Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1932)

February 6, 1932 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 25 Hokum Still Best, Says Fox Ad Chief ESTABROOK ANSWERS CRITICS OF WRITERS Howard E. Jameyson, director of advertising and publicity for Fox Midwest-Midland Theatres, believes "custard pie" hokum is still the real stuff. Jameyson, who directs advertising for 112 houses, made the statement in an address before the Unitarian Church Forum in Topeka, Kan., on "The Obligation of the Theatre Operators and Motion Picture Producers to the Public." That obligation, he said, is to provide entertainment that satisfied the greatest number of persons. "When horse operas outdraw Pulitzer prize plays at the box office, you can see the problem which confronts the motion picture industry," he explained. Pictures with light, gay themes are most popular, said Jameyson. "The average man goes to the theatre to exercise his imagination and not his intellect," he indicated his study had proved. Therefore, the emotions must be catered to if the largest public is to be entertained and the film industry is to prosper. Kunsky Trendle Broadcasting Corporation Shifts Officers The Kunsky Trendle Broadcasting Corporation, operating stations WXYZ, Detroit, and WOOD-WASH, Grand Rapids, owned by the Kunsky and Trendle theatre circuit, has shifted officers. George W. Trendle is now president and general manager, and John H. Kunsky has taken over the duties of vice-president and treasurer. Howard O. Pierce remains as general studio manager and company secretary. Kunsky was the first man in Michigan to present motion pictures commercially, having built and operated the first theatre in Detroit 'in 1905. Fiction Shows Sharp Drop in Books Brought Out in '3 1 Fiction showed a marked decline in new books in 1931, says Publishers' Weekly in its annual summary number. Biography, also a potential field for motion picture material, likewise showed a falling off in new books, though less pronounced than that in fiction. The most marked increase for the ten year period, in the number of books brought out by American publishers, was in the field of fiction, however. James Cruze to Produce 18 James Cruze Productions plans 12 features and eight westerns for the state rights market. Cruze will direct several, while he and Sam Zierler will supervise all films. Production is set to begin April 1. Comedian in Warner Houses Joe Penner, Vitaphone comedian, has been booked for a series of personal appearances at Warner houses. He goes from the Mosque in Newark to the Mastbaum, Philadelphia. Radio Writer to France Louis Stevens, author and Radio contract writer, will sail February 26 for France, where he will complete his third novel. Says Ignorance of Hollywood Brought "Mudslinging" Charges That Authors Can't Write As They Think Best Various "mudslinging" writers through ignorance are talking out of turn about the conditions under which writers are working in Hollywood, says Howard Estabrook, RKO scenarist. "I will not call these people liars," said Estabrook, "because they are not sufficiently well informed to know what they are talking about. "The claim that in Hollywood no author is permitted to write what he or she thinks would make a good picture is so much waste of time. These are seven things which these critics evidently do not know : Studio Takes the "Gamble" "1. Thousands of dollars have been paid in good faith by picture producers to remunerate socalled noted authors for writing exactly what they wished to write. "2. Results of this work have been produced with poor returns in many instances. "3. Certain results have been so inferior that production was admittedly impossible. I resist the temptation to mention names. (It is difficult to resist. What an opportunity ! ) "4. Advance retainers are being paid right now to certain authors who are free to submit anything they choose, the studio taking the gamble. "5. Authors from other fields, on regular salary at studios, often have been disloyal to their employers. I again decline to mention names, but I have heard dramatists and novelists say that they had not the slightest intention of delivering their best efforts in exchange for the admittedly generous pay they were receiving. There is no particular name for this in screen circles. In ordinary life, such a man is a crook ! Why the "Old Liners" Criticize "6. Writing for the screen is infinitely more difficult than writing for stage or publication, because it combines the elements of playwriting and the technique of motion pictures with the scope of the novel. Writers from the older fields who have made good with screen writing readily admit this. But no old line writer outside the gates will admit any such thing; it would be treason to the tribe. Mudslinging is easier. Hollywood is unpopular with old line writers because it has upset the stage and causes book publishers to scrutinize novels with an eye toward screen rights as a principal value. "7. A basic misconception lies in the supposition that every writer who has had a book published or a play produced is necessarily a potential screen writer. This is not so, except in the average number of instances that such writers prove adaptable to the new medium. There have been marvelous writers in Russia. Most of their work isn't worth a dime on the American screen. It is not their medium." Advise Pre-Lent Theatre Economy The strictest economy must prevail in operation during the Lenten period, which starts February 10, Publix executives have advised managers throughout the circuit. The message says in part : "Our theatres, it is true, are operating as close to rockbottom as possible. Yet the drop in grosses which may come with the beginning of Lent demands that the most stringent economy be exercised throughout that period. "In our zeal to cut down on expenditures, we should not lessen our selling efforts. On the contrary, we should intensify all No Cost activity to a greater degree than usual. By strong, intensive selling, we can continue to do considerable business. . . . Pre-Easter style shows may be of considerable value in stimulating business during this period." Court Hears Witwer-Lloyd Plagiarism Suit on Coast The suit for plagiarism against Harold Lloyd Corporation, brought by Mrs. Sadie S. Witwer, widow of the late short-story writer, H. C. Witwer, asking $2,300,000 profits of the Lloyd film, "The Freshman," was heard this week in San Francisco federal circuit court. The plaintiff alleges a Witwer story, "The Emancipation of Rodney," was plagiarized in the production of Lloyd's film in 1925. It is charged a copy of the story was submitted to Lloyd, and that the film narrative followed the story closely. Defendants obtained modification under the statute of limitations, after Mrs. Witwer received judgment at Los Angeles, and Lloyd appealed from the original decree. The Witwer interests appealed from the modification. The case was taken under advisement. Nolan Named Fox Supervisor John Nolan, Fox home office representative, has been appointed supervisor of the Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Salt Lake City offices of the company by James R. Grainger, vice president in charge of distribution. To Map Warner Campaign Sanford Abrahams, of the staff of S. Charles Einfeld, Warner director of advertising and publicity, has been sent to Columbus, Ohio, to supervise campaigns for five coming Warner-First National releases. Buy Control of Dworsky Firm John Manheimer and Louis Starr have purchased a controlling interest in the Dworsky Film Process Company, and have opened an office in New York. Dworsky retains a one-third interest in the firm.