Variety (April 1933)

VAHIETY P I C ¥ ES Tuesday, April 4, 1933 $95,000,000 Tied Up on Coast Alone Forfends Moving Hoflywood East Hollywood, In Its physical entirety today, represents a dirt, frame and equipment of around $96,000,000. It would cost almost that much to transport the film colony to any eastern sector of the U. S., as acces- sories, etc., freighted to any newly acquired ground would almost dup- licate the present Investment. That's the best answer, therefore, to any talk about moving Hollywood east Producers, getting back Into the black, have definitely decided to let Hollywood remain in Hollywood—at least until salary cuts are not the tlieme of the day and Interest on bonds Is not in such shape where occasionally It witnesses one or more applications for receivership. Hollywood migration talk has been traced by industry investiga- tors to eager realtors and news- papers that were for coloring the quake reports along possible evacu- ation lines. 1 Quake Per '^ Century's Okay Filmdom, however, Is willing to take a chance every 2E years on the quake stuff. Getting out of the red is more Important than the moving van ?ind realty ballyhoo. If, as the scientists predict it, Hollywood won't be badly shaken up for an- other quarter of a century, the time to move is ample. Better Holly- wood and a quake than ho Holly- wood at all, is the reasoning. Realtors from South Carolina as well as New Jersey, Florida and Long Island are stlU keeping the eastern Hollywood idea well propa- gandized. One of the boys from S. C. last week sheeted New Tork home ofBces with a 6,B00-acre At- lantic front property. That land with its marshland for a backdoor would be excellent for convict pic- tures. There were enough tnses for -mounted police stories and bare flat spots for westerns. Also the At- lantic at the front was ideal for south sea pictures. What the realtors and the propa- gandists all overlook, point out some spokesmen, is that prices for air fields, marshlands, etc. in the east 'Are just as low in the west. What then would producers do. with that Hollywood property? Any exodus of the film companies would send the coast lands back to prairie prices, ° in the minds of fllmdom's ~ mathematicians. Too Much Cash Outlay A^ain, coast property couldn't be sold immediately. Acquiring new land elsewhere would mean a x^h. outlay. And in between, or during the period of transit and construe tlon elsewhere, two sets of studios would have to be kept going. So, say the wise men of the in dustry, think up another one. Beports that companies were in terested in the sale of the Massa peciua air field and some acreage at Glen Cove got all over Eroadway last week as first 'evidence' of a new Hollywood. But, they were Just reports, Para mount is still paying out around $500,000 a year to keep the Astoria plant in darkness, and there are a score more of smaller studios which would like to see some business. Should that pilgrimage eastward ever be made, industry spokesmen maintain, it will certainly give first consideration to established studio properties before consulting realtors about more groundage. 50^50 Break Hollywood, April 3. Screen Writers Guild, in its attempt to organize the scrib- blers, made a list of all screen writers receiving" credits. List totaled 600. When Shakespeare, Dick- ens, Voltaire, Balzac and oth- ers of the Immortals were crossed off, 300 recognized screen writers remained. —From 'Variety's' Holly- wood Bulletin. Is Zat So? Hollywood, April 3. At a recent Holljrwood open- ing a vaude actor who was standing, in the mob outside of the theatre heard the an- nouncement from the carriage starter for Mr. Warner's car, Mr. Lasky's car' and Mr. Ka- bane's car. He began to laugh, and said thatvnext year this time, at an opening, you will hear tbem call for 'Mr. Warner's bicycle; Mr. Lasky's skates and Mr. Kahane's kiddle kar.' FEMME BEAUTS] MALES ALSO, PAR IDEA HOLLYWOOD ISLAND AT cm FAIR IRKSOME Chicago, April 3. Hollywood building at the World's Fair Is still the big headache to the Exposition management from re- ports. Because of the proposed site on an Island and the need for driv- ing piles deep Into the ground the lowest building estimates start around $180,000. This apparently sends the cost question out of reach. Anyhow the proposition Is still unsettlesd. WILL MAHONEY This week, Paradise, New Tork. The Los Angeles "Herald-Ebc- press" said: "Will Mahoney, the show stopper, has an especially constructed xylophone to be played with the feet! . . . some feat! (par don the pun). Whatever you do, don't miss Mahoney." Direction RALPH G. FARNUM 1560 Broadway That Hakes It $362,000 Hollywood, April 3. 'Walking Down Broadway,' which Eric Von Stroheim made for Fox last fall at a cost of around $300, 000, was reshot.at a cost of $62,000 and will be released under the title, 'Hello, Sister.' Retakes were made by Edwin Burke and Al Werker, neither of whom will get screen credit, as Von Stroheim's contract called for him having it. Agents Give HoUywooil Go-Bye as Fee, Rent Savers Hollywood, April 8. With city and state license fees for agencies due April 1, a nui^ber of agents are planning the removal of their offices from Hollywood to Beverly Hills, where the total 11 cense is $10 against Hollywood fees of $100 for the city license and .115 for the state permit. Already the Jessie Wadsworth, Max Shagrln and Hoffman-Robin- son agencies have taken space in Beverly Hills olBce buildings, with others planning to follow during the next two weeks. Another factor in Beverly fa yorltlsm is the low rentals. Suites can be had in new buildings for as low as $16 and $20 per room. General movement is under way among the agents to get away from the established I^ollywood-Vine lo cations. Joyce-Selznlck are plan- ning to move into their own build- ing, next door to the Hollywood A.C. building. Harry Weber recently moved to a dwelling house on Hollywood Blvd. Others contem- plate locating in private houses, figuring that besides the saving in rent, it gives the agency a better fiash In its own building, and makes the contact between agent and client less commercial. Homes leased by agents rent for from $60 monthly upwards. Similar accommodations in an oflSce build- ing in Hollywood office buildings would run fully $160 monthly. MARXES^KATZ' FIRST PROD.,'OF THEE I SING' Hollywood, April 3. With the four Marx Brother^ having signed a five year contract to make pictures for Producing Artists, inc., Sam Katz's oiiganiza tion, their first picture will be 'Of Thee I Sing,' starting the middle of June, possibly at the United Ar tlsts studio, with Norman' McLeod leaving Paramount to direct. No release set. With his associates. Max Gordon and Sam H. Harris, Sam Katz plans to open offices in Hollywood this week. Also set forth they have sufficient finances, but source of bankroll they are disinclined to disclose. Katz has been at Universal sev- eral times recently discussing the possibility of a release of any prod uct his company would make. Un derstood that the Laemmles are willing to negotiate with Katz on a straight releaslnfT basis only. Understanding in New York is that Chicago money Js behind the Katz Gordon picture venture. Financing, from, the report, is coming from Greenenbaum St Sons, Loop invest ment firm with whom Katz for merly had dealings through the Balaban & Katz circuit. REPORT THALBERG SET AS MGM UNIT FDMR Irving Thalberg, despite all ru- mors, is hot through with pictures or with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He's all set to go back to production with that company as soon as health permits, which is believed to be within a few weeks. According to an agreement re- ported to have been drawn up, Thal- berg will go back to Metro as an as- sociate producer with a full produc- tion unit of his own. He will make 10 to 12 pictures yearly under this arrangement, the only studio stip- ulation being that he must not make more than that number. Latter clause is at the advice of Thalberg doctors who fear work. over- L. A. Would Reguhte Loud Speaker Ballyhoos^ Los Angeles, April 3. Paramount will conduct in Eng^ llsh speaklng^ countries a world wide search for perfect specimen^ to be used in their production, 'Search for Beauty,' which Lloyd Sheldon will produce. United States will be divided into eight sections from which tieups through the^ atres and newspapers are to pro^ duce four men and four women. Other 22 contestants, eleven of each sex, are to be chosen from foreign countries. Winners in each section will be brought here for five^ weeks' stay at the studio, all expenses and.re^ turn transportation paid, with com^ mlttee of directors to chose the. two individuals to play lead in picture. Paramount figures stunt a great world wide box office stimulator. Buddy De Sylva's musical at. Fox will similarly stage a nation .wid© beauty hunt. Split Billing Hollywood, April 3. Philip Klein, with the Fox story department for the past five years, now gets the title of story editor, sharing the duties of Julian John- son, who has been heading the story department without official title. Under the new setup Johnson will buy all stories, which will then be made rea«Jy for the screen under Klein's supervision. Fair's Show People Show people in on the World's Fair In one form or another are Earl Carroll, Paul Ash and Ted Leeper. Leeper, manager of the New Tork Paramount for many years, has a 16 months' contract to handle the carbide display at th^ fair for Union Carbide Co. Carroll, who recently made a trip to Chicago on the matter, is said to be planning a musical show in as- sociation with Balaban & Katz. Ash may act as musical director. Los Angeles, April 3. Proposed ordinance now before public welfare committee of City council, that is meeting with op- position from amusement interests, places loud speakers under regula- tion, with a license fee attached. Restrictions suggested are based on a code now In effect in San Fran- cisco, which limits the use of such speakers on autos to from 10 a. m. to 10 p. m., with no vehicle so. equippjed permitted to pass any one given point more than four times during a day. ' Motor bally must also remain 300 feet distance from churches, schools, hospitals and funeral'chapels. Vio- lation of the provisions of the Bay City ordinance is a misdemeanori punishable by a fine , of $600. or six months Imprisonment, or both. Proposed local ordinance is spon- sored by the Better Business Bureau, and is aimed primarily at cut ratd stores which broadcast competitive prices, although the amusement bally provisions remain. Mercantile Releases Another 10^ of Deposits Permission to pay a second in- stallment of 10% on deposits with the Mercantile National Bank at \ 48th street and 7th avenue, "Sew t<t»York, eased things a bit for' the smaller exchange and film service people, around that sector, whose funds are thus tied up. Jules £1. Brulatour is the most prominent director of the Mercantile, once be* fore in financial complications-when, under the Chelsea Bank name, it exx perienced a run and was later re« organized. Monogram Pictures, along witb several other film and show com^ panles and individuals, was lied up by the Mercantile situation,, and also in the Har^iman Nailonal Bank, the most prominent instltU" tion in New York now in the hands of a Federal conservator. Universal Pictures, most notably, has its funds tied up in the Harrlman. H. G. ONLY $200,000 Wells' Price for Story for Films Original Hollywood, April 3. H. G. Wells has notified studios here that, he has an original idea for a picture which he will sell for $200,000. He requests studios In- terested, through his agent, to send one to England to discuss his idea. H. G. apparently hasn't heard of the cuts. DOEOTHY TREE'S 2D FILM TEY Dorothy Tree of legit gets an other film chance, this time with Columbia. William Morris office has set her for a termer. Miss Tree had a brief trial at Paramount a couple of years ago. She was on Broadway in 'Clear All Wires' this season. for JANET REASE LOOKS IN Janet Readc and Harry Colin, the Columbia prez, talking it over a picture try. Walter Batchelor, Miss Reade's agent-husband (recently reconciled after a split) is trying to sell his wife as a Mae West picture type INDEX Bills 3S Burlesque 47 Calendar 21 Chatter 45 Edltprlal 36 Exploitation 19 Film House Reviews.... 14 Film Reviews 16 Foreign Film News 17 Foreign Show News 40 Inside—Legit r6 Inside—Music 41 Inside—Pictures 36 Inside—Radio 36 Legitimate 37-39 Letter List 46 Literati 42 Music 41 New Acts 34 News from the Dallies... 44 Nite Clubs 41 Obituary 47 Outdoors 47 Pictures 2-27 Radio 28-31 Radio Reports 28 Times Square—Sports.... 43 Vaudeville 32-33 Vaude House Reviews... 34 Extra Work Drops Hollywood, April 3. Placement of extras slumped 760 last week to 3,296, still about av- erage biz for these days and con- ditions. No big sets during the week, with 160 extras on one stage the top. Hooker' Titk Banned Hollywood, April 3. Hays office has ordered Fox ttf get a new tag for 'Sandy Hopker>'- the Clara Bow picture. Studio has requested suggestion^ from employees. likoach Separating Short And Feature Production Culver City, April 3. Separate unit for producing the Hal Roach features probably wlil be established when next season's pro- gram Is started. Feature director, writers and technical help would handle the three Laurel and Hardy full-length plctureis, instead of the two-reeler staff as in the past. Other plans for next season again call for 40 shorts, including the two which Hal Roach may make In England. Algiers Going on His Own Hollywood, April 3. ■ Sid Algiers, production manager for M. H. Hoifman the past six years, has resigned and plans to produce Independently under name of Sterling Pictures. He has taken offices at Metropoli- tan. Shields Scoring 'Fra Diavolo' Hollywood, April 3. LeRoy Shields, NBC musical di- rector, arrived here yesterday (Sun.) from Chicago to score 'Fra Diavolo' for Hal Roach. Shields were here six weeks ago while picture was In production, to supervise songs and music. Life of Armour Basis Of Early Warner Yam Hollywood, April 3. Warners are preparing a story suggested by the life of J. Ogden Armoiir, meat packing king, Who died in 1922. Yarn, titled 'Red Meat»* will center largely around the stocks yards, although some of Armour's other interests will be included. Studio is in a hurry for the script and has cancelled Charles Kenyon's vacation so the writer can start on It. SAILINGS April 15 (Honolulu to Shanghai) Harry Bannister (Tasu Mauri). April 12 (New Tork to London) Diana Wynyard (Empress of Brlt« aln). April 8 (Los Angeles to Honolulu^ Harry Bannister (Mariposa). April 6 (London to New Tork), Manny Goldstein (Majestic). April 1 (New Tork to Paris) Rus^ sell Medcraft, Vannl-Marcoux, Ger^ malne Glroux (Champlain). April 1 (Los Angeles to New Tork) John Gilbert and wife (Vir- ginia Bruce), (S. S. Santa Paula). April 1 (New Tork to London); Bert Feldman and Richard. Hard- man (Olympic). -I April 1 (New Tork to Genoa), Molly Picon. Jacob Kalich :(Hex). March 31 (San Francisco to Batavia), Morey Mareno (President Van Buren), March 30 (New Tork to Paris) Maria Jerltza, J. J. Vincent, Mr. and Mrs. Hal Roach, Doug Brinkley (Bremen). March 11 (Sydney to San Fran- cisco) J. W. McBurney, 'Doc' Faige, Mike Connors, Qaeenle Paul (Mari- posa).