Variety (Nov 1928)

Wednesday, November 7, 1928 PICTURES VARIETY ree, Spending Warner Brothers Intend to speiid 1150,000 each month on selling;, the public Vitaphbne and their, plcture^^ through page ads. in 108 mptropoU- tan dailies, indeflnitely. *he bally- hoo iln 61 cities will not stop when the first $1>()00,006 allotted for that .purpose , to the :fe.laiherThOmpSon advertising. agenc# is expended. • The. catchlirie ,is, "If it is not a Warner picture it is. not yitaphorie," and with tlie ^claimi that the. broth- ers' talker is the only one proven ^ucb^ssiul. President .Lesser of . the aidv': agency has: worked iip six- page, layouts in advance. Each of these hanirners home Vltaphone, but the ;instltutibnal .-work, in . tnbst leases, is worked: around a Warner production; ! ^ "We are but ,to do. constructive work; naturally, to sell Vitaphone. tVe are- not knocklnier.. If the truth. ■ hurts, it is Just too bad," Lesser stated in .regard to queries 'about the campaign being iJrornpted to en- trench the ryita .tr?Ldcrt in the Anicricin mind, iri view . of. the myridd of other talkers coming but. ■ No Expense . . According to Lesser, who quo.tiecl H. M. Warner, tlie Warners do not .figure ■advertising .as an expendi-' lure, if they are satisfied that .such', pubiiclty is worth the millibni then they are.' ready to .reinvest . it, bVer .and- bver a:gain, said Lesse.r^ in ex-;T -Robiert iMbhtgonidfyi juyenile lead planatlon of the pernianency ■ of the | .j^ "Possession" at the Miller, New Yorkv will play oppoaite Vilma Banky in her .next iSam Goldwyn Nudes for Japs iKeikichi Yamaguchi;; leading light of Japan's screen period-i. ical "Kinema," has written ,as follows to Paul Gulick, director of .publicity for Univeraal, un^ der a recent date line:. "I ,am very glad to ihfbrm yoii that our magazine is still the leading screen magazine in; our. country by your. kind assistance/-- ■ i- ' ' ' ■ "I want the following things for the Fiim. Guide, Book, so please fufnish me.these things:. Por- Nude ■-. -traits .'Photos L<j.u 'La. Plahte ; i r 5-10 Barbara, Kent ;.;. 10- Ethlyn . Claire0 .Renee Adoreci... . 5 ■ Mary-.Nolan'.;.-.... 5.. . All , Univei-wHi. nude; A guide , book, Klki! 10-20 .10 10-15 10 "'.O-■•: players.. Bob Montgomery Oppdsite Vilma Banky in Talking Picture Prodiicer* \ and -Probably Theatre CKiiii ' Operators ■ Com? mehcingv tp Think 6f Future—^Western Electric Licenses ■Without Priyi- leges; for Anyone Aft^ Expiration, Ekbept Wi E. O N PAS T It E G 0 R D project, being, handled by' bis .firrii. Besides ..■ the newspapers, the agency has also booked .up for a half hour each week with [ the Cb- lumbia aerial network of 22 Sta- tions, dlalogr picture. . it's Montgomery's screen debut,- with the report, he has engaged f or an optional year with Goldwyn, and T„ .,^^^u^v^w tv,oao niirht I another, option for four riiore .years. In addition to .these, last niehtj ^.j^^^-^^^^^jy ^^.^j^^ ^^^^j^^^^^y in New York put . the contract thrbugh. also taking a rush test without voice . of Mohtgbmcry for thie. screerii; Mpiitgomery; leaves the show at tiie end of next-week. (Tuesday) they .had slated a. special hook-up -with the New York.\World giving, them every other 15 minutes during the six hours it was figured would be required to broadcast the election returns. F. N. Cuts Contract Players to Five] TESTING EXTRA'S VplCES New 'Requirement for Special Pre- ferred Atmosphere People . Los Angeles, Nov. 6. While every picture studio on the coast has its own preferred list of extra players, which they call from time to time to play impcrtant at.- mbsphere and hit parts, they find it necessary tb change the bid stand-by list to meet, the new re quiremcnts for sight and sound work. Heretofore the preferred extra I player acquired special attention froni casting directors or person ality. type and wardrobe. Now they are not only required to have Subjects for Talkers 1 an of these, but a speaking voice as .well. Los Angeles, Nov. 6. .First National with tlie smallest humbor ef contract players of any of the major studios, has almost cut that number in half, reducing it frbm nine to five. ■ Those no longer wiith the com- pany are Ybla d'Avril, Frances Hamiltbn, Larry Kent .and .Dpnald Reed. Par Carefully Choosiitg ■Los Angelcg. Nbv. 6. 3ach_ studio. i.s conducting in _ It^ is und^rstbbd Parambunrprtr- . ^j^i^ual tests^bFthe mbsf-p-fbiiilSiTig- ductibn schedule will be consider- ^^^^^as ^lat they may. ascertain ably changed for the-current sear ^^'^'^'^^^ '^"^^ ^"^^ *y - son, as it is going to concentrate, heavily on talkers. "The fichodule calls for 75 feature.<> for '28-'29. ' Up to date around 30 have been , made, Of the other 45, those stories conajdei'ed. least itn- Portant will he eliminated; in their stead talkbi: .stotios are to be made; . Only . very , impertant attractions Will, be made with; dialog for the balance of the product. they may whom to call in the future for at mosphere dialog wbrkv . »» FROM 50 TO 30 Theme Dance Step For "Naughty Baby . ..; Loa- Angeles, Nov; 6 Following the exploitaUbn .voguo for theme songs in connection with motion pictures,- First Katlbnal .Js now.attempting tb introduce a now dance .stop QriRinatcd in the mak ing.bf "Naughty Baby." ■ If It hits with • any Pbpularity at: air it -will be known as ."The FN Gutting '29-'30 Product Due to | haughty Baby Glldo." Sound—Figure on 15 All-Talkers JjOS Arigelos, Nov.. 6. : First Xational will cut its pfbd- ..Mt„£'.-lr—IhP. ■Tft ,';> ;)-.3Q.. sraaon from_ BO t'i 30- foaturf?s. . About half oT tiii>.s(.' i-iiHurcs will be-100'por cent, tallvf-cs. l''-i! ''nco, it- is, said',. rvUl be silont .as. A'"l,!'-r;n Mooro,. Corinne .Cirirfitii. •^nd liiliio Dove are .disinclined to tali-;... s. l!!irth(;lmos3,' who at on*.- Barrymore's "Knight" Los AriffU'S. .Nov. 6. , Los Angeles, Nov: 6, A "license hpyers over the picture business; > a leading.; industry .. of this coiintry under license after :20 years of self-propulsion. Western .Electric has issued the license, principally, and to the prin- cipal, filnri producers :as well, as the main theatre chains. It covers talker production jand wired the aitres. ' ; .■ • ■ ; With talkers now looked upon as the, mainspring of the trade, pro ducers particularly are . reported mightily prone' to ' consider what will be the outcome.when the con- tract they hold with the W. E. sub- sidiary, Electrical Research* expires after* five years. ..' At that expiration- It will '.be Electrical Research or the parent W/ E. cornpany which will "d.ooida. upon.a continuance.. In the intei-im arid therafter,; W.- E- rcsei vca the right to reclaim its equipment, whether for. studio or - theatre, in addition to all pat- ents and devices meanwhile filed or made for recbrdirig> whether fcund by the studio or the W. E... en- gineers. . . ; Unless, the five-year contract foi: the producers licensed' by W. B.. to make sound pictures'can be mcdi fied, this will be the situation in 1933. ■■'.'; ■ . .- The theatre^ wiring contract. runs for different terms, up to five br- io years; but also under license with- W. E. liolding. the title to all wire equipment. Installed In any theatre, it is a license under which the theatre operates as well as the studio. ■ V While producers and '. exhibitors do not look forward too far for worry,' they. cannot -but see that if there is a squecjse at the end of the contract In either case, they" •wHl be ph the wrong end, A W. E. license contract looks like a brief for a .U- S. court, case, It's done up In' a bale. While-law- yerg for the payees nniay have read it. it's doubtful if. a producer or ex- hibitor .has ever gone through It with a fine comb. . If History Repeats The producing and exhibiting end of the film trade remains firm In the opinion that the record of the 'pic Lur e-=^b usi n ess-will-.r epe^^^^ a -patent is inVblved. '.l-That bpinion. is ingrained . in. the business. It arises., from the ovcrtllrbw. sb.me years' ago of •the Motion Patents I'Joture; .Company, then called --the strongest "trust'.' In existence. '■; Tije Patents Company, with - its ,,rcnt;ihg adjunct. General Film .Cbm- pany,.- th.ot gave- nb quarter in bu.^t.t-. n'/ss .dealings, relying .upon sii^ jioscd strength, suddenly.--, found it- sol f thrownyout of court on its most important-patent* . - ..V ' From that arose -the: film .indus- try of today, no longer, harii-.strung a.T It' had been, arid- pro'icoding thereafter #ilh a .freedom of .move- m«»rit that f.flt no r''straint untiI thf NV'jstorn-. J-'llOflrlc lio.'nKO apvc^^rc'l in .-the; -mldille . of Vliat --\va«. a I<.- ac'-'f irl Hrona': . That liOn.'je . is f.,.jn.O'-Vl vpfn- the talldpg I>i''lui-'-. ; ' If hi.-;t'.ir.y 'doo.^n't' r.''p'f-at; Ihr; In- ,r.i.-,lry will .Ko- forward throut:h Jtfi : : Or pat Solemnity attends tl\e .'^hbot.inp ;of a. .dialog; so.ci.upnco aroiind New. York. Upon tivo r soiindlng of the boll cailini,'for .absolute . silence, - carpotiters ch^-ck -tlicir hammers itx nvld- .airv pi*bpc.t''ly . Then atop'. v(rOiUh-T. ih'g and .everybody suddCniy Is fno7.en'.■'to. the-.;- sp'b't tlioy're Standing on. • . --^' -- '-'^"..•."^ ■ . The wiiple proc'odtiinvis ■ ('niite. unlike the free and e.a.s'y ways of rlh.c 'bid ..silent days. . - ; '" Ari.-.Inoideri.t is rci)oi-ted of a , company doing a very tense' emotional scene. . ■ Everything \yas ,furictioning . beautifully. .Not. 'a./ -■ sound Ava.s aiidible.' When suddenly rpse ■ the. rich vibratory btizZ bt a; guttural snore.- . Ah extra- had. fallen . jifjlepp.. in- a forgo ten .f orner.^ . Tlxe. whole scene, was. N. G. Smokers and Wisecrackers Disturb Vohiiileers National Board of Review has.re-r qnestpd. F130 fb scrcpn ..its plotures. hcrea'ftor in' a' .. public ' projection robm. In.-^toad bMii the regular i''KO prpjeotibn robhi in the. libnd ))uild- Ing, ... : ■ : ' : ; Vbluntcer crjlllcs repi-psonling Iho. National Board conii)lairi.od.th,;i-t the FBO pTojectioiri room hns bccoriio a diilicult. place ■ to- see A picture because . of ' the pi'csoncc • of cigar';^ .smokers, late-arriving foreign buy- er.s and wise-cracking .profcsslbiial filnri critics. . Heretofore. FEO had two. show r Ings, one for the Natlpnal P'Oard, genis'rally represented by a; coinniitr tee bf .six; arid one fbr the. regular reviewers and others Intprestod. An I'offlciency" move to nevoid' the du- plicate .screerilrig resulted in com- bining aLir-elcmcnt.s... The majority • of. . the. 'vohintecr critics of the National Board .arc. housewives, who deybte their, time ■and . .services gratis. The i)rc.sbnct' of .but.M'lers,. they complain, pre- vents them frbm di.gcus'sing.'tho. i)ic- ture freely and the \ylse cracks of ne\\'Hpaper reyieAvcrs arc annoying. oT T^ h' iirHL- p i i.l ur ti' : ^^/^!. =^:i^-iL^: A^carL:m :ri.jvl. -triiefising' at the tlm^ '■'•jiretPd to talkers, it i - under- Juhn P.arrym SV.'irners- will be' "The. T.^ivorn Kni;rlit," .by llJipliael f:';ib:itinl. It will' be -an all-talker rind,-g'»«r.'i. Int'. l-irnductiiVn a.ft>r .I.'in. 1, .•I'lie. .subject, ,is it.s name implies, is a costume tale. It was lilnxrd by Stoll in England in 1920. but re- Jeff McCarthy at Fox Hills Los Angele.s, Nbv. C. It's;. unVldrstood that 'Jeff . Mc- Carthy, when.,returning, bore . from hi'is -pre.se^nt-visit^ln: .NVvv/._ have hi.S: hca.dquarters. at. the Fox fjill.s sound ijitudio.s. '-. - - '. -. Tills appf.-ars .. equivil/vnt to ;-M.c-. Cartiiy being in f:}i.ii-gc there.' witii W. H. • .Sbeeban in gi-rienil' eliargc of alj Fox plants, Siiaeiiiin reiruiin-. ing .at his present Fox Klu'lio. . '-'Fox; Ilills. 'KtuUioSi • kll -'x.oiiTui, • are Tiew; arid-'(-owt-iirounil' $S,0pO,O()b. .-•Fox's- new, ■40-.ticr.e- slMiiio. lot-:; I.s -.situated ■ lK.:tW(;<.'.n .t.\Vq' bil.Ls ..fcirm.iiig a. .natimil prjeket for any fog -eoni- int; in ri'o/n the oce;in-, nt .'irby. ""J'tic' site ii''s' in direct line; .-^^^i'-li- 't fog ;.b' ll, T1j(.j-i; are tirri/'S.'\. Iieri t IW*. fij;^ -(lo.i''.'^' not lift from'.t liat i;!irl)(:'ular jip'-it'; unlil .aflfi ri'ibn.. ■. ... T.lii.s cfiri'Iiti'in .?nii.v. t-'/ivc llie l-'ox stu'lio eXf ifiJlive ' rri.'iTiy- :'ii''a(l;iel-i".s in tho f:jfure wben i.)i'»y ;at.«-tiipf. t'> Jilrti '■•"xt' t ior.s-ri'l I'laye io .V'/';i;it f/jr I.til-, fi'ri t-o' reeerie, -' - ■■ ■ . .1.- J, .\r< r:irt..hy will Iv'V" for ll^i• .^-^,.•l^^.^.:t^I■ir«■.-.^t.ur.<ia.y-.._^^.il^.J..'0 .M' I'.-i; M.V li,'i.s b' en on :Uj ''-lir e ';■ liOS. Angclea:; .Nov;'6. . For. the purjVo.so of direct oontiict ■ with iitctiire 'playersnot under coji- ;ti;;ict to producers, . the Assoclatibn of: Motion Picture' Producers will ivsiabllsh a "call bureau" about l")oc. 15.'" - •.':■■.- ^ Thls■^<)lilce;w>li^ bo located in the ,iu->w Loui.s B. M;iy.er building \yhcro tlie a,ssoeialion, wriU m;ikc :it.s: oiilceB -ivcicr' -iv^.' 1■;'.'.: .- "' ■.;• '■.■.' .^.'^ Fred .:AV, .Bee.tsbi-ii -bf. the Pro- - dvieprs' .Associalion; has beeiv '-.w.prk- ing >>u liil.s pl.ah for .twb> years,, cbi- ;locting^ dat.'i and 'investigating -CQmr plaints which bruUKirt. aboutthe perfection of the Idea that ,is to be . used: ^ ■ \ ■ No charge. ,is^ lb be made to thiii • plrtye.'r fof/ the services • o'f the "call bureau.'* The cbst -of ■ operation, nominal, will be bbfne by the I'ro- ducers' A.ssociatlon. Nb effort will be made .through the oistablishnicnt of 11)0 bureau to oiiminatc the artist represcnt.atives py .TTrianagers who operate on the legal conimlssloh of .10, per cent. . ; ■'Tho :primo: purpose bf. the burpau- will be to receive ..c.alis from the sludips for; players, of stcilar. parts. These calls win; bo (ti.sp;itched di- rectly to the' player by phone, ; In case the player c.annot. be reached by phone, a telegram, prepaid, ;win. 1)0 sent. "Tlie player, after getting the c.all or telegram, is then to re- port to the studio 'which called for the scrvico. In ca.se the player has a representatlYe of agent he or she is privileged to take that' per.sbn , alorig .on call or, haye .him act in roproKentatlvi*^^ c.apaelty. . Shady Agents .E.siablisiiincrit pt tlio bureau fol- lowed compinlrits th.at .have been , registered with the producers by : various players who said that cer- tain agents operating In a shady manner at different times had rep- resented them and had received ife- quests „for their .services; These: agerit.s, would, toll the.. producers or casting directors; that the particu- lar iilayof desired was working else- where, was but pftoyvn or had bfeen drinking, etc, Investigation in many instances brought to light; the fact th.at the statements of the agents were untrue and the standing of the player had been impaired . with tho prodUcef, investigation ,'ihowed that w here the .statcirierits; were made by agents, in mo.st cases they had other players to rcconimend arid in riiost in.starices the Jobs were obtained by tliem.- It was brought out on .sonne of tlie.se chcf'k-upa that these agents had the players they pushed for the "sub'.' jobs under contract personally, and that the players were not getting the full amount of salary that the stiidlo.s were, being chargod ' for tln'lf services; as the .agents were holding out more than 10-per—ount'^ 'J'ho eiill bureau will not be ah eriiployinen.t (igehcy, us no calls .will _ be. taken from tho outside from plftyerS,; who ; want. Job.H; - These ' tlio lattff -wili havetb se<'k them .selves at the studios or.tlirougli. a repro- . Keiitntly.o.; . ;; -- lie'.-l.s'ori -will call a rricfUrig-of the n'i;».trls and iiirVislH' .rr pn'Si-nta- i.i.vi-H tiiis W("'k, -ile will; .teli the •ik'i'jits 1 li;it' no effort; will :b« made to. 171 terf"re w jtIv. t h.ei v biisInes.s'; that at nij liirie ,wi.ll tiie ./•;Ui biir'-au be- ' '•o.itie .-in 'f-ri)|/i'\vriH-iil or cast ing of- (i'f'e arjil-lb:it It l:< f^lTripIy ii'-i'nK es- l.;i:!/li.^bf-'i rur the -eon\vtji''rii:e ;im the lifofli]c<.(-H arifl; ;,irfl.'^ts,' .at lUi; ,sarne ifiie : avoi'ljrig • < i/r;jiil.;ii nts dctri- itK'-jifil 1'V tiie ifjd'i.-iliy in t;"tit-'i'iil. ].t'-(|IJt;:,tn will; ]><: H'-ht .nut .to' fill l.l.iycrs w-i/o- IrxV?' 11.;-!-;! iT.ed .'i t ?-')irio (;r <)l.)i"'r wit h .-1-.iljii!;, I'-.s, I ii'ri-)'J>ii.-l iMriS. .1 '^to.i.l, li.-m ;i«reed to enter irito that j reived practically, no. distribution in fl-ild \nM\ nt-xt season's product ; 1 the United Stales. I- - - ' • iutr-ornp., -vvit'H an If -alWay.s. lilanC'-rl-; in front of it. That If'is if M.e e'"C- . ^ ,. ... , ,.- , inV.s by th.at time shall not b.ave-| lu-t^ r: ,1 ■ ui-l Aal-nt f.,,-. i-t;, l...-. ifitcrjff tf.'d thenVs'-lves .sp lYinryuKh- Jy ''into the picture ;husi.nfKs that- the. iriatfer of expiration of Hr.en^'^-^ wiirbav", been forgotten; ■ - ..r)ut her<i the afart.'app'-ar.'t to be felt by the ; pre-scnce of it. C. ' A, ' !/•, I r' 1! h V')] •''.' ir it 1 r.'-' -h'i Hi.li-x.-'l. it ■ •■.\- -vrftt- III J>c I'h()to|ihone in ,'i<< ;l)i's ;im<1. (■'l:" 'I'hi*-rrifib aroiind .(.ijiiu! -; i-^ Uie:Sm;i'il fHart.of a bi.;t;i i •■h i- .- Tiffany Tone Tradv Warked T,:' I, ■•.'J'tiri'-;" ir. i^-./'.-M ^;:.<ii';d ■ '! . li >•,'.' . fii-'i'> - I" -I I,-, -I '.).i-le . I i: I . ! i.i ! is". Zl^i.'.l^ l,)