Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1935)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Friday, August 16, 1935 i Purely Personal ► LILLIAN GISH, returning with her sister Dorothy on the Conte di Savoia yesterday, stated she did not plan to return to films. Not unless I can get a story I like she told Motion Picture Daily. J. T. Cosman and wife also returned from a vacation abroad. • Harry Goetz, James A. FitzPatrick Sam (Berkowitz) Berger, Tack Springer, Sam Rinzler, Al Hovell, Hal Horne, Al Friedlander, John Curtis and Lee Kleeblatt occupied tables at the Tavern at noon yesterday. • Katharine Hepburn's mother and sisters, together with a party of friends, came down from Hartford yesterday to view her "Alice Adams at the Music Hall. Fred Stones family was there too. • Sol Lesser had difficulty getting awake as his TWA west-east plane reached Kansas City early Monday morning. Some one had given him a sleeping powder before he pulled out of Hollywood. • Moe Silver was all smiles yesterday as he announced that his wife, Lilly, gave birth to an eight-pound girl at Doctors' Hospital. Mother and baby are doing well, too. • Neil Agnew, J. J. Unger, Charles Reagan, Milt Kusell, Dan Michalove, Earle W. Hammons and George Gerhard were among the Sardi lunchers yesterday. • Frank and Milt Britton open at the Roxy today. On the same bill are Joaquin Garay, Walter Powell and Tito, Arthur Story and Henry Richards. • James Barton, having completed his role in "His Family Tree" at Radio, returns to Broadway and the rags of Jeeter Lester in "Tobacco Road." • Ernest Truex, perspiring freely from the noon-day heat yesterday, buying a box of golf balls in a cigar store. Not for himself, however, but as a gift for a friend. • Gary and Mrs. Cooper strolling through 52nd St. Cooper is still walking with a slight limp caused by that studio accident the day before he left the coast. • Jules Levy, Cresson Smith, E. L. McEvoy, Bob Wolff and Tom Murray were spotted at the Jack Lyons Chop House between 1 and 2 P. M. yesterday. • Martin M. Wagner, chief road booker of the William Morris office, sailed for Mexico City yesterday on the Siboney to look for talent. • Charles L. O'Reilly is due back today from Hershey, Pa. He was gone a few days. • Louis Frisch and Sam Rinzler spent most of yesterday morning in A. W. Smith's office on a Warner deal. • Laird and Mrs. Doyle of Hollywood are visiting here. At the Warwick. • Lou Diamond, Paramount short subject head, arrived from the coast yesterday. • Ben Goetz, accompanied by Mrs. G., will sail on the Normandie next week. • Paul Parry left Hollywood yesterday by car. He is heading for New York and a fall show. • Bing Crosby is in town from the coast, en route to Saratoga and the ponies. • Mary Pickford is scheduled to return from the coast shortly. • Harold B. Franklin is back on the coast. • Harry Thomas returns today from a one-day trip to Philadelphia. • Cliff and Mrs. Edwards are in town at the Lombardy. • Gregory La Cava sails for that European vacation on the Berengaria It's Better Now Hollywood, Aug. 15. — Intelligent editing, with scenes added, having cut its running time to 76 minutes, "Here Comes the Band" (M-G-M), as witnessed in final preview stacks up as worthwhile entertainment. All irrelevancies having been eliminated, it stands as a breezy musical comedy romance with a definite sentimental appeal. Scissoring has put concentration on worth of story interest, adding pleasing sock to the showmanship value of the Ted Lewis and Harry Stockwell specialty features. Comedy contrast is more firmly established and the love angle is more potent. today. He'll be on the other side indefinitely. . . . Kansas City Joe Maguire, M-G-M booker, is off on vacation. Clarence A. Schultz, operating head of Commonwealth Theatre Enterprises, Inc., and Mrs. Schultz are on a vacation in Minneapolis, Albert Lea and Lester Prairie, Minn. MOTION PICTURE DAILYS HOLLYWOOD PREVIEW "His Family Tree" {Continued from page 2) woman," says Barton admiringly as he falls for her vigorous charm and the audience agrees. Barton and Miss Delaney should carve secure places on the screen. Steady, quiet comedy rules until the son changes his name back to Murphy and wins the election. Margaret Callahan, Addison Randall, Clifford Jones, Ray Mayer, Herman Bing, Pat Moriarty, Charles Coleman, Orville Caldwell and William Lemuels are good in support. Charles Vidor directed. Cliff Reid supervised from Joel Sayre's and John Twist's screen play adapted from Patrick Kearney's and Harry Wagstaff Gribble's play, "Old Man Murphy." This is a good offering for average audiences. Production Code Seal, No. 1102. Running time, 71 minutes. "G." "Forbidden Heaven" (Republic) Hollywood, Aug. IS. — Exploitation paralleling a "Seventh Heaven" build-up will aid this one at the box-office. However, the picture suffers by comparison mainly through the story, which has few high spots. The direction saves it to a great extent and Charles Farrell regains a certain amount of prestige. The story centers around a London tea house where the destinies of four characters are spun in the same web with Farrell, who, as a political soap-box spieler, is the central figure. He rescues Charlotte Henry, a cabaret entertainer, from attempted suicide by drowning and romance gets under way with poverty-stricken Beryl Mercer and Fred Walton supplying the necessary relief. Climaxing the yarn Miss Mercer dies and Farrell is on the brink of becoming a member of Parliament through a political big shot when things go wrong and the romantic duet's dreams are shattered by a tea house raid by the bobbies. The difficulties are finally ironed out and Farrell succeeds in winning over Miss Henry. Cast performances fail to surmount storv weaknesses. However, Reginald Barker's direction provides typical London atmosphere and keeps the film entertaining. Sada Cowan did the adaptation and screen play from Christine Jope Slade's original. Milton Krasner's photography is helpful to the film. Production Code Seal, No. 1137. Running time, 77 minutes. "G." Chance Games Under Police Eye in "Chi" {Continued from page 1) is reported chance games and giveaways may be next in line for police investigation. Form Chance Game Unit Albany, Aug. IS. — Metropolitan Theatres Service Corp. has been chartered here with a capital of $1,000 in $5 shares. Incorporators are Ruth Blundell, Catherine R. Muench and Veronica Harvey. Hovell, McChesney, Clarkson & Klupt of New York were the attorneys. Metropolitan Theatres Service Corp. is an agency handling currency award, a chance game which has been booked for 12 Century circuit theatres here. Although Loew's has dropped chance games, Century intends to continue the policy, it was stated at the circuit's headquarters yesterday. Weisman Drawing Brief Milton C. Weisman, attorney for the I.T.O.A. will submit a brief to License Commissioner Paul Moss as to the laws in various states affecting chance games, it was decided by agreement between both parties after a meeting at Moss' office. Harry Brandt, president, also attended the session. Weisman claimed that chance games as practiced here are not lotteries and Moss indicated a willingness to look into the matter before a test case is started. Spectrum Increases Westerns to Dozen Spectrum will step up its westerns for the new season to 12. Under a new contract drawn up by H. William Fitelson, the company's legal representative, Ray Kirkwood will produce the entire series. He leaves for the coast in about 10 days to complete three pictures on the present list. Bill Cody has been re-signed for six. They include "The Great Stampede," "Fighting Blood," "The Death Trail," "Rider of Death Valley," "Lawless Frontier" and "Night Raiders." Cody's son, Bill Cody. Jr., will costar with his father. Bob Custer, another cowboy star, is scheduled for six. They include "The Reckless Buckaroo," "Ridin' Thru Hell," "Rustlin' Outlaws," "Range Round Up," "Trail Law" and "Trailin' the Terror." Lew Ayres to Direct Hollywood, Aug. IS. — Lew Ayres has signed a director's contract with Nat Levine. The long-term pact was negotiated after Levine saw "50 Minutes," a 16mm film produced by Ayres. Merman to Paramount Hollywood, Aug. 15. — Production on "Shoot the Chutes," the long delayed Eddie Cantor musical, has been set back again, this time to Sept. 26. In the meantime, Ethel Merman goes to Paramount to do her original stage role in "Anything Goes."