Variety (Nov 1936)

SCREEN S T A G E rUbllslied weekly it 1.54 West 4Cth' St., New Tofk, N. T., by Variety, Ino. Annual subsCrlp^Jon; |$. Single coi)lesi 15 owtf. Siitered aa aacond-clasa tnaUer December 22,' 1905. at th« Fost Qftlc* 'Rf N^w York;' ^I. V^. Onder th« act ,ot Marcb S, COPYRIOlitT. m«. VARIKTT. lS'C,j '' ■ :64-PAGES_ Bf CORNELIUS VANpERBILT, Jr. Ndv,'3 is over-and the best main ...jiiaswoA. Twelve thousand'mileis ; a oii the other side rbf the globe, China is ^tectihg * President this hionth vaiso. Since, Sun Yat Sen's death she has J>9en cunning along pretty satis- : foctoriiy under Chang Kai-Shek^s able Ij^ dic^torship. But even Chang pre- -ifer? the Presidency to^imply a nom? ^r^e-gueit©' Po^ iponths an intensive ' .iiqliticiaV campaign has ,been under f way. ; ParVof it has been barrled ^uniquely through China's elaborate >ystem of 'sing-song: and; dancihg JSbanghal, admittedly^ the Paris of ;/ tbe Orient; is the seat of more than ^^100 dance hallst. c^ Peip+ :ingrancieiit capital ci^^^^^^^ , has a quarter that niiihbei'- Nanking, the new capital; Hankow, the Chicago of the. republic; Hangchow, Hongkong, Hangkew, Tiehtsi ; Cantoni and othier cities of more than a mijlion inhabi- tants' have their share of night life. Chinese political .warlords .have es-^ tablished a branch political section (Cohtinued on page 63) ion latins Actor; And He Prefers Ham St; Johii, N. iB., Mackie McLean, local bowling al- ley pi fociiseri who has recently broadened his activities to iivclude comedy-purveying as a menribei of a yaude teaifi, also in a revue, is claimant of the eating title among actors. . Without a. it of training, having been eating fairly ' regularly. Mc- Leaih fconsumed at single sitting one and a half loaves 6f bread,, each loaf WeighiVig 24 ounces; " of dev- iled ham, one large tin ioE beans;; six cups of. coffee, one pound of butter, o»Ve pound of sugar.' -He srveud the ^Continued bri; pJia:e 6th Child or Better Gets A Nazi Radio Serenade vlin, Oct! 2G. rowhed German broadcastfrig compj»ny.,.wili reserve in fiitui-e ber Tween. rivcaind 10 minutes of its daily program to congratulate ' nd serenade the prolific parents of riew- born babes. . From is[(jv. i. a list of new baby boys and girls who are at least the sixth child of their parents will be broadcast.by,members b£ the Hitler *:(>iJth, who will then cphciudc the iih a musical peU'formance. ■ Parents Who Wish to b^ publicly honored in this way are asked to fill ^"'^^."^stionnskire giving the number 01 their clfeildren, the birthdate and name of the newly-born, also stating JTiembers Of the family belohg w the Nazi party or its.orgahizations. Fan Mail -for Landon Repiiblican enthusiast; iii ah advpi'tising agency' '^c a li s e d; plenty. ■ of headachei during Alfred .^Tkl., liaiidoh's ' piarade '^owii Lexingtbh avenue, N. Y. Snatched , up' waste basket fuil oi what he thought was" trash and let it go out the wi dow.' It Wis ^ fan «mail of brie of igency'a' programs; ?. • Highest .firstunight tickets yet this seiison, $1! each, wilt apply to Noel Coward's 'Tonight" at 8-.30,* dated for Broadwsiy premieire on Nov, 24 at the National. First top. mentioned for the debut was $8.80. TThere will actually be three first-nights for 'Tonight,' but the other tw6 triple playlet bills will, premiere at $5.50. 'Management- has not yet made up. its . mind ;Whethf:r the regular evenih scale shall be $3.85 or $4,40 top.^ Idea of, a $'"•.50 ightly fir 'Red, Hot aiid Blue,' Alvin (fiist night was $8;80), Was discarded by Vinton Frcc-'.^ej' anifl $4.40. is the bo\- office ratei At that scale 'Red''can gross $32,500 and. understood i can bireak even at around 60% of that figure. DOES 50 FOOT DIVES THOIICH SHE CAN'T SEE . Charlotte, :N.,:C:, ri^^ SohoT;Caryer, the,girl who maikes her livirig diyirig 50 feet into a tank of water oh 'a horse, 'twice daily: at fairs and amusement parks,, cah't See,, 'The fact catne out when ,she made arranigemei'iis for ,ah opera- tion in Charlotte; the . Garo- li Agricultursd fair ended, to have two cataracts rernoved.: ; It' happened - west five years ago When her horse stumbled arid she and; the; imal went , into the taiik in a. heap. After that her sight be- gan to dini. The initial trouble, the doctors told her, led . to, a double cataract which ipletely blinded: her. She ..hasn't tried to capitalIze on her; aflflictioh, she explain!?, ., be- (Continiied on page 62 > 1st Cordnatioli .Deal, Richman at $5,000 London, Nov. 3. iist big booking iri competition for Coronation .attractions is Harry Richmahi signed by Martinus, Poul- sen for the Cafe: de Pai'is dun ' the month of May. / Heal calls for $5,000 weekly. Newspapers Lied With Chins ^Public Reacts Aidyerser ly to Twisting of Facts by . .Both Sides—Radio's Fre9- tige Improved TRADE VIEW , icago, Nov. itterly partisan attitude of news- papers cbntrastcd with" the scrupulous neutrality of radio bro'ad<' casting of the presidential campaign has, iri the opinion, oi many pbserV^ ers, pushed up; the'; prestige of radio while Stibtracting frorn;the stature,of the press., Distortion,, coloring^ text and headlines, the^erieirar practice of the dailies of leading with their cOHec-, tiye chins inevitably makes many of therii seem ridiculous m the light', of th© way the public voted. ..Recent boding of the press in Chicago during a political rally is seien by niany as (Continued, oiri .paqre 60) • Stage Bout by Boys Aged 9 Ruled Not ^Employmenf Detroit, Nov. . Jacob Schreiber, owner of the Colonial theatre. Was cleared last week of charges of violating State labor laws by allowing minor ,il- dren to appeiar in his house. Recorder's .Judge John P. IScallen ruled that use of two nine-yeai'-old boys in a boxing bout, for which boy.s got $2 'each; did not constitute ernployment. Qp«;rfLtic Standoff Mary Lewis, the opera singer, currently-playing her first . ■ nite cliib engagement -at the VersaiUes; N^w York, at $2,500 a-week for-two y/eeks. Opening- night (29) : Miss Lewis' husband. Bob Hague, oil ,tyco6ir, invited a party of 50, and . picked . up a check -that neariy. equalled: the iriissus' .first weiekV ' Hollywiij.od, Nov. 3. Paramourit is negotiating for the 13 ilbert ind Sullivah iop^fettps. following Metro's jgping cold 'on the deat due .to. thie fact that it wanted perpetuity rights, white the .Gilbert and Sullivan estate^ England, in- sisted uppn, a' fixed number of years for the 'film rights. G. & 'S". operettas are in the pub- lic domain in "the U. S., but not In Continental Europe arid ..other for- eign couritries, where most of the gross would probably, come from.. Negotiations on the deal wcre.con- ducted here by William Morris, Jr.. and. Harry poster, of London; both of whom recently came from Lon- don to handle the deal. It will take several months to consummate.-it, which gives the icture company seven to 20-year motion picture rights On the operettas. Picture ver- .• (Continued on page, 00) Taun' Tease Packs Met; on Ice MRS. THOMAS WHIFFEN CRITICALLY ILL AT 91 Lynchbutrg, Nov; .3. ,: . At. .of:. &i> , Mrs.^ Thomas Whi .;'gi and old lady of the .Vtage,' iS: critically ill in her country home near Montyalo, Va.^. where .she has lived ith her son arid daughter, Peggy arid' Thomas' -WhifTcri, since her'rclijemcnt from icgit in 1923- Mi's. Whiltcn quit, the boards a part ' 'Juat Fancy,' in Chicago.' Aitack of pneumonia led her to give up Work. Her last engagetnc.nt of any sort was , a broadcast from WDBJ, at Jloanoke in 1932. She Was .with John Drew's company when he died in 1926. Accordiiig to report.s her thei-e (Continued uri v<*oe tii> , DeBiasU Ballet Ru-f-se garnered ap- proximately .$8,500 iaf the..TVlet.copoli- tan Opera,v N. Y. oiv Sunday high,t (i ), House scaled to -$130 Sieat.s 3;560 and .was solid, with standees. Pro- duction Of ' 'L'Apre.<} Midi D'Un Faune,' after a 20-year lap.se. drew thbm '■ It ' maie-stri teajse done i six minutes, Wheii U, S. first .saw ago, the police pulled it Sunday hight's audience ariticipated plenty and was not disappointed. Number still stands as a classic in candor. David Lichine essayed the pagan role which Nijin- sky created. SoiTie paihtqd spots and a bunc'h of. rapes aVe his sole adorn- ments. Everythi vis done in plastic-i'clfcf a la sideways. I^ymphs ainbic around the faun while he never touches the favorite gifi, he makes' clear what is on his mind, in the jriterpfer live, terping of what a faun thinks abuul of au alleruudu. ; Philadelphia, NofV. 3. - Entire tneiribeii'^^^ "of Local 77;; American Federatipn of Musicians, WiU be " drafted to- picket Warner theatrcG hei:e this week, a^^ to latest .battle planV of .union.; Even Leopold .. Stpkow,ski, Philadelphia Orchestra conductor >ind. iriiself now a sbreen actor, ^will .be called on to join picket .line. Understood Stoki has agreed. to/iriarch. Mean* while, union has ruled all employed, mii^cians must;j;TOntribute: ;2'»^ saiiaries to pay f(>r On another front union hasi legal troubles. In Us skirmish with Doc Levy of .WGAU, tinion sought ta'tie Up station until it surrendered - io its demand for . housie band* When station refused^ union, tried, to pull out studio organist,' Doris Havens. Last week, with brie • of town's .most notable law'firms linder her winjg; Miss Havens traipsed into court to seek injiincti to prevent . 77,frOm;ihterferi , Common. Pleas- Thomas D. Pinietter advisement. Edward Siotesbui7> 87^ Wants to Bi^t Prp oti joirBiiwea Program Philadelphia, .3. Story going around town has Ed- ward 'T. Stbtcsbufy, 87-year-ol Moirgan partner and former ,Cjvil War veteran, slated .f ok early Major Bowes sti Financier lOyes to grab opportu- nity to demonstrate his stuff drum. When Governor Lfindoh was in. town last", week. Col. Theodore Roosevelt,'Jr., Waij present at meet- ing.; when Stbtesbury gave Assembled Gid.P., bigwigs drum. Sei-eriade. Colo- nel reported to have riiade facetiou.'j suggestions Of: putting banker Bowes hour. , Stote'sbury said to have hopped^ on it, and,- now Col* 'Roosevielt ' • mored ing at proper .set date. U.SX/$ Build-Up Sai^ S;A, Hollywood, Nov, : .University, of Southern California, with football players kept in Fridsty nights. ha.s staff psychologist »electr ing' films to be shoWh . to gridmcfi night; before .gam.es. \ Cti stulT, he-man-film.s, usually get pi ilh sohie musicals thrown in. Sex picture.s • definitely /out— with special taboo on Jean Haiio.V, Alice Faye and Mae West. Anyway, Jf» .iQood-for Grciehviile, S. ., Old pirDblern of whether iame. tWi iare IwO; or one person porarily scttlod locally Lashley Codoiho 5ii»mese Twi; , appear* ing- here with Rubin & Cherry carny, admitted to Lashley'a Carolina the* atre ou One ducaU