Variety (January 1954)

tt^neday,' Jynng«7 6» I95A Forty -eighth Anniversary pi(;Tun^ 49 Or Backwoods, H’wood Seeks It Out By RICHARD THORPE Hollywood. ^ long time I’ve been hearing that film stars can ro\/Lcized manufactured, turned out on an assembly 1wi*.h this goes the old chestnut about “for every _ . _ 1 (k ilAffAM, AMli«k11«* MM umm'm be synt — tn0 there are at least a dozen equally or more star on » talented and deserving actors who ~ just weren’t as lucky.’’ Can a film star actually be synthesized? Is it really all in the, breaks and the buildup? To begin with, naturally there is no denying that there is some element of luck in any career. Ir a certain sense there isn’t a day goes by but what sheer chance influences our lives, including the fact that sheer chance could have ended your life in a traffic accident an hour ago. Richard Thorp jn that sense, luck enters into every success in any field of human endeavor. But in the sense that the fates play dice to see who is going to be a success pic star and who is not, I’m afraid that success and failure aren’t that arbitrary. The crucial, inescapable fact is that with Hollywood’s tremendous demand for. new faces and its Vast and elaborate machinery for searching out promising newcomers, it is virtually impossible for genuine talent to remain unrecognized in America today. On the other hand, Hollywood and its public are so critically discriminating, and the profession of acting is so fiercely competitive, that the spurious and the mediocre can’t masquerade for long without being spotted and sent to the foot of the class. If there were some way to turn out film stars on an assembly line, I will be cynical enough to say that Hollywood would probably embrace it, inasmuch as such a system would eliminate the necessity for the hundreds of Thousands of dollars It' now spends annually7!?! the honest search for real talent. If you know some way to synthetically turn out and deliver a Gary Cooper, Bing Crosby, Audrey Hepburn, Lana Turner, Gregory Peck, Jack Palarice, Doris Day or a Jean Simmons, then you should drop everything arid hurry to Hollywood. There’s a fortune waiting for you here. ' There is an entire, elaborate and handsomely-rewarded stratum of the motion picture industry which devotesits energies exclusively to the assaying, discovery and introduction of bona-fide promising picture personalities. studio, bringing the complicated, financial organization out of the red and into the. black within the course of a few pictures. '• Deanna Durbin is generally credited with having turned ^etabies for one major studio, alone and single-handed, with, the series of pictures which made her top boxofficc. In any event, a marquee name is money in the bank as far as Hollywood is concerned. If there) were any easy way of creating stars, or of finding them, the picture industry would long ago have uncovered it. ■ There isn’t an. easy way, \ ' ■ Great screen personalities are. rare and cannot be counterfeited. The only way to find them is the Way we do it now get out in the bush leagues and the backwoods, and everlastingly search for the real McCoy, 1'"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! """"m«"iiiiii'i'i.ii MiiumuiiiMin,.uimm | 3MriMii.i,iinnilmiiii|iun. mu iiiiiiu.iiniiiiiliuiiiii ‘ 3.3 ' II |l II II ‘I ! j.r S X : 5 S r il E | f I S” '•MiimmiMiufmiMmmiMiimiiimmimiMt iiiiimiiimmmuiiiiiiMmiiiinmiiimmMim Joey Adams Career In Itself The ability to recognize such talent is a career in itself. The men who have this gift are respected and rewarded for. it. In Hollywood few honors are as bright or as enduring as the credit for having discovered a top star or stars. (Parenthetically, it can be pointed out that this facility does not hinge On recognizing a physical resemblance between an unknown and a popular star. A prime requisite is that the newcomer offer a personality that is utterly unlike that of any established stars.) This has resulted, naturally, in the keenest competition imaginable in the realm of talent-scouting. And this situation, in turn, brings on both a promise and a threat to newcomers. The threat lies in the fact that producers, directors, talent scouts; agents and others in aposition to discover new talent, acquire ail almost critically grim, cynicism in their hard-boiled, cold appraisal of newcomers. This doesn’t mean that they are rude or unsympathetic or even indifferent. It simply means that they are most difficult to impress. On the other hand, the promise lies in the „fact that these men are all desperately anxious to uncover real pay dirt, and to recognize it when they find it. The single accomplishment of spotting an unknown girl in an obscure little theatre performance and recognizing' her as a great star of tomorrow — and being vindicated in your conviction by her subsequent success — alone and in itself is enough to launch one on a fabulous career as a talent scout. , .The screening process in this eternal and universal 9l8ging for boxoffice gold in the form of new personalities •s thorough and all of it is dedicated to the one goal of finding potential future stars, wherever, they might be; It is so thorough, in fact, that it is pretty difficult for a really promising riewcoiner to escape the net that the Notion picture industry spreads across the Country. A report that an unusually gifted young player is making an appearance with some remote and obscure little theatre group is sometimes enough to have four major studios ny high-salaried talent scouts across the country to see the performance . in the hope of finding a real talent Jackpot. IM( T)r . * A w-v a i 5 l*1*. tty Iff g A B lAJfIS The Schnoz was hitting on all 88. when he said, “Everybody, wanta get inta de act.” From the Halls of Madison Square Garden to the Shores of The Neversink, I have circled and cornered by scares who insist, “I got a joke for ya!” The Civilian is never content with merely telling you a joke. He wants to be physically inducted into the Army of Comedians. He figures he hasn’t earned his stripes until he gets you in a half-nelson and pins you to the wall while he convulses himself by telling you an old joke that somebody probably discarded 20 years ago. Then there’s the Lampshade Wearer who gets a death grip on you as you’re in the wings ready to go on. Your intro music is always the cue for this clown to hiss, “I got a joke for ya!” Try giving him a polite brush and right away you make a lifeffong enemy. “Big Man,’’ he’ll scream. “I useta watch him from the -balcony— when— he-worked Loweys— BoroPark for peari uts;~~ I useta, feed the bum When he didn’t have what feat.’’ If all the guys fed me who claimed they did. I’d make Fat Jack Leonard look like a thermometer. Besides, if this Character had all the loot to feed me, what was he doing in the balcony? The Louis Hayward approach is the most dangerous. This type stabs you in the chest with his finger (a la D’Artagnan in “The Three Musketeers”) while telling you his joke. Of course, you’re always too polite to inform them it’s a Moran & Mack oldie because they’re doubled up hysterically relating the punchline. The Torture Boys are the ones to look out for. They are the Back-Bangers, Hair-Mussers and Cheek-Pullers who can usually be counted upon to know the latest dirty joke with every naughty word in the book. These guys would make B.S. Puffy and Belie Barth blush. Their topper invariably is, “You can clean it up!!” . Happy Harry The Highway Hazard is never content with merely waving Hello in traffic. OurHero makes a “U” turn, races his hot rod like it’s the last lap on the Indianapolis Speedway and weaves in and out of the cars. . He’s not satisfied until he runs you up a pole, if need be, to tell his gag. I like being a comedian and I love being recognized, but ... . How about the time I was doing the impression bit with a young gal in her teens when a man who could barely walk comes Up to me. He looked like. 108 and his bones creaked as he lowered himself into a chair 1 did not invite him to take; He wheezed, “Joey Adams! I haven’t seen you since you entertained at my bar mitzvah!” Quiz Showoffs Scouts Are Everywhere anT 1.erc *s. hardly an opening performance presented by M^le theatre or amateur troupe in America evw'f • is not covered by Hollywood scouts. These tifth1 1 "i1’* or telephone their reports and recomiriendaif n lo i*1.0*1, Hollywood bosses right' after the show, and niff o j they’ve found something hot, they will get and grab a phone before the first act is over, course, being ail too human, scouts make mistakes, bosses, figure on a reasonable percentage of. bad guesses. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are written off nnually in salaries and other expenses connected with the gaibg. 3nd coaching of promising newcomers who never quite pan out. ■ , „3ery year dozens of such players are signed to terip tho «acts’ broueht to Hollywood, given the advantages of fiiA v an<^ most expensive voice arid acting coaches in bv n'V0— ’ Sometimes the studio adds to the investment event".? for Plastic surgery, expensive dental work,, and n stakes the newcomer to a personal wardrobe. nilgbt 8P on for a year or two years without the eni nrP fu.er once appearing in a picture. Then, at the ofP thls Period, the studio may change its. mind, write call it quits. . sudriftn? oav® been instances in which a single player has emerged to turn the tide of fortune for the entire Other Jolly Joes Why No Capital Gain For Creators Also? By MORRIS L. ERNST Our nation is still proceeding to discriminate in many ways against creative ability. The vicepresident of a hairpin company .is in a position io get vast tax advantages which, by arid large, have not been made available to writers, actors, directors and that element of our society which determines riot only our culture but which generates the ideas needed to raise our standard of living. ’ : The important employees of most American corporations are put in a position where they can obtain wealth in the only form where it has substantial dollar value, i.e., in the form of capital gains. Practically every big American company finds that its top employees see little value in inm v • Cmct creased annual salaries since the employees! are aware of the fact that, realistically they are little more than tax Collectors for Uncle Sam at 20c on the dollar. Hence, the corporations, in order to procure more productivity from the brains in their companies, have accorded stock options to top employees. Our laws; which have always favored large: corporations as against the creative sectors of our society, provide that there is no tax on the option when received, and. properly handled, the profit, ultimately obtained oil the exercise' of the option and the sale of the stock purchased pursuant to it, is taxable at the prevalent capital gains rate of 25 or 26% as compared to the possible 80% Which would be imposed on increased salaries. I doubt if there is any valid factual or legal reason why the writer of a play or film, the actor who gives real life to a picture or a play, the top producer of a television program, or any important cultural creator of important literary and artistic property, cannot get himself into that rare .preferential ^group -of -American -entrepreneurs, Lhe— oce--shotters in the market place, for whom the capital gains tax provision was primarily written into our laws. Isn’t it ‘really an insane society where the top thinking people, except for a few who have established their own individual enterprises, continue to get paid in astronomical dollars— two, three, five and $10,000 a week, which have np relation to actual take-home pay. Such salaries Create a burden on our economy and are important only because they satisfy the egos of foolish employees. For further relief, whenever the entertainment groups feel keenly enough the present discrimination levelled against them, there is little doubt but that they can create the greatest lobby ever existing in our nation arid get much needed relief from the Congress of the United States. The Who Am I? or Remember Me? approach is the gasser. This type begins his onslaught by first blocking out your line of vision. This is accomplished by the simple expedient of planting his body directly in front of yours. Head high, arms akiiribo and eyebrows raised, he jariis his kisser right into yours arid bellows, “Well? ... Where do ya know me from?” Like this clown in Albany who was annoyed. “So ya don’t remember me, eh? Will you feel like a jerk when I tell ya. Did you once work with a fighter? Is his name Tony Carizoneri? Do you know his manager? Well, his best friend and my best friend are cousins.” If you take these guys. seriously you have to wind up saying hello to lampposts and cigarstore Indians. Every group or party has its Monster rif Ceremonies. This harmless character hits you with staleys like, “Actors eat too/huh?” are of you’re smoking with a holder, “Doctor told you to stay away from cigarets, huh?” This is the signal for their friends to fall on the floor, get hysterical, smack the table and wipe their eyes. If the most you can muster is a weak smile, they usually sneer, "Whassa matter? Ya only laugh at your own jokes?” Then, there is the friendly killer who spends his off hours doing research. His idea of a perfect evening is to espy a celebrity and call him by his real name; He blows his top when he can yell, “Aaron Clnvatt” to Red Buttons, “How is Milton Berlinger?” One of these pally pallbearers was in the audience one night when I did a particularly good show. After he Joey Abrains-ed me three times, he said. “I don’t care What they say, I like you.” “W-W-What do they say?” I Whimpered. “Well, I hadda fight three guys for ya, pal, but I still like the old stuff no matter how many times I hear it!” Nate Blumberc The one to watch is the fellow who greets you after the best show of your life. He’s the one with the friendly haymaker. “Wot was the matter wit ya? You ain’t yourself tonight. What threw ya, kid, the mike? Aah, don’t let it worry ya, everybody’s entitled to an off day. When I made the Red Apple Route years ago— Years Labor Day !-^there was always one joker who began the “Whaddya do Inna winter — wear an overcoat routine. This the forerunner of the crazy mixed-up kid, is the same joker who digs you now in a movie theatre. ^ By some quirk of seating you are facing the screen. You have popcorn in one hand, a girl in the other and polaroids in the other (three-dimension!)* His opening line must be* “What’re you doin’ here?” By X. J. BLUMBERC (Chairman oj the Board , Universal Pictures) Hollywood. The past year in our industry has been one. of the most significant. The big question is: Will the impetus given to us by technical improvements stand us well for the future. • 1 All through our industry’s history we have benefited by scientific progress. But as we look back (and \ye must look back in order to look ahead), we see in retrospect that technology is not the final answer. If it Were, then all our problems would have been over with the coming of sound and color. We might as well face this fact: Processes, Without good entertainment, will stimulate the boxoffice for an interval but are not the answer to the future. The real answer is, of course, tho entertainment value that we. put in pictures. For the past year we have given the motion picture audiences throughout the world the best pictures in our 50-year history. In this country these good pictures produced big grosses despite the competition of television. The public responded to good entertainment just as it always did in the past. Our job is to maintain this high level of entertaining pictures. . There is only one way to accomplish this. First, we must mind our business and worry sff>out nothing except those things that must be put into successful pictures. There is no secret formula. It’s a wide-open book. Our biggest problem involves stories arid personalities. The second problem involves the selling job that is required oil every picture. ' . . k It is always difficult to find the right stories and just as difficult to cast them properly. But onjpc this is done, then we must put everything we have “behind the selling job. Exhibitors share this responsibility with distributors. Selling on the local level is just as important as the preselling national campaigns conducted by the distributors. With more and more television stations, the local exhibitor must recognize the value of local television spot selling. There is no reason why cooperative plans for television advertising can not be developed with distributors. In fact, our company already has successfully done this. But as important as the foregoing is to the future, our state of mind is just as important. ; Let us quit airing our problems in public. This always hurts and certainly, does not make for good public relations. V" ' M , As I have often said in the past, every person who makes a living in this business should be a committee of one to talk well, not only of the future Jutofth^ present. ■ We are one of the country’s vital industries. Lets not sell ourselves short. The best is yet to come.