Variety (July 1929)

July J2i4; 1929 - • - ' : Paris;: July '23; Franco . Film and- Pathe >iavi? launched .thieir propram. of ;buyiri6 picture, houses ..In #arheSt... It is how. generally;.. acdeptei. . throughout Fr(incd that one; or the other is In the. market foi* .-any going:; .picture theatre. 'v' •• .if present" iDolicy . is carried-, put these two. will c.ontrol- pr'actically all the dr.st run. theatrjesr in the. courifry before the. quota is acted 'upon by 'the'.goverh.inentiv ';[ '. ,; .:■ , ■ ': • .'Insitlers. 'fl^^ that under such cii'cumstarices there WQuldrt't be any need; for a film cpritin{i:ejit.. by. t tiin.e the: ciiiota qiiipstlon reaches par-, lianl'enti . . ; . ■ Buying ta<;tibg have £irbused the ■Independent vexh^ have ipalled a meeting: ^or iiext ■<yieek. and meantime have filed further pro- tests With "the government agairist the whblesaie' acquisition ip'f 'fheaircg by producer interestSi , Showmen also; will TCpieat;. their objections to the eliniinatiori ..of American product. New story is In circulation that, the producers ha"ve ,|i new plan up .their sleeves as sub- stitute for th« -^-tb-i quota in case the present proposals are rejected. Story is that the hew idea;.fe^^ Increase the duty; 6n . pictures con- isigned to foreign dlstril^'Vtors; 'at the same time granting licenses to: prb- ducers to inaport- product. on a preferential customs system.. Scheme, of course, .is diriected at the Americans who are the only dis-. tributors doing business here. . Hard to Cet .Hollywood, July 23. Handling Chinese players is ^ problem all Its own. for Coast film producers. Lbs An- geles has is. big Chinese settle- incht, but getting a Chinese; mob entails something more :^th^th sending a. " nrian down to order ,a-gi-pup .to' ajDpoar on .'■■fhie' set.. ■ ■■. ' ^ , :. . .'The Chlnarhen have demands . of their pwh. which .niiist : firs be met. They will not report to tlie stydio of their ow Vcord : on " call. • - Studio must : send ^.'autps. and they . must ^be' . closed Cars. : Members of . rival : t.pnSs must hot. be engaged on:' the same' sot.' iVIany of them- refuse to work with one of the: .most. prbniinent Chinese play- ers, "in . pictures, simply be- cause this actor, ha-s appeared SIS' a heavy. In ..parts; which reflect :.di.scredit upon . the Chinese. ■. • They -Will play in th O ; ■ same -picture;' but never oh the:- saihe set. '. There are really pnly a-bbut two dozen . Chinese here' Whp depend upon pictures for their. livelihood;;. /When mpre . are needed they- will .consent; to Come Only on their own termis a.nd; if the. picture woi"k 4pes' hpt a-i^eet .their regular labor. Two. or three Oriental actpris- .yirtuaLlly . control; the- entire, isituatibn.;. the others, ;fallow '. thehi .withbut question, AUSTRALIAN ■ iSyrney, July.:S3. ; TlvoU Circuit will make radiedl deiparture Jn: show policy In. an ef- fort to encptiragebuslnes.s. ; ; Chain, will. play: :America.n and;^ English rc-viiie units, vaud'eville'. ahd talkers in an expanded ^ntertaihr ment .Id.ea, at the ;same. time cutting , the adhiissiph :scale. Rival chains here hav^ been en- gaged In- a.hPt battle for" business, but the Tivoll campaign involyes the most drastic - chiiiiee . of i^pn\: sijice the Intrpductlpn of talkers. ' Ost^ionan in British at Flat Hays and Froicli Tariff A higher tariff , on American film In' France is far more satisfactory than the quota law, adniits the Hays oflice, at the same time ri^fuslhg to state now. :whether the proposed Increase from about tw.6 . cents ;to 50 cents per meter of film; will meet with' 'Its' oR'ay."' . " ^- .- ■'" Since advices from Paris recei'ved here Saturday, Hays' foreign spe- cialists are Indulging in a series of confabs. Albert deC^bUrville will direct, a musical/ talker for jBritish.:; ijbmjtn- ion Films . (WilCpx), "with j;ii.ck. 0s7 terma.n, atarred. Th« . American comedian sail^ Aug.- 4 on the .Ma jeatic on a' four-rweeks' miniriiurii ;gnarantee. Bobkpd . by Willie JEdel sten at ; $15,000 flat for the .monthv jjlus passage/ both" Ways for himself and ..lyirs^' Ostermah. Any . overtime will be pro. rata. MENJOU SAYS HE'S SIGNED . ; Paris, June 23. Adplph Menjoti, back in Paris arid again much cburted by the native papers, has ha:d .a change of heart' oyer production plans. Fact is, he says, .he has; signed to. return to the States to do talk-^: ers, contract to that end having been arranged by "wirclesis In ' mid- ceean. He will finish his Continental holiday and then return, . Identity of company he will appear for was not disclosed. PABIS PEOGEAMS . FariS, July 23.^; Current pictures, all American mades: . Gaumont—"ismart Set." Paramount—"Innocents of Paris" (Ghbvalier), 4th week). —v-Mad.eleine^i;Flyine. :Sqnadron.ii--^-^^- :Cameo-r-'.'Submarlne." . . Aubert—"Jazz Singer.*' , ; Marivaux—:"Bessfe on Broadway." DENNY EiaiAEES SHOW Los -Angeles, July • 23.. ; Reginald Denny's first: for Anglp- Ahiericah Pictures will, .be ''Lost in the Shuffle," from the stage;pilece •in' Which. he a,pReare;d in.- Londpn several years .-ago. .. ; - . . Film will be niade. in England. BEAZILIAN^MADE TALKER . Hollywood, July 23. BraziUaIn Southern Cross Prpduc tioris, Julian De Moraes, .prdsident, will make a nine reul talker. Irt Eng lish,,. Porluguewse, French, Spanish " and Italian.; Production starta: Oct • 1 at Tec-Art^ Liia Tora starring. BHffeh Pflmcifaft $25 ]Srotes for Iteady Gash ;:' ■ ■ . London, JXily 23; British Filmcraft is-Issuing $1^5,- 000 In- f25 notes, secured. on- urils sued bapita,!. Notes are of flvig-year duratlpn,.'; '■ Coriipany. .has ■ signified:' it is 'in heed of more- cash to ;carry on and is. unable to' niarket the unissued^ Stock now. held since theVcompariy paper is at .a big discount and with no: buyers. ;arpund.-; ■ :■■:].■ ; British Fiirii.elraft. :has ' been' thfe producer of . pictures. for Pa,ra mount's quota. . REDHEADS' BEELIN DATE London, July 23. .Babe Eg'an^and the-Redheads opeh for the month, of August at the WIntergarten, Berlin, doubling dur- ing, the .engag:ement at the Koml^^ ker cabaret. -t ■ "Melody" vs. "Fool" in ion . Sydnej', July 23. ■ Illustrating thp keen conlpetitibh for bualnes.s anipng .the houses showing talking ■ pictures;: Hoyt'S- Will opien "The «Brpadway Melody" Aug. 10 In. .oppbsitibn to the .book- ing of "The singing Fool": oh the s^ime date at ; the,:St. J'iames^ " Receipts Were v;.;. Los. Angeles,; Juljr/^S..;: i*.hi^ Weish, Pearson, felde'r: Gpnti- panyr . meeting' here .last week. .re-- vealed: the. production accQurit costs as nearly i^900,OOOj >withirefceipts un- der;'$'59,000^;-' . ■':.- Practically all oil tiie; talje was absorbed by bfllce expenses, execu-r itives* Baiaries and: directors'. ;fees, it--'was shown. .... ■ . ••'■>.:.'" The! report at: the, riieeting \vas dated Febi -28. Since then the cbmr pany's condition Is claimed to iiave improved through a;Cq.ulsitibn of. "Journey's Enid", fior tiie screen .and an arrangehi.ent :for Aniericart ad yance of thevnegatiye cost on future tiauder pictures,- against Aniebican diistrlbutiort rights.;. : in London, July 23.: General' : inripirovenient - in; West End; cinema -biz ?hown "vyith the ;start' of'''week^..'. '.'■•■-.. ■: Current, sound; bills In' the. 'West •End;' '-^ -::'"•' 'r' r'." . "High. Society," Jtstoriai; " "The ; Cbcbanuls,'' Carltpn; :"Trial.; ^of Mary Dugan," Empirie; Fox VAIqyIer. t'one Follies," New Gallery; "Geiitle- : man of the Preiss,"' Flaza;; "Glad Rag; Doll," ■Piccadilly; "Desert Song," Regal; ''Showboat,^' . Riaitb'^ " B;uUdog.; Drvimriioridj-", ; .l;iv.bli; "Leatlrerneck," ; Tussaucl's;' ' •''The;; iSiai^ker," Stoll. ;;■ - :: :.-'.. v.v f'3LACKMAIL'' IN WEST END .;, .. -\ : London, ;JUly: 23. ; Capitol, last of the big West End cinemas, tb he. wired, opens July.: 28 with "Biacitmail,'' :in respohs^e; tb yairlety's : London: review advising quick 'release Ipr the/picture. HAltEY BIJENS OVER : - i .London, July 23: ■ •Ha,rry Burns, suppbrted .by a two- some,; was shifted-from No! .6 to No 4 oh the /Palladium bJU, fpiiowing the first sho^ yesterday. / .; . Turn went, over splendidly. : . . . Ray Bolgep Does Well : ;'. ■. ■; liOndon, July 23. ' • Ray Bolger's: eccentric., idancirig was exceptionally.' well received pn opehl.rig at, the Kltbat club opiening. last.rilght..-'■.■ v.:/.;:.'^BETirr's;.REPEAT-: ;■ < : :HpVlywbod.v^ Betty C.bmp;sbn will ."play.. the femme; lead, in ''Womah:,.to- Woni-^: an;". Tiffa;ny-Stahi.i First .picture to. to be made by. Tr ish ^listributibri agreement: . , ■ .Vlbtbir Sayille, British .. writbr, pi^oducer and dlrectbr, wiip. arrived recently,' Vilt. make/ the. plcfur*.- MVsjs\pOmpspn "will repeat in tlip; i;art ;she . played ,in : the silent ver-" siort . of . the .; same . .stpry, nriader/ in England. ;.. v ■,■ ■ ■■ /-:.■■. ■: •■; ■■ . FILM MUCER •V. Washington, July 23;; Japan is producing; nibr'p motion" pictures " th^.h . any nation In : the .- world, says'a Commerce Department btilietln.;':-''' ;;;.•;"■: Rate during :l928; was pVer 800^ fbalures with-IS29 .Scheduled to:run 150 above ;tha.t figure. ; . . • ■ Yast number is. necessary as prbf ducers contract with exhibitors to supply: three features/weekly, 'Wlth . the: prpductipns conjiing from;- 16 producing COmpaknics. .;. - .- .4 One. prpducirig prganiaatlbn has . 182 features on it? .schedule witli ' these bpstirig $4;000 tor fS/OOO e^^ ■prbduce. butstahding Japanese. con-i- . pariy is .Itribwn as l^ikiiatsu' With. It; , operating in all three, branches, Jpro,- ductlbn, distribution and exhibition.; • - In ajddltipn; ti» the wepWy .thre^ featurcg this cbmpany t^rns oiit two specials .mbnthiy. '.with prPduclipri. costs of $12,5,0.0' tb:,$i:5,P00,.. Each year' .: there are also. .tWo super-spcciaiai - .with cost bvidgeis running to |f5i0,:000: : ■each. ■ ;;; .;:.::■/ ■ ■ . ' ;Productibns ; possess byt. Httle^ cbniedy, /and ; vhixye vpraqtiqially./ ha fpreigri sales, the thpusanrl-odd Jj.ap- •anese houses -given pi'bducers/a suf- ficient return.; .: ./ : According to Japanese year bbok,. the<atre.s ; dyring .■"192.7- played to a totai; atferidance .of 'more .than 1C4. million at an, ;ayerage price of. 15 cents.': ".■;:.■ ;. ■ -' ■ : ■ Sb; Africa NeW^ Fox Jhig3ish R«in Tafe iti^ J)iv; Gianhihi r ' London, July 23. : : .Rumors persist that A. G. Biuin-: .enthai; of .FoJc and : Dr. .Glanninl, ^banker,/ ara' jgetting together; With; thie Ostrier Bros, in a .4eal for pur-; ciias'e Of a large block of Gaumbnt; British stock;^' . '; Gianniht- .is . here, ' but for ;" his health only, he-says.-. / "Bed >1eir' With Talk London^ July 23. ;. /"To,/What /R^d " Hell" - is Vbeing made Over ias a. talker and the silent. version: ;:scrap]bed.; / ; / /> Bramwell r*le.tch;er^;'ieadfng h>an, is /due to complete iiis; :se<iuences this week and sailS .Aug; 3 ; under- contract to .Al Woods. . : " . /Cap.e /Town, July -23. . Failure , of ciients/to get action, on demand ■ for return of funds has thro"wn .suspicion .'upon Enipire Film.. Prdductioris ahd- tJnion Filmi whidh' announced it /had .cbntracts to make camera records of Imporflant spbrtr ing and piiblic; events. . " Trade first looked askance at th6- [jrOjeCt: when /it/ advertised . it was opening a ;B.chpq,i[:.-0f. cinema acting. Ambitious aniatciirs, :are said to. have/paid 'irT 300 guineas, Now de- iharids for refunds" have been un- avaiUhg.. Manager of the. company, Court- ney by name, left for Europe gev.eral months ago, annbuncing he would "arrange production details." He is Stiii abkent. Von Sternberg and "Rasputin" / Hollywood, July 23. : Emil^-Jann^ngs has cabled Para-^ mburit. asking the release ~6t J^osef yon gter'nl^efg .so 'that; he' cari/direct; ''Rasputin," Jaiiriings'. first ; talker for..Ufai: Studio iias assented and the dfrector leaves for the' east this week to take the boat, ;. Paramount has ta.cked on/ two years to Its; coritract with ;'VQh Sternberg; • ^ ;:- ;-; : ; DUTCH SINGER yOR U. S, . Amsterdam, July 23.- " $peenlioff, famous "biitch cabaret singer, sailed July .18 on the; Rbt- tordam for atoiir "in the States. ' . London, Juiy' 13. : Nothing keeps some of these birds downi . iDoxatt Pratt, about whom the less said Jthe better, blossoms atgain under the talker racket. iSupi-; posed to be goihg to direct a. spng-i- andrdance film called;:^"The Love; jSorig.": Supposed to be-goinj^ tp be. written by Melville. Gideoh: Suppose ed to be going to ha'Ve Gideon, IJavy Burnaby, Ellaline Terrlss, Elsa Lan.- chester, Ray JForbes and Marie Auif "iM'nthB :cast7^ca7^''~ w':-r-'-:-•■/■ '."v^ ."]}?x)rmsni Pegson, oner 'tim€r"'wtth; ■Whitehall Gbnlpia,ny; has been in. the city with this prppppition .and wants $■75,0.00: to put .It over.-:.; Says he has the dough all but ;$15,<)0O and will some • one; put that isum up? Offer- ing .75 per cent of the ,profits prp rata .to the. folks;who put/up th^ir. money,/ and /figures the fitm' Would take .In ?95,600; a week.;playing five a'day.'■ ■ ■ : ' .■ •-' ■.■. ■ But the .city has .kpt wi.ser if sad,^" der these last few.vmpnths, 4nd;.;is sta;rUrig to know the bird.s" Who put NOTICE Additional foreign film hows on ;pagc 74, . ; . OBOBOB.rOSTEB nABRt FOStKIt • :(E.Htabllphfd 40 Tears) STiiX TUB XAICGSST IN tUnOPE S2 flhaftepbiiry.'Avcna« . Cabirn: CoDflrinatlop. - I/ondon. . London, >T. I. .. ritpno Gerrurd 8818 Recent nooUlnps Inrhidc J.\MK.S KARTON "dire'' time! ■into dii'cetion. ; And about ehd : o£. the , got Itself week,: what TheClans The Id'cal Company Gaumphtr-British Corp some good breaks this with having Joe Schhitzor over here. . Schnitaior and 'ideal glad- handed : each .bther ,nt liinch and Schnitzcr told the ncwsiiapor crowd JieldJ.mafl e- a:Jdcaljlwith-ldo.i.l-J'nr^ R. K, ■'O, product. This, through various affiliatlon.s, brin'g.s Colum- bia. I'ieture.s, Tlfffiny and R. K. O product an; into the Gaumont con- trol this .side, with a po.ssihiiity :6f getting their own produft distrib- uted in America through one or moro. channel. JOe Brandt left for home; this 6th, having laid the lines for the BritiKsh Columbia company, which, is to work' in conjunction with F> B. O; of England and make/ IS featiires a. year this side and yours. Emll Shauer, Carl Laenimle and J. Rbbert Rubin are expected before the end of the month. Still a yague idea here P.. C, T. niay separate from Gaumont and then, go over to Fox, but this is: nribre than doubt- ful. Apparently at ohe time recent- ly, before the Ostrer.s took up the unissued stock, .John "Maxwell came clp.se:-to.:.jiiakihg_a.:.dfial,-and it -is- still. supppsed ;/, Ostrers ;; ,w_iir._ ;.sell sPmewhere sometime. ^ , ; " .' . . "Blackmail" and Booking :' ; This first native-made talker is gbing into , "wired; houses .on. terms sp :.far prily equa,Iled by "Singing FobU:'.' Exhibitors; are ::beginhing; to kick a bit'at .5O--50 with a guarantee, esi)ccially as, witli/ shelving .existing silent boolving.s and paying for:discs ph top .of the filni, they have cpme out on the re<S)ihe sidoyexccpt with one or two. .big/features./ ■ In.. characteriistiC ca.seS. exhibitors say . they, have been turning over ?1,000 ;t'o the disfributor; ahd had; a net lo.'s.s 'them.solve.s on. the run of $200 or mbrc.;: .Now. thoy. are asking for a fiat rental and ' the return of thrcc-day booking.s so they can go back "tb their: twice-weekly pro Sram change. So far sound-films have been, booked only for Week or longer r^in.s, : and save a few they don't stand up, e.specially in the neighborhood hou.<)o.s; Another factor In- a territory so gI'o. gjapivLeally/^smaiUas:lth is-is/-^th^^ killing of a sound-film'.through vio- lent song-plugging before the pic ture i.s released. M, O. M. is trying to steer clear of this with "Broad way Melody." Talking-machine disci!!, d.anco band.s; and coast re sort song-plugger.s all ■■ over the country are working "Wedding of the Painted l)oll," and theatre men (Continued on page T4) Slam Oil II: S. Talker$ Zurich, July 23. . The .Italian censor has prohibited the importation of American talk-* ing: pictures because of the foreign dialog employed. Thi§ order is be- lieved to be a part of Mussolini's hatlpnallstic program and traces back to the ban against .the show- ing' of other American produce In Italy on nioral grounds. P. A.'S DOUBLE InSSION P. L.: Thompson, "Western .Elec- tric*s talker publicist, sailed Satur- day for Europe :in a dual capacity.. He's going to. iSerlin as president of :the" Audit Bureau of Circulation to report to the coriventibh of .the Asspeiated—Adverti'sing^eiubs-o World, -and at. the same time to turn a little: tiz'for his company With a sound .dempn.stration. WOODS ALMOST SAILED - Londohi July 23. A. H; -Wbe^ds almost sailed again., lie; had ' pa:ssage/ .bpoked. : fbr thei Aqultania on the westward tripi and all but had his fbot ph deck. He:, eancelled at the last moment, eancellatioh': being ^^ 475a-Se.- :ries-a3-.:.-' .; J''' Casino Wants .Ann Suter . :. ' ./. London, July 23.' : Ann / Suter has been /offered; a. starring part in the new Ga'slnp.De Pr.ri.s rcy.ue if: she can cahcei jiier bookings'- .In .-Copenhivgen for; thfi. month of August.: \: - ! ; /: . Salary; Included in the offer made - to Miss, Suter is: the largbst to any irnpbrtcd single at the Casino.' . Tlie TiDer Dancing^ Schools 6f America, Inc. / 54 WEST 74th ST.» rilEW YORK MART REiAi>,; President . Phone Endlcolt 8216-8 Now Classes Now Formin's