Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

October 4 . 19 3 0 M o t i i) ii I' i c I it r e A r w i 33 Public Reaction to "Big Trail" Seen As Governing Future of Western Cycle An Alternative Hollywood — Wesley Ruggles, who has tested nearly every actress in Hollywood for the part opposite Richard Dix in "Cimarron" with no favorable results, has about resigned himself to one of two alternatives. He says he is either going to wait for Mitzi Green to grow up or will sign Julian Eltinge. — Los Angeles Herald. Tess Heraty Is Feted in Chicago Chicago — Eighty representatives of Chicago film and theatre units gathered at a testimonial dinner at the Congress Hotel here this week in honor of "Tess" Heraty, secretary of the Exhibitors' Association of Chicago for the past eight years, and associated with motion picture interests here for several years prior to that. Miss Heraty becomes the bride of Edward Vincent Brady of Chicago on Oct. 18. "Tess," as Miss Heraty is known throughout the motion picture industry here, is one of the most widely known and best informed figures in Chicago film business. Jack Miller, president of the Exhibitors' Association, says of her : "Tess preceded my administration in the Exhibitors' organization. When I came in, I fired her, but it didn't take long to learn that she knew more about the association than I did, so I was obliged to take her back again." Miss Heraty's first position in the film industry was with the Chicago office of Motion Picture News. I.udwig Siegel, Chicago exhibitor, was in charge of arrangements for the testimonial dinner in honor of Miss Heratv. Maxwell Gets Oregon Division Managership Portland — Floyd J. Maxwell, who has been associated with Fox West Coast Theatres during the past four years and recently as city director for the Fox Broadway and Fox Hollywood theatres, has been advanced to Oregon division manager with headquarters in Portland. Maxwell takes the position formerly held by E. Port Major, who has been advanced to the position of assistant buyer and booker of the Fox theatres. Major is leaving for a tour of the western theatres operated under Fox direction, after which he will return to Los Angeles. Fox $2,000,000 Picture May Lead Way; Kid Clientele Chief Objective Hollywood — Future of westerns may revolve around the way the public reacts to "The Big Trail," which opened at Grauman's Chinese Thursday night. A number of production heads are known to have evidenced considerable interest in the Walsh picture, which, according to Fox studio officials, cost close to $2,000,000. Practically all of the major studios have diverted part of their schedules to westerns to meet the insistent demand of exhibitors and sales managers for talkers that will appeal and perhaps revive interest of children in pictures. Just what trend "The Big Trail" may bring about depends on box-office figures. Some Hollywood dopesters incline to the belief that if the picture lands with a bang, it will close the door to others made along' same lines and of equal magnitude. Others predict that "The Big Trail," if it does what the entire Fox lot believes it will do at the nation's theatres, will bring on big outdoor pictures built along road show lines from every major studio on the coast. Westerns have been coming into popular favor ever since Fox clicked with "The Lone Star Ranger." That picture started a vogue of outdoor films, producers making the then startling discovery that sound photographed out of doors was superior to sound filmed in the studio. The demand of the public for action was met by westerns, with every major company scheduling a number of them on their 1930-31 line-ups. The kid angle is another feature in the return of westerns to popular favor. If "The Big Trail" justifies its lavish expenditure, westerns will have passed their biggest test and this type of program will continue in the ascendancy during the new season. Fox Seeks Radio Station For Location Communiques Washington — Saul Rogers of Fox has made application for a short wave length station at Hollywood, which would enable studio officials to communicate by radio with units on remote locations. Rupp Succeeds Desormeaux Madison, Wis. — J. H. Rupp has been named manager of the Eastwood theatre here, succeeding A. P. Desormeaux, resigned. He has been assistant manager of the house since April, before which he was manager of the Strand at Mt. Horeb. The Eastwood is operated by the Atwood Theatre Corp. and has been playing a combined stock company and picture policy at popular prices for the past number of weeks with considerable success. Rupp stated that this policy would continue. Still Flying Hollywood — Vic Shapiro, who formerly drove a Ford and thereby gave blase Hollywood a thrill such as it never enjoyed before, has graduated into the Buick class. He still takes some corners on two wheels, shaves buildings in transit, and chews cigars. Shhhh! Paramount-Publix theatre executives in New York are carefully guarding the secrecy of plans for a sensational, and what is understood will be unusual, campaign to usher in Nancy Carroll's "Laughter" into the Times Square Rivoli upon expiration of the current "Whoopee" run. M-G-M to Make Talkers Abroad? M-G-M will change its policy and make foreign-language pictures abroad, it is indicated by trip to Europe of Albert Lewin, associate producer, who will inquire into advisability of building a studio, probably in Paris. Heretofore the company has expressed the belief that foreign-language talkers could be made more expediently on the Coast. Paramount now has a studio at Joinville, near Paris, and Fox is completing plans for European production. Franco-German Accord Shelved on U. S. Squawk Paris — Protest of American distributors against the Franco-German accord, which is partial to imported German talkers, has caused shelving of the plan. Hearings will begin soon to hear the Americans' side of the case. Meanwhile, the Franco-American accord has been extended until Oct., 1931. Stebbins to Coast on Group Insurance Deal Arthur W. Stebbins is leaving Friday for California. Others entraining are Joseph Schenck. Al Tolson and Joseph P. Kennedy. Stebbins' objective is the closing of additional group insurance contracts similar to those recently placed with the Loew enterprises for $50,000,000, covering employes of that concern. Stebbins, Letterman & Gates were the acting agents in the matter. "Her Man" Opening Runs In 25 RKO Key Houses With its premiere set for Friday at the Globe. New York, Pathe's "Her Man" is starting off immediate engagements in RKO houses in 25 kev cities of the country. Gets Shorts for Antipodes Fox has acquired distribution in Australia and New Zealand of the series of 24 Traveltalk subjects made by FitzPatrick Pictures, New York. Buys "Farewell to Arms" Paramount is to film Ernest Hemingway's 'A Farewell to Arms."