Variety (Nov 1931)

VARlEtY Toesdaj, Noremtier 8, I9Sf Visual Education By torn WaUer .(Ninth of the Mrles of article* .o n^movthu ptcture» ln th» claMroom). Bavld Sarnoff, theoretically,. Is reported juBt aa Interested. In visual education as Harley Clarke Is demonstrating materially. Earl Hammons of Educatlontd Pictures for years has been making surveys of the country's classrooms, and elnce he recently added & Prince- ton trustees to his board of' direc- tors, reports are that Educational may soon makel a move tyhich has beeii belated for the paust 16 years. Elsewhere in official iiarta of the industry the feellne at present is that not more than three companies will' endeavor to undertake the initial classroom TVorlc. If that is so then the' namies mentioned axis the three - officialdom IS' counting upon. Educational, is aware that at minimum an appropriation of at least »2,000,000 velll be needed to eet its- visual ambitions on 111ms a k 1 into distribution. Ismlssiarles of- Sarnoft talk in terms ol $5,000,000. All with the . exception fit Fox, and that company for a long time has wanted to roundtable the visu Tifif Attorney on. Coast to iSet Craze Budget Hollywood, Nov, 2. ' Jack London, New Tork attorney for iTlffany,. is here for conferences .with Sam Zlerler,' producer of James Cruze Productions,, in an at- tempt to settle their distribution difficulties. ' Tiffany and Zlerler have been at odds' for the past two months over production •'cost and type of .pic- tures Cruze has beeii turning out. With three more features to be made ' on thelir Tiffany contract, London Ip here to set the matter settled .before production on the features .starts. FOX RELIEF TAKING CARE OF 100 FAMIES Hifirley Clark's Five PVlends Plsji Is now taking care' of about. 100 families. Payroll eliminations, sal- ary'cuts and .weekly vacations, it . , , I Is admitted, are cutting contrlbu- Rlly Interested sector of fllmdon?; tlons made at the outset by em- concede that either the government pj^y^^ or a- nationally reodgnlzedjissocia- personnrt Is not confln- tlon, having In It the conMence of charitable acUvIUes to those teacher and parent, must constl- | ^, .^^^^^j^ ^j^,,,^ ^ j,,^ tute th* nucleus around' which *ria- terlal operation will center. That the National 'Educatlonsil Association, composed • of over 35,000 educators in the U.: S,, will be cialle'd 'upon or will Volunteer toi undfertake-a leadership based on of- ficial sanction does not se^m at all Improbable. Right now the Hays Organizatloii is working closer with the .NEAj than at any other time!: A'three- reel Subject of the assotlation's con- try. Host of the. 100 families no-w being 'watched over by about 500 employees, divided into 100 squads, have no picture connection what; soever. Critics Score (Continued from page 3) [main practically unchanged. Almost the same reviewers are grouped in , . ^ , a\ higher bracket, and the lower ventlon in Los Angeles is scheduled is occupied by about the to be' projected at a\ least 1,000 g^me •writers with exceptions noted, gatherings of teachers through6ut .Taking the higher percentage half the counU-y before the winter is Und tlie lower percentage group, over. In this'way propaganda'with'■gg.gji coterie appears to-have con- the teacher on a wider scale than tjnued'Its membership, the twa dl- has been attem'pted'is hoped to be vlstona remaining-unchanged with- realized. ' ' ' ' I in their own groupings. That 'is .to ERPI Out .' ' ' I say, -with the exceptions previously The counting out of Western, from I noted, only one or two writers have the visual 'picture is not regarded I moved out of one. division Into the serious an Impediment as at I other, flrst^ A'r&T's political tears ', is 1 That has been true generally since given as one of the reasons. High I'Variety* - Iieis made the ttitlng for handed . methods and to;g prices the last four years, Indicating thc^t which have chiaracterlzed ERPI in writers, either becanse of superior all of Its undertakings-la seen just judgment of film -values,'or because as logical a'cause for this particular, of the attitude they take tb-ward the souring as the other. Producers, as business of reviewing, have run their spokeiamen.-term it, have been pretty consistently to form. Btung once arid are not at all inter-I 'the first period of the 1931-32 ested In having the act rispeated. season shows percentages relatively ERPI spent a lot of money and de- higher than those that ruled for the voted considerable time to the vis- entire 1930-31 season, and that holds ual field before it detected this true throughout the list, with a few snag. It Is admitted In electric clr- exceptions. Jndivlduals retain near cles. But,' just because EKPI la ly the same relation to the rest of seemingly discouraged Is no reason the list, the higher percentages ap why one pull-out should make the | Plying^to nearly aU^Ow^ reviewers ehelf play the all-time leading part " - — 1st Rons on Broadway (Subject to Change) MOSS CUTS OUT PROD. DEPT. In the visual drama. The consolidation of Radio Pic- tures and Pathe, Samoff subsid- iaries, Is already Indicating a trend for the benefit 'of'the film educa- tional field; Executives, while admit- ting of no immediate'plans that the Pathe coast plant will be 'converted Into a schoolroom workshop, are .en. thuslastic oh the vlsuaj subject. Already revenue In the production field is se'en by certain of the more financially expert Radloltes. A profit former .698, from the leaders to the trailers In the Ne\/ York section Boeh nel scores .764 for the new season to'date, compaifed with last year's final of .689. In like manner Mbr daunt Hall, 'Times,'' near the other end of the procession, has .540 for the new rating, compared to last spring's ..490. Tendency toward- higher scores applies likewise to the Chicago boys and glrlsi Doris. Arden (pen. name for' Muriel Vernon, Times') .scores .764 for the new list compared to of only 10% on film Iri the classroom would be satisfactory, th^y admit, pointing at the same time, to cur- A higher percentage of rights is rather surprising, since-the epldem Ic of Inferior product last summer to Nov. 1. rent returns from professional hoxL^^^j^ ^^^^ tended to disturb the offices. Currently, It Is understood, averages. Increase in the propor- Radlo Is considering a proposlUon L,o„ of'rights'would argue that the with 10 medlcarcolleges in the y. S. reviewers had generally rated a This Is that 50 subjects, with as „ Inferior releases many of the world's outstanding j^^^ suggesting that critical stand surgeons and physicians featured. „as have become more dlscrlmi be made. For the complete "brai-y „ating in the lay press «ach college would pledge itself to xhls present score is based on 110 pay outright JIO.OOO. The under- pictures for the New York critical standing at the start, it is stated. Is group ii-nd 95 for the .Chicago fac that the producers would be satis- tlon covering the period from June fled with an Individual profit of 10%. Radio people -are considering an- other soles potentiality. This Is the night schools of the country, where education is essentially brief and where greater speed In Inculcation would be of vast Importance. The .theory that one; print is good In the average public school for 20 years, or more—the picture, like a- lesson in a textbook, being aho-wn I Radio believes that the leasing once- to a class during a term—does method should prevail. Once a print no't balk Radio. One print on one Is sold, the producer loses title to it, eubject to a .school would be suffl- and the possibility of Its being bl dent In its margin of profit. cycled from ono Institution to the Instead ot renting or selling firms ' other Is.too frt-ata hazard SAVE HOWABS'S TEBUES Hollywood. Nov. 2. David, Howard, former Spanish director at Fox, who Just completed 'Rainbow Trail.' haS been given term contract. . (Week Nov. 6) .Paramount—'Once - a Lady'. (Par), Rbxy—"Friends and Iioveris' (Col). -, Capttot—'Sin «t Madelon Clavdet' (Metro). . Rival I—'Monkey Business' (Par) (Bth week). 8tr«nilT-'Compromlsa' (WB) . (5). Mayfair — /Bad Comimriy' (Pathe). ^ Winter Qarden — "Ruling Voice' (WB) (4). Hollywood—'Mad Genius'. (W B) (3rd week). RIalto — rUnholy Garden' (UA) (2d week). B r o • d'w • y —' L e f t-Over Ladles' (Tiff)- (7). (Week Nov. 13) Paramount—Touchdown' (Par). Roxy—"Friends and liovers' (Col) (2d week). . CaFitol—'Phantom of Paris' (Metro). Rivoil-^'Age for Love' (UA) <il). Str and — "Expensive Women' (WB). Winter Qardan-^HuIlng Volctf CWB) (2d Week). H o 11 y .w 0 o d—^"Mad Genius' ("V7B) <4th week). R i a 11 o — "Unholy Garden' (UA) (^d week). Hollywood v; Briefly, rewritten extraota-f^om 'Variety'*" Hollywood Bulletin, printed each Saturday In Hollywood, and placed da a wrapper upon the regular weekly "Variety." i The Bulletin'does net clrcuUte other than en the Pacifle Slope. News from the. Dail.iea in Los Anflolea will be found in that outtomar|; department. Le Baron'a Lyr.lea Lyrics for three numbei's in "Chi Chi and -Her Papas' ore being -writ- ten by Willlaim Le Baron at Radio. Muslo is by Max Steiner. A dozen dance girls will , be used, Harold Hect scouting them. ■Jewelry Raoket Jewielry club racket here has cus- tomers down f<)r f 6 down and $1 per week, with one customer allegedly selected each week to get his mer- chandise -without further cost. Cus- toihers complain everyone Is glveh the secret tip that he'll win, Charley Sylver In Charley Sylver, back from three years of musical shows In Australia, goes Into Warrters. "High Pressure.' May Daly, his- wife, also being tested. Bachmah'a Deal* If J. G.' Bachman, now In Neir York, closes, with Theodore Drelsei* for "Jenny Gerhardt,' author will b« paid on .a royalty basis.. . Bachman sold his 'Terror by. Night' to. Columbia tor a supposed ¥160,000 and percentage. . Film waa made Independently. .' Qarbo's Proxy Grind Dance of seven - veils in Greta Garbo's "Mata Harr will be done by Dorothy Wagner, concert hoofer, in- stead of Garbor. ' Cowboy Appell rer turned last week from New York to direct Metro dance scenes. Navarro's 10th Anni - A party to celebrate Ramon Na« varro'8 10th year at Metro was held at the execs'. studio bungiUow, Cadd.o Meg Setup Advance lineup fOr Caddo when Howard- Hughes starts production again In January gives two pictures each to Lewis : Milestone, Frank' Lloyd and Howard Hawkes. 'Riveta^ and 'Queer. People' to be for film* Ing then. ' - 'Miss America' Makes Good . One "Miss America' has made tha grade In Hollywood. , . Adrlenne Dore of ScatUe titled in. 1926, haa. been doing bits in studios since, and has just won & contract from 'Warners; : . $2 Pteturea The Champ' (Metro) (Aster) (9); RhelnV (Eu- Forelgn Filma - 'Llndeitwlrtin vom (Superfllm) (G^inan) ropa) (7th week). 'Eino Fre.undin' So Qoldig Wie Du' (Ondra-Lamac) (Ger-' mah) (Tobls-Vanderbilt) (3d . Terra Madre' (Plttaliiga) (Italian) (Cameo) (2d .week). 'Speckled Hen' (British) (Wtuiier's) (6)., 'Operndo ute' ! (German) (Lltti? Ciamegle) (6). 'Ihre Hoheit BefehK' (Ufa) (German) (Cosmopolitan) (6)i Interchangeable. Halted because of casting trou- bles, the German "Free Soul' haa started again at Metro. Margaret Knapp, who was the Ger)inan Joan Cra-wford, . will now be Norms: Shearer in' the same tongue. Frenoh Cinderella Suzanne Anthony is foreign ver slons' first Cinderella. Secretary to Roger Locor at Fox, the girl was- picked for Janet Gaynor's role In the French "Daddy Loni: Legij.' , 'Parade's' Long Preview A week's preview at San Jose will be' given Metro's musically. synced 'Big Faxade' as a tester. Starts on Nov. 4. 'Zee Zee's Raid Fear Afraid of a raid, Dick Wilbur and Sidney Goldtree wouldn't put up the necessary two weeks' rental guarantee! for the Muslo Box in which they were to produce 'Easy forZpe Zee.' Dickson Morgan called off the agreement a-nd the two pro- ducers are now shopping for the Orange Grove.- Commission suit against Joe E. Bro-wn for $26,000 was settled by Ivan Kahn for 15%i Thus far aor crUlng was $2,600. James Glavln'i eastern vbde part-- ner of Blanche Sweet, is being ■ brought, out by Universal under contract. ; Allwyn at Pathe Just released by Metro, Astrld Allwyn went to RKO-^Pathe for sec ond femme lead in - "Lady With a Past.' Authors' Production* Two authors produced their plays in the'Flgueroa Playhouse. B, V. Mlndenberg'a - Tradition' was on Oct 81 and Nov. .1, and Ethel Mow bray Dolsoii's 'Modem Moi'als' -be- gihs this week for a week's run.. Beery, Jr.'s, Westerns Noah Beery, Jr., is slated to star in a series of indie westerns financed by his dad. Probably indie release. The youngster has a rep In school plays. < I Radio's Outdoors Stuff B. S. Moss Is letUng out the en- Radio has two units in the open tire Broadway theatre production I spaces and two to follow. 'Exposed' staff and will change to a regular is at the Riverside rilcetrack, and flve-aot vandflim policy next week. The letouts, including Leroy Frinz aiid'an Albertlna Rasch line of girls, -will reduce "the stage 'overhead to around $6,000, for acts only. This Is about halt of what Moss has been spending -weekly on the specially produced .and -written productions around vaude talent. Al Trahan and Georgle Price will be on the first regulation -vaude bill next week with three other acts. 'Th6 Dove' Is on the Warner ranch. Lost Squadron' will be shot at the Metropolitan airport and San Pedro harbor, and 'Bird of Paradise' will have stuff near Deadwood, S, D, U. A.'s Windup Pickup shots last week on the Caddo 'Cock o' the - Air' closes up United Artists studio on shooting until January at earliest Actors Overpaid? (Contln.ued from page 3) salary end. Its return to a sane basis, the leerit actors organization believes, will be for the betterment of'all show business, Because ':times are. -sub-normal Hollywood- can cut to the Broadway Lloyd Under. Paint A part in Ann Harding's 'Prestige' was given Rollo Lloyd, Pathe writer and director. MbKinney at Par Florlne McKlnney was given term contract at Paramount. No picture so far .for the- Ingenue. - Paddock on Story Universal has Charley Paddock _ _ _ once the fastest man in the worlc. fi^e" aid "keep" the aJtor'm "the | Z'^^'^''' P°%^^ "^^^ Coast. -When thlnea beirln to nick ^7"®' ^^^^ trying to figure out, a Coast.^ When, tnings begm to pick gtory .„,t^ an Olympic angle. up and the legitimate appreciates u will make it if lie can deliver, the trend, thematlcally, which it must pursue, then Equity expects an exodus of players from Holly wood to Broadway. Equity, on the matter of attempt- ing to conquer Hollywood for the third t'nie. Is new ' marking time awaiting the .effect of. the reported Hollywood' slashes on players upon' the expiration of their contracts So careful is the actor organlza- Rambeau Out Minna Gombel replace Marjorle Rambcau in Fox's 'Stepping Sis ters.' Miss Rarabeau had a set-to with Seymour Felix, directing, who dldn' like her actions. 'Society' for' Tobfn 'Society Column.' in the writing „. by Jerry Horwln and Robert Keith Uon right now that Frank GlUmore Universal. Is evidently for Gene refrained from calling a meeting of I Tobln, the Hollywood . organization while on the Coast. At that time there were murmurs ot an impending general slash which did not. how- I ever, get on the record iintll | recently. Fear that producers would have I such a meeting checked and clocked ' and that actor attendees might be I subject to film reprisal Is Gtllm'ore's reason for not having assembled the clan. Metro's Freaks Flrat eonslsfnment of freaks for •Freaks' at Metro consisted of Coo Koo the Bird Girl; LlttW Mai- tha, armless wonder; Johnny Eckt, half body boy. and Pete Robinson, skeleton. NilssOn Over Pneumonia After a sle^o with pneumonia In the Hollywood hospital. Anna Q Nllsso'n haa tests waiting at Metro Paramount arid Warners. East and -west part. trading be- tween Dick Arlen and Phillips Holmes. Arlen goes east into "Way- ward*, with Nancy Carroll. Holmes comes out for 'Two Kirida of Women.' ■ purton King haa "Human Target* in production this -week, indie, with 'Dance Hall Kisses' in preparation to follow. . - A stage play la being sought by Hal Roach as the .story for Laurel and Hardy's next full-length film. Jose Crespo Is in New York to go Into the legit 'Cardinal.' Actor was formedly with Metro for Spanish • pictures. Fox publicity department, to get away from hokum description ot Over the Hill.' calls picture 'home- spun.' .'ifj . Ray Doyle and Al Kelley doing a :- girl. newspaper reporter story for i;:; Universal. -.v Allied Pictures Corp. will syn^ chronlze In German and Spanish Hoot Gibson's six westerns. An- dreos Dlppel is supervising them. - ><■■ • \i Fox studio schedule, with three to ■,;f ■ five units active since JunCi takes a heavy load for November. Flvefea- tures now shooting, only two near completion, and this week's starting-' list has seven titles. Fafamount's revival of 'Grand .yj Duchess and the Walter' will be a,- ^, musical. ■ Tunes by - Oscar Straus.. ^ and lyrics by Leo Robin and And^ , ■ Homey. - ^-4: Maureen O'SulUvan is the favo- rite choice for lead In Metro's 'Tar- ■'' zan,' but no contract arranged yet. h; Ken- Dalley le managing the ^Ha' <■• Kennedy-'What-a-Man' Hudson oct-'o for RKO. 'i: Resumption of Mickey McGulre comedies at Darmour studio has J.'. A. Duffy directing instead of Al Herman. Latter turned indie, pro- ducer. Colored fortune tellers have sluffed the Arab pose: Plain low- down Negrd voodoo Is the teclmlque that takes now. Other types ot seers, .especially the pseudo-sclen- _ tlflc school, iEire doing good In ad- -M vice to players on options, parts,. :c) etc.. 'J As a name. Loon ^yaycort has no v It, according to Universal exocs. They're looking for a nonicr with pash for the juve love - Inte'vest in 'Murders on the Rue Morgue.' . Madge Evans goes Into 'Cour.'kBe • (Metro) with Robeit Montgomery. Fox talk about o- 'Rebcooa o( Sunnybrook Farm', remake now iH' u - down.