Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Dec 1933)

48 MOTION PICTURE HERALD December 2, 1933 FRANK WILSTACH DEAD; Polt-Sagal Take IN THEATRE ALL HIS LIFE Fox New England Frank J. Wilstach Handled Press Relations in M. P. P. D. A. Office Five Years; Compiled 'Dictionary of Sinniles,' Wrote 'Wild Bill Hickok' Frank Jenner Wilstach, handling press relations and assistant to Will H. Hays in the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, died in Manhattan Hospital, New York, on Tuesday after an illness of four weeks. He was 68 years of age. The funeral was to be private, by desire of Mrs. Wilstach. Interment was to be from W. J. Dargeon Chapel, on Friday afternoon, to be followed by cremation, in accordance with Mr. Wilstach's expressed desire. For more than five years Mr. Wilstach was attached to the New York office of the MPPDA. He was well known to reporters of the New York trade and newspaper press ; to "leg-men" and dramatic critics throughout the country ; to many in every walk of theatrical life. Entered Film Business in 1923 His entire life was devoted to the theatre— even after his entrance into motion picture afTairs back in 1923, when he joined Famous Players, which subsequently became Famous Players-Lasky, and later Paramount Publix. His wide knowledge and data of things theatrical kept his telephone at the Hays office constantly buzzing. Born in Lafayette, Ind., in 1865, he studied at Purdue University from 1879 to 1881. In 1889 he married Edith May Hudnall of San Francisco. Embarking on his theatrical career the same year, he was business manager for De Wolf Hopper for two years. From 1902 to 1908 he managed Viola Allen, and subsequently handled the theatrical afYairs of William Faversham, Mrs. Leslie Carter, E. H. Sothern and Julia Marlowe, Weber and Fields, Lillian Russell, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, Frank Daniels and many others. For years he was advance publicity man for the Shuberts, and, following this, was general press representative for Sam E. Harris. Re-dlscovered Surtees Mr. Wilstach also has been credited with re-discovery of the English novelist, Robert Smith Surtees, whose stories of a cockney grocer are believed to have suggested a basis for the "Pickwick Papers" of Charles Dickens. Mr. Wilstach's newspaper articles on Surtees 25 years ago caused considerable comment throughout the literary world. Mr. Wilstach had collected similes for more than 20 years, and his "Dictionary," published in 1916 and revised in 1924, is said to be the most complete standard work of its kind in the world. Classical as well as modern writers have been represented in this work, which was supplemented each year by the best similes the author and his friends could gather from current periodicals, books and newspapers. In his "Best Similes of 1932," Mr. Wilstach observed that "sports writers, columnists and motion picture critics were becoming prolific simile collectors." The story of how Frank Wilstach happened to pick similes as the object of a collection is as strange as any. The Story of "Wildfire" Many years ago, while working on a Boston newspaper, he found three different newspapers on his desk, all of them using in their first paragraphs on a state house story the identical phrase, "The news spread like wildfire." This upset Mr. Wilstach. "Wildfire," he said, "is erysipelas. Look it up. Wildfire is a disease which sheep get. Furthermore, wildfire is a bolt of sheet lightning, unaccompanied by thunder. So I said to myself : 'I'm going to end this wildfire business.' And that's how I started out collecting similes." Mr. Wilstach's collection grew and grew, until he found it feasible to have them published in dictionary form. Among those who contributed and augmented his collection were Benjamin De Casseres, Arthur "Bugs" Baer, Jim Tully and H. L. Mencken, all of whom were great personal friends. An exceedingly accurate description of Frank Wilstach was offered this week, as follows : "Tall, erect, with silvered hair, a florid face and a persistent habit of peering over the top of his spectacles, Mr. Wilstach had acquaintances in every part of the country. His one boast was that there was not a city or village with more than 2,000 population in which he had not stayed overnight at some time during his career as press agent. In later years this resulted in his most notable eccentricity, the habit of constantly glancing at his watch during conversations as if he had to catch a train. His friends never could make him realize that he no longer was on the road. . . ." Hays Pays Tribute Few men have had a wider acquaintance among authors, actors and producers in the entertainment business. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the theatre, and many notable figures of the American stage were helped in their rise to fame by the exploitation campaigns conducted by him. "Kindly, sympathetic, able, his loss will be felt deeply by the many thousands that came in contact with Frank J. Wilstach, both in business as well as in social life," said Mr. Hays Tuesday. "He was a man of sterling character." Mr. Wilstach will be recalled as the author of "Wilstach's Dictionary of Similes," and "Wild Bill Hickok, The Prince of Pistoleers." He was a member of the Lambs Club in New York. He is survived by his wife, a son, John, and a brother, Paul, also a theatrical man S. Z. Poli and Louis M. Sagal this week resumed operation of the former Fox New England circuit when the houses reverted to Poli-New England. Originally it was contemplated that the 18 houses would pass into the hands of Mr. Poli and Mr. Sagal on November 15, but because of delays in reorganization, final negotiations were put off until November 29. The two veteran theatre men will enter into a three-year management contract with Poli-New England Corporation, in accordance with the reorganization plans. Several deals for the theatre circuit have been under way for many months, Loew's and Harry C. Arthur having been reported as offering $10,000 weekly rental for the group. Within the next month Halsey, Stuart & Company will issue a list of new securities for the corporation, with an issue of $7,074,200 in first mortgage five per cent bonds, due 1958; $7,084,200 in general mortgage five per cent income bonds, due 1983 ; $600,000 in five per cent unsecured income notes, due 1958, and 5,000 no par value common stock. Meanwhile in Bridgeport, Conn., Federal Judge Edwin S. Thomas authorized payment of $195,603 for fees and disbursements in connection with legal services by the receivers of Fox-New England. The receivers are Benjamin Slade, Thomas J. Spellacy and Samuel Spring. Feature on Catholic Church To Have Premiere This Week "Through the Centuries," a feature picture produced by Beacon Films, Inc., will have its world premiere on Friday evening, December 1, at the Warner theatre. New York, before an invited audience. This engagement will be limited to two weeks. The story, written by Francis X. Talbot, S.J., tells of the growth and missionary adventures of the Catholic Church from the crucifixion of Christ to the present day. Rita C. McGoldrick supervised the film. Mrs. McGoldrick is chairman of the Motion Picture Bureau of the International Federation of Catholic Alumnae. Pedro de Cordoba, past president of the Catholic Actors' Guild, did the narration. Kent Returns Fronn Europe Accompanied by Mark Ostrer Sidney R. Kent, president of Fox Film, returned to New York from a European business trip Tuesday. He was accompanied by Walter J. Hutchinson, managing director of Fox in England, and Mark Ostrer, managing director of Gaumont-British. Mr. Kent probably will remain in New York, pending organization activities of the code authority, his appointment to which was officially confirmed Tuesday. Universal to Move Universal's home office will be moved from 730 Fifth Avenue, New York, to Radio City around the first of the year, if lease negotiations are consummated within the next few days. Universal's 10-year lease on its present quarters expires May 1, 1934.