Inside facts of stage and screen (March 21, 1931)

^Vol XIII Entered as Second Class Matter, April 29, 1927, at Post- T office, Los Angeles, Calif., under Act of March 8, 1879 Saturday, March 21, 1931 Published Every Saturday at 6253 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Calif. No. 11 JOYRIDES BY HOLLYWOOD EXECS DUE FOR PRUNING 203'Piece Orchestra For L. A. A symphonic orchestra of 203 pieces is being organized in Los Angeles to give a season of con- certs for the benefit of unemployed musicians here. ft is claimed by its backers as j one of the most sensational musi- | cal achievements in history, and is ' expected rq outdo a similar move; by Roxy in New York and all other- former such. ste'ps. . Income from the series of con- certs,. which will total 12. is ex- pected to do much to alleviate the widespread unemployment condi- tions among local musicians since the talking pictures cut in on the in-person entertainment at picture houses. Organizer and manager of the or- chestra is Henry Schumann-Heink. Los Angeles business man and 'son of the famous singer. The move originated with the local Mu- sicians’ Union No. 47, and the Board of Directors,of the union are back of it 100 per cent. Start April 12 The local concerts will follow the lines of those established by Roxy in his former 6400-seat house in New York. In addition to the or- chestral numbers, there will be principals, both singers, and otlier entertainers in a general diversified atrav. And due to the number of talented unemployed musicians in Southern California and the music- loving nature of Angelenoes, the local affair is anticipated as being a bigger thing than its eastern counterpart. No house has as yet been ob- tained for the symphonic season, though it is understood a class downtown picture house will prob- ably be the spot. The first concert will be given April 12, the hour from 11a. m. to 12:15 p. m„ after which those coming to the concert will be entitled to remain without further charge for the regular house program of screen and stage entertainment. • General admission will be $1 (for which, says the sponsors, a concert will be given which has never be- fore been duplicated for $5) with a few rows of reserved seats, some 250 or so seats, at $1.50. There will be absolutely no free list, and every dollar taken in will go into the musicians’ relief fund. In addition to the 203 men in the Orchestra proper, there will be 32 alternates. Practically all of those who will participate have had prior sjunphony orchestra experience. If successful, these concerts will probably be made an annual event. (Continued on Page 3) Big Cost, No Result, Slash Due TED WHITE Opening March 5© at the Ambassador CocoaKiot Crore WITH CDS 4TM1I1M The so-called “joyrides” which droves of film , execs are taking to New York under the excuse of searching for new talent are due for scrutiny and a rigid pruning, j according to word here this week. | The v,t<• • banking Ynt>»r-#P=. j who are seriously engaged in cut- 's ! ting the overhead of pictures are j no longer falling for this racket, the report said, and hereafter only those whose trips to New York show positive and sizeable results will get a second jaunt east at company expense. In the old silent days only the big figures in film production got these paid-for pleasure jaunts, ami usually they had something to offer for justification when they re- turned. But with the coming of the talk- ies, the door swung wide open for anybody, from prop boy to super- visor, to take a Pullman joyride if he stood in sufficiently well with the west coast studio chieftains. So prevalent has been the practice, that it has long been a standing- joke in Hollywood, and even the publicity men in the studios talk with their tongues in their cheeks when they tell about them. They cover up the budget dig by send- ing out stories about the “highly successful trips,” which usually re- sult in the signing of some second- rate New York stage player, or the acquisition of a novel or magazine story which .could just as easily have been purchased without aris- ing from the executive desk in the studio. As a matter of fact, there, is enough loose talent in._ Hollywood right now to cast three times as many pictures as are being made, and the stories of the world knock at the film doors. And, insofar as the talent is concerned, it’s higher class talent than can be found in New Y’ork, Paris, Vienna, or any other spot. It’s here, waiting to- be discovered, but chances are that that won’t happen so long as direc- tors, minor executives, supervisors and the other “in” men of Holly- wood can promote themselves into nice, long comfortable rides and a whirl in the big city on salary and at company expense. But, now, say the reports, the time has come for a reckoning on this score. Moral: Even bankers can be saps, but not forever.