Variety (Jan 1936)

Wednesday, January 1, 1936 PICTURES VARIETY 77 1935 in Variety 1 Hollywood actors tol(J tho NRA that producers 'trlclted, ham Btrung and Ued to 'em' and amateurs were being treated as sensitive artists on the: air programs, 3 Fiemington, N. J., wiaa grossing $50,000 a week with the Haupt mann trial,, and Syracuse went straight pictures.. jj^^ 15 jj^ s. government stai'ted out after films' scalp, and a Minneapolis lawyer, shocked by 'Sailor Beware' (legit),, sued the management for $4 and expenses. jin. 22^Department stores were golnfj in. for more show Hz ballyhoo, arid Harlein appeared to be on the downbeat as a nlte life center. "jari, 25— Television reports crashed the stock market, ticker, while jajte.iuuWn got a dinner, from t Feb. B^NBC time sales gross for January was $2,890,910, ne-w niontlily Jrilgh, and sustaining talent was cut from $22.50 to $18. Feb. 12— Ma,nnie Cohen resigned from Paramount, and Eddie Cantor swapped a can of coffee for a tubs of toothpaste. Jgeb. 19^HoUywood reported . J. Mc Caxtby left, for the Coast. p^^,^ 27 MPTOA convention opened , and a midwest burlesque house added opera singers. . March 6— Jack Benny got $10,000 for a week In Boston, a $4,000 salary Increase In eight months, and Columbia Pictures, copped eight of the 18 Academy awards. March 13— Equity split over the Sunday show issue, and hoofers were anticipating a general offrto-HoUywood on the Astalre boom; March 20— Los Angeles court had to decide whether actors are . artists or laborers, and a. Baltimore nltery presented a ^male Sally Rand.' March 27^Indoor ' circuses closed their best season in years, as the etudlos threatened a Hollywood scram-out over high taxes. vAprll 3— Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.; wa-s rep.prted through with pictures, and Hollywood couldn't decide between Florida and North Carolina. • April 10-^NVA declared the plate-passing custom out, and Hardeen, at a magicians' conventibn, almost drowned when he couldn't escape from, a milk can, 'April 17— Hays offlce said' dual bills were on the way out, and Iiunt and Fontfinhe a;dded some stooges to 'Taming of the Shrew.' •April 24— Gaumont-Brltlsh was discussing television shows for its Lpndon theatres, and the San Diego exposlsh sprang a nudist display. tilay 1— Warner ^ros.'' music publishing firms threatened to walk out oir ASCAP, and Joe Schenck did straight while Liz Bergher Interviewed .th6 press. May 8 — Film scouts primed for some straw hat (summer theatre) rubbering, and Chllds' pancakerles went in for floor shows. May 16— American Federation of Actors asked the circuitsto. stop charging commission, and bookies took It on the chin when 'Old Maid,' at i^to 1, won the Pulitzer prize. May 22— Picture business was up 12% over 1934, and RKO's vaude book dwindled to three weeks. May 29— NRA voiding left show business out on a limb, and Llggett's opened the 'drug store tl .' ' June 5— John E. Otterson was appointed prez of Paramount, iand Richard Watts and John Mason Brown won VAwrrT's film and legit critics' boxscores, respectively. , June 12— Ra,dio Industry considered e3ta.bllshlng an ether 'Hays Oflice,' and Hollywood paid $686,000 for 14 of the season's New York legit shows, June 19— Ethel Waters got $4,600 for picture house dates, top salary f<ir a cdtored. single, and the Metropolitan Opera bunch was looking for sopranos , with s.a. • June 26^Studlos reported a shortage of gangster types, and Will Hays left for the Coast. -July 3— Eddie Cantor and Sam Goldwyn kissed and made , up, and Leslie Howard denied he's a matliiee Idol. July Id— Show biz decided to retain tlie .flverday week, and vaudeville decided to go in for the 30-second inlnute. July 17— Fellow named Shakespeare looked like the coming season's most, prolific scribbler with five shows due on Broadway, a.nd the two ends of a vaude horse sued each other. July 24— Songwriters declared war on the Duffy copyright bill, while RKO agents weriei staying . home to do the housework. July 31— Amateur talent booking was named, the 'No. 1 racket,' and an Indle house In Jersey replaced 'crockery nlte' with five acts of vaudeville. Aug. 7— Doyle and Donnelly, playing a CatsklH summer resort, had to cancel when they broke out In a herring rash,and 'Jumbo' was set to open Sept. 15. Aug. 14— Managers burned over Equity's double Sunday pay demand, and 'wired radio' looked, set to go. Aug. 21— The World mourned for will Rogers. Aug! 2i8— Show business suggested a living memorial to Will Rogers, and Broadway legit got away to a late start. Sept. 4— Nine films grossed $380,000. In a week on Broadway, and •Jumbo' was set to open Oct. 4— definitely. Sept. 11— Radio, broadcasters were going In for scenery, and 'Top Hat' tipped Itself to a $134,000, first week at the Music Hall. Sept. 18— Major Bowes* entered the $l,000,000-a-year Income claps, and Solly Vlollriskl, offered a Berlin engagenient, asked for $1,260 and fur neral expenses. Sept. 25— Max Gordon burned $60,000 worth of old scenery, and politicians were going In for showmanship. Oct. 2— Songwriters threatened to strike on the Coast, and Sam Lyons tiaught four bookers loitering in the Loew offlce. Oct. 9— Al LIchtman quit United Artists, and 'Jumbo' was set to open Oct, 22— positively. Oct. 16— Atlas Corp. bought Into RKO fdr. $11,000,000 worth, and news syndicates offered Bruno Hauptniann $50,000 for a 'confession.' Oct. 23— W,.R. Hearst Informed VAniETr why he's quitting California, and 'Jumbo' was set to open Nov. 2 — absolutely. Oct. 30— Metro bought Leo Feist, inc., ' set to open Nov. 9 — honest. Nov. 6— Managers blamed rehearsal pay requirements fbf quick" legit ■foldups, and Am.erlcan. acts. were going abroad by the boatload. Nov. 13— WB-RKO-Par acquitted of conspiracy charges In St. Louis, and Fox-20th got the Dionne quins for a picture at $70,000. Nov.. 20-'Jumbo' opened— no fbolln:— at the Hippodrome, and Ann Coi-io, declaring vaudeville Is. no place for stripping, cancelled a $i,oUU boolting of her own accord. 'it Nov. 27— Hollywood ridiculed London's claim that American stars Tvunted to go abroad because the tax nick over there la lighter, and ^e\v ^York's picture critics organized to pick the year's best film., or 10 best. Doc. 4— Broadway had 15 hit shows as against 13 the entire Pr^vlo^^^ Roason; and national union trouble loomed in the Parampunt-IATSE dispute. Dec, 11— Sam .Goldwyn bffercd $200,000 for the 'Jumbo' rights and the lATSE ivon Itself a closed Shop. , p(c. 18r-^WPA proposed a 'living new-spaper* theatre for Broadway, .and Al JoLson counted up $15,000,000 nrnlngs in 33 years. Fiction and Films Literati By WOLFE KAUFMAN Decadent South Grace Lumpkin is one of the few American women writers with any conception of the masses and the spirit of. the times. Her previous novel, 'To Make My Bread,* won her the Maxim Gorky award. In play forni It Is current In New Tork as 'Let Freedom Ring,' Her newest work la 'A Sign For Cain'. (Furman; $2,50); a. story of the decay of aristocracy In thlr -Bouth. It is (t ndv£I that Is not easy to read , and even harder to forget once reaidv It la bruta,!, istark, unrelenting. The pictures of the Negro tenant farmers, share croppers, plantation workers, poor whites, the not-so poor .whites Who hold the reins, all seer. When Miss Lumpkin, towards the end of. the book, arrives at her tragedy, the outbreak of lust, murder a.nd rebellion, she convinces the most ^arf-ened. The book, however, has na film value. : Jev/ish Papers In Reich ; Newsvendora, kiosks and ne^ysstands all over the Reich must not handle Jewish papers or periodicjila any more, according to a ne\y order of the authorltloa. Curious fact Is that numerous cafes and restaurants In Berlin how have bne or two Jevi'isli dailies on file. Thes^i papers, aeem to plenty, in demandl. Judging from the long list of, visitors waiting their turn to obtain one from, the crowd. Circulation, It Is learned, has riot diminished now that the order stopping street sale has been put in force, while ths number of ads has tripled. Raymond Cfappep Joins S-H Raymond Clapper, political columnist for Kugerie Meyer's WashIncrton Post, has resigned, and will shift Ills dally stint over to Scrlppsr Howard D. C. bureau, which will sviiillf-.ate Ma column, Cliipyer was with the Post for about a year. Prior to that .he worked political beat idr ScrippsHoward olBce in this Capital. Critic's First Harry Hansen has been the book critic of the New York WorldTelegram for some time now, and for a long time previous he held the same Job in Chicago. He Is a good critic, a discerning critic, and frequently a tough critic. He has panned many books in his time, so he probably won't mind an awful lot when his first novel. Tour Life Lies Before Toii' (Harcourt Brace; $2iS0) Is panned in turn. It Is a charming little, book, completely harmless, Completely unpretentious, completely meaningless. One of those quiet little rambles of the small-town boy, who wanted to be a . reporter and .who fell in love with a beautifulgirl who. died. The various maiden aunts in Dubuque, Toledo, Kalamazoo and points East will like it. Not for films. F. D. R.' G.um-8hoer President Roosevelt, it seems, had an idea for a detective story but didn't halve the -tiine to finish it, so he told his idea to Fulton Oursler, and Oursler, being a smart ' editor. Immediately got to work on the idea. He ' called In a lialf dozen name writers, and said, %et's finish this detective story and I'll, publish it.' Now it emerges in hook form as 'The Presldeirt's Mystery Story' (Farrar and Rhinehart; .$2.00), by Rupert Hughes, Samuel Hopkins Adams, Anthony Abi^ott (Oursler), Rita Welman, S. S. Van Dyne and John Ersklne. A surprisingly good thriller It is, too, considering the fact that the six writers involved each wrote only a hunk and left it up to the next man to continue, not worrying mucli about logic, or build up for the future. It could be filmed. Omnibus of Crime The miser was locked In and starving, yet he washed his hands in golddiist. He lived indoors for two years, but when be was found his face was sunburned. That's the base of the yarn. C. St, John Sprlgg tells It, in 'The Corpse With the Sunburned Face' (Crime Club; $2.00). It's Incredible, but has a considerable amount of excitement. Not for films. One of the goriest books ever is 'Death on the Bridge,' by Royce Howes (Crime "Club; $2,00). Laid on a tramp stea.mer. With no regulation cops around, It spins nierrlly along In actiony manner. One of the best whodunits . In some time. Not for films. Qy EPES W. SARGENT Spare Parts Aliens Corliss discovers no new factors for her 'Smoke in Her Eyes' (Farrar &, Rlnehart; $2), but she assembles her story Interestingly. If not engrosslngly, from standard spare parts. Her heroine Is the starry-eyed country mouse who nibbles at the city chee.<je while spending a winter with her married sister and a somewhat boring brother-in-law, who has mental convulsions when he slips with his secretary. Too much straining for effect and the over-use of cer " In situations robs the book of its chance for appeal. Not for pieture.%. even if It were cleaner. Grinde's $50 Reprint Nick Grinde, film director, received $30 check from Readers Digest for permission to reprint his article in the December issue of Ksqulre. Authors League Treasury Low Members of Authors League received statement from Louise Sillcpx; treasurer, that the fund treasury is bare and there Is little hope of rerilenishing it In the near future. According to Miss Sillcox, receipts from lalst appeal to mfembers wa.s low, diie perliaps to announcement that government funds were to give work relief to authors under WPA. Federal Writers' Project has done nothing towards relieving burden on the fund, as It only uses authors who are on public relief rolls. In addition, many authors have problems employment under WPA could not solve, even If rules were so modified as to make work obtainable for them,^ Satire, Inc., sponsor! new montiily called Satire. First issue, dated December, has' fact detectlv mags on pan, January issue to burlesque flim fan publications, Hugh Layne Is editpr, with Arr thur Ray McCowen and Adrian Lopez assisting. Merrick Out, Grahams In Shellah Grahame, Hearst-King Features writer here^ has been made Hollywood rep for North American Newspapisr Alliance; She succeeds IVlbllleMerrick, who held the post for eight y^ars, and .resigned when NANA refused to permit her to broadcast. Iss Merrick keeps her copyrighted column; Hollywood in Person; which will be serviced by another syndicate. Under tiie new job she goes on the air. India Protests Book Hamish Hamilton, who recently published Katherlne' Mayo's new book, 'The Face of Mother India,' in England, has received word that the book has raised a storm of protest In India. Ifteport bays that protests have 'been made to Secretary of State fot India arid to the Viceroy, and that effigies of . the author are being burned. British Prime Minister has also received , a protest, . Harper's Now V.P/s Lee Poster Hartman, ed Harper's Mag, and Frank S. MacGregor, head college department, were made vice-presidents of Harper Bros. Ordway Tead, head of the economic book department, was made director to fill vacancy caused by death of John Larkln. George W. Buckley Dead George W. Buckley; 83, author and retired minister, died Dec. 23 in Los Angeles. Burial in Michigan. Graduated University of Michigan in 1873 and, after touring Pacific states as newspaper man apd magazine writer, he edited paper kn< yn as 'Semi-Weekly Spirit of the' West.' Was ordained In Unitarian cliurch in 1887. Among his writings was 'The Wit and .Wisdom of Jesus.' .Hearst Reported After, Kent Reliably reported . that Frank R, Kent, vicc-prexy Of the Baltimore Siin, whose dally column out of Washlngtoh Is syndicated In 40-odd newspapers, has turned down a $50,000 a year offer from William Randolph Hearst, Understood the publlshor wanted Kent's column for his string of dallies exclu,';iyeiy. At present the strip appears' in most towns in .papers that arc. rivals to Hear.st properties. * Kent has from its very bpglnnlng opposed Vigorously the pre.-spnt administration, in Was»hlhs:t(»n. H<?ar.st's .sympathies currently 11'.' Oppo.slte Ilooscvclt. also. It Die' Copy re Gide's latest book, 'It It Die.' published by Random House In 11 ited edition, was seized Iti a raid upon the Gotham Book Mart; 4(th Street, N. T. Random House is to defend th book for Gotham Book Mart. Chatter H. G. Wells back from California, Professor Andriai Siegfried w^nt to Europe. Clare Lelghton on her way:SOUt to visit Giebrgla and (Darollnas. Walter Llppmann's 'Interpretations 1933-1935' but January 21. Rebecca West's hew novel, 'Th« Thinking Reed,' on viklng's sprlns list. 'Life of Lafayette,' by Andreas Latzko, ITebruary choice Literary Guild, Hearst mag organization to concentrate, on development of Pictorial Review. Donald' Henderson Clarke finishing new novel titled 'Tawny' for publication In March. Welbourne Kelley has new book due March 26, titled 'So Fair th* House,' William Morrow publishing. Harold Ellis has been appointed Canadian representative for Sports Illustrated, Ith headquarters in Montreal. Viking Press publishing Franai Werfel's 'The Eternal Road,' biblical drama which Max Relnhardt Is producing on Broadway, Fred E. Keefer, Jr., formerly with San Francisco Examiner-ia'nd American Weekly, ' has Joined Clilcago staff of . ScrlppsHoward. 'Man the Unknown,' by Dr.. Alexia Carrel, In its 13th printing her«, went into second edition In England almost Immediately after release. Amerlcian publishing rights to 'Libel,' by Edward Wooll, recently published in England and current on Broadway in play version, sscured by Macrae Smith pf Phlla. AlexanderAflnogehov, Soviet playwright, arrives here Jan. 7, Will make first public Appearance M. guest of honor at luncheon given by League of Political Education a.t Hotel Astor. New York, Jan. 14. Spring additions to Modern Library Include Dostoyevsky's 'The Possessed,' Ellen Glasgow's 'Barren Ground,' Henry James's 'The Portrait of a Lady,' Nikolai Gogol's 'Dead Souls,' Anthony Trollope's 'Barchcster Towers' and 'The Warden,' and "The Complete Works of Horace,' other of 6 Wins Award Award of $10,000 for bei-l flryt novel in I'ictorial .Rovic.y-Doflrl, Mead contest, ■wun by MarKaiot Flint of Bay St. Loul.s, Mlys. Nf/VOl j is titled 'The Old Ashbuni I'lm'f,' and wa.s -selected from 2,fjTl MMfi. entered in conipctltlyn. Margaret Flint is married U> •'"-"'r ter Warner Jacobs, onKl!!""'.', ^'l I'the mf)thf'r of .»!ix fliilrlnw, RANDOM HOUSE PLAY PUBLICATIONS FOR THIS SEASON O FIRST LADY PARADISE LOST BOY MEETS GIRL DEAD END THE DOG BENEATH THE SKIN O C O M I A New PIdy by EUGENE O'N EILL A He^f/ Comedy by S. N. BEHRMAN IN PREPARATlOMi A Motion Pictyrs Edition of "Remse and Jullst" Write (or d«ta//i RANDOM HOUSE '20 £.37 St, N.y.C. ISSEBSSSIBSSIRSB