Variety (March 1932)

Tuesday, March 22, 1932 P IC T E S VARIETY t)ne Hour with You-Lucky Strike Tie-Upior 1^ Paramount and American To- fcacco have completed'arrangements • trJicreby the entire Lucky Strike; \' iJBd broadcast on April 2 will be ' Aevoted to scenep from Par's 'One Ho'iir With Tou.' : Idea for the.tle- tip- orljglriated. with Famous Music, Par subsld, which' promoted It through the film company, • Broadcast will mark the first time that an entire fllih story, as pro- . duced, bias b^en reproduced via the ether. Feature players, in thie picr iure, Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald, Genevieve , Tobin, . Charles: Ruggies and Roland Toung, Vlll all l*® on the period and will re-stage their 'One Hour With Tou,' dialog Inr its original form for ether consumption. Ernest Lubitsch, director of the picture, will also be on the broad- cast as a'speaker, Orchestra to, lie used with the . fllm-i-adlo period is Jlmtny Greer's, playing from the Cocoanut Grove, Xos Angeles. . Music from the pic- ture win be featured. Entire broadcast, with the excep- tion of Walter Winchell, who will in.'ci from the east as usual, will originate from the coast. Lvibltsch Is expected to' leave for the west this week. If it should so happen that the director Is still in New Tdrk by April 2, he will be placed on the hour from this end. Understood that none of the film liames, used on this period ■vvlll re- ceive any nionetary compensation from American Tobacco. It's a two-way exploitation tie-up for the r-adio advertiser and for., the film, which .opens in New York this week. INDIAN AUTHOR'S SUICIDE Ipong Lance Ends Life at 3&—Was . Also Actop and Army Captain ! : lios Angeles, March 21; Chief Buffalo^ Child liong Lance, 86, Indian writer, actor and lec- turer, cdmmitted suicide Sunday (20) at the home of white friends here.. Body was removed to thia Ai'cadia Funeral, Home. Long Lance starred In "The Silent Enemy' made in Arctic regions three years ago by wealthy Burden fam- ily and released by Paramount- He attended Manllus, Carlisle aiid West Point and was a cap- tain in the Canadian ariny during the World War. He was a frequent contributor to magazines and was also a former press representative jCor the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Wet and Colder Hollywood, March 21. Following the ceremony at the Joan Bennett-Geiie Markey wedding last week newspaper ■ people, toasting the bride, com-? iriented on the vast difference in the cordiality displayed there in comparison; to the Constance Behnett-Marquis ,de ia Falaise nuptials. As they w«Pe talking, a pub- licity man heard the click of a camera. Rushing oyer to a cameraman, hie, pleaded: 'Tou didn't take a picture of Joan Bennett with a glass of wine in her hand, did you?' 'Nope,''said the cameraman, who had waited out in the cold at the previous marriage,' 'it was Constance.' .'~-iFr6mYariety\a Hollywood Bulletin.) Columbia Expects to Reunite Holt-Graves Hollywood, March 21. Columbia anticipates makipg ^ar Correspondent' with - Ja<ik iHolt and Ralph Graves, though Graves has not yet signed.. In anticipation of the Holt- Graves reunion, Raymond Shro'ck la working on an original story .which will feature the duo against a Chinese background. Graves was formerly at Columbia as an actor- writer. He left and joined Metro. Adoree Recovered Prescott, Ariz.i March 21. Rene Adoree was discharged from the hospital as Cured here Saturday '•(19)- ... She will remain six to eight weeks before returning to Hollywood., BILUE DOVE'S FBEELANCmG Hollywood, March 21. BllHe Dove returns to Hollywood today (Monday) after being in Florida and: New York. Miss Dove is under contract to Howard Hughes, but as he contem plates only one production for her this year she will freelance In the meantime. . ' ; MABIOFS BREAKDOWN Hollywood, March 21. Frances Marion, scenarist, is in the. good Samaritan hospital suf- fering from a nervbivs breakdown. Inez Gourthey Set Hollywood, March 21. Inrz Courtney, who came west al'oiit si.K weeks ago on spec, is set for 'Manhattan Town' at First Na tional. Miss Courtney made several pic til res at that studio on her former ITollywond sojourn. 1,163 EXTRAS WORKING DAaY, BEST IN MONTHS Hollywood, March 21. , Extra jobs skyrocketed to an average. of l,i63 diaily last week. Best push the hiob's had In two years with exception of the llrst week of September which had a 1,500 average. Ten n^w' features were started last week and seven went Into the can, leaving 34 active ones continu- ing today (21) and nine possible starters In sight. Biggest single day for extras in six months was last Monday, when 1,670 Worked. Outstanding set that jday was a prizefight crowd of 461 used by Roy Del Ruth at Warners for 'Winner Take All.' P. A 's Kiss Indian Chief Who Says Dix Not Wed Hollywood, March 21. Chief Bellmard, of the Kaw In- dia,n tribe, no like the marriage that turned Winifred Coe into Mrs. Richard Dli:. It's not legal, ac- cording to the Indian tribe, of whlcli Dix Is an associate member, so the chief commanded another cer6mony be performed. Its sweet music to the press de- partment's ears and the marriage will be done again, with feathers arid full publicity photography. Dix was made a tribe member after 'Cimarron.' Its the same mob that claims Vice-President Curtis. Betty's Small Part _ , _ , Hollywood, March 21. Evelyn Brent goes to Columbia for a secondary part in 'Criminal Court,' the studio where, until re cently she was under a starring con tract. Importance of the part, despite its brevity, appealed to her. Deceased Stars Hollywood, March 21.. Newest one reeler being as- sembled by 'Screen Snapshots' is a series of clips from Ralph Staiib's library.of stars who have died. Shows 24 deceased filni lumin- aries.' Mrs. Reid Stars Son Hollywood, March 21. .Mrs. Wallace Reid is preparing to produce and direct a. picture star- ring Wallace Reid,. Jr. Finances are set. 6SIBBLE-FA6AN AT FAE Hairy , WagstafE Gribblo and James Berna.rd Fagan, both play- wrights, have Paramount contracts. Former's agreeirient is for a year, Fagan's .six months. \^ Gri))ble, wlio co-auth6red • and staged 'Trick* for Trick,', current Broadway legit, will write and dl rect. Fagan is to write only. Wampas Sues Caesar . Holly wood, .March 2i. • Wampas p. a, association is start ing litigation against Arthur Cue.sar. Will try to collect $90 claimc-d due the p. a.'s organizalion for tickets for its l.'ist year's pnn ronwi. LUBITSCH REJOINS PAR New 1-Vr. Contract Is on Basis of 3 Pictures Ernst Lubitsch has a new con- tract with Par, following flirtations with United Artists, and Columbia. He lieaves for this Coast by the end of the current week. Director's hew agreement is: for one year with options and calls for a stipulated amount per picture on a basis of three productions for the y^ear. Contract does not carry a boost for Lubitsch, It is said. First story to be done after reach- ing the Coast, this iiot as yet se- lected, will be a comedy-drama. MORE CRANK STAR THREATS - Hollywood, March 21. Picture players and exec names are receiving a flock of threatening letters from weak-minded persons driven to flnancial desperation. Writers, are demanding flnancial help which if not forthcoming, they say, will bring dire results to the picture names. Postal Inspectors say most of the letter senders are nuts who believe that everyone in pictures is living in luxury and are legitimate prey for petty extortionists. No one expects anything toi come of. the threats, but they are .pirov- ing an annoyance to the picture people. CoiuinbiVs (Kfo to Buzzell Remams Open Hollywood, March 21; It's uncertain If tlie estrangement of Eddie . .Buzzell. from Columbia Pictures ' is 'ci'rtain. They are a;t least temporarily separated owing to Buzzell's dissatisfaction. As a novice film, director, Harry Cphn, for Columbia, submitted to Buzzell an offer of $32,000 for 40 weeks of the next 62 as a Columbia picture director. Buzzell rejected it. Buzzell's flrst full-length feature picture, directed by him for Colum- bia,^ Is 'Big Time.* It is receiving fair reports. Buzzell's friends think Eddie ma^y reconsider his decision to walk on Columbia In view of the Cohn offer, but it Is said Buzzell believes he will be selected as co-director on the Eddie Cantor picture for Gold wyn. 3 Shows, Film Contract On 1st Month in N. Y. Within the four weeks she has been In New Tork, for the first time, Marion Burns has had three legit engagements and closed a film contract with Fox Thursday (17). Actress Is currently in 'Intimate Relations,' play opening on Broad- way Week of March 28. First week Miss Burns came to New. York she went into stock at the Riviera, followed by 'They Didn't Mean Any Harm,* Milne, play that closed quickly. Miss Burns is from stock. ■ Pictures Venlure Into New Helds for Cycle^^^ On Politics and Radio Hot Graibbing Chance Hollj'wood, March 21. . Paratnourit had engaged a. swh.nk residence : for exterior shots. ■ . During production the mis-' tress of the home halted the filming to notify the director that she had rented her place for photographic; ijurpbises but this did not include bathing privileges, and would the di- rector kindly come upstairs and remove one of tiie extras froin the bath tub. Beating Legit's Back Seats by Using Film Name Resenatidns Hpllywood, March 21. .Favorite : gag to- obtain choice, seats from the local b.o.'s Is to make reservations in the name of some picture star. Even when the dodge Is sus- pected, treasurers are inclined to dig up front central spots and take no chances. Patronage of names increases the mouth-to-ear public- ity. Even if the same name is used twice for the same show,, there's no way of telling In advance which Is the phoney. However, some bird who used the name of Ruth Chatterton to reserve four at the Hollywood Playhouse last week was out of luck. Mf. and Mrs. Ralph Forbes are chummy with the Hbrtcn brothers^ and had already arranged a party/)f 10 for the show. The phoney fluartet sat in the l?th row. ' DeSylva Wants Winchell For *Beau Peep' Feature Hollywood, March 21. Walter Winchell is being beck- on;3d HoUywopdward by Buddy. De- Sylva, who wants the transom Pepys for the lead in 'Beau Peep.' This is an original DeSylya Is writ- ing with Ramon Romero. Story sympathelcally stars a keyhole commentator. , Original intention to produce the story independently with ' Monta Bell is out, as Bell is to direct John Gilbert at Metro. Authors now ex- pect to peddle their satire to one oC the majors. COWABD EAST . ' Hollywood, March 21. Noel Coward , will' go east this week after a visit here with friends. He spent part of his timel dodging studio offers, as he was'not .looking for a connection. Contrary to common report he did no, writing for Fox while here, tliough he did have several consul- tations with that studio on 'Caval- cade' and 'Bitter Sweet,' the picture rights to which are owned by Fox. Matter of Story aie by Ethel JobandUonelTooM^^ TOO CLOSE Plane Just Misses Crash—Harry Cohn, AI5.C0 Glater Aboard Los Angeles, March 21* This morning (Monday) tlie nine a, m^ tri-motbred plane had hardly lifted from the Palm Springs air- port before two o£ Its engines, went dead. The remalining (engine died as the plane touched thie ground. Harry Cohn . and Alice Giazer were the . only show people among the passengers. They proceeded to Hollywood by. car. This followed the ' fatal crafih Saturday niglit (19) of the Ameri- can airways plane on the Phoenix to Loa Angeles route. It crashed in fog near Redlands. Five passcngei K and two pilots were killed, Hollywood, March 21. In lining up all the Barrymores-r- Elhel, Lionel and John—to make a picture. Radio bumped into the situation of each family member re- serving the right to personally pass un the story to be selected. As no one yarn to suit the playing.reciuirc- mehts oE all three has probably ever been written,; there will be no collective Barrymore picture made by this company. , Mutter of story satisfaction to tlie Barrymores came up even bofc/r':; any financial arrangements were broaclicd. Hence, overtures . nevtr actuajjy reached a.matter of, terms, So .Radio Studio heads have for- .sakon tlie scheme to maKr;.iliO "A!! Jlarryniote' picture apparently 'i.- loo much grief. Hollywood, March 21. Several untried cycleis are inter- esting producers. Pictures with what might be called original ideas will shortly be ready for exhibit- ing. Now trends aire the political, attorney, radio columnist :and top- ical stories. Oriental, background plots, although not new, are also ; getting a heavy play. Political trend is absolutely new, producers; haying avoided this sub- ject as worthless for picturfe pur- poses. Purchase of 'Washington Merry-Go-Rounu,' even if just for the title, by Columbia, made other liim makers realize there, wag nauch interest ■ in politics for . possible translation at the boxofflce. Danger of stepping on politicians' toes always , caused shying at. poli- tics as a, film theme. Now, appar-■ ently, studios are preparing to treat tlie people's representatives . none too gently, taking the usual critical, satirical angle on things poiltical. Other studios are taking advan- tage of the fact that this lis a presidential election year. Radio will film 'Hell Bent for Election,' a comedy. Warners has 'Dark Horse,' presidential story with Courtenay Terrett, writer. In Washington gatliering local color. Fox has 'If I Were President,' which Will Rogers is practically set to do. Par is .Ashing for a po- litical yarn, as Is Metro. State's Attorneys Legal yarns, mostly about state's attorneys, will be another cycle. Warners has made 'The. Mouth- piece' and Radio has started 'State's Attorney,' by Gene Fowler, who wrote 'The Great Mouthpiece.' Columbia has a similar story which Irving Cummings will direct. , Columnist material. is on tap, too. Radio has '*., My Face Red?' and Warners has bought 'Blessed Event.' Columblr has one being written by Sam 3'uller. Metro and Universal have plot nuclei based on the daily by-line scribblers. Fox has 'Trial of Vivian Ware,* Warners 'Crooners' and Par. 'Wild Waves' for radio station themes. All the above trends are In a sense topical. Metro's 'Wet Pa- rade,' . proliibitlon story, is an ez» ample of a topical yarn. Orient Fades Oriental background thing Isn't quite as hot as 'hree weeks ago, or since the Lindbergh baby forced the Chinese-Japanese fracas off the front page. Radio Is going ahead with 'Roar of the Dragon' and Par will make 'Come On Marines,' al- though the story Is no.w being plugged as a Marine yarn Instead of a war storjr. Hotel and horror Alms still In evidence, and the mystery picture looks like its due for another swing around the circuit INDEX Ein.>j . i..„.; Burlesque Burlesque Routes....... Editorial . Exploitations ... Fiim House Reviews.... Foreign Film News...... Foreign Show Nbws,... Inside—Legit .......,,»* Inside—Music • Inside—Pictures .......f Inside—Radio Inside—^Vaude .r........ Legitimate Letter List.............. Literati ......... Alusic ' New Acts Xews from the Dailies.. . Oliltuary .'.,.....,..... Out of Town Reviews.,. Outdoors;', i'Jc'tures Picture Kcvicw.s '.■ , I v&cl 10 •,•(••'»».•••••••••,••. dio I«>port.s. •.. Sports .. >, *............. Talking Short.s.......... Tiiii'f-.'i c^(iUure... ........ A'audovllle ■ A'liiidf! House .Revii:',w.><... Women's I.'fige..,.,...... 38 «3 63 42-45 47 IS 34- 33 17 BO 48 47 47 58 47 48-52 32 53 59-00 36 40 63 52 . 63 . 2-27 13, 61 54-5«- . 56 ■■ 41' ■ 13 33-41 35- 3t 36- 37 40