Variety (Sep 1928)

so VARIETY PICTURES Wednesday, September 26, 1928 "CREATIONS IN JAZZ" A Publix Unit Produced and Staged by Jack Laughlin LYDIA HARRIS Americans Daughter of Syncopation'^ Direction: WILLIAM MORRIS OFFICE HARRY MURRAY Commencing My Third Season With PuUix EDDIE HILL Featured With "CREATIONS IN JAZr Fifth Return Engagement at Oriental Theatre, Chicago Thanks to Messrs. A. J. BALABAN, MORRIS SILVERS, MAX TURNER and JACK LAUGHLIN Material by BENOLD ROSS Direction: WILLIAM MORRIS OFFICE Inside Stuff-Pictures An ainbltlo\is attempL to coiriil some apoctacular publit;ii.v. filaged by the fasiliions expert of a I.oh Angelas newspaper dmhxg tho XiUional Air Races In Los Angeloa, turned out to bo ono of the biggt-st bloomprs on record. With enormous crowds attending the. air meet, the fashions expert dedlded it would be good pubUi:Uy for herst-lf to horn in with some screen players for Introduction to the mob. She assembled a trio of actresses, one a young blonde, who roctMiLly reached the screen after having been banned for years by'reason of hor alleged relations with a former film fan magazine publisher whom she later married; another blonde, formerly a. popular leading woman who has almost faded out of the picture biz, and a character woman. She also gathered the daughter of a prominent Los Angeles flnanoler and another member of the staff oC her newspaper. :, The idea was to have the sextet land at Mines Field, near Los Angele.s, where the air races were held, the party to come in thriee airplanes, and then, after the flourish of their landing, be introduced to the crowd. The faaliions w6man landed first In a plane piloted by one of the leading aviators. When the plane came to a stop near the stands, one of the race officials rushed up and demanded to know what was meant by the unscheduled landing when informed as to -what was to some in the two planes still hovering overhead, he expressed himself In no uncertain terms, declared the crowd wasn't interested in screen actresses and ordered thorn away. By frantic signaling to the planes above, tiie latter were kept In the air, where they flew around for more than 40 minutes, waiting for in- structions. The first plane finally took to tho air again and guided the other two to a landing field several miles from the race field. Landed there, the guiding genius of the affair refu.scd to be daunted, but packed her party into automobiles and drove to the race course. They finally secured their introductions, but the reception was not that:anticipated, as the crowd gave them all the razz, while the smatter- ing of applause was extremely faint and discouraging. Local ''Our Gang" Fihns Chicago, Sept. 25. Great States theatres will recruit kids i-e.seuibling the "Our Gang"' youngsitei R and make local moviea, for thoir various houses. " Brooklyn's Par Nov, 24. The, Urooklyn Paramount tlioatr^ is now set to open Nov. 2-1. West Coast Motion Picture I Directory of Players, Direcvj tors and Writers I Titles by MALCOLM STUART BOYLAN FOX Louis Moomaw, who. dug up capltal in Oregon and Alaska to make a series of pictures which included "Chech.acho," has transferred his seat of activities to Salt Lake City. There he managed to get hold of $250,000 to'make ^'The Exodus," ba.sed on the history of the Mormons in Utah, From Hollywood he recruited for the cast Ben Lyon, Russell Simpson and Marie Preyost. The balance will be locals with most lending their artistic abilities without financial recompensatlon. The production company name is Pioneer Film Corporation, BERNIE BROS. 'TWO OF A KIND IN A VARIEIY OF SYNOffATlON'' Direction: WILLIAM MORRIS OFFICE When real estate values were low in 1923 in Hollywood and Beverly Hills, a large number of picture stars, directors and executives formed different associations and pools to buy property on speculation, holding it for a rise. The purpose in forming the associations was to evade the corporation tax and pay only individual Income taxes. On each member of corporation they are being taxed 13 per cent., while the individual taxes run 1% per cent up to $4,000 on profit derived from Investments, Recently the Tax Board of the Internal Revenue Department got wind of the manner of manipulation and operation of these associations. It handed down a decision that all associations incorporated or having a semblance of corporate bodies are to be classed as such and must pay 13. per cent. tax. When word was conveyed to these associations or trusts they Im- mediately cleared off all their holding.s, taking their profits with the bank through which , the business was transacted, being galled upon to pay the corporation tax on profits made by those in the trust. There is a 1928 portion of the income tax that provides that banks file a re- turn on "all such associations and , trusts. It was figured, out by a smart corporation lawyer that one Way to beat the corporation tax and still keep the trusts in operation is to give one Individual in the Association power of attorney, deed all holdings to this party and then have that person divide profits that, should have accrued among members of the trust who will be taxed according to tlie Individual Income tax rate. J. P. McEvoy, writer and now producing a stage revue called "Ameri cana," flayed the picture business for 20 minutes at the AMPA luncheon in New York last Thursday. McEvoy particularly went after directors and supervisors, although he didn't miss others. - The McEvoy speech was ho riot with the AMPA members, whose guest he was for the free feed. Harry Hammond Beall, head of the Sid Grauman publicity depart- ment for past six years, is the first press agent in Lo^ Angeles to receive a letter of commendation from Mayor George E. Cryer. Beall (Continued on page 48) ■ — —■ ■ ♦• ■ ■ HARRY DELF WRITER AND DIRECTOR Current BeleaHc: _ "THE FAMILY PICNIC" A FOV MOVIETPyK Future ReleaHcs; _ "MYSTERY MANSION" A FOX MOVIETONE . and "THE LADIES' MAN" with CHIC SALE A VOX MOVIETONE NOW FREE-LANCING Granite 3716 WINIFRED DUNN SCENARIO or 'SUBMARINE' Now Urenklnfc Kecordf) at Em- l>asiiy Tlieuiro, lit $2 Top ITiccf* HARRY DELF WBITKB and DIRECTOR Now Preparing a TALKER for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer PHONE GRANITE 3716 ORIGINALS ADAPTATIONS HOWARD J. GREEN Management, Edward Sniall Co. TITLES CONTINUITIES LICHTIG r ENGLANDER TEN YEARS IN UOLLYWOOO Representing DIRECTORS, ARTISTS, WRITERS WARNER ULDO. Uollrwrntd 106S Thrill Serial Demand By 'Western' Decrease Los Ang;elea, Sept. 25. An increased demand for chapter plays has caused Universal to aug- ment. Its. schedule for this type of film to five for the current film year. U made four serials last year. Pathe, the other leading serial maker, also reports an Increase In the demand, but will not add to the number of its pictures this sea- son believing that Its regular quota of five will take care of the need. The revived popularity of serials Is atti-ibutert chiefly to the decrease In the number of westerns being produced. Wlien serials were on the decline for several j'ears, the west- erns provided the thrill which the younger picture fans demanded. F. N/s All-Dialog First National's first all-diolut? feature will be "Stranded in I'fira dlse." Russell Collins in West Russell Collins, head of Vita phone sales In the enst, has been shifted to the west coast in a simi lar capacity. DAN AL STANLEY and BIRNES Featured Comedy Dancers with FANCHON and MARCO'S "SPANGLES" Stupendous Production Completing Our SOth Consecutive Week Playing Our Last at the cAPim thetrC^s^^ Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 READY FOR NEW OFFERS