Variety (Apr 1934)

Tuesday, April 17, 1934 LITERATI VARIETY 57 Philly Ladgera Pass. Out Plenty of grief in Philadelphia as * result of the passing of the Morn- ing and Sunday Ledgers. Estimates on the number of men thrown out of employment vary, but 400 Is probably conservative, inquirer and Evening Ledger have absorbed but a few members of the staffs. Henry T.. Murdock moves hack from the Philadelphia Ledger, drama desk to his old assignment, E.L, drama. He also conducts a move column In the E.L. under the title of Ollie Wood. Eric Knight will now be regular movie critic of the E.L., thus overlapping in some ways on Murdock's duties* . Odell Hauser, who has been doing E.L. drama this year, has apparently not been placed. Sam Laclar will cover music for the E.L, This arrangement leaves the In- quirer untouched,'With Linton Mar- tin, doing drama and music, and his wife doing the movies. Sam Schwab, m.e. of the P.L. will be . Sunday editor at the In- quirer, and Jay House will go there as columnist. Most of the P.L. edir ,torlal force, however; unplaced as yet, with a few of the older ones going on pension. Philadelphia Ledger, which was 98 years old, had fallen off very badly in daily circulation. Down under .40,000 at last count. Real surprise was .decision to scrap the Sunday Ledger, which was sup.-, posed to be a . mild money-maker. Curtis-Martin people are doing everything they can to throw old Ledger circulation to-the inquirer, but it is figured that Dave Stern's Democratic and lively Record will get most, with' the New York. Times and Trib also cutting in plenty. Passing of the P.L. gives Phlly just two. morning papers. There are three afternoon sheet s, In clud- ing the News ((tab), and the latter is going to start a Sunday paper Within a few weeks. May .Stifle Macy's Underselling The book publishers' NRA code embargo against under-pricing by' retailers on books is generally fa- vored by the publishers, even though it. will probably hit the R. H. Macy department store In New York the hardest. Macy's haB long made it a practise to sell the latest fiction and other publications at cost or less,' and, while their large turnover was a break for the pub- lisher, the pubs themselves feel it's generally^argood idea to place retail book competition on an even , plane and thus woo back again the in- terest of the small book seller. It is said Macy's loses $160,000- $476,000 yearly on its book depart- ment, charging that off to general merchandising exploitation on be- half of their other departments. An idea of the great advantage to the publisher may be gathered from 'Anthony Adverse,' which sold 44,- 000 copies of its first 160,000 via Macy'a. Find Unknown Chekhov Yarn Unusual break gives Whit Bur Bett a scoop for the May issue of Story. Friend of his, scouring through old volumes in the Moscow Libraryfound an unknown short story by Anton Chekhov. It was rushed through for publication In English for the first time. Story was not known to exist, by any of the Chekhov collectors or commentators, and is not included in any Chekhov bibliography, mak- ings it that much, more of a literary rarity; Some Diff Difference between a book by a President and an ordi- nary writer is the attention to detail given by the publisher. Day 'On«Qur Way,' by Presi- dent Roosevelt, was. published last week, all book reviewers got hasty notes, .from John Day to the effect that in one spot the word 'party' was used when 'property' was intended; and regretting the typographi- cal error. reak for Expatriates Waverly Lewis Root and May Howard Fentress' of the Chicago Tribune Paris edition' are starting this' year's vacation-in-Ameriea season, leaving Wednesday (4) for a month each In.the U. S. Root will stay east, but Miss Fentress ill visit her parents In. St. Louis. Exchange situation is such that even Paris newspaper. salaries, paid in francs, and very low, permit a trip to America, especially since workers on local.papers can usually Wangle special rates from steam- ship lines, In general, it is cheaper for Americans abroad to go home this summer than to take a trip in Europe. Marvel of the age, to Europeans, is a certain line's offer of five weeks inclusive tour to New York and back, hotels, rubberneck wagons to Grant's Tomb and bellhop tips in- cluded, for 2,600 francs. This was $100 in the old days, and still is to those whose pay originates on. this side. Formerly it would just about .buy a one-way trip in tourist third. G.&S. Buys Adventure Adventure Magazine has passed from Butterick control. Mag has been acquired by Popular Publica- tions, the Goldsmith, and Steeger. publishing outfit, and Is the first purchase ever made by them. Popu- lar mags were their oWn creations, In the hey-day of its career, Ad- venture was said to have had a' cir- culation in excess of 400,000. Phe- nomenal figure was never touched by any other pulp. Present circu- lation reported as around 60,000. William Corcoran goes over to Popular Publications as editor of the mag. He was also an old fix- ture at Butterick. Prior to taking the reins oh Adventure, Corcoran edited the old Everybody's Maga- zine. 'Adverse' Agai Leads Remarkable selling strength of 'Anthony Adverse' Is again Illus- trated by Its return to the head cf most of the country's "best seller lists this week. It had moved down to second notch for a couple of weeks, but now seems- to be firmly entrenched again. For many months, now, 'Anthony' has been the top seller throughout the country. About-two months ago, a concerted drive, headed by Sin- clair Lewis' "Work of Art,' managed to dislodge the Farrar & Rinehart pet for two weeks. Then three weeks ago Feuchtwanger'a 'The Opper- mans' marched to the head of the class, but during the past week Hervey Allen's tome once more out- distanced all the other books. Perkins to Japan Bert Perkins, head of Fairchild Publications In Europe, has left for Japan after a two-week stay in New York to look over the silk manu- factures there and write some spe- cial articles for his papers, After a few. weeks of general coverage in the Far East he will return to his Paris and London offices. Mrs. Perkins, who. was in New York With her husband, has gone back to their Paris home. Norma Abrams on Pix With Kate Cameron, N. Y. Daily News pix critic, on vacation, Norma Abrams (Mrs. Jack Miley), was brought in to assist Wanda Hale on film coverage for the paper. Miss Hale is ordinarily Miss Cam- eron's assistant. At-the=rend=of^the^cu rren t^week. Miss Abrams goes back to the News' city room on general assignments, Broadcast Switches Owners Broadcast Weekly, Coast radio mag, has changed hands and is now the property of the James H, Barry Publishing Co. Plan of the new owner Is to con- siderably increase the size of the publication. O. J. Nuseer ie the new editor. New Authors League Officers G eor ge Creel was elected presi- dent of the Authors League.' Other new officers are Will Irwin, first vice-pres.; George Barr Baker, sec- ond vice-pres.; Owen Davis, third vice-pres.; Arthur Guiterman, sec, and Luise Slllcox, treas. League also has a hew board of directors numbering ten.' They are George Creel, Will Irwin, George Barr Baker, Arthur Guiterman, Ellis Parker Butler, Cass Canfield, Don Herold, Orson Lowell, Charles Scrlbner and Lyman Beecher Stowe., Graham Switches Publishers Covici-Frlede has taken Lewis Graham's newest book, "The Un- slnkable Mrs. Jay.' Book was written by Graham (Lou Goldberg) in collaboration with Ed Olmstead, and both scribblers will get their name on the jacket. It marks Graham's departure from Macau- ley's. ^epvici-Friedels^-rushing-the-tome' through, hoping to get it on the market within six weeks. Corse Pay ton's Biography Will W. Whalen Is writing the biography of Corse Payton, 'Amer- ica's Best Bad Actor.' Whalen wants some additional data,, the reminiscences to be sent to him at White Squaw Press, Or- tanna, Adams County, Pennsylvania.. Journalism In Pari Proving that news makes news- papers even in France, the Stavisky and accompanying, scandals are ef- fecting changes in the Paris news- paper situation. Chief beneficiary, is Leon Bailby's new venture, Le Jour, which was haying tough sled- ding until the 'affaire' broke and gave Bailby, one of the shrewdest in the business, his chance. Politicians involved.in the scandal are all Left Wing and Bailby. is Right. So he opened up with a real campaign, New York World style, socking right and left. As a result Le Jour's circulation is now reliably reported around 600,000 (there's, ho A. B. C. in Paris) hich, though still behind the leaders such . as the Petit Parisian and the Journal, is not bad for a beginner. Paris Soir also has been cashing in; though with a different method. This paper, by adopting tabloid methods 'although remaining normal, size, rose last year to the biggest evening circulation In France, and the scandal has given it a chance to consolidate its position. It neglects .entirely the political angle, treating the story merely as a juicy hunk of news, and em- phasizing the mysterious slaying of Judge Prince in February as he was about to make embarrassing revela- tions as the most zoftig angle. Paper hired, a couple of retired Scotland yard detectives to make an Investigation,, with an account of their doings written by its star crime ■reporter. Dropped the probe, saying It had been successful, when three gang chiefs were arrested, on sus- picion of the slaying, and there- after devoted itself to gangland revelations. This, has been the final , blow, as far as circulation is concerned, to the Intransigeaht, rival' - evening sheet, which Bailby used to own un- til a clique of bankers took it away from him. Intran is still getting most of the town's advertising, however. Good old Temps is. taking ad- vantage of ,the scandal,: too, in its conservative "way, by running verr batim reports daily of the hearings before the investigating committees —columns of them—and putting out posters to advertise the feat. Best Sellers Best Sellers for the week ending April 7, as reported by the American News Co., Inc. icti 'Anthony Adverse' ($3.00) >By -Herve» Allen 'Oppermans, The* ($2.50) By Lion Feuchtwanger 'Private Worlds'. ($2.50) .By Phyllis Bottome 'Anitra's Dance' ($2.50) .... .By Fannie Hurst 'Long Remember' ($2.60) ..By MacKinley. Kahtor ■'Dr. Arnold!' ($2.50) v...................... By Tiffany Thayer While Rome Burns' ($2.75) y Alexander Wbolicott •New Dealers, The* ($2.75) . . .By Unofficial. Observer 'Native's Return' ($2.75) By Louis Adamie 'Life Begins at Forty' ($1.50) .By Walter B. Pitkin '100,000,000 Guinea Pigs' ($2.00) By Arthur Kallet and F. J. Schlink 'Robber Barons' ($3.00) ...... ..By Matthew Josepbson Book Reviews An Amplified Tyler •iffy per cent richer in anecdote than the condensed version pub- lished in the Saturday Evening Post' is the boxed display alone on the jacket of 'Whatever Goes Up* (Bobbs Merrill, $3), George C. Tyler's reminiscences of his theatri- cal life. It also has the advantage of a preface by Booth Tarktngtoh. Written in collaboration with J. C. Furnas; Tyler taps a rich vein to make' interesting reading for the general reader, and fascinating ro- mance for a lover of the stage, whether lay or professional. The story of Liebler & Co.'s rise and fall is the history of the con- temporary stage. It's told with a tang that will be relished by ail who appreciate good writing. Tyler tells simply, but grippingly, of his early adventures; of his riding the crest of the wave; of his drop, into the trough when the stock market crashed and the fading road put a period to their success story. Radie Harris Off Mirror Radie Harris, who was writing a story a week for the Sunday edition of the New York Mirror, tab, Off the assignment. Miss Harris has been doing the special, stories on films and film people for about a year. Harold P. Denny is now filing dispatches to the New York 'Times' from Moscow. George and Bea Kaufman gave a good-bye dinner for Bennet Cerf and Harold Gulhzberg. Thorne Smith and family in Sara- sota, Florida. Charles Brackett lives in Sara- toga, N. Y., and likes it. Irvln S. Cobb is eating batter and rolls again. John Wexley has finished a trans- lation of Maxim Gorki's 'Philistines,' a play. William McFee and the missus off on a West Indies cruise. Fanya Foss editing a volume of poetry for the Hew York John Reed Club, the aggregation Of scribblers with radical leanings. Latest Irish scribbler to get a showing here is Patrick Kirwan. Sidney Fairway, listed as the author of Till Passion Dies,' is really Sidney H. Daukes. Hervey Allen leaves : Miami soon for his home in Maryland. Marquis James has gone to Texas to pick xip some data for another volume on the life of Andrew Jack-. son. Mike Gold completing a. new novel, his first since 'Jews Without Money.' Norman Burnstine, editor for Al- fred H. King, collecting anti-Hitler cartoons, which his boss le consid- ering for publication as a book. William Henry Chamberlain, who represented the Christian Science Monitor in Russia for many years, doing a new book oh that land. T. S. Stribllng, the Pulitzer Prize novelist, will do a novel oyer the air for the Columbia Broadcasting Sys- tem. ; •■ Flora Merrill, w"K6 did''Flush'of WImpole Street and ' Broadway.' Lack from England. Random House to introduce two British .poets here, Stephen Spender and W. H. Audefi. Achmed Abdullah back from Cen- tral America in time for the open- ing, of his play, 'Broadway Inter- lude,' and the publication of a new novel, "Her Royal Highness,' in Cosmopolitan. *33-'34 Pictorial Review With picture books coming more and more into fashion, Funk and Wagnalls enters the parade. 'The Roosevelt Year, a Photographs Rec- ord*, is In every way a good job and at the price ($2.76) ought to make it a cinch seller. Pare Lorentz, motion picture edi- tor of Life, did the editing and se- lected about 400 photographs of events in the U. S. from Jajruary, 1933, to March, 1934. Makes a h'.ne' by 12 size page and plenty of pages. Titles and comment are crisp and intelligent, and picture selections tinged with an acute sense of humor. Walt Disney and his pigs man- age to garner two pages; Mae West gets herself a page, and Sally Rand is given attention. These, it seems, axe the three a important theatrical items of the first . Roosevelt year. Queer Circus According -to the publisher's blurbs, Lois Bull, who wrote 'The Love Trapeze' (Macaulay $2), has .traveled with a circus, but there's a flock of laughs for kinkers In her yarn of the high traps. Probably will not affect the value of the story for the general reader, but any story which has a gymnast doing three' forward triples and two double backs in the course of a seven minute turn is far from authentic. '—- Another giggle, is having the hero- ine, the member of' an air trio, handing in her resignation to the circus manager instead of the. troupe. And all through the story the . same girl does the catching for those triples. A 14-year-old girl does the Lietzel act, making 110 roundoffs in a swing, and when she gets her growth She runs It up to 200 turns. Tale is the usual triangle, with two queens of the air vieing for the love of the same man. Not so. good for pictures. Socialist's View, on Hitler One of the most significant titles of the year Is the one chosen by Ernest Toller for his autobiography, I Was a German' (Morrow; $2.75). Toller, one of the: world's outstand- ing dramatists and poets, is one of the Jews exiled by the new regime in Germany, Written, with a lot of strength and poignancy, the book holds attention throughout. It is not as strong a denouncement of the Hitler regime as some recent books have been, notably 'The Oppermans,' but it leaves room for a lot of thought, Toller is an ardent socialist, giving the book a bit of a different view. The story of a young man barely In his thirties, with gray hair and an amazing record, of accomplish- ment and activity behind him, the book is intrinsically an important addition to World literature. Another Western King seems to have gone West- ward Ho in recent publications, the lastest being 'The Last Pioneers,' by. Melvin Levy ($2,50), a story of the winning of the west. The chief character is Herman Merro, a Russian Jew, who comes to America by Way of Alaska and evenually establishes himself as . a hotel keeper In a mythical town. He forms an Intimacy with Paul Dexter, banker and Harvard gradu- ate, and 'Mike' Delea, an attorney who founds his fortune in defending scarlet women. This oddly assorted trio, with Merro as the active influence, run, the . town in characteristic 'ring^ fashion, but the panic of '29 finally gets them. Chiefly localed in the plank . sidewalk era of. the west, it has life, color and action. Beaucoup Mystery Dorothy L. SayerS of late has been moving up rapidly in the list of yarn spinners. With her newest book, 'The Nine Taylors' (Harcourt- Brace; $2.75), there should be no more' doubt about her right to first rank^conslderation^-^It's^prjQbably: one of the best detective stories of the year. Miss Sayers is not as spectacular as Van Dine, or others of that school, nor does she write Ameri- canese as well as. does Dashiel Ham- met. But she can figure out mys- tery yarns that are plenty involved and. yet logical. 'Nine Taylor*' ought to be a big seller. Character! Leane Zugsmith's newest book, 'The Reckoning' (Smith & Haas, $2.60), Is her best novel, but almost defeats Itself by the over-careful characterization and analysis Of personalities. It's a strong story of New York, A poor, unimportant boy is convict- ed Of larceny. In trying to free him an ambitious young lawyer, a school teacher, a wealthy woman and several other characters get in- volved, and the course of life for all of them* is changed. It's a trick which one resents somewhat, but beautifully dofie. ~~" Miss Ziigsmith, however, dwells so much on the. character portrayals—and does them so well—that the story itself is overshadowed. Story Is a bit too tough and realistic for film use, but it could be adapted into a very fine play. Prize Play Award Dramatists' Guild has arranged an informal dinner for next Monday night (23), at which the winner of the Rol Cooper Megrue Prize, will be announced. Prize award was established by the late playwright for the best play of the year. Special program for. the dinner is being arranged by Mare Con- nelly, George S. Kaufman, Moss Hart, Morrie Rysklnd and Russel Crouse. Chairman of the arrange- ments committee is Lodewick yroom. " Only the date of- the-dinner is-, definite, place to be decided upon this week. Dixie Sportmen Get Mag Hubert F. Lee, who publishes Dixie Business in Atlanta, Is plan- ning a new sports publication, for Southern circulation only. To ■ be known as . The Southern Sportsman. Lee also editing the mag, which makes its initial appearance May i.