Variety (Oct 1931)

VARIETY PIC T a R E s Tu€8(Ia^« Qctolter; 6ji, 1931. Par's Story Coondl in New Ywk Oh Toes with HoByWood Stdio Re|^^ Production and Castii^ Under the\ new. atory set-^up for. Paramount ih New' York, the home office Is not only reslBtlng Holiy- Woiod In Bome buys. which It do^s. 'Sot tiiink advisable, bnt In a large measure eastern headquarters through its newly-created Mitorial boaF,d IS' constantly warning the other coast .what to avoid. Attempt- ing to act as'a guiding hand for proillVfeitron,'''ttie «ditot>ial - board is' t»8liig.'-4to findings. .Importantly on^ what, -reisults.'' ^bltx theatres., ^how ■«?lth.a„^.ajr!(<e!d ^yp« oj,.fttjl;i»cfl'on8, . To .Emanu.e) Conen, lately elevat-. ed li^' importance second .to Jesse It. XaJsiky ,on iprodiictlon ipatters in. thia .easV'gbes ^e'crejait fpr the dlB7 tlnctil^, ,^ihcli.yl4ual' s^t-up on. Par's eastern story departmenti.',w.hlch; lis Tirtually,.'Without .a.single .dominat- ing jie^. . . Uiillke the scensrlo .'dl^ vit^lb^.'^lructU^. .«Mt. finy .other, com- pany, oh )(h.lV end, the editorial board la . made iip; of three, heads' within the deptu'tigient. .^^h'ese. ,'are:'.!b.^.A/ Doran, A. Botsfor^' and' jRussiell' Holm'an, each with Uieir staffs. Around tHa.t nu oleus,' the boar<t i(i|bces in the 'vari- ous membeija of..the three .depart- ments "for conslderiaitlbn of all story matters.'.coming .before Par-at the honie office. Hollywood is reported to be con- •i^ecabli* ..upset ovet- the newly- orgahiz^d', i^a^ department In New Torit,,with''epmj8 riesistance^from the wes't; coast'i^gaiiist what New York says. N. Y. Demands Among the duties outlined for the editorial board is influencing produc- tion and casting In Hollywood to cojoforfiv. ytitfy, the, demands .'of the theatres, as viewed through weekly receipts. One demand from New Tork was that Hollywood quit casting, .Paul Luftas in : unsympar theti.c roles. .,. Some Impression has 'gained cir- clulatlon tha.t ..there is Iniernal fltrlfe in the organization and-that the eastern story end is in two fac- tions. This is not true. New Tork blaming- Hollywood for spread, of these eiToneous. accounts.' What Far, among other things, Is trying'to do from the h. o. is to straighten but Hollywood on some of its mistakes. It wants to im- press upon the coast that pictures called ' Hollywood. successes' . fre- quentljr- aTe outstanding deaths around the country, and that what a director thinks iia aces-for Holly- wood hiay be.no good-for most of the rest of the land. '■ Attempts to do this from New Tork would naturally pique Holly- wood to some extent, it Is agreed, but meanwhile-the editorial board otitrup wants' the western studio to turn out' pictures which It is be- lieved Will make money" every where' rather than only in Hollywood' or maybe ih New Tork and'Chicago. In purchasing stories. New Tork .win resist Hollywood on any buy it wants If disagreeing. Meanwhile, It gives Hollywood an opportunity to have its say on stories to be bought in New Tork before con- tracts are signed, except where a fast purchase has to be made. The avierage Hollywood director or production executive has always deeply resented even so much as a suggestion from New.Tork, espe- cially If the suggestion came direct- ly from someone concerned with Uieatre operation or distribution. Kent's. CKioica Cohen,, under Xiasky at the h. o. Is generally assum,ed as being .Sid ney R. Kent's choice * for "the pro- duction spot Meanwhile with Bots- ford and Holman promoted from Paramount and PubHx advertleing posts to story department official- dom, Hollywood is getting its first big taste of what it would call 'the- atre and distribution Interference Hollywood and its fllm-factory people who are seldom willing to. be concerned with . the other two branches of the industry, are held up as having forgotten all about Accidental? Four latars under contract to- another company are the only photographs that adorn the wall of a Fox vice-president. Olenn Grlswold, Fox p. a. head, is thus publicising Pathe's Ann Harding, Helen Twelve- trees, ConstanciB . Bennett and. • Ina Claire. ■ GEimAN BARRED FILM OKl^FOR NEW YORK ' -nkb has;ho.bked 'I4ed:yon.Leben' i('Song;bf life').fqr the Cameo, New Yf>tk, after illm was passed .Ijy the New. Tprk .Censor Board with a.few mlnpi; deletions. . .Picture , goes ,ln either Friday :(9) or Oct 16, depend- ing on whether 'East of Borneo*. (U) Current is held over. : Picture was barred completely by the. Berlin censors. Tobls brought it to Ainerlca oh a chance that .it would get by over here. ' Soviet's WodeboDse Hollywood, Oct 6J Boris I'llynak, Soviet writer brought here by Metro, pulled a 'Wodehouse. Russian got $30,000 for his scriv- eni'ng, which -landed on a shelf. 'Went back home and told his native paj^rs wWt ^chumps the American pro'dii(('er$ ' were. Faper^ 'tire 'Ju&t getting .in circulation ,]iere.' It is easier to be wise for otiiers than for ourselves. HB. AND MRS. J.tCK NOBWORTB ISO Went 44th Street New Tork SAILINGS ;; , Oct >lfi (Paris to New-Tork), Ar thur'-Kelly (Bremen).. • Oct IS (London to Montreal), Sid ney'Kent (Empress of Britain).- Oct 16 (Liondon to "New "Tork)'; Paggy Joyce (lie de'Franee)*• Oct' IB' (New'Tork tO'Parls) John 'Gilbert (Europa). ■ ■ • ' ' • • Oct 12 (Lios Angeles to New Tork): Jack Parhngton (Califor- .nla), Oct 8 (London to New Tork), Jeannette MacDonald (Europa).. Oct 7 (Paris to New Tork), Leo pold Marchand (Aquitanla). Oct 7 (New Tork to Paris): WU 11am Tllden, Frank Hunter (Beren- garla).. . Oct' 7 (London to New Tork): Abbey Players (Aquintania). Oct 6 (New Tork to Paris): Al- bert Burke (lie de Franco).: Oct. 8 (New Tork to London) Rosallnde Fuller (Laconla). -. Oct a (L<>ndon to Ne* Tork) 'William and Joe Mandet (Levia- Ithain). • Oct 8 (Paris to New Tork), Clay- ton Sheehan, Andre Hornez (Levi athan). ' Oct'2 (Paris to New Tork),.Alex- ander Stalin (Bremen). . Ocf 2 (New Tork to Paris): Ellssa Landi (He de France); Oct 2. (New Tork to Paris.) Lud- wlg Satz and family. (He de Prance.) Oct 1 (London to New Tork) Pezso Better (Paris).. . Oct 1 (Bremen to .New Tork), Sergei Rachmaninoff, It. Sahin ■(Bremen). ■ Oct 1 (London to New Tork) George Arllss (Olympic). WILL MAHONEY In Barr Carroirs "Vanities.", Mr. RowlancI in the Brooklyn "Times" said: '"The high spot of Eorl-Car- roll's .'Vanities', is, in. my opinion, the xylophone dance by that com- petent clown, 'WUI Mahoney.".. .Direction RALPH G. FARNUM 1660 Broadway ^ MANY BEATINGS IN pics; says lahr • Hollywood, Oct 6. 'Tou (take -too many beatings 6ut here,' says Bert Xahr, who Is tom- pletlng :Flylng High' for Metro, as his summation of the picture thing. 1 like It; swell and all that' but you have too nuihy people t9 please. "pbe director, .supervisor, caster, executiyei other pebple in the cast, tli'e .pre-view . public, all have to be pleased. In a show, if your stuff is set and you click you're pretty sure it'll con- tinue doing' BO nightly and two matinees weekly. 'Same thing goes in a picture, of course, but after, it's done you Aart air over again' w'orryihg.' ' ' XAhr likes, the Broadway ' ^how thlnig and returns jshortly for a George 'White musical. lAhr^B Conception of. the best show .biz that ever 'was is the old two-a-day Keith -taudevlUe, 16 min- utes mat and nlte. OB "Hoter . ^ Hollywood, Oct C. . Edmund Gouldlng is practically set.for the megging Job on 'Grand Hotel,' despite Lewis. Milestone has been,close to the assignment... i Metro figured: Milestone's terms a. little too steep. SoImilzer-BogerB East Hollywood, Oct 6, Jos. I. Schnltier is about 'to make another Ne-w Tork trip. Charles Rogers Is another on his way east shortly. Cohen s New Post with Psur Newly Cireatedr^^te Diversified Another Genius ' It 'wa^ at a story confer- ence'ahd'the author wbs pres- ' eht. 80 'was one of the. com- pany's fairly outspoken of- ficials. The time came for his opinion. Ih.no.uncertain 'words he pronounced: 1. think it's rotten. 'Ah, sir,' the author said, Vhat a genius you have for innuendo.' WANT B'WAY HOUSE FOR PnTALUGA'S TALKERS Another.: .Broadway foreign.. film house in >New. York <is likely with lEranscontlnental pictures installed fip ofiiclail .American representatives of Plttaliiga "o'f Itjily.'. ' Tianacoh- linental has''American rights to ail i^ttaluga product; • including -the French .and German versions.' 'It ^as 16 cbiii^le'tbd features oii hand to start business with. " '' First of the PIttalUga films, under' the new tieup, started Sunday-(4^ at the Acme theatre oh 14t)i street IPor future films a. Broadway, spot is Ming looked for. If Transcon- tinental cannot find a house- for itself Booif,- it is likely a dear«IIl be made with Rl£0 for first show- ing of the Italian product in the Cameo,. RKO's- foreign house in Times Square. ROSEY QUITS COAST Tried Everythlna in Hollywood— 'Back to Stage Play , .Hollywood, Oct. 6. , Harry, Rosenthal is giving up after trying evwy thing around Hollywood trom.picturea to a piece of his ow^i nlte. club, the, Embassy roof, includ- ing his own orchestra. Rosey is go- ing, back east this week to star,In Jed Harris'/ '^^Ittle Boy Blew.' . , : Rosenthal hail .difficulties at the Eteibass^, going overboard on 'the band overhead and'finishing person- ally in the red. • Lina Basquette's walkout to. join j'Wonder Bar' -came two days after the opening, ; . Paramount-Publlx has created a new post, establishing, a precedent ,- in efc^cutlve circU^iin all produc- tion companies, Vhereby t>ne hian Is'- charged with effecting greater co- ordination among all departments, Emanuel Cohen stepped Into this position Saturday (8) 'when he Wt immediately for the West Coast for conferences with B. P. Schulberg. It will be a month before he is^ scheduled to return.. ; ' Among Cohen's new duties are: ' -Seeing that pictured are rel^a'se'd!' ac((ordlng to timing'lA the;original" schedule. •'■ ■ "v ' '''« Keeping an, eye'^on the produoi'), ttoft- bud^it and' 'determihlhg -vhyt''. if at any time In'the futlif^e It be-'' comes necessary, sothe -budgets' al-tf in excess of theli" appr'ot>Tiatlon. ' ' ; Efttctlnjg' cohtaet'.*rlth' theatrear.' ^hd'getting the VeH(:tio'n 'pi pictures,.' I 'Using, this infdriha'tibn in' con'-; 'nectlon with future production pland,' bringing the art of plctut-e making, closer to public taste .tailoring lines.. Versatility I The position is admitted Inside to' p« one of the mos^t demandincp on ah ^ecutlve's 't'ldi'e'and Versatility ever created in a 'ipilciyre organiza- tion; . Officially,''Cph^n''i[8 known as chief' coadjutor' to' ik^ai lasky, tiie - latter cHief of Par production. Hi' his new berth'Cphen'ls being count>'^ bd upon to lighten''considerably the', jlutles of Lasky an^ to'first report all of his. finding^ to; Lasky. 'Up to the time ,o£ hiis latest ap-. polntment Cohen has been one of. Par's busiest lieutenants. He has' carried the .titles of 'edltor of the. Paramount Newsreel and head of the company's short subject'depart-'^ pient .....- For .the time being Cohen xfUl- n%f tain all of his titles, .but his dutieto in the other capacities .will be i^ri strloted to Bpeciallzed.., supervlsoiisif ^Ines. .Details of newsreel prodaoift tlon aind shorts will ,be carried oiv> by Cohen's lieutenants. In' fact, It Is understood, he -.will be. consulted by these two departments only,. when they are confronted by prob- lems of magnitude.'. ' - ■' From how on Alfred J. Richards win be in charge of the Par news gathering. Ina Can» If and Wheii, Hollywood, Oct 6. It's okay with Sam Goldwyn for Ina Claire to go east as she wishes. But' not until her production work is finished. Previews look satisfactory; but Miss Claire will have, to linger, until the retake stag.e, if any, .is passed. family audiences to a great ex- tent Children ore being scared away by many pictures due to their subject matter, themes and han- dling. Paramount feeling Uiat It 'Will have to place films back on the basis where they- become 'family entertainment'again. The editorial board and Its meth^ od of operation bilks west-coasters on complaints because no one in Hollywood knows who to cry . to against orders, coming through with the personal story department op eratlon out. When 'Walter: "Wanger was in Paramount, he was the contact per sonallty that a lot of writers, pro- ducers, and others sought. Now these people have to gb' to. the edl torlEiI board where no one person can make a decision one way or another, everything being up to the editorial board as a whole. Second Reversal in Month Slap For Tinkie Ziegkr, Chi s Censor Chicago, Oct s. Effie CPinkle') Ziegler got re- buffed once more last week. Her .attempt to keep 'Hoihicide Squad,' UnlversdI's police yam, out of this town, got bumped when Acting Commissioner Alcock overruled her, and reversed : the censor board's thumbs down order on the film. Censor board said nix on the whole affair, and refused to recom- mend it for a permit either white or pink. But Henry Herbel, local Uni- versal voice, went to the police chief, with a. plea that 'Pinkie' Ziegler ajid her pals had a warped slant on the flicker; that it Was a police and not a gangster yarn. Alcock sent his picture reviewer, Lieut. Scanlon, down for a peek at the reels, and Scanlon came through with an Immediate slap for the Zleglerltes, and gave the flicker an okay.. Only twp scenes, depicting actuai gun-fire, were shortened. But the feature goes Into the Pal- ace with a full clean ticket. . This is the second scalding for 'Pinkie' Ziegler within the month, with Clarence Darrow haying ad- ministered a healthy spanking when he rescued his 'Mystery of Life,' also Uhlversal, ft-om her hooted.'adults only' label. Upping LeMaire Hollywood, Oct 6. Rufus LeMaire has a new con tract with 'Warner Bros, as "WlB FN caster, plus a promotion as gen eral assistant to Darryl Zahuck -on stories, production, etc. Difference over contract terms almost sent LeMaire east to re engage In legit production. ' First cdde to Zanuck' is a hew berth. Warwick, Houston Set Hollywood, Oct. 5. "Walter Huston returns to Warners for one picture, 'Marked Woman, with Lll Dagbver. Robert Warwick also resumes American picture work In this film, after an absence of several years. SMITH-DAIE'S FAST HOP Smith and Dale finished their final Paramount short at the Astoria studio Friday (2) afternoon and im mediately hopped to catch a train to Hollywood. Team arrives in Hollywood this morning (Tuesday) and the same afternoon i.s due on the Warner set to start In 'Winnie Ll'ghtner'a next Sheehan Report W3d A strong repc>rt is being spread, somehow In New Tork without con-, curre.nce by the coast, of Winnie. Sheehan possibly being replaced.in the Fox studios'by Dick Rpwland. .i The story started after. Rowland! left New Tork early last, week:for!: the .Fox coast studios. He was ac-' companled by two Chase Bank rep*' resentatlves, It is said. Rowland was' lately .appointed a v.p. in the Fox organization arid &b hea,d:;^f a new story department in the.-east, by.; Harley L. Clarke, Fox pres. All Fox sources . in New York depy any chance- of a present change In the Sheehan studio direc- tion. Robinson in. 'Wong' . Edward O. Robinson, after the current week at the Palace, New Tork, entrains for the coast for a. Warner picture. - Robinson's next Is 'Honorable Mr;' Wong.' It was authored'by Achmed'' Abdullah and the iat« David B«- iasco. Story was never'produced iri' 'aplay. ' ' Smith's Par Return Stanley Smith Is returning to rnr- amount after a year's absence from the. screen. Smith was on Par's contract list until a year ago; Since then he's played the picture the- atres In person and had a run iOi the Broadway musical, 'You Said It.' . • ■ Smith's Par return Is for one piC;', ture, through the Morris office. Lotti Lbder on Stage Herman Bernlc has Lotti Lodpr for a three-year contract, to the ShubertB, for niuslcnl conRKlJc"'. Miss Loder was brought over liore from Hungary two yearn aco by Wariier Brothers' for film worU. Now reverting to her earllcf forte.