Variety (Jan 1930)

Me tion, not, philosophical harangues. “a oneeman.. campaign to resurrect. a tures on a symbol. system (diamonds } 1. _ gree of. quality) -are at the. bot ~ Fegularly: covering films. and will be: tity until at. least’ December,’ 1930. on a eal: examination.or red tape . songlilss Fe ee shes —— mopsnem, ono _ ‘affiliated ‘and ‘subsidiary companies, are eligible for this ‘Insurance with ' ducer of the Colleen Moore pictures VARIETY | Film Cri tics Box Score on "awn age r — ~ : r (Continue Page 1). “Writers Gross? NS.G.. ‘Perhaps the thing that rieeds em|. phasizing most in .connection with “Variety's "film critic’s box score fs the changed basis for grading. pictures . since. dialog reversed the trade's viewpoint, “ Dialog pictures, unlike silent ™ ‘pictures, are standing or falling. largely on their intrinsic worth regardless ||. or stats or other. factors that. formerly -were ‘gverwhelmingly important. . “Variety” now “eonstders: * aialog” pictures somewhat similarly to ‘stage plays. In drawing up the film ‘box score ‘percentages the new. ‘method’ necessarily: is’ important. Talkers ‘may make. money’ for‘ their © “producers,: but ‘if: they are spotty, uncertain:.or of inferior. ‘merit are. now rated as flops regardless, .. .Women’ More: Reliable It. is hardly. deniable that. women are farmore ,reliable, film. crities than. men, They keep free of. the bitternesses of disillusion ‘that make most. of the men either very stereo-typed. or furiously. esoteric. . While the general: ‘public wants informa _Seribblers, . : ‘especially the "| trade folk; got less “gross” 4d. »-this. Yuletide’ fromthe power--""]}" i ful ‘film companies. than. in any ; year oldest elbow benders can | ‘recall, In’ short,: not so good. Fox was the’ only company ‘ that did it‘right." Under Glenn -Allvine’s " surveillance, quiet ‘ stepping boys in his depart° ment dispensed . real. warmth, and highly. ‘worthwhile. ' Pathe: ‘sent out’ a clock, clocked for the-time of all na. ‘tions, with the rooster. Promi““nently displayed, ‘ The canes, fountain pens, : -'gearfs,: etc., ete.;.the the daily “birds. exhibited with gusto at . ‘New. Year's ‘parties, last, were ; “forgotten to be duplicated. this ‘year by the: others. . Wall ‘Street wasn’t the rea‘gon, according to Warners, one of the biggest donators in-other |. annums; This is it, and ex-! plained‘ to. be taken as a tip ’ by the: mob if -they. expect -H. a M.: to:act as ‘Santa in:1930: BENNY ROSS Back: in. Jersey City. again!!! 7 '“What delighted me most in. the ‘current Stanley. theatre show’ was |'‘the singing of Benny Ross. And let it be said with: sincerity, this. young |. chap can sing.” . —A, D. M. -in’ the: Jersey “Journal, ” Management HARRY: W. CRUEL FORMER MRS. DWAN , This applies particularly, . since ad“-verit ‘of dialog. . In. New :Xork is a male reviewer Grift Writer m who stubbornly. brooms back the || _ A. grifting weer of the me: ~ STOPS: ‘ALIMONY. SumT| ’ gisingtide of dialog and. conduets |[tropolis, “ overlooked’ in e ‘. ' brothers’ 1928 bundles, promptly’ sat. down. and knocked out © memoirs hardly’ complimentary. : Something” about the gifts be°. As atthe, last, tabulation. Chicago. ving’ bought ‘in. bulk, ‘therefore | erities generally hold to higher per|. with discount, got to all the “eentage: Jevels than in. New: York..|:|. W. B. exées and they burned.. . : Doris. Arden, “Times” ¥. and. Mee. ; . The entire: ‘Christmas: Hst. was . a +” hé to{1 ordered : ‘aired for. ‘29. . . Einee. .¢ Tribune ), who grade. pic “Warner -presents _average a “915 to the individual, it, was . offered. in official explanation. . .as to the questioned price. . ».: Puk. departments are. glad. c that Santa isn't:botheringthem ‘because, .as: "one . exec puts. it:.. “Wrapping . up. and addressing those ‘packages: was a terrible .. a chore." ” : ‘ ~gilent. pictures, or. failing. that,. ta show. only ‘pictures imported. from. "Russia. al hate “ Wheiher or. ~ not. not “Rrozen’ ‘Tustlea, ™. ‘in. which Allare. Dwan ‘recently difrected Lenore Ulric had anything to ‘do with it, and-order has just: ‘been: filed discontinuing the ‘suit. by. his former. wife, Pauline Dwan, -brought | in: 1927. to.recover$32,000 alleged to. . Be. -due at: that time’ on alimony: payments under : Mrs.. Dwan’s Reno | decree-in 1919. She claimed:he was to pay: her. nat. more.than $500 a | week nor legs than. $300a week. for life.: a ‘ Dwan. replied. that: he: ‘had agreed: to give his former wife $300 a week. based ‘on a third of -his. income, .and'| oe if he made ‘any overpayments he 4 would deduct from future ‘alimony. He claimed. he chad overpaid: $12,000: up to.1926,.:and had..givén: Pauline a total: of.$71,600,...He said he paid $500. a week. during: the period, when: he -.had.::joined!. the ‘late Tom Inte: tana Mark Sennett in a co-operative: distributing: organization:and expected to ‘make: $7,500 a week. He : uy mn Mrs, : " Dwan, ‘sued 2 a few months. _ Fiest National will remain an en-? before Allan , marr ie a Betty’ Marle Shelton, former: “Potlies’” “Biri, and. Jater a scenario. writer; in August,1927. -The first Mrs. Dwan, --who. ‘was Pauline Bush, film star of a-few | years ago, announced in June, 1928,. that she had. rejected. an offered settlement ‘of. $200,000. mol. o Graham & Reynolds, attorneys: for. Dwan, filed the discontinuance, Society $ 5 Merit Awards. Hollywood, Dee. 31, A committee of five will: be appointed by -the Academy ofMotion ‘in one case, ‘stars ‘in the other, the ~ mumber of each indicating the de| ‘tome, . and. in’ New York. Irene ' Thirer -(“News’!), ° ‘who. similarly. pradeg,.ig in. the. cellar, | If they are | : interested “Variety,” ag ‘stated be|]. . Lore, aceepts two stars or less as a «had: ‘notice... 5. . Regina Crewe, who leads ‘the New > York division is‘a newcomer to the : box: Score, having. replaced. Regina “Cannon: on ‘the.“‘American”. last fall.. She isa film: chatter. writer’ ‘of : Hollywood ; “experience, ‘and gets a ~. typical siewspaper-reader’ 3. slant on * Pictures. ;. ’ ‘Greighton Péetis off the: “Post” and: out of” the box score. .“Post"’ is not. currently represented@&lthough. ‘Aaron’ Mare. Stien: appears. to ..be ( . tabulated, if. continuing. |The first’ annual: meeting ‘of the |. _ ,Willfary ‘Boehnel’ (¢Telegram") is company: as @ Warner ‘subsidiary. “new’to.the Gotham corps, having re--| ana Maryland corporation’ has: just:| ‘placed Katherine Zimmerman, who | been held with the official'personnel; . left:for a world tour. Julia’ Shawell. including Herman Starr at the head, (‘Graphic’) -has cdéme: out ‘behina remaining intact. the ‘Betty Colfax mask and appears’ ‘The nearness of. the government as herself. quiz is admitted another detail in -. All-of. the film. critics are pretty : { ’ ‘elosely bunched, « John -§, Cohen Bee eee y Lane eee enition “a ” <“Sun”): somewhat below bis’ cusUnder the present regime a cer tain amount of: leeway is granted First: National. executives by. ‘the. brothers, The heads of correspond-_ ent ‘ing departments in the Warner tion company are. conceded ‘to have the WARNERS’ INSURANCE zz? se = # Bt Reta FOR STAFFS—COoF JACK WARNER CALM. ON rues er repos PRESENT FOREIGN MART Insurance. plan to ‘all its employees, ‘outside of regular institutional | compensation coverage, enabling any employee to receive full insur~ pance at reduced ‘rates, with War ners ” paying: the -difference. ' ‘Tie-upis with the ‘Metropolitan: Life’ Insuraneetcoinpany, ‘It eliminates’ medi ‘(“Tines") ‘somewhat above theirs. Otherwise, the lineup ‘ig but sli ly changed from. the: last: tabula to name -the six individuals and -|the one picture to-receive the Acad-emiy’s award of: merit for achievements in the year previous: to Aug. ‘1, 1929. .-Awards ,will be. made: at the Academy’s’ annual dinner week -after next, Committees in five . ‘pranchesof actors, .5:. -actressés, 5 writers, cinematographers, 5 art directors, 5. directors. and 5 pictures. . From these names the central. committee of ore: member from “each branch: will make dts. Belection. — mo, Hollywood, “Dec. 31. " Warners, the only coast studio refusing ‘to get excited about the for| élgnsound market, will: not make any. foreign language versions of. its *30-'31 features. Jack ‘Warner be-|-: Neves ‘the market is too uncertain across the various: ponds at present. Warners -has pioneéred in ‘the matter. of foreign languages shorts. It made the first dialog. feature com‘hattan Studio fire, Pathe resumed 1 — ay 7 } Petey inn Men The. Roya eastern: production this week in OX, RCA's _Gramerey studio, , ‘Rockne. on Lot Holly wood, Dec, 31. ._ Knute Rockne, coach of Notre Dame football, is going, Hollywood, =“Ho-Has undertaken to function as" technical director on the football sequences of “Good News,” which, Metro will put into production next month, . ; All ‘employees ‘of ‘Warner’ Bros., Pathe Resumes i in East | For the first. time since the Man new:. ‘employeés. becoming eligible ‘after’ three. moriths ‘of: ‘continuous ‘service. Benefits are effective only _ after 75% of eligible employees. have " _ made application, .° ‘Warners’ is. allowing time. out “during the day to. enable the em| ployees. to listen to a representative of the insurance company, who uses -sshowmanly methods in. -his _speéches to convince the boys and ’ Alert House Manager . Ogden Utah, ‘Dee. 82. __R.,..C, Glasmann,..manager. of the. local Paramount, got more than 20. firms to join in.a doubletruck ad vertisement.. It congratulated his: theatre’ on erecting a new electri¢ sign. ~ MeCormick With Par ‘Hollywood, Dec. 31. Jolin McCormick, former First’ Nationa) prodtiction head and pro-. Judgment Against Goetz GOTTESMAN .AS: W. B, EXEC? i. ato ‘Alfred: Gottesman is reported set for an executive berth with Warners shortly after Jan. 1. Gottesman sold his New England chain to W. Be last fall.’ ment in the N. Y. City Court last ‘week for $1,964 against EF. Ray oétz for printing and paper fur nished between 1926 and 1928. Suit undefended, “for that company,.has.been added to the Paramount. zroup of producers by’ Ben P. Schulberg. McCormifck's first will be a starring picture with William Powell. PICTURES |. : Lady” (Par). OL-G-M).. \ (Pathe). | Nothing to Use for Money on Picture nell filed salary claims against Eski: Wilson, manager of the Standard. ‘Motion | ‘Picture . the State Labor: ‘Board, . amounting” to $2,000. “Previously they had filed a claim “for the against. the Jefferson and’ Hawaiian. Picture Co.,. ‘with the filing’ of the’ ‘new “claim against Wilson. — sented. himself as the’ president of ‘the Hawaiian -picturé company, and as such signed a contract with them 7/ to: make «a... picture {n'. Honolulu, “When they: ‘arrived. 1. Hawail: the actors found that thece was: “everything in sight: for making pictures’ except money. . ‘there they left for the ‘States, ‘MacConnell had'a rojind trip ticket: ‘|; but Allan’ ‘haa to: payhis own. fare. home. acting as ‘agent for ‘the Hawailair ‘company and: is not ‘an official of : the organization: . $5 Clerk's Balanced Head -| Advance Trailer Service corpord-" tion on S. Wabash ave., $15,000 damage before it was ex: tinguished: It started .when a -| stenographer wrapping Christmas packages. dropped hot | ‘wax on waste film. Picture Arts and Sciences this week |: ping clerk, ‘prevented serious “damage in the’ storage vault when, he ran slammed the door shut: were burned. the academy ‘have recommended 5}:. 5 | : “fan Wednesday, Jantary’, "1930 _ Ist Runs on Broadway : (Subject to Change) Week Jan. 3... : Capitol—“Hollywood Revue” (M-G-M)... ' -Colony—"Hell’s Heroes” (U): Paramount— “Laughing Ro xy—"Hot™ For Paris", L. A’S BIG SHOW: | MARRIAGE OF _BESSIE LOVE (Fox). . Bde 7 . me ——— foe. Strand—"No, No, ‘Nannette” ; (EN ). . Week Jane 10,.°., . : Gapitol—"“#ollywood Revue’ _ ‘.. .Colony— ~"Her Private: Affair” . Paramount—“Battle of Paris” _ (Par). 'Rox y—Sunny_“Side Up" ' (Fox). Ty! Strand—“No, No, Nanette", : EN) . 4 : ‘ocne : "$2. ‘Rune, oe TE ' Jan. 2 15—*Hit the: “Deck”. “The .* (Car roll). : : : Feb. ‘8—*Vagabond ° : King” . (Criterion), my . a ‘Set for Honotaln| | : Los Angeles, Dec. 81. trash ‘Allan and, Gladys MacCon Service: Co. with same. amount ‘which ‘was: ‘canceled . Both charge that Wilson _epre: “After “four. weeks’ Miss’ ‘ Wilson ‘states: ‘that he’ was: ‘just Chicago;. Dec. 31. Fire in the shipping room of tlhe caused. Nick Kutnisk, $15-aweek ship-. through: heavy’ smoke. aad ' Kutnick and. _ the: ‘stenographer | ‘Charles “Chic” Sale, currently playing vaude for R-K-O, is due ‘on* the. Coast.in about. two. weeks.to. £0 into. ‘conference on ‘his: future screen work. Two deals: are pending, .one independent ‘proposition witn Sale to be listed ag the producer. ‘Leo’ Morrison, now in -New York, wil fly back. west In time to sit in on the negotiations, FREUND'S COLOR ‘WORK Karl Freund, German cameraman who made “Variety” and “The Last Laugh,” is now at the Paramount] studio, Long, Island, experimenting. He is working: on ‘and ‘demonstrating particularly the KellerDorian color system, 'a device using the “thres-primary® “COLOES Se Freund will be in New York some time. Blunienthal’s Return —_ Although ‘Poxites understand <A, ade -|C, Bluménthal, traveling realtor for |. .Golden Printing Co. filed a judg Fox, had returned several weeks ago from that half year’s stay abroad, Mr. Blumenthal’s pretty Ambaesador officé assured: “We do not expect him until. around Jan, 15." , . ithe’ “wedding fiesta, ' * \the. ‘high . “Episcopal” : . [ladies of picturejand found -they'\. | “| eonla not. enter. the “€difice ‘unlesa | they; wore headgear. | sili Fawn Fama}: 4,470 placements ‘Hollywood, ‘Dec, 3 31, A. big show Friday night. when. Bessie Love was married to William: B.. Hawks at. St. James’ ‘Episcopal — Church. As, Miss Love was, marrieq | toa brother of Nornta., Shearer's sister's husband, Metro ‘crowd de.qided to stage the production. : More | than 1,000 were, invited to. and they alt came from the picturé‘ colony. ‘It was just’ the biggést show + Holly~) ‘wood has ever. had. ‘matrimonially. Support.cast best obtainable. For matron ‘of honor, Blanche’ Sweet,: | Other attendants of the ‘bride were... Irene’ and 'Hdith: ‘Shearer, Bebe Daniels, Mary .Astor,’.:, Athole Shearer and Carmel. Myers... : ‘Leading the delegation of ushers -Mayer, ~ Norma" :were Irving ‘Thalberg, Howard and: . ‘Kenneth Hawks, *.. aa Wilshire ‘Houlevard; where the ’ ‘church is located, was handsomely: ™ "iMumindted, with some 26,000 stand| ing: in’ line on the thoroughfare to” ‘|get! a flash of | the celebs" itt on the: . party. “Headgear Puzzle. AS. the ceremony. took: “since in” church, : the | AS ‘perplexing: ; problem. They: called up every aus. thority they knew: and each. other, to find out the proper thing to wear... . Finally. most decided that they,. would ‘wear a vell over their coif~: féeurs.. The .vellings in most in-«., stances did not. match ‘the gowns. : ‘Embarrassment... From there the party went. to the . Ambassador, where ‘the. Hawks held. a-réception.---That--lasted “until-the .. early hours, with the ‘bridal couple vamping’ for their honeymoon. The Metro. publicity : départment {had pictures. taken of this” bride and’ ‘hey attendants at: a ‘rehearsal seve) éral. days before the Wedding, so the’. local papers, had ‘the, ‘pictdrial ‘lays wae ‘out’ on the Streets. before, the « ceres i mony was. over. oe a : . | Exctement Not Staged Hollywood, Dee.’ 31, Mn. and. Mrs. Joseph Faragoh. of . New. York, parents of. ‘Francis Fas. yagoh, First National], writer, came. here to spend Christmas: with their, son.. On their first night here he,, | went out to call on friends to be, ‘| away only an hour. While he was away. things. vez! gan to happen in true ‘ picturé,; style. | James “Watson, negro, 7 broke into the house, cut. the; telephone wire, threatened to. shoot. the Faragohs, chased his wifey; employed as a cook there, throughs the house, and finally shot four bule,. . lets into her heart, killing her inaa stantly. The negro then .ran from, the hause ‘firing as he ran and is now being sought ‘by. ‘the. police. " Pallette Advanced Supplementing the’ _ “westerns , scheduled by. Paramount “will be a horse opera in talk and possibly. Jeolor that will feature Hugene Pal<, lette in the cast. nd mark the first , picture whose, company he will; head. Pallette came. up in eéarly,« Rois eR se | Warner’ talkers from ‘the bit. players horde, his voice: immediately shunting him forward: Although the -western will be: made for release-on the Par. spring schedule, its title and director have not yet been. decided upen: McCormack F ‘inishes | Hollywood, Dec. 31.. . Fox completed: the John McCora, mack picture yesterday, other than, perhaps: a retake or 80. _ no altogether ‘last, week for the singing talker. ‘It’s the most work the mobs have. had in one week in a long while. L.A. toN. Y. William McCaffrey. Fred Newmeyer, Polly Walker. Billy Gibson,