Variety (Aug 1932)

VAStETY riCTn R ES ^Tuesday, August 30i Exist, Lowry^ . As far .afl. Ed .Loyirry's cojncerned, Wl the world's PbuehHeepsle...;.,; ,;, .litr... libwry' haa, been told: .abput the dissimilarity of picture fudl- ©lices In different'towns. He's lieard the'i one about the sophistication of do luxie audiences, He calls It'so much hooey. 'Popular-price, isophisticated pic- ture a,udiences do hot exist,', says the lad who f^ent to St.. Xouls for a brief m. c. engagement, and slayed three years. ■ ' . New York, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, 'Chicago—fevery town In- Aiherlci^ has Its poR-prfced audiehce, and they're all -allk^. They derive -from ' Hhe: same' stratum of taste dnd 'In- • telllgence.i 'Though' they' reside ' Ih different, more or less metropolitan, localities, they merge into.a solid coinniunity :'■ that' =stretches- frotn eoast to: coast.■ .- .i.j Jtist'.BiBg^r'IVIdm St. ' . Piramount's New York audience ' Is'a Mtlie' 'Quicker 'on the ''U|j-^ thain other groups Mr. Low'tir' hitis ' etifertiliileil.* "After I'rlday's diieiiinp.' show, he'didn't ptess so hard; di<iht: prolong "tli6"pjiUsg3 ' be'fore' ptincH lines. But, except fqr that dlffer-- ,enc<e. he clicked-with the agtm^ jrou-' .;tl^b;;tha-t; RuttHim-over la aiid carefully dtscarded the tuxedo, ■jlirged xtppn hli^.'by P^ra^ountiexecs.' ■> liaughi'cain^'-'ln 'thei' antlcliJatecl spots, -fan mall commented on tii^' epic^ duamies:.,ajcclalmed In S^. JOoulSf^/ Gijfsj^(^igraY^dy|o^,;^mllln$' ■ (Sirrlved 111 g;enerpu3^".oiil;..ofK .'4o:^n'humj)!e:f'^. Faps .fpliowe4'Xpy?rjr' ^rom tjhje Au^']i1tion'tQ.,thei Aca4eniy, , to;BrboklyQ,. to .JPajpamount,; groups ,pi . warm-hiearted people who . sent hi'irj poems of. apprecijatlon, ringing ^ith lu^ty,',emali-tbw.n phrases, , y From' the hinterlands, .too, came . pr9ups 'of h^^ old, buddies, us}ng "their aumnver-. yaca^'P'^.B to take, a look. aViIpneB'' Beaph and. r^ji^ew .ac<(uaiiUjanice'.w^ towry.V ' Af^rer, "bis aUdierice ' theo'rjr ^.bad been .tested'jby fb^ reaction, to; his llrst New York ■ flKow' in" five years, Mr. Lowry t^egged to be permitted the same'type of'exploitation, he has . used in bthit ioWiis; Partltularly, . he ; asked; ]to brp^cast from his dre'sslng ^ rbbiii foj '■ '6m half hour ©very day. . Meth\ods,::such as .these, ,he,; was . -told, woifld^liayeino. weighty ln,a^blg, wlse^^ietcr^ town. \ they -vyioiuld ^ipake ■ DO irppt€|^sj^on .on de lux.e. audiences . .Lowry..K^ RoMte . !',v / ^That's i»ot so,? Mr. ' Lowry'■■ be- lieves. 'The 'larger the town; the (Continued on page 4) onBwa^ Lpoena Parsons to Europe on Pibn Sumy , Hollywood, Aug. 29. Louella O. Parsons, Hearst pic- ture columnist, leaves here Jn, two weeks for a prptrft|cted stay lii BU- rofee. While, th^re she will survey the .foreign, film field, and' -supply material from- .her investigations for tlie' Hearst 'papers. , ' During her absence, which is In- deffnite, her d&ily film coiumh from here will be -written by hfer daughter, Ha;rrlet,. ' Siich Is Faine Hollywood; Aug. 29;- J After widely announcing that ! Doi'dthy Wilson, former studio stenog, had received more fan mail than combined names of : company. Radio is sending the girl to Nevada, to ojpien ah air rodeo..' . , "■ ^ ' . As the gbvernbr of the state would be there;--It .was decided to iiave variouis celebs on the Ibt sign i letter: of cbngraLtula-- • "tio'ri to'the Executive; ■ " ' '' . P.A. took tfte" letter to Ann : Harding to sign. He -was , floored when this Badio star '. asked: 'Who Is Dorothy" WH- ; son?' From Bodi Coasts for ; WILL MAHONEY This V/eek 'Patamount, Brboktyln iSah Frs^cfidco- 'Cull' said: . 'Will Mahoney is ah envoy of good cheer. You ' cannot^ 'resist' bursting Ihtb laughter and applause. ' To t^e poetry of motion. of Mn. Mahoney's legs: has been, addedl a,njOtl>er of . the Mahoney artSf ' t^ie Mahbhey-plicme. Miaxveloiis is .the word tb describe if ■ - '^: .'■■;' ■■ •' .,' '■[ '■ ; Direttlon^ -- '"i JIALPH G. FARNUIi* ! , - .1560, Broadway' ■ 'iWarnera 'Wlll-' do'. !?tvihiuHl-'nam^ ,pi<itur.^^ in '42nd .Street,'.■ which... wUl be. produced as. ..a musical .^raina with Warren Willlani', Kiay t"rancia, ^jb'ari 'iBlbiideli;'George Brent, Hiiby Kfeilef/vDlck-' PbWell,"'Guy KibbiBe,' 'ttlehda j'artar and' Fra-nk iMcHufehc. ' "to pltk 'sTibW'girls'and Tially' thf production, -Maxw^elf Arrtovfr-^ btCsti ing dfre'ctbr, vC'lU -tftke^ photographic crew -and' 'iilbiiib' coiist frbni San ©lego' tb San'"'Francisco; 'white'.4 'second unit, Robert-Jeftry in cliarge, will seairoh beach spiots' on AtlanUc coast. Will line up 100 girls. ■ ■ James Seymour and Whitney Boitbn are doing adaptation, and Al 'Dubln and HsCrry-'Warren ate vfrltj Ing'tuhes. .Mfervyn- LeRoy dlt^ctlA&i flM)$rs;Se^^ wStff Tiimdomis^ "Hollywood, Aug. 29. , Prlma.ry el^ctlpn.ln this state tp-f mb'rro'vir' (Tuesday) IB' bccasloriin^ ?ttOre ^Interest: from, the .pibture, nio^ hail iisual.'; It's due: tb: "film"^^name$ oii -the-ballots.'. . i'.; Mitchell . Lewis Is a Repubilcait ■candidate for statet assembly .from -.B7th'district; Hedda Hopper. Is run-; -ntng for A place on the county.Re-: publican committee, and. the .samb for David Horsley. . . .K'Spencbr Valentine; stbry agent, land Alvin J. Neltz,. fbrmer director, are candidates for the Democratic central committee. Morris J. Her- bert, former theatrical advance man, Is running,for Congress In the Re- publican primaries. ' ■ Par Asks Ambassador to Hold Off on /Farewell' Italian Ambassador, In Wa'shlngr ton, has been- asked by Paramount to, do or say nothing about Tare- well to Arms' until the film is com- pleted and shown. Ambassador had orders from Rome to enter official oMectlons oi^.'the .plctu^-e to the State Department. , . Par's argunient is that though the Hemingway, story may seem ob- jectionable It won't be. detrimental, to Italy in its film form. However, film company Is con-' sidering eliminating the Italian mil- itary retreat, which was part of the story;: ■'• : • Once Took Tni Hollywood, Aug. 29.; Finding that writing featiii^e ebln- edles is less remunerative than scrlvening ; screen difamajf^, -writers i are deserting, the comedy field. Cui; r^htjyr jlesis t)ian. 9, dozen men adm|t^ they write polite or farce comedy; '•; , ^crlbes cl^lm tha.t no matter wheit< tliefr r^p. Jias^.been .thejr -h^^e found themselves ;i;ecentiy, 1 qlassed:,. .as sttitght'-gAg ihen.'- ' f- • '•■ "'' " iAs' Wrlfers' they' cbliimand^d 'lni» pbrtaht' mbiifey lJu!t a's' j^ia^^'meft cUrj. tbnt safiirles rarely "gb''^^^^ ^^W, ■weeicly. Comedy autnbr's'liky thelir' type 6f' *rrlting" is iiiubfi"Iiafabif' tfte^' 'itialfeht ■ draififettcfl '¥fth ''iWgfirer lief thrown In. ^T.tVr l I" Stqdioa are piretty -^^fell'bit' f^aturf cpm<^dy i^todil^titlbri Vttiflfls'the ''plb-; {ur«) is for kh' establlshe^d 'cothedy kta'r;■ 'Of 'which: ther^ ate kfebiit'bight tlste'd'"as'draws.''" ■''. '■' '■ ' -.-' Goetz Angling for B.R. To Make Musical Films j Hollywood, Aug. 29. S. Ray Goetz, legit Impresario, Is here endeavoring to raise, flnahces ■for series of Independent musical films. He believes time ripe for this type of picture. Cohn Goes Back Harry Cohn, who talks a great transcontinental aviation passage, went back to the Coast Saturday (27) via Century and Chief. Cohn's flying alibi this time Is that he was advised by his Holly- wood office that his Insurance pre- miums hadn't been paid yet. Saul iBprpstein, of Irving Berlin, Inc., -who was to have accompanied Colin, didn't make the trip. Pay-to-acl picttiire places are flooding the side strieets of Brbad- way, many of them In the same spots ' occupied by phoney film schools until the Better Business Btirbau-; titit'them out'bf business.- ■ ' - New ■ ine'thba' ^b • fat haM 'Escaped prbsecutlbn. ' Nb complaints hay^ lieen ih'ade'dnd'nltsl^'dlng advertis- ing hasn't yet been 'discovered. - ' | System used In-; several' of the places Is to c'harg^'as'plraiits to star* dbib 1110: for Negative''costs -oit th^ 'first i;000 feet. The'ul^^derdtahding with this! is-that' thb company wll^ defray the' reiilalnder rand cut -tiib Investor Ih on whatever 16 realtzbd from 'distribution.' I So far none of. the outfits Investl-i gated has turned ;^a craiik, although one promises to start -work with a batch of investors on a Brooklyn lo| thia week. Incld^htally, none has blosed' 'With' a^ natlbnidl distributor and none Willi according to picture offlclisilB -who are closely -watching the new era In -what they term pic-j ture quackery; . • . One of the places had Its cbpy turned down by two of the metrp-i poUtaii dallies. Ad rejected because check-up failed to. reveal means of release read: 'Tou prbduce and act in your own shorts. .'I'll get you In- ternational distribution at good profit." Some of the studios are trying a new twist. The head of one stated: 'This Is a perfectly legitimate busi- ness, but, like every other, there are some phonies who would spoil it. We went to the Hays Organization, and they know all about us.' ' At another 6f the spots, all of which oh the day visited were well peopled with mothdirs' and daugh-^ ters, t- 'presldent-dirfector-camerad man' was putting a couple of blondes through the paces. > 'I want to romance—somethingi different,' lisped bne of the girls, ' - The reheisrsal was taking placei in a dilapidated lobby, openin||^ di-i rectly upon the elevator. j After observing the^ smoking a dozen or more cigarettes and recit-i Ing the same lines i^as many tlmes,'> the coach finally told them: 'Just rela*. Take It easy. That's all there Is to "acting.* ' WEINGABTEN'S TBIF Hollywood, Aug. 29. . To aid. his recovery from a recent illness, Larry Welngarteh, Metro associate producer, left here Satur- day (27) on a four weeks' camping trip In Oregon. Accompanying him Is his trainer, Johnny .DePa:ima. ISA. GLAIBE'S TRUST FUin) Los Angeles, Aug. 29. Ina Claire petitioned Superior court to change custodian of her 160,000 trust fund from the closed First National bank of Bev- erly Hills to the Bank of America. Since investii^g the money last year, securities have shrunk $2,400. Fib New Acts Following picture! players who' are making personal, stage .'appearances are' reviewed , In this issub, -under New Acts/ on page 36. . ' Oweii Mbot^ <m > r-,--,ii-'.» Radio's Fh Mandate to Cut Production Delays i ,-..1111.;. -I■:-■ : i 1 . .'i : . .HollywoodjAug. 29.. . Fearing production 'holdup^ through players becoihlng; flu, vlc-l tlms. Radio has ordered evbrybne on lot to report suspicious sneezes coughs to' depart^nen^ 'heads; W.hf) are Inptructed .to ,8end, ^s^eezer to ' studio - hospital ' "^or: 'treatment^ then home until: symptons disapr pear» ^,; v. -i ■;■■/.( '.' j -.-^ Jn the past month, studio Jias suf-: fered several - delays from-!-flu, ,and It Id hoped that Immediate reporting of cases will eliminate this Joss. Mary Astoir Coinmissipn Case Ordered to Trial . Lbs Angeles,, Aug.. 29. . Suit of Collier and .Flinn, agents, against Mary Astor, for $2,433 com- missions alleged due; will go tb trial following the denial of plain- tiff's motion for ..Judgment on strength of the pleadings. Contra[ct between agbncy and ac- tress made In 1929, contained clause exempting from. 10% commission any salary Obtained from 'Kenneth Hawks' unit at Fox. Hawks, Miss Aster's first husband,was.killed in an a!ir crash'. Commission' sought is bn Mfss Actor's Radio cpntract which'-guaranteed 40 weeks 'in 1931 at $2,000 a week; ' "' ' ' • Arthur Marx West . ' Arthur (Harpo) Marx returned to the Coast last week;- signifying that his proposed trip to. Russia is .off. Marx was to 'guest' with the Mos-^ cow Art Players over, ithere: at the Inyltation. of Mai Bernhardt. ,• ,. ^ocompanying Marx : west; was Charles. Lederer. . ., , ' ■ SAILINGS Sept. 10 (New Tork to Bermuda) Lee Marcus (Monarch of Bermuda). Sept. 2 (London to New York), Elizabeth Lonergan (EurOpa). Aug; 31 (London to New York), Joe Seldelman, T. J. Martin (Ma- jestic). Aug, 29 (New York to London), Paul Robeson, Richard Crooks, Jack Harris (Bremen). Aug. 27 (London to New York), Fred Astalre, George Arllss, Phylls Konstant, Boris Petroff, Jaycec Jones (Berengaria). Aug. 25 (Frisco to Toklo) Doug- las Fairbanks (Chlchlbu Maru). Aug. 24 (New York tb London) Frank Buck, Mr. and Mrs. Adolphe Menjou (Europa). Aug. 24 (Los Angeles to Sydney), Cresson Smith (\iaripoga). Hollywood'-is a--changed town. i( has been cured,' by necessity, of' its extr^VatrancbBi- It.1s eager to profit tyitfl inlfltakflS. >rhe chastened flini fcapltol'ls' forghlg; ahead with a sanej,,-, sbber, carefully budgetted attltud6,r . This gcspel of Westpoast refornf comes to tbwn with Joe Schneck, a voice crying In the wliderness that good^,tlmes havb returned to Holly<i wpodf *. The ..fllna cblpiiy has . vnderefb'ifV three; Important reversals of yl^wV: point, :acco;rd}ne- to I4[r, Schenck'ii" optinilstlG.4p.<itir>he. .The Jmprove-! ■ menta xelato to organlzationi. pxoA ductlon and tceatnnent of starsn -, - Chief - among- the -lessons - learneA during the past trying year Is the necessity of :one-naan control olplct ture studios;..... ' . -v "' 'Tb'b niiiny jtji'oductlbn bbsses cbn. ICu^ed.'policy e:i(4 siibdlvlded' mbrate/- Mr. Scii'eAcIc bXj^ifs^ns. ^Studios hitvs - hVd ii^ple'^ 'b^POT^^^^ tb; learn- th« |.||)!aza.r^s, pt]_'. "d^-'b<^iitrallzed-. leader? , 'ship. I'Nbw'.'t'l^by. 'are ■fbrinlng them^ selve's .into', closely knit jlrilts undej Individual 'iilctatb'rships. Their, Ibaders are flexible'human beings ' who, -thou'^li''*they' Arb not artists thethBelvM;;'kiib^.'hb^ tb g^t worls biit'Of crfetttivb''b'i«,Ina.''" >" ' ' .: ' This fi'^hb fli'st Inipbrlbhnt strid«! cltid'lSy'M;r. -Sch^dck-tis-an ^'indlcia^ tor of."'fyiff^i-byfed prtidiict; .'. '.j Fj^ctory^iyUltli^^ '."][' '' ■ ■ The 'pieoe-work' attltudb.that det yelol[}ed >wben talkers divided- proi ductlon : Into complicated ^ departs ments . is iall>'rights' Mr. - Schenolc thinks, for the:' Manufacture- of desks and chairs. But moving pic-, tureb~ are not wholesale commodU . ties—a fact, obvious though It majii be, that the Industry hash't always remembet'ed.' Pressed by an art that had- merged''with-'bl^' business; stii-* dloi ground- but • fe'jrfcleis, riib'brar-t ' stamp productions, skeletbn plbta draiied with publlbltyblurbs' aiid s^r triipplng^. Talkbf -were' niadel with thb.'pre<^ial}<er !methpd of'pro- dy|ctioifi In^which. fllihs could be ed-: ited af ter\they ^ere*^shbt. ,..HoiIyw9od :has, tfike^ co'gnlzanca of .these .^«rror;q. .I'allcers are nbw, being edited during production,, with' meticulous care tbwtMrd eliminating retake .e:(p<endlture0«, fiyfiry releaso la: iinpprt^nt-iTrfrbnqt: the greatest , tqi the.ieftst ot .prbsram seUers. A' transformation shaping, not only;^ In organization, .hiit in . the thought procie^ses that motivate ..and :bulld production. The film Industry has stopped 'making* pictures—It has started 'to 'produce' them. Circulating Stars Thirdly, says Mr. Schenck, Holly*;, wood has seen the advantage of hitching Us ascendant bandwagoa to picture stars. 1 'Studios are not wasting their re« sources today. If stars are Idle, for the lack of prbper vehicles, they ar« Ibaned for specified, carefully in«. spected scrljits,' to other studios. 'The criticism that the public will tire of stars who are not conserved by . their p'wn studios does not apply. No one tires of a charming ac*. qualntance—however often encoun« tered-^who has something amusing, talented or Vital to contribute to the meeting. Fand;IIke tb see their fa- •vorlties. - '• 'They are bored by theni onlS; when'releases are dull and unsuita- ble. Companies now keeping thelif stars In .ji)idicl6u^ cii^culatlbn are rc- bi^lldln'g public 'confidence and. Iri- terest in the hirti' Industry, as w^il as enriching' their 'own: studios a.tid all cinema product.' 3 City Search While ' Tot Takes Trolley Ride Washington, Aug. 29. With the police of three cities looking for him, Malvln Stlefel, four-year-old son of Nathan Stiefel, loca,l theatre owner, has been re- turned to his father. Boy's nurse took him for a street car ride Without notifying the par-^ ents, who sent in an alarnt to At- lantic- City, New Jersey and local police. Mrs. Cohan Improves 1 Hollywood, Aug. 29. .• Mrs. George M. Cohan, who hap •boeri in a hospital. Is much Im- proved. Actor-producer's wife has been conflnbd for the past fortnight.