Variety (Dec 1934)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

VARmtV P IC ¥ H Bis Tuesday, December 25, 1934 Bjt.FRANK SCULLY j ^Hollywood, Dec; .24. Shrewdest stab for new biz, and one that can't jnl'as If prosperity ever .gets itai* . enough Miround : the corner to those two, cara -Jin • every garage/is the drlve-ln-theitre idea. Scheme Orlglnateid\ In New Jersey, but the double pl^iy was cOjhpieted In Hollywood. \ : ■ ■ ' ■ : First house, catering iOQ% to car- riage trjsdfivhas. b>en- operftting sey-' eral months pii Pico boulevard arid WestwoiOd, biit in the sticks between the' Fox and Metro studios, and its grosses sh owy that the idea is in- the money., riunc'h liasjeyVrythlhg in its favor but location; Tb parli a car,down- town here long chough to seci.a full prbgram costs 50c. ;, Anotheir f bits for seats and that's ihc end of that doliar.' Drive-in housfe charges 25c a person,' car Included in" the tilt; This /Saving'lsn;t all there, is to .the drive-in idea. Even the inost comfortable theatre seats' are still a bit leais . downy than the front seat of a car. And the bundling advantages are all . in favor of the / ftuto, .'tooi, ■'.•X ■ . - First w'eeic; of, drive-^Iri. wasn't ';s6 * hot, bit the' second i#|th^^^^^^^ had cara lii»e^ :up. waiting, ti? get lii,! like the KoHarid Itunhe}/on. Labi^^^ '■i)ay.';..'r ;V . .. Bad weatlier; is 8^ because you view tlie. sKow frdih your car. .. Cars are .'rang^^ , a semi-circle, .'each .row being' aboiii tiiree feet higher ihan the Jpreylous. arc,*, giving every car. a clear view;, ot ;the'screen.-: .:"•. ■■.• .■ ■'■'. Sound is iaurprlsingly good. Some ^eay they never, heard better. Screen 1b oyfersize, with walls around screen painted black to sharpen-the images. Box office Is* like the entry to a toll .bridge, .except .that you dousf» your . lights on entering and are guided . by ushers' . flashlights to, your stall.. Idea was a pushover for Hollywood,- wher6 everybody owns a bar and half of them have been' trallned to dine in their torineatis.' . ' 'v::;-■^■'G^ovchoiChirp8 ■; '■ ■, Grouchp arx; thiinks: ithe fad will go' up iuid/ down like midget: golf, though his wajp.;hardly a .fair.-test as he' tried piitl the idea in a. cfir.; holding'.six people and ended by . ^,yiewiniB.--the. picture ^ from. the; front. - bumper.; ^He-says even theatre seats ice-Softeriilian-ftbiitibiimpeES, Survivor ■ ■' / : .- ' Hollywood,; DeCi 24. Tweijtleth Century sent out; A. .call jtor .fonrier:: Alaskan, sourdoughs to work )n 'Call of. the Wild.', ■ Only applicant; was Bid Qrduinari. ■ " It^ Siuier Tii^^ -er-Firie-idea,-he-believes,-for-couples- who; Want- some, quiet necking, but not «o hot for : those who: go to a picture' house filmjply to see a plcr; tvire. 'Next; idea will be ,to ' park your car; and view- the feature from a flag - pole.': groused • Groucho. ?But I prefer an aisle seat In a grind house to this latest luxury, i guess I'm old, fashioned- v Others voted\ afflrmatlvely. This -~^«ugg,■""h^^rt^E^ieex^-th'e^)icture^^ fore, thought" the idea not so bad. —and it: made >i. nic.e. bed. But it's a cinch! tliat if parftlrig problems get; 'dearer a-i^d tougher, and cars get . more numerous, a parking space that, win give you a; picture is going to ;be. the solution of a lot of people's picture enter- taintnent. ' ; ;. . , The shooting; galleries .ace ;;too stuffy. The .outdoor theatres are to5"~cTillIyr^^uF/'^ theatre 'which' allows-each patron to ha,ye as little or as much fresh a;lr a3 he likes and doesn't have; to. charge 'r'the convenience ngainst its overhead is In a money •.position It can't expect ..to house . more than 400 cars or guOss more than .. , , Hollywood, Dec. 24.: Although the Hays office has at- tempted to t>ut the quietus .fbis year, on those annual benefit shows, the try has miissed all around; Pic- ture names, -either through; cbarlta-: bie Inclinatldn ot. pbllte tnilinlda- tlbri; are falling haMef tUan' usual this seihester for theV.tree siervice, which around Hollywot>d and, Vliie- Is hpyr '.referred to, as. '^ucker thne,', Tot the three' .we^ks ^ prior. to Chtlstmas, the town has .beeii ,pverr' board on beiieflts, tho'se. oti' the ,uip a^id up and otbe'rwlqe. .Itaauests: to the studios; are alwayB ih(»; saipeh-^ th^//mu6t .have' .picture taames. / y/ltl^ ° ti»^ reailzailbh thai audi- ences seeing name players In person at two bits and up takes dough from the liabe; houses, Ila.ys office tried to cull the benefit,requests to a mihlmum, with studio?, co-oper- ating^ .Biit 'no go. i'urn-down by a studio, doesn't seem^^Q faze the '.organization, op- erators. They dig up sonae way ;bf getting to , the plalyers; generally thrpuEb a ..friend .of. a friehdt. knd th^ they/put oh ;the tears until he fiiii^./ ■■7-';;" - "Ilop. ^ohprs fojr .benefits,..the last two, yireekp goes to Dick PoweJl. He; did 10 of theija.,: BilV.Roblhiaph, 'Ji^re two' weelcs and aiw4ys a prolific gfatls jperfo.rmer, hasn't aippeared in a;picture ye^^ but has .lieinefitte^ almost every ;, nilght, ..;:Ajid /the; jcolr.; ore^- .chiurph^spcietLes. heyha&^had to tilEh,-d'6'wjii^te-in-thef Bcbreis.^,^ - ^ •^ry^Wlll-Rogers is-anptherr ehleit-piat-- sy. , He. plays a; go'odly" ehiare of them, but coming at the ralte of six find seven a day at this tinie of the year, his turn-downs also must run into the hundreds over the year./ LogiwS' Balm Soft WILL MAHONEY The Edinburgh Eyerilng News siild: "This - American corhediah. Who Is the iprlnclpal artiste .in a most enjoyable variety programihie, has an :^riglnal and irresistible dense of comedy. He Is an expert dancer. HIa dancing on and inlay- ing of an oUt-slzed xylophone makeA thiat obvious,' but the skill of his; rapid, tap daiicing is/a foil to 'faUuWV . ■ ■■- . Direction WM. MORRIS AGENCY Mayfiir Theatre BIdfl. New York City ^4 iiitorees "": " Syracuse;Dec. 2i.'' Charging aliehationof this aff ec- -Eugene "W. Log&n, head, of Logan Productlpns, which in silent film days produc .d . independently here, Mrs. Ada M. Logan of this city Is demanding $10,000 damages from Mrs. Lillian Kane in a Su- preme Court action. Mrs. Logan asks the custody of their daughter, yvonne, former, child film star. ': Alienation suit follows; Mrs. Lo- iran's ' separation- action, based, on abaridonnjeht-grduridsr'Mfs^ answer sets up a general denial. - <Continued from page 1) . -" c'is dropped Kenneth McKehna,' her third spouse; "Doris .Kenyon; called it. quits.with Arthur Hopkins; Ddve '"What A Man' ~ Hutton and Almee Semple McPberson split after a hectic but'^hbrt married life; Mlml Jordan diVprced Joseph Davis, a husband no ono in Hollywood knew she had. Janet Gaynor and Lydell Peck called it quits, Miss Gaynor claiming Peck was hindering her career. v / ' ,''.- '..-• ' . No L,auph.8 at .Home -. Ken Murray divorced Charlotte Murray, who, be said, deserted him. Mary Rubin, lost Benny Rubin be- cause, she said; . he was • tempera- mental, sullen, morose and a grouch. Rubin is still getting laughs .as an m.c> I^tbiurlne Hepburn divorced Ludlow Smith; :Ned Sparks and his wife mutually agreed to have it. over with. In Mexico. ; yilrglnla Bruce claimed tempei'a- mental clashes with' John Gilbert; Hubert . Volgtit and Olive Hatch called it g ' d a y because sher 'aa'. a diving champ, must keep;"ih fraTiP" lnle: ~~Te aniile~'^roWnv^'discha'rged NacIo~Herlj "Birown;"RbUert^Ship'^" man received his decree froni Mary Sherwood ■ for mental cruelty. Thomas. Daniels and Elinor Fair had It annulled. Gloria Stuart and GprdPn Newell were divorced twice to make it stick. Jeannette Strat- tbn Porter and Leo Meehaii agreed to. disagree. : Josephine Johnson got the. papers from Dudley Murphy. Florence... .Oakman-quit^^.^W Oakman because he criticized her bridge playing. Fancy Chin Pieces Coihinand a% ;Much - ai: $75 a Day in Foliage Scenes •; ■ :V: ; Poor Shirley ' / '; ; ; ; Hollywood, Dec. 24. ; Shirley Temple is belnjg rumored as a Fox ppsslbillty. for supervisor honors because, in three days, she leariiied to read half of her first primer. • TUt in Weekly Take /■ Restores Powell Grin HnlTywood, {Tlfc, ^4 Other Splits ~ The Ronald' Colmans had it sev- ered Jn.London. Marian. Nixon and Eddie Hlllman . are still speaking but hot across a breakfast. tabic. Adolphe Menjou and Kathryn Carver parted. Helen and Oliver Morosco are together no more. Mary Hay. and Vivian Bath .are also on the list. Sue Carol and Nick Stuart agreed-that it -would be • bet- ter apart, "as did the Norman Kerrys, Loulise Garrett and Oliver H. P." Garrett had the Judge' make it final. Ruth Chatter ton and Geo. Brent told it to the court and came out free. Marjorie Crawford and Eddie Dowling (ript the legit lad) ^so-^uit. — ' — • ■ . -; ' ■ ' ■ :. ■ Adela Rogers St. John and Dick Hyland called it off. Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Printz are together ho longer Gloria Swanson and Michael Farmer decided to part, and Mie Murray and Prince David Mdivanl came to the same conclusion. Kathleen Burke and Glenn' Rardin are an other pair now going it alone. Edgar Rice Burroughs and the missus' fell out and Harry Langdon and his wife did. likewise. Doris Dearie and Elmer S. Hartz are now two, with Miss; Deane claiming desertion. Film Editors Want For Aibadeiny Aw(ird Hollywood, Dec, 24, • ' Film editors have made a request to the Acaidemy to be Included; this year in the various rroups drawing awards for outstanding. work dur- ing the previous 1,2 months. Matter will be debated at the next session of the aiwards committee, with like- lihood that' the best Job of film edit- ing during the year will be recog- nized/by a certificate of merit. . ' Accompanying .the riecommenda- 'flon from a-cio^rn'mltTeeoTeditors isT also a detailed plan for conducting nominations, for iauch.honoring. This Includes the' naming by each film" editor in the industr/ Of One. picture he considers his best, plus one other picture, edited by another. Final vote to be by the niembers of the film editor's section of the Techni- cians' branch.. ;. Producers of; the best shorts of the year are to be recognized this year with^ sold 'istatuettes awards: Instead of certificates .of merit, as before. However, producers- will, not be given awards outright, but will have their names and the title of the pictures. engraved • on one.. with plenty of room left for suc- ceeding years* hpnoring. •. • With - the Academypicklngi ft-. •best' . in .three/, classes—comedies, novelties and cartoohe-Trlt. means,, a trip of names going on the-sfcatu-r ette each year, Gireeii Dir^cts-'Goose/ Francis-Brent Hollywood. Dec. 24. Alfred E. Green draws 'The Gopse and the Gander* as . his next direc- torial chore at 'Warners. Pic gets going after first, of year, with Kay Francis and George Brent topping a cast which Includes Genevieve Tobin, John Eldredge and CJalre Dodd. '" •Goose' is from, an original by Charles Kenyon.—■' / .— ■ —: Par Signs Penner Again Paratnount on Saturday (22) picked up its option - on . Jpe Penner for another picture, but film preb- ably won't be made until the sum- mer. _ ;.;;/._; .;;/;.;..;' .. Cpmpa.ny wants the comic right away, but radio and stage engage- ments have him tied up xmtll Jun& He's going to try. to shuffle dates to go to Hollywood sooner. . Wendy Barrie Snags pod, Dec. 24,:; ;■ Thouish wh'lskfey * disappeared ••' with the .horse-drawn trolley car» there are a,dozen or so picture ex.. tras who. "flhd that hirsute adorn- ment earns them a good living. It , ; whiskers are nieeded for a picture; these boys, some young, others old, find that their_*. mylts. .are worth money: The ciiitiera being as criti- cal- as • if IfifphToney crepe', -wlir hot do. Prices for/bearded muggs runs - * fro'm $7.B0^ fdr ihe ' garden variety -'i X6 thei! elaborately bewhibkcred chihir'I , whlcH'brlng ais hlgh/^a^per dny. r • Most famed-' pubescent /prnament^* is ; that which " dangles from ihe ' ; senile chin of August - Tollaire, lidng and white and: It has. earned . Toljaire sufficient ' to -keep him for yeairs.-- So/.prized is- thld beard oy'-;.!! both .Its wearer and. studios that the ask.ing price ls-$76;.dally, an all'«tlme • r high oh beard quotations. . * TpllairO; works mpstly in • pictures . with a foreign, background where he ■■■ is a,lwoya a member; of some wel- coming committee, political or civlo- . body. ,'■/■;■. -:■'■: '> -v ' :/■:■ ;/ -'; 'y: 'FAces covered by hair are not un^ .,' cpnuhon. In - Hollywood ;. With the toiyn vcluttc'red up ^.-iwith isms and yschlsms^thatrfonbw-the-lead-of-tho - - Hoqse of David, but. .a .lanate face that registers well *lri ai earner something else again. .. .■\yhen a Russian.picture Is near- fng productio.D. i^eards sprout on the niost'unusual faces,; but by the time the studio gets thrpugh casting types and bits, most of the muffs have . disappeared, for' the recog- nized bearded extras get the choice castings. ■ Best foliages In Hollywopd are those worn by W. S. McDohough, " ■Wllliatii Vort HarflOnb^i-^, Carl Mill- field ahdXiewis >(lhceribt.. All keep ' them li^pre or less'long sp'that they ' can be trimmed to the .desired length on moment's hbtice. ^ •' Just how much 'a gdpd beard is / worth -can be realllzed frohi the fact thiEttr .:M;infprd "hais T rkfsed • a ' family of 13 children oft whait.d'idorates the " fl^or of-Ibny barber'dhop; " t- Boy'i.Cooper; la yiiingster com* ;—^ p<ired to the others, has a two-way beard -which sprouts out -of his chin, the hair going east and' west. Brushed up, he looks like any gen- jBoal^iw. ithe.Jtellan..armyL_;. . lAverajje beard call- Is."for $15 per . d4xj Cdris3_:extta. scal)9)J-ibutl-Wheii__ the: studio needs the chin hiattressea badly^ :iprices soar and rstudios pay. Itts <the law • of supply atad demand. Mia^y. va: man carries /a full •beard oil bis, chin the year 'round in order to be ready for half a dozen day* : worlf during the year. Aquatic Scripting •' Siji John Ford set out in his boat last WedrHisday (2 0Tnf or a ^ail down th6 coast to wotk on the screen play of •The Informer.* Dudley Nichols is along. ' - ■■ •■- ■ Director and wrlteV' return/ in about three - weeks, with picture (Radio) slated to go into produc- tion the end of Jihuary. Cliff Reid will produce. ...^ SAILINGS ~" Jan. 2 (London to. New York) Mrs. Roy Fox (Majestic). Dec. 29 (New York to . Los > Angeles), Harry Sherman and family (Virginia). ; , / Dec. 28 (Los Angeles to Sydney) Haiph Clark (President Hoover). Dec. 29 (New York to Paris) Mr.j ■alid' Mrs." Leph Gar'ganoff. "(jle de Prance). ; , ■/,,.;;-■ ./. / . /-^;' / '." /,;';'".'"; Dec. 22 (Los Angeles to Honolulu) Ann Dvorak, Leslie Fenton (LUr- line). ,^ ■:"-'/• / /" Dec. .21 (New York to Lpndpn) Stewart, and Vale, Gomez, and ..'Wi- nona, Phyllis Oilman, Betty Doug- las, Vivian Porter, Peggy Odin, Eve.// Knight, Joan Roger.s, Genevieve''''!. CJarlstrom, Jerrie Kpban, Merle. Dans V (Ascania). J3,(juu a we*K, since u s contmcd to night shows', but it.haiin't any leaky roofs to worry about either. low Budget Terror* Hollywood, Dec. 24j - Paramount will spot most pf its Junior group of players in 'Terror by Night,' short budget /college story. . - ;■.-, . . '// Helen Mack gets the femme lead. REED FLITS EAST . .Hollywood, Dec' 24.' Phillip Reed planed to New York yesterday (Sunday) for his first trip cast since he came out to Join War- ners 18 months ^go. Player returns after New - Year for:, tentati-ve.; 'assignment in ' Ooose and the Gander.' 'The New seven-year contract etufCed in .Christmas sock of Dick Powell by Warners i i a good tilt has. trans- formed the player's recent peeve about his salary into broad grin. Powell Is currently in two . pic- tures, •'Gold Diggers of 1935' and 'Midsummer Night's Dream.' Next assignment is a singing role In 'Broadway Gondolier.' Paramount Tenner ' ' : Hollywood, Dec. 24. Wendy . Barrie, English picture actress who coime here on spec last September, has knocked off a term contract with Paramount which starts Jan. 10. - J '/J./ /.,./; Deal was made by Zep Marx. Par Renews Carlisle ; Hollywood, Dec. 24. Kitty Carlisle is. set for ithother year at Paramount. New pact calls for four pictures during 1935 and options for further services in 1936. - "■ : . , ^ : .Paramount gaveChristmas gifts in the form of renewed options to one actor and t^yo writers. Harry Wilcoxon.. is the actor;. Virginia VAn Upp and Gilbert Pratt, .«crlba. NO BOMERO LOAN / . .'V'-- / • Hollywood, Dec. 24. . Paramount tried to borrow Cegare Romero from Universal for an add! tlonal picturci 'Rose of the Rancho,' but U claimed . the , player was needed on his home lot. : Rpmero. .is currently at Par - 1q -Caprice BepognoV Footballer's Test ■ Lester Borden, captain of the 1934 Fordham grldders, and. playing in the annual East-West game in San Francisco on New Year's day, goes to Hollywood right after the pigskin tussle for a screen test. . Rockell-O'Keefe is handling the Fordham: football, stftr professipn-. ally, having, become In tere.sie.d through Glen. Gray, of the ,Caea Loraa orchestra,, who'brought 3or den to attentioiu ARRIVALS Ganna Walska, Laurence Hills, Arthur. Field, Martin Spbelman, Bruce Cabot, Fanny .Ward, William FlsUe, Q. \V7. Pabpt,' Arthur Lpew,. .j Phil Reiaman, ... . ...^ •Mrs. Leslie Hpward, Dorothy Far- ■;■ ■ num.,/,, ; ■ ', / ■■ , kimberly f^nd Ealge, -Teddy Corr , rj 1 (ManhattaD), - , -.'^;. ■,'.' .j'