Variety (Aug 1932)

VABIETr I" liCTII R ES Tu^eday, August 9, 1932' Na Objections from Studios To %pds|tion' Stage Dates Contract Players; AH nrnjor studios linTing^cireuit connections are preparing to extern! the practice of sending contract film jjlayers fnto vaude nnd pic- ture houses for personal appear- ances as an economy move to cash In on the layoff time between pic- tures. Alternatiris stage, work will also becom6 more general as an ad- junct to building up popularity for lesser known names. . It is not expected that many will be sent east for personal appear- ances until fall, as' currently all studios are going into peak produc- tion and will be usiiig almost all o£ Its contract personnel for the next two months at least. . Under present conditions none of the players will, be sent out unless capable of doing worthwhile iacts; The. straight personal appearance In which the names try to get by with just a song and . 'I'm glad to be with you' routine will not be tol- erated. The name. dra\v must also be enhanced. by. f ntertainmeht ipeirit. . -•- Interchange Players .of one company will reg- ularly .-appeal in the theatre chains of .Qonipetitive producer-distribu- tors. While it is reported that In the; framing of flim product deals this season the questlpn'pf avail- Ability of stars for Jpei'sonals is be- ing ^broached, there is no admission ether than that it is pretty gen- erally expected no special lines will be drawn. - Tr6nd of- the/ producer-distribu- :tprs seems to be in the direction of permitting; their film people to play for theatres' owned' by, others,'jiot- ftbly thqse which-, play ltd picture product. One of the ^ leading thea- tre operators points out that the Industry seems agreeable to ihaking the stars available in: that way when they are Idle- or on vacation. .. Perhaps the first definite Indlca.- tloin ^ of interchange on - film- talent ifor personals was the booking by L.oew's of • Warren^ /Vyilliani arid Bette Davis, WB • plAyera, into the Capitol, New Tork, last week. WB previously had lioretta Young and Ge6rge Brent on a personal at their own Strand,. N. T.* but had. no ob- jection to, giving Loew'fl ithe other team. '■'■i Otheys . are to come, with: War- ners-pointing to the close co-ropera- tive contact existing between the ' company and .Loew's. Liatter may get around n, dozen Warner players qti the season, as .they are. avail'- able, for tours in Loew theatres that may range'from bIx, to 1,0 weeks, where not conflicting with Warners* Ipwn hbus'es. Badio, Coluipbla and Unlvelrsal film ' people will probably go into jjCQ; houses, , "ivhiie Paramount's may . a,Iso be > Included here and there/ Par itself might utilize its own as well as Fox and Warner stars, depending on how playing time, stage show budgets, etc., Bhape up While no definite industry policy on interchange seems to have been worked out, with thie angles on stars fpr personals so far seemingly along verbal agreement lines, itap pears the plan. will develop in ati important way as soon as film peo pie become available. Right now, nearly every studio is keeping its talent busy turning out new sea- son's product, with only stragglers here anu there to be. available for personals, if okayed, until later this fall. Radio on the Side Under discussion also is the In elusion of radio work for picturei players when arid if fitting in prop erly. In time product contracts may contain definite clauses concerning stage and radio availability by the chain buying the film This coming season, It is figured featured players who need the stage buildup might eyen increase, their salaries on such engageriicnts as against picture contract ilgures. In that case the appeal to work per Bonals would be that much greater for the players. If the player's film salary is out of .proportion to the stage value, that will probably be adjusted prop- erly, wUh the stuUto still ."saving • Itself'somfethlng. .- Loew's may wort out several ; etage shows during the se^ison for tl^e C^apltol, N^w X9vK slitjliar to Diapor Sexibt HoMyroStKl, Aug. S. Infant version ot .FIorodara sextet goes inVOIad Rises to Riches,' ri<txt Jack Ha>'s* kid comedy for Bducational. Six four-year-olds will do the ' number In lace-trimmed diapers. Mary Pickford Props- Peal for ^Language' Mary PIckfbrd's deal for the. play 'Another .Language,' on which she came to New York, is off. Stay de- cided against It when owners of 'the rights wt^nted it specified the pic-; ttire coiild not be released until the fall of 1933; Miss Pickford re-; turned weBt'by plane. : Terms did not figure. First quo--, tation named by: 'Language' was $lB0,000i with all film firms forget- ting about it. On the Coast Miss Pickford .Is preparing to go ahead Immediately with the Frances Marion original, once called 'Happy Ending,' .but which will not be released under that title. WILL MAHONEY Bock, San Francisco correspond- ent for 'Variety,' said: 'Will Ma- honey can say tha,t . of ALL the names that have trod the Fox hoards he gave'the best account of himself, because that's what he did. He started easily, warming up. as he went, and wound up to TRE- MENDOUS results. He encored, and that's an acobmpllshment at the massive Fox/. . Direction RALPR G. FARNUM 1660 Brofidway MC GUIRE PAYS OFF Sol Wurtzel Colltcta After Attach' m«nt—W«9« Claim* Settled Hollywood, Aug. 8. With attachments, lilod following suit he brought In Muhloipal Court to cpUect on a ^1,000 note!, given him by Wm. Anthpny McQuire, Sol Wwrtsel managed to collect this amount and costs and took the pvlnolpal for a. donation to- the Cedars of Lebanon hospital. Attachments woi'e filed on moneys coming to McGulre from Sam Gold- wyn and Metro, by. I. B. Kornblbom, attorney for Wurtzel. . State labor commission approved the pft'er of McQuire, ^through his attorney. Edward Brand, to settle the wage claim of Ross jumey for ilBO. Girl, now in New Tork, was taken east by McCtuire as. his sec- retary, and alleges her return, fare and part of wages were unpaid. Two other clalmS; against Mc- Gulre, filed by set designer and set dresser for 'Bad Periny,' a play which the author produced here, have been paid. WB Has Feature on . Bridge for Wm. Powell HCllywood,' Aug. 8. Claimed to be the first feature built around contract bridge, War- ners next for William Poweit will be 'Grand Slam.' : Has to do with a down-and-buter, who comes l>e- comes the toast at tea parties ais a finesse fihegeler.. Story is by Charles Kenyon. William Powell and Kay Francis will be teamed In 'Tlie Low Down.' It's Warner's contribution to the current press agent cycle. Revives Test Dept. V - 'Hollywood," Aug. 8. After being dropped when Winnie Sheehan left F.ox, test department has" been revived with George J)a- vidson, formerly In charge, back. Recent haphazard testing will be systematized with an acti-ve search for new talent. 2 TipiITERS OTJT Hollywood, Aug. 8. Philip Wylle and Edward' Ven- turini, writers, are but at Para- mount. They hiad been working'on Island of Lost Souls,* Garret Fort hia.s been put on the story. Ray Harris has been added to the Paramount scHpt staff. His first ;lob will be 'The Bookworn Turns' for Stuart Erwin and Allison Skip- worth. Tain Yoang Says as How L A/Theatres Are AD'SweB Jernts' Hollywood, Aug. 8. . Tills Is sure one elegant jernt,' said Tammany Toung, Americans guest, , as he viewed the milling mob at the. Carthay Circle for the prie- mlere of 'B&ck Street.' 'AH these California theatres are swell" jerrits,' Tarn contlnuied. 'I like 'em. Especially these pre- m^reSi ' I crashed*a' friend's car coming here tonight and walked up the lane lietween Olympilc visit- ors.. Soirie of 'em made a lot of funny remarks, as if I care.' The dapper Mr. Toungr waltzed into the theatre and confronted Dave Epstein, who had bet Carl Laemmle, . ' Jr., that Tammany wouldn't make the grade. Shak- ing hands all around. Tarn got the promise of a Job in 'Madison Sauare Garden,' picked up a seat stub somewhere and sat through the prolog. At Intermission, he announced It was time to scrani as he had to be up at 8; a. m., to work in -the Jolsbn- picture, and arranged a ride home. Before leaving the theatre he turned his seat stub over to a fledging gate-crasher with all the proper Instructions and, after being bowed out by the house staff, re peated, 'This Is quite an elegant jernt. How about a ducat for the wife, she'El on her way out?!' Arthur Loew's World Air Trip On, with Variations Switch In Arthur Loew's plans as regards his world air tour will have him start of|C from Los Angeles in- stead of New Tdrk, 8hippln.g from there direct to Sydney. Hal Roach, who was to go along, has dropped out, but Loew will use Roach's plane anywAy, with Capt. Dickson pilot- ing." From Sydney on, up to the re-' tuirn. across the ^Atlantic, the trlj;> wlU be made via plane.. Russia has been dropped from the Itinerary with the .new schedule, Lo6w now figuring on making the entire world trip In about a months Geo. O'Brien's Dad to Europe—Player Later • Hollywood; Aug. 8.- Daniel O'Brien, state director of penology,, leaves here Aug. 19 for New York and will sail Aug. 24 for Europe.. Going to Bad Nauheim for his health.' > Will be joined there early in Sep- tember by his son, George O'Brien. of Jean Hersholt, Una Merkle, Anna May Wong and others. Second might include Wallace Beery and Robert Montgomery, both Metro, as well as others. Farther back this year, Edmund Lowe .and Victor McLaglen (both Fox), played the Capitol rather than Roxy, which had Pox first run. That may have been an early, indication of the changing trend. Just as there is a shortage of film, or has^ been, so Is there a sho.'tage of name personalities for stages. A few weeks ago Publlx found it couldn't change its stage sho\ys in Ne-w York, Chicago or Detroit for that reason. Paramount has around ,10 film players who are expected to appear iri some of the Publix theatres, with perhaps addi- tional time to be picked up from RKO or Loew; Part of Charles Freeman's duties at the Radio studio as RKO thea- tres' contact will be to arrange for personals • of that compa.ny's play- ers whenever the production sched- ules allow it. Here, especially, an effort will be made to help popular- ize its younger talent by sending them over the RKO route in acts, in singles If the ability lis there or by! teaming In dramatic or comedy skits, with seasoned arid established players ironi' the studio. Metro stars ■ arid featured players" BENCHLEY IN THE JHHOLE Hollywood, Augl 8. Robert Benchley, here on Radio contract, given first assignment Will do a comedy for Edgar Ken- nedy and Harry_ Sweet. To be- a satfre on the current jungle cycle. Ford's 'Pilgrimmage' Hollywood," Aug. 8, First directorial .isslgnmerit for John Ford when he returns to FOx In. October will be 'Pilgrimage,' from story by I. A^ R. Wylie. Sec ond on his contract not announced Ford is now at Metro preparing a story. will also be expected to make more onci which recently combined talents appearances 'thiin heretofore. ' , SAILINGS Sept. 24 (Lps Angeles to Sydney) Arth r Lpew (Monterey). Aug. 24 (London to New York) Edmund Dalvy (Olympic). Aug. 10 (New York to London) Jimmy Campbell, Betty Balfour (Aquitanla). Aug. 10 (London to New York) Will Fyfte, Andre Randall,' Edwin Styles (Champlain). : Aug. 9 (New York to Carlo) Louis Leber (Excallbur). Aug. 6 (London to New York) Mr. and Mrs. Jack Pearl (Bremen) Aug; 6 (London to New York) Phyllis Konstam (Berengaria). Aug. 6 (New York to Berlin) Geraldine and Joe (Lafayette). Aug; 5 (New "York. to Swltzer land): A. J. Balaban (Europ^). " A\ig'. . 5 (New York .to Londpn) Mr. and 'Mrs.'F. Tabrah (-lACpnla) y Sees 3 Star (^didates and Maybe 4 Scarers Urilversal's N*»w Tork oflRce i^ counting uppn the. creation pf at; leaist three new stars frem the cpnii - pany's rpster before the end pf the ' '32-'33 picture seaspn. The eastern hppes;are Qlprla Stuart, recently- plucked frem tlie Pasadena Ccm'^' munlty Players; Onslpw Stevens^ also recruited from the same Pasa- dena group, and Noah Beery, Jr., as a luminary of westerns. Russell Hopton may also be featuried :Soon in a. college story. V. With its top money garnered from thrillers last season, U is keeping a' wide place on its new program for more pt this kind. There are three on the schedule now, but a fourth is being considered^ Whether this w411 be made ■■ will be determined by the b. o. reaction to the first of the new series,' 'Old , Dark Hpuse.' Latter; filni la due at the Mdyfair, N, T.; Sept. 1. /. The fpurth thriller is tentatively, titled 'S. S. San Pedrp.' Thfe pther* definitely in line are '(jaglipstrp' and •The Invisible Man.' W-W Drops Bob Steele Hpllywppd, Aug. 8. Bob Steele westerns, produced by Trem Carr for Tiffany for twp y.eara, have been dropped by WorliiJ Wide. Ken Maynard weisterns, pro- duced by KBS, are now thff only horse operas on the W-W program. Nothing further decided upon for Steele, who is under contract, to Carr. Two Seek Studio Wages Hollywood, Aug. 8. Laid off, but not paid off, Irma Harrison, actress, and George Banium, utility man, seeking wages frpm Thpmas L. Griffin, indie film prpducer, according to' complaints filed with the labor commission. Miss Harrison claims |80 and Baniurii. asks for $110. Weitzei^oms Reimked 9 Days After IS^ Los Angeles, Aug. 8. lAtest development in the Louia Weitzenkorna' marital battle Ijs.the amended complaint filed by Irma May Weltzenkprn against, her- wrlter-huaband, stating that follow- ing a secret Mexican divorce ,ln Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, Jan. 6,1931.' the pair reunited nine' days later . In a common law marria,ge j .in,. New„ York and lived together yntil,De9. 14, same year, when the final breach came. . , Listing indiscretions of her hus- bandi Mrs. Weit'zenkorn alleges that he was too friendly with. a house- maid in Severes, France, last Au- gust,' evert to providing the maid with ani apartment irt Paris after her discharge. New complaint' also ups amount wife is seeking from |1,000 a month; to $2,500 and attorneys' fees from $^,000 to $10,000; It Is her conten- tion that Weltzenkorh has $100,000 stowed away with his attorney, Mortimer Schwager of Bropklyn, and that the nipney Is cpmmunHy prbperty. She claims his weekly income la .now $1,000, while ho clalma Tie la getting $«00 at Parii-. mount. A^ part of the suit, attor- neys, for the wife attached $746 du« the writer by the film: company. WEALTHY EZHIB DIVOBCED Syracuse, N. Y., Aug/ 8. Surrendering all claims against her former husband and. releaslnig all dower interests for a consldera tlon of $10,000; Mrsi Margaret Hanna BroWn has been granted a divorce from Julian 8. Brown, wealthy Syracuse theatre and night club operator, in Cualto, Mexico. Trial of the action took place June 16. incompatibility and desertion were alleged. Suit was kept secret until Mrs, Brown signed certain documents;. CLim'S WEEELT SHOWS New York Motlpn Picture club, starting in September, will endeavor to conduct weekly entertainments throughout the winter. Idea is to aid finances. WB Casts Holman Hollywood, Aug. 8. Harry Holman returned from New York and has been added to cast of WB's 'Silver Dollar.' Set by Leo Morrison agency. %aughing Boy* Search No Laff for Universal Universal City, Aug. 8.. Universal Is over the-barrel 'so far as a lead for 'Laughing Boy' la concerned. , No two .execs have the same conception of the type wanted, .and result Is that studio .has ex- pended $5,000 In tests. Final try will be, made this week by WilUe Wyler, who is to direct* He will visit spots. In New Mexico and Arizona to see if the 'youth' tiiey seek can be found there. OBSATTI'SHUNT Hollywood, Aug. 8. F'ranfc Orsatti left for New York last night (B) to establish .radio cbiitacts for his film, player clientis. !WI11 also hunt story and -plajr material for studio submission. COACH AS ACXOB Hollywood, Aug.. ff. Howard Jones, football coach for' U. 6. C, will act aa techhlcai djl- rectdr,. and also will take; part in: '^tackety Rax,' lor .FpX'' . $5,889 to Wallace Widow Los Angeles, Aiig. 8. Statement as to local estate of the late Edgar Wallace, who died In Beverly Hills last May, made by, Public Administrator Frank Bryson, shows that a residue'of $5,889 was sent tp the widow, Violet Ethel Wallacei, in London. ' ' Writer hid $6,796 in the bank and $1,259 saliary due from Radio studid at the time of his death. Back to Agenti'ng Hollywood, Aug. 8. After giving up' agentipg . to be-* cpme studio tal$rit'scout','for Fox, Ben fiershfleld went off the' i).ay.;» ro.U Saturday (6)., ' Expects to' go back td; ageritln'gf.