Variety (Aug 1932)

I» I CT ES VAKIETY m KUSH FOR I ALL-BRITISH . • ■ ■ Hollywood, Aue. 16. Preparation on cuirent production {»t flve/plcturea with British locales has created a demand for EJnglish ^tured players exceeding the Slip- ply* for the first time since talkers. b production of Metro's 'Sniilln' ffhroiishV and *'Payment Deferred,' fmd Sam Gtoldwyp's ^Gynara.'; Prcr ■paring are Fox's 'Cavalcade' and -<Sherlcck Holmes.' ; : Xliose listed will require about .176 feature, small part and bit play- ers, all with sin English accent. Less than 30 English featured players &re in Hollywood. rl Demahd has half the actors here .^ropipins their 'h's' or affecting a Back Bay accent, according to the* part they are a:£ter. During the run pf 'Cynara' at the ^iltmbre theatre agents flocked to it in .hopes o£ getting members of the all-Eiiglish cast for pictures. ,;^ents are forgetting .their domestic ^clients temporarily, In the hope that they'll be able to boost the salaries 9t the Britishers. , W Boys Resent 'Candid Camera' of Lyon, and His Edge ' Hollywood, Aug; .15. Free lance photographers are jgrowling over Beri Lyon's yen for ftmateur photography and his use of a 'candid camera.' Lyon has been ■ pot-shotting around the studios ^ Twhere^he is ■working, then sending j,the pictures to fan mags gratis. -,v Lyon consistently beat the 'space' (ji>oys on Olympic studio stuff due to his . access to the lots. Photogs ^^v|ilso found but he spends his off- •tage time. snapping informal pic- tures of studio pals and associates. .-Free lanceris plan to .retaliate by "refusing, to mug Lyoni or his wife, Bebe Daniels, .when they attend any •f the formal functions or open- ings. Heath's Up Hollywood, Aug. 15. ' Percy Heath, in charge of Para- tnount writers, has been promoted to associate producer. First as- signment is 'The Bookworm Turns,' with Allison Sklpworth and Stuart Erwln. Merrltt Hurlburd, recently frdm Gatevepbst staff, succeeds Heath as the whipcraoker over the writers. Hurlburd was an associate producer under the Schulberg regime. Von Stroheim's Speed Hollywood, Aug. 16. Eric von Strohelm established a speed record on his first. day of shooting (Friday), for 'Walking Down Broadway' (Fox). Director shot one sequence of 14 scenes In lour hours. That's a lot record for Fox and » world's record for von Strohelm. Montgoiheiy's Appendix ■ Holds Up *Tin FoU* Hollywood,. Aug. 16. Metro will hold up 'Tin Foil' for three weeks until return of Robert Montgomery. Latter is recovering from ah appendicitis operation. Pic- ture was shooting two weeks when its male lead was stricken. Studio tried to obtain Edmund Lowe, couldn't, and decided to wait .for Montgomery. flaloyd East for Visit Before Starting Next Hollywood, Aug. 15. No long vacation will be taken by Harold Lloyd before starting his next pictura. Comedian plans - to .leave foi- Xew York before Sept. 1 for a three weeks' stay. On return ho expects to start pre- . liminarics on his next .story, with production iicheduled In December. Silent Sound Click Unusual enough to cause comment is the apparent click with the New Tork public of Henry Armetta. That goes for Broadway, arid suburban thea- tres. Armetta is ah Italian free- lancing in support partsj as.. an - excitable' native son." His appearance on local screens has been drawing repeated ^ giggles of recognition re- gardless of where or how he : Is cast As far as known it's been going On for about five pr six weeks, and may have been induced by his perfoririarice in. 'Huddle' (M-G) in which he played Novarro's father. He also did a series of shorts for Badio. •Variety's' reviewers have noted the stir caused by Ar- metta in the theatres but didn't figure It unique Until the cpn- sistency of the welcom^ made i of it something beyond the ordinary. Extras'Big Wed( Hollywood, Aug. 16. Past vpieek soW extra work climb to a hew season's high,'with, 6,466 placements, nearly 1,000 increase over previous seven days; > Top mark was 420 Chinese used In 'Bitter Tea of General Ten' at Columbia^ followed by 266 negroes for African scenes iii 'Korig,' Radio production. Columbia also in third spot, with . 20.2 football game spec- tators for 'That's My Boy.'. THOSE BIG BROWN EVES' ARE NOW LAMBS'WOOL 'SPAIN'S'GIRLS In picking 76 girls for 'Kid from Spain'. (Eddiei Cantor), Sam Gold- wyn spent $18,700. for tests. Aver- age cost per test, after deduction of executive salaries^ overhead, in- terviewing, etc., runs to nearly $90. This includes tests both in New York and Hollywood.- " . Of the 8,865 girls interviewed, a total, of. 64i8. tests were put through in order to reach the finally okayied 76. Probably the biggest bill ever run up for tests on any picture. Eleven' tests were submitted vol- untarily from foreign countries with one girl accepteid, Diana Winslow. WB RENEWS GLASMON; BRIGHT OUT AS WRITER Hollywood, Aug. 16. Story writing team of Kubec Glasman and John Bright has been spilt by Warners', action in taking up their option on Glasmon, but not renewing Bright. Pair had been to- gether since they ciajne'to Holly- wood from a Chicago newspaper. Other Warner writers with a new nitch in their contracts are, John Larkln, Howard J. Green and Sid- ney Sutherland, latter originally brought out from 'Liberty' on a short termer. ' ^ 6 Wks. to 6 Mos. for Sid Sutherland at WB Hollywood, Aug. 15. Sidney Sutherland, "Liberty' mag- azine writer, brought to Burbank by Warner Bros, on a six weeks' trial, has been given a six months' contract. New reader followed his comple- tion of 'The Match King,' his first assignment, within four weeks. Story is an adaptation of a recent novel. ' Leo Morrison negotiated the deal. RKO Retains Hepburn Hollywood, Aug. 15, , Katherlrie Hepburn, here from New York legit for "Bill oi Divorce- ment,' remainis at Radio as a con- tract player. . Her agreement called for the one picture, with an option ifor a term- er^ which studio has taken up. Studio Man in Craish Atlantic City, Aug." 15. Albert - McGbvern, picture studio man, was seriously injured when a transcontinental bus. In which he was returning- to his home here from Hollywood, crashed on the Colorado Springs-Pueblo highway, south of Colorado Springs, Col., "Thursday (12). His wife received a message that McGovern had received a possible fractured vertebrae and left: Im- mediately for the west. lyibss Hart's Original Hollywood, Aug. 15. Moss Hart, here via the Canal on a three months Metro contract, as- -slgned to do an original comedyv Hollywood, Aug. 16.. A new wrinkle In femme form flashes is synthetic hips arid busts being made, out of lamb's wool by an undercover modiste here, who is roported supplying the fake flash to, several film femmea rioted for the physical allure. Substance Is waterproof and can be worn under a. bathing suit, whereas former nymmetrlcal acces- sc-rles were, taboo In water. With the gals cavorting , around beach clubs throwing out the lung and hip flash, natural assumption Is they are on the square. Discoverer of wool Idea is sworn to secrecy, allowing the girls to wear ♦h*--' school-girl forms with some o 'ee of mental'comfort, As to physical comfort,, no one ha£) been able to get an Interview out of femimes who go for fhe gag. Boys who know of the fake fig- ure i.hat sooner or later the tip-off is bound to be a scratching epi- demic. ' Mary Hay Returns As BaDroom Dancer Mary Hay and Davldd Bath hiv- ing split, the first Mrs.. Richard Barthelmess is back again dancing with Charles Sabln. They're In for a fortnight at the Central Park Casino where they succeeded Veloz and Yolanda. Latter pair go to the Ross-Feiiton Farms, New Jer- sey, for a week. Miss Hay hasn't done any exhib- ition ballroom dancing for oyer two years, or since marrying Bath. Latter, an i:3nglishman, became a tabloid reporter In New York and later handled, press work work for Mort. Downey who shifted him into the CBS publicity dept. Keith Weeks at U Hollywood, Aug. 16. Keith Weeks, formerly Movietone City's studio manager and head of the sound department at Fox, goes to Universal as associate producer. , Weeks' first assignment Is to an original on which he is now at work. Steno Who Made Grade On RKO 'Gonsent' Tour Los Angeles, Aug. 15. Radio' is sending Dorothy Wilson to San Francisco (19) for a per- sonal appearance at the opening of 'Age of Consent.' She goes on to Salt La:ke City Aug. 28 for premiere there. These personals.are part of the RKO national exploitation tie-in with business colleges on angle of the "stenographer who made the pic- ture grade.' MG-Tracey Deal Off Hollywood, Aug. 16. Deal between Metro and Lee Tracey fell through. Studio wanted to give player a term contract without llinltation on number of pictures, but Tracey wanted a clause providing for not more' than four pictures a year, which-was refused. After current 'Washington Merry- Go-Round' at Columbia, Tracey goes to Radio for 'Phantom Fate.' After that he says he'll go east to rest. NEW BREAK FOR MUBSAY Hollywood, Aug. 15. James Murray, out of pictures:for almost two years, and engaged this week for lead in Universal's serial 'Lost Special,' also gets a second break. He has been engaged for Para- mount's 'Sjjrn of the Croas.' Place Cards the Bunk on Coast If Not Jibing with Guests' Ideas Skolsky and Hart : Hollywood, Aug. is. . Sid Skolsky, New York's tab columnist, played a scene in Al Jolson's 'New Yorker,' but only after such things as bill- ing, makieup arid correct light- irig were Ironed out. Almost refused to go through with. It because everyone else in the scene overshadowed him, until Lorenz Hart was re- cruited to play opposite him. Tough part was to light Skolsky's beard. RICHMAN-PAR DEAL A combination stage-screen con- tract with Paramourit-Piibllx that win net hirii approximately $220,000 in less than a year depends upon results /of a scrieen test Harry Richman is taking for Par this week.- Deal involves 20 stage weeks and onei talker. If the screen test misses, a separate Publlx stage cpntriact for Richman is likely, at $5,000 per. . Richman returns to the Para- mount, New York^ Aug. 29 fbr two weeks. He was forced out last week by illness. ' . Richman has another business datie this week, with Warners. They'll talk about a straight policy for the Hollywood, New. York, with Richman handling the shows as Lou Holtz did last seasori. This' would cipme after the thea- tre concludes its twice daily run of 'Life Begins' (WB) starting this month. ■ Rushing Snsa Charlotte. Susa, Germany's lead- ing dramatic, film actress, left Sat- urday (13) for the Coast to take up her new Metro contract. She had arrived from Berlin only one day previously and was hurried west by M-G. ■ Miss Susa' has a two-year con- tract and will be Used only for dra- matic parts. She speaks fair Eng- lish and has been practicing up on the rest of it in order to be able to go to work within the next few weeks. U Go-Starring Lukas, Tala Birell in 'Nagama* Hollywood, Aug. 15. Paul Lukas and Tala Birell will be co-starred by Universal in 'Nagama,' an original by Lester Cohen and Dale Van Ever^. This is Miss Blrell's first picture since 'Doomed Battalion,' and initial fea- ture on the lot for Lukas since he was put under contract four months ago.: Has been out on loan. Ernst L. Frank directing. Pro- duction starts last week in August. Lillian Bond-Fox? Lillian Bond and Fox are talking long term contract. Includes a spot in'Cavalcade.' Frank Orsatti, Hollywood agerit, is in New York representing Miss Bond. He returns west this week. Conselman Sailing Hollywood, Aug. 15, William Conselman, Fox writer on leave of absence from the studio, left here for New York to sail Aug. 20 on the Saturnla, for Naples. He will make a .survey of Europe from an Anierican writer's view- point, and report back to Fox Dec. 1. Clarke-Sherman's Indie Hollywood, Aug. 15. Mae Cla:k will do another for K-B-S. Will play oppo.slte Lowell Sher- man -In 'li'alse Faces.' Hollywood, .,Aug. 151 ■That social rating thing at the dinner table just doesn'.t. niean. a thing to the Hollywood filni aris- tocracy, not if it carries with' it the separation of the' . boys from the current girl friends, and vice versa.' The Fairbanks-PIckfprd swank dinner tile other night to 190 guests was a . case in point. All. the tin hats of: the Olyhipic games were there; likewise brie! prince and nu- merous other smaller fry from noble and >ix-rioble families. Came the matter of placing the customers, Inasmuch as royalty was among those present. Cards desig- nated the table places and that .went for the film, Cabot and Lowells as well. Whoever doped out the rat- ings somehow overlooiced the pa) aspect of the thing. And were the faces of the Hollywoodlans scarlet when they lamped the seating cards? Bolder than the rest, the only chatter writer invited to the splurge picked up her ticket and pulled a quick change. This gave courage tc the film comic to move his card next to the new blonde. Then fol- lowed some general card jpalming. It might have seemed a bit hectic to the honored visitors, but it was Jake with the film royalty and the also rans. •miiiiii e Stories, Not Scandal from Studios, New Edict of Papm Hollywood, Aug. 16. Reaction to dirt cpluriins is being noticed |at studio?, with ne>wspapera. requesting material free from scan- dal. • ... Small town papers are leading movement with syndicates and wire services that supply them feeing movement will spread to metropoli- tan dailies. • . Associated and United Press have tabooed oft color stuff for their daily colunin servicies. Others have followed. Papers with large . In-the-home circulations are prlriiie movers. Claim Is that dirt, while oke for. street sales. Is n. g. when thrown on the fireside. Fan mags,, however, are still after scandal with their ebbing cir^^la- tiori unwilling to respond to any- thing riot spotted with, personal grime. Laying off filth is another worry for chatterers, who have been hav- ing tough time digging legit- news.. Studios welcome switch, but are In. a spot in attempt to harid out news to everyone. Of the many.writers making the studios 4ally, about 20 are important. Rerinainder feel tliey are big shots and, while little at- tention is paid to their squawking, it adds to press department head- aches. Hetro-Beery Pont Hollywood, Aug.' 16. .Metro Is trying to continue Wal- lace Beery when bis 'iiext option, due October, at the same flgvire comes up. Beery wants more and Metro Is pouting. Three Studios Bid for Lewis* 'Anne Vickers* Hollywood, Aug. 16. Metro, Paramount and Radio all bidding for Sinclair Lewis' current novel, 'Anne Vickers,* running In 'Red Book.' Radio wants It for Ann Harding. LUT DAHITA IN INDIE Hollywood, Aug. 15. J. G. Bachman has engaged Lily Damita for lead in 'Goldle,' inde- pendent, for Radio. Picture goes in production Aug. 29, Mai St. Clair directing. Al RogoH'3 Wife III iflollywood, Aug. 15. Marian Douglas; actress, wife of Al Rogc'll, director, Is ill with, pneu- monia. .Mr.<5. Rogell is at the Cedars, of Lebanon liospital.