Variety (Sep 1928)

VARIETY PICTURES Wednesday, September 12, 192$ A. K. COMEDIANS ROACH-USED FORSHORTS Los Angples. Sept. 11. A. K. cumediansS of full length film comedies who don't know where tliey are going to land may yet nnd themselves in Hal Roach's hacUyard. Roach, the two-reel fun maker, has in mind four of the long boy comics who can't find anyone else to grow interested in them at pres- ent. ■ ,. . 'Taking these burned up foolish ers out of the five and six reels to compress thorn and their stuff intb.two-reelers is the trick Roach has up his sleievc or on his lot. Clowns well' publicized from their full length days and not so long ago with any of the quartet is the stuff, Hal thinks, for two-reel funnies. , Roach even says it may not be necessary to sound the reducers, as they will probably squawk plenty themselves. Syracuse Hot and Bothered Again; Now Evelyn Brent Chorus Girl Crashes Mary Dofan,, a chorus girl with "Rio Rita," has crashM the movies. M-G-M has signed hor for a probationary period. \ Syracuise, N. Y., Sept. 11. •■Toure another." . Thai's Evelyn Brent's answer to those Syracusans who, claiming to,have been her inti- mates in childhood here, have ^ac- cused the actress of havnig a short memory. Exchange of compliments between Miss Brent and Syracusans who knew her when had their in- ception when a press agent inno- cently denied the screen actress had ever lived in this city, and ^"ilt foi her a picturesque background that ranged from Tampa. Fla.. to New York. Syracusans averred, that Miss Brent was "little Minnie Riggs. of Temple street." Miss Brent, con- fessing to. a Syracuse past, never- theless flres a few hot shots in re- turn and saying she never was called "Minnie." Her name is Mary Elizabeth Rlggs. Jack Pickford was the last film, name to stir up the town. Between Jack and Evelyn the papers, at least, have had some local news to Write about. ^ . Miss Brent explains that, she started in school in Syracuse and then removed to Brooklyn, where she attended the training depart- .' inent (gra.de Bchool) of the Normal College. Later she was enrolled in the high school d^^partment of the same institution, but her high school career was short. For eco- nomic reasons Miss Brent was forced to leave school and find em- ployment. Weather Forecast .Washington, Sept. 11. AVeather Bureau furnished Variety with its outlook for the coming week. Country east of the Mississippi ■unsettled weather and probably ocr casional showers next two or three days, followed by. clearing Saturday or Sunday (16). . ■ "Cooler at end of this week. CHRISTIES BAWLED BY PAR FOR MORE FUN Christie brothers have been called on the Paramount carpet and told they will have to seek another re- lea^iing medium unless they can find some way to pep up their short sub- jects. From sources it is also gfithcred in the Par home office that Charles, Christie, who has been intermittent- ly closeted with Sidney Kent for thC past few weeks, will return to HoJr lywbod within a few days armed with a program said to call largely for the elimination of studio, dead- wood. , Paramounteers intimate with the sittiation say that the Christies l?ave pleaded presentations as the setback fbr a Broadway market of their shorts The Zukor organization, whose hand in the short field was forced by M. G. M.'s tieup with ^al Roach, has come back, it is reported, with the. retort that Christies, have had only one comedy \ f Broadway theatre during about the past 10 months, as there was nothing in their offering other than Dizzy Biver" with sound, to merit the showing. Star's Office Goes Speak What was until a few days ago the eastern office of a Hol- lywood star, in the fair dough until a tilt over budgets cost him his release, will be opened within the next few days aa a fullflcdged speakie. |2 Mid-West Chains Tell Managers ITo Read'"Variety' p. A;S LEAVING so FASTI WAfflPAS SHY ON EXECS | ROSCOE AILS Thanks Shirley Dahl, Ralph Singer, Dorothy Ellsworth. Bob Sawyer, Russell Botkins, . Judkins Foster. Maurice Bennett and Edward and Eva Schricker for their . Invaluable co-operation In helping Roscoe to make his engagement at the Tower Theatre, Chicago, last week an outstanding genuine smash. . Roscoe opens Interstate tour Sep- tember 15. Wine Tonic Fad Worries Hollywood Rum Boys Jas. Murray Infisposed; Loses Lead M-G-M Role Los Angeles, Sept, 11. James Murray, , the M-G-M , con- tract player who once served as doorman at the Capitol, New York, has been withdrawn from a leading part in "Mysterious Island" through hia failure to show for the first day's shooting. Lloyd Hughes will sub. When Murray did not appear on the lot a messenger was sent to his home. From reports, Murray in- formed the messenger that he was not inclined to work that day. Murray remains under a term contract with M-G-M, having been signed when King; Vidor u.sed him in the featured male assignment in The Crowd." Nice to Ballet Girls CHAPLIN'S RETREAT Los Angeles, Sept. 11. Charles Chaplin has rented- the beach^ home of the late Mrs. Charlotte Pickford as a retreat for story conferences during the com inp month. His writing staff includes Harry Crocker, Henry Bergman^ Henry Clive find Carl Robinson. PICTURE CLUB OPENING Motion Picture. Club formally opens its <iuarters in the Bond Building, New York,.tonight (Wed- ne.sday) at seven o'clock. - Aff air-a8= sM&tly^-filAgL Jorma^ confined to members of which there are 250.. CHATTERER IN PICTURE Los Angeles, Sept. 11. Dorothy SpensJey, screen chatter writer, engaged by Douglas Fair- fcank.s to play a role In his current production, "The Iron Mask." The Roxy has worked out a new arrangement whereby two ballet girls will be on vacation each week throughout the year. This will give the girls a free week with pay. about ;Qvery six months. The arrangement was made by Leon Leonidoff of the production department and S. L. Rothafel (Roxy) in appreciation of the hard work of the ballet. The singing ensemble returned to the Roxy last week after an absence of three weeks during the run of "Four Sons." Loew Memorial Service Chicago, Sept. 11. Memorial services in honor of Marcus Loew were held list week by Chicago show people at the Kehilath-Jacob Synagogue. Max Helperln of the Wm. Morri.s offices arranged the service.<5. WELSON-GAREWE SPLIT ? Los Angeles, Sept. 11. Harry. D. Wilson, press i-epre- sentatlve for Edwin Carewe, who went abroad with his chief and Uo^ lores Del Rio to act as advance guard, is reported on his way back to New York. It is understood Wil- son and Carewe have come to a business separation agreement. ■Wilson was receiving $300 ia. week besides a percentage of receipts from the song "Ramona" and rec^ ords made from It. Lbs Angeles, Sept. 11. ' Increasing consumption, of var- ious wine tonics In Hollywood Is causing local bootleggers considera- ble worry, and loss of money In irying to compete with wine prices. A number of the leggers are ap- proaching their clientele who have turned "Wineo" with a cut In prices on regulation gin and are offering three bottles for |5 against the old price of two for $5. Wine tonics cost ainywhere from $.95 to $1.10 for. 16 oz. bottles and can be purchased In any drugstore. One of the boulevard druggists reports selling 32 cases of the tonic over a period of one week. Seek Baptist Treasurer Gone With Cool Million Los Angeles, Sept. 11. A hot search is on here for Clin- ton S; Carnes, missing treasurer of the Baptist Home Mission °^ la;nta, Ga., who disappeared with $1,000,000 of the organization's funds. Carries, reported Interested in the screen .career of Sonia Norida, young isTorwegian girl living at a HoUyw^ood hotel, is believed by po- lice to be somewhere near here. Miss Norida claims Carnes* Inter- est in her was strictly from a busi- ness standpoint. In return he was to receive a percentage on any con- tract she secured. She admitted Carnes had supplied her with funds but only as she needed it, and not much at that. Girl has been In this country about three years and played a small part with Elsie Ferguson in a New York show. She has done bits in pictures since arriving out here. Leading filni press agents^ are finding better Jobs in other fields of picture activity so rapidly that the Wampas, the picture p. a. organlza- I tion, has set the. unique precedent of acquiring Its third president within a year. Lack of vice-presi- dents is such that a special election has become necessary to fill the vacancies. Barrett Kiesling, just returned to hig old p. a. post with Cecil B. DeMille, after serving as exploiter for Samuel Goidwyn, Is the newest Wampas executive. At the annual election of the Wampas he was named second vice-president. Mark Larkln, at the time repre- senting Doug Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, was originally elected president for the current year but resigned to become Coast editor for Photoplay. Harold Hurley, second in command of the Paramount stiidio publicity staff, as first vice- president, succeeded Larkin In the Wampas. Hurley has now been elevated to th^ production depart- ment of Paramount, taking him en- tirely out of publicity. He. in turn, resigned. New election will be held Oct. 1. Chicago, Sept. 11. . Balaban & Katz, operating around 70 theatres In Chicago alone, and the Great States Circuit, operator of theatres.all over Illinois and adjoin- ing states, outside of Chicago, have instructed their house manag:ers to read and clip from Variety. The point made by headquarters in each instance for clipping is the reviews of Talking Shorts carried by this paper. It is said that other than the twice weekly morning showings Of talking shorts at the Chicago the- atre (B&K), the only advance line obtainable on the talking shorts now on the market, is that, given in Va-. rlety's reviews. Roach's $321,439 Net Louis Warner Here Louis Warner is in New York from France to get a line on. the sound-film business. Louis is the_ son of^Harry Warner. YOUNG ERVIN AS DIRECTOR Richard Ervjn, the lad who got Win hold" SHecMn'y~eye^anx^ Ing commission on the Fox lot be- cause of the way in which he kept down the budget on an amatonr film effort, is aiming for a directo- rial berth. Ervln. won a fan magazine's priy,e for his handling of "And How," a picture In which he did everything but act. Los Angeles, Sept; 11. For the fiscal year ending July 28 last net earnings on Hal Roach Studios, Inc., with federal tax de- ducted, were $321,439. This Is equivalent to $10.40 a share on pre- ferred stock and five times the an nual dividend requirements. Com nion stock is owned by Hal Roach himself. A reduction totaling $50,- 000, as effected in obligation of trust Indentures, brings the total to $350,000 as of Aug. 15. Efforts are being made to retire preferred stock as fast as possible. Company heretofore paid a divi- dend on preferred. stock at a rate of 10 per cent although the issue provided for eight per cent on cumulative stock. However, the board of directors has decided that for the present a dividend of eight per cent only will be paid as they are setting aside ample reserves out of earnings to meet cotitingencies that may arise. F. N/s Honor Roll Los Angeles, Sept, 11. "The Patent Leather Kid" is first [on First National's honor roll for the final half of 1927 and tops a list lof 10' pictures conspicuously posted on the face of Stage 1 at the studio. Others In thrtr order ar "Happi tness Ahead," "The Noose." "Shep herd of the Hills," "The Yellow Lily," -'Helen of Troy," "Wheel of Chance," "The Hawk's Nest,' ' Har- old Teen" and "Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come." M-G Gives Williams $100,000 for Haines Los Angeles, Sept. 11. . J. D. Williams walked right in, copped 100 grand and walked right out again. That Is what he got for a settlement of his contract with William Haines from M-G-M. Two years ago Williams got hold of Haines and signed him to a live- year contract beginning April 14, 1930, by giving him a cash bonus of $5,000. Recently M-G-M sent, for Haines and found he was under contract to Williams. M-G execs burned up but Immediately got in touch with Williams who came here Sept. 5. On September 7 he was bound for New York with the $100,- 000. It Is understood that Metro-Gold- wyn has given Haines a new con- tract marking an increase' from $650 to a reported $3,000 weekly to start. At the expiration of this five-year contract it calls for a weekly sti- pend to Haines of $7,500. Fotofox on Curb Fotofox, talking picture device employing the edge of the film for recording, has taken over the Paragon studio in Jersey: ' Joseph Gransky, Broadway the- atre ticket broker, Is president of the corporation which has a board of directors Including Pat Powers, Frank G. Bowers, Internal Revenue Collector for New York; Eddie Dowllng and Frank Lauste, form- erly associated with the De Forest Phonofilm talker. The company has put out an issue of 200,000 shares of ho par value stock. Half the issue is expected to go onto the curb market this week. Film Card Game Los Angeles, Sept. 11^ Karma, a new card game, in- vented by Mrs. Josephine Mi- randa^ wife of Tom Miranda, scenarist, Is making a hit In Hollywood. The game Is played with a pack of 60 cards di- vided into five suUs of 12 each. Three, four, five or six people can play. There is no partner- ship. Suits are (1) the $ sign, rep- resenting the producer: (2) the triangle, representing the scen- arists on their favorite sub- ject; (3) the circle, for the di- rector; (4) the star, and (5) the square, representing the hero. In bidding, one undertakes to make so many reels, not trlck.«). Fa^!e"'card3"lh"""eac^^^^ the producer, the author, the director, the star and the hero —valued In that order. The remaining cards of the suit, numbered from one to seven, are extras. All stars captured in reels count 20, heroes count 10. HONEYMOONERS EASTBOUND Los Angeles, Sept. 11. Jascha Heifetz and Florence Vi- dor having just arrived in Holly- wood after 30,000 miles Of travel since their recent marriage, have .started back for New York.to con elude tiieir honeymoon, •This will end in 10 days, when Heifetz leaves for Europe on a con- cert tour. Miss Vidor returns here to resume picture work. WOOD ENTERS AS WIFE EXITS Los Angele.s, Sept. 11. Sam Wood, directing "The Little Angel" for M-G, was taken to the hospital for appendicitis the day his wife was released from the same hospital for a similar opera lion. . Production on "Angel" Avill be hold up until the director recovers Extra's Break Los Angeles, Sept. 11. Gladys Belmont, 17, extra and in pictures less than three months, has been signed by Paramount to play opposite Richard Dix in "Redskin." Company retains an option to sign her for five years. , Miss, Bejijyyit played as an extra, on the Paramount lot about a month ago. Whien a leading woman for Dix wa.s sought, somebody remem- bered Miss Belmont. Studio execu- tives decided she was the best of the girls tested. Victor Schertzinger had wired from Gallup, N. M., must have a leading woman immediately, she was called into the olfice Satur- day morning, signed and left for Gallup in the afternoon in a daze. It's a great break, as "Redskin" is lavish production, much of it be- ing done in color. CHAPLIN CASTING Los Angeles, Sept. 11. Charlie Chaplin starts work Sept. 17 on "City Lights," his first picture following "The. Circus." Myrna Kpnn<>dy, Henry Rpi-gnian 1 and Harry Crocker have boon cast 1 with others yet to be decided. Charlie will direct, as custom.iry. Another Socialite for Films Chicago, Sept. 11. Jiifk Byron Griffith, society hoy, goes to Hollywood shortly to enter pictures through arrangements toni- plcted by his parents with Ben Bnglandcr. Grimth was formerly a member of the Denver stock players. SYLVIA BREAMER DIVORCED Los Angeles, Sopl. H- Sylvia Breamer, film actresp, was granted a divorce from Dr. Harry W. Mai-tln by Judge Gates in Supe- rior Court.. Property settlement hat; hfvn made out of court.