Variety (Sep 1933)

Tuesday, September $♦ 1935 PICTURES VABfEl DOGHOUSE FOR Free Beer for life a Bust with Mae West as Cominercial Of er Hollywood, Sept. 4^ Mae West la currently the most sought-after picture celeb for com-. mercial tie-ups, all of which she is turning down. The dough she is sniffing at each week from'this direction is impor- tant sugar. She could grab $3,000 for allowing a millinery establish- ment to name a hat after her; have a lump sum and percentage on the sale of a Mae West bathing suit. Three beer companies want to put on the market a brew carrying her name, with offers of amounts in four figures for the privilege plus all the beer she could drink for the rest of her life. A cosmetic ilrm also wants the monicker for a facial cream at a price, and same for a new cabaret In the east. Last week she sniffed at a proffered check to be present at the opening of a new hotel in Pitts- burgh, and similarly said no to a radio offer of 13 programs for $75,000. Stagers on Coast for New Xounsellor' Film Wise Liars Hollywood, Sept. 4. Two producers who have been lying to. each other for years met in a Hollywood cafe. 'What are you doing?' one a.sked. Tm- going with Columbia next week,' was the answer. 'Look' said the other, 'You tell me you're going to Colum- bia to make me think you're going to Universal when all the time I happen to know you're going to Columbia. Why do you lie to me, eh?' SEPT. SCHEDULES PEAK IN PAR PRODUCTION Hollywood, Sept. 4. Seven members of the original Brdad^vay company of 'Counsellpr- at-£aw' arrive from N. T; Tuesday (5) tp go into the picture version, whfch starts at Universal the fol- lowing day. William Wyler directs. People are Marvin Klein, T. H. Maiilfiing, John M. Qualan, Clara Langster, Elmar Brown, Angela Ja- cobs and Malka Kornstein: Hollywood, Sept. 4. Schedule for September produc tlon at Paramount has the month heading for a peak. Slate calls for nine films to go in during the month, as follows: 'Pour Frightened People,' 'Alice in Won- derland,' Come on. Marines,' 'Funny Page,' 'Thundering Herd,' 'Miss Fp.ne's Baby,' 'Eight Girls in a Boat,' 'Sitting Pretty' and 'She Made Her Bed.' Last three are Charles R. Rog- ers' productions. ^emme Stars Outdraw Men 2-to-l; Mm RELENT Companies Soft in Chastise- ment of the Boys and Girls Committing Infrac- tions of Rules. ENDLESS CHAIN FRANK FAY LOST, BUT REPORTS FOR PAR SHOW Chatterton's 3d Megger Hollywood, Sept. 4, Third director has been placed on 'Female,' Warners Ruth Chat- terton picture which went into a iivc-day session of retakes and added scenes yesterday, William Dieterle started for Warners, but became ill and was replaced by William Wellman, who finished the pic. Michael Curtiz is on the additional shooting, as Die- terle is tied up on 'From Headquar- ters', and Wellman on 'College Coach.' Studio has added Lois Wilson and Lyle Talbot to the cast. Tal- bot Is replacing George Blackwood. ibhE iSanrymore in 'LaV Hollywood, Sept. 4. Cro.sslng up the second guessers who figured Universal was kidding about putting John Barrymore in 'Counsellor-at-Law,' studio has the actor > for the Jewish attorney part. U wanted Paul Muni, but Warners wouldn't let the latter go. Production starts Wednesday (6) with William Wyler directing. Uni- versal is now negotiating with Dorl$ Kenyon to play in the pic. RKO's 2 Play Buys Two new stories purchased for RKO's current program are a Lulu Volmer play, "Trigger', which Miss Vplmer will adapt for the screen, and 'Success Story', by John How- ard Lawson, which ran 46 weeks on Broadway. Lawson also will adapt his own play and leaves for the Coast shortly. RKO plans the Volmer piece for Dorothy Jordan, and the Lawson story for William Gargan and Wynne Gib.soh. Sylvia Thalberg Saves .1st Book by Walking Hollywood, Sept, 4. Sylvia Thalberg, a writer at Metro and sister of Irving, is out after a number of years on the lot. Difficulties over a story with a su- pervisor and her unwillingness to turn over her first book to the studio are understood to be the cause of her leaving. Novel, to be published by Jules Messner, in November, was claimed by the studio to be its property under its contract with Miss Thal- berg. Rather than take a chance on the story not being published. Miss Thalberg, wife of Larry Wein- garten, Metro producer, resigjjed. Novel is titled 'Too Beautiful.' Johnston Coming In 'li^iiywoodr^geH:"? Despite Universal's attempt to retain John Leroy Johnston as its studio publicity head, he files to New York Wednesday (C) to take charge of RKO theatre publicity department. Universal wired RKO charging latter with a breach of the non- raiding code, but was told that M. H. Aylesworth had consulted Rob- ert Cochrane in the matter before making overtures to Johnston. Johnston expressed a willingness to remain with U if RKO wouid give him a release, but the latter is standing pat on the contract. Hollywood, Sept. 4. Time changes all things but the popularity of the Hollywood dog- house wherein picture names are wont to rest during periods in which their particular studios feel they need chastiesment. Minor and major infractions of what the studios consider cricket, land the players, directors, writers and execs in the outhouses where they are exiled until such times as the studios need them or consider the punishment complete. Doghouse treatment is an endless chain. Every week sees some pic- ture name standing'with his or her face to the wall receiving the school kid treatment, Most consistent doghoiiser has been red-haired Charles Blckford who usually speaks his mind at any and all times. Still he always bounces out of the kennel to bigger and better things. His last confine ment was during the 60% cut when he refused to take the slice. All the studios made faces at him but Blckford jpaid no attention, devoted his time to his whale boats, lingerie shop or gas station. He's currently working in 'White Woman' at Para mount, the cut incident evidently forgotten. Howard Beats It William K. Howard occupied the shanty for several months at Pox That studio went so far as to reduce the ace me'gger to a reader. Howard never squawked and read for six months at $3,000 weekly. Pox let him out of the dogpen long enough to make 'Transatlantic' With the reception of the picture, Howard was again the white haired boy, Gary Cooper has been In and out of Paramount's doghouse so often he needs a new collar. His year's trip in Europe and Africa resulted in his differences with the studio over stories. When he returned, he still couldn't see the script offerings and went into the domestic dog- house until the studio needed his name on the program. George Raft received the canine treatment last spring when he re fused to go into 'Temple Drake, Flying on Spec Hollywood. Sept. 4. Francine Larrimore in due here by plane from Chicago tomorrow (5). She's coming on spec for a picture job. If finding nothing. Miss Larrimore may go into a coast legit produc- tion of 'Biogtaphy,' for Bradford Mills at the Beiasco. Wrestler Tied Up Hollywood, Sept. 4. Okaying Nat Pendleton, wrestler, in 'Penthouse,' Meti'o has tied him up for a scries of contemplated features with fight or mat back- grounding. PIAISTTS EOCHELLE HITDSON Hollywood. Sept. 4. Roohelle Hudson gets the ingenue lead in the Will Rogcns' picture. 'Thcre'.s Always a Tomorrow,' at Fox. Irene J'.ontley will liave lead with George O'Brien in 'Frontier Mar- shal.' Fannettes More ^acting, Hence No No. 2 Valentino Okayed as Yet Harry Marx Scooter Harry Jtarx, at one. time di- rector of theatre management for the entire Publlx chain, has turned inventor. He has devised a little scooter apparatus with a seat Avhich kids can sit on. A little brake allows the kids to slow or stop. Away from film circles for a while, Marx just got back to go into huddles on manufac- ing plans. Prank Pay, who was at that Sands Point club where Sen. Huey Long got socked, went into hiding right after that and couldn't be found for his current Paramount, New York, stage engagement until 11 p.m. Thursday night (31), eve of opening. By that time Boris Morros, Qtage department head and operator of the house, was burning up local and long distance telephone for a sub- stitute.' He had Richy Craig, Jr., and Al Trahan both ready if Fay failed to" appeeir early Friday morn- ing (1), opening day. Night before Morris ordered three different kinds of ads into the Fri- day papers, one set billing Fay, an- other Trahan and a third Craig, Jr. Thursday (31), when Fay couldn't be found and his wife, Barbara Stanwyck, in New York, was of no assistance in that direction. Morros was making preparations for re- building of the show. He and his stager, Paul Oscard, had specially built the new unit around Fay and June Knight, with title 'Frankie and Junle.' . When Fay finally showed at 11 p.m. Thursday night his first re- quest was that the benevolent Boris Morros, who finds it hard to say no, but was ready to cancel Fay, WQuld give him just another, chance. Paramount is paying Fay |2,000 on the week. « All Comedy Fast Bnsto treated when she balked at 'No Man of Her Own. In both cases, Para mount soon relentfed, told the play ers if they were good they'd get another chance. Wynne Gibson a.nd Carole Lombard are other Para mounteers who at times have had the studio throwing them bones Ernst Lubitsch, when he first turned down 'Deslgrt for Living,* re ceived the silent treatment for the studio. Everybody thought he was a bad boy for turning down the nice Noel Coward story. Lubitsch didn't come out of the doghouse until he decided to do the picture, but he had it changed considerably from the ■play before he started. Warners considered Ann Dvorak a baddie when she tromped to Eu- rope last year with her husband, Leslie Fenton, Miss Dvorak con- sidered her weekly pay envelope anaen?ic. Studio tried to make her wear a dunce cap but it was no good finally she was called back and asked if she wanted to work. She did. Ronald Colman is currently oc- cupying Sam Goldwyn's spot for bad boys t>Ut Goldwyn is willing to let dowrjothe bars any time Colhian vi^ants to return. Same went for Greta Garbo last spring, but .she was welcomed back by Metro. The doghouse is a popular spot. Tho.se who go in it u.sually feel that they are banished from the land of plenty forever, but they only re- main on leash until they are wanted. Syracu.se, N. Y., Sept. 4. Syracuse's 'House of Humor' was a quick busto. Widely-exploited all-laughs at the Empire, re-opened by Mitchell Fltzer, lasted for three pictures— "International House,' 'Be Mine To- night' and 'Whoopee'—all sub- sequent runs at 25c top, while a stone's throw away the RKO Strand was showing two first riins at the same tariff. So now the Empire, pretty much of a stiff for several years past. Is a double feature grind house at 10- 15. Men may run the film Indq^try, but. at the box ofCice it'S .tlje wonjen they star In their pictures V^o Slv«^ them a big business to handle. • As money-getters, the femmes noir mean About, twice as much fts the men. Gaining that position in the last few years, with much seepains in. their favor, it appears tho women of the screen are rapidly in- creasing their lead. Gauged by the draft which they show at the box office, the malea are having a hard time holding their position while the women Seem to be strengthening. To a - studio, distribution or the- atre mind,'the outlook is both odd and, surprising. The whole situa- tion is creating wonderment whether studio's are trying to de- velop the wrong kind of screen ap- ■ peal amoiqg its promising males. Or whether the; girls, mothers and grandmas patronizing pictures are not supporilng the nien stars as th^y used to. As the producers constantly make every effort to find another Valen-? tlno, no^ one kpows how to anawei? any discussion of the situation. Ohie. wonders whether It will ever be pos- sible to build up .a ptar like Val^ entino and whether or not the putt- lie today would support him. There has been no star approaching Val- entino's draft since his death nearly 10 years ago. Men Not 8o Choosey With women what they are, it's a question of what the'women want as against the easier gTuess as to what the men will go for at the theatres. Do the'feminine fans want a Hero like Valentino, do tliey want the matinee Idol type of another day, do they now prefer comedy,-sex or what? Producers trying to an- swer is like picking a long shot in, a race. One thing seems certain, so far as male leads are concerned, the men are supporting the men of the screen more than they did, doine double duty at the box office. This is believed to be the answer for the,draw strength of such person- alities as Durante, Arllss, Beery, Cagney, ilobinson, Marx Bros, and Joe E. Brown. Unless it's that the women are growing out of their Valentino-moping days and veering, away from the sleek-haired prlnce- charmlngs of a few years back. The Names ^ J>Iamlng the Qfst six^ClastA,.«tar- ar&vfa among tn^ men .brings a.'list Barthelmess in Court To Recover Securities Los Angeles, Sept. 4. Stocks and debentures valued at $72,226 belonging to Richard Bar- thelmess were appropriated and u.sed as a margin account by the William Cavalier Co. without the actor's knowledge or consent, ac- cording to a complaint filed In L. A. Superior court. Seeking judgroent for that amount, Barthelmess cliarges that Dallas S. Squire took the .spooifled necurltlf.s and, In figrooment with flerald E. Arbuckle, opened a mar- gin account in hi.s (Barthelmess') name with the defcnd.ant corpora- tion, Lator, .although notified, has failed to retui'n the .stocks to him, according to thf complaint. that Is none to strong to begin witli« as compared with the biggest six femme draws, but must Include the Marxes, Durante, et al. The Che- valiers, Gables, Marchs, Barry- mores and the like must concede much to the other group the way things have changed. Among the big female stars of the business, with the representation as 'A' draws double that of the men In terms of box office, change in , tastes with the film followers has been slight. If fundamentally at all changed. Garbo, Crawford, Dietrich, Ben- nett, Dressier, Shearer, Harlow and others of their type continue to seU the biggest on film. Signal exception to that rule among the girls they put in celluloid is Marie Dre.ssler. who exceeds most of 'em. Despite constant trying to bring forth male personalities that will return the big money, producers seemingly are having better luck with the opposite sex right along. While stars like Chevalier and Gable started to slip during the pas t year. Indicating that when they get there they.don't hold on as well as the women, the latter have shown an ability to go ahead fast when given the chance. Whilo no real male po.s.slbiHtIC8 have risen during the pa.st year, several among the glrLs have spurted ahead, notably Ruby keelf'r, Katherlne Hepburn, Mae We.st and Bette Davis.