Variety (Aug 1932)

Tuesday, August 30, 1932 PI C T II R E S VARIETY Coast Pays Trihute to Songwriters, ^ I AndGeoi^eSiColianmParticalar r Hollywood, Augr. 29. ;: • That little guy. who used to say .I'.^y mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my, sister thanks, you ;t,'-And I thank you,' had his auditors ( turn- the tables on him the other night at the Cbcoahut Grove, when ' some 1,600 gathered to pay tribute to him* As George Cohan expressed it •■ himself, he didn't know why they ' picked on him, but he changed his - mind when the throng in the Grove stood up and cheered him as he -made his way to the floor and onto '{- the rostrum. He found out. They ■-' cheered and. applauded, and It ' wasn't one of those Hollywood ■ cheers. They meant this one. ■ - There were others present be- sides that portion of the picture mob which is always on haiid to give a front to. some event and • dress up the ringside. Outnumber- .Ing these sitter-Inners were the .elite of LiOB Angeles and Pasadena. ,, The little Cohan guy was over- . come by the reception. He stood : on the. rostrum for a full three min- Vtes trying to collect himself, stall- ing by playing with a card on a poral basket. Cohan'* .ResponM When he did start talking he told thei^ it was a great thing to honor , - the' songwriters, as a tribute to one was a tribute to all, ftnd he knew that his fellow : craftsmen were most appreciative of the turnout .and honor paid them, and then ho did 'Give My Regards to Broad " way,"' 't)ver There,' 'Mary' and the dance he .created in 'The Governor's 'Son.' Th6y didn't want him to get "away, but Cohan Is now a picture 'actor and he had to depart for that sleep in order to be on the set the next morning. All tliq present day writers out here were .on hand. Besides which Jolsbn unbulrdened himself of a hdlf dozen nt£tQlx'n befoife he dar^d : stop, and .'irtso a dynamic sock was 'Banks Winter, the 80-year-old 'minstrel who lii husky and voluble tone chainted his own composition, '"White Wings.' Claire Ward did a composition of her late husband, Charles Ward; Al Von Tilzer stepped forth with his 'Take Me Out .'to the Ball Game'; Fred Bowers sang his 'Because I Love You'; -Ca,frle Jacobs Bond offered one of •-her' ditties; Richard Carle served his 'Lemon in the Garden of Love'; 'and Cara Roma sang her 'Can't Tou -Hear Me Callln', Caroline?' Charlie Murray was m. c. of the 'affair, and was aided in handling ■the entertainment by Bowers and ■jChrls Brown. Testimonial ran four hours. As a Surprise " Cohan throws a surprise dinner tonight (29) at Al Levey's Tavern iifor Mannle Lowenstein, a'friend of 23 ye;irs. - Dinner Is the result of Lowen- ,'stein',3 burn over having received ,sno Invitation to the Cohan teati- .'moniai at the Ambassador. Around 300 expected to attend. LIBBY HOLMAN YARN Radio ReadyTng Torch Singer'— Cukor to DiriBietf Arline Judge Cast Hollywood, Aug. 29. Radio has^sslgned George Cukor to direcj^j^^orjjiSsIhger.' Yam .;now being wrlttefv and based on the Libby Hplman caise. Arline Judge only player assigned so far. Casey Robinson will direct th6 next Tom Keene western, at the same studio, with Betty Furness as femme lead, j: W. Ruben gets the megglng iEissignment on Bill Boyd's next, 'Yukoti.' Chaplm on Kand Battles to 1^ Sons Off Screen Backing Malay Hollywood, Aug. 29. ,] Clyde Elliott, who directed, and Spearing who worked on story 'Bring 'Em Back Alive' signed by ::.the William Morris Agency to do a similar story for Fox, Will be made •.In the Malay peninsula. ■ Pair arrive here toda,y (29) for .a conference with. Wlnfleld Shee- rhan on story. They will organize j^helr expedition hero and leave, about Oct 1. He'd Rather P. A. Than y Act/So MacLeod Shifts Hollywood, Aug. 29. After working In 19 pictures, Fraser MacLeod gives up acting to .become a publicity man, Now assistant to George Bilson, exploitation man at Warners. .1, Doug to Far East , San Francisco, Aug. 29. Douglas Fairbanks' sailed on the 'Chicliibu Maru' on Thursday (25) heading for Toklo and thence into Tibet. With him were Capt. Ken- neth Davenport, Clharles, Lewis and Alien Bopne. Mary Picltford camo up with Fairbanks to see him o£E. Los Angeles, Aug. 29. Arguments still being heard today (Monday) before Superior Judge Wood on Charles Chaplin's petition for {|^n Injunction restraining Llta Grey, Chaplin, his divorced Wife, from carrying out contract with Fox whereby their two children, Charles Spencer, Jr., 7, and Earl, 6, W9uld be featured in a. picture for that company. Chaplin, on the stand last Satur- day protested the children's entrance into films. Comedian asserted the trust fund o£ 1100,000, and monthly payments of $1,000 to his divorced wife for support' and education of the boys, were made on the under- standing that the children could not be 'hired out or employed' without written consent of both parents. Attorney ; W. I. Gilbert, for Mrs. Chaplin, tried to bring out that Chaplin had showed Indifference to the children and had not tried to see them when he was in New York. Chaplin^ denied he was in the east at the time mentioned.. Radio Wm Not Take Up Ricardo Cortez Option Hollywood, Aug. 29. Radio will not pick up the option for another year oh Ricardo Cor- tez, whose two-year contract ex- pires Nov. 1. He made 10 pictures for the com- pany during this period and Radio figured on making him an out- standing box office attraction in 'Is My Face Red?! Last two for Radio were 'Thirteen .Women' and 'The phantom of Chestwood.' He is now on loan to Metro for 'Flesh' with his contract expiring on the completion of that picturei. Keaton and Durante Making 3 Features Hollywood, Aug. 29. Metro's Buster Keaton-Jimmy Durante team will be stretched to a trio, with Jackie Cooper added to the next picture, 'Be Your Age.' Edward Sedgewick, Delmer Davea and Milton Raison have been as- signed to whip up a story. Jhaf .R«gail Exit Hollywood, Aug. 29. Top member of visiting no-* bility,-who recently was guest of honor - at homes of' several stars,' stalked out of a Bev- erly Hills hotel without paying his bin. He then hAd his valet climb the firjs escape to drag out lug- gage' he left' as security.- L^hts, Personals, Other Ga-Ga For Coasts Air Serial Debut GLOiOA OR JEANEITE Di PEGGTS OPEREnA BUDDY'S SCREEN RETURN Par and Radio Interested-Mjary Cooper Opposite Mary Pickford This winter may see Buddy Rogers back on the Paramount lot, although Radio Is also Interested. Rogers is under NBC management, which is afflliated with the RKO radio-fllm-tiieatre Interests. . The next Mary Pickford picture, for which Rogers was slated, will see Gary Cooper opposite that actress. Peggy Fears is negotiating with both Gloria SwansOn and, Jeanette MacDonald for the principal femme role in the new Kern-Hammerstein operetta. It is Miss Pears' Intention to have this show on Bnjadway by Thanksgiylng, Casting Is already under way. . Miss Swansea is currently abroad, while Miss MacDonald is on the coast. Latter is ostensibly due In Paris to play a stage revival of 'The. Merry Widow' there, but difficulties have arisen and it Is understood Miss MacDonald may not now go ovee as intended for the October opening. In the case of Miss Fears' operet- ta and these screen luminaries, overtures have reached the point where It's a matter of money. RODGERS^HART ASKING HOOO, PAR DICKERING HollywoodrAug. 29. Rodgers anc^ Hart, whom Para- mount Is after for a new contract, are asking: 'em almost 300% In- crease over the old deaL When the team left Paramount to write the music and lyrics for Jol- son's 'The New Yorker* (UA), they were getting $1,600 a week from Par. U.A. paid them around $3,600, and when Paramount wanted them back it was figured the. old amount would 1)» okay with the boys. But the lads added on an extra $600 to their if.' A. stipend. Though Rodgers and Hart have all the songs for tho Jolson picture, star is trying to slip 'Color Line' and 'Five Cents. In My Pocket' into the picture. Irving Lesser wrote both these tunes. . Radio's 14. Hollywood, Aug. 29. Radio will, hit peak production next month. Studio will have 12 films going on Gower street and two more at Pathe during September. FROM PABK TO PLAINS Hollywood, Aug. 29. Betty Furness, socialite, who comes from tlie Park Ave. sector of the east, and lias been under contract to Radio for three months, is about to make hor debut before the 'one-eyed ^monster.' She will greet her public In 'Renegades of the West.' PAH'S NEW WBITERS Hollywood, Aug. 29. Paramount lia.s hired . Julien .To- .sephson, Murray Roth and Paul Gerard Smith £o write original^ Charity WiU Profit by Roosevelt Coast Pageant Hollywood, Aug. 29. Studio Roosevelt - for - president committee, headed by Jack Warner, is lining up ft motion picture and sports electric parade and pageant to welcome the Democratic candi date, scheduled to arrive here Sept. 24. . Parade to wind up either at Olympic stadium, or Rose Bowl in Pasadena, where admission will be charged to view proceedings. Gate goes to -the Motion Picture Relief fund and the Marion Davies Ortho- pedic' hospital. If idea goes through. Will Rogr ers will be spokesman and Conrad Nagel in.c. TALLULAH AND PAR Much Depends On 'Tinfoil' aa to Continuance?—Option Time Sept. 2P Hollywood, Aug. 29. Tallulah Bankhead's chance of continuing. with Paramount seems to depend on her reception in Me- tro's 'Tinfoil.' Miss Bankhead is In the picture on loan. Option time for Miss Bankhead arrives Sept. 20. Paramount som^ ' timo . .iago ap- proached the actress with a view to cutting her salary. She has made five pictures for the company under her present contract. CIdstr Check OB Writers hvading for Material A system similar to that used by police is being introduced by the picture companies. So many phoney writers and newspaper people have invaded Hollywood that' film men have ordered a strict check-up on credentials of those, attempting to gain access to people on the lots. At the same time the Industry is taking steps to rescind , the creden- tials of those writers Judged to have abused the privilege. Move Is largely to strengthea the powers of the Hollywood Creden- tials Committee and to effect great- er coordination between-this body and the studio press departments Wh^re the committee has Issued warnings to persons who violated their official certifications in the past, the new move is' to rescind the badge of recognition for future offenders. lightening up on the committee and the press departments Is .be- lieved to carry more weight than admonishing stars who might be In- clined to talk' but' of furn away from their press departments. Hollywood, Aug. 29. A radio serial will now be started with calcium lights,, personal ap- pearances aiid the usual Hollywood fanfare with which they open pic- tures, barber shops, -meat markets and' millinery emporiums out here. Ballyhoo is being arranged by KNX, local Paramount radio station, and Metro, for starting off of a Tarzan air serial, to be staged Sept. 10 at the long dark Egyptian, HoU lywooii Boulevard: ■ Intention is to open the house for the one night, have the usual out- side, ga-ga, attendance of picture and radio names, land the, usual 'I'ni' glad to be here' from, a mike in front and speeches and what have you ini side. Program is for a vaude show and personal appearance from the stage, and then audience will be allowed to listen tp first chapt<9r of serial, which win be heard from the loud speakier equipment connected with a radio. ; Metro isi in on the ballyhoo, figur- ing it's good exploitation for its 'Tarzan' film, no^r curreht . Happy Week for Extras With 6,859 Placements Hollywood, Aug. 29. Use of extras climibed last week to 6,869, new high for season. Big- gest day was Wednesday (24) with 1,440 day checks in circulation. Contrary to custom of silent days, Von Stroheim Is using more extras than De Miile. No sets used more than 15,0 people a day during week, but plenty of production activity at all studios. Leila Hyams Out Hollywood, Aug. 29. Metro Is not retaining Ijcila Hyams, with the company as a fea- tured player for around five years. Option on Miss Hyam.s' contract, which expired last Wednesday (24), is not being renewed. Society Girl Replaced by Kay Francis in ^Cyhara* Hollywood, Aug. 29. Dorothy Hale, society girl '-find' of Sam Goldwyn, is put as the wife in 'Cyriara' after three days' filming. Replaced by Kay Francis, borrowed from Warners. Miss Hale is the widow of the late Gardner Hill, of Pittsburgh, and was also formerly married to Gail- lard Thomas, Pittsburgh millionaire. Reason given for extracting Miss Hale from the cast is that she didn't suit the part after It had undergone four changes in rewriting. WHEEI£R-W0OI5Ey-RKO PALAVER OFF-HONEY Hollywood, Aug.. 29. . Proposition ■ wherefby Wheeler* Woolsey would return to Radio upon completion of one jiicture contract with^Columbia, is cold. Studio offi- cials^ have been talking with Bert Wheeler for past two weeks with latter wanting double amount which, studio offered. He contended that the W-W combiitaflon stood above the Raidio : star group in draw value at the box office; and figured fhelc pay should foe In proportion. ' Studio, however, could iiot see the demand, with result that Wheeler decided to call off negotiations. From Stage, to Lift To Stodio-All lor Par From elevator boy In the Para- mount building, Ndw York, to Par** Hollywood studio Is the leap for Joseph Gregory. He's been up and downii^ for two and a half years. Before the depression slapped a uniform on him, Gregory was an assistant to Boris Petroff, unit stager. He doesn't- know what bis job will be at the studio, but It won't be ruhnlne^ aii elevator.. Sam Katz Is responsible for the switch. Karloff, Off Horror Stuff, Gete Loew Bid Hollywood, Aug. 29. Boris Karloff has been offered three weeks in the east, playing New York, Philadelphia and Wash- ington for Loew. Despite studio orders that only photographs of the Universal player in horror makeup, such as he used in his pictures, can be sent out, he will appear straight if t4ie dates go through. -s^; Zukor*s Chi Address Chicago, Aug. 29. Adclph Zukor will be the guest of honor and speaker at a Paramount- Pvbllx luncheon tomorrow (Tues- day) at the Drake hotel. Exhibitors, newspapermen, critics, and members of the trade will be present along with the ofTlclals of Baiaban and Katz and the exchange. Cagney West Deferring his trip to the Coast a week, James Cagney ■ left New York last Friday (2C) to stralgbtea out his affairs with Warner Bros. Cagney's manager, Billy Grady, states that he and Cagney both have the insurance of major distributors that should Cagney secure a release from Warners or be legally adjudi- cated as free from the WB Ipt^ there would be no question about booking Cagney's Independently m^ide pic^ tures. ; ; Columbus, Aug. 29. A formal banquet, at which Zukor is expected to speak, and a preview of 'Movie Crazy' (Lloyd) will round out the stay of Paramountccr. Freund to Direct Hollywood, , Aug. . 29. Karl Fieund, Univer.sal ace cameraman, gels his first direc- torial a3.signmont to meg 'Imhotpp.' noplaces 'William Wylcr on tlio Job. liovla Karloff and Clloria Stuart will head tiie cast, 2D DEL RiO-RADIO Making Another Film and Pertonaf Appearance Tour Hollywood, Aug. 29. Because of 'Bird of Paradise* RKO is considering Dolbres Del Rio for a second picture. Salary offer is $15,000 flat, but no deal yot. Miss Del Rio was also offered to RKO for personal appearances with the film In the circuit's cdmbo spots. This is also still holding fire. Virginia Corbin's Scm Hollywood, Aug. 29. Virginia Lee Corbln, in private life Mrs. Theodore H. Prphl, had a son at Cedars of Lebanon hos- pital Aug. IC. * . Mrs. Prohl .sought no publicity. ' CIIiT EDWARDS W£D3 ij Hollywood, Aug. 29, Cliff Edwards and Nancy Dovo^ fly today (Monday) to Yuma, Arlz.y to be married. Kdwards was divorced by Ills flnC wifew