Variety (Jul 1937)

VAsmrr PICTURES Wednesday, July 7, 1937 BACK FENCE GOSSIP (OVER A RADIO NETWORK) PAYS FANCY DIVIDENDS Air Chatterer's Top Many Stars in Dough—Fidler's $3,500, Wincheli's $2,500, but Uppihg to $5,000, Parsons' $2,250-—Qthet Strong Newcomers By ERANK SCULtT Hollywood, July 6, oys arid girlis who gossip over ihe inike instead of a back fence make more money at , it, in several in- stances, than tiie stars they talk about. This is the first case ort rec- ord, where taki in washing paid better than owning the frocks. While top dough evfentually ill go to Walter Winchell, at preserit he is a grand a Week behind Jimmy Fidler, who gets $3;5Q0 a week for two 15-minute spiels, whereas at this moment Wiiichell gets a paltry $2,- 500 for one. But by next September Winchell will get $4,000 a week arid p .year later goes to. $5,000. As an;'6utrand-out,fllin.-chatterer, Fidler's $3,500 weekly. is the creme de la creme of the craft. ,Of this it is figured he spends $J,,000 a* week overhead for exclusive tips, etc.Tid- ier has frank thihgs fo say ^ about the. pictures he reviiews, but ordina- rily these are not big productions; He IS'forever harping on the-D stories that are tied to . A stars and turn out B pictures to be sold at A prices. He has a 1 to j4-bell merit system^ - but apparently no demerit system; and it . has been said of aU the pic- tures releasied. each week in HoUy,- AVood. he only reviews two . or three ..and the^ frequently seeiri :to be pretty screwy choices. For instahbe, hi$ last. week's broadcast reviewed 'The Emperor's. Candlesticks' and 'Between Two Women/ though the night before the broadcast'the 'Life of Eihile Zola,' starring,the Academy rizeVrinner^ Paul Muni, .had been previewed, in Hdlljrwobd only a few blocks away from where Fidler goes on the air. A step below Winchell and Fidler, but closing up, is Louella Parsons, who chats about the stars for bigger dough than.m9hy of the stars she chats about 6n the 'Hollywood Hotel* program. For a long while .Miss. Parsons' take was $1,500 a we'ekj but it . h&s been stepped up to $2)250. The stari who share the pro- gram with her get n^^ne of this, but Universal Service, the .Hearst syn- dicate ;.she works New Faces in for 50% .of the take. Among the younger eleinent there .ate several surprisingly ..good chat- terers, butthey do it in the main for cakes arid coffee. Eliia Stchallert^ of the L. A. Times, whose husband also has a jsmall, local broadcast, has a national sustainer in her own right. It is chiefly devoted to interviewing stars. It's up and down, depending on how good the stars arie. Qeorge Fischer, who is being sus- tained by th^ Mutual network on a coast-to-coast hookup at $400 week- ly, has a vigor and assurance which many of the better-priced , stairs of the Sieve Circuit lack. He introduced Eddie Cantor at the opening of'Wee Willie Winkie' when Cantor shilla- bered for the Shirley Temple pre- vieyTin Hollyw:ood. Fischer did such a good job of it that Cantor had a hard time holding his own after that, Another of Qie surprising young- sters as ah air ' chatterer is Lloyd Paritages. While his 'I Cover Holly- wood' column in the Hearst string was considered lightweight, his air delivery'is right up there with the best. He does a sort of 'March pf Time' of the films for Krank's Gold Cream. The program is heard, only on the West CToast and is worth $200 a week to Pantages, but it should pick Up. Ordinarily one of the best spielers, especially at de luxe previews,- is Frank Whitbeck, who isn't a radio chatterer at all, but MGM's adver- tising manager at the. Culver City studio; He did a notably fine job at the opening of 'The Good Eafth,' and other openings since have been judged by the standard he set that ight Al^ among those who kr& doing it for love, and what sponsors might hear them, are Mark Kelly and Leonard LevinSori. LevinSon did some chatter on the . istars. between rounds of the fijshts. at the Hollywood Legion stadium,- and:showed a quality,, delivery arjd knowledge of picture stafs that went over big with those who. like to hear about picture stars between rounds pf )prizeflght& Becentlyi he has been trying his hand at scripting the 01- sen arid Johnson radio program. Mark Kielly got >r6Und to trie air waves orily recently, having returned to sports chatter for the . Hearst papers, despite the fact that his 'One in a Million' was big money pic- ture for 20th Century-Fox. But none , of these is (expected to give the incorne tax collector half the trouble Winchell, idleir and Parsoris are giving him right now. Wirichell's daily 'Broadway* col- umn, now manufactured from Fox Hills^ California; brings $52,000 a year, and he gets $75,000 a picture at 20th-Fox, so he topis all chatterers arid many stars on his gross annual income. Two more years like 193T arid he'll have to be cutting him- self a. private corpbtatiOh i *' the Bahamas; HENIGSON SIGNS COL PACT AS A PRODUCER Hollywood; Henry HenigSon signed one-year contract at Columbia today (Tues,). Deal jeafts for Hehigisoin to produce group of . pictures and also function in an executive capacity, 'in case Columbiaswill iiiake pic- tures in England, Ifenigsoii will be sent abroad to produc- tions. STFE Hollywood, July 6., Presence in Hollywood of Barney Balaban, prez, and StantOh Griflis, board chairriian, Paramount, re- vived interest of company executives in project to build a new studio. In any event, if new studio is hot agreed upon,, prompt and considerable ex- pansion of existing production facil- ities is said to be imperative. Problem is \mder consideration. in huddles of visiting corporation offi- cials with Adolph Zukor and Wil- liam LeBaron,- studio executives. Present studio offers no .chance fcir expansi , abutting on Radio studip On One side and streets, elsewhere. Several ranches and tracts adjacent to Los Angeles are reported under consideration for purchase, among them the present site of Rancho Country Club across Pico boulevard from 2pth-Fox, but this land is in litigation. MG'S $200,000'WOMEN' PIC GETS'A'RATING 2 More 6erme-Wmcli«II Films for 20tli by Xmas lanning to miake two.- more Ben Bernie-Walter Winchell pictures by Christmas insteaid. ot one, Darf yl Zanuck has notified. Bernie his pro-^ jiosed vaicatioh at Saratoga Springs, where he has taken a. hOus.e ..|or the August' racing seasori^ will have tp be ciit short. Zaniick wants him oh the Coast Aug. 20, togethifet' With others whO will go into the first B-W picture to be made, 'Love and Hisses.' Twentieth-Fox producing head has also summoned Simone : Simon , back froni France. She Ul sail today (Wed) for the states to prepare for the femme lead in 'Love and Hisses/ Strong grossing pf 'Wake Up and Live' prompted this move. Radio Film Broadcasts between Two Womcit* It seems likely that the air version of this hew Metro release will retard it at the b.o. On the 'Hollywood Hotel' (Campbell Soups) program over CBS Friday (2X Franchot TPne, Maureen O'Sullivan and Virginia Bruce, toplihers from the^film cast, repeated their roles at the behest Of Louella Parsons. ' ' o ■Between Two Women' gave the impression that it had an abundance Of action 9nd plot-maneuyerings in its screen script. These are not only not realized in the copy prepared for the pzone, but so butchered that it al- most, left the'listeners bewilderi^. The film story ;is located in a hosp. (The pic's flrst-choseh title was 'General Hospital'), A great deal Of the 25 mihs. the air excerpt con- sumed was devoted to establishing the atriioisphere. A commendable effort was made to imbue the listeners with the emotional iritensity and drk- riidtic atmosphere inherent in hospitals, buit when the dice rolled out for perusal they were shake-eyes, : The story deals with, a young surgeon and his romance with an heiress and a nurse. It spans some years, and he jumps back and forth in'his affections till it became hard over the ozOne to know, at iany given moment, just where he Was, Too much Crowding (pf details and story twists cannot be cramriried into tOo short a time if clarity and even piace are to be mai taihedi The choppy and largely, incoherent radio version ot the film could ript possibly help it at the b.o. Even the acting was harassed: Franchot Tone made: his debut on 'Hollywood Hotel.' Misses O'Sullivan arid Bnice were encoring. The best policy for^Hotel* is to air as many film niusicals as program can .secure. Those are always much more entertai ing in compressed edir tiohs, since their stories lare secondary and bereft pf fOOt-by-fopt drama; Metro s $25,00ll-a-Week Own Air HpUywPod, July 6. Metro has placed 'Between Two Women' in A classificatiori. The film, one of the first made under Joe Cohn's supervision, cost less than $200,000; but initial repoirts prpmpted the. company to' iip its rating.. Franchot Tone, Maureen O'Sulli- van, and Virgi ia BrUce. head the cast pf. 'Wpnien,' ' irially called 'General Hospital.' Shumate'* Prod. BoW Hollywood, July .6. 'Fools in Paradise,' starting at Re- public tomorrow (Wed), marks the producer debut of Harold Shumate. . Hamilton ilacfadden, Who directed ■Love Ahoy,' was re-signed for 'Par- adise.' Kraike Story Ed at CoL HpUywPod, July Michael Kraike started a term as Columbia's story editor. He formerly was in RKO's New York story department. U's 4 in Work Hollywood, July 6. Universal is shoving' off four fea-^ ture films this week and closing out 'Radio Patrol,' serial, today (Tues.) Those getting the go signal are 'Behind the Mike,' 'Carnival Queen,' •Adventure's End* and 'Merry-Go- Round of 1038.' SAILINGS Jiily 14 (New York to London), Louis B. Mayer, Howard Strickling, Benny Thau, John Zanft (Norman die). July 10 (New York to Honolulu) Ethel Shiitta (Lurline). July 9 (New York to London), Sally Eilers, Harry Joe Brpwn (lie de France). July 9 (New York to Copenhagen), Mr. and Birs'. O. M. Samuel (St Louis). July 7 (New York to London); Louis Hey ward (Queen Mary). July 7 (London to New York), Mr. and Mrs. Max Gordon, Sol Sha- piro, William Goetz, Jeff Dickson, Anna Neaole, Simone Simoh; Anna May Wong, Peter Witt, Joe Jackson, Olivier Wakefield, George Rigaud, Rosa Stradner, 'Walter Damrosch (Normand|e). June :36 (North Cape cruise), Tyree Dil.lard/ Jr. (ICungsholm). : Juhe 30 (New York, to Bermuda),: John i3alliday, Eddi Heyman (Queen of Bermuda). IN SHORT, THE VOWED July 6. The Rockettes, line of « girls frorifi the Radio City Music Hall. N. Y., wowed 'em at the Paris Expo's International Gaila de la Danse at their opening Friday (2)'. On the bill with such local faves at the MOnte Carlo' ballet. Serge Lifar and the baUet from the Paris Pperia, the Rpckettes snagged the warmest reception on the program, fispecially forte was ' ' 'On Parade* number. The audience at the premiere, numbering close to 8,000, contained Minister of Commerce Chapsal and other cabinet miriisters. Expo Com- missioner Labbe^ after seeing the Rockettes dempnstrate their versa- tility with four diversified routines, shouted 'forriiidable,' 'bravo,* etc. At the end of the show Labbe went backstage to congratulate Rus- sell Miarkert and Gene Snyder, per- sorially thanking them in the name of the Expo for bringing over the girls. Gus Eyssell, official of Radio City Music Hall, was warmly con- gratulated on all sides, seated in the prominent visitors' box. The' Rockettes have become not only the chief attraction, at the Expo, but the entire town is trying to lionize them. They have been run ragged attending receptions ancl see- ing the town. Hollywood, July 6. The . Metro - deal , with radio, through which the studio ; woul^ build programs with its players anid peddle shoiys in a p.iackage to spon- sors fcir a network spread, will be held in abeyance until the return here in early Septerilber of Louis.;B; Mayer« Thei Metro chief sails from N. Y., July 14, to get company's British production underway. Nick Schentk will meet Mayer on his return to plot the program lay- outs. Several national advertisers are interested in the Metro idea. Company piroposes to. peddle its packaged programs for $25,0i00 week- ly on-the basis of mi imurii 13-week runs. ShurlocVs Good-Willing Geoffrey Shurlock, assistant ,to Joseph L Breen, of the Will Hays office here, is in New York for four- week sfcay. He will bring eastern office up to date on code activities pertai injg to the Coast arid will familiarize him- self with h.O. activities! Angles on WB's Film-Legit Bally Amplifying on the Warner Bros.' ballyhoo idea .for Broadway plays, Jacob Wilk of the WB pix-legit department observes that it's logical that if more people see the play original more will want to see the film version. The ideia is to spread and retain 'interest during the transition from the play's Broad- way production until ultimately filmed. In the stickSj Wilk priints out, 'Tovarich,' for ex- ample, may not mean anything. But after the film- selling methods are injected into the road companies playing Uie sticks, the title will be duly impressed upon the populace. Arid then, when Warners comes out with, the picture yersiori,'plus Claudette Colbert and Charles Boyer jn the pop spots* that's bound to have further plimulaling b.o.- both fpr those who'd seen the legit version, plus the regular pic- ture fans who .didn't see aiiiy of the traveling road companies. t , Legit exploiieers riow; haii i'padway hits owned by the Warners, such as Charles Wash- burn and Phyllis Perlman, now observe that for the first time an advance agent for a traveling legit show will really haye to go to work along film- seilihg lines in order to ballyhoo a traveling troupe. WB ballyhoo is comi)rehensiVe. It vvill enibrare running trailers in film theatres heralding the ad- vent of ariy touring legit company. IDisk; versions of play excerpts, plus personal microphoning by the .legit cast's proniinent.s, will also 'be tied in, in a sirrvilar manner, to hypo interest in the traveling play. Because films are a 52-week proposition, al any :key ity, newspaper is more amenable to co- operatirtg with picture interests, on any tieup. Thus, >yhen a film conipariy mcinifests. interest irii a travel-, ing legit, the. extra drag with the local dailies is expected to interpret itself into biiilder-uppering for the touring legit, for beyond the usual scope. SCHENCK TO N. Y. BUT NOT GOING ABROAD Hollywood, July 6. Business here has scotched plans pf Joseph M. Scherick for a trip abroad this summer. Schenck pulls out of Hollywood tomorrow (Wed.) for New York, and will return after a 10-day sojourn in the east ARRIVALS Fredric Mathis* Mr. and Mrs. Mark Sandrich, Leon Leonidoff,. Ilrnst Ansermet, Pierre Sandri Jacques Charles, Doris Doe, Vit- torio Gianninl, Mary Rogers, Sofia National "Theatre. Dramatic roup; Jim Wittereid. N. Y. to L. A. Frank Albertson. Phil Baker. Harry M. Goetz; Nat Kalcheim. M. J. Siegel. Harry Sosni L. A. to R Y. Barney, Balaban. William B.oehnel. Pat Casey. Jack Cohn. Robert Cpote. , Aaron Qopeland. Regina Crewe^ Herb Cruikshank. Owen Davis, Jr. Howard. Dietz. Douglas Fairbanks, Lew Golider. Stanton Griffi Julie Haydeh. W. Hobier, "rhelma Leeds. Charles Lessi Al. Lichtrnan. Hugh Marlow,. Louis B. Mayeri Johnny O'Connor. Daniel T. O'Shea, Paul de Outo.- iParkyakarkas. Joseph M. Schenck. Walter Seltzer. Howard Strickli Benny Thau, John Zanft.