Variety (Jan 1930)

"Wednesday, January 1, 1930 | | P | C T U R E S | VARIETY 5. HAYS’ ROSY EYES FOR NEW YEAR. AND PICTURES “That. within two years the Fox ~ Picked Wrong Spot "Chicago, Dec. $1. Deéiaing his managers need| _ ed a raking over, supervisor . of a Publix-B. & K.string of | .. houses in .Chicago ‘called all. . 10 ‘on the. carpet the day before Christmas. He s¢cathed them for about an hour. When. finished,: one of the managers. arose, apologized for the group and: presented him with | an . el Vind tii More Shows) . WO EAS m1 NG _ Omaha, Dee: 31. Clearwater, Nebr., ‘where trains |must be fiagged with.a red shirt and |: promise of two passes.for the en|. gineet ‘and his wife, is about to have a | Another Week of Fox Complications Passes, With Situation. Same, Despite No Warner Shubert The. Shubert take-over ‘4s ‘all. ‘This comes as & reward for the untiring. ‘genius ‘and labors. of Manager . Simpson, ‘who runs ‘the local opery house and would be president | of the ‘Chamber of ‘Commerce if ‘there’ were one, ; Manager . Simpson ‘some ‘time ago. decided to wire his house in order that other -eenters of metropolitan _ activity, such’ as New York: and | ‘Chicago, would: not outclass -Clear“water in the matter of: modern Prog| ress, ' Manager. Simpson . sent | “for ‘the “sound catalogs. After perusing the prices he gave one short but easily understandable yelp, went home and | asked his wife where she had hid his .tools the last time he. got through trying. to. fix the Hving room chair that never rested on more. ' than three legs at one time. Sound in Clearwater With his tools. and a. faint idea, Manager Simipson equipped his theatre for sound,. At first or second or third look he. seems to have in‘vented something not unlike a pho| _ nograph minus its cabinet. Manager ‘Simpson placed this behind the screen in his opera house and announced that sound was uttering its elarion -cry in Clearwater. _ ' Manager Simpson’s device handles ‘pny synchronized feature using records. There is no attempt to boast about how: well or ‘bad it handles {t;; Manager Simpson is content to announce that his. opery house is up to the very last minute in modérn wonders of showdom., — Manager ~ Simpson ‘was soon counting the. shekels. turned in thrice weekly by a gerateful 400. Then he noticed the same. smiling faces peering at. him through the box: office three times weekly. Now comes-a statement. that Manager Simpson has been per-.guaded by increasing throngs (with‘in the 400. limitation) to .open his portals’ daily. Clearwater must have _*" more pictures. — oe Manager Simpson !s highly elated. ” » His wife now leaves his tools wher“ever ‘he happens to drop them, “a *knowing full well that it is fatal. to _ ruffle a genius. * And some day. he may fix. that o ehalr, ‘off, so far as the Warners is . @ daily change Satinenae fare for concerned. Reports and. Rumors—Beelaborate: desk set. situation will have adjusted. itself “its 400 show=me " -Reagon officially advanced . lief of ‘Third Person’ as The supervisor blushed a ||9Nd: the organization will be intact ‘as at present is outstanding among forecasts: made for the film indus— try. during 1930 by the Hays office,” ‘Conceding ‘that filmdom has gene erally experienced a depression of its stocks during the past few | months, the producer association's |headquarters ‘reminds ‘that com< pared to other industries the de-flation has: been’ ‘slight; at the most . temporary.. In no other’ business ig competle » tion as ‘keen.as in filmdom, it says. Increased theatre attendance will continue, and where. ‘absorbed ins. telligently will more than. make up any deficit necessitated by. earlier expenditures for sound and innova~| tions: to: come during. 1930. As testimony. to this fact, Haysites call attention .to. the increased earnings ° of every big company during 1928, despite additional overhead. oe .No radical changes are: antict~ : pated ‘during 1930.. As.to the new big’ bets, the. vlays © group feels certain the new year ‘will find one in: William Randolph Hearst. of NEAL: McCARTHY IN N. Y,, ATTORNEY FOR HUGHES ‘Neal McCarthy reached New York. Monday. His mission . here could not. be learned. In Los Angeles it was stated that the coast attorney had come. east: to ‘procure ‘if -possiblé -a. more. de-: faint purple, murmured a few . words of thanks. and reached for a Murad but found none. * .-He ended by telling them they were not such a bad lot and closed his office for: the ‘day, . resolved never again. to raise “blue smoke on Dee. 24 ‘ ALAN CROSLAND BEATEN ‘BY ACTOR OVER WIFE Beverly Hills, Dec. $1. Ray Phillips, actor, gave -Alan ‘Crosland, picture director, the’ third of a series of thrashifigs Christmas. |morning : because. the latter would not cease paying attention to Natalie Moorehead, actress) who. is Mrs. Phillips. in private life. — ; Phillips was arrested on the com-plaint of Crosland by Patrolman William Noyes and. lodged in ‘the Beverly | Hills police station on a charge of assault.. Later in-the day the Christmas spirit and desire of quiet so far'as the public were: con-. cerned got ‘Crosland to relent | and have Phillips turned out. — -At that time Miss. Moorehead stated that she was going to -Reno at once to get. a divorce from Phil| lips. Several | weeks ago Phillips ‘and Crosland clashed when the former told the director.to keep away from his wife, Crosland: got a. bit of a beating. A week or so afterward Phillips met the director again: and -sirably located theatre than Cohan’s did more thrashing. } t 2 ard At five Christmas morning ‘Phil rene $2 ano wing. of: fhe Bovard lips called at the Crosland domicile pected on Broadway around. March and repeated: the beating potion. — Crosland got the station. and 1, It so far has cost the youthful ; h Phillips was taken away, remonO00, we y producer, over $2, strating and saying if ‘Crosland ‘did In a recent. “Variety; * It-was mennot keep away from his wife that |tionea ‘William Fox had been in . he would’ beat him up every time: he saw him. negotiation, ‘before. the announce~ ment of ‘his trusteeship, ‘with. Crosland and his wife have. been Hiughés looking: toward a financlal separated for some’ time, with re-. ai a deal, It has been reported that port divorce abeeee mee are pen ~:| Hughes likes the pieture producing” ing between the couple. . |and also -would like a permanent ‘PARISH PRIEST’ AUTHOR|"22'SiSeay se ae, sueme WANTS TALKER OF PLAY Mr. McCarthy is Mr. Hughes’ confidential counselor, An inquiry _ Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Dec. 31. Mayor Dan Hart of this burg, who along the line of whether MeCarthy’s visit in New York just at . wrote the famous classic, “The Parish Priest,” wants to see it con this time carried with it a renewal. of the former negotiations, brought no satisfactory answer: The best . verted into a talker. To that end the mayor is willing to finance the film. It hag not been determined reply received was: “Well, it. would seem 80, wouldn't what maker will picturize it, Only condition : nade by the mayor it?” {ig that Willfam Farnum play the RK0's "29 Profit, in title role. That can be arranged. Ist Year 7: Over $2, 000, 000 R-K-O,. “whose pusiness picked up {so nicely during the third quarter that over $1,000,000 net was shown and whose business has been excele lent in the last quarter, with “Rio. Rita”. and other pictures from the. R-K-O (Radio Pictures) subsidiary raking in the coin, will show in its . Monday: :“We simply couldn't see Intermediary where such a move would be to }|. _—_— bur advantage.” WM. FOX IMMOVABLE]|| SHORTEN LONG wan Pex ani tte: deadlocked. Neither side has budged: an inch. Mr. Fox’ ‘3 attitude appears TA ERS, SAY. to be unmovable, ‘almost ‘defiant, ‘\from accounts, This. much is. about all of the admission that can be HOUSE MEN secured on the Fox business complications. ; A week. ago it was expected that . . the Fox difficulties would be ironed Hollywood, Dec. 31. Indications are that producers will out before that. week ended. De endeavor to keép their features spite the many intervening reports down to a much shorter length durand rumors, all seemingly emanating the coming year. It is ‘due to.a ing from “downtown,” the Fox sit| request from theatre managers who uation Tuesday was farther’ away complain that the present Jength of from.an adjustment, features work against variety on An inside story Tuesday was to. their pills. * : y the effect that while William Fox “Since the advent of talkers the |has steadfastly refused to meet with running time of. the features has. or talk to his trustees, it may be been creeping up. Especially is this }@"" anged to have a third person act: true of the musicals. With an es|@3 intermediary between the two tablished custom of giving a news sides. reel and'a comedy in addition to| William Fox's position ‘from the the main picture, the theatre men |@ccounts is that the trustees have: are. complaining that the present |not kept their understanding with" length does not give them the turnhim; that they have had interviews over they. would like, # with his executives unknown to him, “Metro 1g particularly interested in |@nd that the interested bankers the abbreviation. L, B. Mayer, re| have extended no favors of any naturning from New York, where the jure nor do they appears anxious to matter. was gone into at length, has assist the Fox. condition.. For. the: passed out an order to his directors, |trustees it has been said that they writers and associates to strive for |think Mr, Fox,. having signed the quicker methods of story telling. trusteed agreement, should. meet With other execs, he is of. the |the triistees to expedite business opinion that one hour running time |matters.. This he refuses to. do ar ig the maximum for the average meet, it is sald, any of the bankers picture and that with talkers this|directly connected with the Fox atcan be accomplished easier than fairs, with silents. _ Motiviations and _| Legal Advice character.can be much easier.estab‘William Fox is reported acting Nshed ‘by. dialog than was formerly |under the guidance of the best legal the case, although it: has not been jadvice obtainable, with the condone, due to lack of care in prepara;cerns represented by the trustees tion, he says. also legally represented. Between — these high law channels, reports : have been continuously before the Bloom May Get Ways and banking and show people. One is . M ; c Vs 7 that the nowntows end of the Fox matter will apply for a receiver and : Means omm. acancy the other is William Fox disregard ing such an occurrence as out of Washington, Dec. 31. the question. “FOX COAST MEN STILL | sos eu, Wainaton, Des 31. [ite au “. HELD IN NEW YORK York theatre's congressman, 1s be. has been crested’ betgeen For ond ing boomed for the vacancy on the {his trustees by the developments is ‘House Ways and Means Committee |not reported. Very little has leaked ‘to follow when John F. Carew, also.jout. from the William Fox side. a ‘N.Y. Democrat, takes up hls new | Nearly all of. the’ reports sound duties on the bench. close to the banking end. Bloom is now on the foreign afAmong those who are better infairs committee, a much sought as|formed on both sides of the Fox signment in the House. New pro|affair it is said that there is a very posal will place him in a. position |good chance of a solution before this to do much for the amusementin|:week shall have finished. Whether ‘| dustry, ag the ways and. ‘meéans |that infers the. ‘intermediary may. committee creates’ all” tax laws, |accomplish something on behalf of Bloom’s successful blocking of at-|both ends of the Fox split, or Wiltempts to break the copyright laws, |IiamFox will find . independent particularly the “performance for|means of relieving his situation profit” clause, stands to his credit, |can’t be gleaned. although he was on the minority ; The associated ‘trustees with Mr. | side during this “battle.” Fox are John E. Otterson and H. L. ; Charlie Buckley, ‘Harry Arthur -, and. W. -H..(Bud) Lollier, Fox coast: . men despatched east about two weeks ago to proceed ‘tc England to Overlook the British-Gaumont the_atre properties. for Fox, are still in ‘New York. They are said to be without orders to return west or ‘leave. for the. other side. Each of the ‘trio isreported calling up Winnie’. Sheehan daily for ‘orders, without: having received “any to date. They were sent east ‘by Harold B. Franklin, either upon the suggestion. of the Fox trustees or the Fox business operators. ‘It is said William Fex was rot news of the Fox troubles becoming public, i An Waiting | A report ‘that Winnie Sheehan,: Jimmy Grainger or. Courtlandt: Smith, the Fox business operators, have signed. new contracts with the Fox trustees ig denied. . Their rat‘ng remains the same in the Fox Stuart. . Mr. Otterson is said to have : ‘balance sheet for the year. 1929 a ere of the order from New York, P e. Lif Filn been receiving considerable counthe Tox personnel, are availng the ‘net ‘profit of slightly over. $2,000 000, ssued from there, and that may rison Lire Fim. -|sel recently from well informed picP id it is reported. expected adjustment, -A dozen silly reports arising. on. the coast regarding Fox «have reached the. east, with naught in -tanyof them. . . Tuesday there also seemed al: strong feeling that William Fox Up to July 1 the Radfo Pictures ‘the “amount* required “by him “at ‘pleture;; “eSyncopa tom am en ‘present to take care of pressing Spring, R-K-O Counsel obligations. This amount is reported at under $12,000,000. Other Fox obligations are not yet |..Sam Spring has been appointed due. Thelr maturity extends over | special counsel to. R-K-O. Ben @. number of months with different Kahane is the R-K-O general coun« amounts due. at intervals. sel, Spring, formerly with First Naa tional, has been downtown since, William. Fox, ‘personally, is claimed not to be involved in any He recently became directly asso-« ciated. with the Radio family, be the cause of the halting of the men in the metropolis. It has been : suggested to those knowing of the _ Situation that the trustees of Fox, ‘other than William Fox himself, do not appear to have the amount of Power in Fox business direction generally = -believed=“to: have» “been: vested in them. ture men.of moment. No mention is ‘made of what line this advice has taken or its results. This healthy gain is in view of the poor six-months from Jan. 1 to. July 1 and the fact R-K-O 1s only one year old ‘with, the ‘coming. of 1193 -, " Hollywood, Dec, 31. “Metro will make-a’ prison picture | , ‘based ‘on the series “of “riots in ..: Impertant Factor ne Auburn, Dannemora and other peniAdditionally, . there 1s rumored a tentiaries. most important and influential fac-. _.-Pictute,..of..propaganda. nature, is | tor in. the present Fox embroglio, being. written by George Hill and ‘that, from accounts, Is reacting In| Francés Marion, Former will direct;| William Fox's favor. It is claimed _|with Wallace Beery featured, | |to be a deterrent against legal ac. _ : . tion against the Fox companies, but e > Ty... | the exact nature of this important Miss MacDonald s Discs influence is kept concealed, | : Victor Phonograph has Jeanette |. Meantime the Fox business of MacDonald on an exclusive con{selling pictures and entertainment tract. ; continues at its high speed. The Her first record will be “Dream | Fox quoted stocks have been doLover,” one of the songs in Parajing acrobatics for the past week, mount’s special, ‘ “The Love Parade.” !as they previously did with the Haines in Western Hollywood, Dec. 31, ; ‘With all the studios going heavy on western stories, Metro added anwer and will star William Haines Byron Morgan is now writing an original. Jack Conway will direct.. of the Fox companies’ several mat-~ ters of cdllateral and indebtedness.