Variety (Apr 1928)

10 VARIETY PI C T U RES Wednesday, April 4, 1928 REPRISAL TALKED OF AGAINST FRENCH IF HERRIOrrS SEVERE All French Matter or Reference Might Be Deleted from American Pictures—Have Done Much to Help Tourist Trade in France At a meeting of the. foreign manager^ held last week, plans Vera approved for Will H. Hays' procedure alDroad In relation to the proposed French restrictive laws governing American films. Hays, arrived in Paris over the week-end, is to call on E. Herriot, liinistesr of Public Instruction, who has so far refused to sign the de- cree appointing the commission of 82 supei'visoi's to decide . on the Dumber and classification of Ameri- can pictures to be admitted into france annually. Reports' received hisre are that Herriot has received unofficial ad- Vicie from the U.: S. Embassy in Paris to the effect that a careful Investigation of the proposed meas- ure would be deemed advisable. Any such notification from U, S. officials abroad must: have been made tlnpfflcially since the Embassy Is not empowered to protest .until a law has been adopted and passed. Hays is unable to effect any cohi.-: promise, It is understood, with re- gard to acceptance of Fx'ench films for distribution in America;. Amer- ican producei's cannot afford to upend |l,OO0,OOO In Frande for French films since American film distribution in France, on the total, registers a loss rather than a profit on the year. Not mbre than two American dis- tributors are making a profit on their French releases, according to .figures available, atid this profit is email. The other distributors are satisfied to cover costs, and even to accept a loss. France has. been used by Ameri- ean producers and distributors as the iihow window for American pic- tures. On the strength of popu- larity in France, distributors . have .been able to sell product more easily throughout Europe, exclud- ing iGermariy.- In New York the Impression among the foreign managers is that since it will be impossible to spend 11,000,000 a year for French films, It will become necessary for most of the , distributors to witlidraw from France iand set up Vienna, Nice, Brussels 6r some other .Euro- pean center as the display counter lor American pictures. T*'"'*'^^ Trade This miy be followed with the exclusion of all material rel-lting • to. France, in American pictures, for the possible effect in loss of the $250,000,000 tourist trade France draws from America annually, in . retaliation,, if the proposed film re Btrictions are carried through. , American producers, through pub llcity given France in pictures, have greatly promoted the large tourist business drawn from America. This may be entirely eliminated or cut. Forces greater than those merely of the picture Ihdu.stfy lrave "be- come Interosted, y^lth the result that Herriot is weighing the powers of certain French producers against the opposition. Jean. Sapene, leadirwr French pic- ture .producer and eiditor of "Le Matin," within the past two weeks ts reported -as having told a Hays representative in; Paris . that If American producers would agree to buy his 12 pictures annually the restrictions would not be passed. Sapene wants an average of $100,000 a picture, or $1,200,000 a year, as the price for changing hig view- point, , Some months ago Sapene sent a couple of representatlve.s to New Tork,. who 3topi)ed at the Waldorf- Astoria. A Variety reported called on them for an Interview. "Would they say anything for publication?" .=.^iWoiiId_theyi.^ausL waiUl.^J^^^^^ shouted. They had plenty to say, but It would be a day or two be- fore they could collect all of their data. Meanwhile the Frenchmen placed *^asa:nova" with Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer (Lioew's) for American dis- tribution, and are said to have re- ceived $150,000 for the French-made by Sapene, Then they had nothing to say and Qalled. i Fawn Gray Now Wants Anhulment From Smith Baltlmpret April 3. Tour old friend. Fawn Gray,, .is back in the local headlines arid siie didn't have to marrj^ a third hus- band ., while under, the Influence of sarsapiariUa or something to get there. ..... AH Fawn had to do to crowd the naval armament and other mirioi'. matters out of the journalistic ispotllght was to file In Circuit Court a second suit t^*r annulment of her marriage to Hamilton I. E. Smith,, described as a Hollywood, movie director and scenario fabricator. .Hamilton and Fawn were married shortly after she was' granted decree in local- court . freeing her from Theodore MacFariahd, Phila- delphia newspaper man, who^rn she married, in a dizzy moment, she said. Miss Gray claims that she wag in the same confused condition when she signed up for the nuptial route witii Smith. Miss Gray liled suit for annul- ment here ia.st year, later with- drawing it. Now she's changed her mind and wants It after all. Whether she gets it rests with the Judge; Meanwhile the papers ladle out publicity concerning a well-known professienal dancer who happens to be a friend of Harry K. Thaw. NOT MORE THAN 15 COMEDIES AMONG PAR'S 70 NEXT SEASON Studi6 Feels Demand for Feature Comics on Wane^ Charles Rogers and Louise Brooks as Stkr Alter- nates—Film List for Sales Convention MARTHA VAUGHN The Ipish Nightingale T%lB Week (April.2) tlV.OLI, CKICAGO "Wie sweetest voice heard In Chicago in many a moon." —"DAILY NEWS." (From New York *Sun', Mch. 30) DEFEAT CEiilRE OF WILL H. HAYS DU ELL'S CHARGES Says Inspiration's Assets Sold Be- . low Value^Starts Action Los. Angele?, April 3. Hunsaker, Britt aiid Cosgrove, at- torneys fbr Charles Diiell, Inc., filed suit against J. . Boyce Smith, Jr„ and Walter Camp, Jr., presiding of- ficers of Inspiration Pictures, Inc., claiming they sold the assets of the corporation far below their market value. Duell alleges in the complaint that at the time, of. dissolution pro- <;eeding8 in New York in 1924 the Inspiration company had assets of $3,000,000 and liabilities of $1,200,- 000. Included In the assets were three picture "Tolable David," "The White Sister" and ;'Romola." Duell further asks for an account- ing and the removal of Smith and Camp as trustees of the dissolution. Ask to Sit for 204-Foot Chimney Blasting, Picture Minneapolis, April 3. A. D. Tepln, well known local musician, has requested permission of Alderman F. E. Glebenhain to sit atop the 204-foot high chimney of ah abandoned incinerator plant wheh it is dynamited to afford a moving jpipture J'shot." Tepin asserts ' lfe ' ha3"'a . de^^ which will permit him to escape un scathed while the smokestack is being blown up. Two other people also have ap piled to Alderman Glebenhain for the right to sit atop the chimney when it is dynamited. They .do not state if they seek suicide or just a thrill. Miss Corhin's Next Virginia Lee Corbin, in pictures for four years on the west coast but now in New York, may play vaude or enter one of the Broad way shows. . . Miss Corbin played in an act oh the Orphcum circuit wheh a child REGAN ACQUITTED _ Los Angeles, April 3. ^PTioma Hegarir pi^lire^ ducer, was acquitted of embezzle ment charges by a jury in Judge Conlan's court. G, C. Lauster, of Van Nuys, near here, said he gave Regan $1,000 to Invest in a, lilm project but never received any re turns. •Slyidence Introduced by Regan's counsel showed that the enteri)rl."io failed • because of a storm which destroyed the studio. Young Republicans Vote Down Resolution EXONERATED FOR HIS MOTIVE Former Party GhaiTman Held to Have Made Only a Mistake The resolutions criticizing Will H. Hays, tqrmer Republican national chairman, for accepting a contribu- tion of $160,000 from Harry F. Sin- clair, oil magnate, toward ending the party deficit after the 1920 Presidential ., campaign, were de- feated overwhelmingly last night by the New Tork Young Republican Club. One, mildly condemning Mr. Hays, proposed by the club's president, Thomas C. Desmond, received ohly two or three votes from the hun- dred or BO at the meeting. The other, criticizing Mr. Hays for evading questions as.ked him by a Senate committee investigating the oil scandals received only nine votes; It was proposed by J. Ed- ward Lumbard, Jr., who said the club ought to disband if afraid to pass it. ■ Only Guilty of a Mistake . Most of the members of the club, however, seemed to feel that Mr. Hays had intended only to aid the party and had done no wrong in ac cepting the contribution, being guilty of nothing more than a nils take at the most. Joseph C. Baldwin was one of those who favored the Lumbard resolution, saying there was noth- ing wrong in condemning Mr. Hays for "hid foolish actions." Independ- ent voters, he said, still were sus picious and were likely to. link, the present administration up with the Harding one, He said . the club wpuld^be condenining Mr. Hays for his attitude on the Senate "wit^^ stand, not for taking the money. Others who favored the Lumbard resolution seemed to fear that un loss the i-esolutioh was passed the chances for Independent support in the election would be lost, and that citizens disgusted bVer the oil (scan- dal might vpte DemocVatlc. A Moral Obligation Mr. Desmond himself was not in clined to be. too hard on Mr. Hays, despite his resolution. "What he did in Id23 to help meet the 1920 deficit apparently was in fulfillment of what he considered a moral obligation," he said. "Give some word of credit at. least to a business man who fulilils a moral obligation by carrying out the dis "agreieable work of raising money to meet a deficit. Hays says he worked for the party, begging the money, only because of that moral obllgar tlonrand'perhaps that Is -the^ trutluU. Both resolutions contained pralso of the present Republican Adminis- tration. The Desmond rosolutlon ex pressed the hope any pcr.son.s found guilty of wrongdoing in connection with the oil scandal would be pun- ished and commended the prosont national committee and its vice- chairman, Charles D- HIHch of Now York State, for not incu'rlny a deficit In the 1924 campaign. Mary Pickford's Mother May Have Left Million ^ Los Ang:elei3, April 3. Mary Pickford was made the principal beneficiary in the will of her mother, Mrs. Charlotte Smith. Document was filed in court for probate. Exact value of the estate is not. definitely set in the; will, but is estimated in excess of |1,000,000. Terms of the will provide that $200,000 be . bequeathed to Lottie Pickford Forrest, daughter; Jack Pickford, son, and Roserriary Pick^ ford, granddaughter. These amounts are to be held in trust and. in addi- tion to the income, from the trusts the beneficiaries are each to receive $5,000 at the .end of 10 yiears and $5,000 each, year from then on for 10 years. Rest of the estate, with the exception of a few minor be- quests, go to . Mary Pickford. The will credited Mary with being re- sponsible for, the property and pos- sesisions of her mother. \ The two executors of the estate are Mary Pickford and Dennis F. O'Brien, New Tork attorney. Leroy Lane's Bail Goes Up to $15,000 Los Angeles, April 3. Leroy Lane, one of the Jieads of the iscreen Kiddies Guild of Holly- wood, movie school, was held te answer in Superior Court by Judge Valentine on charges of asserted misconduct against three little girls. Lane was arrested by juyenile au- thorities on complaint of Mrs. Eve- lyn. Coe, mother; of the three chil- dren, all under 12 years of age. - Judge Valentine, in hearing the case, denied Lane's plea for a dis- missal because of lack of evidence. The court ordered • Lane's bail raised from $5,000 to $15,000. Murray-Donovan Case Over House Gets Hotter Los Angeles, April 3. Litigation is still going on in Judge Ballard's court over the house that Mae Murray bought from Jack Donovan,, screen actor, and for which she is now suing him. Miss Murray asks the court to rescind her, contract with Donovan in wrhlch she agreed to pay him $50,000. Actress claiins'the .home is worth no more than half that amount and that Donovan misrep- resented a lot of things to her. Great deal of evidence and wit- nesses are beirig introduced and the trial is attracting not -a few curi- osity seekers. International Exhibition Washington, April 3. . An international film exhibition is to-be -held-in-The -Hague April. 14.--^ May 15, says a report to the De- partment of Commerce. Committee in cliarge will consist of a film critic of a newspaper, manager of. one of the large de- partment stores, an importer for American and French interests, a theatre bwnerj a representative of the, Dutch Film Leaigue, the man- ager of a German film producer, a, newspaper editor, the managers of two Dutch film producers and the head of the new .central .131m cen- sprship committee. An honor committee will consist of Dutch officials and the diplomat- ic corps repre.«?entlng . the various nations of the world. . Los Angeles, April 3. Not more than 15 feature come- dies will be released by Paramount arilong itis 70 pictures next season. This is according to the production schedule as outlined by. studio ex- ecutives for presentation ..to the sales convention at Detroit late tiiis month. It means Paranriount will distribute less than 50 percent of the nuniber of comedies that hay© been distributed by that company the past two years. Production pfncials feel the public trend the coming season will be for drahiatic and melo-driamatic pictures, which accounts for the slash in the number of comedies. It is admitted, from exhibitor reports, that there has. been .overproduction of comedies the past year by prac- tically all companies, and Para- mount has found it difficult to ob- tain suitable laugh story material. This fact was responsible for the discontinuance of Raymond. Griflith on the. program. The Fields-Conklln and Beery-Hatton teams are being split up for the same reason. —.The cut in comedy releases >^ill have to be approved by sales of- ficials, but the production depart- ment feels, more films of the type could be made, in the middle of the season if the progra;m is too shy of giggles. Harold Lloyd, Douglas McLean, Bebe Daniels, Clara Bow, Esther Ralston and Richard Dix will isupply comedies to be released. Lloyd niakes his own, and McLean will be starred in two for Christies with Paramount releasing; Bebe Daniels will appear in all comedies, but Clara Bow, Esther Ralston and Dix will mn.ifP HiSmo film s of iserioufl vein. . 25 Specials Production schedule lists 25 spe- cials during the season, with nega- tive costs running up to $700,000 each. No roadshows are listed, but may develop in the making. : Complete lineup of releases for the year as it will be presented to the sales corivehtion, will include the following: Emil Jahnings, 8; Clara Bow, 4; Pola Negri, 1; Thom- as Melghan, 1; Bebe Daniels, 4; George Bancroft, 4;' Harold Lloyd, 1 or 2; Douglas McLean, 2; Zane Grey westerns, 4; Richard Dix, 4; Evelyn Brent-Clive Brook, 2; Esther Ralston, .4; Wallace Beery, 3; Gary Cooper-Fay Wray, 4; Fred Thomson westerns, 2. Waiting On Riith Taylor Paramount is still waiting to see just how far it Will go with Ruth Taylor as a star or featured player. Reports on business ot "Gentle- men Prefer Blondes" is the factor here. Production department will also offer Charles Rogers as a star in two pictures, and also Louise Brooks for the same number. These will. be alternatives for any of the other star pictures listed which the sales department ifeels cannot be easily .sold. : . . Although Adolphe Menjou does not appear on the list, .as his con- tract expired and he is now vaca- tioning, it is felt he will be back with the organization in time to produce for release the latter- half of next season. Sta,r narnes .miss- ing from , the program for 1928-2i9 and who were prominent in the present season's releases include Menjou, Raymond Grimth, W. C. Fields and Eddie Cantor. Production budget , as outlined by the studio executives calls for a total of $20,000,000 to be expended on 70 pictures, jhis is approximate- ly the same arnount as alloted for production the past two years, HURIED THRU WINDSHIELD Los Angeles, April 3. Thelma Parr, 21, screen . actress, .wlli„nat.,la.c.e, .a- ca mera for a long^ time as a result of being catapulted through the windshield of an auto- mobile. Miss Parr, a Scnhett batli- ing beauty for over tliroo y(?ars, was badly cut about the fvaco, neck and arms. She was taken to the Holly- wood hoHpitnJ. Tlrr car In which .she was riding waK driven hy Kenneth S. Sander- son. It (oollldod with another m.'ifhlne. Neilan's Return Depends Los Angeles, April 3. Marshall Neilan's return to Lon- =^SD:J^^P.5£&l^-^tji^l' He is" pres- ently trying to fiiTe up 'Alm leasing facilities for the proposed serle.'i of English, pictures.; If un- able to make' arrancrenients he will stick to Hollywood. Meahwhile his wife, Blanche Sweet, is appearing in "The Lady in White," for Graham Wileox, nnd will probably remain In London for "The Green Hat" which WiK^ox ex- ports to do for Al Woods.