Variety (Dec 1934)

Tu<»sdkiy* Deceiyiber 18i 1934 T I M E $ S 4| U A it E VARIETY floUywood . Kettl Gftilian Ijack from Eiirope, ■ Mel. Hulling here from Prleco on ' biz ' ■■ ■ ■'' Frointo Moredn has shaved :'thfl. lit)- ■ pof Up. - ■ . ^ Bessie McGaffey; eettlhg. oyer a ■ iflu attack. ■ '■ ISddiie* Clark erecting a nfew little- . .•th-eatro here', f ■ - " iClarlft Gable will spen«i Christmas on Broadway.: ,; : . : : ' Pat O'Brien tied to .his hopie with tUirtniy trouble. " Mr. and, Mrs; Geoge Arllss back from the cast. .< . Ikldnny SBff ta.lklns about a New Tork vacation; • Frank Capra released from 'Ce- dars of Lebanon.' ■ . Ben Piazza ravins about the southern cooklne. ; Claudelte Colbert;■ oil to ■. Palm . gpriheis. for .a-'rest. : -■ ■ .;. IClnff Charney is Hollywood's latest pipe collector. . . Paramount wants a new release %tlo for:'Gilded-,Lily;' . - . •Griarlea. JClrk to design setting? "for ;'Cape Cod* .at RKO.. • ^ : / X A. BaiiU :, of Technicolor back ' frorh twb week,-trlp! east. . ; ^^:.-^.\V.il)janj.,iH6uck- Is - ne w-. housf "Tnianager a.iK-the Filmartfl/ .. , Evelyn Chandler doing exhibition Iriititing at the Polar Palace rjnk. . ' I Myron . Dattlebaum now . handling trailer i)rQductlon. for Columbia^". Ann Shirley, ifd .Oakland for per- .Bonals with 'A.hne 6t Green Gables.' Atleen Pringle back at jiletro.in a mm, her. flpst ma/6x' in; several years. ■ The jessiB iLaflkys celebrated their 2Bth wedding anniversary last week, Kohry Henlgson out of St. Vinr cent's hospttal;iind.resting at .honao. J. J. SulliVah, F-WC film buyer, . makinisr a brief tour of the .north .' Paramount cariiera departmeiit H:% oVer Qiyo^ Ih Community .Chest V;drive;. .. v'> -:.v'' ' '~ G; W. Pabist due back frpm Loh ' don tb splend the holidays with his .family. Robert lieonard bagk oii Metro's ; /Reckless' after a two-day layoff " due to flu Mildred Brtibs, sec to Max Arnow, Js back. at, work after a. month In ' the hospital. . Stuart Lake up from Sari Dlegd oh a : Hollywood . assignment for .. Btatevepbst.' ' • . . Mack Gray, Georg^ Raft shadow, gets part in Paraniount's .'Rumba' and 'Car 99.' '. Sa:m. Matx. has an assistant . at . MctrorJerome ■ E. . Olenick from Arcadia, La.' . Patsy Kelly loaned by Hal Roach to Warners for comedy spot. Iri 'Go ' < Into Your Dance.' , Merrltt Hurlburd made the swing from: Paramount to Sam G61dwyh?s ; exec stafE last we^k, Adolphe Menjou and . his Wife, Verree Teasdale, wHl spend Xmas holtdays.'in New Yprlt. Mike Newman went to San Fran- cisco to ballyhoo opening of 'Broad way BSU' .at the Orpheum. , ' One ddy-lialt: oh Radio's 'PuBzle: . ' of the-t»epper Tree' with Edna May OlWor at home with the flu. W, S. Van Dyke lost a dog and of , , fored $100 v«-ewa.rd. His chauffeur . found the dog and cashed in.' Oomlsh suit of Jere Mayer, agent, ' against Herii'y Armetta:, U comic . for $29,000, settled out of court, Sam 'VVaagenaar, former-explolta : tion man ,ln Metro's Paria pfllce, ■ hero:writing for Dutch piibllcsations. irraiik ;N.0wman, Of the Evergreen Theatres., in . the northwest, here from Seattle for his semi-monthly : .Visit. formerly Dorothy Drake, Para- mount's Wampas Baby. Star entry, beginning fit $4B per. yeek. Regine Roma, Polish actress: be- ing brought from Prance under con- tract to Fox,' must chisel eight pounds oft her. avoirdupois to liieet the contract requirements^ V: . AA'altev .Wangor went into, huddle with his-£fta(f on script :and :ca>sting prpblema for 'Private Worlds,' his second production; after returhinjg from premiere of .The President yanishcs! iri.'New'York, '. . : ; Edward Fi'icdmari, convicted of robbing Mae West of $16,400 in cash arid Jewelry two years ago, muit ^irve- prison sentence of tWb to 30i years, District Court of Appeals haying denied his plea for new trial. Belated, arrival of Xiiias gifts or- dered froiri-New York "by Rudy Val- lee for, distribution ambiigst his associates .on 'Sweet Mu^ic' at War- ners, has Dick English, cropner'a contact .man; sticking around for jtwa ■weeka.-at-^ studio •-t<>-play-prpxy- SiEmta;":,'-;./;.-- Optioned by VoiuniDia, i^ red Keai- Ing returns .tg the hospital to spend his layoff having an operation com- ' .plPted Dixie Lee '. .(Mrs; Blng. .Crosby) donrilrig the. spangles in Par's 'Win 'or -Lose' after three years 6ft, tlie Bcrccn .. George Arlls.s and. Mrs. Arllss . back frorii: Engjarid, actor reporting in : at 20fh Century lor ''Cardinal 'Richelieu.' ; - . L Bart.Wh&e'ler. joins:publicity-stafC ,-..a,t,.Loe\V'^ State .to liandie 'explol . tdtion for: tjnitcd Artists and Four . Star theatres.. Bicardo CPrtez loaned- by W.ir hers tO; Metro for lead in 'The Sliadqw of a Doubt,' \ Arthiir Seniors-Rochiei tale,: : Nusc i- y^irconi j<>ins licr husband ........ .... ^. • 'Vlctot ' 'Varctfnta f or in-rnm i i ' ura run derice in Hollywood after several yearH, absence in Europe :, Thbnison Burtis. is defendant In coriiplairit. for; $250 by . Mary Gohl man, ; steribgraphe.r, '' whb claims the Writer owes her for ;w.ork;on scripts, . Billy :Laymbri,: iinbiicity gal. and exrattache.: of' . Coast Hays: office beaned: herself, nine sitches by bu roping into a'pilliar. at' her honie Owen and Kathryn. Mooi'e are siacd by Bank of . American National Trust and Savings Association; for $1,750 as asserted balance; due: on ia, trust deed, John Cox, Jr., arid Douglas Black ley, .parahioiunt stocit players tabbed Mter private stage apjpearance . Iri 'Small Miracle* fqi* coriipany execs, ■■■ efet .parts-;ln; 'Car 99;' " ; ■ . Shirley Temple's foot will be im- printed in Qraurrian's Chinese' fore- : court Xmas week to take its place with the, footprints of other filrii igreat^ arid/near .greats. •_, Court aflirhiis mlrior'.s contract by Unl.yersal .with Mary Wallace^ 19, Sitre^Seaters .; (Contiriued froriy page 25); :; Ish flimai, there has been a reawak eriing of interest, especially from.the standpoint that: the little fellows now can: occasionally book flrst or second run ;Alriis in the English' Ian guage which can get good reylews from- the"-ibritics. More and mpre sucii films,' okay Jn: thesei spots but hopeless in ■■ regular- circuit houses, are coming along, spelling manna to tlie arty operators. Indication pi .the difference: ndade by the British flima is the Little, Newark; Playing' two foreign lan- guage talkers three wieeks ; ago, houise grossed ahout $450, 'averaging weekly take for the theatre during the past two, years. .:Manager; switClied and . managed to : book ''Power*• (G-B),• -'Grciss •Went up- to $2,500. ,. '; In New 'York Max Goldberg's Eu i-opa changed Its name. to. the ,BBth St.. .Playhouse , and la booking all a-yailable arty prodiict In the; Eng llsh language. ' The';Cameo, oh 42d street, is sticking to French and Russian ■ while htiritlrig for - any thing else of an arty nature avail able. - The Little Picture House, closest to an arty In New York dur- ing the past couple of years, to pass- ing out of business at the very mo- ment when: that policy seems headed back, but it*s a; forced closing. Lit- tle Carnegie, - which has. been run-, riirig grind American Aims on sub- sequent dates since it dropped fpr- eigri,; language ta,lkers 18 iripriths ago, is shopping for hew s^rty prod i- uct again, looking the British Alms oyer ,and picking the American fllhis carefully f <r films" iike/Crime With- out passion* and others figured okay for the ihtelligentsia. ; ''' Spreaijing ;_Fino Arts,. Boston^^ pplicyv is repbrtirig- better -grbssep than it has had in five years,' Little, •^iimitfsbr c, and E uropa,; P lrtlgdeK phia, are' other houses that hay^ liickcd up materially. World, Mlnr neapolis, and World, St. Paul, .'are 'both corisistbhtly in- the 'blaclc for the first • time in several years.. Pilniartp, Hollywood, has' booked GrB product and figures to start go- ing places. World, Chicago, is set arid •:i-\v'd'~nc\y" arties are lo'okirifj' around for product in Chicago, tlte Ciribii'ia"'^arta" the"! Giwtie.;;^^^,"^ sdt 'but' Castie wants to ,m^ what is .available before it; opens up. Little, Rochester,; and Mayfair, Cin- cinnati, are bther houses that are now going oh ah arty regiriie ■\*hile Hi Nathan vis in New "ybrk .hunting .X;By ;Ler-RM8 ;";•'-•',;.■ :•■:' '_■.. Max:,Torodor,' owher ol Bitz, and ■,vife bit to Florida for wlhtei-. '. , ■ Women's ■wreisitllng matches added attractions now on local boxing cards. '\''-'r.'- ■ Mike Comer, /Warner's office mariager, back on job after brief Illness.:. - " V ■ -i, ' G. p. (Charley.'the- Finn) Herlin, loop night cliib owner, dead from heart atta,clc; ° . Pantages theatre employes^ have organized bowling. team: arid issued city-wide challenge,: ' ■ .; , . ■: , Bill Shartin, of .Unlyersal sales staff, acclaimed chaihpioh ppker player of Film I^iw.: : • i,;' , John Powers, of New York :Uhlted Artists* pfnce, back t<> Gotham after several .weeks hei?e.- Eddie Stelzer. Pantages uglier. Vea«ng''att€ntloii-:tt3^ University-of, Mlhriesota ba:sketl»a,ll find. . , , Gayety (stock burlesque) closing for two liottday weeks. Vaudeville out of Orpheum lorfeame perlpq.; . Publlx Northwest opetilng Grand, hew l.boO-seat house, M P^f^P' N. D., giving it.'three theatres there. First cold ' wave, hejayy. snow storms and usiiM: .pre-iChristmas slump playing hayoc with box-offlce ^"^Ho^norary degree of Doctor ;bt Muslo conferred on Eugene Or^ mandy^ Jdlnh^apoUs; Syinphony or- chestra conductor. ^ . ; ., Columbia and Bennle .Berger, In- dependent operator, have ./f"!®^ their differences a;ml<jably and latter has made 100%. dtol for; product throiugh entire circuit. . v. Charley Johnson, Star ^ S??"^*! editor, after being rbbbed of $40 at the Minnesota-Wisconsin footbau game, had his »uto stolen whUe attending a church dinner. Ralph Cramblet, new A. ej. change manager, appointed, to the local grievance board In place Of Max Stalil, who automatically stepped: out when he resigned the post now held-by Cramblet; named.- Inquiries, have recently been mad® fpi'^'^'ty theatres in TDay- tori and Greeriville, 'Ohio, Detroit and New Oricans.- Filmarte, San' Fran- ciscOj also bias let distribs know that it 'is iriterested iri whatever is Ayail- ''abie.^':.-^-: - ■■.•■:■■.■. '-p:'■■''■'f. Another arigle Is the g'rowth of clubs, societies, and groups throughr Out the ? country for special arty product; , These ; film groups gen- erally: mejfjt ohce or twice a; month to view special films.: Museum In Springfield, Mass., and in 'Worces- ter, -Mass., are being used for sucli: siipwirigs ; once montHly and there ai'e others spi-e^d around.. Figured that there are something like 125, such: groups tliroughout the XJ. fe. currently, although no actual figures on that : phase B:re kyailable slrice frequently such, groups dp not hpid- ontb the rojje^ for longer; than one Pt twQ.;Cet-togethera.; ': ^ New Haveit By .Harold M. Bone. Roy! Ph^lpis leaves soon on for eigri filmlne trek. y : - Fox Film's Ben Simon got nis pitcha In the papah. : ;. . Leo Sclllla now has two offspring keeping him up nights. , Harry Shaw m.c.'8 weekly ama- teur nlte at the College. : , Nlclc Gavallere wUl do some more filming for Frank Buck. ^ ^ It. took. 42 - atudes ■ to .fill ^sast of Yale Drama Dept-.'s latest - Max 'Cohen, brother-in-law oi Louis Sagal. died In Calif. Prof." Mark May new pr,ez of Council of Theatre Patrons. : Romeo - Tata: guest artist: with civic Orch In second cpncei-t. Lily Pons opened her American tour with Woolsey Hall cbnccrt.. D'Oyly Carte Opera Co. pencilled for a' February week at Shubert fiob Hart, scoots ba,ck to honrie- town Ha-rtford oh his weekly hPU- day. ■■ ■ ' •; Adeimo Yannl getting In solid t>and-leadlng brother, Leri Leslie, In town from New York. Motor - Square Garden: inaugu- rating -a series of Wedhesday hitie collegiate dances with Jack Pettis^ band... '■,;; ■ .■ \:'''yv\2__//. ^ : NEW HAVEN (Continued from pajge 11) ' and 'Words and Music' on par stage hftve -fans: dizzy trying to keep 'em straight. : Estimates for This Week ; Paramount (Publlx (2,348; 35-BO) -;-'One Hour Late* (Par) .and:stage show 'Wbi;d3 arid Music': AJonhd $9i300, goo* for this time .of year. Last week 'Behold My Wlfer (Par) okay at $9,500. ■> . - •■'-■-^^.w-'--«< ■" Poll's' (Loew) (3,040; 35-50)-? Music In Air* (Fox) and "White Lies' : (Col). Fadeaway opening looks like -^yeak $7,600. Last week White Parade' (Fox) and; 'Great Expebtations* (U). Not bad, not top good, arbuiWi">9;flO^ " "7 Roger Sherman tWB) (2,200; 35 50)—Babbitt' (WB) and 'I Ami a Thief (WB). / Coasting along . to light. $4,600. Last week 'Green Ga hies*. (Radio) and 'I Sell Anything* (WB). Only a notch better, at $4,600. ■-. ■ Bijou (LoeW) (1,500; 25-3B)-r'Sil- yer Streak' (Radio) and".'Bachelor of Arts' (Fbx). Drawing the action fsuLs, but not enough bf them. • Light $2,600.v La;st week, 'Men; of Night* (Cbl) knd 'Cheating Cheaters* (U) Also light at $2,60 0. :. . ./: ■ ■ Fox Mst Rein'g* ; .! (Cohtlnued from page 23). repiresehtatlves may not be In ac cord as to. the; possible future operating setup: bf Fox 3Met, Trade talk" is . bpen that Sbh.lbsset'. of Halsej^, Stuart looks with favor ort the operatihg capabilities of . Si Fabian, Niver of - the sanie com pftny, however, Is stated to be for the' Skoujra;?; ..cohnectipn. .Fabian may have an additional ally In Wll- liam Greve, Fabian; formerly was the theatre expert on the Fox Sfet job for. .the frying Trust, -receiver and presently trustee of that circuit which Is under S^b. 77B of the new Gbrporate iBinkruptcy Acti Fabian gpt $86^000 pay for that work. At' the; time, alsb, . the Skouras brothers, were receiving a drawing account of $160,000 annually agalhst 60% of the profits of their end of the Fox'Met operation. This was trimmed -In 193.3 - to $76,(00.-yearly; Under, the plap,. .Ituetccepted, with Skpura^ ;; operating, this ; $76)000 cohtlhues until May, 19.3 6. Then it Is cut to $62,000; Randforce is to recelye $39,780 aftier May i, 1936, instead of $44,200 as pi-esently..: The ;60% interest in the profits con-, tlnues. ': However, there is a conditlbn talked . abbUt wherein, if -the note- holders* committee sells the com- pany assets' in bulk, Skburas and Randforce. get 75%-of profits up to May. l, 1936, instead of 60%. This at Poll's. Flock of Yale studes landed ae supers, with Walter Hampdeli at Shubert. .- _ . Jimmie (three-isheet) Mahon ex- pected, a girl; one-sheet, but it was a severi-pbuhd lad.: Montreal wrf th local kids f o r his f reer-shows- c o nditi o n Is i nchigi v e of the u ndis; " "By Hal Cohen Mrs. Joe Hilier to the hbspiital briefiy for a mlrtbr: eye operatloh. Frances Faye going to Club Am- bassador ih Miami at end of mbnth. Howard Benedict, around beating the drums for ^Gather Ye Rosebuds.' ' Jules and Jbsl e .Walt o n d o ubling between 400 club and. Alvin . this week. ; ■ ■ Eddie Loughton, the ork leader, almost a dead ringer . for Bonaild :Colman..'. ■ ■ .■. .':;■ ■.: ' Sid Dick"rer ;ha3'installed a; small dance outfit at Oakmorit's Arichor- age Club. \ Johnny Starr and Ann Barrett, the cafe chbrine, rehearsing a vaude dance act. '.' Johnny Perkins' sister frbm Terre HaJute, Ind., ylslted the rotund comedian. ■■',':■-■•■.■ ■ The tlieatrical mob has dubbed Morty enderson 'Oscar of the Variety Club.' Charlie Davis pilotlhg his ork through a series of one-nighters in this territory. Betty MacDonald, classic dancer, has joined Claire Tree: Major's Children's company. TjouIs Loewensteln, Vinton Freed - ley's gen. mgr., here to attend the ■\vpdding of a friend. tributed net profits to that period In the meantime, as a part con- sideration for everything, any ex- cess nibney dra;wn. by Skouras dur- ing the past years is written down with Skouras* obligation, if any, ih this respect Cancelled entirely.- ' One. clause in the talked ,bt re- orsa.niaatlbn privileges Fox FllhV to cancel- Its -film-franchise -It- the hew '. operatihg setup, . whenever established, does not meet with the fullest Fox Film favor. Additionally this. Fox Film privilege to cancel goes on .any Pbx .Met theatre in- dividually. \ " -' ■ ; In the meantime, there is pehdlng an appeal by Attorney A. Palmer be fore the Federal Circuit ih which Palmer seeks- authority to examine oflioers and others, Ihcluding the notehplder s' committee un der Sec - tion 21A of the new corporate barikruptcy act. 'rhis right waia de- nied ,Palmer previously by Judge Mack. It is expected that the Cir- cuit court will hand down a deci- sion on this appeal some time this week. ■■■ ;■'' '■■■■'■.■■:', Palriier also seeks to examlrie of- ficers of Warhers arid; Lobvv in con-'- nection with this matter as relating back to the former Warner-Locw offer of $4:500,000 for the circvit. Possibility is that Receiver ^iMil-- ton Wclsman, bit Fox Tiieatres, may seek the right from Circuit, Judge Manton to make a bid for Fox Met on behalf of Fox Theatres itself,- .since Fox Theatre.'* l.s .stated to have tee Shelley at SUnley Grill, Jean Paul orch into Dominion club. ■ Stan Gardiner from Herald to Gazette. y ' Dan. Sairman Commanders', orch on CRCM. Allmi IrWin to,'N.Yv Christmas for cruises. . ' Peggy Lloyd, turning in special show, CFCP (11). - Larry Stephci|s handling Russian pic ballyhoo here. . Phil Lalonde, CJ-CAC maijager, sick, but recovering. . . Vera Guilaroff, air pianist, off to Bermuda for month. Alec Lajoie with 15-man orch' booked for Chez Maurice., Jbe de Courcy here from Ottawa to lead orch at Windsor hotel! Oliver Wakefield booked in two weeks with Charlie Dornberger, ;' : Nat Jacobs book? Lucienne Boyer . troup for three weeks at St. Dehis. ; Radio - theatre - paying-; highest price fbr talent ef. all local statI6ris;; :V Wilton Spencer putting over big four-page theatre ♦ and cabaret spread. :. \ ' Phil Maurice rounding up celebs for opening hite, Club Lido, at end bt^ .month;.:..' ■.:_... .-J. 1 ■ .:■:„■. Charlie Dornberger:, fetes fourth year anhlyersalry Mount Royal Thursday (20)v Alec Kramer orch finishing at Chez Maurice this month and will play Club Lido. Thurston puts on special magic show for newspaper boys and gets plenty publicity. Mickle Ishmah new manager Warher Bros Exchange here. Gomes from Winnipeg. ' : . - Jack Adams with Fred Norman booking around 30 nite blubs and cabarets -locally. - - George; Botsky partly solves shopping problem by installing free tea room on second mezzahlne floor of Palace.' - ; Harold' >fbon -putting In two orchs out of four for New Year's Eve carnival at Victpria Hall for Smart Set show. Charlie Dornberger organizing big behefit nite Forum Thursday (20) for unemployed musicians. Boxing, all cabarets and ,shows In to'wn playing. fre.e.. : Jack Telgmann orch Into Club New York with three broadcasts weekly, three shows dally at Im- perial and auditioning for CHLP as director Musical Cocktail club. Club Lido, Montreal's most luxurious club-cabsuret, o pe n e d Wednesday (12) to turn-away biz; New York orch and show. Bill Spafforth and Bobby Sandford with 15-glrl line. , ' Des Moines By R. W. Moorhead Walker Whiteside In 'The Master bf Ballantrae' at the Shrine New Year's Eve. ' : '■;'.; ; ,''•"'" ' I The A. H. Blank Theatres Corp. has made a 15% dividend payment to creditors. : :.',.' W. J. Milier, of Des Moines, has bought the Broadway theatre, Au- dubon, from Harry Pace. - Hoot Gibson delayed here during the snowstorm en route by auto from New York to Hollywpod. ; • Ih spite of zero weather, local merchants are thrilled over Xmias business, which looks like the best in four years. Local Catholics have -joined the Legion of Decency with 30,000 -pled ge s i s s ued in thp i 6 3 n a thplic churches of the diocese. Walter G. Samuels elected presi- dent local musicians* union. A^ Garriett Barnard Is vice-president, arid Claude', E. ; Pickett eeieMa"ry- treasurer. - ' State Attorney General's ^ofllce brands as lotteries, and therefore; iliepal under lowa law, the practice of drawing lucky numbers and giv- ing away prizes^—which is; a blow to the_.bahk night. plan that has prbvcd so popular in Ibwa.theati'es. "■ Baltimore By Albert Scharper, Jr. ■ : Tta.i-s in Balto total ^;582. ; " Lou Azrael w'ckerided in Is. Y. Nick Trpllo, tho acent, and his certain, amount of cash on hand. Gertrude Steih will spend Xmas holidays here with cousihs. . Frigid snap early last week forced Ted Claire into a raccoon coat. John Stephen Strange has dedi- cated new mystery: novel to Ed Duffy,. morning" Sun cartoonist. . Iha Claiire receiving a - 'Miss' In her billing above play, 'Ode to Lib- erty,' current at the Maryland. Mrs'.' Eddie. Welch, wife of the Hollywood gag writer, ih Johns Hopkins hortpilal under observation. Lou Becker's .Penthouse, nitery, has deal with. Jack, Pomeroy, whereby flash acts, billed 'Pomeroy Revues,' play the nitery here week after they play rotating dates. at the Roo.scvelt hotel, N» Y., : Intere.sting public exhibit of the- atrical antiquitie.s, props and gear but mainly hillings aind programs, 'durrently at Pcalc's Museurn. ■ Some of stuff antedates Revolutionary War, arid all ties-^ih .with Baitp background. ^•. ., - ; ■ ;