Variety (May 1931)

Published WpeUiy at 1!« Weil 46th St.. New Tork, N. T., by Variety, Inc Annual subsmpllonv lJ. S^^ Eiiteced ae aecond-claM matter December 2J, 1906, ai the Post Olllce at New Yurk, N. Y.. under the uct ot 4Ui;.a 3. li.J, COPTRIOMl\ "l»ai, BY VABIlity, INt. ALI, Kir.ilTa RtyF.KVW^ VOL. 102. No, 8 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY. MAY 6, 1931 72 PAGES GIVE A STAR A BREA 1000 by Old as Used on Chicago, May 5. ' . Raiiio eiTtertainers are finding that their a;.'iliences are not be-. laminB more sophisticated; but are c6;istantly getting more sensitive. Ether ridicule lias become the most touchy explosive of thern all with ■ more and more people sudaeiily g.et- tlngr notions that they, or somebody they know,'are being made the goat. Dial fans take tiuick offense at what they believe to be slights to their religion, rationality,, city,, school, make be auto; political party,, or the way they comb their liair, It may be just a yen by many to write a sqriawklng; letter, Ijut-' the radio men can't take that chance.- It was thonght that the liniit had been reached when a local station drew mdre.than '8,000 protesting, let- ters w)ien one of Its entertainers cracked that he couldn't bccbnie a druggist because he didn't know how to make Bandwlchee. This gig has biscn used, for years. In (.Continued on page 54) MOTHERS RUIN CHANCE FOR GIRLS IN CHORUS Jloro new girls in New Tork seeking places In the new Uarl Car- roil, > George White and Flo Zieg- feld shows than ever reported be- lorc. According to a checkup last week .on th'e unu'siial. number, the main lines must be runnlhg In eit- cur.sions. Most: of them make for the dif- ■ levont producers' " oflices jtvilliout trj'ing a casting "ofllfcc. . Among many noticed around, were young girls accompanied by their mothers., Thb mothers did more to get the girls rebuffed on the first try, than anything else.: ; Experience A hosiery dcalep~ wl»o for- merly angeled a number ot; Broadway>Bhbw3 appeared last wccU as a' producer on his, own. . But not wltli ,hiis own money. ' He foUnd an anscii: ;; AIR ECHANGE Legit Coining Down Cinclnnall, M.iy, 5, 1-OKil stock at the Cox IhPUlrOi In the foim be tlie National I'layers, lias Jtarlcd to baltib the, pioturo houses on adiiiission by advertis- ;iiiK In this way; ; "Live actors ami music at Iho prico of a movlc-36 conts." , The Cox is a first cia.sV IcSit I\ou.<<c, rind its stock usm the l)c.<t ,l>l: .v- releases for that fU'ld. ; ' SENTENCED TO FILM JiiOVilsvillo. May ,5. Hoiiiiic; that (iobrgc" W. Warren, 3",-vviuild benellt from the moral ot •« pictui-e,, ,Tu(lBC Nell AVi Funk sfln- teneed hinr tb spend - two , hours ', Vlo>viii,c; ii film, W.nrrcn was ar- rr-.sli.il r liaised tvlili drunUi'iin'-ss. Hv^, sail! he wasn't working but Ii;iil , bi-eii fi soidier for flvo year.>!. "I .ain gniiiK to .sentorice yoii to see ,l^':e , j,'i:« ati'st criinc , pVl tiro I ■ ever s 1"," Miiilge l''unk said'. re.'if"iiinK in l..;;. ip.y Wr-r r.ir a. theatre tiiUtot Vliut ;::iniJ.M.l U iirren. ■ • . ' Berlin,. April 24. Negotiations between John W. El- ivood, the vice-president ot the Nal- tlonal Broadcasting Company, of New Tork, and the Reilchsrundf unk- gesellschaft, Berlin (Berlin .broa,a- .castlng ■ station), have been . con- cluded. . Elwood left Berlini after all points regarding an exchange of programs l>ctween' New 'Tork and Berlin had been settled. The two Germans who ciarried on these negotiations were Dr. Kurt Magntis, manager of the neiciisrundfunkgcsellschaft, tind the forinor Sccretarj' of State, Dr. Hans Brcdow, broadcasting commissioner. About is months ago a contract was concluded - between ■ tlie tyo cbmpanies which will now be re- alized. , Toward July 15, the pro- gram exchange will commence. Every three weeks a German hour will be transmitted from Berlin to New' Tork on short waves and then will be relayed all over the United States, This is one of the best means of promoting friendly rel.a- tion.s between the two countries, it Is claimed. Famous German artists, scientists, politicians, etc.. will,, be invited to talk to America. The B.-iyreuth festivals will be broad- cast. Broadcast will be used to .make .propaganda, tpr visiting Ger- many. ,. . •■ ■■ Free Girl Acts with Ad Truck Caravan on Coast ■ Los Ancles. May 0. ^ • Now type of outdoor pttra'-ti'ih is- i)elng rraincd. liere by ILti ryMHt- thews, former Fanolibn,^:& 5rttrcrt staler, who is buSMlng n- IS-tnu'l; advertising show. to carry 40 Klrl performer.s.^ The.sc outnt." .will be rente'il to nifinufuctiiring comp-inles for displays nC tlii'lr C'jiiiiiio'.i;ii<'s. 'Matthews JS geltinc ?7.") -w;e' l;ly, for c.'ioh , truek and its trailer. Triick.swill form tl!.' ^i.l"wrill of a tent, wliieh will be a fr'.'o adnii.-si'jr.. aff.itr! The 40 frirls wiU do.gfoltnd and aert.il aets in the Inclo-^ui e. but !1t goes on t)"'' told May 20, opening hi. Venf n .\ f'/r a t,hrc--day biaad.. ■ f' ,., ISBEBE'SiEII ill FILM Miss Dahiels Says Producers^ Attitude Toward 'Names' All Wrong—-Are Signed and Dropped Too .FastrT- Material' the Main Requi- site, biit Studios Won't Analyze—Riutn Spirit ♦I WAS dUT--AND HOW* Because a .film atar •ppears . in bad plcturet is no jripre reason for .being "throuah" than • stage star unfortunate enough to get poor plt^ya . for, ■everal.. seaabns. Thi.lt hazard in .a atega career, ia ^ al- waya recognized,, axpused and tol- erated, but as soon ,aa the picture star is not "bbx office*' a few,'tlmea, that's the finiih or nearly to. This ia all. wrong , and ia wrong because picture preducert' entire attitude toward atara ia.wrong, says Bebe^Dahiels. ■ "Tlie way producers And a: per- son over night just because they happen to have hit' In one tliinft is as ridiculous and wrong as the way producers, kick, out ii' star as (Continued on page 12) First flass Trans^ Goat Gland Med Goy, Aired hyU.S., Goes Mex with a Ucense Galveston, May 5. Dr, John R- Brinkley, "goat Klaiid specialist," who was ruled off tlie air In the United States, has ob- tained a licejiso to build a\S0,O0O- watt station at 'Villa.: Acuna, Mc^c- lob, across the 'Rio Gr.ande from Del liio, 'IV'xas. Eriniiicy plans to sell medical advice, over the air., , rormcily ot llilford,^ Kan., the doc's . license to practice in th.il state was revoked oh, grounds- of rivnid,' and, unprofessional conduct. He oper.ited a hospital t!S'-rd for ycar.-ir/makinir old men ybuni; w'itli "ir.-tnsiil.Mitea goat glands. C'luirgo's were m'.'ule,;i',<ainMt Iiirn by Dr. ,M6;-- ri.s. ]- i-,libe.in' oC the. Am^Vican ^I^•d- ital A.«sof-|.i<ioM. ■■ Chaplin Snubs a King Piiris,, May . '•>■ . .,i-.a!'-.s', 'move ot.-J-'h'strk-.iyC.fiajdl'ii-1« ;lo .-iuu') Kin)^ Oeorije. ] y' \:' .. C'ii i.i>iin has refu.ied to .ipiioar liji." coiniri.iiid perforrn.aiice in I.o;.- ■(lon, as; iiis invitation was sent lo tliC llotel ■ CrillonV Paris. (Mtapl'iii says'lhat as he had already l';ft and his hiOvetiie,n't.>i ar<,< .given world- ■,vide publif-itv, Ih'- KliiK o'r .11is •■•''^-.r rc;ary .slioiild hive Uno\vn l>;-.tt'ir. . Paris ih Panic Paris,' May B. . Night club business here is sb bad'conditions are critical. .. No Americans,'no money and grlet'all around'. : . , - i^umber bt comfilalnt.s . re- cently that the Palm Berich Gold bar is serving ■cheaply! adulterated drinks. . despite fancy prices. At the "Morislg- . hour, last year's smarlest.night club in Paris, talent, is haying .dimculty coliectlrtg silairics. That Americans have failed to materialize- this season in their usual iprocesiiibti has even Joe Zelll, ■ oldest of the nlglit cliib operators here, Worried. Joe la laying bft all advertis- ihg and publicity for the tiiiie being and looking around into other fields. 3 WORST SHOW TOWNSINU.S. A group of ^hoAvmcn decided last week that the three worst towns in the ir, S. for show business arc Memphis, Toledo and Birmingliam, in that order. • The same men selected Detroit as the prizo show '.town of the country with Chicago second, and N'ew Tork third. Selections were made without regard 'to exisllng. lousiness conditions. , • Memphis and Toledo are the- a{rlcally known as six-dav towns, with theatres closed on Smiday. Another show day weekly^wouldn't lifclp either. It was agreed. ^Vlth these selcftlons,. St. Paul and Kyracuse h.aye lost their reps as. the other Holy .■VVeekii for the thcatr'!S. Pulling Up a Chair . - . IloUyy.oo'J.May Itanch Hoys, air f»;'ji.ljre oyer KTM! announced that they w-Mild 'per-oji.ally Uelivir auto-'r.aphed liliotos to.all ill this iirea'"-vlrowi-ote of ''iihoned., .Itcsult w:as drouhd J.JOO reiipoTisesj'. '.■.,' y f!t'i'llo olTl'.lal Ihotiyht eueh eow imncher'could deliver I'j iiiio'.qs .a •lay, and Uiiit tli^. ,; ot" tUeiii r;ouUl (I'-an lip tlie work in a weok^ l?.6y.s don't think,mii'li or t!;!s .id'-a .-ayin^'.there'.s.no usT,- rusliln'f; In and out ot'hoi]:-'^.'! without .<ato'iil.l":,' tlio IVo'Tfifr; ro:!'ill'.:.(;.'! ,r-(r. '.''ri"-/ now ili;''i:-e 'lii'-y woii't '()'•: tlivo..'-, !; uMli .-.'.;:.'-Mii,ie ia tile .s\i;iiti..'r. . Travel abroad from the U. S: fell oft 50'io tho first four months of this year as against,the same length of time in 1030. Steamship compan- ies estimate the summer's decline will be another 50 under the prcr coding year. The Urop in first class passengers going 'to I'.urbpe frbni Jan. i to May 1 was 7,000, on one of the biggest boats alone. ■ .Paris has felt and .will :fcel, the lessened tourist trade •from the State.-;, Paris always looking for-, wui'd to the chunip Americans for its l>lg clean up. The luxury roputu- (Continued on page .35) . VALLEE, SOLO, AS JUVE IN 1ST STAGE ROLE Rudy. Vaillce,'* without his .band,, win be the.juve lead and feature of the next White's ."Scand,als.'.' tie was booked for tlic show by NBC's artist bureau upon receipt of a re- lease from' picture house 'engage- mehts by Paramoiint-Publlx. The placing, of Vallee solo in the .musical by NBC |9. with a view of building lilm tip Into spniethlng new: In. belief that Vallee has .re.achcd the top as a rneg crooner. Hc'.s a juvc t5'l'C and' will be steol-ed : into .such roles by the broadcasting com- pany in all, his future stage worlc. besides continuing to double on the . air., • -'■■■ , Althpu?;h on the' other side of the',- operation''fence tiirough its connec- tion. With c:i!.S. I'aiumount-Publix did not W-ithh(ild its consent for Val- lee's release .'to NBC for tlie st.age show idea. It Is understood to have been mutually agreed that ■\'ullce will return to the, X)icture house cir- bult for a tlnie following his. iirst tvliow part. Pope's Address on Disk Is Worst Bootieg Flpp . Los'AnK"l"S. ^lay 5. ■ liigge.st floi) in diKi.s 16t;illy i.s a liootiv*? r.ecoi ding of llie I'ope's ad- dr'-s.s in I«xtiti as-J-ceeiilly l)ro;i,dc.-(st. Xocal music and, department stores' erich ordered ■.around 100 of tiio Kf^' oi 'lH,. (iijiiring the Mexican poiiiilalion.. , /■'Ive ...ales at one sttbre topiicd the list, w i' ii several others, reiiorthi;; no sulo.s, altliough the records go^ window displays. >' FILM CEUSADEBS , ■ : Burbatik. May u. • l''irsl,Xavlf'iar>. Y '.•'••■^•liii;:,series _ \viil'.be,e.^l'-.iV)'-»i ,i.o ■:)I....w 'I.oiigv' ■ Tlieme oC llie fiiru i,j to .hf ' long W America, guiiis .A" s'and :'>r, lirr. ■■■'■.':■ ': , ■ . / ,' : "...■ , '■' I'Uii ls.;based on, wlfat nuKhl- liapv pen: ln .th'> fiitnre: If a?!' aroKsv-i na- tion .'il.,ov;i,l!il^"i.lc i:i;.V'-,^o;t Vo.n^ea-S- ures oilier, than t.he. court,-; as re- ':;aiil-.- the gani; t.hiiiK. ': ,':. . ' it's -ri-; ,,i.vii;tT:;il, .1>v • ^^:'uli^•toa^ ' Vi.iiiiicf, and ,\V'iIsoii .\1 ini'.ci'. .;