nine Out of a Hun- dred”—Robbins. 10. “Consolation”—Famous. SAN FRANCISCO Following are the 10 best song sellers for San Francisco: 1. “I Surrender, Dear”—Powers. 2. “Bine Again,”—Robbins. 3. “I’m Alone”—-Witmark. 4. “Walkin’ My 'Baby” — De Sylva. 5. “Tears.”—Shapiro. 6. “My Ideal”—Famous. 7. “Reaching for the Moon”— Berlin. 8. “Imagine” — Hollywood Syn- dicate. 9. “You’re the One I Care For” Santly Bros. 10. “Don’t Forget Me In Your Dreams”—Robbins. NORTHWEST The 10 best sellers for the week in the Northwest were: 1. “I Surrender, Dear”—Powers. 2. “Blue Again”—Robbins. 3. “Hair. Has Turned to Silver” •—Morris. 4. “Walkin’ M,y Baby Back Following a general expansion policy, Witmark has opened offices on the sixth floor of Warners’ Downtown Building in addition td the offices they maintain in War- ners’ Hollywood Building. Mitr mark is pathfinding in having the double set of offices, they being the only music publishing firm with lo4 cations both downtown and in the Cinema City. Art Schwartz, who is coast man- ager for Witmark, has just received the copies of “Say a Little Prayer for Me,” an English song hit td which Witmark has purchased American rights. The song has been a sensation overseas, and Schwartz is looking for a big play for it in his territory. Home”—De Sylva, Brown. 5. “You’re the One I Care For” —Santly Bros. 6. “I’m Alone Because I Love Y on”—Witmark. 7. “Ninety-nine Out of a Hun- dred”—Robbins. 8. “Sweet Jennie Lee’’—Donald- son. 9. “Just a Gigolo”—De Sylva. 10. “Lonesome Lover”—Feist. Other hot sellers were “Over- night.” “Take a Walk,” “Beautiful,” “Long Story Short,” “Sing Song Girl,” “Some Sunrise,” “Moonlight on the Colorado,” “It. 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