Variety (May 1929)

Wedn e«da7, May 1, 1929 PI C T U R E S VARIETY HEARST'S IMPORTANT SPOT IT EXPECTED TO STICK WITH FOX '. Sound . News Reel Rivalry T Prime Difference — Pub- luher - Producer Wanted ' by Other Concerns—^Will Not Give Up Newt Reel INDIE COMBINATION 7 W. R. Hearat U atanding in an important spot today in tlia high- Itghta of tlie-film industry. That is, notwithstanding his present film allegiance with Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer, throvgh Hearst's Cosmopol- itan company, picture producer. Hearst with his pictures, news- papers and influence, is said to be looked at by aeveraf film combina tions as a most desirable prospect. That he will remain with Metro, the Loew subsidiary controlled by Wil Itam Fox, is looked upon as ex- tremely doubtful. ; A patter of a sound ne'wareel looma up between Fox and Hearst. As the pioneer sounder of news items, no one has the Idea that ■ Hearst International news, sounded or otherwise, would be accepted by F^ox as a serious rival. i Hearst Is' said to have gotten this lAea. He has no intention of dls- contlnuin]^' a news service. Hearst leir^es ft to be a part of his gen ei-al business system, with his news papers as with his picture ventures, Another That Hearst, now In New Tork may enter Into another picture at- tachment Is strongly rumored. While the Warners get the pref- erence In the rumors, as the War- ners would like to Issue a sound news under their own label. It is said other film combinations have been submitted to the publisher. One of these Is stated as an in- dependent project, with Hearst to head It. A couple of leading film producers, Individuals, are named in connection. This combine, if projected, might enter Into a re leasing connection. Substance From the first look ot Hearst in pictures as a wealthy man with a film hobby who didn't care what It cost him, W. R. Hearst has grown tb be a substantial part of the film industry. His newspapers and per- itfdlcals are not the least of the Hearst picture background. No expression has come from Hearst nor his associates In films since the Loew control sale was made to William Fox. It Is gen- erally understood In the trade that Hearst did not gloat over It. ' Hearst Is said to be rapidly or- ganizing to launch a new sound newsreel. It Is expected to crash the field within six months. Hearst will lease It to any produ- clng-dlstrlbutlng concern making the largest bid. It Is claimed. Weekly Costs I It is believed that on a leased basis the Hearst sound reel would cost any distributor $30,000 weekly in addition to negative cost M.-G.- M., from accounts, is paying Hearst approximately $10,000 weekly for the M.-O.-M. reel and about $6,000 for the negatives. Hearst has assembled 10 Movie- tone, trucks, from accounts, which will serve to start with, more to be added when needed. Fox has around 76 trucks, with 26 of those through out Europe. . Operation of a sound newsreel costs approximately $26,000 weekly. That is reputed the estimated cost of getting out the Pathe reel, with -*-"^Pox"'MbvlBtpna?probably"more-ex' pensive on. account of the larger number of trucks employed. The cost of operating each Movietone truck Is approximately $1,500 week ly. Ten trucks would cost $16,000 for .weekly operation alone. In addi- tion are the laboratory, sound re- production and executive salaries in all departments, with Fox Movie tone men now reported getting larger salaries than those in the silent departments. At the present time Hearst has a contract for three years to supply M.-O.-M. with a newsreel. It is re- ported this contract may be severed within six months by any ot the parties. The Hearst contract with Uni- versal for the International news- reel expires within a year. Tough on Ears! Los Angeles, April 30. Eye and ear specialists are confronted with a new malady brought about by talking pic- tures. Projection operators and studio executives who are compelled to spend as much as 12 hours a day listening to synchronized pictures are find- ing it hard on the ears. Specialists are asked to pre- scribe some kind ot a cure which will strengthen the hearing. IjOS Angeles, April 30. William Randolph Hearst has de cided to cancel all leasing arrange menta with Metro-Ooldwyn-Mayer upon completion of one or more plC' tures with Marlon Davles. Cosmo politan product for the current year has already been made by M-O-M. Miss Davlea Is working on one picture now and boa one more to go It is understood that Hearst plans to obtain his own studios, make bis own pictures and then decide on dis- tribution arrangements. He Is said to be getting together an organiza- tion to begin work late in the sum mer. Censors Force letter'' hto 760^ Chi House Chicago, April 30. Passed with deletions by the Chi- cago censors, Parcunount's '^he Letter" will come into Chicago as a "pink" and will not play any of the Loop Fubllx-B. & K. houses. It will open at Warner Bros.' 760- seat Orpheum instead. Prepsirations were. made some time ago to carry heavy exploita- tion on the picture, both tor Publix- B. & K. houses and the a0Ulated Great States houses in Illinois. This is out now. N. J. Exhib "Throw" Letter to Jui^e-Coiitempt Chapfin's Short Los Angeles, April 30. Charles Chaplin will write and direct a two-reel dialog picture to be produced to accompany "City Lights" when it is released. Come- dian is taking no chances on the quality of the short which will sup- plement his own effort. It is not bia present intention to appear before the camera in the short subject. U Reviving''Hunchback,'* Thantom** With Sound Los Angeles, April SO. Working on the theory that any good bozofflce costume picture pro- duced prior to 1926 can now be re- vived by adding dialog and sound effects, Universal Is adding sound and dialog to "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Phantom of the Opera." Plans call for just the scoring of Notre Dame" while "Phantom" will carry a prolog in both German and English with the possibility of further embellishing by adding a scene from "Faust" U. A. STARS EAST TO ARRANGE NEWDEAL May Not Be Warners- Other Possibilities— Chaplin's Position Los Angeles, April 30. Some United' Artists stars, with Jos. M. Schenck, left he(r© Friday for New Tork. Schenck is reported authorized by his people to make a deal for the sale ot half ot United Artists Consolidated and Including Grauman's Chinese theatre here. A deal may be made along this line, from accounts, between U. A. and Paramount or Pox-Metro. In that event, it is claimcM, Charlie Chaplin might become reconciled. Otherwise, Chaplin talks as though firmly set against a general tranS' fer, as reported, to Warner Broth era. In New Tork the report ia that the refinancing sought by Joe Schenck for United Artiste produc- tions is well under way. A flnan' clal statement submitted by Schenck some weeks on the U. A. operations tor the past year has been under consideration by the bankers. On this financing plan tor U. the bankers are said to be Blair and Company and J. W. Sellgman and Company. The Sellgman house handled the U. A. bond issue ot couple of years ago. Blair and Company are new to U. A. on the financial connection. Amount Involved Is reported at 10 million. Al Lewis' Rights Los Angeles, April 30. Fanny Holtzman, New Tork at torney. Is here conferring with Al Lewis on disposition to be made of any plagiarism that might come about In filming Joan Lowell's book "Cradle of the Deep," which D. W. Griffith la reported to be after. It is said that Al Lewis wrote a sea play several years ago and called Thompson Buchanan In to doctor it up. Buchan^ now the husband of Joan Lowell, authoress of "Cradle," Inserted practically the same story v that later appeared as "Cradle of the Deep" and was paid for the work by Lewis. Play was latier copyrighted but never pro duced. Lewis now believes he owns all Bcreenlind stage rights. Chevalier's Operetta Los Angeles, April 30, Paramount has Ernst Liibltsch to direct Maurice Chevalier in an original operetta to be written by Guy Bolton, and story by EJmest Vajda. Production scheduled to start June t. Cleveland Cuts Cleveland, April 30. Cuts of several scenes in "Wild Party" (Par.) by state censors drew big laughs from customers last week. Scenes deleted had the screen dark al- though Clara Bow went right on talking. Situation of the censors, who are allowed to cut film scenes but not dialog, has not yet been fully grasped here by au- diences. All they realize is that something's wrong and they don't like it. Trader Horn Day Coachmg It From Coast to N. Y. Los Angeles, April 30. Trader Horn (Aloysius Smith) will spend no dough for a Pull- man berth, not even to go across the United States. Horn had the staff at M.-G.-M., where he stopped over for a day enroute from Hono- lulu to New Tork and London, in a fuss because of that attitude. Declared he was too old to change a lifelong habit ot sleeping in day coaches. He had plenty of blah- kete and a |6 note would buy any- thing on a train. If it's a press stunt It's tough on .Horn. During the day the 80-year-otd adventurer was recorded in a trail- er intended to exploit the picture ot his life In Africa. He took one look at the carefully prepared lines ot his speech, threw the copy on the floor and went through his stuff like a trouper. Religious Films, Inc^ Never Turned a Cameiti Crank Religious Films, Inc., organized about two years ago by a group of Episcopalians headed by Rev. R. L. Wettling, of New Jersey, has blown up wlinout turning a crank. Report is that prominent men, in- cluding the governor of Ohio and several senators, withdrew their support when it leaked out that professional promoters were In on the plan, which was outwardly non- commercial. DOUBLE HOHOOBAM Los Angeles, April 30. Looks as though Sue Carol will be married again as soon as the inter- locutory divorce decree she obtained In Chicago from her first husband becomes permanent. Second bride- groom win be Nick Stuart, Fox actor. Latter feels the pre-nupttala are cemented to the extent ot having had a monogram crest placed on the' door ot his auto, which carries his and Miss Carol's combined initials. Par. Denies Allegations of J. James' Granddaughter Los Angeles, April 80, Depositions are being taken by Everett Mills, attorney for Para mount, from Jessie EstoUe James who 'filed an amended complaint against that company for $76,000 charging breach of contract. In her testimony Miss James as- serts she wrote the Fred Thomson Productions to give her a screen teat when she was 21 years old. At that time she had no screen experi- ence. She said correspondence took place between her and the Thomson organization and that the screen test was promised but no work. In her original complaint she charged that she wrote Paramount and was promised a part In a picture based on the life of her grandfather, Jeese James. In the letter Included in the complaint she gave her age as 18 and claimed she had three years' picture experience. Complaint also asserted she was promised work If she would move to Hollywood from her home in Kansas City, Mo. Paramount has entered a general denlel to both suits stating that it Is only^e distributor for the Thom- son films and that no correspond- ence of any nature was carried on between its office and the plaintiff. $26,100 IN TONSILS Los Angeles, April 30. Claiming, that her vocal cords were injured following an operation for the removal of her tonsils, Ton- setta Zlngarelll, . screen actress, brought suit in Superior Court for $26,100 damages against Drs. F. A. Rhoades and Jacob Mlshkln, Complaint says the operation pre- vented, the plaintiff's working in talking pictures. Punishment faces the writers of an annonymoua letter to Federal Judge Thacher in which it is inti- mated that government counsel "threw" the recent query Into film activities. The judgre has turned the letter over to. U. S. Attorney Tut- tle's office with instructions to trace it to its source, with a contempt of court charige to follow. Judge Thacher referred all in- quiries to Tuttle's office refusing to be quoted on the matter at this time. U. S. Attorney Mintzer con- firmed . reports that he, per the judge's Instruction, Is making a thorough investigation. 'While- government Investigators refused to discuss the contente ot the letter it is said, from several who are aware of the letter that handwriting experts are convinced it was written by a New^ Jersey ex- hibitor. A specimen ot this theatre own- er's handwriting has been secured at the Hay's organization. The word "Hoy," In which the old Hoy system is referred to, Is the only word in the note which is ,^w^tten out All ot the others are lettered. Hoy is said to meet tUl the writ- ing characteristics manifest In the exhibitor's previous writing of th« name Hays. Vitrolie Attack The letter was mailed from' the Grand Central station and received by Judge Thacher on the last day ot his hearing on the oonsplraoy charges- centering on the Film Boards ot Trade and the Credit Committee. - The letter, from n- ports, makes a vltrollo attack upon government counsel, - especially At- - torney Thompson. Alt allegatloit contained Is that Thompson failed., toi call witnesses to substantiate the prosecution. A letterhead on the envelope haA been inked out, but the experts de- tected the Insignia ot the local Bllt-, more Hotel. "8183 50011,^111081041"- Los Angeles, April 30. Nancy CarroU wlU star In Para- mount's "Slss Boom Barbara." It is to be a musical comedy talker 'with book, dialog and lyrics by George Marlon. Jr.; muslo by Dick "Whiting. Bennle Flneman Will supervise its production. Dual Test In line with the report that Warners is considering switching to eound-on-fllm is the dual re- cording ot Albert Spalding, the violinist. He was recorded simultaneously In wax and on film and later shown to Warner executives for purpose ot contrast. Sound-on-fllm is under- stood to have had a pronounced advantage on this particular test, although it Is well known that the violin is about the toughest of all Instruments to record s^ccessf^lly. Flays Reformers Washington, April 30. Politically inclined persons and. reformers were bitterly attjacked by Senator Royal S. Copeland (D) N. T., from the floor of the Senate last week. This is the first open at-- tack in many a month on the re- form, element settled here to influ- ence legislation. Senator Copeland, himself a Methodist, attacked those of his own church In particular. Iiobbylng was characterized by the senator as "be- ing no fit business . for churchmen to be In." OABBO TALEINa "ANNA" Los Angeles, April 30; Clarence Brown will direct Greta Garbo in "Anna Christies." Picture will be a talker, as "Anna" Is sup- posedly Swedish, and Mlsw Gnrbo's accent will be okay. Production will bo nuulo iinrtor supervision ot Harry F.(ldinglun. U's All-Dialog Serial ' Loa Angeles, April 30. Universal will make an all-talker serial in 10 episodes. Title wlU be "The Ace of Scotland Tard." It's the first of Its kind. ^ Chicago Bars "Alibi" i6hIci^o,"'Aprir J0r "AUbl," United Artists film, ha« been barred from local showing by the censorship board. Objection was made to the gen- eral theme of the picture, dealing with crooks and the police. It la understood that UA will fight th» censors oh this picture and ask for an Injunction.