Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

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18 Motion Picture N ezvs October 18, 1930 THE ancient studio rivalry between the Paramount plants. East and West, is expected to be largely relegated to the limbo of the forgotten under the new plan which places Ben Schulberg in charge of the New York as well as the Hollywood lot. This is how it will work — at least, on paper : Schulberg, in addition to his six figure salary per annum, gets a cut in profits. Paramount makes most of its products on the Coast. Which gives Schulberg full opportunity to check and double check on what's going on under his own studio roof. Every time the studio in Astoria wanted a name for something or other to be shot in the East, the idea brought anything but cheers from Schulberg. Natural, too. Why dissipate his production resources? Of course, the line was never drawn too rigorously, for, after all and no matter what your slant, it was all ultimately on behalf of Paramount. But, breaking the situation down into terms of East and West, Hollywood had a natural advantage over Astoria. And Astoria, as a consequence, often didn't do so well production-wise. Now comes the switch with Schulberg, with one or maybe both eyes on the profits which govern his slice at the end of the year, directly responsible for all celluloid activity. The result is stars will be shunted from Coast to Coast with far less fuss and considerably more speed than has prevailed until now. East may not be West, but the idea at least gives 'em a chance to meet on a production parity basis. . Page the Idea Man Something brand new in advertising hook-ups shortly is to be introduced in the industry, containing possibilities which almost stagger the imagination. The idea is being closely guarded by its sponsors, who feel they have something big and that a tip-off would send the racketeers into action to steal the idea. The gag is a competitive one in theatres. It is more than the time honored drawing contest, for this one embraces real entertainment features which should spell sugar at the box office. In fact, so radical and far-reaching is the idea, that one of the national distributors is angling to tie-in on the proposition, although the edge the arrangement would give the company might elicit squawks from Hays organization members. There'll be something doing on this proposition in the not distant future and it promises to be a whiz. A Boner 1 The best laugh of the booking season is Paramount's "big-hearted" deal to help out the Fox Brooklyn ( opposition to Brooklyn Paramount) by letting the house play "Santa Fe Trail" day and date with the New York Paramount. Imagine the cash customers coming all the way over from Brooklyn when they can see the picture at 25 cents plus a INSIDERS' whale of a stage show with about ten acts ! The Old Army Game His company is large. Its interests many. The sales manager around whom this little yarn revolves isn't nearly so good as he thinks. Matter of fact, there are those who wonder how he manages to hold on. Nice fellow and all that sort of thing, you know. But considered a featherweight for a job that is proving too heavy for him. Funny part is this chap, while he may not know it, suspects it and is governing his actions accordingly. For instance, he is scrupulously careful about the type of manpower with which he surrounds himself. He sees to it that his minions pace their activities in tempo with his own capabilities, for the obvious reason that he wants no underling to be in a position to show him up. Amusing and peculiar as it all may Do You Know — WHAT erstwhile politician now in the film business is suffering from a serious case of hi-hat? The producer who recently laid a million iron men on the line to induce a certain film man to divorce his wife? What sales manager offered a high-powered job-seeker a post as salesman and what the job seeker told the S. M. to do and where to do it? How serious is the danger that racial differences may leave their devastating mark on the escutcheon of the industry unless action to circumvent certain tendencies now creeping to the fore is speedily taken? Why did a big timer return to New York less than a week after he had started on what was to be an extended vacation jaunt? What the next merger is to be, who is to head it and what the Government will say about the procedure? In what company is a request for a raise tantamount to a request for a resignation? seem, some of his executive associates are, day by day, becoming more familiar with the circumstances as they really are. How long the S.M.'s bosom friend, who sits in high places and is, therefore, in a position to cover his buddy's activities, will be able to keep the ax from swinging is a serious question. Time's growing short. The Changing Times Stars may twinkle in box-office firmament, but they're watching how and where they sprinkle their dust these days. Time was when the marquee magnets held the producers by the scruff of the neck and made them dance to their heavenly music, but those days are gone forever. You probably remember some of the grief enjoyed by Paramount when Gloria Swanson and Pola Negri stalked the same lot. After a time, it got so the studio wasn't big enough to hold both of them. Then the Paramount crowd stopped long enough one day to look itself in the mirror and determined that the temperament which, by tradition, goes hand in hand with histrionics, had had its hour. Not before, however, the company acquired sufficient theatres to make the gang in Hollywood understand that when it said hamming had to go, it meant exactly that. There came the day when Paramount consequently determined it was bigger than any of its constituents. Swanson's contract ran out. Gloria thought she could dictate. Paramount disagreed and Miss Swanson joined United Artists. Later Richard Dix asked for something like $12,500 a week — every week — and Paramount failed to see the light. So Dix joined Radio. Stars Do the Dancing Whether or not the other companies are following in the wake of Paramount's example may be one of those moot questions. Probably the reason is that producers today are loosely agreed not to swipe each other's stars. Regardless of that, however, it is a fact that today stars do almost everything the studios tell them to do. And temperament is proving no longer fashionable. The major companies feel they are in the big business class now and tomfoolery has no place in their operating scheme. Funny thing is that the Hollywood celebrities realize that times have changed and are trimming their sails in accordance with the wind. Only recently, the proof of this was