Variety (Nov 1928)

Wednesday, November 21, 1928 EDIT OR I A L VARIETY 51 Inside Stuff-Pictures Trade Mark BegiBtefed P„Wl8l.ed weekly by VAKipn. too. Slme Bllverman. President ,64 WcBt 46th Street New Tork City voi.xciii. 15 YEARS AGO (Frpw yariety and Clipper) Howard Hawks, at the Fox studio has made a contribution toward | clarifying the troublesbme problem of how far with safety may. diiiloi? displace and BuDplaht action in the -new motion pictures. : William V>\> ■■^tJBSCRIPTldN: I MiUe In a discussion at the Academy of Motion Picture? supgestod tho $10 Foreign...iii,m talking picture must hot be merely a photographed stage play: it must Annuai-^-^^--^^ ^ ^ ^ _ ^ 25 Cent a be dlalos added to a motion 'ptcture. —— Fred Niblo more recently has gon^ a trifl6 further and Insisted that No.ff the screen must prbsefve for itself those elements of the motion picture that most have helped to make it great and not sacrifice to dialog such factors as youth and beauty, scenery, sets, variety, composition, action and photography. In the present stage of dialog development the main, problem is the determination of just.how much action and variety of sets with, s^^^^y may be thrown out of the window to make, room for the voice. In the rrv,o burlesaue Wheel did . some-I .search for: an answer to this question there .Is -brought up its compan on ,v.,^ more than make gestures to .query as to" how much story, how long a story, may be told, with diai.ot, ilbi raw performances. "Girls from ih the course of an hour's run o'f a talking picture. T?anoylahd" had been warned, to Hawks made a test from a book, the pages of which w.ere of standard hehave. Billy W. Watson . {not g^j^^. piye pages out of a book of 250. were taken as the sample—and "Reef Trust'' Watson) persisted In K^j^^j ^^^^ were in dialog. The section chosen was of fast tempo. fiDilling the dirt and the show ^^asj^^^^^^^ ^j^^^^^^g 31,^,^1^ be the footage ran to 560^which moans a Closed In midweek In Indianapolis, j^^^j^ oV$r six minutes at the rate of 90 feet, to the minute, which sp.'ca - . -—— hg the standard for photographing and for projecting sound film. ^ w^k's laugh was appearance of this basis 50 .pages of the book would have suppUed dialog for^ an horn - 7^e clock in the W. V. M. A., run of picture, without allowing space for : anything savonng of real "^^L wUh orders that all em- action, for it Is conceded action and dialog do not affiliate. _ ^vees it e. E. Kohl,. Who Meclianlcal difficulties of keeping a microphone In K ird nTi, led the field in the a moving speaker and concealed from.a camera alone explain that. ^rQt week in being late. It was an . -. ' . ^ - St^rTldea. • . a story is told oil the west coast of.an independent producer whose • ' am;.Srto increase the numbe, of Ms_^Icture.^d^^^ 'Nil," sho aiiswrnHl. ori.'^iily, "l'\it I sp-vko tn wh.MV yi.u wore supposed . to lH\". llo \s,^^■ aKinL;sivU« whiMi llio (•.•inn-r.is starii-d a.uain. AnUiouv J. l:;.Ml.<, who niarriod lh»^ lat.> ,i.>:iu'« Piikt-s dan;;htor, is s.M.l to I'^o lii-.aiu'uiilv'1.. h:n.l tho n^c.-iit P..-V..r. -1 ,l'H..iv.<.ihn iI.mI. on- .pinooivd l,v Srhlosinuor of .Sontli Africa. It is also stutod that HuUlla Is iiU(Mi.<;,ly intfn-strd. in; the aotioh PoForosi li.is ponduij,' nh'a.inst l'\)X-<.\iso ill the Now York'I'odoral poiH-t. Inside Stuff-Vaudeville Frank Vincont' rot urnoij,,-to the -votist ■ M.st wook-ohd. WliiU' iiv Xow .York ho may h;ivo entt>i-6d into- noj;ot.iUiions foi* the .Pantafics oirouit, with .'NVilliani Fox ov. pi>ssil.ly Kol.tlVs. ov others, but nolliiuK is pvor set with. Aloxandi-r.- The 'I'an'.s boss yossos today. and forpots. tomorrow. That's his rop; : , ■ , ' . It's- ul1aln•^<tood that if Pan dooa. any. d.oahiv-?.. othor tliaiv through Vincoiit, looking for a trade or salo of his vaudolilni circuit,-Vinoont will ooUoct on. tlio coiivmish end through his n.!;i"o.i<iuont with Alexander. . . A Ion}? antii-ipatod .irovind the World trip will bo started around Deo, 15, Vincent s.vys. lie has .no inclination to iroturn aciivoly-to the show business. - ■ ' . .,' For years Vincent headed the Ori>heiun cireuHls boiiking office ih New. York- when that office held the best-Kr<nip of vaudo bookers ever as- s'limbied by oho circuit. That was when the .Orplieum earned hot. $3,-. 000,000 aiinitally. Then in ca.intvMai'cus lleinian a.s the Orphouni's presi- dent and his hunch of. slun-k advis<n-s, some troni the Orplieum circuit and. some of Krith's. AViih the Orpheuin iiirhinK over .from, that three mil- lion hot to a mlHion and a halC unnual loser. It was losing when miorged with Keith's at the rale of ?liO,000 wci'lvly. '■Vincent's .star hooking (iiiartet, before A'incerit was sent-west by IIcl- .mun, wore George Ood'frey, Peiiny 'IMiau and Kiiy Nlyer.s, wMth himself. Not. one remains with the ()ri)heun\ cir Keith's a.s ii hooker. Aiid Keith's starved for bookers, : ■ 'Courage," the Lew Cantor .show at the'Kilz,'New York,- playIng ,tO around Vi 3,000'weekly, i.sgoin'g three ways. C; in tor is in eohlr.ol,; with. Keller &. Godfrey, agents, holding about 25 per. cent and crharlie Pope 10 per .cent. . ' "The show .19 'hooked up for. total 'of 'JfOOO. weekly including rental, - ambition to increase in« nuiuuci. *^ irrirt^r, tv.-it «?uch wall street Was beginning to lamp ^ot be --understood In the, trade, especially when It was known that sucli «oTslblllties in show business. A ^crease entailed opposition «rom . financial backers The^tn s^ jSate was reported looking over cleared up when It became known that the producer^drew down m add; PubUshlnr husj^^ ..nesnowis..o.eu ......... ..... . . ^Se^Sl^r^^rJa^^S a^ S^^^ .7.000. , I^s now in the sixth week and acting over the Whole ^ , . . jeld thereby el^ectln^ huge econ- -o^ in^-^^^^^ SS^rU up ^he. ...^on. after making "The Ja.. Singer" fo. W^ner .B.o. • ' study of mctS. SeWele^^ the country from one side to _the^o^her,. | ^,^3 ^.^^^ ^ ^^^.^^ block of stock in lieu of cash, he. I'VJ^sontcd 50 shares of r. . .r«..« had CTOWnto such SnTne hifey?s op?^^^^^ his alert'mind working. Gradually his com- ^j^^ ^^.^i.^..^ ..filing .^a^^^^ 20 to Harry Ward ell, his court jester; ^''''''.f^.r^nd had fnco^^^^ producer partner j^^^.^^ Schriober. his secretary; K^rank Holmes, his valet, and to Jimmy, proportions and had encou^agejijxi^ Placent acq^i^^^^^ .e^ his views and to get away with them.. . his: chauffeur as Christmas presents. Most of the boys figured that stock faded. He Degan „„.,. h^vlhe difficulty with his financing.. His given away so freely was worth little and converted their certificates into Meantime^the Producer ^^^^ ha^^^J increased o^^^^t. Another labora- |ash. Only Jimmy. Jolson's. chauffeur, held on to the engraved certificates SX^^reS'S S£?^ ^l^^-id^t^^ " ^Tjf ^"^-^^^ ^^^^^ now worth ahout .G.500 JS^^hit^dSl to take the .$200,000^^1^ over to backer No. 1 to . liquidate the sum on the latter s books. Then it .opening of so many road houses. It was believed to be cutting Into Saturday evening, theatre attend- ance to the extent of a real men- •ace. Thirteen more roa;d attractions closed, on top of a like number tlie week before. .David W. Griffith was Installed as producer-general for Reliance hav- ing, among his assistant directors Christy Cabahne and Edgar LeWls. Picture acting shools and scenario Writing education mills attrated the attention of the Postoffice officials. Secret Service men sent into the field to get evidencie against the film "trust" had turned up a mass of data on sharp practice and out- right fraud, in the conduct of these Institutions i and it came Into the hands of the Postmaster-General. By a twist, Vahessl may yet head the unit originally built around the Mb.sconi-Bros, by Keith's production department. • 'Shortly after starting out the Mosconis handed In their notice.In an effort to quit the unit. Vahessl was offered their place and reported on the verge of accepting, when negotiations with the dancer were de- clared off and the .Mosconis ordered to stick. _ Opening Sunday at the Palace, Vanes^i found herself on the same bin , with the Mosconl troupe, though somewhat disorganized, because of the jcondary position. «,.f„rpwlae absence of Louis Moscohl, due, to blood poisoning, There la little chance The partner also had an exceedingly wideawake sldekick|_plcturewlse ^^^.^ recover In time to rejoin the. outfit next week, and Vanessi andotLrwIse. Much water passed under t '^''^ H^nUAr in New'York agreed to finance 18 biit put thumbs down on With the producer m the secondary position. ,dotherwJ^se Mumw^a^e.^^^^^^^^^ releases will be «Ut «o 16. Two have been maae. 50 YEARS AGO (From "Clipper") Inside Stuff-Legit p. T, BarnUm was elected to the Connecticut hoiise of representa- tives from Bridgeport by a plurality of 219. Adolina Patti's persistent aloof- ness from society is explained in a Paris story relating that since her Beparatlon from the Marquis . de Caux, when the unhappy marriage terminated, gossip had busied itself about the diva. She played only a few engagements,: principal among them - Covent Garden,. London,/ and the Imperial Opera, St. Pe'tersburg ■The Prince of Wales (later Ed ward VII) attended a performance at the Theatre Fran cais, Paris, of Octave Feuillet's "The Sphinx," and afterwards went back-stage to cpnri^ pliment Bernhardt: and M. Febre, ---the—aGtor--Who-4>l.ayfid_an, English • lord. Wales presented the actor with the gold-mounted malacca cane he was carrying. Probably the only exhibitor in the .country, let alone on Broadway, who's paying the same rental for his features now as ^he did eight 1 years ago is Charles McDonald, manager of the Broadway theatre. Eight : years ago McDonald set a figure of $500 for a week's exhibition at his A* «n« nf the largest of Hollywood's film studios, rather unusual co- . :^ and he's not exceeded It since, playing "The Air Circus" last week « .tion exists beSSn the production staff and the ^publicity depart- \^^ . ..^^ ,Gangster" (both Fox) this week, with "Excess Baggage' ^:^:a^|?-cord| t^^^^ (M-G-M) next, players are, thoroughly ^c^^oo^^'^/,^ the sanction of the front office, ^Z'S:^^^l^:^'<^':i^^^^-^ -"3 to bring the ^"^IJr^ss^^gn^ that the magazine writer s"'^™i',\*'°|r^t,Vo toward the p.; a.'s 'com- was published. Her subse^uent^hi^^^ pletely chilled thenv on^the idea ^ neglected appoint- T::^^^iX worl went out to give her the Tf^r as publicity .opy. aSd publicity department ^forgot ^^""^^^."^^^^^^^ After 10 days of asking for ««rvi««' ot the p. a.'s and this, she came in; almost in tears *=.°^"^y^J^. ^^rrier o demanded to ^^^''\^^''\^^\Z'Z^^ hS the riot act. All set for that had been raised against her and fead^her tne ri^^^ a flare back, he was surprised ^when she took U^^^^^^^ a finger at her and she comes running. A crowd of '1,000, big for th^day attended the football game between Princeton and Harvard in Boston Princeton won, one touchdown to nothing. The same day Amherst and Tale played to a no-score tie. Lester Wallack became Shepherd Of The Lambs, :n it. ^ouse revlew^^^ th^^ fairness to Al Jolson.A M. Botsford^ hea^^^^^^^ has let it be k nown that ^J^^^^^'^^^ ^^l^j^^^^ apparat us being used for Wy'^-ori-anBftmswnrkr-reeor^^no^ amplification, the Crawfords supplyinj^th^^^^ were playing the S^^^Jj^r^^^^S'l^ Keo^r (Mrs. Jplson) appearing " oh ?he program in a Fox talking specialty. ..maie talker tie-hps with;r,cord^ndj.an.^ free ofnce c^mcs the..iat.st, on. getting commonplace. From a icgit ag (.ennctt Recording Co. The to preside over the merged proposition. For some time theatrical scenic designers have been pretty sore at interior decorators invading their profession. The scenic designers union has decreed all Interior decorators entering the theatrical field, even the hig shots Hke Robert ICdmond Jones, must belong to the union before they can sign a contract and bcfote any scenic designer will execute, their dosign.s. But In spite of precautions many Interior decoratora creep into the profes.sion, get contracts and get their designs executed. The union has Issued-a statement that any scenic designer who does the painting or otherwise carries out the Idcaa of a non-union. Intcrlot decorator will lose his union card. - , , The scenic designers complain that a lot of high brow producers think an interior decorator is an artistic acquisition aboVe a scenic designer.. The union men say Interior decorators know nothing about scenery con- struction. It reiluires special technique to make a Byzantine palace fit Into a baggage car the scenic'designers say. Also they, accusfe inte- rior decorators .oflpai^^ coilectiing big surhs, ' . • > *v.„ irtt^rt^i. Gilbert Miller Is mentioned" as a producer; who goes for the interior decorator. The sets.for hl.s last two shows, have been designed by non- union Interior docorators arid the union Is angrily .looking into the '"cieorl'e C Tyler Is another producer who Inclines'to the high brow. He had Gordon Craig design the sets for . "Macbeth" and after a lot of squabbling the .soenlo de.signers union got Tyler to pay a .designer s. fee hesides Cralg'.s .salary. . =^^'^=^arrr"P^miirg^^ fined $500 In New Y'ork.for putting up advertising placards, o.n+the pil- ■ Tars of ' the .new Ele:vated ■railroad- structure; probably the fir.=;t cam- p.'dgn agaln.st uhsightly,advertising. The "L" company was not yet wise to the ndvertising racket, "Nois 'less scenery rollers" are ad- vertised as a new departure in stage •quipment. ^Onc^oll^vood.s.leadin^^mc^.jB^^.^^ all the.fooUigo. grabbing triek.s, used tl o ^^^.'^ - J^^^'^^at she come clo.se stunts so much on the leading woman In one picture inai; » - . to tears. y.j^H must tufh The gag is to back away so tnut the ^^^-''^''^^^J,,, j^; fadr^' it. their back to the camera to sp-^ak to. tlu; 'Jthei ^.lutor _v. h^.^ i \ . A high salaried .comedian In a mu.sical show which r«c«"tly opened came nearly being dismissed without notice The Bhow laid off three days a iSd that salaries were-being paid since the show had played out of town, for the purpose of introducing new business. Dres.s rehear.sfil wa.s called the night before the .premiere but the comic" "wa-s hot on hand. The company. waited. He was flnahy dug up at a club with a hU'.hb-'.ll in his h.'ind,-Walking on the sUge, he said. "I.,adieH and gentl.-rnen, I am Ptlnko." • • ,41 • The rehejinsa.l was walked through, minus the comedian and the man- .ag..nir.nt di-<£;tisted. ■ A .repetition .may bring a complaint to K'luity. . In .i.Mitlon. to r.re.^entlng "On 7v.ri"'at the Wul'lorf, New "S'''''';' W. I>.vr-nthal, wl.n.ci.Hn.ipal .Civi.y ha. b^en In ' I)J^'^^^^j^^^ theatre Th- ho.i> e. h.ui(lic.,i»:'d in l-! |„n, ha.s had tough plcKlnfeS It'was 1 romotr.d by Harry Oshrin and S.-nr: Gri..:„.an. l^^^^^",';^"^"^ out a yjr or m-ro ago, It is .sa,id ih.-tt ^^'^ -^'-^\^'^^'^ .tui:e.ovei: th*-honse when If was first .bnilt- a,.d I^y '['^ ^' „! $i.',,0-J. ' Gri.^:m:.M n-.er told 0.-!.rin. .O'.rin.r he might accept and Shuberts were inter- c - .. ---— . . , . rff^ ri'Tilv f h>' lurn'-d her , - much to his own advantage. - . to' her own measures to stop him. When the next M'r.e. leading man ba<'ked away as he spok« tu^hc^i he V re lend f,a..h.r and -'''Xlf ■•'-■Ve'the Air" ph.>. 'l the W.Morf, Gene Ruck tJh' U.-n- a pi..ee of'the hou.e but his Intore.t ended iow Wilhdl-fW.