Variety (Aug 1932)

Tqe8d«^:Aug^^et 30, 1932 X i T E R A t -M VARIETY ; 47 Harwy Titlat Sold Sirot resultf In the attempt to ga,V9 somethlni^ ' but of 'the -'wreck of tbe Horsey maga la the sale of two titles to George Johnson. John< OOiii former hettd of. the now defunct General Magazine Distributing Cd:, bas acquired the Hersey titles, ^Gangster Stories' and, 'Model Air- plane ' News,' and will turn pub- Ueher with tiioSe two. Johnson has formed the See Pub- lishing Co. to get put . 'Gangster Stories/ and the jay Publishing Co. to Issue 'Model Airplane . News.' Both mags will miake their initial appearancea .under their new own- ership and in new form some time Jn September, with Johnson editing both also. Although freely reported that the Hersey .mags i^ere. under Bernarr Macfaddehcontrol, the name of Macfadden has not cOme up in the ttankruptcy proceedln|;s against the Hersey publishing .company. ' Hersey niags numbered as many as a dozen at one time, all pulp affairs. Many of these were former Macfadden publications, and the . regularity with which Macfadden turned these mags oveir to Hersey gave rise to the Macfadden control reports. These were never denied. Harold Hershey -was liked enor- mously by the scribbling craft.- His quick decisions, prompt payment and advlpe placed -him high, among the New Tork editorial deities. Friends' Rabdy Appeal .' . Sad state of Abraham Raboy, con- ceded the foremost writer of Til- dish pripse in; this country, being broadcast by friends in the hope of directing aid to him. ill for some time, and without finances, Raboy, his wife and children were dispos- sessed from their apartment last "Week. He's since found a tempor- ary shelter, but his nientfd and. phy- sical condition Is causing his friends iAlarm. Beeauise Yiddish literature brings no monetary . reward—In fact, is costly to the writer-himself-^Raboy like the other Tiddlsh literateurs over here, has bad to support him- self by commercial activity while writing. Hit by unemployment some time ago; friends report him as having led a precarious existence for some time. It culminated in his Illness and loss of his dwelling place. The Yiddish scribblers .are not en- rolled in the Authors Lieagiie, and they have no organization of the type for their own, hehce the efforts of Raboy's confreres. Would Brighten Sports Los Angeles 'Times,' in an en- deavor to brighten its sport pages, will put Bill. Henry, Sunday editor, on the sporting Editor's desk. He succeeds Paul Lowry who has held the berth for seven years. 'GentlemanV New Head Thei 'American Gentleman' has changed hands 'with Sam Regal the new publisher. Mag was previously published ^y the Mitchell Fashion Company. Publication, under the new own- ership, Is still being published out of the Mitchell offices, but goes into Its own quarters soon. The old staff transfers with it, including B. F. Bingham, editor. New Scientific Monthly A scientific magazine to be called •The Laboratory Record,' and to publish the findings . Of laboratory researches, Is being projected by Alfred H. Budd who will edit. Publication will be a monthly and contain only the findings of labora- tory experiments as discovered by the experimenters or as told by them to Budd. Publiciation starts shortly. Levy's 'Who Is It?' Bert Levy will use his 2,500 photographs, snapped during 30 years on the va\ide stage, as basis for .a book, 'Who la Jt?' - Book will be of a reminiscent type, illustrated by the pictures which show the ceiebs of stage and screen in off-stage poses, mostly unknown to the subjects. Real Names of Authors E. M. belafleld, author of 'A Good Man's Love,' is Mrs. Edmee De La Pasture Dashwopd. Marie Belloc Lowndes, who wrote 'Jenny New- stead,' is Mrs. Frederick * Sawrey. 'Hurdy-Gurdy,' credited to Margaret Bell Huston, was written by Mrs. M. L, Kayffman. Puzzles and Prizes Federal Trade Commission has been after publications which ad- vertise prizes for tiie solution of a Quzzle so simi>2e that anyone can solve it without , revealing, untU the :;plutlon la sent In, thai} this merely ohtitles the sender to eiagage in ad- ditional effort to be qualified to win a prize. Trick is a simple ohe used by cheaper magazines to build up a malUlng list, but under the ruling the terms must be clearly stated It the practice is to be continued. Now Book-of-Month Try "What may be a threat to the present bdok-of-the-month clubs is a new organization now in process of formation called the Guild Dollar- Book Club, about which secrecy is being observed. Reports place the Guild Dollar Book Club's proposed activity as a hew book-of-the-mohth club sell- ing its selections at a dollar, and bl general book publishing venture on the club plan, witii all books at the dollar price. - ; Sponsors of the Venture won't talk until they are prepared to make a formal announcement of their ac- tivities. Florida's iScissors Believing that sufficient publicity for the rival California climate had been given in previous paragraphs by Arthur Brisbane, Frank B. Shutts' Miami (Fla.) 'Herald' used the shears on Sunshine State bliirbs sent but by Hearst's chief editorial writer during the latter's visit to the coast. First day the Miami . 'Herald* cut out a verbal rhapsody on CaliiComia sunshine sung by George G.' Young, publisher of the Loa Angeles 'Ex- aminer,' Hearst paper, with a cho- rus by Brisbane. Following the excision of three paragraphs the first day, the 'Her- ald' dropped seven, along the same line by Brisbane, the second day. The third day, when BMsbane ex- claimed, on the low cost of living in California, the 'Herald' tossed the entire column Into the basket! It gives you a rough idea on the Florida grouch against the coast propaganda. Inside Dope on Moyies Welford Beaton, former trade pa- per publisher In Hollywood, has just published 'Know Your Movies,' a 192-page book on 'the theory and practice, of motion picture pro- duction.' He analyzes BO different subjects of motion picture production, fjrom 'sound' to 'emotional reaction of the audiences.' N. Y. 'Mirror's' Throe Critics Walter-Wlnchell is back from his motor trip and will resume col- umning in .the 'Mirror* next Wed- nesday. Column has been ghosted by Paul Yawltz, the Wlnchell by- line topping the column.' According to his contract, Wln- chell is the 'Mirror's' dramatic critic, but he Is not particularly keen on reviewing shows. With a trio of reviewers on the staff some doubt as to who Is head man. Paper has Wlnchell, Bernard Sobel and Bob Coleman. Coleman was second In 'Variety's' critical box-score for last season and Wlnchell was well up before skipping the iShows. He Is also off broadcasting now. Douglas Tripling W.A,S. Douglas has added Chi- cago representation of the New York 'Herald-Tribune' and Boston 'Herald' to his chores. He still clings to bis seven year old love, the Baltimore 'Sun.' In his spare moments 'Wa^' bats out occasional treatises on varied subjects of the ' more erudite monthlies. Waterbury aa Publisher \ Frederick M. W^t®rl>ury has Joined the ranks of book publisheRs. Makes his debut with 'Between the Big Parades,' by Franklin Wilmer Ward. - Waterbury will get out a limited number of volumes a year, excluding fiction. Miller Pens Another With his book, 'I Cover the Wa- terfront,' In Its seventh edition. Max Miller, San Diego, Calif., gangplank scribbler, Is busy dashing off anoth- er yarn with a newspaper man as top character. Author also finds time to put Ills ideas on paper for the studios, with his present screen assignment at Columbia. 'Our Gang' in 'Housekeeping' Mary Sliaron, of 'Good House- keeping,' has completed a yarn on the 'Our Gang* kids for her maga- zine. Will appear in the October issue. Idea was sold to her by Lew Marin, Roach p.iv New tlat'i Review First issue of a new national re- view now in process of being duminiedr. To make its initial ap- pearance around November. It will be called 'The Present' .and Is the project of the Murray Hill Publish- ing Co., formed by Robert Weenol- £en and Donald S. Root, latter re- cently of 'McCail's Magazine.' . 'The Present' will be a review of polltlcB, history and other current events, and will also cover all the arts including stage and screen. Soto flctloh will be a couple of short-shorts In each is^ue. Fillmore Hyde is editing the publication, which will be a monthly, '. The Munray Hill Publishing Col will also get out a giveaway for New Tork city only, bearing the title of 'New York in Your Pocket.' It will likely displaOe the present 'Gotham Life' as the official publica- tion of the New York hotels' asso- ciation. - ■ Material for 'The Present' will be mostly staff written, with the ex- ception of the short-shorts. ' Burhett's Music W. R. Enirnett, who created 'Little Caesar* adds Joe : Nearing, a jazz pianist, to his gallery of portraiture in 'The Giant Swings' (Harper & Bros). Film takes the boy from a cheap dancehall to a position of af- fluence as the composer of oper- ettas. .'As in his other books Burnett offers a faithful picture of life, un- embroidered. Joe falls in love with a girl at a soda bar but she in turn, goes equally strong for Joe's boss, the manager of the amuse- ment park. Joe disgusted^ then goes to New V York. Never suspensive, seldom violent in its action, the Story none the less holds interest because Of its fidelity to type. Title alludes to the-first music Joe 'writes in the new Vein, which later becomes the basis of his hit musical comedy. It is not only al- luded to biit glveii full musical no- tation, revealing a new. stile of Bur- nett. Worth reading. My«terioue Group First book publishing venture in New 'York to be conducted out of a postoffice box is that of that young group of serious thinkers and scribblers calling itself To Publish- ers. Origin of the title is as myster- ious as the actual working place of the group. One of the principal figures, of To Publishers is Louis Zukofsky. An anthology edited by him, and en- titled 'An Objectivlst's Anthology,' will be the first Volume issued by the group. Understood that To Publishers is gathering the more abstract works of American writers abr.oad for pub- lication here, mostly those that can't be seen by other publishers. Quorido Dies- Death at Amsterdam, Holland, age 69, of Israel Querido, took from HoUand one of its best and most popular authors. .Queridp. used a district of Amsterdam known as the 'Jordan' for the background of the greater part of his novels and plays, which had generally a soclall- Istic tendency. A committee was just making preparations for his 60th anniver- sary, and planned a big gala for him. He died only a few days be- fore he reached his birthday. Sports—Mostly Local Another sports mag bows in next month. It's 'The Sporting Gazette,' published by B, M. NIcholds, latter also editing. It will be a weekly aimed pri- marily at metropolitan New York; Mag will go in for boxing and wrestling, and will carry the schedr ules of all such events In the me- tropolis" and nearby points. Real Names of Authors Anthony Lawless, author of 'Har- bour,' Is Philip MacDonald. Maris- tari Chapman, credited with 'Wild Cast Ridge,' is the combination of Mary and Stanton Chapman. Rich- ard Kevei-ne, who wrote 'At the Blue Gates,' Is Clifford J. W. Hosken. Lawrence Saunders, author o.f 'Six Weeks,' ia the combination of Bur- ton and Clare Ogden Davis. Wash.'Post'Shuffles Washington 'Poet' has gone through another reorganization process, with Donald Reld, former picture reviewer and day city edi- tor, promoted to the managing edi- torship, He replaces Aubrey Taylor. Rumor in the capital Is that Mrs. E. B. McLean will take over the 'Post' Oct. • 1; >, Paper is now in the hands of the A^.erican Securltjr and Trust Co., after a court ruling which took it away from E, B. McLean. Denver 'News' Fridays Rticky Mountain 'News' of Den- ver, Scrlpps-Howard niprning pa- per, recently published a Friday edition of 28 pages. Including six page layouts. from the large stores, and distributed about 30,000 extra copies to residences and offices. Serve the advertisers the same city circulation as the 'Post,' evening. 'News' is charging the regular rate for this Friday run, but ad- vertisers are required to take the same space during the week. The 'News' classified pages increased from 1^ to 2^ pages. Causing a lot of coniment.Ih Denver and town now: Watching to see what the 'Post' will do. Newsleas Butte Station KGIR made a news an-, noiincement, as a gesture of good will toward the publisher of the Montana 'Standard' (morning) and the Butte 'Post' (evening), during the two weeks that Montana city was recently without newspapers due to the refusal of printers to take a wage cut. While most of the newspapers In neighboring cities refrained from entering the territory, bven reject- ing new subscriptions, the manage- ments' of dallies in two large cities some distance away shipped copies of their publications into Butte. The Denver 'Post' and the Seattle 'Post- Intelligencer' were the papers ig- noring the 'courtesy' rule. The 'Standard' and the "Post' hung up news bulletins In their'win- dows, day and night during the shut-down, these being the only source of information for the ma- jority of Butte's Inhabitants. Pub- lication w<as resumed when the printers agreed to take a salary slash. Foreign Menace New; menace is reprints in Eng- lish from Germai^y. Similar in form to the Sun Dial, Travelers' Library, Modern. Library and other pocket size reprints, they've forced the prices of those books down to 29 cents a copy in some instances, or four for a dollar. Intended selling price of the Modern Library, et al, is a little less than IL The English reprints from Get- many are the same as' the Tau- schnltz reprints' which sell for a few cents across the water. To. compete with the American reprints of the saine type their paper covers, never in favor here, have been re- placed . by more substantial ones. The German imports are royalty- free semi-cl^assics of the type that sell steadily. Bookshops speclallzihg in re- mainders are pushing them because they allow, a greater margin of profit. But it has forced their American competitors down to the same price level. Advice by Month Those literary 'experts' who for so much per act as mentors to be- ginning scribblers have a new one. Instead of a set fee according to wordage, they now make a monthly charge, with the client entitled to as much service each month as he wants. One New York literary 'expert' charges five dollars a month, which Includes criticism, advice and . sug- gestions for as much as a tyro can write. -.^ A couple of hundred clients at that rate ought to tide this particu- lar expert nicely over the summer. Lauds the Cops In 'At Your Service' (Macaiiley), Albert £4. Ullman Zlegfelds the New York police In an adult Horatio Alger style.' The rookie policeman works up to the rank of a first grade detective Inside a year aftier solving murder and narcotic prob- lems.. ■ ■ A little too heavy on. propaganda to be either interesting .or conyiric- Ing. Shanghai's Lure' J. A. Coughlin, publisher of 'The Carmelite,' Carniel, Cal., after two years has a desire for Shanghai, Where he was in the newspaper game for many years. He is offering the publication for sale. Bill Helm's Expose To date no Washington newspa- per has printed that William .P. Helm, of the corps of correspond- ents, has ■written a • book called 'Washington Swindle Sheet,' pub- lished by Boni. Book r^ps- manx l^<iads— SsfiOL ]Lb£ President on down the line, inoluA* Ing every member of Cohgresa fo^ participating in "the unholy mlie«« a,ge grab"—40 cents a mile, on th^ railroads, to and from Washington^! whbn the actual journey is made at less than io cents a mile, Includlnfj meals. , Helm, a Washington newspaper man for 20 years, boasts that h^ knows only two members of ConN gress—^nd these he met only r»< cently. • ; AH parties are represented V Wash ingrton's latest expose, so that the book is really non-partisan, an4 It's worth reading. . " — .... . •. Resuming 'Experiences' _ Renewed activity at the Bernaif Macfadden mag plant calls for tti<e resuscitation Of 'True Experlencesf' sister tP 'True Story,' in addition t(jl that new children's mag to be edlted[ by Mrs. Ft-anklln Di Roosevelt a4 announced. 'True Experiences' was-suspendedi Just before the summer to give inM petus to 'True Story.' Chatter Joseph Medlll Patterson, publlstaN er of New York 'Daily News; and Chicago 'Tribune,' flew 'With' hla two daughters into Los Angeles andL on to . Catalina for swordflshlng yacash. The defunct Detroit 'Mlrroi' denies that out-of-town members of the staff, who spent most of thei^ One week's dismissal salary On r.n* fares back home, were imported toi . Detroit by the publisher. The fei^ from out. of town voluntarils] applied for jobs, the paper declares^ also that 90% of the staff were na^i tive Detrolters, Tiffany Thayer goes to LiverlgUI with 'Three. Sheet.; j Hendrlk Wlllem van Loon back. ' Albert Boni liaa joined the Unfh versity Place literary colony, William Faulkner has returned t| Mississippi. , , Hilda Vaughan is the wife <■ Charles Morgan, whp -wrote 'H4 Fountain.' Helen Grace Carlisle and Jafn«4 Reld will settle in the Village; There will be a special autM graphed edition of Gene Tunne><4 'A Man Must Fight.' . .Macaulay has actually gotten oul a book without a semi<-nude on thug jacket. , , Gordon' Craig getting anothbc ^estimate' by Enid Rose In a ne^ book. Charles Yale Harrison gave up 4 steady salary to do that new. ndvMi The Jan Welzl photos show hisf big enough to be two people. Godfrey Winn used to' act in Brl^ ish pictures. 1 Sada Cowaii, picture sceiiaris^ has placed. a book with WaltetR Baker, Boston publisher. Harold 'Bell "Wrlgh^ working Ig the Sierra Nevada mountains. ^ John Cpwper Ppwys writes . Ipnghand. Ben Field, Los Angeles, chosaif president of Western Literarj); Writers at San Francisco cotm ventlon. Elizabeth Lonergan, New YorS rep for the 'Klnematograph Weekly* and 'Plcturegper,' returns to Ne\f; York from London Friday (2). Be^ abroad two months in the interest^ of her papers. Have you seen Fannie Hurst 8ino# she lost 30 pounds? Rita Weiman has discovered iBaule, France. W. Sprdgue Holden. is new theai« tre editor of weekly 'Argonaut,' sum ceedlng John Shannon. Holden fonN merly on 'Time' and other Easteng publications. i, Soviet Gala (Continued frOm page 1) One night will be given over to brand new version of the Russiaik classic, 'Sorrow From W;!sdom,' hgp! Griboyedov. The Alexandrpvsky Theatre wiH be remodeled to resemble as closely; as possible: the original theatre ai century . ago. Old-fashioned stag^ effects and settings will be used* ThC' outstanding change, which nol amount of doctoring can. fix, will tMj in the audience. Not only thai changes made by time, but the cpiM trasta brought by the revolution^ The opening in 1832 was dlstihctlj^ an. Imperial affair, with goId-bralde4 officialdom predominating. The ceiyt tennial celebration will be Just 1^ diatihctl^. proletarian^ .